I followed the worn path to the main house, pulled out a chair at the kitchen table and eased into it carefully, my side throbbing in time with my pulse.
Dawson came in two minutes later with an ice pack and a dish towel.He crossed the kitchen and set both on the table, then leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms.
"Lift your shirt."
My head snapped up."Excuse me?"
"I need to see the bruise."
"No, you don't."
"Come on, Trouble.”His voice dropped lower.Not threatening but still demanding."I've seen enough injuries to know when someone's trying to hide how bad it is.Let me take a look."
"It's fine."
"Then prove it."
We stared at each other across the kitchen.His blue eyes didn't waver, and his jaw stayed set in that stubborn line I'd already seen a few times that meant he wouldn't back down.
I huffed out my frustration and lifted the hem of my thermal shirt.The bruise had already started to darken along my ribs, spreading from my hip to just below my breast.It was purple and angry and worse than I wanted to admit.
Dawson's expression didn't change but his hands curled into fists at his sides."Dammit, woman."
"It's not broken."
"You don't know that."He pushed off the counter and crossed the space between us.
"Yes, I do."I dropped my shirt and reached for the ice pack."I've broken ribs before.I know what it feels like.”
"Give me that."He crouched next to my chair and wrapped the ice pack in the towel before pressing it gently against my side.
I sucked in a breath.
"Too much?"
"No."The cold burned but in a good way that meant the swelling wouldn't get worse."It's fine."
His hand stayed on the pack, holding it in place.His knuckles brushed the bare skin just above my jeans and a wave of heat surged through me that had nothing to do with my injury.
"You scared the hell out of me today."
"What?"I blinked back my shock.In the short time we’d known each other, it seemed like the only thing Dawson Griffith gave a damn about was his horses.
"When you fell."His gaze lifted to mine."I thought—" He stopped and shook his head."Doesn't matter."
"Yes, it does.What were you going to say?”
"No."He stood."It doesn't."
The ice pack slipped, and I caught it, pressing it against my side with both hands.My heart hammered for entirely different reasons now.
"Tell me."
He rubbed the back of his neck and stared at the ceiling."I shouldn't have kissed you."
The words stung, like a slap across the face."It wasn’t just you.I kissed you back."
"I know.But I started it and I shouldn't have."He turned toward the window, his shoulders tense."You're here to train.I'm here to work.That's it."
