rant one more time about how those damn Grayson boys nearly burnt down the Clam Shak, I’m gonna puke.”
She made a choking sound and started to laugh harder, but then her laughter morphed into something that sounded suspiciously like crying.
“Seriously, Doc. I don’t want to tell you what to do.” He was dying to touch her, but he couldn’t approach. Not yet. “But I do want to help. We all need a little help now and then, right?” Cole said in what he hoped was a gentle tone. He reached out his hand. “Please. Let me help you.”
“I was scared, Cole.”
“I know.”
“I thought he was going to hit me.”
“I know . ”
“I—I didn’t know what to do.” A large tear slipped from the corner of her eye and ran down her cheek. She was still looking at him, half-defiantly, as she wiped it away fast.
And then he did the only thing he could do. He moved slowly toward her and wrapped both arms around her, pulling her into his chest, sheltering her. She was shaking hard now.
“I don’t need your help,” she said, obviously trying hard to keep her composure but failing.
“It’s okay,” he said, trying to soothe her by smoothing her back with the flat of his hand. He’d been treating her like a soldier. Or a deputy, demanding that she follow his orders. But she wasn’t military or a cop—she was a doctor and way out of her depth. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she needed him, but now wasn’t the time to push. Especially because she had to accept it on her terms, not his. “I’m going to take you home now.”
She didn’t budge.
“You know I’m not letting you walk home alone, right?” Not after what had just happened.
He felt her nod into his chest.
She wanted to keep some of her dignity intact. He got that, but he wasn’t going to let her put herself in any more danger tonight. “Come on.” His arm around her shoulder, he motioned her forward. But when she went to take a step, she stumbled.
“Whoa,” he said, grabbing her under her arms.
“I didn’t eat very much today. I’ll be fine.” She took another step and almost dropped to her knees.
“You’re not going anywhere like that,” he said, scooping her up easily before she completely teetered over. “I’ve got you.”
She looked utterly mortified that he was carrying her. It was kind of funny, her unwavering stubbornness to do everything herself. But he was trying to be a gentleman, so instead of laughing, he just shifted her weight so that her head would be in the perfect position to lean on his shoulder.
To his relief, she did just that. Then he carried her the entire way to his car so he could drive her home.
And she let him.
CHAPTER 10
Julie woke up to the sound of her alarm the next morning, groggy, confused, and ravenous. She’d almost forgotten who’d tucked her away in bed last night still wearing her clothes. Almost.
Quickly, efficiently, she switched off the alarm clock. She had a full day of work ahead of her, and she didn’t intend to walk through it in a fog. For starters, she’d eat something, then go for a morning run. That would launch her back into her routine.
After splashing her face with water and brushing her teeth, she pulled on her running clothes and shoes, wolfed down a protein bar, and let herself out the front door of her house. It was dark outside this early, but that didn’t bother her. She knew the roads like the back of her hand, and she knew exactly which route she’d take today—the one she always took when she needed to clear her mind.
Twenty minutes later she was running down Beach Street, the soft, sandy dirt on the road cushioning her stride. A slight breeze wafted the salty sea air toward her and she breathed it in deeply. Her sense of smell was always heightened when she couldn’t see clearly, and in the pre-dawn light, the salt water was almost pungent. Although there was a high sand dune between the ocean and the road, she could hear the roar of the surf,
She made a choking sound and started to laugh harder, but then her laughter morphed into something that sounded suspiciously like crying.
“Seriously, Doc. I don’t want to tell you what to do.” He was dying to touch her, but he couldn’t approach. Not yet. “But I do want to help. We all need a little help now and then, right?” Cole said in what he hoped was a gentle tone. He reached out his hand. “Please. Let me help you.”
“I was scared, Cole.”
“I know.”
“I thought he was going to hit me.”
“I know . ”
“I—I didn’t know what to do.” A large tear slipped from the corner of her eye and ran down her cheek. She was still looking at him, half-defiantly, as she wiped it away fast.
And then he did the only thing he could do. He moved slowly toward her and wrapped both arms around her, pulling her into his chest, sheltering her. She was shaking hard now.
“I don’t need your help,” she said, obviously trying hard to keep her composure but failing.
“It’s okay,” he said, trying to soothe her by smoothing her back with the flat of his hand. He’d been treating her like a soldier. Or a deputy, demanding that she follow his orders. But she wasn’t military or a cop—she was a doctor and way out of her depth. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she needed him, but now wasn’t the time to push. Especially because she had to accept it on her terms, not his. “I’m going to take you home now.”
She didn’t budge.
“You know I’m not letting you walk home alone, right?” Not after what had just happened.
He felt her nod into his chest.
She wanted to keep some of her dignity intact. He got that, but he wasn’t going to let her put herself in any more danger tonight. “Come on.” His arm around her shoulder, he motioned her forward. But when she went to take a step, she stumbled.
“Whoa,” he said, grabbing her under her arms.
“I didn’t eat very much today. I’ll be fine.” She took another step and almost dropped to her knees.
“You’re not going anywhere like that,” he said, scooping her up easily before she completely teetered over. “I’ve got you.”
She looked utterly mortified that he was carrying her. It was kind of funny, her unwavering stubbornness to do everything herself. But he was trying to be a gentleman, so instead of laughing, he just shifted her weight so that her head would be in the perfect position to lean on his shoulder.
To his relief, she did just that. Then he carried her the entire way to his car so he could drive her home.
And she let him.
CHAPTER 10
Julie woke up to the sound of her alarm the next morning, groggy, confused, and ravenous. She’d almost forgotten who’d tucked her away in bed last night still wearing her clothes. Almost.
Quickly, efficiently, she switched off the alarm clock. She had a full day of work ahead of her, and she didn’t intend to walk through it in a fog. For starters, she’d eat something, then go for a morning run. That would launch her back into her routine.
After splashing her face with water and brushing her teeth, she pulled on her running clothes and shoes, wolfed down a protein bar, and let herself out the front door of her house. It was dark outside this early, but that didn’t bother her. She knew the roads like the back of her hand, and she knew exactly which route she’d take today—the one she always took when she needed to clear her mind.
Twenty minutes later she was running down Beach Street, the soft, sandy dirt on the road cushioning her stride. A slight breeze wafted the salty sea air toward her and she breathed it in deeply. Her sense of smell was always heightened when she couldn’t see clearly, and in the pre-dawn light, the salt water was almost pungent. Although there was a high sand dune between the ocean and the road, she could hear the roar of the surf,
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