I blinked. “Umm. Okay,” I said, slowly trying to maneuver my crutches so I could get over to my purse, but I was too slow to keep the look of disappointment from showing on myface.
Hank stood in the doorway, filling it up with his presence, but my heart felt his loss acutely. So this was where we were now. All because of what Portia said. It seemed dumb. One small comment to ruin our potential. Maybe that meant we weren’t meant to be together afterall.
Hank stepped in and shut the door behind him. “Is Pepperhere?”
I shook my head. “She left last night when she finally felt comfortable that I wouldn’t fall over on mycrutches.”
Hank took a few steps closer to me. “You lookbetter.”
I chanced a glance at him. He was staring at my strangely. “Taking my pain meds in a timely manner does wonders for my mood.” I signed the check and handed it over to him. “I can’t wait to see what you come upwith.”
Hank took the check from my outstretched fingers and sat it on the table next to us. “Are you datingLucien?”
I swallowed hard. “No. ShouldI?”
Hank looked like he swallowed afrog.
“I mean I’m not sure what to do here, Hank. We didn’t exactly get off on the right foot. Then there was Charity. Then Lucien.” I ran a hand through my hair. “And then you run out of here like you never wanted to see me again. I am confused. And annoyed.” I sniffed. “And my foot hurts like abitch.”
He took another step, put his arm around my waist and gently removed one crutch from under my arm, then the other. I was forced to hold on to him for balance. “I can’t do this anymore,” I told him. “I’m very confused and overwhelmed. I’m not even sure I’m going to have a job in a couple of weeks and then I found out that I’m guardian to some weird assdoor-”
“Helen.”
“And then you’re here and being all weird and now you’re touching me and I’m confused all over again. Like, which is it? Am I hideous or do you like me or are you just confused and leading meon-”
“Helen!”
“What!”
“Shut up and kissme.”
“Why? Is this a goodbye kiss or is this a thank you for the five grand check I just wroteyou?”
Hank let out an exasperated sigh, tugged me closer to him and claimed my lips in a fierykiss.
I moaned against his mouth, trying to ignore the pain in my foot. A moment later Hank swept me up in his arms and marched me into the bedroom. He stopped there, looked at me, and one of his eyebrows rose inquestion.
“This had better not be a joke. You couldn’t possibly be that cruel,” Isaid.
Hank kicked in my bedroom door, taking it clear off thewall.
“Oh my,” Imurmured.
Hank gently laid me on the bed. I stared up at him as he looked down at me. His caramel eyes were dark with heat and he stared at me like he wanted to devourme.
I hoped he wanted to devourme.
Devouring wasfun.
He tugged his t-shirt over hishead.
My mouth wentdry.
“This had better not be a joke,” I whisperedagain.
Hank’s hands went to hisbelt.
