floors has made my legs ache.” She walked between us as we exited. “You do know today is Tuesday, right?” She looked up at me.
My brow furrowed. “Yeah, I know that.”
She looked down my body, back up. Her gaze got stuck around my arms before finally lifting back to mine. “You’re wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and sneakers. Is PennCorp so casual during the week?”
I chuckled. “No.” We continued on in silence.
“And that’s it? That’s all you’re going to give me? No.” She looked up at me as we walked to the black Range Rover near the middle of the empty parking lot. After a moment, she turned back to face forward. “Okay.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rafe shake his head as he rolled his eyes.
I ground my teeth together. “My grandmother is a patient here. With the news report this morning, I wanted to see her first thing. I’ll change back into my suit later.” Well, no, I wouldn’t. But I couldn’t tell her that. Why I was bothering to tell her anything was beyond me, anyway. I didn’t owe her anything.
Fuck, at last count, I was up to two. She was still slacking back at zero. She owed me, not the other way around.
She looked up at me again. Her brow furrowed as sympathy deepened the sage green of her eyes. “I’m so sorry to hear about your grandmother. I hope, if it is serious, that you get to spend as much time with her as possible. Losing loved ones is a rare kind of heartbreak.” She bumped her shoulder to my arm briefly before straightening again.
“What news report?” Rafael asked.
I filled them in.
Willow’s eyes widened as she stumbled. I clamped my hand over hers on my arm. Helped stabilize her. “What? What’s wrong?”
“That’s me. They think you kidnapped me. Why would they think that?” She looked between Rafael and I, horror splashed across her face.
Rafael’s lip curled up. He gave her a rundown of what was actually happening. Apparently, the Amatucci men shared just about everything with her. I wondered if they treated their sister as an equal partner as well.
Willow shifted back to watch me once Rafael was done with his story. Her green eyes were stormy and troubled.
I clenched my free hand into a fist to keep from rubbing a thumb over her bottom lip. They were so plump and soft looking. I bet they’d feel like silk against my own. And heaven around my dick.
“I’ll make a statement. I can tell the media that you were there to help me. That you didn’t kidnap me at all,” she offered. “I can do that. I can repay you that way.”
The word ‘repay’ coming from her mouth set my teeth on edge. “I don’t need to be repaid for being a nice guy.” Even though I’d just been thinking the same damn thing. Hearing her reduce whatever this was between us to a simple social transaction made me want to rage at something.
I cleared my throat. “Besides, Domenico is taking care of it.”
She searched my gaze, her beautiful eyes flicking back and forth for a few moments. She nodded. “Okay. But if you need me to talk to anyone, police, security at the hospital, I’ll be there with bells on.” She reached over, patted my hand. “I never thought something like this would happen just because I got a table crashed into me. I’m so very sorry.” She rubbed her palm over the bare skin of my forearm.
I nodded, pulled away. Uncomfortable with her display of…contrition. She’d done nothing wrong but be a victim. There was literally nothing to apologize for. “I’m glad your appointment went as well as it did.” I smiled down at her. “Now that reception knows who you are, feel free to use this facility instead of GMH.”
She sucked in a breath, her eyes wide. She shook her head. “No. But thank you for the offer. I can’t take advantage of our…relationship like that.” She patted my arm again. “Seriously, thank you so much. But no. If I need to go back to the hospital so soon, I probably shouldn’t be out in public anyway.” She smiled at me and turned away.
Rafael looked at me oddly before nodding and helping her into the front passenger seat.
I watched as she grimaced when he moved her legs into the passenger cabin. She wiped the grimace away when Rafael looked back up at her. He must have said something because she smiled