Thinking about the potential repercussions of Reed holding me on the side of the road while I had a full-blown meltdown made me hesitate. But having someone to ground me—to keep me from completely unraveling—would help, not harm. At least that is what I decided to go with, since my heart was currently pounding against my chest as if it could break free and run a marathon. I hadn’t even had a moment to access the damage I may have done to my hand.Priorities.
“Yes, please,” I whispered, my voice small and trembling.
Reed walked me to his car and opened the back door. He helped me in, then climbed in after me. The space was surprisingly roomy, cozy even, and the leather seats smelled like my favorite vintage purse—faded, expensive, familiar. Something about it brought me back to the fun moments as a kid, playing dress-up with my grandma’s old clothes and purses. The memory helped ease some of my overwhelming anxiety.
“I’ve got you.” He wrapped his arms around me carefully, easing me into his chest like I was breakable. Maybe at that moment I was. Vulnerability was not a cloak I wore well, but I needed him more than I cared to admit.
We were both hurt, though not badly, but for a moment, none of it mattered. He held still, calm and composed, while I sat there, holding back tears. His palm rubbed gently over the back of my head, each pass chasing away the crippling panic.
And then I smelledhim. A mouthwatering combination of warm, heady notes: cardamom, sandalwood, rosewood, and amber. All earthy and spicy, elegant but not showy. It soothed me in a way I couldn’t explain. As if zeroing in on each one was another step out of my spiral. I’d spent enough time around men who wore luxury colognes just for the bragging factor, dousing themselves in scent like armor. But Reed’s wasn’t like that. It was quiet. Intentional. It clung to him like it belonged there, mixing with his pheromones until I almost drooled. I didn't love that I noticed, but I did.
“How are you feeling now, lemondrop?” Reed asked quietly.
In the rapidly fading sunlight, it felt safe to be honest since he couldn’t see the fear undoubtedly still splashed across my face. “A bit off-balance, but much better.”
“May I see your hands? There are parts of the engine that can cause a lot of damage if you touch them.”
“I guess,” I said, reluctantly agreeing.
Reed turned the flashlight feature connected to his phone on while gently turning my hand up and down. “Ouch, sweetheart. You have a few blisters. It’s important that you get checked out by someone. I can bring you to urgent care.”
“That’s not necessary, but you slammed your head. You might have a concussion. Do you want me to call an ambulance for you?”
“No, I don’t need an ambulance. My best friends are paramedics. One of them should be off. Pick one. August or Kingston?”
I liked and respected August. A lot. Though I didn’t know King very well, we also had spent more time together lately. If Iwas being honest with myself, I sort of had a crush. Something else I wouldn’t share with Reed. Share... with... Reed. Why did my brain get stuck on that? I’d observed the two of them being a little more playful than I thought friends usually acted, but I didn’t think they had a thing for each other.
“King lives closer.” I shrugged.Shoot. In my brain’s rambling, I’d forgotten that the reason why he wanted to call one of them was to get us both looked at by a health professional. The thought of Kingston touching me intimately and caring for me brought heat to my face.
“Yeah, that’s true, Eli. Does this mean you’re not going to argue with me anymore tonight?”
“Not a chance,” I muttered.
Reed shook his head. “Let me see if my first-aid kit has some burn gel.” He took my non-injured hand and put his phone into it so I could hold it up for the light. Scouring through the kit, he found nothing but a few bandages and two packs of Tylenol.
“I can’t believe that your best friends the paramedics, allow you to have such a paltry kit. They’d have your neck if they saw the state of it.”
“Oh, believe me, lemondrop, I know. I guess I haven’t restocked in a while. Come back to my house and get checked over.”
“No, I’m fine but you shouldn’t drive with a potential head injury either.” I handed him his phone back and he turned off the light.
“I never let anyone drive my car,” he said, irritated. “But you’re right. Will you drive me home?”
Crap. That meant that it would be harder to refuse someone looking at my injury. “Yeah, of course I will.”
“Great,” he said a hint of relief in his tone. “I’m texting King.”
We sat in silence with nothing but the sound of message alerts coming in as Kingston responded.
“He’s working tonight, or he’d come over. But I asked him about a car place since he has a similar model. He recommended Ridge Autos out in Autumn Ridge. They are open. Plus, they’ll tow and offer estimates for a repair on your SUV. Do you want me to call them?”
“No, I’ve got it. Thank you, Reed. I’ll go wait in my car.”
“You’re not staying here by yourself. Besides, we just established that you need to get looked at. And you’re driving me home.”
Huffing, I crossed my arms over my chest. “Yes, but I need some space.”
Reed moved closer to the door, increasing the distance between us but not by much. “Is that all you need, Eli?”
