She flinches, but I’m too wrecked to apologize. I feel like I just polished off a fifth of whiskey. This nauseous, wobbly feeling is exactly why I don’t drink. I hate it.
I hate my thoughts even more right now. My mind is spinning, imagining all the ways she might have gotten hurt.
“What happened? You need to tell me, Evie. I’m fucking spinning out here. Who the fuck hurt you?”
Her features relax. Taking a deep breath, she straightens. “I’ll answer you, but you need to calm down. I can’t have a discussion with you when you’re yelling at me.”
“I’m not yelling at you!”
Her snort and her crossed arms finally get through to me. I’m totally yelling.
I take a few slow breaths, trying to rein my shit in. “Tell me what happened,” I beg quietly.
A small smile crosses her face. She scratches her fingers on my cheek gently, grounding me. “A patient was brought in, in the middle of a mental health crisis. She wasn’t in her right mind Colton, she thought we were trying to hurt her. She was also in medical distress and needed immediate help, so we didn’t have time to de-escalate the situation.”
Her mouth twists. “A couple of orderlies were trying to restrain her while one doctor and I were trying to give her some medication to help her.” She blows out a heavy breath. “Anyway, she lashed out and kicked me. She connected with my ribs pretty good.”
I was prepared to knock heads, fight someone, or set someone’s life on fire. I was prepared for a different story. The adrenaline in my body is looking for an outlet. I’m clearly not going to lay a beat down on a broken, unwell woman, so I’m going to have to find another way to work this out.
“You got them checked out? What did the doctor say?”
“Yes, I got checked out. They’re just bruised. I finished out the shift, and I’ve been mostly fine.” She smiles, laughter filling her eyes. “Mia’s hugs aren’t quite on a par with yours. I didn’t even think of my ribs.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” She’s keeping secrets from me and I don’t like it.
“It happened the day you went to buy Mia’s bike. You seemed…upset that day. Then honestly, it didn’t cross my mind.”
“Bruised ribs hurt like fuck Evie. How the hell didn’t it cross your mind?” I stayed in bed for three days last time that shit happened to me.
“It depends on the severity of the bruising, the location, a person’s pain tolerance, Colton. Why can’t you take my word for it? I’m ok.”
“It would be logical for me to do that. Logic has fucking left the building right now.” I slide right next to her, tugging at the bottom of her shirt. “Show me the bruising. I need to see.”
“Colt!” she whispers furiously, slapping at my hands. “Stop. Don’t you dare pull my shirt up in public.” I ignore her, too focused on making sure she’s ok.
“Ow, ow. FUCK. Evie. Stop.” I shove my head closer to her, trying to get her to let up, but her grip on my ear is strong.
“Colton Miles, let go of my shirt, right now!” she hisses into the ear she’s yanking on.
I let go like the material is on fire, praying she doesn’t tear my fucking ear off. She lets go and I reach up, checking to make sure it’s still attached. “Goddamn, woman, you nearly ripped my ear off. But I still need to see those ribs. Lift your fucking shirt.”
Her lip curls in a snarl, and I shift my hips to protect my junk. She comes at me? I’m ready to defend myself. No fucking way is she getting out of this. I’m ready when she lunges, my hands slapping over my ears, but that’s not the attack she had planned. Color me fucking surprised.
Instead, her hands wrap around my neck, and she fuses her mouth with mine. I’m fucking frozen. The softness of her lips and the strength of her hands on me send my hormones raging. I drop my hands, willing to leave my ears unprotected for more of this, more of her, and wrap her up. I keep my arms high, not wanting to hurt her again, and take what I’ve been fucking craving since the day I saw her picture.
Threading my fingers through her hair, I tilt her head back and ravage her mouth. Nipping that lush lower lip, then soothing it with my tongue. She makes a choked noise, and I smile into our kiss, really fucking grateful she’s so responsive. All the times I imagined this, all the times I woke up in a sweat, pale compared to the reality of her. To her strong body and soft curves. To the taste of her. I’ve never tasted anything better.
I soak up her soft sounds and her gripping fingers on my neck. I’m flying, nothing can penetrate this bubble of need around us.
“Get a room!”
I was wrong. That cock blocking little dickhead burst the bubble.
Evie pulls away, slapping her hands over her red cheeks. She keeps her head turned away from the group of kids, but I see her shoulders shaking. She’s making little choking noises. I turn and pin the fucker with a glare, satisfied when he scurries away with his little pack of assholes.
I have her backed up to the railing, trapped. Wrapping my arms around her again, I pull her shaking form back into my chest, something in me settling when she leans in. She feels like she belongs here, in my arms, forever.
Dropping her hands, she rests her cheek on my shoulder, still giggling.