“Come in.”
“I’m headed over to Brax’s.”
A slow smile spreads across her lips. “Are you? Well, I’ll want all the deets later. I bet you get to be on top since he’s injured and all that.”
“I’m not having sex with him.”
“Sure. Of course, you’re not having sex with the hottest man you’ve ever dated.”
“I’m not dating him. I’m…helping him.”
“Yeah, you are. Helping him get naked.”
“You’re a perv.”
“If you say you weren’t thinking it, your pants are on fire.”
“You’re sick. He’s an injured man. He’s my patient.”
“He’s a tattooed musician who’s already been in your pants countless times before. Just be gentle. Be ready to give CPR or something, just in case.”
“You’re not funny.”
Maddie giggles into her hand. “Yes, I am. Have fun. Be safe. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“I shouldn’t have told you where I was going.”
“It’s okay. I’ll pump you full of vodka tomorrow night and get all of the good stuff out of you.”
“Love you,” I say, glaring at her.
“Love you more.”
CHAPTER 4
~BRAX~
I don’t think I’ve ever been in this much pain. Not physically, anyway. My chest feels like an elephant did a tap dance on it, and my head is screaming.
But when I woke up, all I could think about was seeing Josie again.
Of course, she wasn’t here.
I’m glad I didn’t dream her. And when she said she’d come over, I felt as if I won the lottery.
It was better than hearing my song—the one I wrote for her—on the radio, and that was a fucking good feeling.
I hear a car door shut outside. A few seconds later, she knocks on the door and then keys in the code I never bothered to change before walking inside.
It’s like getting hit by that fucking car all over again.
With her long, glossy, dark red hair and deep brown eyes, she’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. She has the sweetest heart, and I can’t believe I lost her before.
I don’t plan to do it again.
“You don’t look so hot,” she says, eyeing me critically.
“You’re the most beautiful woman in the world,” I return and watch in satisfaction as her cheeks darken from the compliment.
“You always were charming. It’s how you’re able to engage an audience for so long. That and your voice and guitar skills.”
“Don’t look now, but I do believe you just complimented me.”
She smirks, sets her purse on the table by the door like she always used to do, and walks over to me, pressing her hand to my forehead.
“No fever,” she says softly. “How’s the head?”
“Pretty sure it’s still there given the fireworks going off inside of it.”
“Yeah, that doesn’t surprise me. Let’s get some more water in you. Hydration helps. Your chest and ribs?”
“Let’s not discuss it.”
She narrows those melted-chocolate eyes at me. “Take off your shirt, Brax.”
“You don’t have to ask me twice. I thought we’d start with some small talk, maybe a little foreplay, but this works, too.”
I have to hold my breath as I work the scrub top she gave me up over my head and let it fall to the couch beside me.
Josie sucks in a breath through her teeth and kneels in front of me, her eyes full of sympathy.
“Damn, Brax,” she murmurs and reaches out to gently brush her fingers over my bruised flesh. “You have to be so careful. Promise me you’ll be careful.”
Jesus, she’s amazing. She’s my heart, beating outside of my body.
I take her hand and kiss her fingers.
“I promise I won’t be responsible for my actions if you keep touching me like that.”
Her gaze, full of worry, latches on to mine. “It could have been so much worse.”
Her words are a whisper.
“But it wasn’t,” I assure her. “Come here so I can snuggle you. I’d pick you up, but—”
“You are not going to pick me up,” she says as she settles next to me. She’s still facing me so I can’t cuddle her, but at least she’s here. “You’re not going to do much for a few days.”
“I had a gig tonight,” I reply and twirl a piece of her hair around my finger. “Before you freak out, I already canceled. I canceled next week’s, too, just in case.”
She cups my face in her free hand. “Good. You never were a careless man. Your body needs rest, which I know isn’t easy for you. But you’ll be a lot better in a couple of days. So, maybe this is a good time to talk. If you’re up for it.”
“Talk,” I instruct her.
“Why would you tell the whole world that I dumped you?”
Should I tell her the truth? I never lied to her before, and I have no intention of doing it now. But she might get angrier before she starts to feel better.
But I do so love it when she gets worked up.