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Her docile smile grew wider. “High as a kite.”
“You feel any pain?”
“Only the one sitting next to me.”
I grinned. “Now who’s the comedian?”
Her eyelids flickered and then closed.
“I feel great,” she said.
I couldn’t help but chuckle. I’d never seen Taylor under the influence of anything. And she was fucking adorable.
I couldn’t help myself.
“Be honest, was this an attention thing?” I asked with a cocked eyebrow.
Her eyes opened.
“Are you asking if I dive-bombed off the bar onto the floor to get your attention?” She chuckled. “My God, you are so arrogant.”
And then she started to murder Carly Simon’s, “You’re So Vain,” slurring it as she weaved in and out of lucidness.
“Again, you say arrogant, I say confident.”
She reached out and pushed a bendy finger into my bicep. “And I say, fuck you.”
Her head fell back and she floated away on her medicated delirium.
“I’ll give you a tip.” I leaned forward. “If you want my attention, all you need to do is creep past my office and watch me do push-ups again.”
Her luscious lips pulled into another drunk smile. “Oh God…I was so turned on watching you…”
As her words fell away, my body tightened with a strange excitement.
“You were?”
She opened her eyes. “What?”
“You were?”
“I was what?”
Okay, she was really high now.
I shook my head. “Never mind.”
Indy stepped into the cubicle. “How’s the patient? Those pain meds kicking in?”
Taylor opened her eyes and her head lolled about on her neck. “I think so.”
“Good. Let’s get this shoulder back in place, shall we?”
Taylor looked up at her. Her usual sass was gone, and she looked soft and gentle. “Is it going to hurt?”
“I’m not going to lie. It doesn’t tickle. But don’t worry,” Indy gave her a wink. “I’ve done this before.”
Despite the reassurance, Taylor still looked worried, and I was overcome with a need to take her in my arms and kiss the concern from her face.
Which, I’ll be honest, I was ready to overthink.
And I would have, if it wasn’t for Indy maneuvering Taylor’s arm into position, and then yanking it into place.
“Sweet mother of Christ!” Taylor cried out.
I felt my fists tighten, then relax.
“Feel better?” Indy asked.
Taylor exhaled heavily. “Wow. Yes. That…feels so much better.” Her eyes sparkled with the heady combination of relief and drugs. “Thank you.”
Indy put her arm in a sling. “You’ll need to wear this for the next few days. And try to keep it as immobilized as possible, okay?”
Taylor nodded. “Sure.”
“I’ll leave you to rest up. The drugs should wear off in the next hour or two. Until then, you can wait it out here.”
“Thanks, Indy,” she slurred.
While Taylor fell back into her drug-induced nap, I waited beside her. I had shit to do. A fucking ton of it. But none of it seemed more important than sitting right there.
Suddenly, Taylor’s eyes flicked open and she sat up.
“Noah!” She looked at her watch. “I have to pick him up from school.”
I reached for my phone in the breast pocket of my cut. “I’ll organize someone to pick him up from school. He can hang out at the clubhouse.”
“No!” she frowned, struggling with the haziness. “I mean…he’ll freak out.”
“Relax. He’ll be okay.”
“I should call our neighbor Pickles.” She wilted against the bed. “I forgot. He has a doctor’s appointment in Humphrey today. He won’t be home until late. And Mindy has cheer practice…”
I frowned. “Why don’t you want Noah at the clubhouse?”
Taylor’s head rolled to the side so she could look at me. Her eyes were still glazed, but she seemed to be coming down from her high. “Because I’m trying to keep my personal life separate from my professional life.”
“You don’t want Noah hanging around us?”
“Not in the way you’re making it sound.”
“Then tell me because I’m trying to work you out.” My tone was tight.
She struggled to sit up. “Remember when I told you about Slick, the stripper, and how mixing work and my personal life got me less shifts at work?” When I nodded, she continued. “I’m afraid if I bring Noah into the clubhouse…” She struggled through her delirium to find the right words. “If he gets close to you, to the club…what happens if this doesn’t work out? I’m a package deal, Bull. I can’t afford for him to have his heart broken.”
Before I could stop myself, I reached for her face and tenderly brushed my fingertips across her cheek. “No one’s heart is going to get broken.”
She smiled, but it was weak and she didn’t look convinced.
But it was a start.
“Let me get him being picked up from school. Let me do this for you.”
She thought for a moment and then gave in, nodding as she reclined back on the bed. I pulled out my phone and she spoke to the school. When she handed the phone back to me, her glazed eyes lingered on me.
