Page 73 of Fifth Avenue Devil

When Nate doesn’t text me back immediately, I wonder if I should try to get back to the apartment. Can I hobble? I try to stand, but the waves of shooting pain send me back to the pavement.

Should I Uber? Do they have Uber in France?

"Annalise?" A voice cuts through the haze of my distress. I look up to find Nate jogging toward me, his gray eyes filled with concern. The sight of him momentarily throws me off guard. We're rivals in the business world. And our competitive natures are constantly clashing. But his usually smarmy smirk is absent.

Instead, his look is one of genuine worry.

"Are you all right?" he asks, crouching beside me. His towering presence makes me feel even more vulnerable. I struggle to keep my composure.

"Fine," I answer weakly. "I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. Then I tripped."

"Let’s get you up," he says. His strong arms pull me up and steady me. I wince at the pressure on my injured ankle. What a wounded baby deer I am.

"Thanks," I say softly. “I didn’t think you would come.”

He shoots me a look like I’m crazy. “Did you crack your head? You’re not making any sense.”

My entire face heats. “I’m fine.”

He looks at me, his eyes narrowing. A calculating look comes over his face. "Can you walk?" Nate questions. “I think I should get you back tol’appartement.”

"I probably can’t make it alone," I admit reluctantly. I close my eyes. God, I hate the vulnerability and weakness in my voice.

"Let me carry you," he offers, without hesitation. My eyes open, and I start to protest, but he gently lifts me into his arms.

“You can’t carry me!” I squawk. “Nate, this is ridiculous! I thought you were going to call a cab or something.”

My breath catches as I feel the warmth of his body against mine. His strong arms wrap around me protectively. From here, I can smell his cologne. “It’s only a few blocks. Just relax.”

"Put me down, Nate," I demand half-heartedly. The truth is that I don't want him to let go of me just yet. The feeling of being cradled in his arms sends shivers down my spine. My traitorous heart demandsmore.

"You can argue with me later."

As Nate carries me through the bustling Parisian streets, I question everything I thought I knew about him. His usually arrogant demeanor has given way to a surprising tenderness. I feel stupid for thinking that he would just leave me on the side of the road.

"Thank you, Nate," I say softly.

He doesn’t respond, but I hear a contented rumble from his chest. He’s enjoying this.

Without complaint, Nate carries me back to the apartment building and up the ancient elevator. I expect him to put me down when he sweeps into the living room. But he carries me back to the bedroom and deposits me on the bed. He drops my forgotten high heels by the foot of the bed. Then he looks down at me.

"All right. Let's take a look at that ankle." Nate kneels beside me. His gray eyes darken with concern as he gently lifts my injured foot. "Does it hurt when I do this?"

He applies the slightest pressure. I wince, biting back a gasp of pain. "A little," I mumble, trying to sound tough. The truth is, my ankle hurts like hell.

"Sorry," he says softly. His fingers skate in light circles over my sensitive skin. "We need to get some ice on your ankle."

"Thanks, Dr. Fordham," I joke. "But I don't need you to fuss over me."

"Too bad," he retorts, smirking as he gets to his feet. "You’re hurt. Now I’m here to baby you until you feel better."

"Fine," I huff. I still feel incredibly silly.

My heart pounds as I watch Nate stride from the room. He reappears a minute later, waving a bag of ice. I bite my lip as he props my ankle up on a pillow and arranges the bag across it. As much as I hate to admit it, there's something undeniably thrilling about having Nate Fordham at my beck and call.

Even if it is only for a little while.

The ice slowly does its job. Soon my ankle is chilly, verging on numbness. I flip through the pages of a Parisian style magazine for a while. The warm glow of the afternoon sun bathes the room in a golden haze, casting shadows across the room.

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