Page 16 of Searching for Bristol
“And you aren’t used to that?” he asked, genuinely curious.
“I…No. I guess I’m like your friend Raid. I’m an introvert. I spend a lot of time by myself at home, working on my projects.”
“Well, I guess you need to get used to it. Because I’m not going anywhere. I’m in this for the long haul.”
“This?”
Rocky shrugged, slowing as he neared the town square. “Making sure you’re really all right.”
“Do you do this for everyone you rescue?”
Rocky parallel parked into a space right in front of the doctor’s office on the square, then cut the engine. He turned to look Bristol in the eyes. “No. Once we find someone who’s lost, our job’s done. We hand them off to the police or the paramedics.”
“Then why are you doing it now?” she asked.
“Because something’s telling me that if I let you go, it’ll be the biggest regret of my life.”
With that, Rocky climbed out of the SUV and walked around to the other side. He’d probably said too much, and he knew it sounded ridiculous, but there it was. He wasn’t going to shy away from the connection he felt with this woman.
Not until she made it clear she didn’t want anything to do with a small-town handyman slash former military grunt slash outdoorsy guy.
CHAPTERFOUR
Bristol wasn’t sure what to think about Rocky.
No, that was a lie.
She liked him. A lot. Too much. It was crazy how much she respected the man after only knowing him for hours. But in that time, he’d gone out of his way to reassure her, treat her wounds, not jostle her more than necessary, and generally treat her as if she was the most precious piece of glass he just happened to find in the middle of the woods.
Everything she’d learned about him so far, she liked.
He’d carried her into the clinic in the adorable downtown area of Fallport and the doctor had been sympathetic and concerned about what she’d gone through. He’d also been very impressed, and not afraid to say so. He’d x-rayed her leg and said that her fibula was definitely broken, declaring she was lucky it had been the small bone in her shin that she’d fractured, and not the tibia.
But since it was broken, and not just cracked, he believed the bone needed a pin to be sure it healed properly. Which meant going to Roanoke and seeing a doctor there. Doc Snow had reassured her that he’d talk to one of his colleagues at the larger hospital, and they’d be ready for her when she arrived.
While she’d been waiting for Rocky to come back—he’d left to shower and change clothes, before heading to Roanoke—Bristol met his friend Raid, who’d sat with her. Rocky was right, Raid was unusual looking, and not just because he towered over her. He had a particularly bright shade of red hair, and his ears did stick out a bit. She couldn’t help but chuckle when she saw that he was also sporting a beard.
“What’s funny?” Rocky had asked before leaving.
Bristol had shrugged and asked, “Do all of you have beards?”
He smiled, nodded—then shocked the shit out of her by leaning down and kissing her forehead gently. As she stared up at him with wide eyes at the intimate, but not unwelcome gesture, he’d said, “Mine’s the most impressive though,” before winking and heading out of the room.
“Interesting,” Raid said once Rocky had left.
“What?”
“You two seemed to have gotten pretty chummy out there in the woods.”
Some people might have taken his words the wrong way, but because he had a small smile on his face, Bristol couldn’t get upset. She shrugged and said simply, “Yeah.”
Raid’s green gaze met hers, and he stared at her for a long moment before saying, “Rocky’s a good man. One of the best. I’d literally give my life for his. I’m thinking after seeing his brother and Zeke fall so fast for amazing women, he’s wanting the same for himself. I sure don’t know what the future holds, but I’m begging you…if you don’t think you can see yourself moving to Fallport and settling down with Rocky, please don’t lead him on.”
Again, Bristol could get upset that Raiden was assuming so much, but since it was obvious he cared about his friend, she didn’t take offense. “I have no idea what’s going to happen in the future either. It seems to me that it’s a bit early to be thinking about moving, or even about having a relationship with Rocky. But, for the record…I work from home, and thus can live anywhere.
“I’ve never screwed over any of my former boyfriends, and I wouldn’t start now. If—and that’s a big if—Rocky and I decide we want to see where our chemistry takes us, I’m not going to lead him on. I promise you, Raid. I’ve got a job I love, a wonderful parent, plenty of money in my bank accounts, and I value my independence. I’m not a mooch, I’m not desperate for a child, and if I just happen to end up single for the rest of my life, that’ll be fine too.”
Raiden smiled, and Bristol’s breath hitched. The smile changed his entire countenance. He went from tall, dark, and grumpy, to handsome and charming in a heartbeat.
