Page 30 of Come As You Are
“I think so,” Sebastian said. “He didn’t hit his head, and it doesn’t seem like anything’s broken.” He touched Vee’s cheek. “What do you think? Can you stand?”
Vee nodded, and we each took an arm to help him to his feet. As soon as he stood, he cried out in pain, and his right leg nearly buckled. Without waiting, Sebastian leaned down and picked Vee up in his arms.
“My office,” I said and lead the way as the crowd clapped and cheered.
I heard Vee say he felt ridiculous as Sebastian carried him up the stairs, but Bast was undeterred and bore him like a bride across the threshold of my office. Sebastian laid him on the couch like it was their wedding bed, then crouched down beside him. Below us, the crowd milled for a bit, but then the lights pulsed and the music came back to full volume. Another dancer took Vee’s place on the platform, and little by little, everyone went back to what they were doing before.
Sebastian lifted Vee’s right leg and extended his foot onto the coffee table. Vee winced as his heel came down on the solid surface, and I took his hand as I sat next to him.
“Do you think it’s broken?” I asked.
Vee shook his head. “I didn’t feel anything crunch, so I think it’s just sprained, but we’re going to have to take off the boot to find out.”
“Gently,” I said as Sebastian immediately moved his hands into place.
“I know,” he snapped, but then blew out a hard breath. “Sorry. I’m—”
“—worried,” I finished for him. “I am too.” I stared at Sebastian, willing him to read between the lines of what I was saying. It took him a moment, but then he nodded. “You good?” I asked Vee.
He gripped my hand tighter. “Yeah. I dislocated a shoulder once falling off a horse, and my dad reset it. Pretty sure nothing’s gonna hurt that bad.” Nodding at Sebastian, he set his lips tight.
Sebastian took great care to work the boot off Vee’s foot with as little movement as he could. It still hurt, as Vee’s sharp intakes of breath attested, but once it was gone and Sebastian had removed his sock, Vee wiggled his toes and moved his foot from side to side. Though he winced and sucked in an occasional deep breath, there was already some swelling and a bit of bruising, but it looked like nothing was broken.
Mal appeared in the doorway and asked how Vee was doing.
“So far so good,” he answered, and Mal nodded.
“We’ve gotten the name and driver’s license from the guy who touched you, and are holding him if you want to press charges.”
“I’ll back you up if you do,” Sebastian said. “I saw the whole thing.” He hadn’t let go of Vee’s foot, and as he spoke, Bast gently caressed Vee’s toes.
“I don’t think so,” Vee said. “I know he wasn’t supposed to touch me, but, I mean, he was probably drinking, and I’m up there in next to nothing—”
“It doesn’t matter,” I said. “You’re at work. We have a very clear policy about contact between our customers and employees, and besides, what he did was assault.”
Vee seemed to take that into consideration, but shook his head. “It’s fine. Just put him on the no-fly list.”
I cut Mal off as he started to say something more on the matter and told Vee he needed to get his foot looked at by a doctor the next day.
“It’s worker’s comp,” Mal said. “You were injured on the job. It needs to be documented.”
“And if I don’t have a doctor?” Vee asked. “Or insurance.”
“I’ll take you,” I said, surprising both myself and Sebastian.
“I can’t ask you to do that,” Vee said.
“You don’t have to,” I told him. “It’s the least I can do.”
Mal nodded. “And this way, we know that you’ve had it checked out.”
“That’s not why I offered.” I looked at Mal. “Is there anything else you need me for?” When he shook his head, I told him to go back downstairs and let the guy go with a warning he was no longer welcome at Illyria. After Mal retreated, I looked back at Vee. “I meant what I said. I’ll take you to get checked out tomorrow at a worker’s comp clinic. Mal is correct, you should have it looked at in case there’s anything seriously wrong, but that’s not why I offered to do it.”
“I know. I get that.”
Vee’s blue eyes turned toward my own, and the air grew thin in my office as my proximity to both Vee and Sebastian fully registered in my senses. They both smelled of sweat, but more than that was something I couldn’t name that was deeper, richer, and hit me in my lower belly. I wanted to stretch out my hand and touch Vee’s cheek, to draw Sebastian closer to us until we were all breathing each others’ air, and I could taste the two of them in the back of my throat.
Abruptly, I stood and crossed to my desk. Leaning my ass against it, I faced them and crossed my arms. Sebastian still cradled Vee’s foot, supporting it with his knee, while his fingertips traced designs on Vee’s leg. Concern was etched on his face, clear and resounding.
