I don’t miss the way she saysyouthis time instead ofwe.
“The cuts look pretty superficial. Not that I’m an expert or anything,” she goes on. “But there may be a shard embedded where I can’t see.”
“I’ll go in the morning.”
“Good.”
She puts some ointment on the cuts and wraps a compression bandage around my hand, but as soon as she makes the last pass over my palm, she stands up and huffs.
“Wha—”
“What the hell was that, Ashton?”
I look around the room as if something in here is going to tell me what happened in the span of the last ten seconds. She was just taking care of me, and now she’s livid. I go to open my mouth, but she doesn’t let me.
“I had it under control. You think I was going to let that bastard touch me?I. Had. It. Under. Control.”
“I kno?—”
“You had to swoop in, right? I didn’t need your help. Did it look like I needed your help?” She’s walking back and forth in front of me now.
“Allie, listen.”
“No,youlisten.” She stops her pacing and points a finger at me. “I don’t need you to save me.” She takes a step forward. “I don’t need you to make me soup and declarations of the feelings you had months ago.” Another step. “And I sure as hell don’t need you to pay my bills.”
She leans down and I inhale her scent—lavender and something else I can’t put my finger on. When she puts her hands on either side of my chair, effectively trapping me in place, I look up at her. Her anger has softened, but her eyes are still piercing. Even behind those thick rims, I can see them swirling with intensity.
“Especially if you’re just going to go dark on me after,” she whispers, letting go of the chair and turning away.
Shit. That’s what this is about. She’s hurt.I hurt her. I didn’t mean to. As much as the woman in front of me makes my sanity seem like a distant memory, as infuriating as she is, I never want her to hurt. I’ve gotten in one physical fight in my entire life, and it was enough to make me realize that violence is not my thing.
But when I watched Craig put his hands on her…
When he shoved her down on the desk…
I wasn’t sure I would be able to let him leave this office breathing. I’m still not sure it was the right move, but watching Allie defend herself against him made me realize that’s not what she would have wanted. Still, I had to make sure he wouldn’t try to turn this around on her. I know what happens in this town when a powerful man with money faces down a woman with nothing to her name. It’s not fair, but it’s the world I was raised in.
After all that, though, I’m the one who ended up causing her pain.
“I’m so sor?—”
“Don’t,” she says. “Lucky for you,Idon’t care. I’m just letting you know for the future. You can’t do all that shit for awoman and then pretend like she’s nothing but a member of your staff. It sends mixed messages, and most women don’t like that.”
I bring the back of my good hand up to my mouth to hide my smile.
“Let me guess. You’re not most women?” I ask, already knowing the answer. She’s not even close.
“Of course I’m not, Ashton. You should know that by now.”
“So… you don’t care?”
“I don’t care,” she confirms.
“Well, I’m glad we got that out of the way then. I’ll be more careful… in the future.”
“Good,” she says, advancing toward the door. “I’m going to go home and wash this godforsaken day off me.”
Something clicks in my head when she says that, bringing me out of my Allie haze. “Wait. Do you think—I mean if you’re going to press charges…maybe you should wait to shower.” I don’t know why I can’t seem to get my words straight when talking to her about this.
