Page 55 of Love You Like This

“Here.” I hand her tacos and a couple packets of hot sauce.

She gasps when she sees my knuckles. “Your hands. My god, Xander. What the fuck happened?”

“I went to have a conversation with Chase.”

“A conversation with your fists?” A flash of anger shines in her eyes when she looks up at me. “This is so stupid. You could have hurt yourself.” She holds my hand up in front of my face to show me my damaged skin. “Let’s clean you up.”

I pull my hand away. “The food will get cold.”

“I don’t care.”

“I do.” I unwrap a taco. “I’m starving.”

She crosses her arms and glares at me. “Xander.”

“Eat,” I say around a bite.

She grumbles but takes her food and sits down on the other side of the island from where I stand eating. We eat in silence with her shooting daggers at me from her eyes. It’s actually pretty cute, and the one time I let my lips tilt upwards into the tiniest smile, she scowls at me even harder.

After I finish inhaling my food, I crumple up the wrappers and toss them into the garbage. “Diet Coke?” I ask as I open the fridge to grab a Coke for myself.

“Yes, please.”

I slide the can across the marble countertop to her as she finishes her last taco. While she pops open her drink, I reach over and grab her trash.

“Thank you,” she says after taking a drink. “Now, let’s go get you cleaned up.”

I follow her upstairs to her room, admiring the way her shorts ride up with each step up. She has one lone freckle right below the crease of her right butt cheek. My fingers twitch with the desire to reach out and touch it.

She leads me into her bathroom and points at the counter. “Sit.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I do as she tells me, the cold of the marble immediately seeping through my clothes.

“Ma’am is for old ladies. Don’t call me that.” She bends down and opens the cabinet.

It takes her a minute to find what she’s looking for, but eventually she stands back up and sets a first aid kit on the other side of the sink. I watch as she pulls out a few alcohol wipes and tears them open. She lifts my right hand and starts to dab the wipe over my split skin.

“I can’t believe you risked your hands like this.” Her gaze moves up and catches mine. “It’s really fucking stupid.”

I shrug. “I don’t think so.”

“Chase?” she asks.

“Yes.”

“You didn’t need to do this. I’m a big girl. I told him off before you even got to me.”

“I know.”

She opens a new wipe and cups the side of my face with her left hand to start working on the cut at my temple. I wince at the sting which only makes her press harder.

“Ouch, that hurts.”

“Good.” She locks eyes with me again. “You deserve it.”

I lift my hand to the sliver of skin exposed between her top and the waistband of her shorts. Her skin is so soft. She stills as I run my thumb up and down, sliding under the hem of her shirt and back out.

“I’d do it again.”