was to keep Sadie out of the way.
His lips had parted too hungrily and his eyes had surrendered to her.
Getting behind the wheel of his vehicle, she breathed in the musky scent of him. His masculinity pervaded the space and she was again caught up in the strong desire to be with him. He could be her own Mr. Darcy, the Lord Ashwin she’d lost, the love that had always eluded her. She saw in him the capacity to empathize and understand her, perhaps even more than Lord Ashwin .
She started the motor and drove into the tight alleyway, stopping in front of the loving young couple who now huddled close together. Keegan leaned heavily on Sadie as she led him to the passenger door.
**********
Though his wound was substantial, Keegan still had to wait before being seen by a doctor. The triage nurse had cut an opening in his jeans and had stemmed the flow of blood with thick wads of surgical gauze that she’d temporarily taped to his leg before sending him to the crowded waiting room with a pair of old crutches.
Mothers holding crying and coughing babies, mingled with several elderly people who complained about the inexcusable wait. One young man sat staring at the floor, his arm in a sling and a patch over his eye.
“You may as well go home, Alexis,” Sadie was eager to point out as she took a seat next to Keegan. “There’s absolutely no sense in all three of us waiting here.”
Sadie saw the hesitation in Alexis’ eye, and the argument she was preparing. But there was no room for argument. Keegan was her boyfriend and she had every right to be here with him while Alexis was nothing more than an irritating appendage.
“Well.” Alexis gave a haughty tilt to her chin and glanced down at Sadie. “The night is young. I guess my time would be better served elsewhere.”
Sadie smiled as she watched her sexy sister walk away, but was quickly dismayed when she caught Keegan’s unwavering stare at Alexis. His hunger was clear and her heartache intensified. Why had she thought Keegan could love only her?
This was Lord Ashwin all over again.
She fought to keep her eyes dry, but was overwhelmed by the pain of loving him. Losing him to another girl was heartbreaking enough. Losing him to her own sister was unbearable.
His eyes remained on Alexis until she was completely out of view. Bringing his gaze back to Sadie, he was instantly shocked to see the tears that lined her eyes. Sorrow tugged at his lips as he dragged his thumb under her eye to catch a tear.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and while she felt his emotions in his embrace, she couldn’t quite define what emotions he actually felt. When he squeezed her tight, it wasn’t with the love she’d sensed before, it was with regret and remorse.
She was losing him and she felt helpless to stop it.
They held each other for a long while; him with his confusion; her with emptiness.
“Keegan Knowles.” The crackling voice called over the intercom. “Examination room six.”
Keegan got up and grabbed the crutches. “ Coming ?” he asked Sadie when she remained seated.
She shrugged, unable to find her voice. Though she wanted to be with him, she was reluctant to be present should he start to bleed heavily.
“I’d like you to be there,” he insisted.
Knowing he needed her was a small victory. She stood and followed him down the hall to the door marked six.
A nurse invited him to sit on an examination table and just as quickly left.
Silence barreled down on Keegan and Sadie, almost drowning them.
“Does it hurt?” she finally asked, if only to break the ungodly silence. She couldn’t imagine how the pain could even remotely compare with what she was feeling that very moment.
“Not as bad as when I dislocated my shoulder at last week’s game.”
She forced a tight smile, remembering how she’d held ice to his shoulder. He’d been so appreciative of her presence, thanking her repeatedly for being there for him. Then again, Alexis hadn’t
His lips had parted too hungrily and his eyes had surrendered to her.
Getting behind the wheel of his vehicle, she breathed in the musky scent of him. His masculinity pervaded the space and she was again caught up in the strong desire to be with him. He could be her own Mr. Darcy, the Lord Ashwin she’d lost, the love that had always eluded her. She saw in him the capacity to empathize and understand her, perhaps even more than Lord Ashwin .
She started the motor and drove into the tight alleyway, stopping in front of the loving young couple who now huddled close together. Keegan leaned heavily on Sadie as she led him to the passenger door.
**********
Though his wound was substantial, Keegan still had to wait before being seen by a doctor. The triage nurse had cut an opening in his jeans and had stemmed the flow of blood with thick wads of surgical gauze that she’d temporarily taped to his leg before sending him to the crowded waiting room with a pair of old crutches.
Mothers holding crying and coughing babies, mingled with several elderly people who complained about the inexcusable wait. One young man sat staring at the floor, his arm in a sling and a patch over his eye.
“You may as well go home, Alexis,” Sadie was eager to point out as she took a seat next to Keegan. “There’s absolutely no sense in all three of us waiting here.”
Sadie saw the hesitation in Alexis’ eye, and the argument she was preparing. But there was no room for argument. Keegan was her boyfriend and she had every right to be here with him while Alexis was nothing more than an irritating appendage.
“Well.” Alexis gave a haughty tilt to her chin and glanced down at Sadie. “The night is young. I guess my time would be better served elsewhere.”
Sadie smiled as she watched her sexy sister walk away, but was quickly dismayed when she caught Keegan’s unwavering stare at Alexis. His hunger was clear and her heartache intensified. Why had she thought Keegan could love only her?
This was Lord Ashwin all over again.
She fought to keep her eyes dry, but was overwhelmed by the pain of loving him. Losing him to another girl was heartbreaking enough. Losing him to her own sister was unbearable.
His eyes remained on Alexis until she was completely out of view. Bringing his gaze back to Sadie, he was instantly shocked to see the tears that lined her eyes. Sorrow tugged at his lips as he dragged his thumb under her eye to catch a tear.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and while she felt his emotions in his embrace, she couldn’t quite define what emotions he actually felt. When he squeezed her tight, it wasn’t with the love she’d sensed before, it was with regret and remorse.
She was losing him and she felt helpless to stop it.
They held each other for a long while; him with his confusion; her with emptiness.
“Keegan Knowles.” The crackling voice called over the intercom. “Examination room six.”
Keegan got up and grabbed the crutches. “ Coming ?” he asked Sadie when she remained seated.
She shrugged, unable to find her voice. Though she wanted to be with him, she was reluctant to be present should he start to bleed heavily.
“I’d like you to be there,” he insisted.
Knowing he needed her was a small victory. She stood and followed him down the hall to the door marked six.
A nurse invited him to sit on an examination table and just as quickly left.
Silence barreled down on Keegan and Sadie, almost drowning them.
“Does it hurt?” she finally asked, if only to break the ungodly silence. She couldn’t imagine how the pain could even remotely compare with what she was feeling that very moment.
“Not as bad as when I dislocated my shoulder at last week’s game.”
She forced a tight smile, remembering how she’d held ice to his shoulder. He’d been so appreciative of her presence, thanking her repeatedly for being there for him. Then again, Alexis hadn’t
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