Chapter 5
five
Asher
I didn’t like Andrew’s edict that I have to take Emma to study the mountain sweet pitcher plants, but I understand the reason for it.
When she spoke up, I have to say I was proud of her.
She keeps surprising me. Emma is not as meek as she appeared at first, not even close.
That streak of defiance triggers my dominance, and how she responds to that. Fuck. It’s enticing.
“I’ll come around and get you. Stay there.”
“Yes, Sir, Ashbear,” Emma says as she rolls her eyes.
She’s lucky I don’t put her over my knee.
She’s cast some kind of spell on me. I want to taste the lips that she keeps nibbling on and run my fingers over her pale skin.
I bet it feels as soft as it looks. Fuck.
Now I’m hard for her again. Perfect. Not how I want to walk into Doc’s office.
After climbing out of my truck, I take a moment to adjust myself before walking around to get my little Raindrop. I’m not sure she’ll agree to being mine, but I guess I have two weeks to work on it. First, I need to get her inside.
Emma wraps her arms around my neck as I pick her up and carry her into the doctor’s office. The waiting room is empty since the practice was already closed, but when Andrew called, he agreed to meet us here.
A bell rings on the door as I open it and step inside, and Doc steps out of the back. His receptionist is probably long gone.
“Hi there, Asher. Hello, young lady. Andrew said there was a little accident?”
I’m about to tell him when Emma surprises me again. “Yeah, I was in the woods without a flashlight and tripped. I’m sure my ankle is fine. But I had surgery on it about a year ago, and Asher was worried I might have done something.”
“Come on back. Let me get your information, and then we’ll take an X-ray.”
“Okay.”
Doc raises an eyebrow when his gaze meets mine, and I smile at him.
He’s never seen me with a woman. So far, the only one of us who’s married is Adam, and that was two weeks ago when he married Rebekah to save her from her murderer father.
Just thinking about it makes me wish I could be the one to kill him this time.
“Ash, are you okay?”
I look down to see Emma staring up at me, her expression filled with concern.
“Sorry, I’m here. Do you want me to come back with you or wait out here?”
“Would it be okay if you came?”
“Of course. Doc, it’s fine with you, right?”
“Whatever Miss Emma wants is fine.” Doc Winston offers her a gentle smile.
I don’t realize I haven’t put her down until we’re already in the exam room. No wonder he was giving me that look. Internally, I berate myself for how I’m acting. The grumpiest of the Gallants has been turned into a huge softy by a little woman with blue-green eyes.
“Asher, if you’d put her on the exam table?”
“Yes, sir.” After getting her settled, I step back. When her eyes search for mine, I nod. “I’ll be right over here.” Then I take a chair in the corner of the room.
Doc takes her blood pressure, listens to her heart, and unwraps the bandages on her hands to examine her wounds. “You did a good job, Asher.”
“Thanks. It’s not like we don’t have a lot of experience fixing each other up.”
“True. I remember your mother making sure you all had first-aid training. She was a good woman,” he says as he adds more antiseptic cream to her palms and re-wraps her hands.
Guilt always taints my memories of my parents, but this time is different. Seeing them through his eyes reminds me of happy times. If only I could hold on to that feeling.
Emma’s hiss of pain brings me back to the present as the doctor removes the sock from her injured foot. The bruising has blossomed, now her entire ankle and most of her foot are a dark purple color.
“Well, young lady, you’ve certainly done a number on yourself. You mentioned having surgery about a year ago, right? Can you give me a bit more detail about what happened?”
Emma glances at me, then nods. “I was in a car accident. My dad was driving, and one of those huge SUVs ran the red light and hit us. Our car spun around and rolled over. My dad died instantly. My mom and I made it to the hospital after the paramedics cut us out of our car.
“She died a short time later. Somehow, when the car rolled, my foot got caught underneath the front seat and, as you can see, it was a mess. It took three surgeries and lots of metal to get it so I could walk on it. Running through the woods was a stupid thing to do.”
Doc Watson nods and then looks at me. He must know there’s more to this story that she’s not saying. Namely, why Emma would be running on Gallant Mountain in the first place. But if she’s going to cover for me, I’ll take the coward's way out and let her—for now.
“I’m so sorry for your loss, Emma. Let’s get you to the X-ray machine. Hopefully, you haven’t done any more damage, and it’s just a bad sprain. It would probably be a good idea to check with your own doctor when you get home.”
“I will, thank you. I hope it’s nothing serious.”
Other than the fire, this is the first time I have ever regretted my actions.
This is my fault. Caused her this extra pain, dredging up memories of her accident and losing her parents.
God knows I can relate to the loss. But she didn’t deserve it—especially because, with everything going on with Rebekah’s father, Richard Sharp, I’d totally blanked out about a scientist coming to conduct research on the mountain.
“Asher, can you lift Emma into the wheelchair. I don’t want her putting any pressure on her foot until we see what’s going on.”
“How about I carry her?”
“That works,” Doc answers.
“Is that okay with you, Emma?”
She agrees with one of her gentle smiles. “Perfect. Thank you, Ash.”
I’m thankful she doesn’t call me Ashbear in front of the doc. She’s the first person, other than my brothers, who’s ever shortened my name, and I don’t hate it.
The X-ray results show a bad sprain. When Doc shows her the images, I think I’m even more relieved than she is.
“You need to stay off it for at least forty-eight hours, but seventy-two would be better. When you get back home, I want you to keep it wrapped and elevated. Apply ice packs for fifteen-to-twenty minutes at a time, frozen peas work well,” he says and raises his gaze to mine.
All of us keep several bags in our freezers for this reason.
“After a few days, you can try some gentle movements but stay off it as much as possible. I’ll get you a set of crutches before you leave. If the pain or swelling gets worse, you need to take her to the ER, Asher. There could be something else going on we can’t see with this old machine.”
“Got it.”
“Thank you, Doctor Winston. I’m sure it’ll be fine. I’m used to babying it. I promise I’ll treat it gently.”
“See that you do. And no more running through the woods. It’s too dangerous.”
“Don’t worry,” Emma says with a grin. “I think I’ve learned my lesson.”
“Good. Okay, let’s get those crutches, and then you can be on your way. Remember, ice, elevation, keep it wrapped, and stay off it for at least two days, but three would be better.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’ll make sure she does. No worries, Doc.”
After he leaves, I put Emma’s sock back on as she keeps her head bowed, twisting her hands in her lap. “I’m sorry I scared you into running. My brothers, especially Andrew, are always giving me shit about my temper. I hate that you’re hurt because of me.”
Emma sniffles. “It’s okay. Just a huge misunderstanding. If I hadn’t panicked, I would have realized you were yelling words and not making bear grunts. But how am I going to finish my research now?” A tear slips down her cheek.
I catch it with my thumb. “You’ll get it done. I’ll help you. Whatever you need, I’ll make sure you have it.”
“Really? It’ll be a lot. I can’t even walk right now. Don’t you have work to do?”
“No worries, Raindrop. Ashbear is reporting for duty. There’s nothing I won’t do to help you.”
Emma’s giggle eases the tightness in my shoulders, and I can finally take a full breath. In the space of a few hours, this girl has turned my world upside down, and I don’t mind at all.
“Ready to go meet the rest of the Gallants and have dinner?” I’m already lifting her into my arms. She wraps her arm around my neck to hold on, and whispers in my ear, “For sure. I’m hungry enough to eat a bear.” Then shakes with laughter.
Considering how she doesn’t even use curse words, I’m sure she doesn’t realize how enticing her words are, but my cock sure does. Keeping my hands to myself is going to be hell.
We meet the doc in the waiting room. He follows me out to my truck and then waits while I get Emma settled inside.
“Take care of yourself, young lady. If you need anything, the Gallant boys can get a hold of me.”
“Thank you, Doctor Winston.”
He nods at her as I shut her door, then hands me the crutches.
“You’d better not hurt that girl, Asher Gallant.
I know how your temper is, and I’m sure I didn’t get the whole story about how she got hurt.
Make sure she stays off that foot. If it’s not looking better in two days, bring her back to see me.
Give her over-the-counter pain meds before bed, but no aspirin.
I don’t want to risk further internal bleeding. ”
“I’ll take good care of her. You have my word.”
“See that you do. She’s special, that one. Hold on to her if you can.”
“Thanks, Doc.” I grin, then stash the crutches in the truck bed and walk around to the driver’s side.
“Next stop, Gallant Homestead. I’m not sure whose turn it is to cook, but there’ll be plenty of food.”
No sooner do I finish speaking than her stomach lets out a noisy grumble. “Oops, I guess that’s a good thing.”
“Just a few more minutes, Raindrop, I promise.”