CHAPTER SEVEN
W ho the hell gets injured doing laundry?
Riley does apparently.
Stupid fricking ironing board.
Now here she was in Wade’s big, strong arms, being carried home like a child. Every ranch hand they passed on the way to her trailer was stifling a snigger. This was humiliating. Even for her. And definitely not how she imagined their first encounter would go after their date.
“My ankle is fine. Really. I can walk.” This must have been the fifth time she’d told him this, but her protest was falling on deaf ears.
“You just like hopping for the hell of it, right?” Wade’s face turned to her then, blinding her with white teeth and dimples. As if she wasn’t already drunk on his cologne, this was the last thing she needed.
She was quiet. Staring into deep blue. Her mouth getting dryer and dryer by the second. Evidently, it wasn’t the smartest route to take. Her staring at him, caused him to stop in his tracks.
“You okay, petal?”
She wasn’t, which is probably why a “no” slipped from her lips.
“Can I ask why?” He looked more amused than concerned.
“People are laughing.”
“Who’s laughing?” He grinned.
Well, he was for a start. “Davey and Robert.”
“They weren’t laughing, darlin’. I can promise you that.”
She wanted to ask how he could promise her that, but she refrained. It would only prolong whatever this was. She needed him to move and get her home, so she could hide under her blanket for the rest of the evening.
“Let’s uh, let’s just...” There were so many things she could have said like, let’s go, carry on, walk, but no. Instead, God knows why, she said, “Giddy-up.”
This is why the facepalm emoji exists.
Okay, now he was laughing. And not hiding it.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said in between laughs.
It was the best response she could hope for, that and the fact he’d started moving again. Now all she had to do was not die of embarrassment until they got back to her trailer.
The morning had started off so well. She was still basking in last night’s kiss, the sun was out, and she was having an easy day at work. Until she wasn’t.
Thankfully, Wade’s long legs got them back quicker than she could even walk. But once he’d placed her on her couch, he didn’t leave like a good guest should. Instead, he bagged up ice, put a pot of coffee on and went about making her a snack.
“Are you seriously making a grilled cheese right now?” She twisted to get a good look at him.
Wade didn’t look up as he flipped the sandwich. “You need to eat.”
“Says who?”
“Says me. You need to keep your strength up.”
She could feel her face contort into a what the fuck expression. “For an ankle injury?”
“Yup.” He was already plating up. “That and you need to rest, which means not putting unnecessary weight on it. Making your own food would put unnecessary weight on it.”
Riley rolled her eyes. “Okay, Doctor Wade.”
She didn’t even know why she was being so salty. She loved grilled cheese. It just felt weird. She didn’t understand why he was here. Looking after her.
Maybe he’s afraid you’re gonna sue him for a workplace injury?
Yes. That’s probably it.
After placing her plate on the coffee table, Wade took a seat in the armchair next to her, his own mug of coffee in hand.
So, I guess he’s not leaving.
She started to squirm. Why wasn’t he leaving? Or saying anything.
Say something. It’s so quiet.
“Uh...” An actual sentence, Riley . “Um. So. Um. I’m not going to sue you.”
Coffee sprayed from Wade’s mouth, followed by a short sharp laugh. “What?”
Riley realized her mistake immediately. That was a random thing to say. She really needed to stop blurting out everything that came into her head. It just always felt so much harder than it should be.
“Sorry,” she rushed out. “I was thinking about that earlier, so it was on my mind, and that’s why...just forget I said that please. Thank you for the grilled cheese.”
“You were thinking about suing me earlier?” That didn’t sound like forgetting to her.
Riley sighed. “Yeah. I was wondering why you were being so nice to me. Carrying me home. Getting me ice. Coffee. Sandwiches. Then I thought that maybe you were worried that I’d sue you.
Like those accident at work ads you see.
And maybe that was why you were doing all this stuff.
So, I just wanted you to know that I’m not gonna sue you. ”
She needed to stop talking. Food will make you stop . Quickly leaning forward, she grabbed her plate and her grilled cheese and got to work stuffing her mouth. Expertly avoiding Wade’s big blue eyes which were now penetrating her skin.
“You think that’s why I’m here?”
She didn’t answer. Her mouth was full of cheese. But she did meet his gaze, which was enough apparently for him to continue.
“Riley, I like you. Did I not make that clear enough last night?”
Riley gulped. Even though she’d already swallowed her sandwich.
Wade rose from the chair, his mug going to the table as he leaned into her. It all happened so quickly. One minute she was gulping, the next, stubble was grazing her chin and firm lips were awakening every nerve ending.
This was not how Riley thought their next kiss would go. Ice on her ankle, plate balancing on her lap, hands in her hair angling her head.
It was over too soon, but that didn’t stop them both panting as Wade drew back. Damn. Was it normal to feel so flushed after a kiss? She was surprised her glasses hadn’t steamed up. Her insides felt like they were on fire. This couldn’t be healthy.
“Do you get why I’m here now?” Wade was still bent over, giving her a look so smouldering it should be illegal.
“’Cause you like me and want to kiss me?”
Her reply was met with a blinding smile, which helped to dispel some of the sexual tension making it hard to breathe.
“Yeah, petal. ‘Cause I like you and want to kiss you.” He repeated her words back to her. Causing her own smile to bloom.
She lost his eyes for a moment as he straightened. “Now we’ve cleared that up. I’m gonna head out. I’ve got some laundry to do.”
Just minutes ago she’d wanted him to leave, so it didn’t make sense that she felt disappointed, yet she did. She wanted more of those kisses. More of the burn. But of course she didn’t say that. For once, she was well aware that this particular thought shouldn’t leave her mouth.
“Do you need anything else before I go?” Riley shook her head. Wade paused for a moment before continuing. “I think maybe you should do the laundry at my place from now on, there’s more space, so there’s less chance the ironing board is gonna come at you .”
“At your place?”
“At my place.” He nodded. “Don’t worry, they’ll be no funny business. We’ll keep everything strictly professional.”
He’s talking about sex, right?
“What if I want funny business?” she asked seriously.
“I’m not opposed to funny business,” he said with a smirk. “As long as it’s outside work hours.”
“Technically, it’s work hours now...” And you just kissed me.
Wade chuckled. “That it is, petal. That it is. Tomorrow is your day off though, right? How ‘bout I come take care of you?”
“Don’t you have to work?”
Wade shrugged. “Perks of being the boss. So...is that a yes?”
Riley didn’t need to check her poor excuse for a social calendar to know that she was free. Other than plans with Bella on Friday night, her week consisted of work and hibernation. But she suddenly felt nervous. What if Wade wanted to have funny business tomorrow?
You don’t know what funny business is!
True. She didn’t. But the twinkle in his eye when he’d said it had told her everything she needed to know.
“What’s wrong?”
Right. You answer questions out loud, Riley . “Uh. Nothing. Tomorrow is fine with me.”
Note to self, google “funny business.”
***
T he combination of ice and sitting on her ass for four hours obviously did something because later that night, Riley’s ankle felt back to normal. It made her feel guilty. All that fuss and she was fine. What was she supposed to do when Wade showed up tomorrow to look after her?
Fake it?
She couldn’t do that. Could she?
While pondering her moral quandary, her phone began to light up. Followed shortly by upbeat chimes filling her small space. She knew who it was before she’d even got a glimpse at the name. It was the same person who called her every night. Her mom.
Swiping right, she was quick to give her mother her cheeriest hello.
“Where were you last night?” Here we go. Getting straight to it then.
“Oh, yeah, I had an early night, I wasn’t feeling well.”
“What’s wrong?” her mom was quick to ask. “Are you okay? Do you have a temperature? Have you been to the doctor?”
Why did she have to go and say she wasn’t well? She should know better. “I’m fine. I was just a little tired that’s all. I feel better now. Please don’t worry about me.”
“Hank! Hank!” Oh, God. “Riley’s sick!”
Riley slumped back into the cushions and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She knew her parents meant well. It was natural to worry.
This much?
No. Not this much. But they hadn’t always been like this.
They’d gone from relaxed, carefree, normal people to intense and overbearing in the blink of an eye.
It all started when Riley was eleven. When her cousin disappeared.
It didn’t matter that they found Violet three days later, shacked up with her boyfriend.
Those three days were enough to scare the living daylights out of her parents.
From then on, they had to know where she was and who she was with at all times.
Even now. It’s why Riley had to leave. She needed to be free.
“Are you still there?” Her mother’s panicked voice brought her back to the present.
“Yes, Mom, I’m still here.”
The rest of the conversation consisted mostly of Riley reassuring her parents that she was okay. It was the one conversation she’d mastered over the years. Because she had to.