Baby Be Mine(Spinsters & Casanovas Series Book 1)(90)

“I don’t know,” Clarice answered. She was too shocked to react, as she was now within Hunter’s embrace. And it felt like… like… Anton’s hugs, when they were together in Queenstown that night.

“Here, let me help you.” Hunter was about to lift Clarice when she pushed him away.

“What are you doing?” she asked when she woke from her shock.

“Lifting you up so I can look at your legs properly.”

“I don’t need your help,” she said. “I can get up myself.”

“Fine. Suit yourself.”

Hunter stood back and folded his arms, watching the woman who thought she could get up without his help. It looked as if she’d injured herself quite badly. And he hadn’t even finished thinking about it when Clarice almost fell over backward as she tried to stand.

“Clarice!” He wrapped his arm behind her before she toppled to the hard concrete again. “Why don’t you let me carry you?”

“No. Don’t carry me. I can walk!” she shouted in panic.

“Goddamn it. Don’t be such an annoying woman. I’m not going to kiss you, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

Oh shit! There was silence all around him. Why did he have to mention that?

Clarice swallowed. Now with him this close to her, she couldn’t think of anything else.

Hunter could feel Clarice’s trepidation. He knew she must have been thinking about that episode too.

“Wind your arms around me,” he said instead. “I’ll put you inside the car. Then I’ll have a look at that foot of yours.”

This time Clarice was obedient, letting Hunter do his job. Once he placed her in the backseat, he lifted her left foot so it rested on his bent knees. He started folding her trousers back and feeling for any broken bones.

“Owww! That hurts,” she cried.

No, she mustn’t cry in front of this kid. He was a kid after all. By seven years. But a single tear slid down her cheek. The pain was so unbearable. Then she felt a soft hand flick away that teardrop, and she opened her eyes, coming face to face with Hunter. Her breath was immediately knocked out of her chest and in that split second, she could feel the tension weighing down upon her, constricting her lungs, preventing her from inhaling enough oxygen.

“Does it hurt?” Hunter asked softly, dropping his eyes to her ruby pouty lips.

Clarice couldn’t answer so she just nodded and looked away, taking deep, slow breaths.

“Do you want me to take you to the hospital?” Hunter asked.

Oh, no, she must go to Anton. She had a meeting with Anton today. She must see him.

“No. No.” Clarice shook her head. “I should be fine now. Could you let my foot go?”

“Wait, not yet. I’ll check if your soles are all right first.” Then Hunter proceeded to remove her heels gently.

“Jesus, Avocado!” He swore when he saw her soles covered in blisters. “What the hell did you do to yourself? Why are your feet blistered?” Then Hunter lifted her other foot and removed the other heel. “For Christ sake, and here you tell me you can walk? What did this?”

“Those shoes. They’re too high for me. Plus, I didn’t expect to walk that far.”

“Where were you going?”

“Somewhere.”

“Where is somewhere?” Hunter reiterated, starting to get irritated with Clarice’s monosyllable answers.

“A hotel,” Clarice said, looking away.

“A hotel!” Hunter sputtered.