Yours To Seduce

by Karen Anders

  “How is she?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Could you please find out?”

  “Will you stay put for a few minutes until I get back?”

  “Yes, just let me know how she is and I’ll stay here like a good boy.”

  The doctor disappeared and when she came back she said, “Your friend has smoke inhalation and a concussion from a blow to the head,” she stated. “And she’s in shock. That wins her rest and relaxation with twenty-four-hour care.”

  Sean breathed a sigh of relief.

  SEAN REFUSED TO BE ADMITTED. Ignoring the doctor’s caution that he should also stay, he went out into the waiting area. Sienna and Kate sprang up from their chairs the moment they saw him.

  “Lana?” They asked in unison.

  “They’re working on her,” Sean said, giving both women a hard hug. He nodded to A. J. Camacho, standing at Sienna’s shoulder.

  “They wouldn’t give us much information because we’re not family,” Kate said. “Fat lot they know.”

  “She’s like a…no she’s our sister.”

  Taking a deep breath, Sienna slipped her hand into A.J.’s and sat down.

  Sean sat, too, still feeling woozy.

  Kate said, “You saved her life.”

  “Thank God,” Sienna said.

  A.J. put his arm around her and drew her close, saying, “It’s okay, sweetheart.”

  She turned her face into his chest and relaxed against him and Sean suddenly wanted what they had found. Wanted it with Lana.

  As they sat there in silence waiting for news of Lana, the squad began to trickle in. Firefighters who hadn’t even bothered to go back to the station after the fire was extinguished. They crowded around Sean, patting him on the back and giving him their thanks for saving Lana. Then his squad started arriving one by one until the hospital was crowded with San Diego firefighters.

  “Mr. O’Neill?” The nurse approached him. “The doctor said you can see your friend for a few moments.”

  They all came to their feet and Sean said, “How is she?”

  “She’s stabilized, and sedated,” the doctor said, looking around at all the faces.

  He glanced back at all the people who had come to make sure Lana was all right. His gaze zeroed in on Kate and Sienna. “I’ll come back and tell you how she is.”

  Lana’s room was private, and dimly lit. She lay very still, very pale, but her hand, when he took it in his was warm.

  “Do you think you’re going to stay?” the nurse asked in a hushed voice.

  “Get used to the idea, lady.”

  After she was gone, Sean pulled the chair up to the side of the bed and sat with Lana’s hand in his.

  He sat and watched her face, the rise and fall of her chest.

  After a little bit a nurse asked him to wait outside while she checked Lana’s vital signs and changed her IV.

  Sean left the room and was greeted with Lana’s father hurrying down the hallway with her sister Paige and her fiancé Justin following close behind.

  “Where is she?” her father demanded.

  Sean pointed toward the room he just came out of.

  Without another word, they all moved past him and inside.

  AFTER ASSURING KATE and Sienna, Sean walked to the small hospital chapel and sat in the last row. He shut his eyes and let his mind close down.

  “I didn’t expect to find you here,” Lana’s father whispered from behind him.

  “Didn’t expect to be here,” Sean said, moving over so the man could sit down.

  “I wasn’t sure you would even want to talk to me, young man.”

  “Why?”

  “Well, the last time I talked to you, I wasn’t exactly cordial.”

  With a short laugh, Sean said, “No, you weren’t.”

  “I apologize for that. I want the best for my daughter.”

  “And living out your dream? Is that best for her?”

  “It’s what she wants.”

  Sean nodded. “That’s what she told me.”

  “You don’t believe her?”

  “I think that she thinks it’s true, but deep down inside, she has dreams of her own.”

  “Maybe,” Mr. Dempsey said softly, as he turned and walked away.

  WHEN LANA WOKE IN THE MORNING, she turned her head on the pillow to find Sean, his upper torso resting on the bed beside her.

  She reached out and caressed his face and his eyes fluttered opened. He was instantly awake and on his feet.

  “How do you feel?” He put up his hand. “Wait, don’t answer that. Your throat is going to be very raw and very sore for a while.”

  Her head throbbed and she reached up to touch her forehead.

  “That’s where Pete must have hit you.”

  “What happened to him? He fell.” Her voice was a raspy croak.

  “He’s dead.”

  “Oh.”

  “He almost killed you.”

  “I know, but it doesn’t stop me feeling sorry for him.”

  “Lana, you are too generous.”

  “Maybe,” she said.

  “No doubt about it,” he said and buried his face in her hair.

  She was feeling the effects of the sedative in her system as she drifted closer to sleep.

  As she floated, losing her grip on consciousness, she heard Sean say, “It’s one of the reasons why I love you so much.”

  LANA WAS WAITING PATIENTLY in bed for her father’s arrival. He was bringing her clothes to her. She was being released today. “Come in.”

  Sienna and Dane Bryant’s boss, Lieutenant Jason Wright came into the room.

  Sienna hugged Lana. “It’s good to see you looking so good, but are you sure you’re ready to leave?”

  “I’ve gotten a clean bill of health, but have to stay home another week before they’ll clear me for duty.” She turned to Jason. “It’s a surprise to see you here, Lieutenant Wright.”

  “I heard about your investigating skills, Lieutenant Dempsey, and I wanted to offer you a job. I have a vacancy as you know.”

  Lana chuckled. “I heard that.”

  “Bryant took a deal. He pled guilty in exchange for giving up Morrison. Dane’s sentencing is next week. I’ve got a feeling he won’t be getting out for a long time. The grand jury has also indicted William Morrison. With Dane’s testimony and Jericho’s prosecution, I think Mr. Morrison will also become a guest of the state,” Wright explained.

  There was another knock on the door and Lana’s father came into the room.

  “Thanks for bringing me clothes, Dad, and the other things I needed.” She was eager to get out of the hospital to confront Sean about what she thought she heard him say. He hadn’t been back to see her and she missed him.

  “We should get going, Lana,” Sienna said as her and Lieutenant Wright said their goodbyes and left.

  While she was getting dressed, she thought long and hard about what she was going to say to Sean. But before she made her peace with him, she had to do so with her father.

  When she came out of the bathroom, she said, “I need to talk to you.”

  “About what?”

  “The rest of my life.”

  “I was wondering when we were going to get around to this.”

  “I want to be an arson investigator.”

  “Sounds like you’ll make a damn fine one.”

  She opened her mouth to give him all the reasons why she wanted to chuck her—no his—lifelong dream when the words registered. “What?”

  “Your friend Sean told me that I was the one pushing you to become something you didn’t want to be. I’ve thought about this a lot while you were in the hospital and realize that he’s right. I’m sorry.”

  She sighed softly, a boatload of weight lifted from her shoulders. It was something to have her father finally understand who she was. She went to him and as he rose, she slipped her arms around his waist. “Thank you, Daddy. I love you.”

  “I suppose y
ou’ll want a ride over to your old station.”

  “Why?”

  “That’s where O’Neill is and I think you two need to talk.”

  “I agree.”

  “That’s something, two agreements in one day.”

  LANA’S FATHER PULLED UP in front of Station 82 and Lana felt a twinge of homesickness for the place, but she had a job offer for something she really wanted to do and it was time for her to take what she wanted. She got out of the car.

  Her father asked, “Do you want me to wait?”

  “No, Dad. I think I can get Sean to give me a ride.”

  “All right. Good luck.”

  She walked into the station, smelling the familiar smells and seeing the familiar objects.

  She heard a cell phone ring then Sean’s voice. “Hey, little brother.”

  There was dead air as Sean listened. “No, Riley, it’s time you took responsibility and did it yourself.”

  There was a pause. “That’s right. I have changed. I’m not going to be good old Sean anymore. I’m taking time for myself. You could also start doing some things for Mom.” Another pause. “That’s the right answer, Riley. I’ll see you this weekend. That’s right, I’m still holding you to that promise. You’ll have to pick up Grammy.”

  She could hear him chuckling as he disconnected the call.

  She rounded the big pumper engine and stopped short. Sean was bent over. His suspenders were loose around his hips and his shirt was off, draped over the front seat. Sweat glistened off his torso as he rubbed at a side panel buffing it to a red glossy sheen.

  “Did I hear right? Sean O’Neill saying no to his family.”

  He froze and then rose, turning to face her. He looked her up and down as if to make sure she was okay.

  “Why aren’t you in bed?”

  “I’ve been discharged.”

  “You’re not ready to leave the hospital.”

  “Do you have a medical degree now, O’Neill?”

  “No, but you had a concussion.”

  “Maybe if you had visited me, you would have seen that I’ve healed.”

  He remained silent, setting down the rag.

  “Why did you stay away?”

  “I didn’t want to crowd you.”

  “You said you loved me.”

  “I did. I do.”

  “I missed you.”

  His eyes lit up, but then he sobered. “I told you. I didn’t want to crowd you. I think I’ve been doing that too much lately.”

  “You have changed.” She smiled. “Bad boy, O’Neill.”

  “Guess I got sick of being your buddy. Wanted to be something more.”

  “You are. You’re my best friend.”

  His shoulders slumped, his face falling.

  She smiled, “And my lover.”

  He perked up, but only a little.

  “You are greedy.”

  He stepped closer. “What are you saying?”

  “I love you. I love you so much it hurts.”

  “I love you, too.” He gently brought her against him and buried his face in her hair. “Damn, Lana, I’ve never been so scared.”

  “Me, either.” She rubbed the back of his neck. “But we survived.”

  “I wasn’t going to let you die.” Struggling for composure, he eased away.

  “You carried me through fire.” She shook her head quickly, before he could speak. “If you hadn’t I would never have gotten to tell you that you were right. I was afraid. I knew that if I talked about the test with you that it would come out that I didn’t want to take it. I do want to be an arson investigator. I’ve wanted it for years now. I was wrong to shut you out. You make me see things I don’t want to see. I didn’t want to fail you or my father, but it seems that I couldn’t have both of you. If I did what he wanted me to do, I would have disappointed you. If I did what you wanted me to do—what I wanted to do, I would have disappointed him.”

  Sean shook his head. “You wouldn’t have disappointed me, Lana. I only want what makes you happy. You’ve got to know that your father wants that, too.”

  “He’s already told me. I gave him the truth and he’s accepted it. He does want me to be happy. I don’t want to lose you, Sean. We can work everything out.”

  “Yes, we can. Hold on to me, Lana, and never let go.”

  She slipped her arms around his neck and pressed her mouth to his. He tasted like passion and heat; he tasted like her best friend. He tasted like the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

  “There’s one more thing,” he said. “I know that you have this dare going.”

  “Sean, that isn’t important.”

  “Sure it is. You were bold enough to make the dare.”

  “And you have something for me?”

  “I sure do, but if you want this souvenir, you’ll have to take it off my body.”

  She laughed. “What is it?”

  He went to his locker and retrieved a small box. “They gave this to me for saving you.” He opened it and inside was his medal of valor.

  “Sean, no.”

  “Yes.” He took out the medal and pinned it to his shirt. “Take it, Lana. It’s yours, like my life and my love.”

  Sighing softly, she whispered against his mouth, “I’ll take that dare.”

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-7281-5

  YOURS TO SEDUCE

  Copyright © 2003 by Karen Alarie.

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, M3B 3K9, Canada.

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

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  *Women Who Dare