by Desiree Holt
“I’m not.” She yanked and he released his grip. “I just don’t think we need to have a lot of touching here. Except, of course, when I help you move around.”
“I don’t bite.” His voice was soft, like a caress. “Or maybe I do, in the right places.”
First he wanted to take her head off, and then he wanted to seduce her. He was all over the place, and she had to figure out how to deal with it. She stuck his cell phone in her pocket and headed for the door. “I’ll be back when the food gets here.”
* * * *
Jake watched her leave the room, eyes fastened on the delicious sway of her hips and the curve of her delectable ass. His good hand curved automatically, as if cupping its nice roundness. He itched to touch her again, to caress her smooth skin and inhale her spicy scent. He’d relived that night over and over and over again, the memories ingrained in his brain. Witness the embarrassing evidence of a wet dream she’d caught when she walked in on him still fisting his cock. When he’d calmed down after discovering this little situation his sister had engineered, he’d hoped maybe they could pick up where they left off, or maybe start again, if that was what it took.
Not only did Erin Bass have a very low judgment of football players, she had a temper to go with it. Which, in turn, spiked his own. Being laid up the way he was, his season on the field down the drain, didn’t do much for his disposition, which he was sure only added to her opinion of him.
He wondered if Ivy had bothered to tell her exactly how long this job would last. He’d hardly been able to believe it himself. Three months in the cast. Three fucking months before he could even begin to start therapy. No matter that during that time, if the x-rays showed him healing properly, he could graduate to a walking cast. Never mind that in another week he might get the soft cast off his wrist.
Oh, and that would be another pleasant interlude. He had to go to the doctor’s office to get both the leg and wrist x-rayed to check the progress. How the hell was Erin going to manage that? Getting him back and forth across the room was hard enough.
Shit, shit, shit.
He closed his eyes and leaned back against the pillows, trying to calm himself before he burst a blood vessel. His leg hurt and his wrist ached, but he wasn’t going to take the damn pain pills. It had been three weeks already, and he wasn’t going to let himself become dependent on them. He’d had worse pain when he hadn’t had broken bones, so he could gut it out.
He did his best to clear his mind and focus on something pleasant. Immediately, the image of Erin naked beneath him popped into his mind, and that certainly wasn’t going to relax him. Water, he thought. Water is soothing and calming. I’ll try that.
While he was mentally searching for something peaceful to focus on, he dozed off, startled awake when something touched his arm. He blinked and saw Erin beside the bed, gently touching him. As soon as she saw him open his eyes, she pulled her hand away.
“I knocked,” she told him, “but you didn’t answer. I worried that something had happened to you.”
“Like what?” He looked as if he wanted to chew nails. “Hasn’t enough happened already?”
“I’m glad to see a nap juiced up that sweet personality of yours. I came in to tell you the food is here. I’m going to set up everything on the table outside before I help you to a chair.”
“Fine. Fine, fine, fine. Whatever.”
“Everything will be set up in a minute.”
He watched her as she fetched lunch from the kitchen, then drinks, and finally a large stack of mail and her iPad. Getting outside was just as much fun as moving always was, especially since he needed to make a quick pit stop first. To her credit, Erin never complained, never said a cross word about it, even though he knew juggling his unwieldy body wasn’t easy for her.
Out on the patio, she pulled over another chair to rest his leg on and made sure he would be able to eat as comfortably as possible before settling herself.
“Just FYI,” she told him. “The maid is here cleaning the rest of the house. She’s going to do your bedroom and bathroom while we’re out here. I figured that man cave needed airing out.”
“Thanks. I guess.”
“I’m overwhelmed with your graciousness.”
Jake made a rude noise and turned to his food.
He eyed the plate in front of him. Tamales, rice, and refried beans. One of his favorite meals, and easy to eat with only one functioning hand. Good. He’d told her to get Mexican, but too many women would have ordered food that required a dexterity he didn’t have at the moment.
Erin pulled his cell phone from her pocket and set it on the table beside the other things she’d brought.
“What’s all that?” He indicated the things next to her as he cut off a piece of tamale.
“Mail.” She chewed a bite of food and swallowed. “I threw out all the junk mail, and this is what’s left. I think it’s a three-week accumulation. I hope there isn’t anything important in it.”
He shrugged. “Probably not. If it was urgent they would have called my agent or the team office.”
“Oh, by the way.” She picked up his cell phone and looked through the messages. “I hope you don’t mind. I checked your calls, since you’ve had this turned off. I figured that if someone really needed to get hold of you they’d have called the landline.”
“I told you, they know better than to bother me.” He forked another bite of tamale into his mouth.
“Still. I assumed you didn’t mind me looking, since you told me to take the phone.”
“So what did you find? Nothing important, I’m sure.”
“Joe Reilly called. Said to get back to him when you felt like talking.” Erin glanced at him. “Wasn’t he injured, too? I seem to remember he had to retire.”
“Good shot.” His fingers tightened on the fork he held. “Maybe he wants to tell me being gimpy and out of the action isn’t so bad after all.”
“Quit it.” She said the words in a normal voice, almost as an afterthought. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself. I think it’s great that you have friends interested in what’s happening to you. Maybe share their feelings with you.”
“Guys don’t share their feelings.” He stabbed at the food on his plate.
“Oh, right, right. I forgot. Maybe you don’t even have feelings.”
“What else?” he demanded.
“Someone named Mandy called five times and left messages. Apparently it’s very important that you call.” She grinned. “She stressed the word ‘very.’ I’m surprised she didn’t call the landline.”
“She doesn’t have the number.” Bubbly Mandy, with the big breasts and the little brain. Why the hell had he ever given her his cell number? Oh, wait, he hadn’t. “I hung out with her a few times but that’s all.”
“Hung out?” She cocked her head. “Define hung out.”
He shrugged. “You know. Hung out. Some joker probably thought it would be a cute idea to give her my number.” He shook his head. “Assholes.”
“That seems to be your latest favorite word.” Erin chuckled. “Shall I call her back for you?”
“Hell, no.” The answer popped out automatically but then he thought better of it. “Yes. Call her. Tell her I’m out of commission, you’re my personal assistant, and I won’t be seeing her again.”
He wasn’t looking at her, but he could feel her eyes boring into him.
“Are you for real? You want me to break up with your girlfriend?”
“She’s not my girlfriend.” He shoved a forkful of rice in his mouth, hoping to deter further discussion.
“Well, she’s something. She has your cell number, and she apparently thinks it’s okay to keep calling.”
“Mandy was a mistake. She—”
“See?” she broke in. “That’s what I mean about all you guys. You want to know why I didn’t want to pursue anything with you after that night? This is a very good example.”
Jake took a slow drink of his iced tea. “What we had that night is so far above anything I had with Mandy they aren’t even on the same planet. I would have made you see that if you’d given me an opportunity.”
“Easy for you to say now.” She picked up her iPad and made a note. “Call Mandy. All right. Some of your teammates want to come by and see you. The team is on the road for the next two weeks, but they’d like to stop by after that. Would you like them to come at the same time or separately?”
“What makes you think I want to see them at all?” Just what he needed. Guys still active delivering a dose of sympathy. Or worse yet, obviously relieved that it hadn’t happened to them.
She looked as if she wanted to say something, then changed her mind and made another note. “I’ll let them know I’ll get back to them when the team is back in town. Maybe your pleasant personality will return by then.”
Jake glared at her. “You know, I can do without the snarky remarks, Miss Bass.”
“And I can do without the temper tantrums, Mr. Russell.” She spoke in a cool, even tone, gave him a phony smile, and delicately took another bite of her food.
They ate in silence for a very long moment. Obviously she was prepared to outwait him for as long as it took. He forced himself to swallow another bite of food, then another. Finally, he put his fork down.
“Okay, I’m sorry that I’m an ass. I apologize. Can we get on with this? Please?”
Was that a teeny smile crooking one corner of her mouth? If it was, it disappeared almost at once. She picked up her iPad and turned to the Notes section again.
“Coach Raymond called while I was in the kitchen. He wanted to know if you had lost your cell phone.”
“What did you tell him?”
This time she actually grinned. “I said no, only your mind.”
“Ha ha ha. So what did he want?”
“You have an appointment with Dr. Moline next week.” She looked at her notes again. “They want to take x-rays to make sure your leg is healing properly. Also, he is hoping to remove the soft cast from your left wrist. You might be graduating to crutches.”
“Stop the presses.” He took another swallow of his tea. “I can hardly wait for that three ring circus.”
“I appreciate your enthusiasm.”
“Tell me something.” He waited until she looked at him. “Exactly how am I going to get to the doctor’s office when it takes all we’ve both got just to get me to the bathroom? Did your boyfriend Coach Raymond tell you that, by any chance?”
“As a matter of fact, he did. He’s sending one of the trainers to take you. I’m sure he’ll be able to handle you a lot better than I do.” She took another bite of food. “The appointment is next Tuesday at eleven o’clock. Coach is going to schedule your home care for your shower and shave earlier than usual that day.”
“Good. I’d hate to show up at the doctor’s dirty and smelling.”
Again a smile teased her lips. He wondered how hard he’d have to push her to get her riled up again. Did he even want to? She wasn’t any happier with this situation than he was, so maybe he should cut her some slack. Except she wasn’t in this fucking cast, and she obviously wasn’t half as horny as he was. Damn it.
He slogged through a few other messages with her, and then they attacked the mail. He gave mostly one or two word answers until they came to a letter from Lynne Corday at The Good Shepherd House. No, he wasn’t discussing this with Erin. He could just imagine her comments. Instead he held his hand out for it.
“I’ll handle this one myself.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Really? Must be pretty special if it trumps the coach, your agent, your teammates and—oh, yeah—Mandy.”
“This has nothing to do with anything.” He tried to grab the letter from her, but she held it just out of his reach. “Give it to me.”
Her eyes widened at the rough tone of his voice. “What on earth is this? Are you doing something you’re ashamed of? When I talked to Ms. Corday she spoke very highly of you.”
“You called her?” He stared at her, unbelieving.
“I returned her call. She left a message on your cell, saying it was important. You didn’t seem in a telephone mood, and no, I did not put her on the same list with Eye Candy Mandy.”
Jake actually had to laugh. “Eye Candy Mandy. I’ll have to remember that one. I will say, you certainly nailed it.”
“Let me guess. Double D breasts, Botox lips, and clothes two sizes too small.”
He chuckled, the tension broken slightly. “You’ve been peeking.”
“I didn’t have to. I know the type. So what’s with Lynne Corday? Come on, ’fess up. How bad can it be?”
“It might ruin my asshole image,” he pointed out.
“It would have to be pretty drastic. Come on, my curiosity is really ramped up now.”
He sat back in the chair. He really tried to keep this part of his life out of the limelight. He wasn’t one of those guys who hogged the media or did things for attention. He had a reason for the things he committed to, a very personal reason he had hardly ever discussed with anyone. His agent, Scott, knew. Coach Raymond. A couple of his close friends. That was all. He had moved way beyond that, a lot of it with the help of the Granite Falls Coyotes. He didn’t think he was ready to share it with a woman who pushed all his buttons from behind an invisible wall.
“Well?” she prompted. “I didn’t think this was such a hard question. I can look them up on the Internet, you know.”
“No.” He nearly shouted the word. “No, I’ll tell you.” He held out his glass. “Can I have some more iced tea first?” He waited while she filled his glass and took two healthy swallows. “The Good Shepard House is a shelter for abused women and children. We give them a safe place to stay and provide support until we can relocate them.”
Erin lifted her gaze from her plate, a stunned look on her face. “But that’s fabulous. Why wouldn’t you want to let people know about it? Why don’t you let everyone know what you’re doing?”
“I have my reasons.”
“Like what?” she pushed.
Controlled anger rolled off him in waves. “Like reasons that are my own. Okay? Can you just tell me what she wants, and we can move along here?”
She raked her fingers through her hair. “I don’t understand, but okay. I guess it’s not my business. She wants to know if she can come by and meet with you for a little while. Any time in the next couple of weeks, she said. At your convenience.”
“Oh, great. She’ll see me all wrecked up like this.”
“Jake, I’m sure she’s seen people with broken legs before. It doesn’t diminish you.” He could feel her stare. “She said she had some key things to go over with you.”
Damn. There was no getting away from it. He knew what Lynne Corday wanted. He had created a special fund for some renovations and expansion of The Good Shepard House. There were details that needed approval. He also wanted to beef up security and add to the clothing and other items they provided for the women and kids who showed up most times with literally nothing.
“Make it for after I come back from the doctor’s,” he told Erin. “And I’d appreciate it if you just did not mention any of this to anyone.”
“Not that it’s any of my business,” she said, “but are you planning a fundraiser for them?”
He shook his head. “We don’t do public fundraisers.”
“Why not?” Curiosity was stamped all over her face.
“A few of us fund it privately. No one wants publicity for it. Can you please leave it at that? Please?”
He’d very quietly managed to gather a small group who provided the financing for the place, since keeping it under the radar was essential. No one, not even Erin, who made every nerve in his body twitch, was going to pry it out of him.
When she didn’t answer, he threw his napkin on the table. “I think that’s it for today. Can you both
er yourself to help me back to the bed?”
Her face instantly sobered. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push. It’s just I was so surprised that—I mean—”
“That a jackass like me could do something so serious? So worthwhile?”
“You’re right.” She tucked her hair behind her ears. “It was thoughtless and rude of me. Let’s just finish the rest of this pile.”
“I’m done for today. I need to get back to my bed.” When she didn’t move, he added, “Now.”
“I’m sorry. Of course.”
He cursed silently until he was settled back in his room again. He clenched his fists while Erin fussed with the pillows supporting his cast, brought him a fresh glass of iced tea and set it on his nightstand, turned on his big screen television, and handed him the remote.
“I’m fine. Just clear off the patio table and leave me be.” He was exhausted from the effort of moving around and irritated that he found himself in a situation where someone had to answer his phone, read his mail, and pester him with unwanted questions.
She paused on her way out to the patio and turned back to him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. I was just surprised…I mean…never mind. I disrespected your boundaries and I’m sorry.”
He watched from beneath lowered lids while she cleared everything off the patio table and carried it back to the kitchen. When she came back to close his door, she looked as if she wanted to say something again, but he closed his eyes in a deliberate signal to leave him alone. He heard the soft click of the lock and let out the breath he’d been holding.
He had no intention of publicizing anything about The Good Shepard House now or ever, nor did he plan to unload on Erin about it. Erin. What the hell was he going to do about her? He wanted her with a fierce hunger. At least the little set-to over lunch had effectively defused his cock so it rested limply against his body.
His only question was, for how long?
Chapter 8
He was waiting for her in the same position and the same state of undress—naked—as he usually was. Heat burned in his eyes as he watched her adjust the pillows beneath his cast. When her bare breasts brushed against his good leg, he let out a soft groan that brought a smile to Erin’s lips.
