Read Online Pier Lights by Ella M. Kaye - Free Book Online Page B

fine.”
    “You’re not just fine.” Dio gripped her bony
hand. “This is punishment, isn’t it? Because I stayed out too
late?”
    “Late, my Diomedes? I would say you stayed
out all night and well into the morning. Do I get to meet her?”
    The doctor flashed him a look, a surprised
look. Dio ignored it. “If she stays long enough. You know how that
goes.”
    “One of them will. The right one will. I do
wish you would hurry that along since I have such little time left
to see you settled.”
    “Nonsense. And speaking of, the doctor
thinks I should leave you here for a few days.”
    She frowned at the man. “I will not stay.
I’ll be perfectly fine. It’s only a little cough and I told him
this was a waste of money and his time. Diomedes, don’t you dare
leave me in this awful white smelly place with these strangers. If
I keel over tonight, then so be it. I want to be home.”
    “You won’t. But I’ll take you home.”
    The doctor argued, emphasized in medical
terms why she should stay. She flatly refused. Dio didn’t dare
cross her.
     
    Caroline cringed with every step. She’d
moved wrong, nearly fell when her foot buckled. It was all she
could do to continue her routine carefully, with her weight off her
foot as much as possible, then get backstage and outside to a taxi
without screaming at the pain. She was glad she’d left her car home
so she wouldn’t have to try to drive.
    She’d have to find a different job. Before
they fired her. She told them she just twisted her ankle and it
would be fine, but she wouldn’t be able to cover much longer.
    She knew she needed to get home and elevate
it but she told Dio she would be there. And she wanted to see
him.
    At the pier, her only obstacle was to get
down the shifting soft warm sand to the water. And then hide it
well enough he wouldn’t know. That might be the harder task. Hiding
it from the drones at work who didn’t care anything about her
anyway was one thing. Hiding it from Dio would be another.
    He cared about her. It couldn’t have been
that much of an act. He’d stayed far longer than he intended, long
after they were both spent and simply lay next to each other,
cuddled together. He fell asleep beside her, after he insisted he
had to get up and go home. Instead, they talked. And they cuddled.
And he fell asleep.
    Lina didn’t cuddle. Ever. But then she also
didn’t kiss. And she didn’t take men to her apartment. And she
didn’t ask them to stay till morning.
    It had been glorious, though.
    She hoped for a repeat. It would make her
forget about her stupid incompetent unforgiving foot.
    Two different men up by the pier entrance
asked if they could help. She declined. She didn’t hide it well
enough. She would have to be more careful.
    Lina made it to the shore. She was late. Her
foot had slowed her. And he was there. Sitting in his boat. Not
twirling his sword. It gave her a bad, bad feeling and she
considered turning right back around again, walking away before he
could tell her to go away.
    He saw her and stood.
    Lina stayed at the edge of the water. She
didn’t want him to say it. Not yet. She remained still. He rowed
nearer. Still, she couldn’t make herself move to him. He got
closer. And closer. Until he had to stop before he grounded his
boat.
    He called her name.
    She shook her head. Backed away. No. She
wanted him. She didn’t care about his sword. Either of them. She
wanted him. To kiss him. To cuddle with him in her bed, or his
boat, or anywhere on earth.
    “I can’t stay, Lina.” He called across the
water.
    She shivered, stepped back, nearly fell. Her
stupid foot.
    “Wait.” He threw his anchor overboard and
jumped into the water. His black thin sexy shorts stuck to him as
he got close enough...
    Lina turned and hurried away as fast as she
could. Her foot throbbed. She told it to shut up and just keep
working, only a few minutes more.
    Dio caught her around the waist and
encircled her in his arms.
    “No.”
    He