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She snorts and watches them for about two seconds before she shrugs. “They’re wrapping it up now,” she declares.
I see no signs that they’re anywhere near finished but damn if she isn’t right since they’re headed back this way. The three of them read each other so well it’s a little like dealing with triplets who have groupthink.
Lolo and I stand from our seats and grab our purses as they walk our way. Although Colin and I have nothing on our agendas, Sam and Lolo both need to work in the morning and it’s after midnight now. Even though I took a three-hour nap, I feel exhausted. The last lemon drop shot has me feeling languid, so I’m mostly quiet as we walk to the parking lot. After exchanging hugs with the girls, Colin and I settle into his car. I love being in the car alone with Colin, especially at night when it’s like being in a little cocoon. His Dave Matthews Band playlist is on and right now “Satellite” is playing through the speakers. I yawn as I lean back against the headrest.
“Sometimes I wonder if you’d be able to sleep around the clock if no one woke you up,” he says.
“Maybe,” I chuckle as my eyes drift shut.
The sound of his car door closing wakes me up a few minutes later. I have just enough time to take my seatbelt off before Colin opens the door for me. “Thought I might have to carry you in,” he says.
His husky voice causes an immediate surge of desire to race through my body. Anxious to hide my stiffening nipples I lean forward and grab my purse. Since my bra isn’t padded and I’m wearing a fitted off-the-shoulder emperor blue top, I know damn well that they’re visible. I clutch my purse to my chest as I step out of his car. The second I put my foot down, I realize my error. Because I didn’t look down, I didn’t notice where Colin’s feet were. The hands I’m clutching my purse with immediately go wide as my foot goes out from under me and I try to balance myself as I start to fall. Colin grabs me and keeps me from going down entirely, but I can already feel my ankle swelling.
My purse is now down on the asphalt but I couldn’t care less because my ankle is throbbing. I know this feeling well since I’ve sprained my ankles cheerleading half a dozen times over the years. The good news is that I’ve got a few ankle braces upstairs in my room here, so at least there’s that. Clutching at Colin’s shirt, I look up at him.
“I dropped my purse and I think I sprained my ankle. I’ll need to lean on you to make it into the house.”
“The hell you will,” he growls.
Before I can ask what the heck that means, he’s swinging me up into his arms. I startle when he tilts me back and says, “Grab the purse, Little Bird.”
Once I reach out my free arm and grab my purse, he closes the car door with his foot and strides toward the side door. This is the one door that Nanny and Pop allowed him to install an electronic door lock. They’d both chosen to eschew the keypad in favor of a traditional key but Colin and I both favor entering the code. When we get to the door, I quickly press the buttons to unlock it. Inside the house, he takes me directly to the living room before setting me down on the couch.
“First let’s get your shoes. Then you can elevate it and I’ll go make an ice pack,” he says as he helps me into a comfortable position. My shoes are easy to remove since I’m wearing a simple pair of slip on leather sandals. Tossing the shoes to the side, Colin crouches down to check out my foot. I hold in a shiver when his hand wraps around my lower leg just above my ankle. Lifting up gently, he looks at the ankle. I’ve got on a pair of black jean shorts and the warmth of his palm against my skin feels electric.
“It’s definitely swollen,” he says quietly. “Are you certain it’s just a sprain? We can head to Urgent Care to have this checked out.”
I shake my head. “It’s definitely a sprain. Sadly I know the feeling well. After I ice it for twenty minutes, if you can take me upstairs so I can pull out one of the ankle braces I keep here. I never wear them to bed but if I’m awake, I can use it for a few minutes.”
He nods as he grabs two of the decorative pillows on the couch and uses them to elevate my foot. “I’m going to go grab the ice. Do you want me to bring you back anything else?”
