Accidentally Yours

by Susan Mallery

  He was difficult, imperious, arrogant, and no one she should get involved with. But there was something about him that called to her and made it impossible to even consider Rex’s slightly scandalous invitation.

  “I don’t think dinner would be a good idea,” she told him. “Not that I’m not tempted.”

  “Are you sure? I’m very good. I have a lot of experience.”

  “I’m guessing you’re beyond good, Rex. But I don’t do one-night stands. I get involved, and then what would happen? You’d go back to Hollywood and I’d have a crush on you. I’d start calling on a daily basis, you wouldn’t like that. You’d want to let me down gently, but eventually you’d be forced to change your cell phone number and get a restraining order.”

  Rex looked confused. “Because of one night of sex?”

  She nodded. “I’m trying to save you from a hellish time.”

  Nathan walked over. “How’s it going?”

  Kerri smiled at him. “I’m explaining to Rex that I’m not a good person to get involved with. You know how easily I give away my heart. I’ll start stalking him and it will get really ugly. I’m not sure I’m getting through.”

  Nathan frowned. “Are you saying he—”

  Kerri moved close. “Tell him how long it took me to get over you, Nathan. How I nearly destroyed your life.”

  Nathan’s expression warned her she would have some explaining to do later, then he turned to Rex. “Trust me. You don’t want to go there with her. No matter how much she tempts you.”

  Rex took a step back. “Okay. Good to know. Thank you for being so honest. I’ll get the practice jumps ready so you can try them with the lines.”

  He scooted away as fast as his massive thighs would take him. Nathan waited until they were alone, then asked, “What was that about?”

  “He asked me to dinner, which was really a polite way of asking if I wanted to have sex.”

  Nathan’s gaze narrowed. “He’s fired.”

  “Don’t be silly. He can’t help himself. Look at his face, his body. He’s beyond perfect—he’s another species. I can’t help but wonder what he looks like naked.”

  “Apparently he would like you to find out.”

  She grinned. “No thanks. And don’t get all pinchy. I’m curious, not intrigued. He’s no one I’m interested in.”

  “You said you wanted to see him naked and I’m not pinchy.”

  “You can’t see your face.”

  She had the thought that he was jealous but dismissed it. Nathan couldn’t be—that would imply he cared. Theirs was a business relationship with some interesting side trips. Still, it was a pretty cool fantasy. Or as her nine-year-old would say—sweet.

  “We have to talk,” Nathan said.

  “About Rex?”

  “About a charity function.” He named the date. “Are you available?”

  “Sure.”

  “It’s formal.”

  “Like a ball? I’ve always wanted to wear a tiara.”

  “If it’s important to you.”

  “Kerri, we are ready for you,” Rex said.

  “You can only stay if you promise not to laugh,” Kerri told Nathan. “I’m about to make a big fool out of myself. No critical remarks are allowed.”

  “You don’t have to do this at all.”

  “Yeah, I do. It’s time for Wonder Mom to make an appearance.”

  She followed Rex over to the platform that had been built to simulate the top of a building just beyond the fence at Cody’s school. The plan was that she would jump from one building to another, then catch a falling beam. In truth, she would be harnessed and jump with the aid of a line that would both pull her in the right direction and keep her from falling. There would be a net in case she messed up and the beam in question was a Hollywood prop, made of foam rubber and weighing about five pounds. It, too, would be on a line.

  Even though she knew nothing was going to go wrong, she was nervous as she stood on the first platform. Rex stood beside her, his huge hand on her shoulder.

  “Run straight forward. Not too fast. You need momentum, not speed. Your jump starts at the mark. Lean forward. Gravity and the momentum will carry you forward. Bend your knees for the landing. On the other side, regain your balance and run toward the middle of the building. The beam will fall, you will catch it and the world will be saved.”

  She laughed. “If only that were true.”

  She followed him to the starting point—a square on the platform marked with blue tape. Everything was in place. For a second she wondered how much this was costing Nathan—she’d demanded to fly for her son and he’d made it happen.

  “Ready?” Rex called.

  She nodded and waited for him to call “Go!”

  On his cue, she ran toward the edge of the platform. She overshot her jumping point, but launched herself anyway and had to suck back a scream as she began to fall.

  Lean, she told herself through the terror. Lean and push and—

  Her feet hit the second, lower platform. She staggered a little, having forgotten to bend her knees. When she’d regained her balance, she jogged toward the center of the platform, looked up and shrieked as a massive beam dropped toward her. Rather than catch it, she put up her arms to protect her head. The beam bounced off her and landed on the platform. She straightened and winced.

  “We probably need to practice that last bit,” she said.

  Rex shrugged again, moving those impossible muscles up and down. “Not bad for a first try. We will go again.”

  So they did. On her second attempt, she managed the jump, but still covered her head and crouched as the beam tumbled toward her. By the fourth practice run, she managed to complete the sequence without messing up.

  “Two more runs,” Rex told her. “Then we move to the school.”

  She looked up at the godlike man. “You must think I’m crazy for doing this.”

  “Nathan said your little boy is sick. That you do this to make him feel better. You’re a good mother. I’m happy to help.”

  A god with a heart, she thought and smiled. “Thank you, Rex. That’s so sweet.”

  “I think we would be good together,” he said. “In bed. I can do things women like.”

  “I’m sure you can, but this isn’t the best time for me.”

  “You’re with Nathan, aren’t you? That’s why you told me you would stalk me.”

  Her attention slid to the man in question. “We’re not together.”

  “You will be,” Rex said glumly. “I can tell. But when you get tired of him, you can call me. I’ll give you my card.”

  She didn’t know which to address first—his confidence that she and Nathan would hook up or his unexpected interest in her.

  “Are you intrigued because I said no?” she asked. “Does that make me a challenge?”

  “Partly,” Rex admitted. “But mostly it’s because of your son. You really care about him. I like that. You lead with your heart. I don’t meet a lot of women like that.”

  “Then stop dating women in the business.”

  “But they’re so beautiful.”

  She gave up. Rex didn’t want to change and she had no idea why he thought he wanted her. She would take the compliment and let it go.

  Two hours later, she was pulling on her Wonder Mom boots in an empty classroom at Cody’s school. Second thoughts had been replaced by third and fourth thoughts.

  “I’m crazy,” she muttered to herself as she straightened and stomped her foot into place in the cheap white boots. “I can’t pull this off. Even if I don’t kill or maim myself, no one is going to believe the stunt. Talk about dumb.”

  “Are you trying to commune with a distant planet?” Nathan asked as he entered the room.

  “What? Oh.” Kerri reached up and fingered the hot rollers. “I decided that I should look good as I plummet to my death. That way everyone talking about what an idiot I was will also add that I looked good doing it.”

  “You’re no
t an idiot.”

  “I feel stupid.”

  “Why? You want to give Cody something to believe in.”

  “A mom with special powers? He’s too old for that.”

  “No one is too old for a miracle.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Hey, you’re supposed to be the cynical one, not me.”

  “I thought I’d check out the view from the other side.” He moved close. “You’ll do fine.”

  “I hope so.” She stared into his dark eyes. “Thank you for doing this. I know it’s been a big pain and a bigger expense.”

  “I’m happy to make you fly.”

  She put her hands on Nathan’s chest. “Rex told me he can do things women like.”

  “He’s never going to work in this town again.”

  She smiled. “Don’t be mad. It’s funny. He’s funny. I’m not interested.”

  Nathan didn’t say anything. She supposed there wasn’t a good, winning response. He wasn’t going to admit he was interested, but he didn’t want her seeing anyone else. Which she kind of liked.

  “Rex isn’t my type.”

  “You said you don’t have a type.”

  “I don’t. But if I did, it wouldn’t be him.”

  He stared at her for a long time, then his gaze dropped to her mouth. Was he thinking about kissing her? She found herself wanting that kiss, and his touch and whatever else he was offering.

  Someone tapped on the open door. “It’s time.”

  Kerri stepped back and began removing the curlers.

  “I’ll see you on the other side,” Nathan told her. “Good luck.”

  “Thanks.”

  Kerri fluffed her hair, sprayed it into submission, then slipped on her cape and took the stairs to the roof.

  The school looked a lot different than the mockup she’d practiced on. There was also the unfortunate issue of the building being much higher than the platform. There were several people hovering just out of sight, behind large pieces of complicated equipment. Rex waved her over.

  “There is smoke,” he said as he secured her harness and the lines, then tugged on them. “It will not hurt you. You will be afraid, but you are safe. The worst that will happen is you will fall into the net. The lines will slow your fall and you will be fine.”

  Kerri had a vision of herself tumbling to a broken arm or leg. Neither fell under her definition of fine.

  “You will go to your mark, then begin to run. Lean forward as you jump.”

  “Bend my knees when I land, keep my balance, catch the beam,” she finished. “What was I thinking?”

  “That you will make your son proud of you and that will give him hope.”

  She smiled at Rex. “Good answer.”

  Without warning, he grabbed her shoulders, pulled her close and kissed her.

  His mouth was as hard as the rest of him, but yielding. He kissed as if he meant it, with interest and just enough urgency to be flattering. He didn’t push, pressing his lips to hers but not taking things further. So much for not kissing any man in ten years, she thought humorously. Apparently she was making up for lost time.

  She put her hands on his and gently pulled him away. If she could find the mental time and energy to amuse herself while she was being kissed, then something was really wrong.

  Rex stared at her, then sighed. “I tried.”

  “You did good.”

  “Not good enough. Come on, Wonder Mom. It’s time to save the world.”

  Kerri walked alone to the mark on the roof. While she’d practiced and in theory should be fine, she found herself shaking as she stared across what seemed like an impossible distance to the building in front of her. Smoke swirled around her, creating a sense of otherworldliness, as if she’d stepped into an alternate universe. She could see much of the town, the blue sky, feel the light breeze on her face.

  “I can do this,” she told herself. “I have powers. The power of love for Cody. The power of belief. I can do this because he needs to see me do this. I’m fine. It’s easy. I can fly.”

  She drew in a breath and squared her shoulders. Then she began to run.

  The edge of the roof seemed to race toward her. She timed her mark okay and started to jump. From the practice sessions, she was prepared for the sense of falling and refused to look down. She leaned forward and, at the last second, remembered to bend her knees.

  When she landed on the other roof, she was so stunned, she nearly fell. Then she regained her balance, hurried forward a few steps, looked up and caught the beam. She raised the Hollywood-constructed piece above her head in victory, then set it on the roof and spun in a circle.

  “I am Wonder Mom,” she yelled. “I can fly!”

  Five minutes later, minus the harness and the lines, she walked into Cody’s classroom. The kids there clustered around her.

  “Mrs. Sullivan, that was so cool. How did you do it?”

  “Did you really jump between the buildings? Can you teach me to do that?”

  She crossed to her son, in his chair in front of his desk. “So what did you think?”

  He ducked his head. “Mo-om, you didn’t have to do that.”

  “I kind of did. If that beam had fallen, it would have crashed through the roof and possibly hurt students in their classrooms.”

  He looked at her and rolled his eyes. “It didn’t look that heavy.”

  “Trust me, it was.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  But he was smiling as he spoke and there was a light in his eyes she hadn’t seen in a long time.

  “Cody, you’re so lucky,” one of the kids said. “I wish my mom was Wonder Mom.”

  “Me, too. Mrs. Sullivan, can you do that again?”

  She doubted she was up to an encore. “Everyone is safe now. I think I’ll head home.”

  She turned to leave. Cody grabbed her hand. “Thanks, Mom.”

  “You’re welcome. I’ll pick you up at eight at Brandon’s. Have fun.”

  “I will.”

  “Maybe when you get home tonight, we can pick out a theme song. Or I could just borrow the one from Wonder Woman. What do you think?”

  “That I’m lucky to have you.”

  Kerri had been worried about falling or failing or making a fool out of herself. She hadn’t thought about crying.

  Still, she managed to hold back the tears. “Me, too,” she said, then waved at Cody’s teacher and left.

  Hope, she told herself as she leaned against the school hallway wall. She’d given him hope. Sometimes that was enough for a miracle. Pray God it was this time.

  ABRAM WALKED into Bill’s Food and Feed late in the afternoon. “I’m here for my order.”

  “Sure thing, Professor. I had it ready last night.”

  Had he ordered it for last night? It was possible. He was attempting to take care of more of the details in his life himself, rather than depend on Linda. It wasn’t that he didn’t want her help—it was more that he needed to prove something to her. And possibly himself.

  “You can check that I have everything,” Bill told him.

  “Not necessary. I wouldn’t know if something was missing or added.”

  Bill grinned. “You really are the absentminded professor, aren’t you?”

  Doctor, Abram thought, less annoyed by the title than usual.

  “Hello, Dr. Wallace,” a woman said as she came into the store. “Aren’t we having a nice summer?”

  “Ah, yes,” Abram answered, not sure he’d ever seen her before. For all he knew, she was employed at the lab. Except for the researchers he worked with, he didn’t pay much attention to staff.

  Two more people spoke to him before he could pay for his order and escape. Because the lab was back in business, he thought as he picked up the box. They appreciated the work he brought to the town. Did that mean they’d forgiven him for what had happened before? Was it possible?

  He turned to leave, then spotted a display of floral bouquets all wrapped up in plastic and sitting in a bucket.


  “I’ll, ah, take one of those, too,” he said.

  “Sure thing, Professor,” Bill told him. “I’ll put it on your tab.”

  He shook off the flowers before adding them to the box, then walked out to his car. When he’d put everything in the backseat, he turned and looked at the storefront.

  He’d redeemed himself in their eyes. A foolish sentiment. All he’d done was unwillingly accept a grant and make use of Nathan King’s money. He had yet to find a cure for Gilliar’s Disease.

  But he would, he told himself firmly. He would.

  KERRI POURED from the bottle of wine Nathan had brought over and wondered how much it had cost. Fifty dollars? A hundred? If it was the latter, it was her food budget for the week. Ah, to have spare cash.

  “To a successful flight,” he said, taking the glass she offered.

  She picked up her own. “Because of you. Is there any way I can get you to tell me what my stunt cost?”

  “No.”

  “I had no idea how complicated it would be or what was involved. You should have told me. I would have found a different way.”

  “Why? This one worked. Like you said, Kerri, I got one of my assistants to take care of the details. Don’t give me too much credit.”

  “What happened to the heartless bastard who got me fired from my waitress job several months ago?” she asked.

  “He’s still alive and well and pissing off the world.”

  She wasn’t so sure. Nathan had been more than kind to her, more than generous. He’d been patient, been a friend.

  “I’ve never had anyone to lean on before,” she told him. “I’m afraid to get used to it.”

  “Don’t be. You don’t always have to fight the battle alone.”

  Didn’t she? Wasn’t that what made it work? Her sacrifice?

  But sometimes it was hard to be the only one. To never be able to depend on someone else. Sometimes she wanted to have a strong shoulder to lean against.

  She put down her glass of wine and leaned toward him. His eyes were dark and mostly unreadable, except for the fire flaring there.

  She felt an answering heat inside—one that made her tremble and want and wonder.