My lips twitched as I fought back a grin. I liked that I could do that do him; it was nice to know that he wasn’t the one with all the power after all. “It’s only fair, since you do the same to me.”
“I’m going to kiss you, Lucy.”
“Why are you telling me? Just do it.” I licked my lips. They were already aching for the pressure of his mouth on them.
“Because I’m hoping that I can control myself and keep it to just a kiss.” He leaned his forehead against my own, his breaths coming out in hard shudders, as if he were fighting for control. “Help me, Lucy. Make sure I don’t do something I shouldn’t.”
Leaning into him I rolled my eyes, making him laugh. “Okay, relax. No way am I going to let you get out of hand because a) we’re in a hospital with germs everywhere and my bodyguard on the other side of the door. So yeah, gross. And b) I’m not ready to have sex with you.” I brushed my lips over the corner of his mouth. “I love you, Harris, but I’m just not ready for that.”
Strong arms tightened around my waist. “Good. I’m glad. Just kick my ass if I try to disrespect that decision. Okay?”
“Yeah, I will. I promise. Now shut up and kiss me before that slutty nurse comes back.”
Dark brows lifted. “Jealous?”
An unattractive snort escaped me. “Please…” When he just continued to look at me with those damn brows lifted, I grimaced. “Yeah. A little.”
He flashed his dimples at me. “Was that so hard to admit?” I shrugged—he wasn’t ever going to get a verbal answer for that stupid question—and he chuckled. “You don’t have anything to ever be jealous about, Lu. I don’t see anyone but you.”
“I’m still waiting to be kissed,” I grumbled.
“Spoiled,” he said, teasing me, but I was the one with the last word when I covered his smiling mouth with my own and took the kiss I was aching for.
Chapter 4
Lucy
My mouth was still swollen from that kiss when the nurse returned with my ibuprofen and the bag of ice. I ignored her as she found one reason after another to linger in my small triage room before the radiology tech showed up to take me to get x-rays for my hand.
Harris and Marcus followed behind the thirty-something man with a receding hairline and nice eyes who was transporting me in a wheelchair that I’d told him I didn’t need, but he’d insisted on. He took a handful of x-rays of my hand in different positions before wheeling me back to my room.
When the tech opened the door to my triage exam room, I was surprised to find my parents waiting for me. My mom wrapped me in her arms before I’d even had time to stand up. “Are you okay?” she demanded, tears shining in her chocolate-brown eyes.
“Mom, I’m fine.” I tried to assure her but she was grasping my hand with fingers that trembled to examine it for herself.
I bit my lip, realizing that she was so scared because this probably brought back bad memories for her of the night my biological father had taken me. She’d been in the hospital herself after having the twins when my dad and Nik had brought me
in. My face had been swollen, bloody and I’d been in the most physical pain I’d ever felt in my life. That was the night I had started calling Layla ‘Mom’. That was the night I realized how lucky I was to have her and Jesse Thornton to love and protect me.
I glanced over her shoulder to take a look at my dad. He didn’t look like he’d just beaten some guy to death so I released a relieved sigh. When Harris had said he’d texted my dad and was letting him deal with the douchebag that had said those disgusting things to me, I was sure that the next time I saw Jesse he’d be behind bars wearing an ugly orange jumpsuit.
When he caught my gaze his ever-changing brown eyes were full of concern. “You sure you’re okay?”
“Honest, Daddy. I’m fine.” My mom stepped back and Dad moved forward, wrapping his arms around me in a hard hug.
When he finally released me after what felt like the longest hug in the history of hugs, he turned his eyes on Harris. “Thanks for taking care of my baby girl.” He held out his hand and Harris readily shook it. “And thanks for letting me handle the preppy.”
“Is he still breathing?” Harris asked with a smirk.
“Emmie wouldn’t let me touch him,” Jesse grumbled. “His nose was still bleeding and one of his eyes had swollen shut from the broken nose. But he pretty much pissed his pants when Nik and I walked in.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t take Drake and Shane with you, too, just to really scare the guy.” I sat on the small gurney and Layla took the chair Harris had been in all evening.
“Drake and Lana have the twins,” Layla told me. “And Shane is with Harper in Paris until the weekend. Trust me, baby. Drake wanted to go, but between Lana and the girls they wouldn’t let him leave the house. You need to text him and let him know you’re okay.”
My teeth sank into my bottom lip. I hated that Drake was upset over this. Damn, I never should have left the house tonight. “O-okay,” I murmured and pulled my phone from my back pocket. I’d turned the ringer off earlier because everyone was blowing it up, so when I saw all the missed texts and calls from everyone in my family my heart clenched. Five of the missed calls were from Lana and Drake’s home number.
Before I could even slide my finger over their number, the door opened and in walked Dr. Levin with the slutty Nurse Frost. With three people already in the small room, the doctor and nurse made me feel almost claustrophobic in there, but I wasn’t about to ask anyone of them to leave… Except for the nurse who was still eyeballing my boyfriend. That bitch had to go.