Lori Foster

by Get Your Guy; Messing Around withMax Tempted - Little Miss Innocent; Annie

  “I love you, Lace.”

  “Hmm. I know.” She patted his chest and smiled. “But that doesn’t answer my question.”

  “Melissa is a businesswoman through and through. She isn’t the type to inspire thoughts of hearth and home. At least, I didn’t think she was. But now with Guy… I just can’t believe such a mess. The whole idea of marriage is ludicrous.” He tilted his head. “Does that answer your question?”

  “Fortunately for you—yes.”

  Daniel went back to the business of the cabin, keeping one arm possessively over Lace’s shoulders. “You’ll be isolated enough, so Guy will have nothing to do but recuperate and think on how ridiculous this marriage plan is.”

  Annie nodded.

  “And you,” he added, “can think about this crazy seduction farce.”

  Lace smiled widely. “Oh, I’m sure she will. After all—” she winked at Annie “—the cabin is set up for seduction. How could she not think about it?”

  And better yet, Annie thought, how could Guy not think about it? The setting would give her the perfect opportunity to try her hand again, only this time Guy would be at her mercy. He wouldn’t be able to run away from her.

  “But what if something happens to him?” Annie glanced toward the room Guy was in. She could still hear him singing, and a gaggle of nurses hovered, peeking in at him, giggling and flirting.

  Shameless hussies.

  What good woman took advantage of a downed man?

  Annie frowned, realizing she intended to do just that! “What if he starts hurting worse, or he needs a different medicine?”

  “I can make sure you have all his prescriptions before you leave, which should be sometime tomorrow morning. I want him to stay tonight just so we can keep an eye on him, but he’ll be fit enough to go tomorrow—with the right care. In fact, if I know Guy, he’ll probably be insisting on leaving.”

  “You make this sound pretty easy.”

  Daniel nodded. “It will be. I’ll write out all the instructions for you. But to be on the safe side, you can take my cell phone with you. Just be sure to hide it from him. If Guy knows you have it, he’ll call for a cab and race on home to propose.” Daniel gave Annie an understanding look. “And we don’t want that to happen, do we?”

  “No.” She most definitely didn’t want him offering himself up to Melissa.

  Another nurse started into Guy’s room, and Annie heard Guy greet her with a whistle. The painkillers had put him in a strange mood, and she wasn’t willing to let another woman—not even a nurse—take advantage of his sudden vulnerability. “I’m spending the night with him,” she announced, then waited for someone to argue.

  Instead, Daniel merely nodded and Lace said, “Do you want me to run home and get anything for you?”

  “Thanks, Lace, but I’ll be fine.” She just wanted to get back to Guy, to see him and be with him—and keep other women away.

  Lace held out her hand. “Give me your keys. I’m willing to bet you didn’t park your car for the night.”

  “No, it’s in the emergency zone.” She dug in her pocket and extracted her bulky set of apartment and car keys. “Thanks.”

  “You’re very welcome.” Lace decided to call it a night after she moved Annie’s car, and kissed both Annie and Daniel goodbye. Daniel promised to be home soon. His shift had ended hours ago, just as Guy had been brought in. Annie knew he had to be exhausted.

  Daniel turned at a loud growl from Guy’s room. He muttered a curse. “I think our patient is acting up just a bit. It shouldn’t surprise me, I suppose. Men generally make the worst sort of patients. Come on, the nurse can probably use our help.”

  Annie followed quickly, anxious over the cursing complaints that echoed out of Guy’s room. When they stepped through the doorway, Guy was struggling with a flustered nurse while she tried to remove his blanket.

  “Get your hands off me, woman!”

  “I need to check your ribs, Mr. Donovan.”

  “You’re not getting me buck naked!”

  Daniel rushed forward with a sigh. “That’s okay, Ms. Dryer. I’ll take care of it.”

  Guy focused on Daniel’s face, his own expression indignant. “I’ve been harassed by pushy women one too many times today.”

  Though Annie felt the heat pulse in her cheeks at the charge, Daniel didn’t seem to notice. And he certainly didn’t understand Guy’s meaning.

  Daniel tried to placate Guy. “I do understand. But the fact is, if you want to be released in the morning, I have to make a final check on your hulking body. Big as you are, you aren’t invincible. Especially up against a semi. So shut your trap and let me do my job.”

  “You’re a damn good friend to me, Daniel, you know that? Damn good.”

  Daniel slanted a look at Annie that clearly said, here we go again. Daniel lowered the sheet, barely maintaining Guy’s modesty, and Annie got an eye-opening view of his solid midsection. His abdomen was ridged with muscle, even in his relaxed state. And lower down, his hipbones appeared lighter than the rest of his skin, dipping in toward delectable male territory.

  The same hair that lightly furred his chest ran in a silky trail down to circle his navel, then farther down to…

  Guy looked up and caught sight of Annie watching with rapt interest. He snatched the sheet back up to his stubbled chin while looking at her as if she were a pervert.

  Daniel glanced over his shoulder at Annie, and his face softened in an understanding smile. He tipped his head toward the door. Gently, he said, “Give us a minute, sis, will you? Guy’s feeling unduly shy all of a sudden.”

  She didn’t want to leave.

  She wanted to stay and see more of Guy’s powerful body. She wanted to pull that sheet just a tad lower. Maybe more than a tad—to his knees would be nice.

  She wanted to inspect every single bruise and scrape and hurt on his entire body, and she wanted to kiss them all better. It didn’t matter that he was badly battered, he still had the most beautiful male body she’d ever seen, all long muscles and hair-dusted skin. She loved him.

  Hopefully, once she had him at her mercy, she’d be able to view a bit more of him. Like maybe, all of him. In great detail. She smiled with the thought, then left the room reluctantly.

  She busied herself by arranging for her assistant at the bookstore to work full shifts until further notice. She gave the woman both Daniel’s and Lace’s numbers, and received a promise that everything would be looked after properly.

  It was another fifteen minutes before Daniel came out again. He went directly to where Annie anxiously waited. “He’s fallen asleep. I figured the medicine would take him out sooner or later. Come on. I’ll get you something to eat and we can talk about the cabin.”

  “I don’t want to leave him.”

  “He’s out cold, Annie. He won’t know if you’re there or not and I’ve given instructions for the nurses to page me if he wakes.”

  “I’m not hungry, Daniel. Can’t I just sit beside him?”

  Daniel gave her a speculative look, then finally nodded. “All right. I’ll have an orderly bring you up a more comfortable chair. Would you like a pillow, too, just in case you get a chance to doze?”

  “Thank you.” Annie would have agreed to anything just to get it settled. More than anything, she simply wanted to be by Guy’s side, holding his hand and assuring herself he was truly okay.

  Above her guilt, which was extreme, she felt the driving determination to give a relationship with Guy every opportunity. If that meant throwing herself at him, taking advantage of him, acting like a trollop, then she would.

  And if her heart got broken in the bargain, she’d just deal with it.

  Daniel gave her one more lengthy look, then drew her close for a hug. “I have to get out of here. Guy should pretty much sleep through the night, but if there’s any problem, you can call me at home. Dr. Morton will be here the rest of the night, and he’s good, but I’d still want to know—”

  “I unders
tand. I love him, too.” Annie smiled up at her brother, fighting off her tears. “And I promise to call you if there’s any reason.”

  Daniel kissed her on the forehead. “Don’t wear yourself out. Try to get some sleep. Guy’s going to need a lot of attention in the next couple of days, and you’ll have to be up to par. Especially given how he reacts to those painkillers.”

  After Daniel left to order the reclining chair and pillow, Annie slipped into Guy’s room. Standing by the bed, she lifted his large hand and cradled it between her own. She watched his chest rise and fall as he breathed deeply in sleep. She inspected the swelling bruise on his temple, the ugly scrape on his shoulder. She didn’t realize she was crying until a tear landed on their entwined hands.

  She would do what was best for him. If that meant whisking him away to someplace private where he’d have to listen to her reasonable arguments, then so be it.

  She’d do whatever was necessary to keep Guy from marrying the wrong woman. And if while they were at the cabin, he convinced her he truly only loved her as a sister, that Melissa was the right woman for him, then she’d give him up without a hassle. She wanted him to be happy.

  But first he’d have a choice. He’d know how much she loved him, that everything could be wonderful between them if he’d only give them a chance. And then he could decide.

  The chair was delivered and situated close to Guy’s bed. Annie sank into it, but she didn’t sleep. Instead, she stayed awake all night and planned Guy’s seduction. She intended to give this her very best shot. Guy was more than worth the effort.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “HE WOKE UP off and on all night,” Annie told Daniel first thing the following morning. “Part of the time he wanted to sing, and part of the time he was groaning. The nurse gave him pain medicine twice, though he didn’t really come right out and ask for it.”

  “He wouldn’t. He’s a stubborn ass, and you know it.”

  Calling Guy stubborn was a gross understatement. Throughout the night, Guy had been downright impossible. He’d hurt, but he resisted admitting it. “He still looks exhausted.”

  “Don’t fret, Annie. I think his exhaustion has more to do with what was on his mind before the accident than the accident itself. My guess is, he’s suffering conflicting feelings about his intention to propose to Melissa.”

  “You don’t think he really wants to get married?”

  Daniel lifted a brow. “I think he wants marriage a lot. It’s Melissa I’m not really sure he wants. He likes her fine, and she’s a very attractive woman, not to mention smart.”

  Lace poked him in the ribs. “You’re on thin ice.”

  “Lace! When did you get here?”

  “I left the house shortly after you did.”

  “I thought you had to be at the radio station this morning.”

  “Not for a couple more hours.” She turned to Annie. “I hope you don’t mind, but since I had your keys, I went by your apartment and packed a bag for you. This way you can stay here with Guy until it’s time to leave for the cabin.”

  Annie hadn’t even thought about packing a bag. “Thanks. How did I ever get along without you?”

  Daniel, with a gentle smile, said, “I’ve often wondered the same thing.”

  Lace grinned at both of them. “It’s too early for drama, so both of you can just knock it off.” She leaned into her husband, who put his arm around her. “Annie, I put the bag in the back of your car already. And don’t worry, I packed everything you could possibly need.”

  “Uh…thanks.” Annie briefly wondered at the impish gleam in her friend’s eyes, but she figured that could be as much from the fact her husband was caressing her hip as anything else.

  Annie had been given a toothbrush from the hospital staff and she’d washed up in a private bathroom. Her clothes were a wrinkled mess, but she didn’t care enough to change them. Her hair—she’d almost groaned when she’d seen how ratty it was. She untangled it the best she could, then put it in a long braid. Lace had once told her she had beautiful, sexy hair so she should wear it loose.

  There was nothing sexy about it now. It was such a hassle keeping it tangle free.

  They were on their way back from the cafeteria where Daniel had insisted that she eat some fruit with her coffee. The food sat like a lump in her belly. In minutes, she’d be stealing away her one true love and with any luck, she might get the chance to apply some of her new lascivious lessons to his person.

  Daniel thought she was going to nurse Guy back to health.

  Instead, she intended to molest him.

  She knew, were Guy not loopy from the drugs, he’d never agree to letting her steal him away.

  Daniel handed her a couple of pieces of paper. “Here, I’ve written out directions on how to get to the cabin. You shouldn’t have any problems, but keep my cell phone handy just in case. And here’s a list of things you’ll need to know, like who to call if you need more supplies or anything. There’s a local woman who keeps the place clean and does the linens and keeps the cabinets stocked. And there’s instructions on how to work the controls on the hot tub—”

  Annie drew to a halt. “The hot tub?”

  Daniel kept walking, ignoring her interruption and not looking at her as he said, “Soaking in the hot tub might be the perfect therapy for Guy if he’s up to it. But he’ll definitely need help getting in and out.”

  Guy wet and warm from frothing water…

  Daniel hid a smile and nodded to the list. “Everything is pretty easy, but I don’t want you to have any trouble getting settled.”

  “What if the ride makes Guy uncomfortable?”

  Daniel checked his watch. “Given the timing on his last pain pill, he shouldn’t feel a thing for a few more hours. But often the next day after an accident is the worst. You’re more aware of all your aches and pains then. If he’s resistant to the pain pills, you might try—” Daniel coughed “—giving him a, er, massage. That ought to…set him straight.”

  Annie wanted to rub her hands together in glee. “I’ll take care of him, Daniel. Don’t worry.”

  Daniel nodded, and Annie realized just how tired he looked. “When was the last time you slept?”

  He gave her a crooked smile. “I was on my way home when Guy came in last night. All things considered, I didn’t rest easy when I did finally get in bed.”

  Lace made a sound of mock outrage. “That was your fault! I was nearly asleep when you started—”

  Daniel again covered her mouth. Grinning, he pulled her close and kissed her. “Why don’t you go out and start Annie’s car so it can warm up while we get Guy ready to go.”

  Lace looked a little dazed and disgruntled. Finally, she just agreed and went out. Daniel watched her go, that silly little grin still on his mouth.

  Annie said, “I had no idea you were so insatiable.”

  Rather than looking embarrassed this time, he shrugged. “I didn’t, either. But Lace…well, she distracts me mightily. And last night I needed a distraction.”

  Annie hoped Guy would feel the same. She was ready and able—eager—to distract him in any way necessary. Most especially in the way she assumed Lace had distracted Daniel. “You know, marriage appears to agree with you.”

  “Having Lace close, loving her—that’s what agrees with me. I’d recommend it to anyone. Including you.” Daniel flicked the end of her nose. “When you find someone who’s good enough for you, that is.”

  “And just who would be good enough, Daniel? Answer me that, will you?”

  Daniel drew up blank, his expression bemused. Just then a nurse interrupted to tell Daniel that she’d found some newer scrubs for Guy to wear home.

  Lace pulled the car right up to the emergency room entrance. Daniel helped maneuver Guy into a wheelchair for his ride outside and even supplied him with a few blankets. Guy’s long body overflowed the chair in every direction, and his injured leg, jutting out straight with the support apparatus around his knee, preceded them out t
he door. Daniel carried a pair of brand-new crutches for him, then stowed them in the back seat.

  They barely managed to get him situated in the front passenger seat of her small car with a seat belt around him before Guy started snoring again, his head dropped back against the seat. Annie tried to smooth his hair, which immediately popped back up into small spikes. She covered his legs to keep them warm, then put the car in gear. Daniel stood to the side, Lace beside him, both of them waving her on.

  Guy toppled over, his breath leaving him in a whoosh as the impact caused him renewed pain. Annie waited for him to awaken, but he didn’t. She adjusted her position so that his head was in her lap, and when Guy looped an arm around her thigh, one broad palm beneath his head, it took all her concentration to keep them safely on the road. His fingers were so close to where she’d often imagined them being. Of course, now, he was all but unconscious. And still it gave her a thrill.

  She was a pervert, she decided, and didn’t care.

  An hour-long ride?

  With Guy so close, it would probably seem twice as long, but she thought of the possibilities when they finally arrived, and she started to hum. Fate was on her side this time. She would read her books, she’d study hard and Guy, bless his wounded heart, wouldn’t stand a chance.

  The next time she had him this close, he’d be wide awake and fully aware. With any luck at all, he’d even be willing.

  ANNIE TURNED OFF the engine and gently shook Guy’s shoulder. Other than wincing every now and then, he hadn’t moved during the entire ride. The last sleepless night, and those before it, were taking their toll. She knew he had to be sore, so she was careful when she tried to wake him.

  He slept on.

  “Guy?” She shook him a little harder this time and he stirred the tiniest bit. His large hand squeezed her thigh more firmly and he turned his face inward, nuzzling against her in a most scandalizing way.

  In a most thrilling way.

  Annie froze. “Ohmigosh.” Surely it was depraved to enjoy the attentions of a sleeping man.