by Kari Lemor
The shower stopped so she hustled out of the bedroom and moved to the kitchen. His refrigerator was stocked with food that she never would have imagined for a single guy. Vegetables, meats, cheeses, some condiments she’d never used before. What was she expecting? Beer and pizza boxes? Yeah, kind of.
“Here’s my bandages and stuff. It’s not exactly hospital grade but it’ll have to do.”
Lord almighty. Standing there in front of her was a god risen from the sea. Scott, wrapped in only a black towel, as water dripped down his leanly muscled chest into the terry cloth. His hair had been rubbed so it was only damp but the waves stood up, begging to be smoothed down by her hands alone.
“Where do you want me?”
In bed. In the shower. Against the wall. On the kitchen counter. Her mind had too many places she’d like him. Instead she said, “Why don’t you sit in one of the chairs?”
Moving to a dining room chair, he settled then handed her the box filled with medical supplies. She took a deep breath as she sifted through it. Mostly to give herself time to adjust to the slick skin in front of her.
“Let me start on the shoulder. It’s kind of deep and still bleeding a bit.”
He adjusted so she could get at the shoulder then cricked his neck. “I might have gotten hit with some of those bricks a little harder than I thought.”
“See, you should have gone to the hospital.”
Looking up, he grinned, sending her heart fluttering. Damn heart needed to stay calm.
“But the hospital doesn’t have nurses who have as much tenderness and care as you.”
Tenderness and care. Like that had ever been her style.
“You’re full of horseshit, Holland. Now keep still while I bandage you up.”
Her hands tingled as they touched his skin and she tried to be gentle. She didn’t have a whole lot of experience with injuries, but it was mostly common sense. When his shoulder was finished she stood in front of him, glancing at the rest of him.
“Looking for something special?” he teased.
“Where else you need tending.”
“Hmm, let me think where else it hurts.” His eyes lowered to his crotch and she couldn’t keep her own eyes from focusing on the bulge under the towel.
“You’ve got some scrapes on your shin.” Let him think that’s what she’d been staring at. Lowering herself to kneeling, she dabbed cream on them, studiously avoiding the glimpse of his strong thighs under the towel. She wouldn’t even think about what else was under that towel. Not if she wanted to keep her sanity.
Picking up one hand, she rubbed some antiseptic on his battered knuckles. “How did these get banged up?”
“When the wall started coming down I automatically covered my head with my hands. And then a few of the guys were under the building material so I started digging it off them. Probably got scratched up worse then.”
Leaning over him, she began to press a cotton swab to some of the cuts on his face. His eyes dipped to the opening of her blouse.
“Looking for something special?” She parroted his earlier words.
“Most definitely. Everything on you is pretty damned special.”
Thinking about the last time they’d seen each other, she straightened and took a deep breath. “Um, about the night of the wedding.”
His lips pursed. “Yes.” Damn, he was enjoying her discomfort.
“Did we…um?”
“Did we what?” He was going to make her say it.
“I mean, I woke up naked, but I didn’t see any condoms.” A terrifying thought entered her head. “Unless you didn’t use any.” God, could he have been that irresponsible?
“Calm down, Xena. I didn’t use any because we didn’t have intercourse. I don’t have sex with unconscious women, or women who are rapidly heading in that direction, no matter how much they come onto me.”
Relief surged through her. Relief he hadn’t done it or that she hadn’t missed it?
“I fell asleep?”
“Or passed out. Who knows.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry that we didn’t have sex?”
Those stupid images swirled through her mind again. “Well, I do remember…something.”
“What do you remember?” His eyes grew mischievous.
“You…me…and a wall. And that whole naked thing. Mostly images.”
“You asked me to help you get ready for bed. You were a little tipsy so I figured I’d better.”
“And you put me in bed naked? You didn’t think to check for pajamas?”
“You didn’t really let me. You had other things on your mind.”
Heat crawled up her body, rushing through her cheeks. “There are a few other memories slipping in.”
“Like?” He pulled her hips so she stood in the V of his legs. Damn towel was in the way.
His nose nuzzled in the neckline of her blouse causing her nipples to harden. Shit, why was her reaction to him this powerful?
Averting her gaze, she shrugged. “Nothing important.”
Flicking open one of her buttons, he whispered, “Like sucking your nipples. Do you remember that?”
God, yes, she did.
“My face in your ass, licking your luxurious skin?”
A tiny noise squeaked from her mouth before she could stifle it. So that hadn’t been her imagination.
A few more buttons came undone. She was powerless to stop him, not with the memories of what they’d done, what he’d done, flashing like a porn flick across her vision.
“And the highlight of my night.” His hands crept up her thighs, slipping under her skirt to tease the edges of her panties. “My head between your legs. Mmm.”
“I’d had too much to drink.”
“Yes, you did, but you also insisted on a happy ending. Quite adamant about it. I aim to please.”
How could she get herself in such a predicament as to not fully remember that? Or even allow it to happen. Her cheeks burned.
“A gentleman wouldn’t have mentioned that.”
“You brought up the subject and, let’s face it, who ever said I was a gentleman?” He proved this by stroking his tongue up her collarbone then down into her cleavage while his fingers clenched on her ass.
Pushing at his shoulders, she made a half-hearted attempt to move away.
“You’re not drunk now,” he pointed out. “Or asleep. Care to try again, this time with all your faculties intact?”
“No, I’m not drunk, which means I have more sense about me.” She pushed away with more strength and conviction this time.
Sighing, he stood up, his towel dangling low on his narrow hips. Her willpower was slipping.
“Yes, you do. More’s the pity. Let me get dressed. I’ll make us some dinner.”
“You don’t have to,” she objected. Getting away from him would be the smart thing to do right now.
“Let me repay you for the nursing services. It’s the least I can do.”
She nodded not sure she had the strength to do anything else. Except watch him walk toward his bedroom, his sculpted back ensuring she couldn’t look away. He pulled the towel off before he shut his door. Shivers racked her body at the amazing muscles of his backside. Slumping into the chair he’d vacated, her thoughts went back to what he’d said. About not being a gentleman. Bullshit. Apparently she’d been all over him. She knew her reaction to him and she had no doubt with that much wine in her, she’d done some stupid shit. But aside from pleasuring her, he hadn’t done anything for himself. She’d been totally drunk. He could easily have taken advantage of her and he hadn’t.
The truth was, in absolutely every way, he was a gentleman. And that just made her want him more.
Chapter 9
“I got confirmation that they poured the cement for the addition fo
undation,” Scott told his cousin as they sat in a local bar having a quick beer before calling it a night.
“Yeah, I stopped by at lunch time and checked.”
“You don’t trust that I set it up right?” He smirked, knowing full well why his cousin liked to stop at home during the day.
Jack’s face flushed. “I promised Callie I’d drop off a gallon of milk so Jonathan would have some for his lunch.”
“What did she think of the drawings for the addition?”
“She loved them. Attaching the garage is a favorite of hers, especially for hauling in groceries in the cold weather. She figures the little office you threw in on the first floor will be great to keep all her accounting stuff in so the kids don’t get at it.”
“Kids. It’s still weird to hear you talk about kids.”
“Jonathan will be three in a few months.” Jack’s jaw clenched.
“I know, but for so long you could never mention him in public. It’s nice to hear it now.”
“You don’t have to remind me. There are times I want to shout it from the rooftops.”
“And everything’s good with Callie and the baby?”
“The doctor says all is great. The little aches and pains she has are perfectly normal. She thinks I’m being overprotective. Maybe I am.”
“Listen to the doctor. Now that you aren’t on the run, you can actually go to her checkups, right, to assure yourself?”
“Yeah, I loved seeing the ultrasound. Knowing my child is growing inside her. I never got a chance to do anything like that when she carried Jonathan. I hate to admit I still look over my shoulder at times, thinking Cabrini—or one of his men—is going to jump out at me. I don’t know how long it’ll take for me to get over that paranoia.”
Patting Jack’s shoulder, he said, “It hasn’t been that long since Cabrini was killed. Give yourself some time, and keep reminding yourself he can’t hurt you anymore.”
“I remind myself every day.”
“How’s it going with the job? Are you happy?”
“We had this conversation not too long ago, Scott. I told you I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I’m happy working for the company in any capacity you want.”
“And you’re doing great. I guess I was wondering if you missed the Bureau.”
Jack glanced around the bar room. “You know, I thought I loved that lifestyle and would always want it, but after spending three years on the run, I think I’ve had my fill of cloak-and-dagger for a lifetime. To wake up next to Callie every morning, and be with her every night, it’s the most thrilling thing I’ve ever done.”
“You don’t miss the challenges of the FBI?”
Jack laughed. “Oh, believe me, trying to deal with a pregnant, hormonal woman and a two-year-old holds its own challenges. Ones far more complex than anything I came up against in the Bureau. But I wouldn’t give it up for anything. Callie and Jonathan are my world.”
Picking up his mug, Scott took another swig of the cold brew. Envy pricked along his spine. What would it be like to wake up to the same woman day after day? A woman who was everything to you. Not that he’d ever had anyone like that in his life. Memories of Heather in the bed next to him after the wedding flitted through his mind. Shit, he’d wanted to wake her up and finish what they’d started. For some strange reason, he’d been satisfied with simply watching her sleep.
He wouldn’t lie and say he hadn’t been turned on by her gorgeous naked body or that he hadn’t stared at her quite extensively before he turned off the light. The next morning, his hands had itched to touch the perfection, see if she would respond to him like she had the night before. But he’d also spent time inhaling her unique scent and reveling in the warmth of her body pressed to his. His completely clothed body, because he wasn’t stupid enough to press naked skin to naked skin.
Even in her sleep, she exuded a confidence and determination he found as beautiful as her outward appearance. As much as he’d wanted to touch her again, he hadn’t. He respected the hell out of her. Disrespecting her that way would have been wrong. A cold shower and the thick covers over her was what he’d managed.
As if his cousin could read his thoughts, he asked, “How’s the new project with Heather coming along? Any more problems since the wall collapsed?”
And Heather had patched him up.
“No, Jian’s men seem to have scared off anyone intent on more damage.”
“I still can’t believe the relationship you have with a gang leader.” Jack shook his head. “But more power to you if you can use their strength for your own good. Legally, of course.”
“All very legal. Kind of. I’m not actually paying them anything, but Jian knows I’ve given many of his guys jobs. It’s kind of payback for that.”
“And your injuries?”
“Did Heather squeal to Callie?”
“She may have mentioned something, but you’ve still got a few cuts on your face and knuckles.”
“I’m fine. Mostly cuts and bruises. Had worse in the sandbox. You know that.”
“And the renovations are starting up again?”
“Yeah, though I’m one man short. After the accident one of the crew didn’t show up again. He wasn’t injured, so I wondered if he’d gotten spooked by the accident. Called him a few times then went to visit. The address he gave was an empty lot and all his other info was fake, right down to his former employer. I should have checked that out better, but I was strapped for more workers for this project and might have skipped a few steps.”
“You think he had something to do with the accident?”
“I don’t think it was an accident, Jack.”
His cousin’s eyes narrowed. “Why not? The building’s kind of dilapidated.”
“I’d checked that wall a few days earlier, and it had some problems that needed fixing but it was stable enough. Now that I think of it, the guy who skipped out had been working in that area earlier in the day and was there before it crumbled. Right as I walked up to it.”
“You think he could have been targeting you?”
Shrugging, Scott said, “Me or the project in general. You know how many fuck-ups we’ve had since we started. I wish I knew what the hell was going on.”
“I’ve still got friends in the Bureau. I could see if anyone would look into it.”
“Appreciated, but I don’t think I want to go there quite yet. No one has been seriously hurt and each incident could be simple mistakes.”
A tone sounded and Jack fished his phone from his pocket. Sliding his finger over the screen he read the message then slid off the stool. “Gotta go. Callie needs me to pick up some milk before I head home. Supper’s almost ready.”
“I thought you dropped off some milk at lunch time.”
The grin on his cousin’s face was huge. “Well, you can never have enough…milk.” He threw a few bills on the counter. “I’ll catch you later.”
Waving to Jack, he turned back to the counter and finished his beer. He didn’t have a family waiting for him. Once this mill project was done he should try and take some time for his own social life. It had been a while since he’d dated anyone. Except the pretend dating he’d done with Heather.
Would she want to date him? She’d commented on something like that a little while ago. Once they weren’t partners any more. Although if they ended up renting the bottom floors for retail, they’d be in business together for a while.
Throwing more bills on the bar, he moved to slip in between the crowd. A tug on his arm had him turning. A young woman stumbled and fell right into him. He grabbed her wrist and kept her from landing on the floor.
“You all right, miss?”
She reared up, her eyes flashing fire. “Leave me alone. Don’t touch me.”
“I’m sorry, I was trying to keep you from falling.” What the hell
was her problem?
Her large bracelet jangled under his hand and she gripped his arm to push away, leaving some long scratches from her painted nails.
“I said don’t touch me!” Her shrill voice caught the attention of many of the crowd in the bar, so he dropped his hands and backed away a few steps. She shook her head and the aqua strands in her hair shimmered. Interesting color.
“Is everything all right, miss?” The fear in her eyes had him searching the room for any potential trouble. Aside from people staring at them, mostly at him, thinking he’d done something to her, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Turning away with a sharp cry she rushed from the building. People stared at him and he stared right back. Hadn’t anyone seen what had actually happened?
Looking down at his arm, he put his hand over the scratches. One more war wound to add to his collection. Too bad he didn’t have Heather nearby to mend his injury. As he walked to his truck he wondered what she’d do if he called and asked her to patch him up?
* * * *
“The new front windows look great, Scott.”
Scott stared through the new triple panes on the first floor then turned to Heather. “They do, but I’m worried about vandalism. It’s the Fourth of July long weekend and who knows what could happen.”
“I thought you had people watching the place.” She shoved her hands into the back pockets of her slim-fitting jeans and rocked back on her stylish boots. Some might call them work boots, but the fancy plaid fabric around the high cuff was hardly what his men wore. Still better than a tight skirt and heels. Although he certainly liked those too.
“I do, but they aren’t here every second or invincible. They need to stay in the background to avoid suspicion. I’ll probably pop by a few times over the weekend.”
“Aren’t you going to Jack and Callie’s for the barbecue on Sunday?”
“I am. But I’ll still have time to drop by here. I assume you’ll be there too.”
