Tires squealed as the car peeled out and drove away. She took a deep, calming breath and tried to quiet her nerves and think. She rolled onto her butt and unhooked her ankle from the thick root. The pain hit her all at once. Her palms burned, her hip and thigh stung, and her knee felt like it might explode. Her ankle wasn’t much better.
“What the hell?”
Tears stung her eyes, and a few slipped down her cheeks. She shook with fear and adrenaline. She ran her shaking hands down her thighs, trying to wipe away most of the dirt, but since she was covered in dust and debris, it didn’t really help. She held her hands up and stared at the scrapes and blood. Not too bad. Not as bad as her side.
She glanced up the fifteen-foot drop and sighed. No choice, she planted her good foot on the ground and used her fingertips to help push herself up to standing. It hurt like hell to climb the embankment, but she made it, trying to keep most of her weight on her good leg and using her fingers to balance herself.
Exhausted and in too much pain to continue on, she sat on the side of the road, giving herself a minute to catch her breath and assess her injuries before she attempted walking again. A truck drove toward her. Fear made her body shake again, but she sucked in a deep breath, tried to remain calm, and waved her hands to get the driver’s attention.
The truck stopped and Blake got out on the run. “Bell, what happened?”
The tears came in a torrent. She shook so hard her teeth chattered. Blake peeled off his coat and draped it around her. She pulled it close and let his heat seep into her.
“Are you okay? You need to talk to me, Bell.”
“R-r-running. C-c-car came out of n-nowhere. Fell d-d-down there.”
Blake stared over the edge of the road into the drainage ditch. “Damn, that’s a long way down. How bad are you hurt?”
“Not bad. Sh-shock.”
“Yeah, I can see that. I’m going to pick you up and put you in the truck. I was headed up to Dane’s, but I’ll rush you down to the clinic. They’ll take care of you there.”
“No. Go to Dane’s. I’m f-f-fine.”
“You don’t look it.”
“D-Dane’s.”
“Okay. Here we go.” Blake lifted her with ease and carried her to his truck. She reached for the handle and opened the door. He set her on the seat and turned the heating vents toward her.
She reached up to brush the hair from her forehead. “I lost my cap.”
“I’ll look for it. Sit tight.”
He closed the door. She pulled the coat tighter around her. Not that she needed it for more warmth; she just needed something to comfort her.
Blake walked up the road about twenty feet and grabbed her cap. He stood and stared up the road and down the hill. He walked farther up the road, took out his cell phone, and snapped a photo of where she guessed the car had come out of the trees. He took another picture of the skid marks on the road and another of the hill she’d slid down into the ditch. He shook his head and frowned, stuffing his phone into his back pocket. He walked back to the truck, his eyes on her. He opened the door and climbed in beside her.
“Feeling better?”
“Getting there.”
“Anything broken?”
“Just scraped and bruised. I twisted my knee.”
“Can you walk?”
“Not well. I need to clean these cuts and scrapes and assess the damage.”
Blake hit the gas, and they sped down the road to Dane’s place. She couldn’t believe how close they actually were. Maybe a mile or so. Blake skidded to a stop behind Dane’s truck. He got out and came to her side just as she opened the door. He plucked her from the seat and carried her to the house.
“I can try to walk.”
“You’re a wreck, Doc. Relax.”
Blake opened the door without knocking, kicked it shut with his foot, and carried her toward the light in the kitchen. Dane filled the doorway. His eyes went wide when he saw them.
“What the hell happened to you, Bell?”
He rushed forward, ran his shaking hand over her hair, and leaned down and kissed her forehead. Blake handed her over to him. She wrapped her arms around his head, buried her face in his neck, and let all the pain and fear out with her tears.
Dane hobbled back into the kitchen with her in his arms and leaned against the counter, holding her close.
“What the fuck happened?”
“I found her on the side of the road about a mile from your place. Looks like she was out for a run and a car ran her off the road.”
Dane caught the look in Blake’s eyes. Blake held something back. Something Dane probably didn’t want to know but would ask about after he took care of Bell.
“Come on, let’s get her to the clinic,” Dane told Blake.
“No. I want to stay with you,” she said.
“You’re hurt, sweetheart. I need to get you looked at by a doctor.”
“I am a doctor.” She sniffled back the last of the tears, sucked in a deep breath to calm herself, and let it out on a ragged sigh. “I can clean the scratches and bandage them myself.”
Dane glanced at Blake for his silent assessment. Blake nodded, agreeing with Bell.
“Run up to the master bath,” Dane ordered Blake. “I’ve got a ton of bandages and ointment from having to redress my leg after the surgery.”
“Just take me upstairs. I need to wash off all this grime and clean the cuts and scrapes with some soapy water.”
“For all that, jump in the shower and wash off. I’ll help you.”
“I can do it myself.”
Blake gave him a knowing smile. Okay, maybe he’d gone too far with that.
“Put me down,” she ordered.
“I don’t really want to.” Dane hugged her close, but he let loose when she squirmed in pain. “Come on, Doc, let’s take a look at you.”
Dane walked out of the kitchen, limping on his brace but standing on his own two feet once again. He finally could walk without the crutches. Just in time, too, to take care of Bell. She’d been looking after him all this time; now he got to return the favor.
“You are not carrying me up those stairs on that leg.”
“I got you, Bell.”
“No. Put me down. I’ll walk up them myself before I let you hurt yourself.”
Dane sighed out his frustration. He couldn’t even carry his woman up the stairs to his room. That’s right, she belonged to him. He still felt the fear in his gut when he saw Blake walk in with her in his arms. He hadn’t known exactly what happened, but she’d looked a mess, and that had been enough to set his blood boiling in his veins. He wanted to find whoever hurt her, and pound them into the dirt. Six feet under.
Dane handed Bell over to Blake again. His brother carried her up the stairs like it was nothing. Dane frowned but sucked it up and followed Blake into his room. Blake set Bell on her feet just outside the bathroom door.
“I’ll leave you two alone. Dane, meet me downstairs when you’ve got her squared away.”
Code for Hurry the hell up, I’ve got something to tell you.
“Can you walk?”
“I think so.” She took a step. She couldn’t put her weight on her bad leg, so she limped the rest of the way, holding onto his arm to steady herself.
“Sit on the side of the tub. I’ll grab the bandages and stuff.” He found what he needed in the cupboard and turned back to her. She stared up at the ceiling.
“I love it in here. So bright and cheerful. The ceiling turned out perfect.”
He’d finished the bathroom with her in mind. Cottage Cream on the walls, sky blue on the ceiling, and he’d redone all the towel bars and fixtures in brushed nickel. He added navy blue rugs and towels. He had to admit, it turned out well.
“Your suggestion.” He set everything on the hamper beside her. The tear in her pants revealed the deep bleeding scrapes that were beginning to bruise. He grabbed both edges and tore the opening larger to get a better look. “That’s bad, swe
etheart.”
“Once I clean it up, it won’t look so ominous.”
“The hell it won’t.”
Her hand shook when she reached down to brush away some of the dirt. He took her hand and turned it over, examining the heel of her palm. “Damn, that’s not good. Look at your poor hands.” She used them to heal people, and they were a bloody, dirty mess.
“Dane, stop. Let me take care of it. I’ll be okay.”
“I’m not okay seeing you like this.”
“Come here.” She reached up to grab hold of his neck and pulled him down for a kiss.
He went willingly, needing the sweet contact as much as she did. He held the kiss for a long moment, waiting for her to settle into him and relax. He kissed her several times, then leaned back and looked down at her upturned face, dirt smudged on her cheek, silent tears trailing down her skin. He brushed them away with his thumbs, and she opened her eyes and stared back at him.
“Let me help you.”
He kneeled in front of her and took her foot. He set it on his thigh, undid her lace, pulled off her running shoe and sock, and gently set her foot back on the white marble tile floor. He did the same with her other foot, then stood and went to the walk-in shower, where he turned on the water to lukewarm. He went back to her and helped her pull her hoodie and shirt over her head. She didn’t seem to mind being half naked in front of him in her sports bra and ruined pants. Still, he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable.
“Can you get into that shower alone?”
“I think so. It’ll be nice to get cleaned off.”
“Good. I can’t leave you alone in here, sweetheart. I’m afraid you might stumble or fall. So I’ll close my eyes and turn my back and wait as long as it takes for you to soap up and rinse out those cuts.”
“Okay.” Her bottom lip trembled. The shock still hadn’t worn off. Once the adrenaline left her system, she’d crash and need a good long nap.
Dane sat next to her on the wide tiled tub ledge and closed his eyes, listening to her peel off the rest of her clothes. To keep her calm and know where she was in the room, he asked, “What were you doing running on the road?”
“I thought I’d stop by and have a cup of coffee with you. I wanted to thank you again for dinner last night.”
“I had a good time, too. I didn’t want it to end,” he admitted. “I’m still bummed you wouldn’t share that double-chocolate cheesecake with me.”
“I gave you a bite,” she said from the shower stall. The sound of the water changed when it cascaded down her head and body.
Okay, she was in. Another few minutes, and he’d help her bandage those cuts and scrapes.
“I wanted more.” With her, he always wanted more. Right now, he wanted her back in his arms so he knew she was safe and okay. “It’s like ten miles to my house. You really ran all that way?”
“I like to run. And it’s eleven point two miles to your house.”
“Damn, sweetheart, that’s a long run.”
“You’re worth it.”
He hung his head, taking in that sweet admission. It was not easy for her to tell truths like that, so it meant even more when she did.
“I planned to ask you to drive me home. I guess you don’t have a choice now.”
“You’re going to stay right here with me for a while so I can take care of you for a change.”
“I’m supposed to work a shift at the clinic.”
“I’ll call them and let them know what happened. No way you can stand on that leg all day. You need to let it rest.”
“Now you sound like me.”
The water went off. The shower door opened. He waited to be sure she didn’t slip and fall.
“I need your help.”
The quiet plea made him open his eyes and turn to her. She stood just outside the shower, a dark blue towel wrapped around her dripping wet body.
“All of a sudden, I’m very tired.”
“It’s okay, sweetheart, I’m here.” He went to her and snagged another towel off the bar on his way. He wrapped it around her shoulders and helped her the few steps to the toilet seat. He held her arms and helped her sit down, though she mostly just let her legs loose and fell onto the seat. He took the towel from her shoulders and draped it over her head, wiping the water from her short hair. When he took the towel away, her hair stuck up in spikes. He smiled, leaned down, and kissed her.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
Tears welled in her eyes again. “I’m a wreck, as Blake put it.”
“You’re going to be fine, sweetheart.” He raked his fingers through her hair. Not satisfied, he grabbed his brush from the counter and swept her hair back from her face.
He used the towel to dry off her arms and legs. She pulled the towel wrapped around her away from her hip and thigh. He hissed in a breath. “Damn, sweetheart, that looks bad.”
“Raw. Do you have some antiseptic?”
“Yeah, the stuff they gave me in the hospital.” He found the bottle under the sink and handed it to her, along with several cotton pads. “That’s going to sting like crazy.”
“Yeah, I know.” She clenched her teeth and got the job done.
He squirted out a generous amount of antibiotic ointment onto her outstretched finger. She spread it over the cuts with a hiss of pain that made his gut tighten. He winced for her.
He cut several bandages, which she used to cover the worst of the scrapes. He handed her the roll of gauze. She wound it around her leg and the bandages and secured it with the strips of tape he handed her.
“My clothes are ruined. I don’t have anything to wear.”
“Wait here. I’ll be right back.” Dane went into his room, opened his dresser drawer, and pulled out a gray T-shirt. He opened another drawer and found an old pair of dark blue sweat pants, then walked back into the bathroom. Bell’s eyes were half closed. She sighed out her weariness when he handed her the clothes. “These should do for now.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s the least I can do.”
“Can you get me some ice for my knee?”
He glanced at her outstretched leg. “That’s really swollen.”
“I twisted it.”
“Let’s get you into bed, then I’ll get you a bag of ice to put on that.”
He turned and left her alone to get dressed. He closed the bathroom door, leaving it open a crack so he could hear her if she needed him. Walking over to the bed, he pulled his pillow from under the cover and dropped it on top. He snagged a soft blanket draped over the chair by the window and tossed it onto the bed, too.
Bell stood in the doorway, her hands braced on the frame, her hurt leg stretched out in front of her, his sweats dangling off her foot. His shirt went down to midthigh, the sleeves down to her forearms. “You look so damn cute in my clothes.”
“I look like a dwarf.”
“A cute dwarf.”
“I need to lay down. I’m a little light-headed.”
Dane went to her, lifted her right off her feet, and carried her to the bed. He gently laid her down and pulled the blanket up and over her.
“It’s really sexy that you can pick me up like that and carry me around.”
He leaned down and kissed her. “Just don’t say that about my brother, too.”
“It’s not the same.”
“Good.” He brushed his fingers over her cheek and into her hair. “Tell me you’re okay.”
“I’m fine. Crashing after an adrenaline rush.” She closed her eyes.
He pressed his forehead to hers and inhaled her sweet scent mingled with his shampoo and soap. It did something to his system to smell him on her.
He stood, but stopped from leaving when she grabbed his hand. “Don’t go yet.”
“I need to get some ice for your knee.”
“Come back.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
He went to the hall outside his room and called down the stair
s. “Blake!”
“Yeah?”
“Ice for Bell’s knee.”
“On the way.”
Dane went back into the room and sat on the bed beside Bell, taking her hand and linking his fingers with hers. He rested it on his thigh and stared at her. He didn’t know what he’d do if something happened to her. They hadn’t had enough time together. Not by a long shot. Hell, this was the first time she’d come to his house.
“Is it strange to have a woman in your bed you’re not sleeping with?”
“No other woman has been in this house, let alone my bed, Bell.”
“If it’s not that, why are you staring at me?”
She hadn’t even opened her eyes.
“Dane. Ice.”
Dane turned just in time to catch the bag his brother threw at him from the door. “I’ll meet you downstairs when you’re ready.”
Right. Blake still had something to tell him.
Dane grabbed the second pillow from under the covers, let loose Bell’s hand, and pulled back the blanket covering her. He gently lifted her leg and stuffed the pillow beneath her knee. “This is going to be cold.” The ice bag molded to her knee. The pillow helped hold it in place.
Bell’s fingers wrapped around his arm, preventing him from standing up. He leaned down to her ear and whispered, “The answer to your question is, you’re the only woman I want in my house and in my bed.”
He kissed her cheek and pressed his forehead to hers. When he stood, she stared up at him. “Get some rest, sweetheart. I’ll be back in a few minutes to check on you after I talk to my brother.”
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