Page 21

“Is she okay?” I’ve been dying to make sure my girl is okay while Dillon stood there attempting to shoot the shit with me. I’m pretty sure the asshole was fucking with me, but I let him have his fun as long as my patience would hold out.

“She can explain everything to you.” The young paramedic gives me a smirk, and I ignore the fucker before turning to my girl. When she steps to the ambulance stairs, I hold out my hand to help her down. Her soft skin brushing against mine sends all the blood in my body straight for my cock, but I ignore the fucker and concentrate on my girl.

“What does he mean?” I brush a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “Do you need to go to the hospital?”

“Yes.” My heart drops when she confirms my worst suspicion. “To work,” she adds, laughing, and I’m tempted to spank her luscious ass for daring to tease me. “I work at the Silver Spoon Falls Medical Center in the ER. I was on my way to work when you hit me.”

“Give me your boss’s number and I’ll call him and let him know you won’t be in today,” I tell Carlie as the urge to protect her roars through me.

“My boss is a woman.” Anger lights up her golden eyes. “And you will do no such thing.” My curvy little soulmate slaps her hands down onto her hips and glares at me. “I need to work so I can pay my bills.”

I have to bite my tongue to hold back the offer to pay her bills for her, knowing that would be a bad move with my self-sufficient little tigress. Since her fierce independence and sass were what drew me to her in the first place, I can’t exactly complain about those traits, so I change tactics. “What time do you get off?”

“Uh. Eleven-thirty,” she stutters.

“Okay.” My brain runs wild making plans. “I’ll drop you off at work and pick you up tonight.” I’ll use whatever means necessary to get her to spend time with me. “Dillon is arranging to have your car towed right now.”

“I can’t drive it?” Her delicate peaches and cream complexion pales, scaring the fuck out of me.

“It isn’t safe to drive it until a mechanic checks it out.” And I replace it with a much safer vehicle. I add silently knowing she isn’t ready to hear all my plans for the future yet.

After canceling all my meetings and the afternoon practice, I spend the rest of the day putting my plan into action. After arranging to have dinner delivered, I call in a few favors around town and get a friend of a friend to check on Carlie. Now, I’m impatiently waiting to hear from my spy.

I’m changing clothes, getting ready for the evening, when my phone dings with a text.

Tate Grimes

I appreciate the front-row hockey tickets.

Okay. I also used my family seats as a bribe and I’m not at all sorry. Since my few remaining family members live in Oregon, there’s never anyone to give the tickets to anyway.

Me

Is Carlie okay?

Tate Grimes

She’s fine. I walked through the ER three times to make sure.

Me

Can you check on her one more time?

Tate Grimes

No. The staff already think something is up since I never just stroll through the place. Take my word for it. Your girl is fine.

I guess I’ll have to take the pediatric surgeon’s word for it until I can check for myself.

Me

I’ll drop the tickets off at your office this week.

Dr. Grimes’ report helps my heart settle a little and I’m finally able to take a deep breath, but I’m missing my girl so I decide to do something about it.

Fifteen minutes later, I stroll into the ER entrance and glance around, finding it mostly empty except for a couple sitting in the back and a few other people scattered around the large waiting room. A middle-aged nurse smiles at me as I walk up to the registration desk. “Hi. Can I help you?”

“I wanted to see if I could speak to Carlie Martin for a moment.” I practiced my spiel the entire ten-minute drive from my house to the hospital.