Page 4 of More Than a Little Spark

As minutes tick by, I’m becoming more and more aware of pain, but being snuggled against Carson is cozy.Maybe not worth totaling my car, but it’s too soon to make that call.

He leans back far enough that I can’t lean my head on him.“Talk to me, Daphne.Tell me about your life.”

“You don’t want to hear it, I promise.”I want my cozy spot back.

“I do, I swear.Tell me.”He’s looking at me with those deep blue eyes, which are super interesting because they are brownish in the middle, then transition to a dark blue.

I remind myself to take shallow breaths because that hurts less than normal breathing.“I like your eyes.”

“They’re weird.It’s called central heterochromia.”He turns his head, staring down the road.“I hope they hurry.You’re hurting, aren’t you?”

“A bit.”I try to downplay my pain because I don’t want him to worry.“But my life.Where should I start?”

“At the beginning.”

I chuckle, then regret it.Note to self, no laughing.“I was born in a hospital, and I was a chubby baby.”

He blinks, then grins.“Funny.I sort of meant like where you were born.That sort of thing.”

Now that I’m talking, he isn’t leaning away.

I rest my head on his chest again.“I’m from here.Well, not right here.”I point around me without lifting my head.“But Texas.And after I graduated from college, I snagged a job as an admin for the CEO of a software company.A professor recommended me.That’s how I got the job, and it’s been great.I mean, my boss is super work-oriented.Not as much now that he’s married, but I like my job.No real complaints.”

“So you live near here?”When I shiver, he wraps his arms around me but doesn’t hug me tight.

“In San Antonio.”I’m quiet while I think of what else I should tell him.

He lightly taps my back.“You have to keep talking.Any siblings?”

“Six, all younger.That’s why I moved out to go to college.My dad died when I was in middle school, and my mom worked.But when she was home, she mostly slept or stared at the TV.”I lift my head when I hear the whine of sirens.

“You parented your siblings?”

“Yeah, but I never talk about that.So like, can we rewind, and then I won’t say it?”

“Sure.Put your head back where it was and we’ll start that part over.I’ll reset us.”

My head against him, I hear words rumble in his chest.

“You have to keep talking.Any siblings?”

This guy is funny.

“Yeah, a lot of them.They’re all younger and still live in the area.Except one.I have a brother in Alaska.He’s stationed up there.”

“Interesting.Alaska would be a cool place to visit.”

“He keeps inviting me up.But I don’t really like the cold.”Now that my adrenaline rush is fading, my eyes don’t want to stay open.Snuggling against Carson is cozy, and I want to close my eyes and sleep for a bit.But he’s trying so hard to keep me awake, and I don’t want to disappoint him.

“They’re here.I’m going to back up so they can check you out, okay?”He points at the sheriff’s vehicle and ambulance parking nearby.

I reach under the bottom of the coat and grasp his hand.“You won’t leave, right?”

“No.I’ll hang around.I want to tell the police what happened so they can find the guy.”He buttons up his shirt.“And I’ll try to grab your phone.Is there someone you need me to call?”

“Rose, but I don’t know her number.It’s in my phone, so I don’t have it memorized.Are you from around here?Maybe you know her husband.His name is Dallas.”I look down at the zipped-up coat.“Will you undo me?”

“Sure.And yeah, I know him.He was a ranch hand at Stargazer Springs Ranch, and that’s where I work.”He pulls down the zipper on the coat, freeing my arms.

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