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"Not tonight you won’t" The words shot out without even thinking "I , "your ankle is still so swollen, and you’re still under the influence of ain"

"I’ll be fine," she said as he pulled into the parking space just in front of her condo She turned around and grabbed her crutches

Before he could open his door, she was already opening hers "Don’t get out" His words were farthan she’d obviously expected to hear fro his tone had startled her "I’ll come around and help you"

He rushed around the Jeep because he was already picking up on her tenacity and decided she nore his request that she wait for him to come around and help her He cursed under his breath Was she really going to try to make it up to the second floor when she could barely stand without wobbling?

Sure as shit she already had the door open and her good leg hanging out, trying to place the crutches on the ground He held his hand out for her "Give un to take his hand but took it back "Oh, can we please stop with that, Brandon? It’s so silly" Her furrowed broere back, and Brandon stared at her, trying not to get caught up in those big dark eyes as he had too often tonight already "We’ve been around each other all night We may not know each other very well, but I’d say, after the hours we’ve spent together, we can at least be on a first-na in closer to her, he saw her eyes widen "Forget about givingher previous comments and took her by the waist "Put your hands on ht away but then huffed and coainst his as she slid down until her good foot was on the ground

"Keep holding on toat hio" He placed the crutch under her arm but continued to hold on to her firood foot "Don’t let the other one touch the ground Remember you don’t want to put any pressure on it at all yet" Even after placing the other crutch under her other arm, she still swayed a little and didn’t look at all as if she’d be going too far without taking a tumble "Maybe I should just carry you You seeot it," she insisted, but he didn’t let go of her, walking alongside of her as she struggled with every step

When she nearly fell for the third time, he took the crutch frorassy area in front of her condo

"What are you doing?" she asked

"Keeping you fro your other ankle"

He would’ve preferred throwing her stubborn ass over his shoulder, but he was afraid of hurting her ankle, so he lifted her once again, cradling her in his arms She dropped the other crutch and wrapped her ar her in his ar out of the car felt too daet the hell out of there fast He reached the s bench "You have the keys on you?"

"Oh, no" She winced "They’re in my purse in your back seat"

Brandon placed her down on the bench, careful that it didn’t swing too rabbed her purse, deteroing upstairs tonight when she couldn’t even uing She wasn’t his concern He’d get her in and wash his hands of her He’d already gone above and beyond considering the risk he knew he’d be taking the ht

Picking up the crutches frorass on the way back with her purse, he handed it to her, not wanting to dig through it hiainst the wall just outside her front door Regina took the purse, and after looking through it for a few seconds, she handed him the key He unlocked the front door and opened it The front room was completely dark, and his hand searched the wall just inside next to the door "Is this where?" he began to ask, but then found the switch and turned the lights on He blinked, staring into the nearly empty front room "You don’t have furniture?" he asked, not sure if s in her front roo trunk

"I’ve only been living here a feeeks I, uh, left most of my furniture in New York," she explained "It would’ve been too , but the front rooer to arrive I have appliances and a kitchen table," she offered with a smile "Oh and the most important item I had delivered before I even arrived My bed"

Brandon’s shoulders slumped and he let his head fall back No wonder she was insisting she could go upstairs tonight Where the hell else would she be sleeping if she didn’t? Fuck! As indifferent as he wanted to be about this and help her in the front door then turn around and walk away, he couldn’t in clear conscience just leave her like this "Maybe you should get a rooested