Trouble by Ann Christopher

Author:Ann Christopher
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Blue Iris Press
Published: 2014-08-28T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

Dara sat by Jamal’s emergency room bed and held his IV-taped hand while he slept. He had a concussion, the doctor had said, and a stitched and bandaged cut on his temple that didn’t look too bad, thank God.

His fingers moved, snapping her out of bleary exhaustion to full attention.

“Dara?” he asked faintly, lids fluttering open.

“Yeah?” She scooted to the edge of her chair.

“Why don’t you look where the hell you’re going next time?” he demanded, glaring.

Dara’s jaw hit the floor. “It wasn’t my fault that drunk idiot plowed into us!”

He grinned. “I’ll need the name of your insurance agent.”

Laughing, she kissed the uninjured side of his face. “Not a chance. Your mom’ll be here any second, by the way.”

“You okay?”

“I’m okay.”

“I just got one question for you.” Serious again, he fingered his bandage. “Tell the truth.”

“What is it?”

“Am I still pretty?”

When Jamal drifted back to sleep, Dara slipped out through the curtains and slumped on one of the uncomfortable chairs on the outskirts of the waiting area, wondering what she should do. She’d wait until Jamal’s mother arrived, of course, but how would she get home? Her poor little SUV was totaled.

Mike could take you home.

Dara ignored the stupid little voice and dug her phone out of her purse. Sure, she’d given his number to the police because he’d want to know about Jamal and would probably come to the hospital right away. But that had nothing to do with her. In fact, she planned to be long gone before he arrived.

You need Mike.

Agitated, she found her phone and got up to pace.

No, she didn’t need Mike, thanks.

True, she’d never been in a car accident before, and she’d never been as terrified as tonight, when she’d heard the thunderous crash, the scraping and grinding of metal against metal and Jamal’s shout of pain. But everyone was fine, and that was what she needed to focus on.

That, and making arrangements for a car rental.

“Dara.”

Startled, she looked up from her phone.

Mike was right there, face strained, eyes wide with worry.

For one paralyzed second, they just stared at each other.

Then, with a hoarse cry, Mike reached for her, and they came together with rib-crushing force. His muscular body swallowed her up and she felt instantly protected and safe, as though nothing bad could ever possibly reach her when he had an arm around her waist and his other hand cupped her head to anchor it against his solid chest.

Long seconds passed as they swayed together and she clung to him, listening to the erratic thundering of his heart.

Until the shakes overcame her in some sort of a delayed reaction she couldn’t control.

“Shhh,” he murmured, smoothing her hair back from her forehead and cheeks, cooing and offering comfort even though his own body kept shuddering. “You’re okay now. And you’d better not ever scare me like that again. Ever.”

He pulled back and studied her, his intent face a jumble of dark emotions she’d never seen before.

“Mike?”

He seemed not to hear her. His

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