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“Is she okay?” I’ve been dying to make sure my girl is okay while Dillon stood there attempting to shoot the shit with me. I’m pretty sure the asshole was fucking with me, but I let him have his fun as long as my patience would hold out.

“She can explain everything to you.” The young paramedic gives me a smirk, and I ignore the fucker before turning to my girl. When she steps to the ambulance stairs, I hold out my hand to help her down. Her soft skin brushing against mine sends all the blood in my body straight for my cock, but I ignore the fucker and concentrate on my girl.

“What does he mean?” I brush a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “Do you need to go to the hospital?”

“Yes.” My heart drops when she confirms my worst suspicion. “To work,” she adds, laughing, and I’m tempted to spank her luscious ass for daring to tease me. “I work at the Silver Spoon Falls Medical Center in the ER. I was on my way to work when you hit me.”

“Give me your boss’s number and I’ll call him and let him know you won’t be in today,” I tell Carlie as the urge to protect her roars through me.

“My boss is a woman.” Anger lights up her golden eyes. “And you will do no such thing.” My curvy little soulmate slaps her hands down onto her hips and glares at me. “I need to work so I can pay my bills.”

I have to bite my tongue to hold back the offer to pay her bills for her, knowing that would be a bad move with my self-sufficient little tigress. Since her fierce independence and sass were what drew me to her in the first place, I can’t exactly complain about those traits, so I change tactics. “What time do you get off?”

“Uh. Eleven-thirty,” she stutters.

“Okay.” My brain runs wild making plans. “I’ll drop you off at work and pick you up tonight.” I’ll use whatever means necessary to get her to spend time with me. “Dillon is arranging to have your car towed right now.”

“I can’t drive it?” Her delicate peaches and cream complexion pales, scaring the fuck out of me.

“It isn’t safe to drive it until a mechanic checks it out.” And I replace it with a much safer vehicle. I add silently knowing she isn’t ready to hear all my plans for the future yet.

After canceling all my meetings and the afternoon practice, I spend the rest of the day putting my plan into action. After arranging to have dinner delivered, I call in a few favors around town and get a friend of a friend to check on Carlie. Now, I’m impatiently waiting to hear from my spy.

I’m changing clothes, getting ready for the evening, when my phone dings with a text.

Tate Grimes

I appreciate the front-row hockey tickets.

Okay. I also used my family seats as a bribe and I’m not at all sorry. Since my few remaining family members live in Oregon, there’s never anyone to give the tickets to anyway.

Me

Is Carlie okay?

Tate Grimes

She’s fine. I walked through the ER three times to make sure.

Me

Can you check on her one more time?

Tate Grimes

No. The staff already think something is up since I never just stroll through the place. Take my word for it. Your girl is fine.

I guess I’ll have to take the pediatric surgeon’s word for it until I can check for myself.

Me

I’ll drop the tickets off at your office this week.

Dr. Grimes’ report helps my heart settle a little and I’m finally able to take a deep breath, but I’m missing my girl so I decide to do something about it.

Fifteen minutes later, I stroll into the ER entrance and glance around, finding it mostly empty except for a couple sitting in the back and a few other people scattered around the large waiting room. A middle-aged nurse smiles at me as I walk up to the registration desk. “Hi. Can I help you?”

“I wanted to see if I could speak to Carlie Martin for a moment.” I practiced my spiel the entire ten-minute drive from my house to the hospital.

She stares at me, and I can see the wheels turning as she gathers gossip to spread around. “Are you a patient?”

“No. I was in an accident with her this afternoon, and I wanted to check on her.” It’s mostly true.

“Have a seat and I’ll see if she has the time to speak with you.”

I sit in one of the chairs on the other side of the waiting room and mentally practice what I’m going to say to my soulmate.

When the automatic doors open and Carlie strolls through, my mind goes blank, and all my well-rehearsed words scatter. “How can I help you, Mr. Marrow?” Her cool, professional smile irritates the fuck out of me.

“I wanted to check on you, Tigress.” Her eyes widen and she glances around to see if anyone heard me using her nickname.

“I’m fine.” She leans close to whisper, and my cock turns to stone as her sweet fragrance wraps around me. “And I’m at work. I don’t want to be the subject of gossip.”

I place my lips next to her ear. “It’s too late. The Silver Spoon Falls grapevine has been buzzing all afternoon.”

“I have to get back to work.” We both know she isn’t busy. This place is fucking dead, but I decide not to press my luck.

“I’ll be here to pick you up at eleven-thirty.” I smile down at her before placing a kiss on her soft lips. It takes every ounce of control I possess not to pull her into my arms for a real kiss, but I manage to restrain myself.

“Can I have your phone number?” she asks, shocking the hell out of me. “It’s pretty dead in here so I might get off early.”

“Give me your phone.” After she hands over her cellphone, I type in my number and send myself a text before giving it back to her. “Now we have each other’s numbers.”

“Oh.” She glances down at the screen. “Okay. I guess I’ll see you later.”

Yes, you will, Tigress.