No, he really couldn’t have, but he wasn’t going to argue. “If you don’t let me check your bruises, I’m driving you straight to the clinic.”
Pepper’s gaze narrowed. “You poke any of them like you used to do when I was little…”
He didn’t let her finish. Just caught hold of her arm and turned her, slipping the towel aside and this time focusing on the damage to her pale skin. Mostly managing to ignore the sensation that moved through his fingers and arm like an electric shock at the feel of her under his fingers as he checked her hip and side.
She wiggled as if wanting the entire thing over with. “See? Only bruises—shit, ouch.”
He’d pressed his palm over her ribs where a particularly spectacular green and purple splotch had formed. “It’s bigger than my damn hand. How are the ribs?”
“Don’t touch—” She sucked in a quick gasp as he traced his fingers along the edge where her ribs met the dip to her stomach. Her curses cut off abruptly, and he glanced up to discover she had locked her teeth together, staring straight ahead as if her life depended on not making a sound.
Damn stubborn woman. “You might have cracked a couple of them.”
“Maybe.”
Her obstinate attitude was beginning to piss him off. “You don’t think you should get checked out?”
She laughed, an abrupt sound. It still sent his heartbeat dancing for some stupid reason.
“Tell me, Jack. The last time you and Parker did something stupid like, oh, let’s say, kiteboarding without ever having tried it before. Did you go and get your booboos checked after?”
“That’s different—”
“Because you’re all big and strong and a dude, and I’m a delicate little female flower.” Pepper turned away from him, separating his hand from where he’d forgotten it rested on her stomach.
Bullshit he’d forgotten.
And bullshit on her argument. “You have a black eye, busted ribs, and bruises from head to toe. I’m worried, okay? Suck it up, Pepper Wilson. You’ll just have to put up with me giving a shit if you’re hurt or not.”
That stopped her short, and a faint flush hit her cheeks, this time apparently not from wanting to throw something at him. “Aww. That was sweet. But really, I’ll be fine.” She wrinkled her nose. “Although, can I borrow some more clothes? I’ll do laundry today, but until I do, I’m down to towels.”
God. “I’ll find you something.”
Like five minutes ago, because if he had to watch her walk around his place for much longer… He grabbed his phone off the floor. “You’re staying for a few days?”
By the time he turned back she had the towel firmly in position. He wasn’t sure how to feel about the disappointment in his gut.
Pepper strolled through his living room, the bottom edge of the towel nearly exposing her butt.
“If you don’t mind.” She glanced over at him as if she’d just remembered something vital. “Oh no.”
“What?”
“Charlene. Your sugary dinner date.”
“She’s not my…” Jack let his denial fall away. He wasn’t even sure what to call the woman. One-night stand that kept going on way too long?
Pepper wouldn’t drop it. “Am I in the way? Because I can totally be out of here by this afternoon.”
“No. You’re staying.” He said it with a lot more force than he’d intended, and her brows rose. “Charlene’s just a friend. Nothing serious.”
“No sleepovers then?”
She was going to kill him. Or he was going to kill her. “My sleepover situation is nothing you need to worry about, okay? Stick around for a few days, get your feet under you. If you’re healing fine in a couple days I’ll stop ragging on you to see a doctor.”
“Deal.” Her utter delight in his seeming to cave went beyond pleasure, sliding over the line into revelry in pulling one over on him. “I’ve got a list of things I need to look into, jobs and stuff. I’ll even do the dishes and tidy up to pay for my keep.”
She was still gloating when he handed her a pile of clothes he’d salvaged from his dresser and pointed her back down the hall to the guest room.
His tormenter might have vanished behind the door, but her smirk followed him. All the way back to the bathroom and into the shower where the heater had somehow managed to pull together a faint bit of power so the water wasn’t icy cold.
Jack stood under the full-on spray, letting the water smack him in the face.