“What’s the matter?” he asked.
“Twisted my ankle. It’s probably not too bad.”
“Can you walk?”
“I think so.” I put weight on the ankle again, and it hurt like hell, but I didn’t flinch this time.
All my life, I never liked for other people to see when I was hurt.
He sighed loudly and reached out to support me once more. “Why do you have to be so damn stubborn?”
“And why do you have to be so damn arrogant?” I bit out, immediately riling up at his exasperated tone. I tried to pull away from it, but it wasn’t a smart maneuver, since I put too much weight on my twisted ankle. The shot of pain ran through me, stealing my breath.
Down I almost went again.
Levi caught me before I did, and I manfully resisted the desire to jerk away from his arm.
“Can I at least help you get home?” The words were polite and conciliatory, but his tone was not. “Do you think you could put aside your dislike of me at least long enough for me to do that?”
So my first instinct was to snap his head off, but he did have a very small point. It was going to be very hard for me to hobble to my car and then drive home in my current condition. I could probably have done it, but it would take a lot longer and be rather painful.
“Fine,” I muttered. “Thanks.”
“Try not to sound so grateful.” Despite his sarcasm, he was actually being quite helpful, in that he’d already managed to get me moving toward my car. He was supporting quite a bit of my weight, and I was hopping one-legged to make myself feel like I was doing some of the walking myself.
He brought me around to the passenger side of my car and helped me in. As he was leaning over, I felt another sudden surge of attraction.
His face was so close, and his body was right there in front of me. His hands were strong and gentle at the same time as he arranged me in the seat.
I didn’t need quite so much help in getting situated in the seat, but I didn’t really want him to pull away either.
Clearly, my mind was hopelessly disarranged by the fall and near disaster.
He didn’t pull away when I expected, and I started to feel flustered again by his closeness and my response to it. So I said, “I think I’ll be okay just sitting here.”
His eyes lifted to my face, and the dark brown of his looked like melting chocolate. “You think?”
There was irony in his tone, but he still wasn’t pulling away. “Yeah. I’m sure I could drive home if you’d—“
“I’m not going to leave you to drive home with a sprained ankle.”
“I don’t think it’s really sprained.” When he started to move down to examine my ankle, I added, “You don’t have to mess with that here. Just get me home.”
His eyes moved back up to my face.
“Sorry,” I mumbled. “I appreciate your help.”
I’d appreciate it more if he’d back off a little so I didn’t feel so much like grabbing and kissing him.
He reached up toward my face, and my breath hitched, since it seemed like he was going to cup my cheek. Instead, he stroked a hand down my hair, which had messily slipped out of the clip I’d twisted it up with.
I stared at him like an idiot.
“You had dirt in your hair,” he explained, his eyes still warm and sweet like before, but also with a flicker of humor.
***
You can find out more about Duty Bound here.
About Noelle Adams
Noelle handwrote her first romance novel in a spiral-bound notebook when she was twelve, and she hasn’t stopped writing since. She has lived in eight different states and currently resides in Virginia, where she teaches English, reads any book she can get her hands on, and offers tribute to a very spoiled cocker spaniel.
She loves travel, art, history, and ice cream. After spending far too many years of her life in graduate school, she has decided to reorient her priorities and focus on writing contemporary romances. For more information, please check out her website: noelle-adams.com.
Other Books by Noelle Adams
One Hot Night: Three Contemporary Romance Novellas
A Negotiated Marriage
Listed
Bittersweet
Missing
Revival
Seducing the Enemy
Playing the Playboy
Holiday Heat
Married for Christmas
Salvation
Engaging the Boss
Excavated
A Baby for Easter
Overexposed
Road Tripping
About Samantha Chase
New York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan's Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40's to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.
When she's not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, blogging, playing way too many games of Scrabble on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina. For more information visit her website at www.chasing-romance.com.
Other Books by Samantha Chase
Jordan’s Return
The Christmas Cottage
Ever After
Catering to the CEO
In the Eye of the Storm
Wait for Me
Trust in Me
Stay With Me
A Touch of Heaven
Mistletoe Between Friends
The Snowflake Inn
The Baby Arrangement
Baby, I’m Yours
Baby, Be Mine
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