Her McKnight in Shining Armour. Teresa Southwick
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their gazes met. “Do you want to tell me what my brother said?”
“Not really.” The determination in her eyes told him that was true enough, but there was vulnerability, too. She blew out a breath. “But y’all have a right to know. There’s no way to sugarcoat this. My ankle is broken.”
“Oh, Ellie— I’m sorry. I know you were hoping for different news.”
She tried to shrug it off, but the shadows leaked through. “You play the hand you’re dealt, as Hastings Hart would say.”
Alex had a feeling her daddy held his daughter to a high standard and she was an overachiever. “Okay. It’s broken, but not the end of the world. We can work with that. Now you’re in a cast and one assumes since you have crutches there won’t be a marathon in your near future. This setback will only slow you down some.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“Why?”
“Ben says I need surgery. He has to line up the bones then put a plate in to keep them that way so it will heal correctly. Otherwise I won’t be running a marathon ever, or walking, either, for that matter. That will make it kind of hard to navigate a job site under my own power. And it can’t wait until the clinic expansion is finished.”
“Okay.” Alex rested his elbows on his knees as he thought that one over. “So you get the surgery done ASAP.”
“I have to wait until the swelling goes down. Then it means a trip to the hospital, which isn’t just around the corner. But it won’t be overnight. I can have it done on an outpatient basis.”
“Okay. That officially sucks,” he agreed. “But we can spare you at the job site when you need to take the time. This isn’t a disaster.” He noticed that the polish on her toes matched the hot-pink cast and was possibly one of the most erotic things he’d ever seen. “Except for you, of course.”
“No kidding.” She sighed. “This is most definitely not my finest hour.”
“Are you in pain?”
“It aches some because what they gave me here has worn off. But I’m tough.” She looked anything but. More like an abandoned kitten. “Ben said over-the-counter pain medication should do the trick if I’m uncomfortable.”
“Okay, then. I’ll drive you—”
She shook her head. “Not necessary. I can do it. The injury is to my left ankle, so I can drive.”
“I’m sure you can, Ellie, but I’m here and you don’t have to. I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”
“I want to go home, but there’s no need for y’all to go out of the way.”
“It’s not really. I live near the lake, not far from the apartment you’re renting.” A thought struck him. “Don’t you live upstairs?”
“I do.” She looked a little worried about that before her stubborn side kicked in and shut it down. “I’ll manage. Y’all shouldn’t give it another thought.”
“How?”
“I’m sorry?”
“How will you manage to get yourself up the stairs?”
“I just will. Don’t trouble yourself about me.” It cost her reserves of energy that she probably didn’t have, but she managed to smile. “Now, it’s been a real exciting day and I’m ready to call it a night. I’ll just say goodbye and thank you. I’m sure the nurse will help me out to my car.”
She set the rubber-tipped crutches on the floor and hauled herself to a standing position with the curved, padded part under her arms. Her humongous purse was hanging from one of the wheelchair’s handles, and Alex could see that she was trying to figure out how to manage it.
“Let me,” he said, surging to his feet.
“It’s not necessary. I should get used to doing this for myself.”
“Yes, you should. But not tonight.” When she opened her mouth to protest he snapped, “Stuff a sock in it, Ellie. I wasn’t raised by wolves. There’s no need to bother Ginny. I’m right here and I’ll see you to your car.”
The expression in her eyes said she wanted to talk him out of that, but she must have been a quart low on spunk because she nodded. “Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Alex had once broken his leg playing high school football. The experience had taught him that no matter how athletic a person was, it took time and practice to get the hang of crutches. After saying goodbye to Ginny and Ben, he carried her big bag and held the clinic door open so Ellie could get out. The trip from there to the construction parking area was excruciatingly slow and painful if the tightness of her mouth was anything to go by.
He wanted to haul her into his arms and carry her, but it wasn’t just about speeding up the process or minimizing her discomfort. As hard as he tried, he couldn’t seem to forget how good holding her had felt that night on his boat. Granted she’d been naked, but her cute, curvy little self even when wearing clothes was pure, one hundred percent temptation.
That thought made him break out in a sweat, though the June evening was cool. The sweet sexy scent of her skin drifted on the breeze and slid through him, then floated around in his belly where it finally knotted and settled in. He swore that a lifetime and a half passed before they got to her car. Fishing her keys out of that gigantic purse was nearly as hard as resisting her. It wouldn’t have surprised him if all her worldly possessions were in the bag.
He unlocked the driver’s door and said, “Are you sure about this?”
“Very.” Awkwardly she maneuvered herself to the opening.
Alex could almost see her mind working to figure out the logistics. “Back yourself in and slowly lower your butt to the seat.” An erotic image of him squeezing that soft sweet body part flashed through his mind and he gritted his teeth. “Then sit down and hand the crutches to me.”
She seemed to be thinking through that advice, then successfully did as he said. “Okay. Thanks.”
“I’m going to put these on the front passenger side so they’re handy. It will take some eye-hand coordination, but you’ll be able to get them into place for standing. Just swing your legs out and pull yourself up.”
“Okay. Got it.”
He still couldn’t see how she was going to get herself up the stairs in her current condition, but the lady seemed determined to do it alone, and he knew he should be grateful for her independence. When the crutches were stowed within reach, he leaned down in the open doorway and looked at her in the driver’s seat. “If you need anything at all, you call me.”
“Thanks. I’ll be fine and dandy. You’ll see.”
Yes he would, and sooner than she realized. Because as hard as he tried, he just couldn’t trust that independent streak of hers.
Alex closed the door and stood back while she started the car then pulled slowly onto Main Street. In seconds she was out of sight, but nowhere near out of his mind.
He’d come this close to pulling Ellie into his arms and holding her for a very long time. How stupid was that? Not only was she dealing with a broken ankle, they’d agreed that sleeping together was a mistake that shouldn’t and wouldn’t happen again.
It was just that she tugged at him. Her spunky, self-reliant streak made him want to be there for her. But someone had made her believe there was shame in asking for help. Could have been the jerk who lied to her and cost her a career start. Or it could have been the way she was raised. He wanted five minutes alone, no questions asked, with whoever had drilled that lesson into her. She didn’t have to do this alone.
And he was going to prove it to her whether she wanted to know or not.
*