Haunted Hearts Read Free

started to form on the point of her kneecap. After a few moments of examination, he said, “Not much swelling. That’s a good sign. Any pain?”
    “Just from that nasty looking cut,” Suzy said.
    “It’s only nasty because it’s dirty. Let me get something to clean it.”
    He stepped into the next room and flicked a light switch. Suzy caught a glimpse of stainless steel appliances, copper pots hanging from the ceiling, clean marble counters, white cabinets, and a small breakfast table for two.
    A sudden, unwelcome thought chilled her blood. Was her Rochester married? Her heart thudded in her chest and suddenly, she had trouble swallowing.
    Returning with medicine bottles, bandages, and a bag of ice, Scott dropped to his knees in front of her. In one hand, he held a small wash basin. “Soak your hands in here to loosen up some of that dirt and gravel.”
    He pulled the edges of her pants further apart and probed at her knee with his fingers. After a medical style examination, he began to clean the scratch. When salve and a bandage had been applied, he wrapped a towel over the ice bag and placed it gently on her knee.
    “That seemed like a pretty professional job.” Suzy attempted to distract her thoughts from the very deft, suntanned fingers touching her knee. Such beautiful hands and long, strong fingers. Could a man’s hands be beautiful?
    “I’m a firefighter and an EMT.” He barely even glanced in her direction. Grasping one wrist, he pulled her dripping fingers out of the wash basin. His tone and attitude made it clear no more information in that arena would be forthcoming, but Suzy had to probe. How else would she know if there was a Mrs. Lunsford?
    “Well, all those first aid skills must come in handy when the family needs medical aid.”
    He slanted a wry look in her direction.
    “Or for accident prone neighbors,” she quickly added, chaffing under his gaze.
    “There’s no family. Just me.” He popped the lid back on the antiseptic. “And accident prone neighbors are always welcome to my skills…such as they are.”
    Suzy wasn’t sure where that comment had come from or what it meant. All she really understood was the “just me” part.
    He carried the medical supplies back to the kitchen, and Suzy released a huge sigh of relief—which quickly turned into a shiver.
    “You’re cold. Let me build a fire.”
    “Oh, no. I’m sure it’s too much trouble. You’ve already been so much help.”
    “It’s no bother.” Wood was already stacked in the fireplace. He bent, pulled a long match from a copper pot on the hearth, struck it, and turned the gas on.
    The flame sparked the kindling, and within moments, welcome heat warmed Suzy’s skin. “Wow. I didn’t expect an old house like this to have gas in the fireplace.”
    “It didn’t. I had it put in when I re-did the plumbing, the sewer lines, and all the electricity. Had those basics done before I moved in and now I’m tackling the rooms one by one, trying to get them back to their original shape.”
    “I’m impressed. I would never have recognized this house’s potential.”
    “I didn’t recognize anything. I knew what it could be. The house belonged to my grandparents. I inherited it when my grandmother passed two years ago. My brothers, my sister, and I spent our summers here, running wild in the forest. Grandpa taught us all about the wildlife, and we helped Grandma with a giant garden in the back. Some of my best memories were created in this house.”
    His words died out, and Suzy got the impression that some bad memories had been created here as well. Did they have something to do with what they’d both seen in the clearing?
    He rose to his feet and reached for her hand. “Let’s check out that knee.” On her feet, Suzy found her knee tender, but better than she had anticipated. “I’m almost good as new.”
    Scott shook his head. “We’ll see what you say in the morning. Tomorrow you’re going to be very sore. If