Page 7 of The Red-Hot Stakes

We thumb-wrestled until they were ready, and I needed to hold still. He changed his grip so my hand could cling to his, his thumb lightly stroking the back of my knuckles. Soft murmurs reached my ear as he shifted his face closer to mine.

I sucked in a breath, my attention glued to the needle as the doctor picked it up from under the cloth. My muscles tensed, and anxiety knotted in my stomach. I ground my teeth together.

“Look at me, Gina,” Liam’s voice rumbled. “You didn’t seem to like my last song tonight.”

A burst of anger shot through me as I turned to him, the song running through my head again. Friends in Low Places, indeed. “You insulted my bar.” I felt a pinch in my arm, but Liam touched my cheek, keeping my focus on him.

“It’s a classic.” His eyebrows shot up. “I wasn’t insulting you.”

I glared. “You called my work a low place. How is that not an insult?” I winced as the burning sensation increased by the second, but he still wouldn’t let me see.

He chuckled. “Everyone else sang along. My whole booth cheered.”

My words sounded forced as I pushed them out around the pain. “They don’t work there.”

His laughter died as he studied me. “Gina.” He leaned back a little. “Hey, it never once crossed my mind you’d be insulted by that song. It was the first country song that popped into my head about friends, and it was about a bar. So I thought, how much more perfect can you get?” His eyes softened as they searched mine. “I’m sorry. Truly.”

The heartfelt apology took me by surprise, but not as much as when the doctor tapped my hand and said, “Okay, we’ll give that a few minutes to set in, then we’ll be back to stitch you up.”

I watched in astonishment as they left the room, taking the needle with them. They’d stuck me. I stared at my arm, feeling the numbness creep through my veins. I wiggled my fingers and hissed. The medicine hadn’t spread that far yet. Idiot. I turned back to Liam, who watched me thoughtfully.

“Maybe it was a good thing you hated the song?” He seemed so sheepish that I laughed.

I laughed long and hard as all my tension melted away because of the ridiculous asshole sitting next to me, who’d made me mad enough to pay attention to him instead of that terrifying needle. “Liam?”

“Yeah?” The word came out tinged with a hint of wariness.

I supposed I had sounded slightly unhinged with my maniacal round of laughter. “Thanks for singing that song.” I reached for him, squeezing his fingers tightly. “And for everything afterwards.”

His other hand came up over mine, swallowing it between his meaty mitts. “You’re welcome.”

The doctor returned, holding a little needle that glinted in the fluorescent light. “Ready?”

And everything went black.

When I came to, Liam still held my hand, and the nurse was taking my blood pressure. I blinked. My arm throbbed.

“There she is.” Liam grinned. “Welcome back.”

The nurse smiled as well, noting the numbers in her chart. “Well, that’s good. Let’s get you some water, and we’ll need to see you move around. Then we can send you on your way.” She disappeared.

One eyebrow raised, Liam shook his head. “You made it through the whole numbing process and passed out when they came in with the little one? Really?”

I glared. “I thought guys always said it’s not the size that matters.”

He burst out laughing, a loud guffaw that echoed off the makeshift room. Quickly clamping his mouth shut, his shoulders still shook several seconds later when the nurse reappeared with the water.

She offered it to me. “Here you go. Sip slowly now.”

My position wasn’t exactly conducive for drinking. So I tried to sit up, immediately gritting my teeth when I put pressure on my left arm.

Of course, the nurse noticed. “We put twelve stitches in, so you’ll need to be careful with that. Let me help you.”

With her help, I sat up enough that I could drink. She went over my after-care instructions, including not getting it wet. The stitches would dissolve on their own after fourteen days. Plastic bag showers, oh joy. Once I was declared steady enough on my feet, Liam escorted me to his car. He drove me home and insisted on walking me to my door.

I unlocked the apartment, trying to keep quiet as I bitterly remembered Josh’s big audition. “Thanks again, Liam.”

If it were anyone else, I’d hug him, but it was still Liam. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his too tight jeans.

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