“I . . . I think so,” I say, as I press my fingers to my hairline.
A warm, wet substance slides across my fingers, and when I bring my fingers into view, I hear Keller say, “She’s bleeding. Grab the first aid kit.”
Feet shuffle across the room while Keller scoots closer, his masculine scent still strong, even in the middle of the night. It’s a woodsy scent. Something only a man with a chest tattoo would wear.
“I’m going to tilt your head to the side,” he says, while gently placing his hands on my cheeks. “Tell me if there’s any pain.” When he makes the first attempt to move me, he asks, “That okay?”
“Yes,” I answer as he turns my head so now my eyes are in line with his crotch. His very large, very on-display crotch. Just sitting there, all . . . bulgy. Why is it so bulgy? Wait, is he wearing . . . is that . . . “Are you in your underwear?” I ask him.
Still gently turning my head, he answers, “I didn’t have time to dress.”
Lucky me, because there’s a whole lot of man-thigh in front of me and not a lot of coverage.
Thick, masculine legs carry his heavy torso. His briefs cut all the way up to his hips. Yup . . . his hips. Not sure I’ve ever seen a man in a pair of black briefs, I’ve only seen boxers, but there’s something about the way the thick waistband wraps around his narrowed hips that is holding my attention, compelling me to wet my lips and wonder what it would be like to slip my fingertips past the black elastic.
“Is it a big cut?” Lara asks, her voice shaky.
“No,” Keller says. “Just a butterfly stitch should be fine.”
They move around me as I keep my eyes fixed on the bulge between Keller’s legs.
It’s a great bulge. A large bulge for a large man. I can only imagine what it’s like when he stands. Probably hangs heavy. It’s the only way I can imagine it.
“I’m so sorry,” Lara says, her voice emotional, which of course snaps me out of my bulge-haze.
When I pull my eyes away from the Adonis in front of me and glance up at Lara, I’m gutted to find tears in her eyes.
“Hey, it’s fine,” I say, attempting to reach out, but quickly put my hand down when I feel a wave of dizziness wash over me. “You were doing your job, and might I add, a job well done. Not sure many people could have such accuracy with a broom.”
“I should’ve waited. I reacted first. I know better.”
Brimar puts his arm around her shoulder while Keller opens the first aid kit and gets to work. “I’m glad you were on alert,” Keller says while he presses some gauze to my forehead. “For all we know, it could’ve been an intruder.”
“Yes, but still, I should’ve waited. I know better.”
“Lara, it’s really fine,” I say. “I shouldn’t have been walking around at night.”
“I didn’t hear the stairs. That would’ve tipped me off that it was one of you.”
I smile despite myself. “I slid down the banister on my stomach.”
Keller pauses and levels with me. “Why would you do that?”
“I didn’t want to wake anyone.” I take in the three pairs of eyes all staring down at me. “Then again, looks like I woke up everyone anyway.”
Brimar cleans up the first aid kit, while Keller asks, “Are you able to sit up?”
“I believe so,” I answer. He takes my hand in his, his warm palm to mine, and then he slips his other hand around my back and slowly helps me up to a seated position.
“How’s that?” he asks.
“Good,” I answer, just as my stomach growls loudly enough for the neighbors across the countryside to hear. I smile sheepishly. “Sort of hungry.”
“Let me grab you something,” Brimar says, but Keller stands and holds his hand out to pause him.
“No, I’ll grab her something. Why don’t you both go get some sleep? We’ll need you alert.”
Brimar nods, but Lara takes a seat at the coffee table, where she leans forward and takes my hand in hers. “Are you truly okay? I’m so sorry, Miss Campbell.”
I place my hand on hers and say, “Once again, call me Lilly, and, yes, I’m quite all right. I actually feel better knowing there’s a badass broom thrower in our midst. Like a javelin, it nailed me dead in the head. I really have to give credit where credit is due.”
“She’s always had a supreme aim,” Brimar says with pride in his voice.
I smile at Lara and say, “I promise. I’m good. I think you actually did me a favor, because”—I dramatically drape my hand across my forehead—“I don’t believe I’ll be able to work out tomorrow with you guys. I’m much too fragile.”