lies

three

Sav

I slump down on a plastic seat and clench my teeth together. Why am I irritated over Justin and the receptionist making eyes at each other? They can do what they want, right? I shouldn't care. Well, maybe I'm irritated because I'm the damn patient, and she was more interested in shagging him with her eyes.

Not that I blame her. It's difficult to look away from him.

Justin's gaze follows me as he leans back in his seat. He looks wary, scared of me almost. That makes for a nice change. Though, in reality, he's probably just wishing he were anywhere else.

"You okay?" he asks cautiously, his voice wavering, showing real emotion. In that second at least, he cares if I'm all right or not.

"Yes, I'm fine. You don't have to sit around with me, if you don't want to."

Bugger off, and speak to the woman who would undoubtedly take you into the restroom right now.

His eyebrows knit together. "Did I dream our conversation in the car? I thought we'd established that I was staying."

"We did, but you seem very ... distracted."

"The fuck? We've been in here for three minutes."

I'm acting like a crazy person. Why does it matter what he does?

He's staying to give me a lift home, not to hold my damn hand.

My God, today is a bad day.

Sighing, I try to get a grip on myself. "Sorry. I'm just in pain, and I don't do pain well."

He folds his arms and kicks his legs out. If someone were walking past, he would trip them.

"Don't worry about it. I grew up with two sisters."

My spine instantly straightens. "Meaning?"

"Dramatic," he grunts.

Cheeky bastard.

"My gender has nothing to do with it! I'll tell you what; lay your arm on the floor, I'll stamp on it, and we'll see if it fucking hurts."

His head snaps back in my direction, and his mouth parts. I've shocked him.

I've kind of shocked myself, too.

My heart is thudding away, sending blood pumping through my body so fast, I might faint while sitting down. This is a little more like the old me. The part I actually liked.

He gave me a lift to the hospital, and he's waiting for me so that he can take me home, and all I've done so far is be bitchy. Oops.

"Do you want me to see if they have any pain relief? Or a fucking sedative?" he asks."

"Despite myself, I can't stop the burst of laughter that erupts from my mouth. He chuckles, too, and shakes his head.

"I apologise for the"—I raise my eyebrow at him—"dramatics."

"That's all right. I understand it's hard to keep a cool head when I'm around. Many women suffer the same."

I roll my eyes. "Like the receptionist? And I don't lose my mind around you, Justin; you're not my type."

Actually, that's not the whole truth. Physically, I'm very attracted to him—my pounding heart can attest to that—but he doesn't need to know.

His jaw tightens. "Don't lie to yourself."

How did he ...

"I'm not lying to myself or anyone else. I don't want any man." Ever again.