Page 12 of Emerge

"What's wrong?" I gritted my teeth and shut my eyes. He wasn't that dense, was he? "Why would I want people I don't know to see me at my weakest?"

"We just thought-"

"You didn't think." I laughed. "Unbelievable."

I made it to the stairs and stared up the staircase. I could hardly handle walking on a flat surface; how was I going to get up that many steps? It wasn't so much the lifting of my leg, it was putting my weight on one side for a brief instant while I walked up each step.

I had just lifted my leg and placed it onto the first step when Riley appeared at the top with the redhead next to her. I averted my eyes and grimaced as pain stabbed through my foot as I stepped up.

"Here, let us help you." Riley ran down the stairs and took my arm.

I shrugged off her hand and stepped back down, black dots spotting my vision at the impact. "I don't need your help."

I walked as quickly as possible—the speed of a ninety-year-old shuffling with a walker— to the garage and slammed the door behind me.

* * *

I had,of course, heard what happened with Riley, Ivy, and Coach Gale. It had infuriated me and was one of the reasons I had pushed myself to be able to come home so quickly. Riley needed my protection, even if I wasn't at one hundred percent.

I clicked on a small workbench light and stared at my other motorcycle. I wanted to feel the wind against my skin and the power, but it was too soon. I could barely walk, let alone control a piece of machinery between my legs.

Somehow, I managed to get on the bike without falling on my ass or dying from pain. I didn't remember much from the night of the crash, but I do remember being distracted by the thought of my parents being imprisoned. I didn't remember checking my bike like I usually did.

"Morgan?" Riley spoke quietly from near the garage door and took a tentative step forward. "Are you all right?"

I rubbed a hand over my face. I was sick of people asking me how I was when it should have been obvious to them. I wasn't doing well, but also didn't want to bring anyone else to my pity party. "I'm fine, vixen. Just wasn't expecting to have to be Mr. Sociable the second I got back is all."

She closed the distance between us and looked me up and down, no doubt assessing if I should even be sitting out in the garage like I was. I sat a little taller on the bike and her lips pinched together.

"You should be resting, not on the thing that almost killed you." She leaned against the workbench, the light behind her making her look angelic. "I missed you."

I looked down at the gas tank and traced a finger over the design. "Then why are you standing over there looking like if you touch me I'll break?"

She was quiet, and I looked over at her. Silent tears fell from her eyes and I went to move off the bike, but she stepped forward. "You'll hurt yourself."

"Maybe I want to hurt." That was the wrong thing to say because it just made her tears worse. I had never been good at keeping my mouth shut when it should stay closed.

"It breaks something inside of me when I see you hurting." She took my hand and kissed the palm. "I'm falling in love with you."

My mouth opened and my breath left me in a whoosh. She took my breath away and I didn't know what to say. I, of course, loved her, but repeating it back like an echo didn't seem to do my feelings justice.

"I know it's weird to have these feelings so soon, but I do. I can't explain it other than I want you around me always." She held my hand to her chest. "Don't ever almost die again."

I chuckled and brought my hand to her cheek, wiping the tears. "The whole time I was recovering, I thought about getting back to you. I'm worried you're going to be the next important person I lose."

She leaned forward and our lips met. I had missed the taste of her and the feel of her touch. She bit my lip gently and pulled away as I groaned.

"Let's go upstairs." She wiggled her eyebrows and I took her hand, placing it over my growing erection. "Morgan..."

"Take off your pants, vixen." I let go of her hand and flipped around so I was sitting backwards on the bike. I pulled my dick out of my sweats, stroking it as it hardened.

She cocked a brow and then looked back at the door to the house. "Someone might-"

"No one is going to come out here." I looked down at her pants that were still on. "Do you want me to get off this bike and help you?"

"If someone walks out here..." She unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them down torturously slow along with her panties. I was going to bust a nut before she even got on the bike.

She held her hands in front of herself and looked so cute acting shy. I was certain she was turned on by the idea of getting down and dirty in a place where we could be caught. Unless I had misunderstood Blake about the library.

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