“Please, can you look at his shoulder?”
Fuck. Now we’re going to have to stay at the hospital even longer. And we aren’t even there yet.
“I’m fine,” I repeat to the medic, who looks like someone’s kid brother before they were old enough to shave. “It can wait until we get there.”
He nods at me, taking his seat in the back with us as his colleague starts the engine and we drive. The only reason I’m letting them take us to the hospital at all is Harley has glass embedded in her foot that needs to be removed. Something she doesn’t seem to be aware of. I can take some painkillers and be done, but Harley could get a paper cut and I would want to shut down the city if it meant helping her.
Her hands are back on my skin, stroking it with tenderness. “You need to have it looked at when we get there.”
“I told you. I’m fine. We’re going to check you’re okay and then we’re leaving.”
I’m taking you home. With me.
“No. We’re getting you checked too.”
Stubborn…
“We’re not.”
“We are,” she fires back.
“My only concern is you. Forget about me,” I huff, casting my eyes to the medic, who’s looking the other way with a smirk on his face.
“Oh, shush. You’re like a grizzly old bear that’s been poked.” Harley’s brow creases up, and she purses her lips, her eyes continuing to study my shoulder. “You’ve really bruised—”
I grab the back of her neck with one hand, fisting her hair between my fingers as I pull her mouth to mine. She stiffens for a fraction of a second before she allows herself to fall into me, giving me full control as I kiss her so hard the pain in my shoulder melts away.
I don’t care that we aren’t alone.
I don’t care about anything at this second other than tasting her lips again.
Proving she’s still mine.
She breaks our kiss, her palms pressing against my chest as she guides me backward.
“Sorry… We…” She bites her lip as a blush creeps up her neck.
“Beats the blood and vomit we usually see.” The medic chuckles from his seat behind me.
My spine tenses, and I turn to look at him over my shoulder. “I’ll give you a hundred bucks to close your eyes for the rest of the drive.”
“Reed,” Harley gasps.
The medic tips his chin up. “Make it two. I’m pulling double shifts for the entire week. My wife’s about to have a baby.”
She’s about to…? He looks like a kid himself. Maybe it’s me getting old.
“Deal.” I pull my wallet out and thrust two green Benjamin Franklins into his outstretched palm, my eyes already back on Harley. “And cover your ears, too.”
Her breasts rise and fall as she stares back at me, her pink lips plump and inviting. “What are you doing?” she whispers.
The earlier hurt from our conversation is still evident in her eyes, but now it’s joined by the tiniest hint of a smile lifting the corners of her mouth. It’s all the fuel I need to reach forward and pull her body to mine, soaking up her scent and her softness as I wrap my good arm around her waist and slide my tongue between her lips.
Her hands go to the back of my head, threading through my hair as she sighs quietly into my mouth.
“Don’t ever think you’ve let me down, Angel,” I murmur, needing to finish our conversation from the sidewalk. I slide my lips to her jaw and kiss along it until I reach her ear and inhale the scent of her coconut shampoo. “I’m never letting you walk out on me again. I will never allow a situation where you think that’s the only option you have.”
“Reed, I—” She stops and hums in pleasure as I kiss and suck my way down her neck, moving her blouse to the side to suck the juncture where it meets her shoulder.