Page 8 of One Little Spark

The guy shook his head. “Cuts and bruises mostly. A couple of broken noses. Nothing major. They were lucky.”

Aiden glanced around and immediately spotted Hazel with Tommy. She was helping stop his lip from bleeding and giving him instructions. He nodded to her, and then the officernext to him took him by the elbow and lead him over to a police cruiser.

“You guys, okay?” Hazel asked as she approached. She eyed him closely and then did the same to her brother and Phoenix.

“Yeah. Fine,” Jory said as he wiped a bit of blood out of the corner of his mouth.

“Phoenix,” she said, “come and let me patch up that cut above your eye.”

“It’s fine, but thanks, Hazel.”

“Listen to the woman,” Bowers said. “Get your cut patched and then meet me at the station. We’re gonna need all your statements.”

“What about the game?” Jory asked.

“It’s canceled.” The chief walked away from them and headed toward the stadium.

Phoenix went over and sat on the bumper of the nearest ambulance. When Hazel smiled at him as she patched him up, Aiden had the urge to throw another punch, this time at Phoenix, so he turned his back and looked around the parking lot.

Jory came and stood beside him. “That was weird.”

“Yup.”

“What does your gut tell you about all this?”

Aiden shrugged. “I have no clue.” He held off telling Jory that his gut said this was only the beginning.

Chapter Four

Hazel walked through the front door and found Aiden in his kitchen, leaning against the counter, drinking a beer. He looked damn fine, if a little battered. If anything, the bruising and cuts just made him sexier. “I heard you guys were back from the police station. You managed to get away before I could clean you up.” She cleared her throat as she set the first aid kit she was carrying on the kitchen table. “Where’s Jory?”

He nodded his head toward the hallway. “Bathroom.”

“Sit down so I can clean up your face.” She gestured to the chair that was at the head of the table in the corner of the kitchen.

“I’m fine.”

She glared at him. “There’s dried blood on your face, your lip is split, and your knuckles are a mess.” She pointed to the chair again. “Sit.”

Her brother walked into the kitchen. “Hey, Haze.” He glanced at Aiden. “You’d better listen to her. She’s got that face on, the one that says she’s not gonna give up.”

Aiden straightened and then walked over and sat down in the chair. Hazel opened up the kit. She tried to remain as professional as possible, but her hands were shaking a wee bit. She rarely got this close to Aiden. It was silly and she felt like she was sixteen again, but the man was so friggin’ attractive he made her nervous.

It didn’t matter that they’d spent practically every Thursday night together since he got back to town about two years ago. They didn’t spend it being physically close. As a matter of fact, Aiden went out of his way to keep distance between them. She knew because she did the opposite. She tried everything to be near him.

At first, it had been innocent enough. It was a bar. There wasn’t much room so she chose to stand near him but once she noticed he kept moving away, she couldn’t help herself. She would stand by him on purpose just to see what he would do.

He was subtle about it, but he would go out of his way to make sure they stayed a few feet apart no matter what she did. She’d been mortified when it suddenly had occurred to her that maybe he was moving away because he didn’t like her and didn’t want to hurt her feelings, or do anything to encourage her, but then she’d seen him studying her ass in the mirror above the bar when she was taking a shot on the pool table. She’d caught his admiring glances other times, too. That was all to say she was pretty sure he was interested but was keeping his distance because of her brother. So, of course, she had to push things. It was typical her. It also made her smile.

“I gotta make a call,” Jory said. “Mike Daniels wants to switch shifts this week.” He strode across the kitchen and then out the back door and down the steps to the backyard.

Hazel ripped open an alcohol swab and turned to face Aiden. “This will sting a bit.” When she touched it to his lip, he recoiled. She scoffed, “Don’t be a wimp.”

He grunted.

She grinned and touched his lip again. With soft strokes, she cleaned the cut. Then taking his chin in one hand, she turned his face so she could see it better underneath the kitchen light. “You got a bruise coming under your eye.” She kept her touch light but being this close to Aiden tweaked all her senses. He smelled like shampoo and sweat and something male. His eyes glittered in the glow of the light suspended above the table. His skin was cool to the touch, but his stubble was scratching her palm.

She avoided his gaze, sure that he would be able to tell from one look that she wanted him. Badly. Her lady parts tingledas she carefully wiped the cut on his jaw. She let go of his face and moved to wiping his knuckles.

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