“Not exactly what I was saying,” Webb told her gently. “I don’t think he meant it the way he said it.”
Keira eyed him in confusion. “Why does it matter what he meant? It’s not like we’re friends or anything.”
“Right. Come on. Let’s have a look at you before he growls at me for chatting when I should be working.”
She eyed him suspiciously, not certain she wanted him poking and prodding at her. Sure, he seemed nice, but Keira had learned not to take people at face value. A cute smile could hide a whole lot of nastiness.
“Are you a doctor?” she asked.
“Nah.”
“EMT?”
“Nope.” His smile widened.
“Do you have a First-Aid certificate?”
“Me? No time for that.”
“Then why are you checking me over?” she asked, bewildered.
“Because I found this really cool doctor’s bag? Don’t you think it makes me look legit?”
“Webb, what’s the holdup?” Zander asked, walking over.
“Keira doesn’t trust that I have the qualifications to check her over.”
Zander sighed and ran his hand over his face. “Webb doesn’t have any formal training. If you had a bullet wound or broken bones, I’d bring in the only doctor I trust. But while Webb isn’t formally trained, he knows a bit about patching people up. Okay?”
“I don’t need patching up.”
Webb eyed her. “No offense, but you look dead on your feet. If you weren’t talking and breathing, I’d think you were dead.”
“I’m always pale. If I go out in the sun, I just go red and peel. I’ve never tanned in my life. I’m fine.”
“Keira, let Webb look you over,” Zander said firmly.
“Or?”
She really shouldn’t test him. It wasn’t like she wanted him to force her.
Maybe she did. Maybe she was trying to push him into showing his true colors and then she’d know that he wasn’t a good guy. That would make things easier on her. Then she wouldn’t feel so . . .
Conflicted.
Zander sighed. “We’ve got a ten-hour trip ahead of us. I don’t intend to stop for anything except fuel and toilet breaks. I need to know you’re able to make that trip. That might mean knocking you out if you can’t make it.”
“Nobody is knocking me out,” she said, feeling alarmed. The last thing she needed was to be unconscious and at their mercy.
They could do anything to her and she wouldn’t know. She took several steps back, away from them. Her heart raced.
It was bad enough that she’d been unconscious with Carl. She didn’t think he’d done anything, but the thought of it was enough to make her feel ill.
She didn’t know these guys. Some of them openly disliked her. They’d certainly judged her and found her wanting.
No. Not happening.
“Good job, boss,” Webb told Zander, watching her with too-knowing eyes. She guessed he knew what she was thinking, but there was also a look of resignation on his face.