64. With gûns blazing

Erica

As Ephraim guided me back inside the hotel, the doorman opened the door for us and I opted to look anywhere but at his face, god knows what he must be thinking. But I should’ve looked down instead as my feet tangled in the decorative rug and I almost fell face first on the marble floor as my ankle twisted.

This time Ephraim wasn’t there to catch me but someone sure did. And his words made me stiffen as he said, “Better luck next time.”

Ephraim grabbed my elbow and pulled me away from Elijah but I couldn’t pull my eyes off him as he winked at me before he turned away. “Shit. Are you okay?” Ephraim asked.

“Yeah,” I nodded, absently. But when I took a step forward, I winced in pain that shot through my ankle.

“Yeah, you look okay.” Ephraim drawled and in the next second he was picking me up in his arms.

“You don’t have to do that!” I gasped.

He just shook his head. “I am not letting you limp all the way to our breakfast table.”

So that was how I found myself being carried around th