Page 10 of Room One Hundred and Eleven

“You were stunned.” Aiden frowns.

“It was just a phrenospasm. You know, from your forearm colliding with my back and your body covering allllll of me.”

“A phreno-what?” Knox wonders before I can press her on how much she seems to have enjoyed Aiden blanketing her.

She blinks at him. “You know, when the solar plexus is impacted, causing your diaphragm to be temporarily paralyzed.”

How can she know so much more about bodies than we do and yet be untouched? Untried?

Knox’s goofy grin at her nerdy smart-talk tells me he’s as willing as I am to be her anatomy lab partner.

“She means she had the wind knocked out of her,” I interpret for them.

“Yeah, that.” Her smile heats me faster than the stone massage Aiden arranged for us earlier.

Impatient, I scoop her into my arms.

“I told you, I’m fine.” She makes a halfhearted effort to squirm free.

“Let’s be sure you don’t get dizzy or anything.” My excuse is so obvious even Aiden shoots me half an eye roll. Usually, dramatic is Knox’s thing.

“Uh, okay.” Poppy settles her arms around my neck.

Can she feel my heart pounding against her chest?

I march to the elevators, glaring at the bellboy who’s rushing to clean up the mess. “I’m so sorry, sirs. It was overloaded. Too heavy. The wheel snagged on the rug and when I yanked, it broke free.”

“Your manager can deal with our lawyers to make sure nothing like this happens again.” Especially not if Poppy is going to be walking around the place.

We don’t stop, striding past, the only important thing clasped tight in my arms.

As we get inside the elevator and turn around, I notice Aiden’s face is starting to really bleed.

Poppy knows what she’s talking about. I’m glad she’ll be able to fix him up.

“There’s a handkerchief in my back pocket.” I stare at Aiden in the mirrored wall.

A naughty grin spreads over his face as he reaches for it. That little fucker caresses my ass while he takes out the monogrammed square of fine fabric. A shame to ruin it, but I have a dozen more at least.

“Put some pressure on the wound.” Poppy is staring.

Knox nabs the cloth from Aiden, wads it up, and presses it to his cheek.

“Son of a—!” The curse is bitten off as Aiden clenches his teeth.

“I have local anesthetic in my kit.” Our beauty is angling for a better view of her patient, but I hold her tight. We’re almost there. “I’ll numb it for you.”

Our floor has limited access. It requires a special keycard that matches the one we had made for Poppy. She has no idea she’s staying in our guest suite.

Following the softdingand a quick walk down the maroon runner stretched over the center of the parquet mahogany floors, Knox opens the door to one of our places. I’m not sure how many we have around the world, but a landing pad in most of our favorite cities seems reasonable.

At least then we can control the security. Besides, they’re investments.

Knox hands Aiden the handkerchief. A crimson stain blossoms over it despite his efforts.

He carries Poppy’s suitcase instead of wheeling it, making it look as light and miniature as if it belongs to a doll and not our beauty.

After opening the door, he holds it for Aiden and me. As we pass by him, his fingers trail along the long strands of Poppy’s hair, which cascade over my elbow.

---