Total pages in book: 191
Estimated words: 182070 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 182070 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
“Because it’s just a little cut, and you have more important things to do.”
That got me a blink. “Yeah? Like what?”
I pressed my lips together. “I don’t know. Doing your thing with your coaching staff. Football stuff. I don’t want you to get in trouble because of me.”
“Bianca.” He was still watching me carefully. “Why you always sayin’ stuff like that?”
I partially smiled as the thumb on my forearm did a little circle that felt pretty freaking nice on the sensitive skin there.
And I felt that thumb, and his entire palm, slide to my upper arm and squeeze it gently, gaze still intense. “Didn’t I tell you already I’ll never be too busy for you? Are we clear on that now? Once and for all?”
I gulped, and he just raised his eyebrows. I might have swooned if I wasn’t already sitting down. And you better not take his words like that because he doesn’t mean them that way, I reminded myself. Futilely.
“You say things like that, and it hurts my feelings, darlin’, but we’ll talk about that later when you aren’t bleedin’ to death. I’ll think about forgivin’ you once I know you’re gonna live.”
“Aww, Zac—”
“Don’t ‘aww, Zac’ me. Your feelings would be hurt too if I got hurt and didn’t tell you because I thought you’d be too busy.”
I hated it when he had a point. But it was different. I groaned, and he shook his head just a little as he squatted there in front of me.
“No. Don’t you dare say some dumb shit. I can see it in your eye you wanna say somethin’ pointless. Knowin’ you, something like ‘oh, but I’m not you,’ am I right?”
Okay, that might have been almost word for word what I would have said.
The thumb on my arm did another little circle, and all I could get myself to do was nod.
He wasn’t amused by the fact he’d guessed correctly. “I’m not more important than you. You’re more important than me—”
I snorted, and that earned me a raise of one of those tawny eyebrows.
“Now, my darlin’, tell me what I can do. Want me to go talk to ’em and see if I can get ’em to squeeze you in quicker? Give you a painkiller?” He rubbed up and down my arms a little more, strong and warm. “I’m sure it hurts like hell, huh?” he asked gently with a small smile of pity that I ate up with an imaginary spoon.
I nodded. “I’d show you, but you probably don’t want to see it.” In fact, I was positive he wouldn’t want to see it. That was part of the reason why I hadn’t wanted to tell him where I was.
“Bianca?”
I eyed Zac and wished all of a sudden that he was wearing some sunglasses or something else that hid his features more than just hiding his hair. I turned my head at the same time that the hand Zac had on me jerked just a little and met Gunner’s eyes as he stood just off to the side. There was a frown on his face. “My friend is here now. I think he’ll stay with me so that you can go.”
I could feel Zac’s gaze on my face, hard and hot.
I turned to him. “You’ll stay with me, right?”
He tilted his head to the side. “All night if I need to, darlin’.”
I smiled at him before glancing back up at Gunner. “He’s staying,” I confirmed.
The frown on my boss’s face got a little deeper. “I told you I’d stay. I need to see about your bill.”
Zac squeezed my upper arm before he stood up. He turned that long body toward the last man I would have wanted him to interact with and said, “I’ve got her bill. You don’t need to worry about it.”
Was this the right time to tell him that I didn’t have insurance and wouldn’t mind milking Gunner for it?
“It’s my responsibility. I’m her boss.”
“I know who you are,” Zac said in a deceptively slow drawl that tickled at the base of my neck. I wished I could see his face, but he was turned away too much. What I could see was the way his shoulders went down and his chin tipped upward. “You’ve done enough, buddy. I’ve got it from here.”
“Bianca Brannen?”
I shot up to my feet and sent my boss a blank face. “Thank you for driving me, but I really will be all right.” I’d figure out the bill later.
Zac still wasn’t looking at me as he said in a low voice, “I’ve got her.”
Gunner glanced down at me, his harsh face emotionless. “Take three weeks off then, paid sick leave. Come back then.” After another glance at Zac, he turned and walked away.
“Bianca Brannen?” the nurse called out again, and that time, Zac lifted his hand in a wave at her.