Cassidy looked up from her task, meeting Laura’s gaze. Darkness surrounded them yet they were in the light. Laura’s hand was still cradled in her own. Again, a sense of…of something hit her. She swallowed, trying to push it away.

“My mother was a nurse, you know. And as a kid, I had my share of scrapes that I watched her tend to.” Laura still held her gaze but said nothing. Cassidy wasn’t able to look away this time. “I’m…I’m attracted to you.”

The words were out before she could stop them, and Laura slowly moved her head back and forth.

“I’m…I’m not your type. I’ve seen the women you’ve brought here…and I’m not your type.”

Cassidy let Laura pull her hand away, but she held firm to her gaze. “You’re attracted to me too.”

There was a moment of silence, then Laura smiled and took a step away from her. “God…damn that sixth sense of yours,” she said in a teasing tone. Then her smile faded. “That doesn’t matter though, does it? I’ve seen the women you bring here. I’m not one of those women, Cassidy.” She shook her head. “I don’t want to be one of those women.”

Cassidy had no reply to that. Laura didn’t want to be one of those women? Those women who came around for a weekend, sometimes two? Or like Claudia, a month before Cassidy tired of them, ending whatever semblance of a relationship they had. No, she didn’t blame Laura in the least. So she nodded.

“You’re right. You’re not one of those women.” She smiled apologetically. “Not my type at all.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Laura rolled to her side, silently pleading for sleep to come. As had been the case for the last two hours, it eluded her.

“I’m attracted to you.”

God, what was she supposed to do with that? Shocking, yes. And as she’d told Cassidy, judging by the women she kept parading through here, she wasn’t her type. She wasn’t even close to her type.

Then why?

And how could she possibly know that Laura was attracted to her? She’d been so careful, hadn’t she? What had given it away?

Oh, God…now what? Now what were they supposed to do?

She rolled onto her back again and pulled her hands out from under the sheet. She touched the bandage on her right hand, remembering Cassidy’s soft touch, her gentle fingers…remembering the way her stomach had flipped over—like a damn teenager’s—when Cassidy had been holding her hand. Remembering the look in her eyes…remembering her words.

“I’m attracted to you.”