“Very funny.”
“Why don’t you rest, and I’ll go get your bags.”
She put a pout on her face. “The tour is over?”
“Well, there’s nothing else to see unless you want me to show you the toilet.”
She gave him her best innocent look—and sat on his bed. “I was hoping you could show me how your bed works.”
The breath left his lungs, his brows drawing together. “Are you sure? The doctor said you need to rest.”
“What if I promise to lie on my back? I read somewhere that sex is good for headaches.”
The crease between those dark brows got deeper, but still he didn’t move. “Probably not your kind of headache.”
“Oh, come on. I haven’t had you inside me for thirty-six hours, and I’mdying. Isn’t it your job to save people?”
“Well, if it’s a matter of life and death ...” He pulled his T-shirt over his head, revealing that amazing torso of his. “You just lie back. I’m a professional. I’ll take care of everything.”
* * *
Eric heldVictoria in his arms, his fingers tracing lines over the silken skin of her back, her scent filling his head. A breeze blew through his bedroom window, the heat of sex cooling into a kind of blissed-out languor, the afterglow stretching into a long, intimate silence.
Then it hit him as it hadn’t before.
He’d almost lost her. She’d come so close—soclose—to being killed. Another couple of inches and the car’s tires would have crushed her.
He drew her closer, kissed her hair. “You scared me to death.”
She cocked her head to look up at him. “I did?”
“I saw that bastard shove you. I saw you fall in front of that car. From where I stood, it looked like it hit you. My heart just seemed to stop. I ran. I couldn’t even think. I just ran to get to you. I think I shouted to Taylor to call for help.” Eric couldn’t remember, the details blurred by adrenaline. “I was so afraid I’d lost you. I don’t think I’ve ever been more scared in my life.”
She raised herself up to look at him, her breasts pressing against his ribcage, her gaze warm. “I’m so sorry.”
“Hey, you have no reason to apologize. It’s not your fault. I’m the one who’s sorry. If I’d seen what was going on, if I’d gotten there sooner …”
“I’m just glad they caught the guys.”
“So am I.” He hadn’t told her that the one who’d shoved her into the street had died. He wasn’t sure what that would do to her.
“It’s so strange to hear you and Austin and Lexi talk about what happened when I don’t remember any of it. It’s almost like it happened to someone else.”
He brushed a strand of dark hair from her cheek. “I bet it is strange.”
“The doctor said I probably won’t ever remember what happened.”
Eric knew this. He’d been standing right there when the neurologist had told her, but he didn’t say so. She was worried about the short-term memory loss, and he didn’t want to upset her. “That’s common with concussion.”
“You helped save my life.”
“I didn’t do much. You would’ve survived even if no one had been there. And if you’d been hit …” There probably wouldn’t have been anything he could have done. “I don’t want to think about that.”
She smiled. “I kind of like this.”
“Like what?”
“Knowing that you got all shaken up over me.”