Page 32 of Melting His Grumpy Heart
For a moment he lay stunned, before he rolled onto his back, blinking up at a sky that was suddenly too bright and hard. A warm wetness trickled down his face, metallic and familiar.
Blood.
“Ru!” Jake’s voice cut through the confusion, sharp with alarm. Suddenly Jake was there, kneeling beside Ru, his face tight with concern. “Don’t move.” The command brooked no argument, as his hands cradled Ru’s head.
“I’m okay,” Ru managed, though the words came out thick and nasal. He tried to sit up, but Jake’s palm against his chest kept him in place.
“I said don’t move.” All Jake’s playfulness had disappeared, replaced by a calm authority that made Ru instantly compliant. “Just take a moment. You’ve hit your head, and you’re bleeding,” he said, his expression darkening. He produced a tissue from his pocket and pressed it carefully to Ru’s nose.
“It’s just a nosebleed from the knock, that’s all.”
Jake ignored him, his focus absolute as he helped Ru sit up and tilted Ru’s head forward. “Keep the tissue in place and pinch the soft part of your nose, just above the nostrils,” he instructed, “but not too hard.” Jake ripped off his gloves, and rested a hand at the nape of Ru’s neck, warm, reassuring, and steady. “Follow my finger.” He moved the index finger of his other hand, slowly, from side to side.
Ru obeyed. This was a man completely in his element, commanding and competent in a crisis. Ru’s pulse quickened, despite the pain.
“Pupils equal, tracking normally,” Jake murmured, his gaze so intense Ru was sure he could feel the heat of it. “Any dizziness? Nausea? Double vision?”
“No, no, and no,” Ru assured him. “Really, Jake, it was just a tumble.”
Jake’s jaw tightened. “You hit your head. That’s notjustanything.” His hand moved from Ru’s neck to his face, fingers tilting his chin to better examine the injury to both his nose and forehead. “You’re going to have a bump the size of an egg on your brow. Your nose has taken a bashing, but it’s not broken.” Jake’sface was so close Ru could breathe in Jake’s warmth, and see the gold glints in his green eyes.
“Think you can stand? Slowly,” Jake said, when Ru nodded. His arm slipped around Ru’s waist for support.
Ru’s legs wobbled for a second, but he didn’t fall. The bleeding had already slowed, though his nose throbbed in time with his heartbeat. “See? All functional.” He attempted a smile that turned into a wince as it pulled at his tender nose.
Jake didn’t return the smile, his expression remaining grave. “What hurts?”
“My nose and forehead. But neither as much as my pride. Honestly, I’m fine.”
Jake studied him for another long moment, eyes narrowed. “I need to get you back inside.”
Ru leant against Jake. There was something undeniably reassuring and comforting about being the focus of such fierce protection, no matter that he’d tried to laugh it off, and about the solid, warm strength in the arm that wound itself around him and took his weight.
“I can walk, you know. I won’t fall down.” Although Ru wasn’t sure if that was strictly true
“Humour me.” Jake’s voice was tight with concern.
Back inside, Jake directed Ru to a chair before he filled a bowl with warm water before producing a first aid kit.
“Hold still.” Jake dampened a cloth and cleaned the dried blood from Ru’s face. His touch was gentle, his movements unhurried. He stood close enough that Ru could smell him, even through his swollen, battered nose. That woodsmoke aroma again, along with something uniquely Jake that made Ru want to drench his senses in him.
“The bleeding’s stopped. As I suspected, your nose isn’t broken, but you’ll have bruising.” His fingers lingered on Ru’s face, no longer strictly medical in their attention. “I’ll get yousome painkillers, because you’re going to have a bastard of a headache.”
Ru nodded, his throat too thick to speak, though in truth he barely registered the pain, too distracted by Jake’s proximity and the intensity of his focus.
Jake’s hand fell to his side, but he made no move to step away. “You should rest. Take it easy for the rest of the day.”
“It’s barely even midday,” Ru said, finding his voice which was rough and scratchy. “I’m not an invalid.”
“Head injuries aren’t something to mess with. Even minor ones. So you’ll do as I say.”
Ru looked up, their gazes snagging.
A silence stretched between them, charged with things unsaid. Jake was still standing close, one hand resting on the table beside Ru, the other at his side before he pushed it into the pocket of his joggers. Jake’s gaze fell to Ru’s lips before returning to his eyes, the moment so brief Ru might have imagined it.
“Thank you,” Ru said, suddenly needing to break the tension. “For taking care of me.”
Jake gave a sharp nod. “I’ll get those tablets. And you should lie down. Sofa or bed?”
