He scowls. “No.”
“But—”
“I’ll live, princess. Not letting you call an ambulance for some scratches.”
I have to take several deep breaths to stop myself from screaming at him.
“Sit down,” I snap, trying to sound more confident than I feel.
“I’m fine?—”
“Sit. Down. Now.”
Thorne’s eyebrow quirks. He doesn’t move. I glare at him, and we stare each other down for a moment. Finally, he takes a seat.
“Thank you,” I say.
Was that so damn hard?
Thorne’s stubbornness shouldn’t surprise me. He’s the most infuriating man in Crave County, after all. But I swear to God, if he dies after refusing to call an ambulance, I’m definitely going to murder him.
7
THORNE
I’m tryingto keep it together. Trying to hide the torrent of emotions raging inside me. But I swear, I’ve never been so fucking pissed off with myself.
How could I have let this happen?
I was in the military for twenty years, goddammit. I was trained to be on high alert. Vigilant. Hyperaware of my surroundings. Hell, I’ve lived in Crave County all my life. I know these mountains by heart, yet I still let myself get attacked by a damn cougar.
Idiot.
Clay warned me. He told me his brother had seen tracks, but I was so busy thinking about Aria that it barely registered. She had to put herself in danger because of my own damn stupidity. Anything could have happened. It could be Aria’s blood smeared outside in the snow right now instead of mine. The thought sinks like lead in my gut.
I’ll never forgive myself for putting her in that position.
“I’m sorry, Aria.”
She’s sitting in a chair opposite me, her hands gentle against my skin as she cleans my wounds with grim determination. There are bandages and bottles of ointment strewn all over thebathroom. She ransacked the cupboard and grabbed every first-aid supply she could find.
“Don’t be sorry,” she says, meeting my gaze. “You saved my life.”
“That’s not how I remember it. You hit it with a log. Made it get off me.”
“Well,youstopped it attacking me.” Aria’s voice trembles, but her hands are steady. “You scared it back into the woods.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’d still be cat food without you, princess.” I grit my teeth, pausing as she dabs stinging ointment onto my chest. “Cougars go for the back of the neck. If you hadn’t warned me—gotten me to turn around in time—I’d be a goner.”
“Don’t say that, Thorne.” She lets out a shuddering exhale. “You’re okay now. We both are.”
“All because of you, princess. Thank you.”
She smiles at me, cheeks pinkening. “You’re welcome.”
Then her gaze slides down to my arm. I’m pressing a clean towel against it, applying pressure to the worst wound. Aria’s orders, of course. I’d have done it myself anyway, but it’s cute as hell when she bosses me around. It’s even cuter when I don’t play ball and she gets all riled up. Her cheeks go red, her nose scrunches up…it’s so fucking adorable every time.
“Moment of truth,” Aria says as she reaches for the towel and lifts it gently. “Oh, thank God.”
