Trying Not To Love (COMPLETED)

Chapter 8 ✅

"His loss. I know you rock as a nurse." She assured, smiling, and then looked back at her phone. Probably texting with Arnold. Her new boy crush.

I feigned a chuckled, relaxing beside her. "Yeah, whatever."

I called Linda to let her know about Highness Easton's presence and was able to breathe better when she told that doctor said Jamey was going to be absolutely fine, the season change got to him nothing else to worry about.

They were on there way back home, so we strolled to our rooms. I was exhausted. As I walked closer to my door, I heard the loud crash then groaning and wincing.

I got closer to his door and my heart started to beat against my chest as if it wanted to rush inside and help him even though he's been an asshole to me all this time.

I sucked in a deep breath.

"Fuck!" He cursed and I had enough. I couldn't take this.

I pulled on the handle and the door opened. I paused to watch him struggle, as he tried to wrap a bandage around his left forearm. I looked at the broken mirror and gasped. He definitely had some major anger issues.

His eyes snapped up at me and his jaw clenched tight. "What are you doing here? I told you--" He started to yell at me while I shut the door behind me and stomped towards him, cutting him off with my hands held up high in the air.

"I'm not doing you a favor and you won't owe me anything, Brinkley. Now shut the fuck up and let me help you." I snapped and furrowed when I saw his eyes stuck to my stomach.

WHAT?

I glanced down to see... Shit!

I pulled my hands down and adjusted my yet another short length t-shirt-- which just now gave him the full-on glimpse of my past. My bellybutton. The little dangling half star.

Heat pooled in my cheeks and I started to fidget. All my confidence from a second ago puffed into thin air. A smirk formed on his lips and he raised a brow. While trying to breathe, I knelt in front of him and grabbed his arm. The little electric shocks started to buzz between us but we both ignored it. His arm was warm against my cold hands and I... needed to concentrate. I managed to properly bandage the wound. And he let me.

His stare was hot on my skin, drilling holes in me and I had to look up. He was smiling. Warmth like never before rushed to my neck, my ears, and my whole face, and I immediately dropped my eyes back to his arm. The zap of electricity which I felt when I accidentally grabbed his arm before was still there like a background music.

"What?" I finally asked. Knowing the elephant wouldn't just leave.

"Nothing." But I knew what he wanted to ask.

Maybe for once, he could be a little civil with me. A small smile tugged at my lips and I gazed up into his breathtaking turquoise eyes,"You didn't see anything, right?" I asked, playfully.

His eyes held me captive as he searched for something in me. It felt like he could see beyond my strong facade and right into my real weak self and it terrified me.

"I know what I saw. A bellybutton. It was blue and red dangling from your navel in a half star shape."

Clearly, he didn't want to play. I shut my eyes and bit the inside of my cheek. Embarrassing. And I couldn't talk about it. Not now. Not like this. And not to him.

So I let the topic die for now.

My fingers brushed his bruised knuckles and I felt him stiffen. I spread the ointment and lightly blew on them.

He clutched his hand in a ball and mine got wrapped into his. My stomach dropped to my ankles and my heart stopped. Or at least it felt like that.

I glanced up and my breath hitched in my throat. The scorching heat had taken over my skin while the hair on the back of my neck stood up on ends. I had never felt this strong swirling of emotions before.

Tears pooled in my eyes and a second later I realized why. I bit my lip because the hand he'd clutched was the burnt one. He must have seen the tears because his gaze fell on my hand and he immediately let go.

"I'm sorry... I didn't. It hurt so..." He rambled on.

Okay, it was adorable.

A bark of chuckle left my lips, surprising both of us.

"Where does it hurt?"

He raised a brow and I pointed at his upper body. "I saw you clutch your stomach. Did you get hit there? Ribs? It could be serious."

He jumped off the bed and like lighting had bolted him stepped backward. I glanced around confused to see if I missed the spot where the fire was. "I'm not taking my shirt off." He mumbled.

Heat felt like it decided to settle permanently on my cheeks. "Just pull up a little."

He ran a hand through his messy hair which was long on the top and short at the sides. He appeared to be having a war in his head so I gave him the time.

Then he locked eyes with me and came forward, taking his seat. He pulled his t-shirt slightly over so I could examine the damage. I gasped. A huge purple bruise was forming on the side of his ribs and when I touched my fingers to his last rib, he jerked back, suppressing a yelp with pressing his lips together.

I grabbed the tube and spread some cooling gel on it. It would help him get some relief from the pain. I muttered,"You have a huge bruise and one broken rib. Don't move a lot and stay away from driving for some time. The rib will heal in two or three weeks and--"

He shot me a dreadful look, "Two or three weeks? No way!!"

"No racing for awhile it seems to me." I stood up and he narrowed his eyes on me.

I shrugged, "Tabby must have heard you tell Arnold. Was it drag or street?" I think I knew the answer but I still wanted to hear from him.

I didn't know he was going to be upfront about it. "Street."

I smiled, "Hence, the injuries. Well, congratulations on winning. Chevy Corvette is a real deal after all."

Another genuine smile formed on his lips, but he quickly swiped it away, staring at me, as if I'd intrigued him somehow.

"What's your name?" I should be shocked or offended but I wasn't.

"Goodnight, Jackass." Rolling my eyes, I ushered and shut his door behind me. And grinned so big when I heard him laugh from the other side.

XOXO

Thank you so much.

Please VOTE/COMMENT/SHARE/LOVE

~D <3