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It’d be a lot safer that he drop her off at one, get her in the door, and walk away rather than having to carry her up those stairs to her bedroom Maybe to it up these stairs without hurting herself

"No, I’ll be fine," she said, already trying to stand on her own

Goddamn obstinate woman

"Hold on," he said as he placed the crutches inside the condo He hurried to help her up, and within ain as he cradled her "Are you sure?" he asked again "I can get you up there tonight," he said, glancing up the staircase "But what about tomorrow? What if you’re stuck up there?"

"I won’t be stuck," she said,with her head toward the small table with four chairs around it in the kitchen nook "And you’re not carryinghis patience as he set her down on the chair "You can’t--"

"Because Sergeant--" She caught herself and lifted that stubborn but very sweet chin "Because, Brandon, I’ to eat before heading up, and if you plan on carrying h of your time already I won’t take anymore I appreciate all your help and your offer to do ht take et ho defeated, Brandon leaned against the wall "What if I go get you so it back? I’ll carry you up, and you can eat it up there"

He just needed this night to be over already--needed to stop looking into those stunning eyes before she asked hier he was around her, the rew He knew that the longer he stayed here the harder it would be to get her off his ly seeped into his thoughts too ainst his, the scent of her hair, and those lips so close he could alet now But it felt equally impossible to walk away--leave her here to brave those stairs on her own He was already too coht this

"I have leftover pizza in the fridge It’d be faster if you could help me warm it" Her eyes opened wide suddenly, and she touched his arm "Oh my God, you haven’t eaten either You must be just as starved as I am You’re welcome to have some of the pizza There’s plenty"

She started to stand, but he held her down "I’ll get the pizza You stay there"

He walked into her sht a fancy oceanfront place like this would be bigger, but aside from whatever was upstairs, the bottoer than his apartment, and the kitchen was just as tiny as his He opened the fridge and pulled out the large pizza box "You ordered this big thing for yourself?"

"I always order a large," she said "I like eating it for breakfast and lunch for the next few days"

Placing the box on the counter, he opened it and stared at the odd-looking toppings She’d been right about one thing He was starving, and he was hoping foron a pizza with broccoli, bell peppers, and red onions At least he sahat looked like chunks of chicken It reminded him of her pickiness at the airport with her salad

After a fewin her cabinets with Ms Brady verbally walking hi was and how her microorked, he was back in the small nook area with a tray of pizza, napkins, and two mini bottles of Coke Zero

"I don’t think I’ve ever had pizza with broccoli," he said as he took the seat across fro it on her napkin "It’s really good Well, this place I order fro They have this spinach/shrioat cheese that’s to die for But I’m afraid my sister’s made me a bit of a pizza snob I don’t order from anywhere else now"

Brandon stared at her as he chewed, trying not to be too obvious about watching her lick those plump lips The pizza wasn’t half bad Maybe it was just that he’d been starving, but the more he chewed it, the ood He debated on whether or not to ask what he wanted to ask because it was bordering on personal, but he figured what the hell They were just talking food "You said you just moved here How do you know sopizza this whole ti the napkin to her mouth and shook her head "No, this is actually the first tiinally from Southern California, so I discovered this place, or rather , Brandon wondered just what the doctor had shot her up with She ht’ve been a little wobbly on her way in, but she see like how she’d been in earlier in the hospital Except for her annoyingly friendly behavior with Lansing, asking hi she’d done just as they got in her car, and the outright questioning of why he didn’t like her, she now see like her normal self