Mayhem & Mistletoe, стр. 37

13 Thirteen

Jake and I glared at each other so long I worried my mother’s old warning — “Your face will freeze like that if you’re not careful” — had come to fruition. He didn’t blink. There was no way I would blink. Ultimately, Eliot stepped between us.

“That is beyond creepy,” he muttered, tugging my arm to get me to move out of Jake’s path. “Can’t you two just agree to disagree on this one?”

“No,” we answered in unison.

“How can you take his side?” I asked, snapping up my head. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”

“Hey, you just got me thrown across a porch,” Eliot pointed out. “You’re lucky I’m even talking to you. As it is, you’re going to have to massage me until your hands fall off. Every muscle in my body hurts.”

“It’s not my fault you got thrown across the porch.”

“Oh, really?” He folded his arms across his chest. “Whose fault is it?”

“I had everything under control. You’re the one who raced in because you thought I needed saving. Just for the record, I never need to be saved. I’m a self-rescuing princess.”

Rather than be impressed, or agree, Eliot and Jake snorted.

“I hate to break it to you, Trouble, but I’ve rescued you a time or two,” Eliot argued. “I will admit that you’re capable of taking care of yourself in most instances, but everybody needs help at one time or another.”

His words did little to placate me. “Are you trying to tick me off?”

“I don’t often need to try.”

“Whatever.” I rolled my eyes until they landed on Jake. “Technically this is your fault. You know that, right?”

Jake’s eyes flashed with annoyance and a muscle began working in his jaw. “How do you figure that?”

“If you’d just told me what I needed to know I wouldn’t have had to come down to this rathole, searching for information.”

“And what information were you looking for down here?”

Uh-oh. I’d opened my big mouth again. “That’s classified,” I replied. “I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you.”

Jake’s expression darkened. “We’re not living in Top Gun.”

“I totally wish we were, because that volleyball scene was hot.”

He leaned close, his face mere inches from mine. “I don’t know what you were doing down here. I have an idea — and it fills me with rage — but I don’t have proof.”

“That must be hard for you.”

“Knock. It. Off.” He punctuated each word with a finger jab. “You’re not omnipotent, Avery. You’re not incapable of being hurt. I think tonight proves that.”

“I wasn’t hurt.”

“Eliot was.”

“Yeah, but ....” I slid my eyes to Eliot and found him watching me with an unreadable expression. Both men seemed to expect a certain reaction from me. That meant I had to act in the opposite way. “I’m sorry.” I held up my hands in capitulation, softening my voice. “I didn’t mean for Eliot to get hurt. This is on me.”

“It is on you,” Jake agreed. “Now tell me what you were doing down here.”

“No way.” I was contrite, not stupid. “You’re withholding information from me. I don’t have to tell you jack.”

“That’s not the way it works.”

“It is in my world.” I moved closer to Eliot, my hand going to the side he was favoring. “You don’t have broken ribs, do you?”

“I’m just bruised,” he replied. “I’m fine.”

Just because he said the words didn’t mean I believed him. “Let’s get you home. A hot bath couldn’t possibly hurt.”

Suspicion lit his features. “Why are you suddenly acting as if you care?”

Surprisingly, the dig hurt more than I expected. “I care. I mean ... I totally care. Why would you say that?”

His expression softened. “That came out wrong. I know you care. I just ... didn’t know you harbored a secret desire to act as my nurse.”

Oh, now he was taking it a step too far. “I’m not going to be your nurse.”

“Oh, you’re totally going to be my nurse.” He slung his arm around my shoulders and turned his eyes to Jake. “Unless there’s something more, we’re heading home.”

“There is something more. I want to know what you two were doing out here.”

“We often go to seedy parts of Detroit and get into it with random people,” I offered. “We feed off the adrenaline to keep the romance alive.”

Eliot made a face. “Don’t listen to her. That’s not a thing.”

Jake shot him a “well, duh” look and made a sound of disgust deep in his throat. “I never would’ve guessed.”

Under different circumstances, I would’ve found this sort of interaction amusing. I was tired and ready to call it a night, though, so I let it go. “Eliot is in pain. I need to get him home and tend to his wounds.”

“Does that mean you’re going to slap Star Wars Band-Aids all over him and call it a day?”

“There’s going to be a bath ... and maybe a cocktail.”

“Whatever.” Jake stared as he watched us head toward Eliot’s truck. I thought he might let us go without another word, but I didn’t have that sort of luck. “Stay out of this, Avery. I don’t want you getting in more trouble than you can handle.”

“I never get in more trouble than I can handle.”

“Except you always do.”

“Only in your head.” I led Eliot to the passenger side of his truck and opened the door. “I’ll drive.”

Surprise washed over his features and then he tilted his head, considering. “I’ll agree to your terms, but only because I’m tired and sore.”

“Great. Give me the keys.” I held out my hand.

“Just as soon as you thank the intern for saving you.”

I’d forgotten about that part of our agreement. “Um ....”

“Do it.” Eliot was firm as he settled in his seat. “I’ll let you share the tub with me if you’re a good girl.”

Was that supposed to be an enticement? “Maybe I don’t want to share the tub with you.”

“I bought a pint of Phish Food ice cream. I plan