AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The ambulance was empty.
He could see the car she’d crashed; it was scrunched up against a pole. It was also empty.
Fin was about to have a fear induced nervous breakdown when he spotted her.
She was standing under a tree, and it looked like she was arguing with someone.
She looked fine.
His fear turned to anger. Was this just some crazy stunt to pay him back for treating her badly last night?
Furious, he stalked over to her but froze a couple of feet away.
Blood streaked her face just as it had after the last accident. Her shoulders were hunched, and she held a hand to her chest as though it caused her pain. Although she was arguing with an EMT, her voice was weak and raspy.
He must have gasped aloud because she suddenly turned toward him, her beautiful brown eyes grew wide with surprise,then narrowed in suspicion. “Fin, what are you doing here?”
“What do you think?”
The blank look she gave him said she genuinely had no idea. “I don’t know. Last night you were very clear that you wanted nothing more to do with me.”
He really wished he had a comeback for that, but he didn't. She was right. He’d been awful to her, and she had no reason to believe that he still cared about her. “Angry doesn’t mean I don’t love you anymore,” he said quietly.
Chloe’s pale face was shocked, and she rubbed at her eyes as though she thought she might have just imagined what he’d said.
Before she could say something, he started toward her. “I need to check you out.”
She held up a hand to stop him. “I’m okay. You don’t need to.”
“She wouldn’t let us examine her,” the EMT inserted.
“I am looking you over, Chloe. Don’t even think about arguing. I just about had a heart attack when I heard what happened. You were knocked out … you need to be checked out.”
Fin gently grasped the hand she held out between them and led her to his car. She stumbled a little, struggling to keep her balance, and he worried that she had a concussion. Chloe didn't offer any more protestations, but he wasn't sure if that was because she was okay with him looking after her or because she felt too bad and was in too much pain to bother arguing.
Struggling to keep his composure, he forced himself to slide into doctor mode. Doctor mode was safe. He didn't have to worry about his feelings, which were quickly welling up toward overwhelming.
“How long were you unconscious?” he asked as he helped her sit in the back seat of his car.
“I don’t know—a few minutes, maybe,” she replied, resting her head back against the headrest.
“You have a headache? What about dizziness and nausea?”He reached into the front and pulled a penlight from his glove box.
“A little of both,” she admitted.
“Let me look.” When he took hold of her chin and tilted her face in his direction, her eyes met his, and she sucked in an uncertain breath. Her lips parted, and the tip of her tongue darted out to wet them. Her breath was warm as it puffed against his cheeks.
Vulnerability bloomed in her eyes, and he knew he was being unfair to her. He shouldn’t have treated her like he had last night, and he shouldn’t be here right now. He was being selfish. He was here becausehehad needed to see her, but he hadn’t considered if this was what was best for her. She was vulnerable right now, and he felt like he was taking advantage.
“You need to go to the hospital,” he said a little breathily. Being this close to Chloe, it was hard not to kiss her, to tangle his fingers in her soft brown locks and run his hands all over her perfectly toned body. But he couldn’t. She was hurt, and they weren’t together. It wasn't his place to touch her like that anymore. Fin had to remind himself why it was they had broken up in the first place, or he was going to throw all his doubts to the wind and accept her invitation to dinner, providing it still stood.
“I don’t want to go to the hospital. That’s what I was arguing with the EMT about when you showed up.”
Why was he not surprised about that? He would have argued with her about it, but he knew why she didn't want to go to the hospital. The accident would have brought up all those feelings and emotions from that day. Everything was too fresh. She couldn’t handle the hospital right now, and he didn't have the heart nor the will to force her. And this way, he got to spend a little extra time around her.
“You probably have a concussion, and that cut needs stitches.”
“You can do that though, right? Or the EMT?”
