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‘There are two bags of frozen peas in the freezer I can use.’
‘Painkillers?’
‘Paracetamol in the bathroom cabinet.’
‘I’ll get you a glass of water. Can I help you upstairs?’
Estelle shook her head even though her body was screaming carry me! at him.
‘Can you put weight on it?’ he asked sceptically.
‘I can hop.’
‘Upstairs?’
Bugger. ‘I’ll manage.’
He put the fork U down, frowned and moved closer, holding under her elbow as well as her hand. ‘Use me as a crutch. Hold your breath if you must.’
‘Huh?’
‘So you don’t have an anaphylactic reaction to my killer cologne.’
‘Bugger off,’ she grumbled. ‘It’s killing me.’
He laughed, then helped her hobble to the base of the stairs.
She stared up them. Her foot was throbbing now that gravity was sending blood straight to it.
‘Come on,’ he said. ‘No-one can see me helping you, and I promise I won’t tell.’
‘You’d better not.’
He smirked and helped her onto the first step.
With James on one side, and the banister on the other, it was easy to get up without putting any weight on her bad foot. However, the enclosed space meant she was even more aware of James than normal—his size, strength, and how amazing he smelled.
‘Your perfume suits you perfectly,’ he said.
‘What?’
‘The one you’re wearing.’
Shit. She was still using Elyse’s perfume that she’d found in the toilets at work.
‘It’s not mine.’
‘Yes, it is.’
She glanced at him. ‘How would you know?’
He hesitated, and she stared at the changing emotions on his face, trying to mind read. James seemed to be working out whether or not he should say something. Then his expression became shuttered, and he indicated up the stairs.
‘Come on, let’s get you into the bath.’
In the bathroom, Estelle sat on the lid of the toilet. James had placed every single product that was hers around the edge of the bath so she could easily reach for them, and a pile of towels on the floor.
He glanced at her ankle. ‘I’m not trying to be a sleaze, but can you get your jodhpurs off by yourself?’
