“No. She shouldn’t have ever trusted anyone, Riley. You know that, and you believe that, if you give yourself a chance.” Stephen pulled out the bullet, and Riley grunted. “You need to stop feeling guilty. You need to put the past to bed and move on. And you should consider doing it, living and breathing.”
Stephen patched him up, and Riley gritted his teeth at each stitch. He didn’t make a sound, but his thoughts were on Meghan.
“You’re all done. Let me go and clean up. Meghan’s in the kitchen.”
“No, Meghan’s here.” They both turned to see Meghan, holding a large tub of ice cream. “I wanted to check and make sure you’re okay. I can come in here with this, right? It’s not a real hospital.”
“You can. I always clean it after every visit. I will give you two some privacy,” Stephen said. Without another word, he was gone, leaving him alone with his woman.
Was she his woman?
Meghan stepped into the room. She wore a pair of sweats and a tank top. The red dress was long gone, which was such a shame.
“How’s your arm?” he asked, noticing the bandage above the cast.
“It’s hurting. He gave me something for the pain. He also checked out my broken arm. I’ve got to stop trying to use it, as otherwise it will take longer to heal.” Her broken arm was the one holding the large tub of ice cream against her body. “This is helping. You want some?”
“Sure.”
She put the spoon in and held some up to his lips. “How about you?” she asked, feeding him chocolate ice cream. “How are you holding up?”
“I’ll live. It’ll be fucking painful. But I’ll live.”
“Do we have to leave?” she asked.
“Not straight away but I don’t want to stay here too long.” He wanted to keep David on his toes. “It won’t be long now.”
“Will you consider what that guy offered you?”
“David’s place?”
“Yeah.”
“No.”
“Why not?” she asked.
“It’s not who I am.”
“You worked for him though. Wouldn’t you know everything there is to know about taking over? About being the right guy for the job.”
“It’s complicated.”
“I don’t think it has to be,” she said.
“Meghan, we’re not talking about this.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry. So, what is the plan now?” she asked.
He saw right through her smile as she put one on for him. He wasn’t good at this, never had been.
Running fingers through his hair, he didn’t have a clue what to say to make it right with her. There was nothing to be said.
“Look, you don’t have to come with me. I can pay Stephen and you can live with him for a time.”
“Really? You want to be rid of me now?”
He’d made her feel so many different things, and it wasn’t just the sex either. It had been nice, more than nice, but it was more.
She enjoyed being with him. She felt like she belonged when she was with him. No one ever made her feel that way.
Putting the watch on the bed, she got to her feet and glanced at the mirror. Her hair was a mess from the shower. She still wore the bath towel and hadn’t tried to dress herself.
Licking her dry lips, she knew this was what she wanted to do.