Page 73 of The Ice Queen in the Corner Office

He chuckled and winced as I applied alcohol to the cut. “In what universe could I not have taken offense to that comment?”

I shrugged and pressed a gauze pad over the cut. I doubted he wanted tape in his hair, but I didn’t have a better way to keep it bandaged. I made sure the tape stuck really well.

“I just meant your slobbiness doesn’t make me think less of you as a person. It’s my civic duty to make sure you’re aware you are cleaning challenged.”

I used the wet towel to gently clean the blood off his face, doing everything I could to think of him as a stranger and not a man with a beautiful face, the hard angles of which I’d recently kissed.

When I reached his soft lips, I had to stop and hand the towel to him. He could clean his own damn mouth.

I did place a butterfly bandage over his split lip, though. It was swelling nicely, and I wanted nothing more than to lean into him and press my lips to his, to feel his arms wrap around me.

I shook my head and leaned away from him. He was watching me, his eyes dark and hooded, like maybe his thoughts had been trending the same direction. It didn’t matter, we were done.

I leaned back and studied him for more injuries. “Anywhere else sore? It seems like you’re holding your ribs.”

“I’m fine. I’m also not a slob. I walked in on those guys trashing my place. They saw me and decided to trash me instead.”

“Don’t change the subject. What else hurts?”

He sighed. “Don’t you ever give up?”

“I give up about as often as you clean. And, judging by the layer of dust on your entertainment center, dust I doubt those guys planted, I’d say you clean never. What. Else. Hurts?”

“My ribs are a little sore,” he said. “The big one kicked me a few times, but I’m fine.”

“Let me see.”

He lifted his shirt to reveal his entire right side, the side not covered entirely by the tattoo, was red and starting to purple.

“That doesn’t look so good. You might have a broken rib. We should take you to the doctor.”

“I’m breathing fine, so we know none of my ribs hit a lung. Just wrap it and let’s move on.”

“But—”

I was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Alex dropped his head back on the couch. “What the fuck now?”

***

I hopped up and hurried to the door.

“Don’t answer it,” Alex groaned.

I looked through the peep hole and saw three rather rough-looking guys in jeans and t-shirts, wearing scowls. “I think they sent more guys to work you over,” I hissed in the direction of the living room.

A thudding pounding on the door made me jump back.

“Alex, you fucker,” a male voice growled through the door. “We know you’re in there and we ain’t leaving until you let us in.”

“Damn it,” Alex groaned. “Let them in.”

I opened the door and jumped back, ready for anything. Two of the guys, broad-shouldered and bearded, blocked the doorway. The one on the right ran his gaze over me and grinned. “Well, hello there, gorgeous,” he said, sticking out his hand. “I’m Fin.”

I crossed my arms over my chest and took another step back. “I’m—”

“Leave her alone and get the hell in here, you assholes,” Alex yelled.

---