Spurs and Heels(Divine Creek Ranch 5)(28)

“Hello, Ash. Thank you for helping with parking. I really

appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome, Grace. I was happy to help.” He turned to

Juliana, concern obvious in his eyes, and asked, “Darlin’, are you

okay? You look like you’re hurting.”

As if to reinforce the fact, a sharp pain zinged through her

shoulder. She flinched again and groaned. “It’s that shooting pain

again. I meant to take a pain pill before I left the salon, but I left them

home in my other purse.”

To Ash, Grace said, “There’s Tylenol 3 in Ethan and Adam’s

bathroom medicine cabinet. Why don’t you take her inside, Ash, and

get her some? There’s also gauze and tape if she needs a new

dressing.”

Juliana needed some relief, so she allowed Ash to draw her

toward the house. Another pain shot across her shoulder blade. She

thought it was total overkill when Ash lifted her into his arms and

carried her up the steps.

“I’m sorry I didn’t ask earlier about your shoulder, Juliana. I

meant to, but I was distracted.”

“I can’t believe I left the pain pills at home. I was hoping I could

tough it out.” He said nothing to indicate it, but she could tell that

beyond his obvious concern, he was also put out with her.

“The Tylenol 3 will help.” He set her down in the living room and

led her down a hallway to one of the bathrooms in the ranch house.

He lifted her to sit on the marble countertop like she weighed nothing

and peeled the adhesive backing on the flesh-colored bandage back.

“The stitches all look fine, darlin’. You must have overdone it last

night or this morning, and now you’re sore.”



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He handed her a couple of capsules and filled a disposable cup

with water. Standing there, watching her with his hands on his trim

hips, Juliana could almost hear the gears turning. She looked in his

eyes, torn between wariness and defensiveness and waited for his

edict, imagining what he would say.

You work too hard.

Your hours are too long.

You need to take time off.

You need to stop pushing yourself so hard.

Ash sighed deeply and asked, “What are your hours tomorrow?”

She frowned, thrown for a loop. “It’s a Sunday, so I’ll only work

from ten to two. Why?”

“We’re leaving here at eight-thirty. I’m following you home. I’m

putting you to bed as soon as we get home, and I’m not letting you get

up until you have barely enough time to get ready and be at work at

ten on the dot. After work, I’ll pick you up and take you back home,

and then I’m putting you back to bed again. You’re staying in bed the

rest of the day, even if I have to physically keep you there.”

As he spoke, she bristled, her backbone going straight and rigid,

her hands forming into fists. “Now listen here, you big, overgrown—”

“Big enough to tie you to your bed if you fight me.” The gleam in

his eyes told her he meant every word.

She hopped down off of the countertop and stomped out of the

bathroom into the hallway. “You will do no such thing. You’re not

my keeper, and I don’t need you lecturing me—”

Grasping her around the waist to stop her, he pulled her into the

bedroom across the hallway. Quietly, he closed the bedroom door

behind them as he said in a succinct tone, “I’m not lecturing you

because you don’t listen. You pushed yourself until you’re in agony,

and now you’re going to rest. There is no shoulda, woulda, coulda.

I’m telling you what you’re going to do,” he stated in a low, husky drawl as he drew closer to her until her ass was pressed against the



80

Heather Rainier

heavy wooden dresser. “You’re slowing down the healing process by

not taking this time to recover.”

She didn’t like that he was crowding her and pressed her forearms

against his chest, but he didn’t budge. He was seriously pissing her

off, and she sharply said, “I’m not some fragile china doll!”



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Chapter Eight



Ash surprised her as he yelled unexpectedly, “I know! And I’m

tired of having to handle you like one!” and reached for her, grasping

her by her hips and yanking her forward until her hips were crushed

against his groin. His hands were unyielding on her tender flesh, and

she gasped when she felt the steely erection inside his blue jeans.

Her cunt pulsed as he grasped the back of her head and drew her

to his lips in a hard, passionate kiss. She struggled against him, trying

to fist the fabric of his shirt without success because of the cast and