“How did it happen?” he asked.
“Walking in those.” She pointed to the abandoned heels beside her chair. “It’s a good thing I changed shoes earlier tonight. The other pair had even taller heels. I’m obviously meant to wear flats.”
“Are you sure her ankle’s not broken?” Branson asked. “Should we go to the emergency room?”
“I don’t think it’s broken,” he explained as he placed a boot on her foot. “But if it doesn’t seem to be improving in a few days, you should go see an orthopedist. Rest it. Ice it. Elevate it. You should be fine.”
“Can you give her something for the pain?” Bran asked.
“It’s not that bad,” Steph interrupted before the doc could answer. “I’ll just take some ibuprofen.”
The doc nodded. “Good idea. Anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen or aspirin or naprosyn sodium, around the clock. Elevate to reduce swelling. Use these crutches for at least the first twenty-four hours to keep the weight off your foot. This air cast ought to keep you from twisting it while it’s healing.”
“I’ll be sure she uses the crutches,” Branson assured the doctor, as he completed some sort of online transaction via his accessible cell phone.
With a few forms signed and final instructions given, the doctor was on his way. The entire appointment took less than fifteen minutes. Bran stood and offered his hand to Stephanie. She accepted his help, irritated that his touch still sent tingles up her spine.
She had to get over him. He belonged to Carina, now. She resolved to forget all about him. She willed the tingles away. I need to concentrate on something else. Okay, I’m at the dentist, and she’s about to drill on my tooth. It worked… right up until the moment Branson spoke.
“Stephanie, I can’t stand that you’re hurting.” His brows were knit in anguish. “I wish it was me, instead.”
Melting. She was literally melting. Her resolve turned to mush. Carina didn’t deserve him. Yet, she had to accept that Bran had chosen her, whatever his reasons.
Bran passed her the crutches, and she attempted to balance on one foot while holding a crutch and a shoe in each hand, her purse strap slung over her shoulder.
“Woops,” she exclaimed, as she wobbled.
Bran’s steadying hand grasped her arm, holding her firmly until she was stable. Then his fingers slid across to the bare skin of her back, eliciting a new set of quivers, more intense than the first.
“You’re shivering.” The tender concern in his voice almost broke her heart, as he dropped his cane and used both hands to rub her arms, warming them with the friction.
Thank goodness that’s all he did. If he’d chosen to share his heat by pulling her against him, she would’ve dissolved in a puddle, right there on the lobby floor.
Her back shouldn’t have been bare. She spied her lace wrap, still on the chair.
“I didn’t pick up my cape. Don’t think I can reach it without dropping something.”
Before she finished her sentence, Branson was groping for the wrap. He retrieved it and draped it over her shoulders, smoothing it in place with gentle hands. “Is that better? It feels really lightweight. You could wear my tux coat.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Guess we need to get you changed out of that sexy dress.” His husky intonation sent blood rushing to her face.
“That’s my plan. I’ll help you find the others and then head upstairs and hit the sack. I’ll be in my warm PJs in ten minutes.”
“I’d rather have you with me. I’ve been missing your voice in my head.”
“Branson, I think it’s time we faced reality. You told me you’re dependent on me, but that needs to change. Once you’re married, Carina won’t want me around. She can’t stand me.”
His laughter startled her. “I don’t care if she hates you. She has no say about my employees.”
“So this is some sort of power play between the two of you?” Fury bubbled to the surface. “What am I? Some sort of pawn in your game? Stuck in the middle?”
“No. That’s not it at all.” He pushed his fingers through his hair, mussing it up in that charming way that tugged at her heart strings. He probably does it on purpose, to torture me.
“I can’t take it anymore, Mr. Knight. I’m sorry. I love my job, but I think I need to quit.” She had no idea how she could afford to take care of Ellie if she quit her job, but she couldn’t worry about that right now. She had to escape, or she would go insane. What good was a crazy mother to Ellie?
“Hold on.” Branson lifted an open hand and tilted his head to the side as if he were listening to their surroundings. “Let’s go upstairs to your room where we’ll have some privacy. You can change clothes, and I’ll… I’ll explain some things.”
Steph blew a stray strand of hair out of her face. “This better be good.”
CHAPTER 14
The elevator ride was silent, but for the mechanical noises. Though they were the only two occupants, Bran didn’t want to begin his explanation, only to be interrupted if someone joined them on another floor. Besides, it gave him time to consider his approach.
No telling what Stephanie was thinking. She probably wished she’d never met him. What a mess he’d made of things. He’d planned to bring Carina in as a wife in name only, a business deal with mutual benefits. He’d thought she wouldn’t want to interact much, perhaps spending most of her time in Europe. She’d caught him off guard with her efforts to rush the marriage. And he hadn’t anticipated her ability to hurt Stephanie. In fact, his main purpose in the marriage had been for Stephanie and Ellie’s benefit, though he didn’t want to reveal that to her. Now she was threatening to quit her job, and he wasn’t sure he could live without her. He was certain he didn’t want to.
When they reached Stephanie’s door, she stuffed a pair of shoes into his chest. “Here. Hold these, please.” After a bit of rustling noise and some frustrated mumbling, she added a purse. “This, too. I can’t do anything with these stupid crutches.”
“How did you carry all this stuff with your crutches? Why didn’t you let me help you?”
“Didn’t figure you’d want people to see you carrying high heels and a purse.”
“Really? Did you forget I’m blind?”
“I had no idea,” she said, with heated sarcasm.
