Once again, her little girl chatter, incoherent as it was, helped keep me distracted from thoughts of Xavier, and I was gratefulto her. At least I was until the back door burst open, announcing the arrival of the man I couldn't stop thinking about. "Ba-da?"
Okay, maybe she wasn't asking a question and I was hearing what I wanted to, but I scooped her into my arms and carried her into the kitchen to find another broad-shouldered man helping Xavier into the room. "What happened?"
Xavier limped inside with one arm flung around the other man, a scowl darkening his features, making him just as handsome but also intimidating. He dropped into the nearest chair with a pained grunt. "Sprained my damn ankle, that's what."
My lips pulled into a thin, flat line as I reminded myself that he was injured and, of course, even surlier than usual. I set Violet on her feet and dropped down in front of Xavier on instinct, quickly removing both of his boots to check the damage for myself. "Which one?"
"The swollen one," he snapped. "Stupid fucking hikers."
Calm. Patience.I repeated the words over and over. "Okay, well, do you want me to handle them both normally and learn which one is injured the hard way?" Our gazes locked in a staredown before he finally gave up.
"The left one."
I gently removed the sock and gasped. It was purple and swollen something fierce, but it was just a nasty sprain. "I need some ice," I said to the other man, who watched with a frown, before I got up to put Violet in her playpen. I returned with aspirin and dropped two into Xavier's hand. "Take these."
He grunted but did as he was told, which surprised me. "You're a nurse too?"
I ignored his snide tone. "First-aid basics, because little kids are accident-prone." My tone was clipped, but I kept my focus on his ankle rather than his mouth as I wrapped the ice in a towel around it. "Stay put for a few minutes."
He grunted and looked away.
Whatever.
"I'm gonna head out," the man said. "Gotta do the reports and refill the kits for tomorrow. With the snow still falling, who knows what the fuck else will crop up."
"Yeah, thanks for gettin' me home, Chase. I appreciate it."
"No problem. Let me know if you're up for your next shift. I'm happy to cover for you."
Xavier gave him an arched brow.
"Okay, nothappyto do it, but I will. And you'll owe me."
A tight smile crossed his face. "Yeah, I'll owe ya."
The man, Chase, nodded and left through the back door, shutting us off from the storm once again.
"I assume you want a shower?" He was soaking wet from head to toe and covered in mud from his calves down.
He didn't bother looking at me when he nodded. "Fine."
I sighed heavily and took on some of his weight, and slowly, we made our way to the bathroom. It was absolute torture, watching his hot, wet flesh in the shower and not being able to join him, to touch him. It wasn't what he wanted, and it shouldn't be what I wanted either, but I did. My body was addicted to his, pure and simple. I watched the way the water slid down his golden skin and taut muscles, licking my lips as I remembered the way he tasted on my tongue.
"I'm done," he growled angrily, as if it was my fault he had a bum ankle.
I grabbed a towel and dried his back and the backs of his legs before I wrapped it around his waist. I breathed through my mouth to avoid taking in any of his scrumptious masculine scent and bore a significant amount of his weight as we limp-walked to his bedroom. My gaze diverted from his bed because my heart slammed hard and fast against my chest as I thought about all that we'd done in that exact spot.
It won't hurt this way forever, I told myself as I bent my legs to help him down onto the bed before I fetched a fresh change of clothes.
"Yeah, thanks," he grunted, accepting them. I ignored his unhappy tone because I'd be unhappy in his position too.
And there I was, doing it again, making excuses for someone else's poor treatment of me. "Do you want me to bring some food up to you?" I rubbed my hands together and waited for an answer as I inched toward the door.
"I'm not a damn invalid, Rosalee." His angry words echoed off the walls, and I held myself still to avoid wincing at his volume.
"Fine. Get it your damn self." I left his room with my arms folded across my chest as anger bubbled up inside of me. The tears that threatened to fall stung my eyes, but I refused to let them. I wouldn't let myself cry over another man who didn't deserve it. Jason hadn't been worth the tears I shed over him, and I was determined to learn from my mistakes.
Sooner or later.
