on?”
“Can you swing by real quick?”
“On my way.”
I hang up and start the truck, my mind already running through all of the horrible things that could be happening at Tash’s house.
Is someone cut? Bleeding out?
Did they fall and break a leg, their bone sticking out through the tender flesh?
I’ve seen too much on my job. It could literally be anything.
I come to a screeching halt in front of Tash’s house and sprint up to the front door, bursting inside to find both twins crying in the living room.
“What’s wrong? What’s going on? Where’s Auntie Tash?”
“In here,” she calls from the bathroom. I run down the hall and skid to a stop, taking in the scene. “I hope you don’t have a queasy stomach.”
“You’re bleeding.” I see a laceration across the palm of her hand. My EMT brain immediately takes over, and I grab a towel to clean away the blood so I can see what I’m dealing with here. “How?”
“I was cutting fruit for breakfast, and Kevin bumped into my arm. And, well… You see what happened. They’re upset, and I can’t stop this bleeding.”
“Because you need stitches.” I wrap her palm with the towel. “Keep pressure on it. I’m taking you to the ER.”
“I have to get the kids to preschool.”
“They’re in no shape to go to school this morning, Tash. They’re upset and worried about you. I’m calling Aspen to come sit with them.”
“She’s done too much,” Tash says with a sigh. “I can’t keep asking her to come running over to help. It’s been two months, Sam. There comes a time when I have to be able to take care of my life. Without calling in the troops every time someone cries, or I cut my hand.”
“That’s what they’re there for,” I remind her gently and brush my fingers down her cheek. Her skin is so damn soft. “Aspen would be pissed if she heard you say that, by the way.”
“Yeah, well. Okay. We’ll call her. But she’s probably at Drips today. She has a business to run.”
“She has a manager for that,” I remind her. “And she’s married to a damn prince. I think she can afford to take a morning off.”
I’m already calling Aspen’s number.
“Hey, Sam. How’s it going?”
“Oh, you know. Never a dull moment around here.” I quickly run down what’s happening. “Do you have time to take the kids for a couple of hours while we have her hand seen to?”
“Of course. Actually, I’m on my way to Drips. I’ll swing by and pick them up. They can come with me. I’ll put them to work.”
“Sounds damn good to me.”
“See you in five.”
“I heard,” Tash says when I hang up. “Thanks.”
She holds her towel-wrapped hand against her chest as we walk down the hall and find the kids still sitting in the living room, sniffling.
“Hey, no need to cry,” Tash says and kisses their heads. “I’m going to be just fine. It’s just a cut on my hand.”
“I didn’t mean to,” Kevin says and clings to her. “I’m so sorry.”
“Of course, you didn’t mean to,” Tash assures him. “Uncle Sam is here, and he’s an expert in these things. He thinks I should go have a doctor have a look at it.”
“How about instead of going to school today, you go spend some time with Aspen?” I ask the kids and see their eyes light up. “She’s going to take you to the coffee shop.”
“Okay,” Kelsey says. She’s always been the more laid-back of the two.
“I want to go with Auntie,” Kevin says, still clinging to her hip.
“We won’t be long,” Tash assures and squats down next to him. “And when we get home, you and I can curl up and watch a movie, okay?”
He nods, and I hear Aspen pull into the drive. “Okay, let’s go.”
“Hi, guys,” Aspen says with a smile when we all come outside. “What a fun surprise.”
“Thanks,” Tash says with an apologetic grin. “Sam says I need stitches.”
“Ouch,” Aspen replies. “Well, don’t rush on my account. I’ve got things handled with these little monsters.”
They pile into Aspen’s SUV, and I lead Tash to my truck.
“This throbs like a bitch,” she says when I boost her up onto the seat and buckle her in.
I accidentally brush her breast with my arm and feel the contact all the way to my cock.
Jesus, when did Tash turn into a sexy, curvy woman?
I’ve always seen her as my little sister’s friend. That’s it.
But now that we’ve been in close quarters for the