AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Fine. Jesus.” Neil swings open his door and Grant helps him by stuffing him inside the car and slamming his door shut.
Grant folds his arms over his chest, unmoving like a statue, until Neil drives away—not before flipping us both off like a pussy.
I hug my midsection as I steady my breaths. “Grant, you didn’t have to do that. He’s all bark and no bite. He’s just a pathetic piece of—”
“Are you all right?” Grant rushes toward me and holds me out in front of him as his eyes scan my body, like he’s looking for any obvious signs of injury. “Did you hurt anything when you fell?”
“I’m fine.” I look down at my scratched-up palms. “Really, this is it.”
He bends my left arm and gestures to my elbow. “This is fine? You’re fucking bleeding, Elena.”
“It’s okay. It’s just a scrape. I’ll put a Band-Aid on it.”
“You have to disinfect it first.” He wraps his arm around my shoulders. “Come on. I’ll patch you up.”
I almost let out a laugh. I tripped off the curb, yet he’s acting like I’ve been shot.
It’s adorable.
He leads me into his house and scolds Romeo as he jumps up to greet me. “Down, boy. Not now.”
“Hi, Romeo.” I pat his head before Grant pulls me into the bathroom.
He gestures to the sink. “Sit.”
“Yes, sir.” I stifle a laugh as I hop up onto the counter. “You’re extra bossy when you’re concerned.”
And I kind of like it.
He’s quiet while he works and I don’t mind because it gives me plenty of time to look at him. His large calloused hands are so delicate and careful with me. Long lashes frame his stony eyes. Plump, soft lips surrounded by scratchy stubble. There’s a big caring heart underneath the solid muscle. This man is an oxymoron.
“Why are you staring at me?” His voice is low as he dabs a cotton ball against my cut.
“Because you’re nice to stare at.” My cheeks burn as the words slip out, but I don’t regret them.
His eyebrows press together as he covers the gauze on my elbow with medical tape. “Why was he here?”
I roll my eyes and wave a dismissive hand. “If I sell my house, he’s entitled to half of it.”
“You’re moving?”
“No, no. But he thinks he can bully me into moving so he can have his portion of the money. He thinks I’m keeping it from him on purpose, but in reality, I love my house. I don’t want to move.”
“You should get a restraining order.”
“It’s not like that. He won’t do anything to hurt me.”
Grant lifts my elbow. “You’re already hurt.”
“That was an accident.”
Grant crosses his arms over his chest. “He has no right to show up whenever he feels like it. He’s harassing you, Elena. You need to put a stop to it.”
“A restraining order sounds so…serious.”
“What happened out there? That was serious. And it’ll keep happening. At the very least, you should put it on file that he’s been bothering you. Better safe than sorry.”
He’s right. I downplay things like they’re not a big deal.
