AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She blinks at me as the single word processes. It seems to take her a while to respond, and even then, it's just with a, “Huh?”
“Your car insurance. Give it to me.” I want to get this over with so that I can move on and go home. This is getting me nowhere.
“Oh. She shakes her head. “I don’t have insurance. I don’t have a car.”
“Out of pocket, then. Even better. Phone number. Now."
She frowns. “And if I say no?”
“Try it and see.” I give her a tight smile that gives her just a hint of what I am capable of. I’ve never abused a woman in my life and I'm not going to start now, but there are more creative ways to make her pay.
Her face tightens and her eyes flash with temper. I think she’s going to start yelling but her lips tighten and she angrily starts writing her number out.
I memorize it, and she turns to walk away. That’s when I notice that she’s leaning on her right leg too much.
“Are you hurt?” I ask.
“I’m fine," The answer comes out clipped but even then I note the pain in her voice.
“You’re not going to call somebody to pick you up?"
“Why the heck do you care?" she retorts, still limping away.
I release a breath. It’s none of my business if she decides to wander off into danger, but there’s no way I can let a woman just go out in the dark like that. Especially not a drunk, injured woman who can’t outrun anyone who tries to do anything.
“Wait,” I say, but she ignores me and doesn’t stop. Stubborn brat. My long strides eat up the pavement and I catch up to her in no time, snagging her arm to stop her. She tries to yank it away but her strength is no match for my grip. So, she gives up and turns to glare at me.
“What do you want now? My social security number?” Her voice is cold and her eyes contain more lucidity now, albeit an enraged one. Maybe our argument sobered her up.
“Get in the car,” I say. “I’ll take you home.”
She glares at me. “Forget it. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“You’d rather take your chances with the creeps on your own?”
“I don’t know you! For all I know, you’re a creep too. And an angry one at that."
"I'm not angry," I tell her, but she shakes her head.
"Yeah right. You're just about ready to tear my head off for scratching your precious car."
"I wasn't—" I sigh and run my hand through my hair in frustration. I know I'm not a bad guy, but there’s really nothing I can do to convince her of that right now. I can't also leave her here, defenseless.
There's only one thing to do.
Without warning, I sweep her into my arms and carry her princess style.
“What are you doing?” she shrieks and throws her arms around my neck clutching on like a vice. “Put me down!”
“No. Relax, I’m just taking you home.”
Her body is ramrod stiff in my arms and her face pale. But as it turns out, her panic is not for the reason I thought.
“I’m too heavy. You’re going to drop me!” she cries out.
I nearly laugh at that. “Please. I could carry you one-handed if I wanted to." The truth is that I barely feel the pressure of her weight but she is a nice handful. Soft and delicate with the scent of strawberries slowly drifting off her. Just enough to keep a man warm at night.
Not me, though. That man can never be me.
