I kneeled next to her, that mass of hair still obscuring her face and pushing me to brush it aside with my hand. A set of parted lips, a button nose, and pale cheeks were revealed. Too pale, I noticed, my gaze inspecting her for obvious injuries. My eyes stopped at a bump on her forehead. It was an ugly shade of red and didn’t alleviate any of my concern.
“Hello?” I called a third time, not obtaining any reaction from her. I patted her cheek softly. Still nothing. “Christ.”
I tilted my head back for a second, dragging my hand down my face and dreading the reasonable course of action. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact she’d almost run me over. Missing the fucking bird that had been roaming the property for weeks was fair enough, but me? I had been standing right behind the car. And I wasn’t a small bloke. She’d overlooked a six-foot-two man in broad daylight, then hurled the goddamn car against a tree.
“And now you’re going to make me call a bloody ambulance, aren’t you?” I whispered, shaking my head and pulling my phone out of my pocket. “Of course you are.”
Just as I was unlocking it, though, she finally stirred, recapturing my attention.
A groan left her.
“Come on,” I murmured, eagerly waiting for her to fully regain consciousness.
Her head moved to the side, her eyeballs flickering under the soft-looking skin of her eyelids.
I expelled a breath, growing restless. Once more, I reached out with my hand. I needed her to wake up and be fine. I was concerned about the likelihood of her having a concussion, sure, but I was also concerned about myself. And the last thing I wanted was having to report this and call in the emergency services or, God forbid, the authorities. I’d—
Her eyes popped open, bringing my motion to a sudden halt.
Brown eyes met mine.
“Who are you?” she rushed out in a strangled voice. Her gaze dipped toward my hand, just as it was about to make contact with her shoulder. “Don’t touch me.” She glanced up again. “I know self-defense.”
I frowned.
“I could take you.” Her voice turned into a whisper. “I think.”
“You think? That’s not very threatening,” I muttered. She scowled at me for an instant, and then shifted, wincing with the motion. “What’s hurting?” I asked, and when she didn’t move or speak, I stretched my hand in her direction again. I’d assess her injuries myself if I had to, make sure she was okay, then drop her off at the closest hospital for a checkup. She wasn’t my problem but I—
She swatted at me.
At my hand. One sharp and quick swat.
I blinked.
“I told you not to touch me.” The woman all but spat. Outrage twisted her expression. Or perhaps it was fear. I frankly couldn’t tell. I was also too baffled to give a single fuck. “So?” she insisted. “Who are you and why am I lying on the ground?”
I continued to stare at her, speechless. And when I could finally talk past my disbelief, what left me was, “You hit me with your car.”
The woman frowned. “I did not hit—” She stopped herself, her jaw slowly falling open. “Oh.” Realization washed over her face. “Oh.”
“Yeah. Oh,” I deadpanned.
“The growl,” she murmured. “It was you.”
“Of course it was me, what did you think you’d hit?”
“I don’t know. A… bear?”
My brows arched. “And you still didn’t brake?”
“I tried to brake.”
“You tried to brake,” I repeated, my eyes flickering to the upscale and definitely not-suitable-for-the-terrain car as it rested against the trunk of an oak tree. She’d been lucky she’d been moving relatively slowly and barely managed to scratch the bumper of the car. I’d been lucky, too.
The woman remained silent, seemingly lost in thought and leaving me no choice but to watch her as she probably recalled everything—at snail’s pace, too. My gaze trailed down, taking in her button-down shirt, pencil skirt, and heels. Everything about this woman, from her clothes—designer, no doubt—to her very impractical vehicle, reeked of entitled big-city life and overpriced beverages she snapped photos of on her way to the office. All of the things I’d intentionally left behind.
My eyes darted back to her face. To the spot on her head that was just as ugly as a few minutes before. “You should get your head checked. I’ll drive you to the closest hosp—”
She jerked upward, bringing my words to a stop when she only managed to fall back.
“Absolutely not.” I placed my palm on her chest to stop her from any other reckless attempt. She pushed upward and it barely took any effort on my side to keep her there. You can take me, my arse. “You’re not jumbling your way into another stupid accident.”
Her chin dipped, her eyes finding my hand. Right above her breasts. She scowled. “I told you not to—”
“Are you lost?” I interrupted her, undeterred by the menacing glance. My touch was purely clinical. Practical. “Is that why you’re here?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Why would I be lost? I was parking my car when you got in the way—”
“You’re either lost,” I interjected again, “or trespassing. Have your pick.”
That seemed to catch her off guard because she blinked a few times. I could see the wheels turning behind her eyes. “Oh God. Are you some crazy wilderness dweller who lives off scamming bypassers by jumping in front of their cars?” My brows furrowed and she shook her head. “I bet the beard and the accent are fake.”
I tilted my head. Okay, she was either a lunatic or had the biggest concussion I’d ever encountered.
“I can pay you,” she offered with a serious face. “I will if you go away. I can’t afford the distraction of a scammer right now.”
I took in a calming breath. “That cabin over there?” I pointed behind me with my head, hearing my voice harden. “I live there. I’m not a dweller, I’m spending a small fortune renting it. Including the driveway where I was almost run over by you, and the oak you crashed against.” The rooster unfortunately came with it.
