Barbara Wallace – I Do...: Her Accidental Engagement / A Bride's Tangled Vows (страница 26)

“He could have hurt you,” she whispered, unable to take her eyes off his shoulder.

He tipped up her chin. His eyes were warm on hers, kind and understanding. “I’m okay. Nothing happened.”

“It could have. Every day something could happen to you, Sam. Drug busts, drunken fights and who knows what else.”

“I’m fine.”

“I’m not. I can’t stand knowing you’re always at risk.”

He looked over her shoulder to where Joe stood. When his eyes met hers again, they were cold and unreadable. He leaned in close to her ear. “Then it’s a good thing this is a fake engagement. I’m not giving up my life for a woman.”

Julia felt the air rush from her lungs. “I didn’t say I wanted you to.” She grabbed on to the front of his shirt as he moved to pull away. “I know this is fake. Sue me, but I was worried. Heaven forbid someone cares about you, Sam. Expects something from you. Maybe I shouldn’t have—”

“Forget it.” Sam kissed her cheek, but she knew it was because his father was still watching. “I have to go into the station and then to the hospital, so I’ll be a while. Take Charlie home. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

“Don’t do this,” she whispered as he walked away, climbing into the police cruiser without looking back.

She knew this was fake. Because she’d never be stupid enough to fall in love with a man so irritating, annoying and unwilling to have a meaningful conversation about his feelings.

She turned to Joe. “At least he’s okay. That’s most important, right?”

“It’s hard for him to be needed by someone,” Joe said, taking her arm and leading her back toward the high school.

Julia snorted. “Ya think?”

* * *

Rotating his shoulder where the nurse had cleaned his wound, Sam stepped out of the E.R. into the darkness. His father’s car wasn’t in front, so he sat on the bench near the entrance to wait.

He scrubbed his palms against his face, wondering how he’d made such a colossal mess of a night that had started off so well. Julia had looked beautiful, as always, and they’d had fun with Charlie at the carnival. He’d even survived his dad and her mother meeting and almost felt okay about her relationship with Ethan.

Then he’d put his foot in his mouth in a thousand different ways when she’d been concerned about his job. Hell, he couldn’t name a cop’s wife who didn’t worry. He’d liked that she’d been worried, liked the feeling of being needed. It had also scared him and he’d pushed her away.

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