by Sandy James
Once he got her home, he’d find the courage to tell her when she could actually hear him.
* * *
Something was squeezing her right upper arm so tight she grumbled.
“Taking your blood pressure,” a far too chipper feminine voice said. “Be done in a sec.”
Mallory hated the foggy feeling that still enveloped her. Seemed that as soon as the anesthesia wore off, the morphine had taken charge. Hardly remembering anything except the button her nurse had handed her, she took a few deep breaths and tried to orient herself and banish the last of the drug’s effects.
No more pushing the morphine button for her.
A quick glance at the clock. 2:10 a.m. No wonder it was still dark.
The nurse who’d come in to check her had dragged Mallory back to the land of the living. Amazing how much the petite blonde could do with such a low level of light. Probably a night-shift nurse accustomed to moving around like a nocturnal creature. In short order, she’d checked all of Mallory’s vitals, taken a peek at her incision, and gotten her a glass of ice water.
“Buzz if you need me,” the nurse whispered. She smiled as she inclined her head at Ben. He lay sprawled in the easy chair as a soft snore slipped from his half-open mouth. “He’s been worried about you. Hasn’t left for a minute. Such a good husband.”
Mallory almost corrected the woman, but she breezed out of the room too quickly.
Such a good husband.
Maybe one day…
Things between them were going well. They were not only compatible, but they complemented each other in so many ways.
She hated cooking. Ben loved it.
He could be a bit of a slob, leaving tools all over the place or doffing a shirt and forgetting to grab it when he left. But Mallory actually enjoyed straightening things up.
And both had hearty sexual appetites. Sometimes it was hard to let him work on the house because she wanted to strip off his clothes and jump him. Once he’d convinced her that the scar didn’t matter, she’d released the last of the shackles holding her back. The way he responded every time he saw her naked ended the last of her worries. Ben let her know with his words, his touch, and his body that he liked everything he saw.
Would he love being able to see her body now that it was made whole? Well, at least it would be once the swelling subsided and she got the new nipple’s color tattooed.
The pain had eased enough she considered lifting the bandage to see her new boob. What stopped her was fear of moving in a way that tugged at the incision. The implant wasn’t going anywhere, and it would probably be best if she waited to look when all the swelling had eased.
That gave her pause. Ben might be accustomed to her scar, but could he handle the drainage tube that the surgeon told her would follow her home? Would the ugly side of what she’d been through turn him off?
Juliana had offered to help, and Mallory had taken her up on that offer. Ben was supposed to call Jules when Mallory got discharged since the doctor had said it could be one day, two, maybe even three depending on how well she handled the procedure. Once called, Jules would be home waiting for them. While Ben might be great at doing all the messy chores to help her recover, she’d be much more comfortable letting Jules deal with drains and bandages.
“Hey, Mal.”
Her gaze caught his. “You’re awake.”
His dark hair was messy in a rugged way. Add his heavily lidded eyelids, and he was far too sexy for his own good. It was the same way he looked after they made love, and she would never grow tired of her handsome boyfriend.
“You need something?”
“No, I’m fine. The nurse was just here.”
“She was?” He glanced over his shoulder at the closed door. “Didn’t hear her. What time is it?” An exaggerated yawn consumed his face.
“It’s only two. Go back to sleep, Ben.”
“You sure you don’t need anything?”
“Just some rest.”
Settling himself back in the chair, he closed his eyes. “Night, baby.” He was snoring again in only a few moments. The man could fall asleep faster than anyone she’d ever known.
Mallory closed her eyes, only to have them fly open again when Ben shifted in his chair and said, “Love you.”
“What did you say?”
No reply.
Surely she’d misheard. The man was asleep. He hadn’t said what she’d thought. No way. It was the morphine. Or the anesthesia. Or the ordeal of surgery.
She was wide awake now. “Ben? What did you say to me?”
Still no reply.
Shit.
There was no way she’d confront him when he finally woke up enough to answer her question. What if he’d only been talking in his sleep? What if he’d been dreaming that he was talking to Amber or some sexy nymph skipping through his mind?
Moving around to try to get a little more comfortable, all Mallory managed to do was send pain searing through her chest and arm. After only a few minutes of trying to cope, she realized she’d abandoned that little red button just a little too soon.
With a resigned sigh, she gave herself a dose of the soothing morphine. Right before sleep claimed her, she whispered, “I love you, too, Ben.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“Almost home.” Juliana steered around the last corner and onto Mallory’s block.
Mallory watched the houses on her street pass by through the passenger window, wondering again why she was with Jules and not Ben.
“Ben said he’d be waiting at the house.” Juliana gave her a sidelong glance. “Hang in there.”
“I’m fine.” At least physically, that was true. Mallory’s pain was bearable. Her anxiety, however, was spiraling.
She kept reminding herself that Ben had spent the night with her at the hospital. When he woke, he went to fetch an enormous coffee and a blueberry muffin. He ate in her room while she choked down the hospital breakfast. Once the doctor came by and pronounced her ready to head home early that evening, Ben started sending out a flurry of text messages.
Mallory had finally worked up the guts to ask what was going on when Juliana arrived. Ben had given Mallory a quick kiss, told her Juliana would get her home, and then promised to be waiting at the house when they got there. He was out the door before she could even catch her breath and ask why in the hell he was leaving her.
Jules eased her Accord into the driveway as Mallory heaved a relieved sigh. Ben’s truck was there, so things were fine after all.
“You thought he was lying to you?” Juliana popped off her seat belt as she shook her head.
“Not… lying. Not really. I just…” A shrug would’ve hurt her side, so she refrained and let the words hang there.
“You just can’t seem to stop comparing every guy in the world to that bastard ex of yours.”
Because Jules had always seemed rather reticent for Mallory to get too serious with Ben, it came across as rather odd that she was supporting him now. Why had she had such a change of heart?
“I’m not comparing him to Jay,” Mallory insisted.
Jules snorted. “You know, one of the reasons I was so pissy about you dating Ben was because I was worried he’d hurt you.”
“So you’re not now?”
“No,” Jules replied. “I’m not. He’s shown me he’s a good guy.” She crawled out of the car. She came around to open Mallory’s door. “Let’s get you inside and settled.”
After Mallory got to her feet, she leaned heavily against the car, fighting back another wave of dizziness. Seemed like the anesthesia was taking forever to wear off. The nurses had warned her she might get drowsy for the next day or so. What she wanted at that moment was to collapse in the easy chair and go back to sleep.
Then the familiar red car over Juliana’s shoulder caught her eye. “Danielle’s here?”
“Maybe.”
She looked around to see if Bethany’s blue Beetle was also there. It was parked just behind the neighb
or’s sedan. “Beth’s here too? I told you not to make a fuss. Why’d everyone come?”
After grabbing the plastic bag with the medical supplies, Jules tossed Mallory an incredulous frown. “Why do you think, silly?”
“I didn’t want anyone to go to any trouble,” Mallory grumbled under her breath. While she loved that everyone cared for her so much, the idea of having so many people waiting for her was daunting. Especially when she’d expected it to only be her and Ben.
Didn’t help that the house was upside down. He’d started on the master bedroom and bath, so her clothes and toiletries were strewn around the great room. She’d been sleeping on the fold-out couch. Because of her pain, the recliner would be where she’d rest for the next few days. She didn’t mind the mess, but now everyone could see what a wreck the place was.
Jules led her through the front door instead of the garage. It opened before they were all the way up to the porch. Danielle grinned at them through the storm door as Bethany waited right behind her, holding Rascal in her arms as she stroked his furry back.
Where’s Ben?
“Welcome home!” Danielle held the door while they came inside.
Juliana hurried ahead and disappeared up the stairs with the bag of supplies.
“Wait!” Mallory called after her. She’d need the stuff Jules was taking upstairs, and if the master suite was half the chaos it was last time she been up there, they’d never find the supplies again. The bag would disappear in the mixture of paint cans, brushes, rollers, and tarps. “Jules, I need—” The rest of her words froze in her throat when Ben stepped out of the bedroom and came down the stairs, smiling so broadly she almost smiled back.
Not until he tells me what he’s been up to.
“Welcome home, Mal.” He brushed a kiss over her cheek before bending down to help remove her shoes. “You need to get settled and get some rest. How’s the pain?”
“Where were you?” Her voice sounded like some pouty kid.
Ben didn’t owe her anything, least of all an explanation. He’d already gone above and beyond the call of duty to stick so close to her after the surgery. For God’s sake, the man slept in a chair simply to keep an eye on her all night.
She’d tried to come up with a million reasons he hadn’t taken her home from the hospital—anything from Amber’s gymnastics to some emergency at a worksite. None of them had seemed important enough for him to let Jules come and drag her home.
The dichotomy of her feelings only added to Mallory’s light-headedness.
“Busy,” he replied with a smirk. He set her shoes in the foyer closet, took the jacket draped over her shoulder, and hung it up. “Need a painkiller yet?”
“I’m fine.” Her tone was harsh even to her own ears.
What’s wrong with me?
She’d sworn to herself she wasn’t going to be dependent on a guy. Jules, Beth, and Danielle had taken great care of her after her mastectomy, and this surgery was a cakewalk compared to that. She had no business being so snotty to Ben after everything he’d done.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. Maybe he’d think she was still too drugged up to be polite.
“For what?”
“For snapping at you.”
“You just had surgery. You’re allowed to be grouchy.”
The dizziness was still plaguing her, and she was ready to get settled, pop a painkiller, and sleep so she didn’t keep biting his head off for no good reason. When she tried to head down the hall toward the kitchen, Ben took her hand in his. “Not that way.”
“What are you talking about? I was going to sit on my recliner and—”
Ben tugged gently on her hand. “I have a surprise for you.”
“A surprise?”
He nodded. “It’s upstairs.”
The notion of walking up a flight of stairs seemed daunting, especially when doing something as simple as coming in from the car had sapped most of her strength. “I’d rather go to the great room and—”
He cut her off by scooping her into his arms. His tender touch kept her sore side well protected. “I’d rather you go to your bedroom.”
With her three friends laughing and following behind, he carried her up the stairs and into the master suite.
She closed her eyes, afraid to see it was still a disaster area. Although he’d said there was a surprise, she couldn’t imagine the place was done. No way. The bathroom hadn’t even had the new vanity installed.
“Welcome to your new bedroom,” Ben said.
Mallory opened her eyes and gasped at the neat and tidy bedroom. “How did you—”
“This is why I wouldn’t let you come up and see the progress last week. I wanted it to be ready for you when you got home.”
“It’s… it’s… beautiful.” Tears stung her eyes.
Beth let the squirming cat down. Rascal jumped onto the bed, settled on his usual right side, and watched her. Mallory could have sworn he was grinning.
The room had been transformed from beige and boring to a pleasant, soothing seafoam green. Standing in the middle of the room was the enormous four-poster bed she’d bought right after Jay left. She’d tossed their old mattress out in the trash, sold the bedroom set they’d purchased on their honeymoon, and gotten herself the type of furniture she’d always wanted but he’d nixed.
None of it had been set up yet. She’d had the delivery men leave it wrapped in plastic in the empty guest room, figuring she’d move it into the master when the renovation was done. She’d been sleeping on the mattress and box spring and a cheap frame.
Now the gorgeous cherrywood bed rested in the perfect spot in the middle of the room with nightstands flanking both sides. The matching bureau was next to the bay window, and the dresser was near the closet door. Everything was perfectly placed on the new carpet she hadn’t known Ben had installed.
“How did you get this all done?” Mallory asked, her voice choked with emotion.
Ben swallowed hard, betraying that his own emotions were running as high as hers. “Most of it was done before your surgery. Just finished a few details this morning. I couldn’t let you come home after surgery and not have a bed to sleep in.”
“But all this work…”
“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” With a wink, he carried her to the en suite bath.
This time, she couldn’t stop the tears from spilling over her lashes when she saw all he’d accomplished. A new whirlpool tub. A double vanity with vessel sinks. A shower with a glass door. While she remembered picking out the light fixture, she hadn’t expected it to look so ornate. The walls were a deep hunter green, complementing the lighter shade of the bedroom.
“You’re crying,” Ben said, his voice full of concern. “You don’t like it?”
She sniffled and laid her cheek on his shoulder. “I love it.”
I love you.
When she’d hired Ben it had been to restore her house. Slowly but surely he was turning it into a place that felt like home. Her home. Yet there was still so much of him in every room—just enough masculinity to make the house… perfect.
Jules stepped through the door. “Nice. You did good, Ben.”
“Thanks.”
“Did you see the bed?” she asked Mallory.
“Yeah,” she replied, rubbing her cheek against the soft flannel of his shirt. “It’s wonderful.”
“Good. Now I can turn down the sheets and prop up some pillows for you. Time for you to rest.”
Ben took her back to the bed and set her on her feet. The care he took was evident in his gentle touch. “Want to put on a nightgown or something?”
“Yeah, but…” She cast a glance to Jules and Beth as they fussed over the bed. Rascal hopped down and headed to the bay window to curl up on the new cushion. “The girls should help me.”
The surgeon had left a drainage tube that would probably gross Ben out. The thought of him seeing her new breast before the incision was healed bothered her. It was one thing to keep her compan
y in the hospital, but it was another altogether to have him actually care for her incision. When he got to see her new breast, she wanted to be wearing a sexy black negligee.
Danielle picked up the bag of medical supplies. “How about we get her settled?”
Giving her friend a grateful smile, she nodded. “Please, Ben?”
* * *
Although he wanted to show her how well he could take of her, Ben acquiesced. Mallory obviously didn’t want him to see her right after her surgery. Part of him was offended that she didn’t want his help. But then again, had he been in a similar situation, he might not enjoy her being around when he was at his worst.
When she’d first arrived, he thought he’d made a big mistake not driving her home from the hospital. There hadn’t been enough time to get everything finished before the surgery. A few of the details had to be handled today including getting the furniture set up. He’d called in Jules to drive Mallory home and then phoned Robert, Danielle, and Bethany to act as renovation reinforcements. It was the first time he’d met Mallory’s friends, but they’d been very helpful in getting the finishing touches in place. They’d completed the last of the tasks only moments before Jules drove into the driveway.
Once Mallory saw the bedroom suite, her whole body had relaxed and a few tears had fallen. Only then did he stop worrying that she’d hate him for not bringing her home.
The place looked great. Her taste in decorating had been spot-on, including the gorgeous four-poster bed. As he and Robert set the mattress on the frame, his friend had made a rather risqué suggestion on how great a bed like that was to tie someone up. Ben snorted a laugh at the comment, but it had put visuals of Mallory tying his wrists to the bedposts and then making love to him firmly into his mind. When she was healed, he was going to suggest it if for no other reason than to see her reaction.
While the ladies got her ready to rest, he headed downstairs. Robert was slipping his arms into his jacket.
“You should’ve come up,” Ben said.
“Nah. She’s a private kinda person. I didn’t want to intrude. What did she think?”
“She loved it,” Ben replied. “I can’t thank you enough.”
