“We’d like to ask you a couple of questions about the accident tonight.”

“I’m an open book,” I lied and nodded. “What would you like to know?”

“Did you get a license plate number?” he asked, pulling a small pad of paper from his pocket.

I grimaced and shook my head. “It happened too fast and it was too dark.” I didn’t blink.

This was the start of the lie. It was easier than I thought. I fed them more bullshit than I ever imagined possible.

Chapter 14

Stubbornness

I struggled to unlock the door with her in my arms, but trying to stick the key in the lock became impossible. “Stop moving so much, woman,” I growled, finally finding the keyhole.

She stilled and glared at me. “I could’ve used my crutches.”

“I’d rather carry you than watch you struggle up the front stairs. Just shush it and let me do this.” Turning to the side, I opened the door and kicked it wide, letting it bounce off the back wall.

“I don’t see why I had to come here. I could’ve gone home.” She placed her head against my chest.

I ignored her comment and carried her inside, using my heel to close the door. Walking past the couch, I brought her straight to my bedroom, turning the light on with my elbow.

Her fingertips brushed against the stubble along my jaw. “Are you trying to take advantage of me?”

I laughed and placed her gently on my unmade bed. “Do you want me to?”

“Um…” She pulled at her bottom lip.

I grabbed a stack of pillows and piled them against the headboard behind her. “Lean back, babe.”

She yawned and closed her eyes. “I’m so tired.”

“Do you want anything? Water? Something to eat?”

“No,” she replied in a sleepy voice. “Just sleep.”

Dragging my fingers through my hair, I stared at her and bit my bottom lip. “Do you want help getting undressed?”

Without opening her eyes, she tried to lean forward and failed. She blew out a breath and slammed her hands down on the mattress. “Please. If everything didn’t hurt, I’d do it myself.”

“No problem.” I sat on the edge of the bed and moved my hands toward the buttons of her dress. Slowly I undid each one, peering up at her and watching her close her eyes quickly. A small smile played on her lips every time I almost caught her watching.

After brushing it off the edges of her shoulders, I wrapped my arm around her back and pulled her forward, bringing her tits against my body. It gave me wood. This wasn’t good. She was in no shape to have sex, and there was no way in hell I’d let my desire get the better of me.

“Bra too,” she whispered in my ear.

I closed my eyes, thinking of her father as I unclasped her bra. My job tonight had been to take care of her. Nothing more.

Georgia giggled, her body shaking in my arms.

“You’re getting a kick out of this, aren’t you?”

“I am,” she spoke softly in my ear. “Your breathing is labored. It’s kind of cute.”

“Georgia,” I said, holding her with one hand and dragging the strap of her bra down her arm with the other.

“I’ll behave.” Her voice was almost a purr, which went straight to my dick.

I sighed, working the other strap down before laying her back.

She smiled up at me, completely naked except for her underwear. “Will you sleep in bed with me tonight?”

“Yes,” I answered quickly, wondering if I should leave my clothes on.

“Naked.” She giggled.

“For the love of God,” I whispered and pushed myself off the bed.

As I walked around the bed, she said, “I’m serious. I’m cold and I want your body—” she coughed, covering her mouth, but I could see her smile “heat.”

I stripped off my clothes, pulled the cord on my ceiling fan, and climbed into bed next to her. Paying careful attention not to move the bed too much, I pulled the covers over us and collapsed on my back. The night had been longer than I ever imagined, and my entire body felt the exhaustion.

“Will you hold me?” she whispered, turning her head and giving me a sad, puppy-dog face.

“I’ll curl into you, but you shouldn’t move around too much,” I told her, moving my body around her. I placed my arm above her head, flattening my torso against her side and placing my face next to hers. “Better?”

“Perfect,” she whispered, and then sighed.

The one thing I wanted to do was to wrap my arm around her and pull her tight against me. The accident could’ve been the end of Georgia, and even though I wanted to deny that she meant as much to me as she did, my heart had almost stopped when the accident happened.

“You can touch me,” she whispered, as if she’d read my mind.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I’ll tell you if you do. I just want to feel the safety of your arms tonight.”

I didn’t hesitate, moving my arm that had fallen asleep cautiously over her torso and tucking my hand underneath her back, pulling her closer. I buried my face in her hair, felt her warmth, and listened to her breath until I drifted off to sleep.

“Oh shit,” she said, waking me.

I didn’t open my eyes, but I knew it was morning. “What?”

“I didn’t call in to work.”

Pulling her a little closer, I buried my face deeper into her hair. Throughout the night, neither of us had moved. “I texted City to have Sunshine handle it, and I told the guys what’s up, too.”

“Oh.”

“Everything is taken care of. Go back to sleep.” I tried to hold in the yawn that wanted to break free.

“But it’s eight.”

“We didn’t get home until three.”

Her fingernails started making patterns on my arm. “I can never sleep past eight.”

I lay there a moment, trying to open my eyes and failing. The feel of her fingers on my skin was just too good.

“I have to pee,” she whined and tapped me on the arm that I still had strewn across her. “I’m kind of trapped here.”

I grumbled before I moved my arm off her and rolled onto my back. “Sorry,” I yawned, stretching out and kicking away the covers.

“Can you get my crutches out of the car?” she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

“I’ll carry you.” I rolled off the bed and climbed to my feet.

“Oh God, no.” She tried to sit up but failed.

My morning wood was on full display and being totally wasted. “I’ll get the crutches after you pee, as you put it, and we’ll have coffee and breakfast.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. “Fine.” Her eyes caught sight of my dick and zeroed in.

“Like what you see, babe?” I laughed, trying to keep the mood light.

“The sunlight bounced off the piercing,” she lied.

“Liar,” I said, walking around the bed to carry her to the bathroom.

She tried to push herself up, but she struggled as her arms began to shake. “This is going to suck.”

“Let me help.” I bent down to pick her up.

“I’m so sore today. Worse than yesterday.”

“I’ll be gentle,” I promised as I placed an arm behind her back and under her legs, scooping her into my arms. She hissed and whimpered with every step, no matter how softly I tried to walk. “Sorry,” I said as I placed her one good foot on the floor.

She stood there, staring at me.

I backed up, leaned against the doorframe, and stared back.

“What are you doing?” She crossed her arms over her chest.

I thought it had been pretty obvious. “Waiting for you.”

She balanced on one foot, trying to control her laughter. “You can’t stay in here.”