felt a surge of lust so powerful she clenched her thighs together as a shiver
moved through her.
“Mmmm. I’m sending you for an x-ray. You might have broken a rib or two. If you’re
lucky it’ll just be bruising, which can still cause significant pain,” the doctor
said.
In short order a group of nurses clustered in the room, ready to walk him back to
the lab. Maddy looked heavenward.
Asher handed Maddy his wallet and she took out his ID and insurance card and gave
them to the receptionist, who had come in the room.
Thirty minutes after that procedure, the doctor came back, clearing the two nurses
from the room. “Mr. Lowe, the good news is nothing is broken. But you’re going to
be pretty sore for a few days. It shouldn’t cause any complications. Rest and you’ll
heal faster.”
• • •
No sooner had they returned to the Honda when Asher started up again about her car.
“Asher. You’re pissing me off,” Maddy snapped.
Asher shifted on the seat and tugged on the vinyl belt across his chest. “Tough.”
“It has airbags, great fuel economy, it’s reliable — ”
“No.”
“What do you mean ‘No’? It’s my car. Listen, Mr. Silver Spoon — ”
“
You
listen. I lost my sister in a crash.”
Maddy spared him a glance. Amazing how quickly he could go from charming and flirtatious
with the emergency room staff to irritable and angry with her.
He was practically snarling, his hands fisted in his lap. “I’m not going to have you
riding around in this … this … car,” he ground out. “I won’t have it.” He shook
his head and half turned, grimacing in pain. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice.”
Maddy watched him out of the corner of her eye.
He scanned the rear and spotted Ella’s car seat. “And Ella has been riding around
in
this
? Unacceptable.”
Maddy clenched her teeth together and pulled off the freeway and into a gas station.
She put the car in park with a shaking hand and turned off the ignition, seething.
“You outta gas?”
She turned toward him in the seat. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Me?”
“Yes. Out on
that
road in
that
car, going way too fast. You don’t get to have a death wish. It’s not about you anymore,
Asher, or hadn’t you noticed? You’re now responsible for the life of a
child.
You don’t get to be reckless. You don’t get to avoid her. Not if you want to keep
her.”
His lips pressed together so tightly they were nearly white. She couldn’t see his
eyes behind the sunglasses, but his face was set, rigid. “Who do you think
you
are threatening me?”
“Who do you think you are to lecture
me
about the safety of my car?
Me
! I drive like a freaking ninety-year old on tranquilizers when I have Ella in the
backseat. I’m sick of it. I’ve only been here two weeks … ” Her breath caught on
an angry sob and she turned away from him to stare out the windshield. “And I’m not
even sure what I’m doing. I don’t know how to help her with her grief, and you’re
…
unavailable
.” She dashed away angry tears then turned the key and the engine came to life.
Asher reached over and covered her hand on the steering wheel, grimacing at the movement.
“Okay,” he said, softly. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
She shot him a look. “Asher, I’m just the help. She’s your family. And yes, this car
is fifteen years old, but it’s paid for, and given my student loans, I’m not sure
I can get a loan for — ”
Asher groaned. “Maddy, I’m not asking
you
to buy a car. I know you’re not in a position to do that.”
Oh, yeah. He’d had her checked out. He knew she didn’t have two cents to rub together
and a boatload of debt.
“You want me to use one of your cars?” She pulled out of the gas station and back
onto the freeway.
“Hell, no. My cars aren’t known for their safety records. Most of them don’t even
have a rear seat.”
Asher tapped at his
moved through her.
“Mmmm. I’m sending you for an x-ray. You might have broken a rib or two. If you’re
lucky it’ll just be bruising, which can still cause significant pain,” the doctor
said.
In short order a group of nurses clustered in the room, ready to walk him back to
the lab. Maddy looked heavenward.
Asher handed Maddy his wallet and she took out his ID and insurance card and gave
them to the receptionist, who had come in the room.
Thirty minutes after that procedure, the doctor came back, clearing the two nurses
from the room. “Mr. Lowe, the good news is nothing is broken. But you’re going to
be pretty sore for a few days. It shouldn’t cause any complications. Rest and you’ll
heal faster.”
• • •
No sooner had they returned to the Honda when Asher started up again about her car.
“Asher. You’re pissing me off,” Maddy snapped.
Asher shifted on the seat and tugged on the vinyl belt across his chest. “Tough.”
“It has airbags, great fuel economy, it’s reliable — ”
“No.”
“What do you mean ‘No’? It’s my car. Listen, Mr. Silver Spoon — ”
“
You
listen. I lost my sister in a crash.”
Maddy spared him a glance. Amazing how quickly he could go from charming and flirtatious
with the emergency room staff to irritable and angry with her.
He was practically snarling, his hands fisted in his lap. “I’m not going to have you
riding around in this … this … car,” he ground out. “I won’t have it.” He shook
his head and half turned, grimacing in pain. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice.”
Maddy watched him out of the corner of her eye.
He scanned the rear and spotted Ella’s car seat. “And Ella has been riding around
in
this
? Unacceptable.”
Maddy clenched her teeth together and pulled off the freeway and into a gas station.
She put the car in park with a shaking hand and turned off the ignition, seething.
“You outta gas?”
She turned toward him in the seat. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Me?”
“Yes. Out on
that
road in
that
car, going way too fast. You don’t get to have a death wish. It’s not about you anymore,
Asher, or hadn’t you noticed? You’re now responsible for the life of a
child.
You don’t get to be reckless. You don’t get to avoid her. Not if you want to keep
her.”
His lips pressed together so tightly they were nearly white. She couldn’t see his
eyes behind the sunglasses, but his face was set, rigid. “Who do you think
you
are threatening me?”
“Who do you think you are to lecture
me
about the safety of my car?
Me
! I drive like a freaking ninety-year old on tranquilizers when I have Ella in the
backseat. I’m sick of it. I’ve only been here two weeks … ” Her breath caught on
an angry sob and she turned away from him to stare out the windshield. “And I’m not
even sure what I’m doing. I don’t know how to help her with her grief, and you’re
…
unavailable
.” She dashed away angry tears then turned the key and the engine came to life.
Asher reached over and covered her hand on the steering wheel, grimacing at the movement.
“Okay,” he said, softly. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
She shot him a look. “Asher, I’m just the help. She’s your family. And yes, this car
is fifteen years old, but it’s paid for, and given my student loans, I’m not sure
I can get a loan for — ”
Asher groaned. “Maddy, I’m not asking
you
to buy a car. I know you’re not in a position to do that.”
Oh, yeah. He’d had her checked out. He knew she didn’t have two cents to rub together
and a boatload of debt.
“You want me to use one of your cars?” She pulled out of the gas station and back
onto the freeway.
“Hell, no. My cars aren’t known for their safety records. Most of them don’t even
have a rear seat.”
Asher tapped at his
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