Free Players (Lessons by Loki) by Aubrey Ross Page B

happened?”
    “Rough pavement. Bare knees.”
    “This happened in the parking lot? Why didn’t you say something?”
    She dug a small package of tissues out of her purse, but half her leg was covered in blood. “Turn on the overhead. I can’t figure out where this is coming from.”
    The overhead light came on and she straightened her knee as far as the dashboard would let her. The entire surface was abraded, but there was one deep laceration to the right of her patella. “I must have landed on a piece of glass.”
    “Is it still in there?”
    She carefully pushed on the outside of the wound, but didn’t feel a solid object. “I don’t think so. But it needs to be flushed out good before I encourage the blood to coagulate.”
    “Will it need sutures?”
    “No. I can patch this up at home.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “Yes. Take me home.”
    He ignored her repeated requests for a reasonable speed until he pulled off the highway. “It’s a skinned knee, Chase. All I need is some water and a Band-Aid.”
    Her assurance had zero effect on her escort. He pulled into the driveway of his house and flew around the car as if she were bleeding to death. He threw open the door and unfastened her seat belt before she could do more than chuckle at his ridiculous overreaction. Scooping her up with athletic ease, he lifted her out of the car and kicked the door closed.
    “My purse,” she cried. “It’s on the floor.”
    “I’ll get it for you later.”
    “My house is that way.” She pointed behind him as he carried her toward his front door. “Just put me down. My leg isn’t broken.”
    She dipped precariously as he twisted to open the door. Then he kicked it shut behind them.
    “What the hell happened to her?” Josiah came up off the couch as Chase carried her into their massive living room.
    “Long story,” Chase muttered as he set her down on the cream-colored leather sofa.
    She quickly scooted to the edge and picked up her foot before her bloody sandal smeared the carpet. “Grab a newspaper or something. I’m a mess.”
    They rushed off in opposite directions and Katie took a moment to absorb the luxury surrounding her. She’d tried to picture the inside of this house ever since the developer broke ground. She’d even taken advantage of the realtor’s open house to snoop around, but that had been before Josiah and Chase made some significant changes and personalized the interior. The floor plan was open, somehow welcoming despite its size. And what she could see of the house was shockingly clean, considering that two bachelors were the only inhabitants. They had to have a maid.
    Josiah returned first with what looked like a bathmat. “I couldn’t find a newspaper. Haven’t bought one in years.” He spread the bathmat under her foot and unbuckled her sandals, slipping them both off before she could ask what he was doing. Okay, one was covered in blood, but there had been no reason for him to remove the other. Awareness pulsed between them, easily eclipsing the throb in her knee.
    “What happened?” He was on his knees in front of her, so why did he sound so damn commanding?
    “Long story,” she echoed Chase’s words with a secretive smile.
    “I’ve got time.”
    “Vanessa and a couple of her snarky friends were watching us cross the parking lot,” Chase said as he came back into view. “So Katie decided to give me a blow job.”
    Josiah turned his head so fast Katie was afraid he’d break his neck. “ She gave you a blow job in a parking lot?”
    “I pretended to give him a blow job.”
    Chase grinned, but Josiah still looked pissed when he looked at her again. “Were you convincing?”
    It was a ridiculous question, but she met his gaze and said, “Very.”
    Rather than joining Josiah on the floor, Chase handed him a first-aid kit and a wet washcloth. She’d always suspected Josiah was alpha dog in this house, but it had never been more apparent than in that moment. Chase was more