Free Full Throttle by Kerrianne Coombes

room.
    Exhausted, but now sitting up, Sammy tried to
control her gasping breaths. When the nurse left the room, she closed her eyes
and a low groan of pain to escape her mouth.
    Why
me?
    “Shit. Are you ok?” Sammy snapped open her eyes at
the worried sound of Josh’s voice. This time she didn’t startle, but her blood
most definitely surged.
    “Yes, just achy.” And in bloody agony, and desperate to cry, but completely embarrassed
that you have seen me in this state.
    “Can I get you anything?” he asked as he moved
closer to her bed. He looked tired, not as well presented as he looked
yesterday. Still wearing his bike leathers, including his boots, Sammy realized
that he hadn’t been home yet to change.
    “No, I am fine. You know, you don’t have to stay, I
am okay now.” She gave him a smile and met his stare for a glancing moment. Her
heart pounded and seemed to swell a little under his intense stare. All dark
glares was right. That nurse had described him perfectly.
He glared at her now as if her words insulted him.
    “I am not here because I have to be. I am here because I want to be.” He picked up a glass
and filled it with water, Sammy took it from him and
bit back the wince that so nearly ruined her calm expression.
    “But, what about Bev and Reg’s
weekend? I ruined it for them.”
    His jaw bulged as he laid the jug back down. He
swung another glare her way and took a deep breath. “You didn’t ruin anything.
That fuc—” He pinched the top of his nose and took a moment. “
That stupid—” He took another deep breath. “Driver who pulled out on you
ruined your ...” His dark, dangerous-looking stare ran
down her body to her leg, and Sammy would have curled it beneath her to hide it
from his obviously angry eyes if the splint wasn’t there. “That driver broke
your leg.” He lifted his gaze and his cheek bulged again. “And I am sorry. Your
bike is no longer road worthy.” He looked so regretful, so pained to say those
words but it still stung.
    “Oh,” was all she could reply as her heart gave a
weak squeeze.
    Her bike was ruined? Gone? Tears prickled at the
backs of her eyes, and her chest went tight. She turned her face to the window
and took a few deep breaths. Her bike had been her first-ever foray into being
who she wanted to be. That bike had cost her so much. And not
just money. That bike meant so much to her. It’d signified independence.
It signified freedom and youth, and now, because of her lacking skills on it, she’d
written it off.
    How stupid to think that she could do something as
cool as ride motorbikes. She was a loner, a geek. A woman
with crippling shyness and a chip on her shoulder that made her rebel. She was nothing else.
    Stupid, stupid.
    She kept her stare on the window. “I thank you for
helping me. And for calling my friend to come to the
hospital. But I would like to be alone now … please .”
She swallowed hard and felt her mouth go dry.
    “Sammy?” His deep voice sounded pained.
    She felt his big hand gently snake up her arm, his
fingers so close to taking hold, and a small part of her wished that he would.
Then he dropped his hand. Sammy looked away from the window, but not at him, she
stared at the flowers Rachel had brought her and fought to hold onto the tears
that were so near the surface.
    Silence hung heavy in the air, and Sammy forced herself not to look at him. If she did, she feared she might
just cry.
    “I will go home, get showered and then I will come
back.”
    “No.” Startled, she looked up and was instantly
snared by his brooding expression. Please
don’t come back and see me here again, don’t return to see me looking so utterly
…nothing. “I will be fine. You ... you don’t have to come back.”
    But
what would happen if I never saw him again ?
    “I will be back.” He gave a sharp nod and left the
room, and Sammy, empty and cold. And very, very confused.

 
    Chapter
Ten
     
    Josh slammed his front door shut and stomped