into it. Ian’s muscles tautened, and something dark and volatile built inside him as he watched his twin place an arm around her shoulders. Surely it was a gesture of comfort, but Ian didn’t like it. And the realization both startled and irritated him.
She stilled, as if sensing him, and her body twisted his way, her gaze locking on him. For a moment he could’ve swore there was relief in her eyes, before it slipped away into something close to disbelief and misery.
When he reached her side, Colin pulled away from Sarah. Her gaze was only on Ian, though, as she shook her head.
“Do you McLaughlins have mental telepathy with each other or something? This is getting a little ridiculous.”
“Not telepathy, just got a call from my brother here.” He gave his brother a hard look, before glancing back at Sarah. “What happened?”
“None of your business.” She glared at Colin. “And I’m sure you broke some sheriff code by calling him.”
Colin shrugged and gave a small grin. “I thought you might want help from an old friend. Ian owns a garage, you know.”
The irritation on her face faded to surprise, and her gaze darted back to Ian. “No, actually I didn’t know. I kind of figured he’d have a career dealing weed by now or something.”
While Ian muttered a soft, “Ouch,” his twin let out a roar of laughter.
“I’d have arrested his sorry arse if that were the case,” Colin murmured.
“Look, you guys can both take off. I’ll call for a tow truck. Unless I’m getting some kind of ticket, Colin?”
“No. You swerved to avoid a deer and hit no other cars. Just…totaled your own. I think that’s punishment enough.” Colin grimaced. “And I think you should consider getting checked out at the hospital.”
Sarah waved off Colin’s protest and turned, striding back to her car. “I’m fine. I just want to call my insurance and get things settled.”
Ian thrust his hands into his jean pockets and followed her. “Go for it. But you’re insurance premium is going to go up.”
“Why on earth would my insurance go up? This was an accident. I didn’t cause it.”
“Well, you did, actually. Colin just said you swerved to avoid hitting a deer?”
“Yes. Two, actually. One was a fawn. What are you getting at?”
“I’m saying that you swerved to hit a deer. Had you just braked instead of swerving, you wouldn’t have been at fault.”
“That makes no sense.” She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Then I would’ve actually hit, and most likely killed, the deer. I would’ve felt awful, and my car would still be totaled. Are you even listening to yourself?”
“Look, I know what I’m talking about. My career is fixing cars, doll. I live on an island full of deer and have worked with insurance companies enough to know how this works. If you’d hit the deer, you would’ve been covered, because that wasn’t your fault.” He sighed. “But you swerved and made the choice to risk your life, meaning you caused the accident. It’ll be an at-fault collision claim. Your rates are going to go up.”
“Seriously? This is how life works? I decide to save Bambi and his mom and I get in trouble?”
Ian gave a slow laugh. “Pretty much. Next time just run them over and keep the meat.”
Her nose wrinkled. “Okay, that’s just horrible, not to mention gross.”
“Aye.” Ian frowned and took a step closer to her, concern sliding through him. Reaching out with the pad of his thumb, he caught the tiny trickle of blood just above her lip.
She sucked in a breath and pulled back. “What are—?”
“Your nose is bleeding. Did you hit the steering wheel?”
Her gaze locked with his and for a moment the world around them slowed and fell back in time. How many times had he stared into those eyes? Had his pulse been a little quick, just as it was now?
Maybe she felt it too, because she didn’t look away and he heard the slight shift in her breathing. Then she blinked and her tongue
She stilled, as if sensing him, and her body twisted his way, her gaze locking on him. For a moment he could’ve swore there was relief in her eyes, before it slipped away into something close to disbelief and misery.
When he reached her side, Colin pulled away from Sarah. Her gaze was only on Ian, though, as she shook her head.
“Do you McLaughlins have mental telepathy with each other or something? This is getting a little ridiculous.”
“Not telepathy, just got a call from my brother here.” He gave his brother a hard look, before glancing back at Sarah. “What happened?”
“None of your business.” She glared at Colin. “And I’m sure you broke some sheriff code by calling him.”
Colin shrugged and gave a small grin. “I thought you might want help from an old friend. Ian owns a garage, you know.”
The irritation on her face faded to surprise, and her gaze darted back to Ian. “No, actually I didn’t know. I kind of figured he’d have a career dealing weed by now or something.”
While Ian muttered a soft, “Ouch,” his twin let out a roar of laughter.
“I’d have arrested his sorry arse if that were the case,” Colin murmured.
“Look, you guys can both take off. I’ll call for a tow truck. Unless I’m getting some kind of ticket, Colin?”
“No. You swerved to avoid a deer and hit no other cars. Just…totaled your own. I think that’s punishment enough.” Colin grimaced. “And I think you should consider getting checked out at the hospital.”
Sarah waved off Colin’s protest and turned, striding back to her car. “I’m fine. I just want to call my insurance and get things settled.”
Ian thrust his hands into his jean pockets and followed her. “Go for it. But you’re insurance premium is going to go up.”
“Why on earth would my insurance go up? This was an accident. I didn’t cause it.”
“Well, you did, actually. Colin just said you swerved to avoid hitting a deer?”
“Yes. Two, actually. One was a fawn. What are you getting at?”
“I’m saying that you swerved to hit a deer. Had you just braked instead of swerving, you wouldn’t have been at fault.”
“That makes no sense.” She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Then I would’ve actually hit, and most likely killed, the deer. I would’ve felt awful, and my car would still be totaled. Are you even listening to yourself?”
“Look, I know what I’m talking about. My career is fixing cars, doll. I live on an island full of deer and have worked with insurance companies enough to know how this works. If you’d hit the deer, you would’ve been covered, because that wasn’t your fault.” He sighed. “But you swerved and made the choice to risk your life, meaning you caused the accident. It’ll be an at-fault collision claim. Your rates are going to go up.”
“Seriously? This is how life works? I decide to save Bambi and his mom and I get in trouble?”
Ian gave a slow laugh. “Pretty much. Next time just run them over and keep the meat.”
Her nose wrinkled. “Okay, that’s just horrible, not to mention gross.”
“Aye.” Ian frowned and took a step closer to her, concern sliding through him. Reaching out with the pad of his thumb, he caught the tiny trickle of blood just above her lip.
She sucked in a breath and pulled back. “What are—?”
“Your nose is bleeding. Did you hit the steering wheel?”
Her gaze locked with his and for a moment the world around them slowed and fell back in time. How many times had he stared into those eyes? Had his pulse been a little quick, just as it was now?
Maybe she felt it too, because she didn’t look away and he heard the slight shift in her breathing. Then she blinked and her tongue
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