Page 14 of Spar
After wrapping a strong arm around her, Chris pulled her upright, taking her weight off her left ankle.
“Don’t even think about telling me not to touch you,” he warned as she opened her mouth to protest.
Tori clamped her mouth shut and held herself rigid in his arms but allowed him to keep his hold on her while she assessed her ankle.
She set her foot on the ground, placing only a tiny bit of weight on the ankle to test it. Pain shot through her entire body, but she braved a straight face. She’d rather crawl back to Ryan’s house than spend another second with Chris’ hands touching her. It was more unnerving than the pain.
“I just rolled it. I’ll be fine in a few minutes. You can go ahea— Put me down this instance!” Tori squealed as her feet were pulled out from under her.
Chris lifted her in his arms like a rag doll, a smug look on his face. “You are the most stubborn, hard-headed woman I have ever met,” he muttered under his breath.
Doing her best to fight his hold, she squirmed and pulled, trying to free herself. She gave in when his muscular biceps and forearms refused to budge under her attack. She caught the slightest smile on his lips at her attempts, but to his credit, he remained quiet.
Tori lifted her chin and turned her head away from him in silent protest. He moved up the hill quickly, his breathing even and slow like the additional weight was no big deal. If she weren’t so angry, she might have been impressed.
Chris turned down the tree-lined driveway leading to his home. The pain in her ankle and the annoyance of being carried like an invalid was forgotten as she got her first closeup view of the house. She gasped at the magnificent construction. The large, two-story cabin was incredible, like something straight out of a magazine. She had seen his work before, of course. He had helped build Ryan’s home, as well as several others in town, but this house was better than any other she’d seen. The stone and log structure sat at an angle to the right of the driveway with the attached four-car garage to the left. The view promised to be spectacular with every step closer to the house.
Chris carried her through the front door into the living room and deposited her on a large navy sectional.
“Don’t move,” he ordered and paused as if he were making sure she was going to obey.
She nodded and watched as Chris walked to the kitchen and opened the freezer. He turned and came back with a bag of peas. He lifted her leg carefully and propped it on the couch, before placing the frozen bag on her ankle. She allowed herself to look up into his eyes as he caressed her hurt ankle. His eyes had lost their usual mocking glint and were replaced with a gentler look that Tori couldn’t place.
“I’ll go get your things from Ryan’s and bring them here. Do you need anything else?” Chris asked, his hand still touching her leg.
She steadied her erratic breathing, blaming it on the pain and not his touch. “That’s really not necessary. I can get it later. My ankle is already feeling better.”
Tori needed him to move away from her. Being this close did funny things to her heart rate, no matter how much she tried to convince herself it didn’t.
“Good Lord, woman, can you just let me take care of you for five minutes? I know I’m the last person you want to help you, but there’s no one else here.” He ran a hand through his hair, causing it to stick up in a way that made her want to run her fingers through it.
She nodded, biting down on the inside of her cheek. Chriswasthe last person she wanted help from, but not for the same reasons he was probably inferring. His help made her feel weak and vulnerable.
“I’ll be back soon. Don’t move. Call me if you need anything,” Chris said, one hand on the door. He stopped and turned after reaching the door, gazing at her as if he was trying to memorize the room with her in it. Or maybe he was regretting this whole charade. The thought brought her insecurities bubbling to the surface.
“I’m serious. Don’t move,” he rasped, opening the door.
He had one foot out before Tori found her voice.
“Chris?” she said softly, feeling strange speaking to him without her usual sarcasm or anger.
He turned, eyeing her, his eyebrows arched like he expected an argument.
“Thank you.”
Chris smiled, the taunting grin back. “You’re welcome, sweetheart.”
“Here’s her bagand everything I could see of hers. I’ll keep an eye out and let you know if I find anything else.” Elle handed him Tori’s bag.
It was an intimate thing, carrying her bag. It shouldn’t have felt that way after unboxing all her belongings in his home, but it did.
“I hope you’re hungry. Elle made enough pancakes to feed an army.” Ryan pulled Elle against him and wrapped his arms around her waist.
Food was the last thing Chris wanted right then. He wanted to get back to Tori, but he couldn’t say that to Ryan. Lord help him if Ryan knew the things going on his head at the moment.
Chris winked at Elle and followed his nose to the kitchen. “I’m starved.”
With a stack of pancakes so big he wasn’t sure he could take them down, Chris sat across from Ryan at the dining room table.
