Page 40 of Rescued Heart

He reached for her but instead fisted his fingers. “You couldn’t make me do anything.” If he hadn’t gone with her tonight, would she have been targeted by that car?

He shook that image away. “This wasn’t your fault. Neither was yesterday’s event.”

She squeezed the purse to her chest. “I should have moved. But the last car scene I was in, that’s what I had to do. Stand there.” She extended her arms. “I had to stiffen and wait for the special effects people to lift my harness up. I went into acting mode.” She leaned her head back. “I should have been the one to hit the ground, and instead I landed on top. How did that even happen? For real. Are you hurt? Remember, you’re against lying.”

Eddie put his key into the ignition. He’d never thought sticking to the truth would come back to bite him. “I’m going to be sore, but I’ll be fine. Ice should probably be in both of our futures.”

She shrank closer to the passenger-side door. Something else was bothering her.

“Bianca?” He hadn’t meant to whisper her name.

Her gaze flashed back to him.

He pulled his eyes away and watched Junior speak to the three girls. “You can tell me if you’re hurt or whatever. I promise I’m not going to run to the press or whatever social media is all the hype…”

A half-laugh, half-hiccup cry blurted from her mouth. “All the hype? Sounds like you’re about to star in a seventies-themed movie.”

Eddie smirked. “Only if I get to drive a fast car.”

Probably not the wisest thing to say at the moment.

Her face sobered. “Do you think tonight is related to yesterday’s sabotage?”

There it was. Except he didn’t know if it was a good thing or bad that he could read this woman. She was smart. And possibly rightfully worried.

Eddie buckled his own seat belt. He shouldn’t lie. “Officer Ramble doesn’t seem to think so currently.”

Bianca paused. “You don’t agree?”

Eddie started the truck. “We don’t need to borrow any trouble. Officer Ramble suggested we meet him at the firehouse to go over things without the world watching.”

“Thanks, Eddie. I’m afraid I’ve been nothing but a giant burden to you.”

He slanted his head. “Not suregiantwould be the word I’d use.”

Her face flushed to its original color. Exactly what he’d hoped for. Redirection tactic.

Eddie pulled away from the curb. “Maybe I’d use the wordgigantic. Evenmassive. Orhumongous.”

She shook her finger at him. “Edward…James Rice. That’s mean.”

He slowed at a red light. “Truth sometimes hurts.”

She huffed, and a curl danced in the air by her face. “Especially when it isn’t said in love.”

He sobered. She had a point. “You aren’t a burden, Bianca, big or little. A little more accident-prone than most.”

Her mouth popped open. “Says the rescue firefighter who has been through more situations than I have.”

Another point for her.

He stole a glace in her direction. “Did I really hurt your feelings?”

Her fingers traced along a section of her curls over her shoulder. “Did I really guess your middle name right?”

She could have misdirectedhisquestion because he really had hurt her.

The light turned green, but there was no one behind him. His foot hovered over the pedal. “Not even close.”

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