She looks at me and smiles then at Steele and raises one of her brows. “Okay, but I’m warning you.” She winks at him and closes the door as she leaves.
“Damn, I like the nurses around here,” he says with a smile. I give him my ‘are you kidding’ look and he a laughs. “Let’s start over, Kallie. Hi, I’m Steele Ryker and you are?”
I can’t stop my laughter, but finally manage to get it down to a few giggles. I remove my hand from his and hold it out to him. “Kallie Pearson, nice to meet you. Teele was it?”
He laughs again, shakes my hand and then brings it up to his lips, kissing it softly. “That was Steele.” He looks into my eyes, and I feel like he’s looking into my soul. “We have a lot to talk about. I have a lot to tell you but more importantly, how badly are you hurt?” His eyes change from caring to worry.
“I’m not exactly sure yet. I woke up here a little while before you arrived. I know there’s a large bandage on my face and my head is killing me but other than that, I have no idea.”
He rubs my hand with his thumb and smiles. “Well, how about I stick it out with ya and we’ll find out together?” I smile and start to have trouble keeping my eyes open. He leans up and kisses my forehead and continues to look into my eyes. “You just go to sleep while we wait for the doctor, okay?” I nod slowly, my eyes blinking until they shut tight.
Chapter Five
As Kallie sleeps, I close my eyes and lean back into the chair, but continue to hold her hand. I’m afraid to let go, and I don’t ever want to. My eyes open a little later to the door creaking open, and my head turns when a doctor walks in. Looking over at Kallie, I see she’s slowly waking up, so I sit up in the chair and squeeze her hand. She looks over at me and smiles and then up at the doctor, her face changing to fear.
“Miss Pearson. Sorry if I woke you but I wanted a chance to talk to you.” She nods, and I stand quickly as she tries to sit up more and help her. “Now, while you have no internal injuries and no broken bones, you do have a mild concussion from hitting the driver’s window at impact as well as twenty stitches along the side of your face from the glass that was embedded when the windshield was shattered. I understand your car was totaled and you should feel very lucky to be alive, young lady.”
She swallows hard, and I can see the wetness in her eyes. “When can I go home?”
He looks at me and then back at her and frowns. “Well, if someone can stay with you, make sure you wake every few hours, are lucid and can keep you comfortable, then I don’t see why you can’t leave as soon as you’re ready.” She looks down and swallows again, then sighs. “Of course, I would recommend you see a plastic surgeon once you’re feeling up to it and have healed a bit. Have them look at the cut on your face and give you some options.”
“Thank you, doctor,” she whispers.
She looks up when he pats her foot. “You just let me know when you’re ready and I’ll have your release papers ready.” He smiles, looks at me and then walks out of the room.
I see the frustration on her face and squeeze her hand. She looks over at me and I can tell she’s trying hard not to cry. “I’ll take you home, watch over you and make sure you’re comfortable. Not sure how great the ride will be for ya as I only have my bike.”
Her luscious lips open, letting out a laugh, and her phone begins to ring. I pick it up from the table and hand it to her. “Bets, Hi! Yes, he was just in here.” Her eyes move to mine and a smile lights up her face. “No, Steele’s taking me home. I know. Thank you, I didn’t think about that. Okay, I’ll let you know.” She ends the call and lays her head back onto the pillow, turning her head to me. “When do you want to leave?”
I give her a big smile back. “Whenever you’re ready, baby.”
Her eyes sparkle. “Betsy just told me she brought me a change of clothes and put them in the cabinet over there. I guess what I was wearing she threw away, said they were covered in blood. I’ll just need to change then I’m ready to go home.” Reluctantly, I let go of her hand, stand and walk over to the cabinet and get her clothes, taking them back and setting them on the bed.
“Need help?” I wiggle my eyebrows, and she laughs. She starts to sit up, and I quickly take her upper arm and help her until she’s sitting on the edge of the bed.
“No, thanks. I think I can manage.”
I laugh and start to walk towards the door. “Fine. I’ll just go tell them at the nurse’s station that you’re ready to leave and Kallie,” her eyes move up to mine, “thanks for giving me a chance.” I open the door, not waiting for her reply, and close it behind me.
After getting her on my bike, I pull her arms around my waist. I tell her to keep squeezing all the way there so I know she hasn’t fallen off then I put the bag of her prescription meds in my saddle bag. This is the first time I’m nervous on this bike as I’m fearful she may fall asleep. She gives me directions, and I head to her place. After parking, I help her off my bike, grab the bag from the saddlebag and follow her up the front steps of a pretty nice apartment building. She unlocks the front door, and I continue to follow her upstairs to the third floor. Once she gets her front door unlocked, I follow her inside and look around the spacious living room. “Well, this puts my cabin to shame.” I whistle and laugh. She gives me a cute look and then places her hand against the nearest wall, and I step over to her quickly, grasping her upper arm. “Okay, let’s get you into bed.”
Her hand leaves the wall and covers the side of her head, and I walk her down a small hallway and into the room at the end. There are boxes everywhere, but her bed is made so I turn down the covers and help her to sit down on the edge. “What do you want to change into? Just point and I’ll get it.”
She points at the closet, and I walk into it. It’s freaking as big as my entire bedroom at the cabin, and I turn around several times. What in the hell does she want from in here? “On the back of the door, on a hook,” she says. Thank God! I move the door a little and see a large guy’s t-shirt hanging, take it off the hook and carry it out.
“Uh, something you want to tell me,” I smirk as I carry it over to her.
She rolls her eyes, winces, and now I feel bad. “I like sleeping in big t-shirts and I like guy’s shirts so I buy them. Here, gimmee.” I laugh and hand it to her and then look around. She gives me her smart ass look, which is cuter than hell, and I leave the room, so she can change. Geez, it’s not like I haven’t seen her naked. Maybe it’s being in pain that’s making her so embarrassed. I look around the rest of the apartment and am shocked to see a room with a desk, bookshelves filled with books and a laptop that’s up and running. I walk in there, snoop around and then look down at the screen. I lean in and read the name under the book title and am surprised to see Kallie’s name. Wow. I cover her mouse with my hand and scroll down, and my eyebrows raise.
“Okay, I’m decent!” She shouts from her bedroom.
I leave the office and head into her bedroom and stop, my arms crossing over my chest. “So, you’re an author. That’s cool.” The side of her face that isn’t covered turns beet red, and her eyes widen in shock. “Sorry, I got bored.” I smirk. I walk over and sit down on the edge of her bed and stare into her eyes. “That’s really cool how your book is number ten.” She blinks rapidly as they fill with tears. “I’m sorry. Is that bad?”
“What….What did you say?”
I smile as I get up, walk out of the room and into her office, unplug her laptop and bring it back with me. As I sit down beside her, I turn it around and her hands immediately cover her mouth. “Oh, my God!” Her hands begin to shake, and I take one of them in mine.
“So, this is good?”
Her eyes move to mine, and I reach over and wipe a tear away from her cheek. “Steele. This is amazing and a long story but one I’d love to tell you later.” She nods when I start to take her laptop away, and I smile then return it to her desk. By the time I get back into her room, she’s sound asleep. Her hand outstretched where I placed it, so I walk quietly
over, lift it and slide it under the covers then pull them up high to cover her up better. I sit down in the chair in the corner of her room and just watch her sleep. I still feel terrible about the accident and am determined for her to tell me what happened as soon as she is able to.
ᵴ ᵴ ᵴ ᵴ
Oh, my God! What is he doing? The pickup truck is swerving so much. As soon as I move to the left it follows and then to the right, same thing. I look around and there’s nowhere to get off the road. Shit! The truck gets nearer and seems to be speeding up and at the last minute, I turn hard to the left, and it crashes into my passenger side, spinning my car around until nothing.
“Ungh!”
“Kallie! Kallie! Wake up, baby. You’re having a dream.”
My eyes snap open and see the worry in Steele’s eyes. “Oh, sorry,” I whisper.
“Sorry?” He smiles. “Nothing to be sorry about. Are you okay?” He brushes away some of the long hair from my face, his tender touch making my heart race faster than it was from the dream. I wince as I try to sit up and his strong hands grasp underneath my arms helping me. I sit back against the headboard and hold my head. “Here, take this.” He reaches over to the nightstand and picks up a bottle, removing the cap, and hands me a pill then the bottle of water that was sitting there. I chug it down and close my eyes. “You were talking in your sleep, during your dream.” I open my eyes to find him sitting on the bed beside me, one arm over my legs, his hand resting against the mattress, and I follow it up to see his bandage still in place over his stitches.
“I’m sorry if I woke you but thank you for being here.” He smiles again and then his face contorts into concern.
“Sounds like the accident was more horrible than I’d thought.” He reaches up with his free hand, taking the bottle from me and placing it back on the table, then he places his hand on the side of my face over my bandage but not touching it. “You’re such a brave and strong woman, Kallie. I admire that about you.” My brows lower and I frown. “Your dad seems like a piece of work. I’m sorry. And your mom? Where is she?” My eyes lower and I find myself staring at his chest. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
I look up quickly and see the remorse on his gorgeous face. “No, it’s okay. Mom beat me as often as she could when I was younger until Daddy finally wised up and divorced her. I’ve never heard from her or seen her since then. I think I was around seven. But then, good ole Daddy only really wants me around for his use anyway. He likes me to dress up and attend his client’s banquets and that’s pretty much the only time he pays attention to me.” I let out a big sigh. “Age ole issues. But I’m breaking free of him. I moved here yesterday, starting a new life for myself, without him. And my books?” The excitement swells in me on how well they’re doing. “I’m hoping they will help give me enough money to live off of. Luckily, I have a bunch of money that I’ve saved over time that should last me for quite a while. As soon as I’m able to I’m going to start a new book and get it out there too.” I smile, finally having something to smile about.
His hand lifts and rubs against my upper arm as he smiles. “That’s great, baby. I’ll help you however I can.”
“You already are,” I whisper.
His smile is huge, but then it fades. “You should get some sleep. You have some healing to do.”
Now my smile turns into a frown then I tilt my head and watch his eyes zone into mine. “But I’m not tired now. I told you something about my life, it’s your turn. Please?”
He looks down and then sighs, looking back at me. “Mine’s an age old story too. My parents weren’t there for me, kicked me out at an early age, and since then I’ve been on my own. Nothing much to tell really.”
“But you’re a survivor and have done what you needed in order to survive. How many people can say that?” I smile again and the corner of his mouth turns up a little.
“One day…. One day I’ll tell you all you want to know but for now, you need to get some sleep.” I nod and move down into the bed as he stands and starts walking over to the chair. He must have been so uncomfortable there.
“Stay with me. I’m afraid the dreams will return. Please…. Please, hold me.” My chin quivers without my consent and I can feel the wetness in my eyes. His face is full of worry and sadness, but he nods slightly, walks over and pulls the covers down but then looks at my face and pulls them back up. Confusion swells inside me until he walks over to the other side and gets under the covers and pulls me over to him, gently.
“I figure it will be easier to be on the side of you where you’re not hurt.” He smiles and I lay my arm around his slim waist, his arm wrapping around my shoulder, and I couldn’t be more comfortable against his warmth. “Now, go to sleep and dream of happiness and all good things.” His fingers run through my hair repeatedly, and I feel myself being lulled into sleep.
“Okay! Where is she?” My eyes open to Betsy’s voice and I look at the door just in time to see her walking quickly into the room. Hers go wide as she looks at the bed and mine move until I see Steele fast asleep holding me in his arms. My smile is huge as I move slowly from his embrace, and he only stirs a little as I leave the bed. I grab my robe from the closet and hold my fingers against my lips as we creep out of the room. She takes my hand and smiles at me as we walk to the kitchen and points to a chair at the table then walks over to the coffee pot and starts preparing it as I slowly sit down. “So freakin’ excited for you. Your books are now sitting up on the charts. One of them is number one, Kallie!” My heart races with her words and once she’s got the coffee brewing and cups sitting on the counter she turns and leans against it. “You certainly keep my life full of excitement with yours but I gotta tell ya, you need to slow the fuck down, girl. You’re gonna end up giving me a heart attack. And what’s with Romeo in there? Hmmm?”
My smile becomes huge as I think of Steele in my bed, his comforting arms around me last night and all he shared with me. I look up in time to see Betsy sit down next to me, placing a cup of hot, steaming coffee in front of me and I place my hands around its heat. “He wants to try, Betsy, really try. He feels horrible about how he treated me the other night and feels guilty about the accident. I tried to tell him the accident wasn’t his fault but he won’t listen.” She takes a sip of her coffee and frowns. “And he can relate, to a certain extent, about Daddy. His parents gave him no love either and kicked him out when he was seventeen.” I take a drink and look into the cup as I set it down. “I can’t imagine being out there alone at that age, not knowing where to go, how I would eat or where I would sleep.”
“Girl, between your life and his, it sounds like the making of a great book. He’s so freakin’ hot!” she smiles and gives me a wink. My brows raise with her idea, and the virtual light bulb goes off in my aching head.
“Just make sure you describe me as the hot and sexy guy I am.” Our heads turn swiftly to the sexy, low voice of Steele walking into the room. I giggle as I watch him walk over to the cabinet, get out a cup and then pour himself some coffee. Betsy hits my arm as we watch him turn around, raising the cup up to his full lips, taking a sip and his eyes closing. His no shirt and jeans attire makes my heart beat for another reason, and I hit Betsy’s arm as I see her staring at his chest and abs.
“What? Research! I am you’re best assistant,” she laughs.
Steele walks over to us, bends down kissing my good cheek, and then walks behind me, and sits down. “So, Steele…. This is Betsy. Betsy…. Steele.”
“I remember her from the first night you came into the bar, barely,” he smiles looking straight into my eyes. Damn!
“Well, thanks, I think,” she laughs, and then we proceed to have a great time. I sit there and watch them banter back and forth, and it fills my life full of happiness, even under these weird circumstances. But that’s how my life rolls.
Chapter Six
We spend the day helping Kallie unpack more, but I insisted she rest and let us do most of the
work. Of course, she put up a fight. Stubborn woman and so freakin’ sexy. That didn’t help with my cock already wanting to be inside her. Fuck! I called Charley to see if I could take off another night, and she only laughed and said ‘see ya tomorrow’. I owe her a lot. Every once in a while, Kallie gasps loudly, as she sits on the couch with her laptop and watching her books climb the charts. I’m so fucking proud of her. It must have been hard leaving the comfort of her daddy’s money and making it on her own. Another reason why I love her so much. What? I smile as my heart beats wildly with the feelings that just overtook me. How can I love her already, how can I be so sure so fast? I guess fate doesn’t care how or when. I look over at her, from the last box I’m unloading, and smile.
A little bit later, as I’m taking a break and drinking a beer, she gets off her phone with a scared look on her face. “I guess I’m going to see this plastic surgeon tomorrow morning to take a look at my face.” I watch as her eyes fill with tears. “I haven’t even looked at it myself, yet,” she whispers. I’m off my chair in an instant and squatting down in front of her, taking her hand in mine.
“I’ll go with you, if you want. Let me be there for you, baby.” She leans up and throws her arms around me and mine move around her quickly, holding her as tight as I can. “We’ll get through this together. Let me be your rock.” I rub her back as I hear her sob into my chest and her body shakes. “Either way, you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever known, inside and out.” I take my hands and grasp her upper arms, moving her back from me but just enough that I can look at her tear stained face. “Want me to look for you? I’m used to stitches.” I raise my left arm, still bandaged over the stitches and think quickly that I should be removing them about now. She doesn’t speak, only nods, and I give her a smile. I release my hold and carefully remove the bandage off her face, trying to keep a straight look on my face. I cringe on the inside at the look of it but give her a grin. “It’s not that bad. I think going to the plastic surgeon and hearing what they can do for you will put your mind at ease.”
Bad Boys of Romance - A Biker Anthology Page 23
