Page 30

Indy walked into the kitchen on Monday afternoon with carrots on her mind.

Carrots were the only way to get Ranger to do anything that he didn’t want to, and she hoped Theresa had a whole bunch she could spare.

She came through the door at pace only to stop dead in her tracks at the sight of Janet hovering over someone on a chair.

Shiny red blood covered the side of their head.

Her gasp echoed around the kitchen when she recognised Carter beneath all the blood.

‘What the hell happened to you?’

Panic thumped away in her ears. His head was tilted and a nasty gash between his eye and the brow was half butterfly-clipped shut.

Was that the only injury? There had to be something else.

There was too much blood. The whole side of his face was red and a river had run down his neck and shoulder, splattering across him as it went.

Her frantic gaze roamed over him, every single inch.

Which was probably why it took her so long to register that Janet had paused, another strip in her gloved hands while she stared at Indy.

The lack of clanking from Theresa putting cutlery away was her next indicator.

Carter peeked out at her with one eye. Shit, shit, shit.

She tried to readjust her face from the horrified worry she could feel, but she probably didn’t do a very good job.

‘Just a tackle gone wrong,’ he said, a hint of caution in his voice. ‘Haven’t you ever seen blood before?’

Indy scoffed. If he could be sarcastic then he must be okay. ‘Not a person covered in as much as you currently are. It’s like you’re on blood thinners.’

‘Head wounds are bleeders,’ Janet said.

‘So I’ve heard. Seeing it’s a different story. Ghastly.’

‘Gee, thanks,’ Carter muttered although the corners of his mouth twitched, giving away his amusement.

The reverberating of cutlery against cutlery started again and Janet secured the next strip. With her heart still beating at a pace more rapid than normal, Indy leant against the bench behind her and watched. Carter was staying remarkably still, his clenched fists the only sign of any discomfort.

Janet secured the last strip, sealing the wound, and stood back. ‘There, just keep that ice on it now to minimise the bruising, but I think you’re still going to have a shiner.’

He lifted an ice pack Indy hadn’t noticed and gave Janet a grateful smile. ‘Thank you, Janet.’

She nodded to him before whipping the gloves off and heading for the bin.

‘You’re bloody lucky we’ve got Janet trained in first aid. But don’t you have medical people, trainers or whatever? And your own ice packs? Surely injuries at training are more common than not.’ She crossed one ankle over the other, trying to sound as present and casual as possible.

‘We only brought one to camp and haven’t needed him before now, surprisingly. Hughes dislocated his shoulder so he’s attending to that … Seemed a little more serious than mine.’

Indy winced at the image despite not knowing who Hughes was.

The big guy who made a crack about dancing last night sprang to mind.

He didn’t seem like a Hughes, though. More a playboy name like Jackson or something?

Was he the one responsible for Carter’s wayward tackle?

She opened her mouth to ask but Janet and Theresa were still very much in earshot and would probably take too much interest in her wanting to know the details of what happened. She shut her mouth again.

‘Did you need something, Indy?’ Theresa sang out.

Indy stared at her blankly before giving her head a tiny shake. ‘Carrots. I’ve gotta give Ranger some hoof care and I don’t want him biting my bum again.’

A light chuckle came from Carter and Indy shot him a dirty glare before he could make any comment about wanting to be the one to bite her butt. Janet turned from the sink and threw a damp cloth at Carter, who caught it neatly despite not really looking at her.

‘Wipe that blood off so Indy will stop staring at you, would ya?’ Janet said with a laugh. ‘Indy, check the vegie drawer in the double-door fridge. But don’t take too many. We’ve cleaned out the garden and don’t get another grocery order for a few days. These footy boys eat a lot.’

Pushing off the bench, Indy went to the fridge and rustled around inside. She slipped a couple of carrots in her back pocket and held three more in her hands. Shutting the fridge door, a hot fluttering hit her stomach, knowing she was out of excuses to stay in the kitchen.

She frowned at Carter, who was scrubbing at his neck and shoulder. ‘Do you need some help with that? I think you’re making it worse.’

‘It would help if I had a mirror,’ he said.

Indy rolled her eyes at Janet and tucked the remaining carrots in her other back pocket. ‘Give it here.’

Carter handed her the cloth and sat still as she held his chin to wipe away the drying blood.

This close, the mix of sunscreen, Rexona and his sandalwood and pine scent was intoxicating and comforting.

She’d woken this morning still on the couch but covered in her blanket with the same smell of Carter on it.

Doubt had crept in that he’d been there—surely she would’ve woken up?

—but breathing him in now, she was sure it’d been him.

‘There. Much less scary now,’ she said, throwing the cloth straight into the bin and washing her hands.

‘Thank you, Indy.’ His voice was soft and it made her want to throw herself at him.

Instead, she gave him a small smile and headed for the door.

Indy was tormented all afternoon by the memory of Carter covered in blood. So much so, she headed to dinner earlier than usual. But all that resulted in was her sitting there, pushing the rest of her food around on her plate and keeping one eye on the door.

What was wrong with her? She chewed on her fingernail as a couple more players entered the room, none of whom were Carter, although their faces were familiar.

That was also weird. When they’d had other sporting groups come through for camps, they’d spent a maximum of five days at Windale.

And that was rare—most of them only hung around for three really intense days.

The Scorpions had been here for more than a week and she was becoming used to seeing them around, remembering faces and, well, Carter.

She sat up straighter. Carter! He strode through the door chatting to his roommate, blood free, the strips still in place and the skin around the wound darker, but he was smiling.

She drank in the sight of him, finally feeling better, until his eyes caught hers and she quickly looked down at her plate.

There really was something wrong with her. This wasn’t normal. She picked up her fork again and pushed around the peas and corn kernels remaining. It’s only been days. You’re being stupid, Indy.

She needed to get out of there. Be alone. Think.

Pushing her chair back, she grabbed her plate and cup and headed for the dishes cart. She pulled up short when her path was intercepted and groaned when she found the same Neanderthal who’d blocked her path last night. ‘And what did I do to deserve you getting in my road again?’

His face lit up and she wanted to groan again. Great, he got off on sarcasm.

‘Deserve? I’m the blessed one. You’ve been on my mind since our little tango.’ His chest seemed to swell with each word.

‘We didn’t tango.’ She tried to sound bored. It wasn’t hard.

‘We did in my dreams.’

‘And that’s the only place that’ll ever happen.’ She skirted around him before he could blink and stacked her dishes on the trolley. But if she thought she could get rid of him that easy, it seemed she was wrong. And Indy hated being wrong.

‘Sweetheart, we’ve still got a lot of time for me to prove you wrong.’

She didn’t need this shit. ‘I’ve already told you, I’m not your sweetheart.’

His grin widened and he took a step towards her. He lowered his voice. ‘I like it when you’re feisty.’

‘Put it away, Beau,’ Carter said as he walked up behind them . ‘The staff here don’t need you trying to charm them.’

Staff? Indy tried not to prickle. But she knew he’d said it so he didn’t give anything away. It was rational. Logical. Needed. But, damn, it still hurt.

‘How’s the head, Hendrix?’ Beau’s grin turned smug and Indy’s eyes widened.

He had caused Carter’s injury. Now she hated this guy tenfold. But why would he hurt Carter? And why was Beau always antagonising him?

‘It’s barely a scratch, Beau. Better luck next time.’

Beau’s stare at Carter intensified to uncomfortable levels. Indy knew Carter wouldn’t leave as long as she was still standing there and, as much as she wanted answers, now wasn’t the time.

‘I’ll leave you two to your grudge match.’ She ducked away before she could hear any retort, but a glance over her shoulder to catch Carter’s tightened jaw as he found a table was all the proof she needed that there had indeed been one.

Indy turned the puzzle piece in her hand around a hundred and eighty degrees and slipped it into the spot, a fleeting shot of satisfaction running through her before she turned her attention to the next piece.

Emery liked to spend her evenings reading romance books, but Indy had never been one for words.

They confused the hell out of her, if she were honest. That’s why she liked puzzles.

Every piece had its place, and it was just a matter of finding it for them.

Putting the little parts together to create the big picture. She saw a bit of herself in each piece.

The door squeaked behind her as it swung open and Carter slipped inside. He half-smiled at her, exhaustion radiating off him from the movement.

‘Hey,’ he said, softly.

Indy bit her bottom lip and patted the spot next to her on the couch. ‘I think you took about ten years off my life when I walked into the kitchen and saw you covered in blood.’

‘I’m sorry.’ Carter pushed off the door and sank into the couch. She cupped his face and drew his lips to hers. The zing. Sparks. Every single time. She’d never had that with anyone else.

When they broke apart, he pulled Indy’s legs over his lap and wrapped an arm around her waist. She snuggled in, breathing him in deeply.

‘It’s not your fault, but I’m guessing it is Beau’s.’ She peered up at him. His eyes were closed and his head tilted back. ‘That’s his name, right?’

‘Right.’

‘Are you going to tell me what happened?’

‘I already did.’

She frowned. ‘No, you didn’t. You said it was a wayward tackle but from the sound of it at dinner, Beau did it on purpose.’

Carter shrugged and didn’t answer. His eyes remained closed.

Indy’s irritation stirred. ‘What’s Beau got against you anyway?’

‘Nothing.’

‘Yeah, right.’ She sat back from him. Carter moved his hands to her legs but didn’t open his eyes. ‘There’s been the tackle today, the drama at breakfast Saturday morning and whatever dig he said to you last night. I’m not stupid.’

His eyes sprang open. ‘I never said you were stupid.’

‘No, but you’re treating me like I am by saying there’s nothing going on.’ She pulled her legs out from under his hands and crossed them on the couch.

Carter ran a hand through his hair. ‘There’s a history there, okay? I just don’t want to talk about it.’

‘Is it about the drama you started at the end of last season?’

‘Who the hell told you that?’

‘Ray. At the expo, when I asked about the silent conversation it looked like you and Isaac were having. What was the drama, Carter?’

‘Ray’s full of shit, Indy. I didn’t start any drama.’ He swallowed hard. ‘Look, it’s been a really big and shit day and I’m exhausted. I don’t want to talk about the team, and I really don’t want to talk about Beau.’

She bristled. ‘So, you just came here to get with me and run off again?’

‘No!’ He sat forwards, his eyes deep, swirling pools of brown. ‘I came to spend time with you, chill with you and get to know you more.’

‘But I’m not allowed to know more about you?’

‘That’s not it at all. I’ll tell you anything you want to know, except that. I just don’t want to go there tonight.’

‘Why not?’

He shot to his feet, knocking the coffee table and sending her puzzle askew but luckily, it didn’t fall off. ‘Because.’ He snapped his mouth shut and released a huff of air. ‘You know what? I’m going to go. I think it’s best for tonight. My head’s pounding and I don’t want to fight with you.’

Her eyes widened before she pushed herself back into the couch and folded her arms tightly against her chest. ‘Whatever.’

He bent down and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips that she didn’t return. ‘See you later.’

She remained silent and stoic, staring straight ahead as the sounds of the door opening and closing echoed through her cabin. Damn him for being the rational one.