Robin blurted out in what she immediately realized was not one of her more brilliant moments. “I hope it’s me,” he replied with just the barest hint of a smile. “Are you all right?” She tried to put some weight on the leg. A jolt of pain ran through it, and—for a second—fear struck that she might have injured it again. She grasped his hand for support. The ache faded. She breathed again. She’d already started putting a small amount of weight on her leg without the brace. But very, very carefully. Another break could be crippling for the Humpty Dumpty leg, and she feared for an instant that she’d twisted it as she started downward. She felt the strength in his hand, in his body, as one hand stayed at her elbow. Heat from his body darted through hers, and she seemed to absorb some of his strength. For a moment she found herself leaning into it, something that startled her. She’d worked damned hard to restore her sense of independence after the accident, usually spurning attempts to help.
