Chapter 8
Victoria
As I slowly awaken, I’m aware that my pillow is incredibly soft and there’s a masculine scent surrounding me. I let myself linger in this space. I’ve been traveling for two weeks, so I’m used to waking up in different places, but I can’t remember where I laid my head last night…
The moment I attempt to roll onto my side, I come more fully awake. My entire body hurts, especially my left leg. It takes me a few seconds for my memories to flood back in.
The ravine…
The cut on my leg…
The tree pinning me…
Blaze…
I yank my eyes open and screech when I find myself face-to-face with him. He’s inches from me, leaning over me on one elbow. His hand comes to my cheek. “Hey, baby. Don’t panic. You’re safe.”
My heart races, and I’m breathing heavily as I force my body to relax into the mattress. “Shit. You scared me. I forgot where I was.”
“I’m sorry.”
“How long was I asleep?” I glance toward the windows. The sun is up.
“Fifteen hours.” He lifts my hand to his lips and kisses my knuckles so intimately. “You were exhausted. I woke you to take your pain killers and antibiotics, but you probably don’t even remember it.”
He’s right. I don’t recall that at all.
“How does your leg feel?”
“Not too bad. But my entire body hurts.”
“I’m not surprised. You fell a long way, landed hard, and spent the night in the elements. I suspect you’ll be bruised and battered for several days.” He pushes to sitting and lowers the covers.
My breath hitches when it occurs to me that the only thing I’m wearing is his T-shirt, and I reach down to make sure it’s covering my pussy.
Blaze strokes my chin with one finger. “I just want to make sure your leg doesn’t look infected. Also, I’ve already seen every inch of you.”
I nod. True. It was a knee-jerk reaction.
My left leg is propped up on a pillow, and Blaze leans over, turning it a bit. “It looks good.” His fingers move to my opposite thigh, and he winces. “Huge bruise on your leg from the branch.”
“Tree,” I blurt, correcting him. It annoys me to think I couldn’t get myself out from under a simple twig. It was an entire tree, even if it was a baby. The roots were still gripping it to the ground, making it impossible for me to lift it off me.
He chuckles. “Sorry. Tree. Maybe more of a sapling.”
I swat at his arm.
He grabs my wrist and kisses my fingertips. “I’m teasing you, baby. I don’t mean to make light of your predicament. You were well and truly stuck. Plus, any exertion on your part would have made your leg bleed more.”
I sigh as he pulls the covers up and climbs from the bed. How the hell am I so comfortable here? “Did you sleep with me?” I ask the ceiling as he fiddles around at the nightstand.
“Yep.” That’s it. That’s all he says.
I know I wasn’t aware of it at any point, but he’s the first man I’ve shared a bed with. It’s kind of huge for me, even though it shouldn’t be. Who cares?
Blaze turns to me, tucks a hand under my head, and lifts me gently as he stuffs pillows behind me.
“I’m not an invalid,” I mutter. “I can sit up on my own.”
He holds out three pills and a glass of water.
“So bossy…” I take the medicine from him, pop it in my mouth, and swallow it down. “Don’t you have places you need to be?”
“Nope. I need to be right here, helping you, at least until you’re cleared to put weight on your leg.”
I wince, realizing I really need to use the bathroom.
Glancing around, I see a pair of crutches leaning against the wall.
Kinsley had put them in the car for us when we left the clinic.
Apparently he brought them inside at some point.
“How about you prop the crutches up against the bed? Then I’ll be able to get to the bathroom without you. ”
“Do you need to pee?” he asks.
I roll my eyes. “Of course I need to pee. I’ve been asleep for like a day.”
He smirks. “Sassy girl.” He flips the covers off me yet again before tucking his arms under me and easily lifting me.
There’s no arguing with this man. He’s determined to dote on me. It’s sweet, but I’m not sure I should be giving him this much control. I have a suspicion he thinks he’s going to oversee my every move even after I’m healed.
And what the hell am I thinking? I won’t surely stay here more than a few days. As soon as I can walk, I should move on. I should leave Wilde. I had only planned on being here a few days.
Blaze sets me on the toilet. I’m not even wearing panties, so there’s nothing to pull down.
My face heats when he squats next to me and pulls some toilet paper off the roll.
Suddenly, I realize he doesn’t intend to leave. My eyes widen. “No way. Get out.” I point toward the door.
“Vicky… It’s just pee. Everyone pees.”
I shake my head, my face flaming now. “Blaze…” I try to sound firm, but I doubt I succeed. “Out. I’m not going to pee in front of you.” I snatch the toilet paper from his hand. Did he think he was also going to wipe me?
I wave my arms around, gripping the wad of paper. “My hands and arms are working just fine. Go away.”
When he smirks, I want to jump up and throttle him.
Before I can stop myself, I blurt out things I didn’t intend to. “Do you know why my car is loaded with my belongings and I don’t have a phone? Because I’m hiding from a bossy man who thought he could tell me what to do. Now, let me pee. I’ll shout when I’m done.”
Blaze’s eyes widen, and he stares at me for a moment before kissing my forehead and standing. “Yell when you’re done, baby.” His voice is kind. Soft even. I know I just opened Pandora’s box, but it’s not like I was going to get away with never telling him my story.
As soon as I’m alone, I blow out a long breath, and it takes me a minute to get my bladder to relax. Relieved, I wipe, flush, and hop on my good leg to the sink.
The door flies open. “Vicky…” he groans. “You were supposed to tell me when you were done. Kinsley said no pressure on that leg.”
“I hopped,” I inform him as I wash my hands. I’m sure he heard the water and flames came out of his head. It’s kind of funny and cute, seeing him all flustered and worried about me.
As soon as I finish drying, he sweeps me off my feet and carries me back to bed. It’s also cute how he fusses around me, propping me up, setting my left ankle on a pillow, and tucking the covers over my legs.
A knock at the door startles me.
Blaze takes long strides to get to it, and the next thing I know, another woman in her twenties is entering with a tray of food. She must be Arianna because she has curls like mine.
She grins as she passes the tray off to Blaze. “Hey. I’m Arianna. I heard about your fall. How are you feeling?”
“Better. Thank you.” That’s not true. I feel worse today. Like I got hit by a truck. But I’m alive, and I’ll heal. I’m grateful for that. I’m sure any minute now the Tylenol will kick in and I won’t ache as badly.
“That’s good. Gretchen wants to know if there’s any comfort foods you’d like her to prepare while you’re stuck in bed.”
Blaze moves around me, settling the tray across me. I’m starving, and everything smells so good. I gasp when he lifts two plate covers to reveal nearly every breakfast food known to man—scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, toast, pancakes, fruit salad, and even oatmeal.
Arianna laughs. “She wasn’t sure what you might like. She sent coffee and tea. Orange and apple juice.”
My cheeks flush. “Tell her thank you. She doesn’t need to go to so much trouble. I’m fine with a granola bar.”
Arianna’s smile is infectious. “If you tell Gretchen you like granola bars, she’ll make them from scratch and have a dozen sent up within an hour.”
My turn to laugh. “Okay, don’t tell her that then. Tell her I like really basic sandwiches and chips. Wait… I bet she bakes the bread and fries her own chips.”
Arianna nods. “She does. How about you just tell me what you don’t like or you’re allergic to?”
“Not allergic to anything, and I’m not very picky.”
Blaze sets a hand on my shoulder. “What’s your favorite food? Gretchen lives to please everyone.”
“Spaghetti, I guess.”
Arianna nods. “Got it.” She spins and heads for the door. “Nice meeting you, Vicky.”
As soon as it shuts, Blaze sits next to my hip, carefully so as not to disturb the tray that’s covered with beverages. “Spaghetti, huh?”
“Yes. My stepmom never made it. She said it was a sloppy food that no one could possibly eat without looking ridiculous, so she banned it from the house.” Why do I keep divulging so much information?
Blaze frowns, his face set, brow furrowed as if he’s angry on my behalf.
I lower my gaze to the massive amount of food. “You’re going to eat most of this, right?”
“Sure, baby. Eat what you want.” His voice is so kind and soft. He’s a conundrum. He’s equal parts bossy and gentle. Sometimes at the same time.
I’m both unnerved and pleased by the way he pays such close attention to me. In fact, when I don’t move to start eating, he picks up a fork, cuts off a chunk of pancake, and holds it to my lips.
I accept the bite and moan as I chew and swallow. For one thing, I’m starving. For another thing, these are the best pancakes I’ve ever tasted. I take the fork from him and go after the pancakes. “Damn, these are good.”
Blaze reaches for another set of utensils and cuts off a piece of sausage. “Gretchen is the best cook in the world. I’ve only been here two weeks, but I’m so spoiled I could never leave.”
“She really is.” I eat scrambled eggs, bacon, and fruit like it’s my last meal.
That’s how hungry I am. In between, I drink orange juice.
When I can’t swallow another bite, I pour honey into the tea and lean back to sip it while Blaze polishes off everything I didn’t finish, including the apple juice and the coffee.
He sets the tray on the floor before climbing onto the other side of the bed and stretching out next to me. I can practically see the inquisition coming.