Eva's POV
I panicked.
"Oh my goodness! You're bleeding! Please sit down!" Without much thought, my nurse side flew into action. I pulled the car door open and dove for my purse. Thank goodness I always had some first aid supplies with me!
Alexander remained unfazed. He touched his nose, then stared at the blood with a murderous look, like it had personally offended him.
"Alex, please sit down!" I grabbed his hand and forced him to sit in the passenger seat. "How often does this happen?"
He stared up at me, his eyes blank and mildly intrigued. "This is the first time."
I worked fast, wiping the blood before I pinched his nose and tilted his head back. He grabbed my wrist, a reflex action, his grip tight like he wanted to break my hand.
For a second, I was reminded he's dangerous. This reflex is something I've seen in high stakes occupations, like when I treated a cop or a gang member undercover.
"Relax," I exhaled, keeping my voice level even though I knew one wrong action and I'd end up with a broken wrist. "I'm not attacking you. I need to stop the bleeding."
He slowly let go of my wrist, his fingers gliding to my elbow.
I tried my very best not to think about that. How warm his touch felt, the roughness of his hand and how that would feel tracing every curve of my—
Okay! Eva! Wrap it up please!
"Your hands are cold." He said, his voice coming out funny.
A short laugh burst out of me. "I'm sorry, you have to deal with it for two more minutes."
"I like it," he said, his touch moving up to my wrist but this time he held me gently. His thumb pressed into the inside of my wrist.
My brain short circuited.
"You like it? My cold hands?"
"Yes. They feel nice."
"Oh,"
I swear that didn't make my heart jump.
Has anyone ever said they liked my cold hands? My earliest memories are my friends squealing whenever I touched them. Shouts of "Eva did you put your hands in the freezer?!" And "maybe try some gloves?" And "maybe touch me less?I don't like the cold."
And of course there was Ethan, who never failed to remind me how much of a corpse I was.
I grit my teeth, the smile on my face vanishing at the thought of my husband.
"Are you scared?" Alexander asked, his thumb sliding over my pulse point.
A simple touch. One that has no right sending so much heat through my body. He wasn't even doing anything or saying anything, but my body was already reacting to him.
This is bad.
But at the same time…won't it serve me well? If my body already reacts to this stoic, mysterious man, won't it be easier for me to jump into bed with him?
"I'm not scared," I replied, swallowing the lump in my throat. "You're touching me…"
"Does it make you uncomfortable?"
"No,"
I looked at him. This hunk of a man, his nose pinched between my fingers, his head tipped back, his hand on my wrist. At this angle, his throat was on display, his Adam's apple bobbing.
I've never seen such a kissable throat before.
The tattoos peeking out of his collar are practically begging me to trace their lines with my fingers. Or tongue.
Shaking my head, I forced those thoughts out of the way.
But seriously. The line of his jaw is so sharp. Is this what they mean by a jawline that can cut diamonds? What did he eat to become so handsome? Maybe he should feed some of it to Ethan.
I should really stop thinking about Ethan.
"Okay," I exhaled softly, gently leaning back and lowering his head. "The bleeding seems to have stopped. You might need to run some more tests to make sure it's not fatal. Your blood pressure could be high, that's one of the causes. Although we can't tell until you run some tests."
"You're suspended from work."
"Sadly. So you'll have to be attended to by someone else."
"No."
I blinked. "Alex…I mean, Mr Reed,"
"You can call me Alex."
My cheeks turned red. "I don't think I should…"
"You already did. I don't mind it."
Oh my God he's hot.
I cleared my throat. "A-alright. I don't know when my suspension will be lifted, but I don't advice you to wait till then."
"I won't die."
Yeah, he looks like the kind to survive anything.
I took a tissue and wiped the faint traces of blood off his lips. Up close, his skin is flawless. I can't find a pore or a single blemish. Smooth and pale, like that of a model. And his eyes…oh my gosh is that a fleck of gold?! I want to touch his face…and those luscious locks of his—
I Stepped back, putting a professional amount of distance between us.
"I should head home now,"
On second thought, I really really don't want to see Ethan right now.
"You're not going home." He said, getting to his feet. His composure was back like nothing ever happened. If it weren't for the bloodied, clumped up tissues in my hands, I wouldn't have guessed he just had a medical emergency.
"I have to. Unless you have a better plan,"
How much did he know about me and Ethan? I guess I'll have to tell him everything if I'm gonna use him for the bet.
The mere thought of using someone made me cringe.
Ethan look what you've turned me into!
Oh, but the look on his face when he finds out I cracked his uncle is gonna be hilarious!
"I know a place," he said.
"Your place? Oh my goodness, Mr Reed, at least take me out to dinner first."
"I will. Tomorrow, by seven."
My brain went blank.
"Eh?" I squeaked.
"Dinner. I'll take you to dinner tomorrow."
"W-why?"
"Isn't that what you want?"
"You'll do anything I want?"
"Yes." He said without hesitating.
"Anything?"
"Yes, Eva."
"Soooooo, about what I asked you?"
He looked to the side, and for a second his eyes appeared conflicted. Then he looked at me.
All the wind vanished from my lungs.
The look in his eyes was nothing short of intense and heated. I had that look sometimes, whenever I saw a prime cut of meat at the farmers market. The look of hunger.
He took three large strides over to me, the distance between us swallowed up in seconds. I gasped. Before I could get a word out, or even react, he grabbed my waist and pulled me flush against him.
And then, he was kissing me.