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My frown deepens. “I’ll have the nurse practitioner come back. I have her on standby for the weekend.” I move to grab my cell, but Riley’s hand stops me.
“It’s not a big deal. Seriously. The worst of it is over. Besides …” She picks up her cell on the nightstand, checking the time. “It’s almost eight, and I have somewhere I need to be at nine.”
“Where?” Did my question come out sounding possessive as fuck? Yes.
Do I give a shit?
No.
She presses a palm to her forehead, taking her time to answer. She’s in obvious distress. There’s no way I’m about to let her go anywhere. Not like this.
“A breakfast for an organization I volunteer with. I have to give a speech.” She moves gingerly as if trying to get up from the bed.
I’m on my feet in a flash and round to her side of the bed. “Stay your ass right there,” I tell her at the same time I push her legs back onto the bed.
“What the hell are you doing?” she insists.
“You’re in pain,” I say as if it should be obvious.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re lying.”
“Get out of my way.” She moves to get up, only to be stopped again.
“Don’t you dare get up from this bed.” When the fuck did I start sounding like my mother?
Her eyes bulge and then narrow. “Kyle, I told you I have a very important event to attend. It’s for the organization ‘Girls on the Move’. They’re expecting me.”
“You’re sick.”
“I’m not.”
“You were too sick to attend a very important meeting at work yesterday.”
“That was yesterday,” she balks.
“Is this organization paying for your time?”
She blinks at me in confusion. “No, I volunteer with them and take on pro bono work for them when I can afford to.”
“So, the consulting work you’re doing at Townsend for a seriously hefty fee, you couldn’t attend because you were too ill. But you’re healed enough tofreelygive your time to another organization. Is that what you’re saying?”
I fold my arms across my chest and glare down at her.
“What? No. You’re making it seem like—”
“Because,” I cut her off, “Townsend doesn’t take lightly the money we pay to our consultants. And I would hate to have to sue you for our money back since you obviously are well enough to volunteer but not well enough to work.”
Her eyes narrow to slits as she scowls.
Fuck, she hot when she’s pissed.
“You controlling motherfu—”
“Thank you. And don’t test me, Riley. I will sue your ass from here to kingdom come if you try to get out of this bed one minute before you’re ready.”
Her shoulders slump. “I don’t put it past you either.”
