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I pulled up next to the car she indicated and helped her with her helmet. My thumbs brushed along her jaw as I watched her lips gently part.
"I'll be in touch," I said. My voice had a gruff edge which I regretted when I saw hesitation flicker in her stare. "Promise."
"It's okay." She stepped away, hand reaching behind her to find the handle of the car door.
"Promises are promises, Lux. One thing you'll learn about me is I'm a man of my word."
"Okay." She pulled her hair back with her hands, slipping the tie around the thickness and then tucking it into a bun, wisps of golden dancing in her face. "No matter what, it was really nice to meet you, Jensen."
She didn't believe I'd call. Had she not seen herself in a mirror? Did she not realize what a fantastic person she was? "And you, Lux." I looked forward to proving her wrong. Grinning, I gave her a wave and took off toward the dreaded hospital.
Honestly, I didn't think Clint would be out of surgery. Lunch, as much as I'd tried to drag it out, hadn't been that long. As I made my way toward Clint's room, I couldn't help thinking about Lux. In the past, a hook-up at the end of a night in a bar had been fine before I'd put myself on a fuck fast. But Lux wasn't that kind of woman. She was the kind you went all-in for, and that was what I intended to do.
Her and I meeting still didn't feel real. It had an almost fated sensation to it like that vending unit had been magnetized into bringing us together at that exact moment. I rubbed my ribs where she'd hit me. Tiny as she was, there wasn't a residual ache, but I could still feel the echo of the knock. She was beautiful, too. There was no denying it. Fresh-faced with barely any make-up. In her innocence, she shone a radiating glow that most everyone couldn't achieve. She was too slim for my usual tastes, but I wanted to explore each delicate and graceful inch of her.
Exceptional and unique. Thinking about her made my footsteps a little lighter. There was a fucking bounce in my walk as I made my way towards Clint's room. Yeah, I wanted to see her again without a doubt. Her number on my phone almost burned through my jacket pocket.
I could call her tonight, though that seemed too soon.
"Can I help you, sir?" a woman at the desk asked.
"Yeah, is Clint out of surgery? I'm his in case of emergency." I blinked, keeping my gaze steady.
"Yep, three doors down."
"Thanks."
I poked my head into Clint's room. He was in there, and the sci-fi contraption that'd been hooked up to his leg was gone. "Hey, buddy, how you doing?"
He didn't answer, so I stepped in and peered down at him. Sound asleep, like a baby, with a little bit of dribble. I considered taking a picture, but … Okay, I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture. Chuckled and tucked my phone away, resisting the urge to make sure I hadn't somehow deleted Lux's missed call from the restaurant when we swapped numbers.
"He's going to be asleep for a while," a voice said at the door.
I looked up to find the nurse from earlier standing there. Without meaning to, I compared her to Lux. And while this woman was still beautiful, she wasn't breathtaking. "Did surgery go okay?"
"Yep. Recovery will be a long journey, I think, but at least he's got a chance at walking again." She pursed her lips like she had a bad taste in her mouth.
I suddenly did. Plus, my stomach pitched a little. Because I was royally fucked. There was no way Clint would be coming back to help at the garage anytime soon. A stab of guilt at being such a selfish asshole hit me, and I tried to relax. I'd work something out. I always did.
"I'll keep him on the straight and narrow." I patted his unresponsive arm, making a deep snore emit from his chest.
"Keep him out of the rain. I'd say that's a bigger concern," she added.
I nodded glumly. Clint was a dick.
Since Clint was asleep, I debated whether to head home and get some rest. "Did you need me to speak to someone about his insurance?' I asked. Not that I knew anything, but at least I was being polite.
"All paid."
I shrugged with relief. "Good to know." I walked over to the door.
"Hey," she said.
I turned, and she inclined her head, indicating the helmet in my hand. "Yeah."
"Be careful on that bike of yours. We don't want the two of you here in adjoining rooms."
No shit.I grinned. "You got it."
