Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
The Ramblings was lit up inside with the sun spilling in through its mullioned windows.
Its golden kaleidoscope rays criss-crossed the tiled floor and staircase.
I shuffled inside with Evan at my back.
‘Mum? Dad?’ he called, his deep voice echoing around the space.
‘Your parents have gone out,’ replied Louise from somewhere around the corner. ‘Helping with a charity auction at the residential home.’
I could hear her shoes tapping on the tiles as she approached. ‘How are things? Oh!’ She saw me waggle my booted foot and wince. ‘What happened?’
‘I went for a woodland walk with Dane and ended up twisting my ankle on a rock.’
Louise clicked her tongue and crossed her arms over her aproned chest. ‘Och no! Was it up by that pine forest? With the picnic area? I overheard Dane asking you to go out for a walk earlier.’
At Louise’s words, I felt Evan stiffen beside me.
I nodded. ‘Yes. That’s the place.’
Louise indicated to my foot. ‘How is it now? Can I get you anything?’
‘No, thanks. It’s a lot better than it was.’
‘Well, just shout if you do need anything.’ She bustled off.
‘I still think you should pop a frozen bag of peas on it,’ insisted Evan. ‘It won’t do any harm.’
We’d reached the bottom of the staircase.
I put my right foot on the first step and slowly edged onto the next.
Evan folded his big arms behind me. ‘It’s going to take you about three hours to get up there at this rate.’
‘Well, what do you want me to do? Jump on a hovercraft?’
‘Very droll.’
Before I could say anything else, I felt the ground move away from me.
Evan had swept me off my feet and into his arms. ‘What on earth…?!’ I gasped, finding myself staring up into his serious face.
Part of me wanted to insist that he put me down right away.
I could bloody well make it up those stairs by myself, thank you very much!
But the other half of me was savouring every moment of being held by this sexy, strong man.
I wanted him to hold me like this. I wanted to breathe him in; feel his muscles around me; be protected by him; feel the thud of his heart against me.
I wasn’t used to being protected or sheltered.
I was used to being the independent one; self-reliant.
Embarrassment flooded me as I found I liked it very much, especially as Evan was the one doing the looking after.
He held me as though I weighed nothing, gazing down at me for the longest time. His flickering, black lashes; the arch of his brows. Slowly, he proceeded to thud up each step of the ornate staircase in his walking boots, holding me in his arms.
Neither of us said anything. It was as though the only noise reverberating around the great hall was our breathing and the crashing of my heart.
My fingers located Evan’s neck, and I laced them around him as he continued to transport me upstairs. Common sense was screaming at me, but I refused to listen.
Evan’s black hair bounced against his forehead. I wanted to raise my hand and brush that irresistible flop of hair back from his face.
‘I’ll take you to your room,’ he murmured. His attention travelled to my mouth.
My insides turned to water. I couldn’t think properly. My head was lost.
This was wrong. I should’ve stumbled up the stairs by myself. I shouldn’t have allowed myself to be in this position. I was making myself vulnerable. But despite the protests racing through me, my fingers tightened around Evan’s neck.
We reached my bedroom door, and Evan raised one booted foot and pushed against it. It swung open.
The sight of my bed and the two of us alone, me still wrapped in Evan’s arms and him carrying me … I was struggling to concentrate on anything except him. My tumultuous emotions clashed with the charged silence. The feel of his arms encircling me was a sensation I’d never experienced before.
With so much care, Evan laid me on top of the bed and proceeded to remove my socks and boots. Thank goodness I’d given myself a pedicure at the weekend.
Evan took a step backwards, still studying me as I lay there on top of the bed. ‘How are you feeling now?’
I wanted to say, ‘Hot and bothered,’ but I bit it back.
Lying here, feeling so vulnerable under the watchful hot gaze of Evan, was making bubbles explode in my stomach. This wasn’t me. It shouldn’t be me. I never allowed men to get this close after Leon. Much less risk being left heartbroken and used that way.
How I wished I was wearing something sexier than a sparkly T-shirt and jeans. Then I remembered I wasn’t speaking. I hadn’t answered his question. I hurried to gather my thoughts. ‘It’s feeling a lot better, thanks.’
I pushed myself upwards onto my elbows. ‘Thank you again, Evan, for taking such good care of me. I mean it.’
Evan sank down on the edge of the bed. ‘Don’t mention it.’ He pointed at my right ankle. ‘You’ve got an impressive bruise there. Give me a second, and I’ll fetch that bag of peas and some arnica cream from the kitchen cupboard.’
‘Evan. There’s really no need.’
But he just rewarded my protests with a withering look. I heard him bound back down the stairs, and he returned moments later with a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel of Edinburgh Castle and a tube of arnica cream. ‘Can you manage?’ he asked, waggling the bag of peas.
‘I think I can.’
I accepted the peas from him and set them on my ankle. I made a satisfied, groaning noise.
He grinned. ‘That good?’
‘Oh yes.’
I’d keep it on for a few more minutes before removing it.
‘Are you ok for me to apply the arnica, or do you want to do it?’
I sat up a little straighter. ‘I can manage,’ I insisted. I didn’t think I could take the idea of Evan’s hands touching me.
But I couldn’t apply the cream myself. I tried reaching down to my ankle a couple of times, but it was an awkward angle, and every time I did, it niggled as if to remind me to be careful.
‘Here,’ ordered Evan. ‘Give it to me.’
He squeezed some of the soft, white cream onto his finger and proceeded to rub it gently into my ankle. His fingers glided up and down my skin. His lashes were thick and black as he continued to look down. ‘You don’t like accepting help, do you?’
I flinched at his question.
‘Keep your foot still while I apply this.’
There was a beat. ‘Well?’ He pushed. ‘You don’t, do you?’
‘I like to be independent.’ I was in danger of gasping, but I managed to turn it into a weird cough.
A couple of blackbirds chirruped their song right outside the bedroom window.
I had to remind myself to keep breathing as Evan finished applying the cream. The ache had subsided now, replaced by the zinging sensation of Evan’s fingertips playing against my skin.
We continued to study each other.
My mind slotted Evan and Dane side by side. Dane was attitude, charm and confidence. But Evan was … he was caring and intense, with that dry sense of humour. What with the way his muscles bunched, too… Stop, Daisy! Just stop!
‘You rest for a bit.’ Evan’s voice broke through my meandering thoughts. ‘Just shout if you need anything, ok?’
The kindness and concern in his voice took me by surprise. I wasn’t used to it; being fussed over by others. My grandparents and Jade, but that was about it.
Emotion rose in me, and I bit it back. ‘I will. And thank you again.’
He moved towards the bedroom door and turned around. ‘And no heroics on the stairs, otherwise I’ll have to insist on carrying you again.’ The lingering look he gave me made my insides quiver.
As soon as Evan closed the door behind him, I let out a frustrated sob, grabbed a pillow and sank my teeth into it.