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“Stop, you’re going to hurt yourself!”
“Shut up,” he said gruffly.
He carried her over to the bed and sat down with her on his lap. She tried to wiggle off, very much aware that he was naked, but he tightened his arms.
“Chill. I’m just checking to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m fine, really, I just—”
His fingers slipping off her broken shoe stalled her words. She gulped as he took her ankle gently and turned it in a circle.
“Does this hurt?”
She shook her head, unable to meet his gaze, she was too embarrassed. She stared at his mouth, instead.
Big mistake.
“My heel just caught something. I’m not hurt. Although I think I destroyed the table.”
“I don’t care about the table.” His hand rested on her calf and she blushed as she felt something hard poking her butt.
“I was… I was just coming to tell you that I need you to come back to work.”
“Didn’t Kelly tell you? I’ve been sick.” To emphasize his lie, he fake coughed.
Her gaze finally snapped up to his, and she scowled at the mischievous gleam in his eye. “You are not. You’re just avoiding me and it’s stupid.” With a heavy sigh, she took the leap first, and said, “I am sorry for lecturing you on how you spoke to Mrs. Needermyer. I understand how frustrating she can be. You are a grown man and I shouldn’t have overstepped.”
He tilted his head, as if considering her. “Hmm, and for hitting me?”
“I am sorry for that too. It was immature. I will try to fight the urge.”
“Then apology accepted.”
Rylie waited, and when he didn’t reciprocate, she poked him in the shoulder.
“Hey, I thought you were going to stop assaulting me!” he said.
“It was just a poke. And it’s your turn.”
He scowled. “For what?”
“For calling me a doormat and stomping out of the grocery store like a big baby.”
“I didn’t—”
“You did! You were a complete asshat. Not at all acceptable.”
Dustin’s lips twitched. “Your apology for lecturing me is slowly losing credibility.”
“Well, it was embarrassing, and to be honest, it hurt my feelings. I thought we were having fun.”
She hated how vulnerable she sounded, but it was true. She’d been feeling so stressed after Asher had shown up, and Dustin’s goofy antics had eased it. She’d started to remember why she’d initially seen something in him when he’d first began working at Something Borrowed.
But his reaction to Mrs. Needermyer and Rylie’s chastening had just confused her again. She’d been taught not to talk that way to her elders. That didn’t make her a doormat.
His thumb grazed her chin and her gaze met his.
“I was having fun, but I’m still an asshole. Nothing’s going to change that. I don’t pretend to be someone
