AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No. Just give me a minute, please?” Already she felt more stable. The pain was ebbing. “The pills.” She pointed to the dresser where an orange bottle sat.
Rory brought one and the remaining water to her. He helped her sit so she could swallow it. The room didn’t spin, nor did she see three of him, and she breathed a sigh of relief. “Headache—that’s all. I’m fine now.”
“I’ll call Jax.”
She would not ruin their date again, dammit. “Sit with me for a minute first.” She patted the edge of the mattress. “Please?”
His eyes were hard, his movements reluctant, but he did as she asked, his weight dipping the bed so she tipped, knocking her shoulder into his. She left it there and he put an arm around her. “We should have postponed this,” he said. “You need to rest.”
That was the last thing she needed. Her skirt was tangled around her legs, revealing far more than it should. She adjusted the fabric, feeling him tense beside her. “What I need is for everyone to not baby me. I will recover from this, and yes, it’s going to take a bit of time but I’ll be right as rain soon. I’ve survived worse.”
The worry in his eyes lessened. “I like your style, you know.”
He was so close, so solid. It felt good to lean against him. “I like yours, too.”
For a brief heartbeat, she thought he’d kiss her, but then he cleared his throat, glanced away, and pushed to his feet. “I’m still taking you to the infirmary. You shouldn’t be alone.”
When he tried to scoop her up, she smacked his arms and shifted back. “I just got out of the hospital. I’m not returning to an uncomfortable bed and a fussing doctor.”
Rory put his hands on his hips, eyes hard again. “After what just happened here, you are not spending the night alone.”
“Then stay with me.”
His lips moved but nothing came out. He blinked slowly. “You want me to…?” He shook his head. “I have to be in Ops in case… Well, one of our newest members is on a training mission in the field and I need to be available, you know, in case anything goes wrong.”
“I’ll come down there, then. I don’t mind. I can sleep on your couch.”
He looked like a deer caught in headlights. “You will not. I’m taking you to Jax. You’ll be under his care and carefully watched, and—”
“No.” He blinked again at her sharp word said a bit louder than she’d planned on. She lifted her chin. “I’m spending the night with you.”
For a laughable moment, he did that lip moving thing again, then he regrouped, nodded, glanced around. He fiddled with his hands and went to her closet, snatching up the suitcase. “Has anyone ever told you you’re a PITA?”
She grinned. “I never used to be.” Quiet, geeky Amelia never raised her voice to anyone. “Guess I learned everything I know in that manner from you. Now, let’s go.”
EIGHT
What the hell was he doing, bringing Amelia to his room? Not only was his personal quarters a complete disaster, he didn’t know the first thing about taking care of her.
Sure, he’d had field medical training back in the day, but concussions were unpredictable.
Plus, now he had to be charming for longer than an hour or two.
I’m so screwed. If she was around him for long, she’d see the real Rory Tephra.
And she wouldn’t like it.
No one did. That was his strategy—keep everyone at arm’s length.
The elevator dinged and opened to the basement floor and the Ops center. Down the hall to the left was the medical ward, to the right was the enormous indoor gym and physical therapy center.
“I should run to my office,” Amelia said, peeking longingly in that direction, “and grab some files. Everyone’s sessions have been put on hold while I was gone. Now that I’m back, I can oversee them. I need to check my planner and rearrange next week’s schedule.”
He admired her willpower, and while he started to argue, he also knew it might take her mind off the attack. He had a shit-ton of work waiting for him, and he certainly wasn’t going to let his busted knee stop him from diving in. Giving her any quarter was probably a bad idea, but on the other hand, it would give her something to do for the next few hours while he sorted through the tasks waiting for him. “On one condition.”
The lights had been out and they automatically came on as the two of them entered into his territory. She faced him, hugging the crutches and crossing her arms over her chest. “What?”
She looked far too pale under the LEDs. He needed to cart her off to Jaxon and assure himself she was in the best care. Let her be pissed all she wanted.
