"That's not it," she explained. "I just don't want you getting hurt because of me. And since I'm broke, I really don't want to buy you a meal."
Hearing this, a hint of a smile touched Zane Jennings's eyes. "Is it that you're broke, or you just don't want to?"
Erin Lowell didn't want to lie to him. "Both."
Zane Jennings straightened up and let out a long breath, the warmth of it washing over her ear. "I just got heroically injured for you, and you're already tired of me."
His words seemed to strike a nerve. Her gaze softened, and she lowered her head, focusing intently on cleaning the wound. The tips of her ears, flushed red, were now visible.
As she applied the antiseptic, she knew it would sting, so her touch was incredibly cautious. She dabbed it on bit by bit, but the moment she made contact, Zane Jennings frowned and hissed.
Erin Lowell stopped at once. "Does it hurt a lot?"
"It doesn't hurt," he said, a wide grin on his face. "But your pinching does."
