I yelp and jump sideways, smashing my head into the door frame. I groan, lights flashing in my eyes, and grab the back of my skull. Brenden steps from the closet, grimacing and reaching a hand out like he can do something to help.
“I’m fine,” I hiss through my teeth and swat him away. “What the hell? That freaking hurt.”
“I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“What the hell are you even doing back here?!”
He guides me by the elbow to the bed and makes me sit on the edge. “Let me take a look.” His touch is surprisingly gentle and he sounds like he’s concerned. “Hm, no blood, that’s good. But there’s going to be an ugly little knot if we don’t get you some ice.”
“I told you, I’m fine.”
“Come on.” He tugs me back up. “Any dizziness? Feel sick at all?”
“I’m not concussed, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
He puts an arm around me. His body’s big and warm as he pulls me closer and makes me lean on him. “The kitchen’s this way.”
“How do you know that?”
He doesn’t answer. We walk into the hall, despite my protests. I try to convince him that I’m fine, but he does have a point. There’s a splitting headache grinding down the back of my spine, and when I try to wriggle my way free, it only gets worse.
To my surprise, Brenden navigates the maze-like mansion with ease. He breezes me into the kitchens, ignoring the staff and the cooks hard at work preparing the food for the party guests, andsits me down on a stool in the corner. He fetches ice wrapped in a towel and presses it to the lump.
“There you go, that’s better,” he says, holding it tight. “What’s five times five?”
“Twenty-five, the number of punches to the kidneys you’re about to get if you don’t stop fretting over me like that.”
“You took a hard knock there, Tallie.”
I tighten my jaw. “You’re calling meTallienow?”
“We’re getting married. I might as well.”
“Actually, you might as well stick to my actual, real name.”
“Sure thing, Tallie.” He checks under the ice. “Let me know if it’s too cold.”
“I told you, I’m fine.” I brush his hand back and hold the ice in place myself.
Brenden pulls up a stool and sits across from me. He seems at ease despite the number of people bustling around. Several cooks pause to stare and one staff girl asks if I’m doing okay. Brenden explains what happened in a way that makes it sound normal and fine, like I hadn’t caught him doing something he shouldn’t have been.
“Let me ask you something. Do you get hurt often?”
“Not before I met you.”
“Come on, that wasn’t my fault.”
“You surprised me.”
“You barged in on me, remember?”
“What were you doing in there, anyway?”
He considers for a moment before getting up to check my ice. “Let me get you more.”
“Brenden.”
He ignores me and comes back a second later with a fresh batch. I grunt as he presses it to my head, holding me steady.
