Page 51 of To Believe In You
She turned. “You were leaving?” That could explain his presence in the lobby.
Matt assessed the man. Brilliant red bloomed across the tissues under his nose. “Looks like I will be.”
The staff member stood still, expression unapologetic, and understanding dawned.
“You can’t kick him out. He was defending me.” She lifted her wrist as proof that Shane had been hurting her when Matt stepped in, but her skin bore only faint pink markings.
“It’s all right.” Matt pulled a valet stub from his pocket and handed it over. “I’m not staying like this anyway.”
“But you can’t go outside like that either. There’s press.”
The corner of Matt’s mouth—the side not covered in blood and tissues—lifted in a smile. “Not the worst side of me they’ve seen.”
The staff member passed Matt’s valet stub to a younger guy by the door.
“Then get mine too.” She fished the slip for her own car from her purse.
As a second valet was sent into the night, Lina peered around the foyer. There had to be restrooms out here somewhere. She snagged Matt’s hand and stepped toward what looked to be an alcove.
The employee gave her a wary look.
“We’ll be back in a minute.” She kept walking, Matt following her easily. “He has to clean up to leave. We’re both invited guests. We won’t go back in.”
Though he didn’t indicate his blessing, the guy didn’t move to stop her, either.
* * *
Matt doubtedLina had put any thought into it, but she sent a shock through his arm by threading her fingers with his. Her hands were small and soft. For manhandling her, Shane had deserved to have Matt take the first swing. An action Matt had narrowly resisted.
Lina rounded a corner, and her steps slowed.
This had to be what she’d been looking for—bathrooms.
But as she continued to hold his hand, he realized her dilemma.
She intended to help him clean up, which meant either she was going in the men’s room, or he’d be dragged into the women’s. He suppressed a chuckle and waited to see what she’d pick.
After another moment, she pushed open the women’s door, scanned the interior, then pulled him in. She deposited him near the sink, then propped the door open with a wastebasket.
What was that supposed to accomplish?
On returning, she plucked three paper towels from a basket on the vanity. She moved far enough from the sink for him to step up then motioned him forward before she froze. “What?”
If she didn’t know how entertaining this was, he wasn’t going to tell her. He’d hate for her to get self-conscious now and turn back into her normal, rule-following self. He stepped forward. “What am I doing?”
“Rinse off the blood.”
Might not do much good, since he doubted it had stopped flowing, but he obeyed, rinsing and spitting out what had gotten in his mouth. When he straightened, she immediately covered his mouth with the paper towel. At least she hadn’t pounded it onto his nose. He took over and pinched his nostrils shut.
“You should tilt your head back.” Lina flipped the faucet back on and grabbed more towels.
“That’s a myth.”
“Huh?” She dampened the new paper towels.
“You’re supposed to tilt it forward.”
“Oh. Well, do that then.”
