Page 19 of Thor

He turned his gaze toward me, those intense blue eyes somehow both ice and fire. "What about you? Before all this—what did you love doing? You know? When you were little?"

The question caught me off guard. No one asked about my past hobbies or passions anymore. Everyone saw me as I presented myself now: professional, responsible, reliable. The accountant who kept everyone's secrets and balanced everyone's books. Not a woman with desires or interests beyond serving others' needs.

"I used to rock climb," I confessed, surprised by how easily the truth slipped out. "In college. I was actually pretty good."

The memory bloomed vividly—the feel of chalk on my hands, muscles straining as I found the next hold, the triumphant exhaustion when I reached the top of a difficult route. The pure focus that pushed everything else from my mind.

"Interesting," Thor said, and I was grateful he didn't seem surprised or skeptical. No "you don't look like a climber" or "isn't that dangerous for someone like you?" Just acceptance.

"I haven't gone in years," I added, suddenly wistful. "No time."

"Always time," Thor replied. "If something matters enough."

We lapsed into silence as the hospital came into view. Ironridge Memorial loomed ahead, its windows reflecting the cloudy sky. My stomach knotted as it always did before visiting Amy. I hated seeing my vibrant, sharp-tongued sister confined to a hospital bed, her body betraying her despite her fierce will. After the emergency yesterday, though, I just wanted to see that she was doing better.

Thor pulled into a parking space near the entrance, then turned to face me. "I'll wait. Give you privacy with your sister, but I'll drive you back."

It wasn't a question or an offer. Just a statement of fact.

"You don't have to do that," I protested weakly. "I can drive—"

"I'll wait," he repeated, his tone making it clear the matter wasn't up for debate. "Take your time. I've got nowhere I need to be."

There was something both unsettling and comforting about his declaration. On one hand, I valued my independence fiercely. On the other, the thought of not having to worry about transportation, of knowing someone was waiting for me—it eased a burden I hadn't realized I was carrying.

"Thank you," I said simply.

Thor nodded, settling back in his seat and pulling out his phone. "Go on. Your sister's waiting."

As I walked toward the hospital entrance, I couldn't help glancing back. Thor sat in the Challenger, his large frame somehow fitting the powerful car perfectly. He'd claimed responsibility for my safety as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

It might be nice, just once, to let someone else shoulder some of the burden. To not be the one who always had everything under control.

I pushed that thought away as I entered the hospital. Amy needed me to be strong, capable Mandy. Not the woman who was starting to wonder what it might be like to let go, even for a little while.

I pushed open the door to Room 342 and found my sister sitting up in bed, scrolling through her phone with one hand while adjusting her colorful headscarf with the other. Amy looked dramatically better than she had the night before—her skin had regained some color, and the dark circles under her eyes had faded. When she spotted me, her face lit up with a mischievous smile that immediately put me on alert. That look always meant trouble.

"Holy shit, was Thor real? I thought I dreamed him," Amy blurted before I could even say hello. "Giant blond guy, looks like he could snap a telephone pole with his bare hands? Please tell me he was real and not just some morphine-induced hallucination."

I laughed despite myself, setting my purse down on the visitor chair and leaning in to kiss her forehead. Her skin felt cooler than yesterday, another good sign.

"Very real," I confirmed. "He's waiting downstairs."

Amy's eyes widened to comical proportions. She grabbed my wrist with surprising strength for someone who'd been too weak to sit up unassisted the day before.

"Wait—you're dating a Viking biker? When the hell did this happen? And why didn't you lead with that information?" She demanded, her voice rising with each question.

I nearly choked. "God no! He just—he helped me after the accident." I explained about the car being in the shop and Thor bringing the loaner Challenger.

"So he rescued you in the rain, gave you a ride on his motorcycle, and now he's supplying you with a hot car and chauffeur service?" Amy's eyebrows disappeared beneath her headscarf. "And you're not dating him? Are you stupid?"

"It's not like that," I protested, though my cheeks betrayed me with their warmth. "He works for Duke—the MC president. It's professional courtesy."

Amy snorted. "Professional courtesy my ass. I was high as a kite last night and even I could see the way he looked at you."

"And how was that?" I asked despite myself.

"Like you were a steak and he hadn't eaten in a week," Amy replied with relish. Her grin turned knowing. "But you like him."

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