Page 76 of Whatever Lola Wants

The raging disbelief in his gaze made Lola bite her lip. Hard. “She thought you were assaulting me.”

Ginger blushed when his gaze darted back to her. “I did. It looked…well. Like assault.”

“She tagged you with a stun gun,” Lola explained.

“Fuck,” Simon groaned, then glared at Ginger. “Stun guns are illegal in Illinois.”

Lola choked back a laugh. “I told her.”

Simon shifted his glare to Lola. “You’re laughing?”

She shook her head and bit her lip again so it wouldn’t be a lie. “I’m relieved,” she explained. “I thought for a minute you were dead.”

“So did I.” He reached a hand up to the back of his head with a wince. “I hit my head.”

Lola leaned forward, concern tightening her face. “Did you cut yourself?”

His carefully probing fingers came away clean; no blood. “Doesn’t look like it,” he grunted. “But my head hurts like a bitch.”

“Do you think you can get up?”

He looked annoyed at the question. “Yes.”

He gritted his teeth, levered himself to a sitting position, then got painfully to his feet. Lola stood with him, wrapping her arm around his waist for support.

The duvet fell to the floor.

“Um.” Ginger turned wide eyes on Lola as her cheeks flooded with color. “Maybe I should go.”

Since Simon was busy glaring at Ginger, Lola let the grin loose. “Okay.”

“I’ll call you later, just to check in.” Ginger cleared her throat and chanced a glance back at Simon. He glared back at her, and she quickly looked away.

Lola took pity on her. “Thanks, Ginger. Can you see yourself out?”

“Sure,” Ginger said, backing toward the bedroom door. “No problem. I’ll just…” She slammed into the door frame, bouncing into the wall before she caught herself. “Go,” she finished, and fled.

Lola bit her lip, waiting until she heard the front door slam before she spoke. “You scared her,” she accused gently.

Simon turned incredulous eyes on her. “I scared her? She fucking stun gunned me.”

Lola nudged him toward the bed, her head down so he wouldn’t see how hard she was fighting not to laugh. “She thought you were hurting me.”

His only answer was a grunt as he made his way painfully to the side of the bed.

“Are you okay?” she asked, concerned.

“I’ll be fine,” he muttered. “It’s not the first time I’ve had a few hundred thousand volts. But fuck, it hurts.”

“Is there anything I should do?”

“No.” He sat and swung his legs onto the bed. “It just has to wear off.”

“Okay.” She smoothed the sheet over him, then trotted back to the floor where the duvet lay in a heap. She pulled it over him, fighting the urge to tuck him in. He probably wouldn’t appreciate it. “How about I go warm up the pizza and get us something to drink?”

He leaned back against the pillows, a frown marring his brow. “I guess,” he grumbled, and the grumpy tone had her fighting back another laugh. She ducked her head and fussed with the duvet until she had it under control, then leaned down to kiss him.

“I’ll be right back,” she assured him.

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