Anything but Minor - Kate Stewart Page 0,29
I huffed out before I grinned back at her with a wince. “Too soon?”
She narrowed her eyes at me as onlookers cheered for the big, yet unnecessary rescue. Alice damn near kissed the dock as soon as I pulled her on.
“I’ll never do anything that stupid again,” she assured.
“What made you go and do that alone your first time? You could have drifted out with the tide.” I pulled her board in as I scolded her.
“I just...it looked so fun. And like good exercise,” she huffed. “I can’t move. My arms are so sore. I have no idea where I left my car. I’m so screwed.”
“How long have you been in the water?”
“What time is it?”
I picked up my phone and glanced at it. “Three o’clock.”
“SIX HOURS!”
“Jesus,” I said as I scrubbed my face.
“I’m in so much pain,” she choked out as I pulled her to me. “I can’t move.”
“I’ve got you,” I said as I scooped her up into my arms and the onlookers cheered. “You are something else,” I said as I walked through the small patch of sand between the dock and the restaurant parking lot.
“My board,” she said as she looked after it on the dock.
“I’ll go back for it.” When I set her into the Jeep, I caught her wince. She’d been vigorously rowing for six hours. I would not envy her when morning came.
When I’d secured her board on the top of my Jeep, I climbed in with her.
“I don’t know where I am,” she said as she looked at me, completely lost, her voice hoarse.
“You’re with me, you’re okay,” I said as I squeezed her thigh in reassurance.
“Free” by the Zac Brown Band began to play as I put the car into gear and we took off.
“My car. It was a row of houses with a boat dock at the end. I don’t have my phone. I don’t even remember the name.”
“That’s Lucky’s lot. I’ll call him and tell him we’ll be after it in the morning.”
“Wait...what?”
“You can’t drive if you can’t feel your arms. Where to?”
“Oh...” She rattled off her address and I began to drive.
“Beautiful song,” she noted as she sank further into her seat, pain all over her face.
“Reminded me of you,” I said without thinking.
“Really? A song reminded you of me?”
“Yeah,” I said, closing my eyes briefly at my slip.
“So you’ve been thinking about me?”
JESUS. This woman had no filter, no concern for other’s comfort as she pushed for easy answers to hard questions.
“Yeah, I was. You talked about your mother, and then I heard this.”
“Oh,” she said as she crisscrossed her arms and rubbed her biceps. “That’s nice.”
Minutes of silence followed as she listened to the words. I knew that was what she was doing.
“My hero,” I heard whispered as I looked over at her and caught her smile before her eyes closed. At that moment, she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen in my life.
I loved her praise, and if that made me a narcissist when it came to her, so fucking be it.
“We’re here,” I heard Rafe whisper as he opened up his driver’s door. I was exhausted out of my mind and felt the chap of my lips. I tried to move but couldn’t. Tears of pain pooled in my eyes.
“Me and this town I love so much are a disaster. I keep getting inspired to do things and end up humiliated. I almost peed in front of a live audience today because a few dolphins wanted to make nice.”
I chuckled as I opened her door and gripped her to me.
“Rafe, I can walk. Just give me like...two days.”
“I’ve got this.”
“Everything hurts,” I said as tears rolled down my face. “I mean, I think I’m dying.”
“Next time you decide to do something inspiring, text me first. Which floor?”
“Third,” I said with panic. “Besides, you started it,” I whispered tearfully. “You looked so amazing on your board. I wanted something like that for myself. I wanted to look good doing something athletic.”
“Oh, trust me,” he said as he effortlessly cleared the last floor and eyed my chest below his chin before he gently set me on my feet, “you looked fucking perfect.”
I swallowed hard as his comment hit me in all the right places. I opened my door with Rafe hot on my heels.
“You don’t lock your door?”
“I didn’t today, thank GOD!” I made my way to the bathroom and began sorting through my drawer. Without looking, I took a scoop of lip balm