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Once he reached the snack stands, it didn’t take long to find her. Rick spotted her new pink shoes, which were now stained in a brownish splotch, and she was swarmed by a group of men. Pushing past the guys hovering over her, he found her sitting on a stool, one leg propped on her other knee.
“Rick,” she called.
“Are you okay? What happened?” He held her shoulder and his other hand went to inspect her injured foot.
“She slipped on a wet step and fell backward,” a teenage boy said. “She kinda fell on me before going down.”
“I wasn’t looking,” she muttered, obviously embarrassed and flustered by the attention on her.
“Food’s gone, for sure,” another gruff voice chimed in.
Rolling his eyes, Rick turned to the men. “Guys, we appreciate the help, but can we get some privacy?” he asked politely.
The crowd grumbled before leaving, a few saluting Charlie while ignoring him.
“Take care of your girl.”
“Thanks for the tip,” Rick drawled sarcastically, then knelt down by Charlie. “I thought you were only getting a soda.”
She shrugged. “I saw that the line for the jumbo dogs and pizza was short, and I knew you were still hungry.”
He sighed. What could he say to that? Her blouse had ketchup and mustard stain, and her shorts weren’t pearly white nor dry anymore.
“Are you alright? Should we head to an urgent care clinic to check out your ankle?”
“No.” She shook her head. “It’s a minor sprain, I’m sure. I’ve had worse. Let’s just head back and watch the game.” As she attempted to get up, he gently pushed her back down.
“Forget the game, Charlie. Let’s go. You can’t walk like this.”
“I’m fine! We don’t want to miss the end. Your team is doing great,” she insisted.
They weren’t, but he didn’t bother to say. Instead, he came in front of her and hauled her against his back, wrapping her legs around his waist.
Charlie squealed, but settled momentarily. “Rick, you don’t have to do this. I can walk.”
He ignored her and started walking toward the exit, Charlie didn’t argue when they arrived to get her car. He drove them back, but to her house, as she was not fit to drive. They rode in silence, and thankfully traffic was kinder on the way back, and they reached her house within a half hour.
He carried her into her living room couch and checked on herfoot again. She was right that it wasn’t too serious, no swelling and only a little bruising, but she shouldn’t walk the rest of the night.
“I think you’ll be good tomorrow. Icing it overnight should be enough,” he said.
“Thanks,” she said ruefully. “I’m wondering if any of our encounters will ever be normal.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I hijacked you and your car. Then I tried propositioning you in the most inappropriate manner,” she itemized with her fingers. “And tonight, you had to carry me on your back because I stupidly slipped on soda.”
Rick stared at her for a moment, then walked to sit beside her. Charmed by her sense of guilt, he smiled. Maybe he shouldn’t take things for more than their face value, but that she cared as much as she did was endearing. The bulk of the day tumbled on him as he found the humor in it.
“None of what happened was any of your fault,” he told her. “In fact, I think it’s the most fun I’ve had in a while.”
“Really?” She glowed.
Rick nodded, then gazed at her. Hair windswept and clothes disheveled and smudged, she was still quite a sight.
“Yeah.”
Her cheeks flushed brighter, and she looked away. The moment kindled into something different. Flashes of her breasts pressed against his back and her smooth, long legs wrapped around his waist arrested him on the spot. For all the times he’d carried her against him, he consciously told himself that it was all for helpful purposes. Now, her expression gave those times another meaning.
