Keagan inched forward in his chair, elbows on his knees. "No, sir. Captain Seabrook didn't come back."
Sara rubbed Lucia's back, soothing her daughter even though she slept soundly.
The doctor swore Lucia would be fine. She'd received the spider anti-venom in time. But Sara still needed the comfort of contact like during those early days with her baby in neonatal ICU.
The door creaked open across the room. Lucas stood in shadows, backlit by the hall bulb. Lean and tall, he filled the open doorway, his head nearly skimming the top of the frame. He'd showered, changed into someone's khaki cargo shorts and a plain black T-shirt—far too tempting when she still felt so shaky.
"Did you take care of your debrief?" He nodded, stepping into the room, the dim bedside lamp dispersing the shadows to reveal a man as weary as she'd ever seen him. "I've done everything I can for my people until morning."
"Waiting is difficult."
He nodded again, only half with her. What had happened in that debrief? "Lucas? Are you sure everything's all—"
"How's she doing?" he interrupted, subject closed. He could comfort but heaven forbid he accept any.
"Restless, but sleeping."
"I can sit with her now."
Of course he could. He could do anything.
"I'm okay."
"You need to take a break, snag a shower or get something to eat."
"I'm fine." She stared at her child rather than the overburdened man tempting her to wrap her arms around him.
"You smell."
Ouch. So much for vanity. "Gracias, but that won't be a problem if you leave."
"You should watch what you eat." His footsteps thudded on the wooden floor, the chair on the other side of the bed creaking as he sat. "We haven't had the best of diets the past couple of days."
"You're suddenly an expert on diabetes?"
"Cheap shot, but I figure you're due one, probably a dozen if you want them."
Surprised at his admission, she looked away from her daughter over to Lucas sprawled in the spindly chair. His shoulders slumped, head hanging, elbows braced on his knees while his hands rested on the back of his neck.
"Are you all right?"
"What did the doctor say about your diabetes when you saw him?" He threw his shoulders back, ignoring her question. No surprise there.
"My blood sugar was a little low, but everything is under control now." Of course with hindsight, she saw that she may have been reckless in not telling Lucas about her condition. But he'd been injured because of her and she'd worried that he...
Time to stop making excuses. "How is your arm?"
"Stitched. No permanent damage."
"Then everyone is well and accounted for."
He winced and somehow she knew it had nothing to do with his arm. What was wrong with him? Would he ever talk to her, really talk?
Leaning forward, he took one of Lucia's hands, studying it like a mystery.
"I'm sorry, Sara," he said low, still fixated on Lucia's hand.
Now that stunned her silent for a heartbeat. She continued to rub her snoozing daughter's back. "For saying I was a drug addict or doubting Lucia's your child?"