Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 22838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 114(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
But not as bad as the other guy.
“Excuse me,” a nurse says with a smile. “Are you Brax Adler? The musician?”
“Yeah.” I smile, and she nods.
“I thought so. I’m sorry that you’re hurt. I won’t ask for a selfie.”
“I might not look my best for that,” I agree, grateful that she doesn’t insist. I don’t get recognized often, but when I do, fans can be pretty pushy. “I appreciate all you guys do up here.”
“And I appreciate your work,” she says with a wink. “Heal up quickly, Brax.”
“Thanks.”
Josie rushes through the doors, a little winded. She obviously hurried.
“Okay, we’re good to go,” she says and takes my hand so she can help me up. Fucking hell, it’s hard to move around. “My whole body feels stiff.”
“It’s only going to get worse. And you’re going to be sore in places you didn’t even know you had,” she says as we shuffle out to her waiting car. “Take it easy. We’re in no hurry.”
It’s a good thing because it feels as if it takes forever to get settled in her car and belted in.
Josie hurries around to the driver’s side, hops in, puts the car in gear, and pulls away from the hospital.
“I’ll do my best to avoid the bumps,” she says with a cringe. “And I apologize in advance if I can’t.”
“Not your fault the city of Seattle doesn’t fill in their potholes the size of Kansas. I live in the same place, by the way.”
I tip my head back and close my eyes. The bumps only make me lose my breath twice.
“We’re here,” Josie says as she puts the car in park and turns off the engine. “I’ll help you in.”
“Thanks,” I say. And then we go through the whole damn thing again, moving slowly from the car to the house and then inside. The thought of climbing the stairs to my bedroom makes me want to weep. “I think I’ll just hole up in the living room for a day or two.”
“Probably a good idea,” she says and helps me to the couch. “I’m going to gather some things for you. I’ll be right back.”
“Can one of those things be a pillow?”
“I’ve got it covered,” she calls as she hurries upstairs. My house always feels better when she’s in it. Before long, she hurries back down again with some pillows and blankets, dumping those in a chair across from me before hurrying out again.
It’s like she’s in fast-forward mode.
It almost makes me dizzy.
“I’m going to set this bottle of water here. It’s the only one you have in the house.”
“I don’t like using single-use plastic,” I inform her. “Not good for the environment.”
“Okay, I get that, but you’ll have to refill this one whenever it’s empty. I’m setting you up on a pain management regimen. I’m writing it all down, so just follow the instructions.”
“I love it when you’re bossy.”
She narrows her eyes on me. “I’m only here because I’m your nurse, and I feel sorry for you.”
“Come on, that’s not the only reason you’re here.”
“Yes, it is.” She scribbles on the pad that I usually keep on the fridge and shows it to me. “Take these dosages at these times. Exactly. It’s important.”
“Okay.”
“Even though you’re stiff, you’ll want to get up once every hour to walk around a bit and stretch your legs. Staying down for too long could cause clots. Don’t do that.”
“Maybe you should just stay here and take care of me.”
“Not in this or any other lifetime,” she says.
“Come on, I’m needy.”
“You’re an ass,” she says calmly as if she’s discussing my medicine.
“It’s a definite possibility,” I agree. “But I could use the help.”
“Nope.”
“Come on. You owe me one.”
She stops and her cheeks redden with absolute fury.
Fuck me. She’s magnificent.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
CHAPTER 3
~JOSIE~
I might murder him. I may appear small when I stand next to him, but he’s in a weakened state after that accident. It’s not like I couldn’t take him out.
I am my father’s daughter, after all.
My hands fist at my sides, and I glare down at him as he just sits there and flashes that stupid, cocky grin at me.
“ARGH!”
I turn and storm away, moving out the front door and letting it slam behind me. Oh, my God. He makes me so mad.
I should just leave him to fend for himself. He’s a big boy—a very big boy. And I’m not the only person in his life who can help if he needs it.
He has a whole band of people.
I sigh and kick my tire, then walk back into Brax’s house and cross my arms over my chest as I scowl at him.
“I don’t owe you dick, Braxton Adler, and you know it.”
“You do realize that it turns me on when you’re mad, don’t you?”
“Why are you the way you are?”