A loud noise filled the momentary silence.
Abby stiffened.
“Can you hold her steady again, Zane?” Gavin asked.
Zane reluctantly released her face to maneuver his hand back down to her thigh and hold her steady.
She tensed every muscle in her body, her thigh and ass stiff beneath his grip as the noise grew closer.
“Quicker, Gavin,” Zane yelled.
“On it,” Gavin responded.
Zane gritted his teeth and held his breath alongside Abby as the saw did its work, carefully cutting through the nail between the board and Abby’s butt.
Suddenly the noisy saw disappeared, the board lifted off several inches, and the light of day filtered under the porch.
Abby yelped and then she squirmed. “Oh God. Get me the fuck out of here.”
Zane scooted back, keeping his face low to make sure she was truly cleared, and then he grabbed her by the hips and dragged her out from under the house slowly, careful not to let the nail become embedded any worse.
“Shit. Shit shit shit,” she screamed.
As soon as she was clear, still lying on her stomach, Zane shouted instructions. “Clean gauze. Saline. Hurry.” He leaned down to speak directly to Abby’s ear, covered in her hair. “Hold still, baby. Let me secure the site and get a gurney.”
“’K.” Her voice was soft, but her breathing was heavy.
Zane took several items from his partners as they were handed to him. Vance kneeled on Abby’s other side. He already wore a pair of sterile gloves, but he only held Abby steady as Zane put his own on. Bless Vance for whatever possessed him to realize this was Zane’s gig. Zane didn’t even look up to make eye contact with his partner.
Abby’s shorts were torn. He carefully lifted the denim over the nail and tugged her low-riding shorts down a few inches, revealing the thick rusty nail and angry puncture at the top of her right cheek, oozing blood. He grabbed the bottle of saline that landed in his hand and poured it over the wound.
Abby flinched, but she didn’t scream again.
Thank God. If he heard her make that sound one more time, he would surely melt. He would gladly go the rest of his life never hearing that fear and pain coming from Abby’s lips again.
Next, he grabbed the offered gauze and draped it gently around the wound.
“Shit,” she muttered, but not as forcefully this time.
“Hang on, baby.” He taped the gauze into place across her lower back and butt cheek and then moved a few inches away from Abby for the first time since this entire fiasco began. “Gonna lift you onto a board now, Abby.”
“’K.”
Vance stuck the stiff board up against Abby’s side. Zane tucked his fingers under her hip and shoulder while Vance did the same on the other side.
“One, two, three,” Vance said. Together they eased her from the ground to the board, leaving her on her belly.
Abby whimpered again, but she didn’t cry out.
Zane mirrored Vance as they lifted the board onto the gurney and then hoisted it from ground level to his waist. He brushed her hair from her face. Her hands were balled up under her chest as he tucked a lock of thick black hair behind her ear. Tears smeared her cheek. Mascara ran down her face.
And he’d never seen anyone more beautiful. She took his breath away. Huge blue eyes blinked up at him. She licked her full pink lips and gave him a smile. “Thanks,” she whispered. She wiggled out a hand and grabbed his where it hovered at her ear.
“Any time.” He smiled down at her but forced himself to stand straighter.
Vance started pushing the gurney. Zane took the other end. As they wheeled her up the slight incline toward the side of the house, Zane caught Rider’s gaze for the first time since he’d arrived on the scene.
Rider’s brow was furrowed in natural concern, but his lips were tipped up at the corners. The bastard was smirking. He wrapped his arm around Emily and held her to his side. Zane watched as he kissed his fiancée’s forehead and pulled her tight. It was a natural reaction anyone had after something intense made them grateful for their unblemished lives.
As Rider set his cheek against Emily’s head, he smiled at Zane and lifted his brows.
How did the damn man know him so well?
Zane turned his gaze back to the woman he was hauling around the house. He wanted to stroke his fingers through her thick hair and kiss her temple the way Rider had done to Emily. That wasn’t even close to reasonable or possible, however.
And he needed to get his head out of his ass. He didn’t know this woman. Just because her butt was fucking fantastic and she had the nicest legs he’d ever set eyes on didn’t mean he should race out and buy her a ring.
Hell, he’d probably never see her again after he dropped her at the hospital. Whatever tone he’d heard in her voice and whatever look he’d thought he’d seen in her eyes, both were a result of her stress and fear. To think this woman had even one tiny thought toward him romantically was ridiculous.
Chapter Two
Zane leaned back in the kitchen chair and took another sip of Emily’s delicious coffee while she sat across from him fighting a giggle. Kayla, Gage’s girlfriend, bustled around Emily’s kitchen making lunch. It was a well-known fact that Kayla didn’t cook.
Zane had come home with Rider after sparring at the gym. Normally he considered himself lucky when one of the other Fight Club members brought him home to be fed by their woman, but he had his doubts about Kayla. He’d been conned into thinking Emily would be cooking. He’d eaten Kayla’s cooking before. The woman could easily fuck up a sandwich. He fought to keep from grinning as he watched her fumble around with lunch meat, cheese, and bread.
Rider sat across from Zane, his back to the kitchen. His eyes danced with laughter as he twisted his neck around. “Kayla, you don’t have to go to all this trouble. We could have ordered pizza or gotten burgers.”
“Nope. I’ve got this.” She shuffled around as though it were an emergency, nearly stumbling several times as she fought against the growing puppy at her feet that continuously wove a path in circles around her ankles. “I’m practicing.” She pointed a sharp knife at the men and narrowed her gaze. “I need you guys to be good little guinea pigs so I can impress Gage later with my new culinary skills.”
Zane hardly considered sandwich making a culinary skill, but for Kayla it was a leap.
Zane looked down at the cute furry little guy at her feet. “Don’t you have that beast trained yet?” he teased.
Kayla gasped. “We’ve only had him a few months. He’s still a baby. Give me a break.” She giggled and rolled her eyes. “Though I must admit, I am kinda shocked Gage doesn’t have him sitting like a soldier yet. I think he’s got a soft spot for little Jove.”
Zane chuckled. “I’m certain in the end he will be the best-behaved canine in the state. After all, his master is the best-behaved K-9 trainer in the state.” Zane took another sip of his coffee as a knock sounded at the front door.
Rider pushed from the table. “I’ve got it. You expecting anyone, Em?” he asked over his shoulder.
“Not that I remember.” Emily lifted her head from where she was perched at the island watching her friend “cook.”
Kayla was focused on making the sandwiches as though she were being graded.
“Hey, Abby,” Rider said from across the greatroom. “We’ve been meaning to check on you. Come in.”
Zane turned his head toward the door and fumbled his mug as he attempted to set it on the table. It almost fell over. Hot coffee sloshed over the side as he righted the cup, but he barely noticed the slight burn. He yanked his hands away and wiped them on his jeans as he swallowed his shock, not over the spilled coffee, but the woman currently entering the house.
He pushed his chair back and angled himself to face the sexy guest who had starred in more than a few of his wet dreams over the last week since he’d pulled her from under the porch.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Abby muttered as she came
into view. “I won’t bother you. You have company.” She held out a Tupperware container. “I just wanted to…uh…” Her gaze landed on Zane more directly, and she stopped, both walking and talking.
Two seconds passed that seemed more like two hours. Zane finally managed to get his brain to send messages to his legs and stood, not without almost toppling the kitchen chair behind him, however.
“Hey,” Abby said. “Zane, right?”
“Yes.” He nodded. “How are you?”
She ducked her head, but not before he noticed the flush crawling up her cheeks. And holy fuck she was gorgeous. He’d been nearly speechless over her long sexy legs and even sexier ass the other day. He’d barely had a chance to see much of her face under her thick black hair, dirt, and tears. He was surprised she recognized him at all.
Today she wore a cute, pale-pink sundress that hugged her tits to perfection and flowed out over her hips to extend halfway down her thighs. Thighs he remembered well. Toned. Smooth. Silky. God, I’m in so much trouble. Zane plopped back down on his chair when his knees threatened to buckle. Since when did a woman get under his skin like this?
Rider broke the silence. “Come on in. Have you eaten? We were about to have lunch.” He stepped toward the kitchen, nodding for Abby to follow.
“Oh, no. I don’t want to intrude,” she said, lifting her face toward Zane as she spoke to Rider’s back. “I, uh, I brought you some cookies. As a thank you, for, you know, rescuing me.” Her gaze remained on Zane as though she were speaking to him, but she held the container out to Rider, who took it and set it on the table.
“You didn’t need to do that. And besides, all I did was call for help,” Rider said.
Zane stared at Abby, catching Rider’s glance back and forth between them out of his peripheral vision.
“Really, I should have brought some to the fire station, but I felt weird about that,” she stated as though apologizing to Zane.
Rider pulled out a chair and pointed at it. “Sit. Lucky for you, the real rescuer is currently visiting for lunch, so he can eat the cookies himself, and you’ll have killed two birds with one stone.”
Zane jerked his gaze to Rider, who now stood behind Abby, his brows raised in mirth. Two birds with one stone? What decade are we in?
“I should be going, actually.” Abby took a step back.
“Don’t be silly. Stay. Sit.”
Emily came up behind Rider and wrapped one arm around him. “Really, Abby. I insist also. Kayla’s making sandwiches. There’s plenty.” She leaned back. “Have you met Kayla?”
Abby shook her head and stepped toward the kitchen. “I don’t think so.”
Kayla met her gaze and smiled. “I’d shake your hand, but I’m knee deep in cheese and lunch meat.”
Zane fought against laughter. Only Kayla could look so flustered over something so simple. He knew Gage was totally head over heels in love with this woman, but it clearly had nothing to do with her cooking.
Rider tugged Emily to his side and kissed her forehead. “No offense, babe, but it’s impolite to poison the neighbors. If you expect us to make friends with anyone, it would be better if you ordered pizza now.” He wrapped both arms around Emily as he finished, pinning her hands to her sides, and Zane understood why when Emily squirmed in his grasp. She was about to slap him for teasing Kayla so mercilessly.
“Seriously? Rider, that’s rude.” She struggled to free herself, giggling. When she gave up the fight, she looked at Abby with a grin. “Don’t listen to these imbeciles. Kayla is perfectly capable of making sandwiches.”
Rider held her tighter, her back against his front. He shook his head. “We don’t actually know that yet.”
Emily broke free and elbowed Rider in the ribs. “Stop it. They’re just sandwiches. Let the woman practice on us.” She stepped away and gave Abby a quick girly hug greeting. “How’s your, uh, butt?”
Abby smiled, having not moved or spoken a word during that exchange.
The puppy chose that moment to change his victim and angled for Abby’s ankles.
Rider swooped down and grabbed the little fellow before he could scratch up Abby’s legs. Zane was glad. He hated to see anything marring those perfect shins or the cute feet currently strapped into silver sandals. Her toenails were painted pink. When he let his gaze roam up her body until he met her gaze, he found her eyes on him again. Shit. She must think I’m an ass, staring at her like this.
Her face flushed again, and she licked her full lips several times.
Zane thought he would moan out loud if she didn’t stop. The thick black hair that had concealed her face the first time he met her was pulled back into a heavy ponytail that hung down her back in long waves. Her blue eyes managed to hold him captive, and she scrunched up her tiny button nose as she answered Emily’s question. “Better. Sore. I’ll live.” She grabbed the back of the chair in front of her and held on, but didn’t sit. It had only been a week. Her ass would still hurt.
Rider stepped back several paces as Emily returned to the island.
Abby still held Zane’s gaze, and as far as he was concerned, she could do so for eternity. She was that cute. Cute? Dude, you don’t do cute.
Finally, she spoke to him again. “Thanks for, um, pulling me free.”
“Any time.” He smiled and leaned forward, his elbows landing on the spilled coffee he’d completely forgotten.
Emily dashed forward with a towel. “Let me get that.” She lifted the mug, set it out of Zane’s reach, thank God, and proceeded to wipe up the spill and Zane’s elbows. “I guess I got it too full. Sorry about that.”
Bless her. She’d done no such thing, but it was sweet of her to cover his stupid, star-struck ass.
Abby turned her gaze to Emily. “I really should go. I have to, uh…things. Thanks for the offer. Let’s do lunch one day. Yeah?” She turned to look at Kayla. “Nice to meet you, Kayla.”
“You too.” Kayla waved her knife-yielding hand.
Abby backed up as she spoke, and Zane feared she would trip and fall any second as she paid no attention to anything but making a hasty escape.
The way he stared at her, unable to drag his attention from her unbelievable body, he couldn’t blame her. And he couldn’t stop himself. He’d been mesmerized by her legs and ass the first time he’d seen her. Adding her face and chest had done nothing but cause him to drool.
Emily stepped away from the counter and walked Abby to the door. “Yes. Let’s make plans. I’ll call you when it’s less hectic around here.”
They were at the door and then out on the porch before Zane could formulate a sentence. Abby didn’t glance back. And apparently Zane’s jeans were glued to the chair because he couldn’t seem to lift himself.
He finally jerked his face toward Rider when he heard him chuckling. “Dude, that was the singularly most impressive loss of speech I’ve ever seen. I knew you found her ass attractive the other day, and I can’t say I blame you, but you’re totally smitten.”
Zane winced. “Smitten? What kind of word is that?” He wrapped his hands around his coffee mug and pulled it closer. Emily had set it almost out of reach when she cleaned up his mess. It was still hot. He didn’t bother to attempt to lift it and take a sip, knowing his hands would be shaking.
The front door shut with a snick, making Zane flinch and turn his gaze toward Emily.
The woman was outright laughing as she approached, holding her belly. She wiped tears from the corners of her eyes as she managed to speak finally. “Sorry.” She held up one hand. “I was holding that in for the last five minutes.”
Rider stood at the island now, helping Kayla bring plates to the table. He shook his head, his mouth still turned up in a smirk. “I was struggling myself. What did Abby say to you?”
“She was so embarrassed, her face was bright red.” Emily stopped at the chair where Abby had stood.
“Do you think she was interested?” Rider asked.
Zane rolled his eyes. “Come on, guy
s. Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Oh, hell yes. She even face-palmed and paced the front porch.”
“What?” Zane straightened his spine.
Emily grinned so wide her face had to hurt. She nodded. “She said she thought her mental image of you had been an apparition, but now that she’s seen you up close and personal, she realizes you’re hotter than you were under the porch covered with dirt.”
“You’re shitting me?” Zane squeezed his coffee mug tighter, surprised it didn’t explode.
Emily shook her head and tucked her lower lip in between her teeth to keep from giggling more.
Kayla eased a plate in front of Zane. “I thought she was smitten also, and I’ve never even met her.” She grinned.
“Huh,” Rider began. He headed toward the table carrying several more plates. “Double date?”
Zane shook that idea off quick. “Hell no. No way.”
“Why the hell not?” Rider asked.
“For one thing, you two wouldn’t be able to keep from chuckling all evening. And for another thing, that woman is way too sweet for the likes of me.”
“I don’t think you should judge her that quickly,” Emily said. “She’s a tough gal. She deals blackjack for a living at the Crystal Palace.”
“Seriously?” Zane was surprised by that. Dealers were hard-nosed and smart as hell. Maybe she isn’t as demure as she appears on the outside.
“Yep.”
Zane gritted his teeth and then threw in the towel. He slumped forward, hating to admit he was head over heels for this chick he knew so little about. “Give her my number.”
“Don’t have to.” Emily pulled a slip of paper from her jeans pocket and held it out, her smile spreading farther.
Zane released his coffee and reached for the scrap. “I feel like I’m passing notes in third grade.” And his day suddenly looked much brighter than it had so far. At the very least, he now had the ability to ask Abby out, confident she wouldn’t turn him down. It had been a while since he’d dated a vanilla woman, but it wasn’t unheard of. He could do this.
How could he not?
The Fight Club - Boxed Set Page 110
