Page 15 of Secret Admirer

“Miss me already?” She laughs. There’s a lot of background noise so she must still be at dinner. I’m not sure how much to say to her. I don’t want her to worry about me and I most definitely don’t want her to give me shit about taking Bodhi home with me, but I know she’ll kill me if I keep any of it from her.

“Coco?” Her voice sounds worried now. The once loud background noise starts to fade. “What’s going on? Did something happen?”

A bitter laugh tumbles from my lips. “You could say that. I…I was…I was attacked out in the parking lot. If…if it hadn’t been for Bodhi,” I choke on my words.

“Oh my God, Coco. Are you okay?” Her voice shakes with emotion. Hearing her concern makes tears well up, but I fight them away. I need to stay strong. At least until I get home and by myself. “Do I need—”

“No,” I interrupt her, “I’m as okay as I can be. When I get home, I’m going to take a nice hot bath and maybe drink a glass of wine. I just wanted to let you know what happened and I might be too sore to work tomorrow.”

“You do what you need to do. I can call your clients and reschedule them. Don’t worry about it. Do you want me to come by and check on you? Bring you anything?”

“For now I’m good, but if I need anything, I’ll let you know.” My chin quivers for the first time tonight. I grit my teeth and try to smile even though she can’t see me. “Thank you, Trixie. For everything.”

“You know I’d do anything for you.”

And I do. Trixie is the one person who accepted me when I broke out from under what my parents expected of me. She gave me a job when everyone else denied me because of my parents’ influence.

“I know. I’d do the same.” Straightening my shoulders and my resolve, I hold my head high. “Go back to your dinner and don’t worry about me. Really, I’m fine,” I say to assure not just her but myself as well.

“If you say so. Call me tomorrow when you wake up to let me know how you’re feeling. Night.”

“I will. Night.”

I stand watching the EMT’s talk to Bodhi. He’s holding a sheet of paper and nodding along with them. At least he seems to be in better spirits. As if he knows I’m thinking about him, he looks up from under his impossibly long eyelashes. No, I can’t see them from where I’m standing but I’ve memorized everything about his eyes and how his eyelashes fan out across his tanned cheeks the couple of times I’ve been in close proximity.

Putting on my best smile, I walk over and stand next to Bodhi. We’re so close when I turn to talk to him, our arms brush and I feel a tingle travel up my arm. “Are you ready to go?”

“You really don’t need to…I’m fine now.” He points to the area with the stitches. The hair around the area is covered in blood and the stylist in me is itching to get my hands on his long mane.

Placing my hand on my hip, I thrust it out annoyed. “Just because you’ve stopped bleeding doesn’t mean you don’t have a concussion. You’re coming with me. I promise to keep my hands to myself,” I joke, but one look at his wide eyes I realize I said the wrong thing.

“I…I never thought that about you,” he rushes out then looks away.

His reaction makes me want to cry for upsetting him. Who knew sweet Bodhi is a sensitive soul to boot?

“Oh Bodhi,” I place my hand on his bicep and feel the muscle jump underneath my touch, “I know you didn’t. I was only kidding. I’m sorry if I upset you, I guess I’m still a little frazzled. Please let me take care of you. You’ll be helping me as much as I’m helping you, if not more.”

His gaze traces over me like a caress. I can tell he’s still unsure, but why? Does he find me unappealing after the attack? From before?

He turns away from the EMTs and speaks loud enough for only me to hear. “I don’t want to be a bother.”

It takes everything within me to not reach out and hold his hand. “I promise you won’t be a bother.”

“And I promise, I’m not a serial killer or anything like that.” He clamps his mouth shut for a moment, his eyes assessing me. “Only a guy who’s down on his luck. Have been for a while now.”

“I don’t care about that. Only the man that you are.” I let him hear the conviction in my words. I mean every word. I don’t care if he’s the poorest or richest man in the world. I only want to make sure he’s okay.

“If you’re sure,” he mumbles.

“Do you need to call anyone?”

“There’s no one to call.” He pauses looking back at the salon. “Actually, I should probably call my work, only I don’t know the number.”

“We can look it up once we get back to my place unless you need to call them now.” With shaking hands, I try to pull my phone back out of my purse.

He eyes my movements before placing a timid hand on my arm but then quickly pulls it away. “My next shift isn’t until tomorrow afternoon.”

“Okay, you can call them in the morning. Are you ready to go?” I try to sound chipper, afraid that any wrong move will have Bodhi running for the hills.

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