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I snickered. “He punished me with a hand wrapped around my neck, and he punished her by leaving her behind while he jetted off on yet another business trip. Yeah. I think she’s okay.”
“So you lashed out at those guys because you needed… an outlet?”
“It’s the only thing I know how to do when I’m confused and angry. It’s the only way Dad ever taught me how to deal with shit.”
“And you think that’s productive?”
I shrugged. “Maybe not.”
“I wouldn’t think so either. Since you weren’t doing a very good job of fighting.”
I grinned as a soft chuckle bubbled up the back of my throat. I looked over at her, finding her smirking at me as her hand moved down to my knee. She squeezed it before moving it again, and I ached for her touch against my body again. I loved how she made me smile. How she had this ability to light up my world, even at a time like this.
“Don’t be a smartass. It’s not a good look.”
She giggled. “And yet, it’s in my blood.”
I quirked an eyebrow. “I don’t think it’s genetic more so than a chromosomal defect.”
“I’m shocked you even know what that is, considering you almost flunked out of sophomore science.”
“And here I thought you never paid attention to me.”
She snickered. “The only thing I paid attention to during that class was Mr. Blackman’s ass. He had a nice one.”
“And you weren’t staring at my ass? How rude.”
“Yours wasn’t very nice back then.”
“So you were looking.”
And all at once, her face flushed red. It trickled down the nape of her neck, forcing me to swallow back a growl. I enjoyed bantering with her. I enjoyed making her flustered. The big, bad, tough girl from the wrong side of the tracks, melting into a puddle of embarrassment.
It looked spectacular on her.
“Well, Rae. The good news is that your wrist isn’t broken.”
She rolled her eyes. “I could’ve told you that.”
“I’m sure. Can you tell me what it actually is, then?”
She glared playfully at me. “It’s sprained, jackass.”
I patted her head. “Good job, Rae. You get a gold star.”
“You’re a dick.”
“And you love it.”
Her eyes whipped up to mine and I saw something flash behind them. Something hot. Something passionate. Something way too fleeting for the moment. She looked away from me, casting her eyes down into her lap. So I decided not to back her into a corner over it.
I mean, I’d already gotten her to admit she enjoyed staring at my ass.
“Here. Let me get that ice pack real quick.”
My hand pressed against the back of her shoulder and she leaned up. I heard her groaning a bit, which meant her muscles were already stiffening from the jarring impact. I stood up and took the ice pack back into the kitchen, tossing it into the freezer. Then I rummaged around for a washcloth.
“Time for some heat,” I murmured to myself.
