by Oliver, Tess
“Like Cole said, I can fix up that old car anytime.” He shuffled to his dresser and tried to take off his shirt.
I walked over and took hold of the ends of it. “Lift your arms.” Even that was a chore for him. I hopped on my tiptoes and pulled the shirt up and off. He turned around and my gaze dropped to the giant red mark that was already becoming a bruise.
I reached forward to touch it, and he flinched and sucked in a breath. “There’s no way you’re jumping that motorcycle this weekend.”
He glanced down at the mark. “I’ve had way worse. This will be nothing more than an ugly mark by Saturday. I’m just pissed at myself for the shitty landing.”
Because I loved it when Parker was excited and hyped up about things, I especially hated seeing him feeling down. There was something extra sad about it. I pressed my hands against the sides of his face and kissed him. “Hmm, you taste like grit and dust. Let’s get you in the shower.”
“Sounds like a lot of work and effort.”
“Not with your personal nurse to assist you. You’re always wanting to take care of me. Why don’t you let me return the favor for a change. I’m really looking forward to it. Come on, let me at least give you some well-deserved, tender loving care.” I leaned down and kissed the sore spot on his ribs.
“Feeling better already.”
“See.” I led him to the bed and motioned for him to sit. I knelt down in front of him and started to unbuckle his boots.
He watched me through lowered lashes. “You know what would make me feel even better?”
“What’s that?” I yanked off the first boot and started working on the second one.
“If my first aid provider was completely naked while she worked.”
I smiled up at him. “I think that could be arranged without too much problem.”
I stood up and did a shortened version of my stripper dance. I batted my lashes at him as I unzipped my sweatshirt and pushed it off my shoulders. After I pulled off my shirt, I swung it around him once and tossed it across the room. I pushed off my shoes. I turned around and bent down extra low as I rolled down my jeans. Then I hung my head down and peered back at him between my legs. “Is this helping?” I asked.
“More than you fucking know.” His voice was strained, but this time it wasn’t the pain in his ribs.
Without straightening, I pushed my panties off, giving him a full view of everything. A low groan came from behind me, and it seemed I was making my patient forget all about his sore ribs. Although, I was sure my little striptease was about as erotic as things were going to get. There was no way he was going to be able to do anything super physical. In fact, I already had plans to make him feel a lot better without it taking much effort on his part. My dance was going to help my plan move along smoothly.
I turned around and removed my bra and tossed it at him. Then I knelt back down next to his leg and finished removing the second boot.
He stared down at me. “You’re the best fucking pain medicine in the world, and I’m pretty damn sure I’m already addicted to you.”
I pushed to my feet and sashayed slowly toward his bathroom, stopping only to look back at him over my shoulder. “I’ll turn on the water and get it all steamed up in there. The warmth will help ease the pain.”
“After watching that gorgeous ass of yours, I’ve got some new aches too,” he called.
Chapter 20
Rodeo
The steamy bathroom relaxed me some. I hadn’t realized how hard I’d been clenching my jaw until I released it and I had to push my chin from side to side to crack it like a knuckle. My nurse, my beautiful naked angel of mercy was standing inside the misty shower stall waiting with a bar of soap, a sexy little smile and two perfectly rosy nipples. The only downside to the whole damn scene was that as hard as my cock was, I was pretty sure a good wild fuck in the shower was out.
I stepped under the stream of water and reached for her, but she took hold of my hand and lowered it. “I’m taking care of you, remember.” She rubbed the soap between her hands and worked up a fragrant lather, which she smoothed over my chest and arms taking care not to push too hard on my sore ribs. Warm water poured over us like a steamy rain shower, and she pressed her mouth against my neck and throat as her hands bathed me. She worked up another round of lather and smoothed her hands along my legs and over my balls. My cock pressed against her as her hands moved along my body.
I closed my eyes to feel her touch as she covered every inch of my skin with her soapy palms. “Every shower after this is going to be totally disappointing.” My words thudded against the tile walls and rolled down toward the drain.
The jarring pain in my side was muted by the feel of Sayler’s hands and mouth on me. Her lips came up against mine, and she reached between us and wrapped her fingers around my cock. My groan vibrated against her mouth as she stroked her hand along my hard shaft. The water trickled down over us as her hand brought me close to climax. Then her mouth moved along my chin and down my neck to my chest. She continued downward. I ached at the thought of her lush lips wrapped around me. But I wasn’t ready for it to end.
I reached down and lifted her chin. She peered up at me with those brown eyes that I thought about day and night. Shower water beaded on her lashes as she blinked at me in question.
“I’m calling in my sympathy card. I fucking earned it today.”
Her mouth parted in confusion. “You don’t want this?”
“I want it.” I reached down and rubbed my thumb over her bottom lip, stopping halfway across to push my thumb in between her lips. Just that small move made my balls tighten with need. “But first, I want to watch you—”
She stood up. The glint in her dark eyes assured me she understood. Her skin that had been blushed warm by the hot water, turned an even darker shade of pink, and she bit her lip shyly.
“Sympathy card, baby.” I pointed to the bruise on my side. “I’m hurtin’, remember? You wouldn’t deny a suffering man, would you?” I reached across and rubbed my thumb over her nipple. She pushed her breast harder against my touch and closed her eyes to absorb the feel of me teasing her taut rose-colored nipple. “Please, baby.” My voice was low and gritty at the thought of it.
A tiny grin curled up one side of her mouth as she reached down between her legs. She spread her thighs. Her lips parted and her eyes closed as she pushed her hand farther. Her slim hips moved as her hand disappeared between her legs. She arched her back to push her breasts against my hands. The soft sounds coming from her slightly opened lips as she touched herself, nearly brought on my own orgasm.
“That’s it, baby. I’m so fucking hard watching you.”
Her large eyes opened for a second. Then her long wet lashes drifted back down and a soft mewl of pleasure rolled from her mouth as she came. Her satisfied sigh filled the shower. She drew her hand out from between her thighs.
“Damn.” My voice was nearly stuck in my throat. “I’ve got to get hurt more often.”
Without another word, she knelt down in the shower. Warm water poured down over her head and cascaded down her back and off the perfect round swell of her ass. She took hold of my cock and slid her mouth over me. I tangled my fingers in her wet hair and held her head against me, begging her to take me in deeper. I’d grown so hard watching her, it took only seconds before my body clenched, reminding me briefly of my injury, a pain that was easily ignored as my hot seed spilled in her mouth.
Her tongue dragged along my cock, sending an involuntary shudder through me. She wiped the side of her mouth with her pinky and got back to her feet. She reached back and turned off the water. The entire bathroom was thick with warm steam.
“Now, my extremely hot patient, go get in bed. I’ll get the pain meds and heating pad. It’s going to be a long night of first aid, and I’m looking forward to every
darn minute of it.”
I placed my hand around her neck and pulled her closer for a kiss. Leaning down hurt like hell, but her mouth, just like every damn thing about her, was worth it.
Chapter 21
Sayler
I finished tying my lace up ankle boots and rolled my jeans down over them. I was a fidgety bundle of nerves and excitement. Parker had insisted he was ready for the show. He was moving slower than normal, but he was convinced that once he was on his bike, he’d have no problem riding through a clean routine. He was leaving his newest trick, the three sixty, for another time and concentrating just on the ones he knew best. It wasn’t a contest. He would be paid for participation. The only thing he’d probably miss out on by not showing off some harder tricks was new sponsorships. Those, he decided, could wait until next time.
I heard footsteps outside. I double-checked that the coffee pot was turned off and glanced in the side of the pot to check my lipstick. I went to the door and opened it.
I stepped back as if someone had hit me in the stomach, and it felt as if somebody had. The muffin I’d downed for breakfast suddenly felt like a lead paperweight in my stomach. Chambers, Hawk and the thin, papery skinned man they referred to as Scarecrow didn’t wait to be invited in. Scarecrow leered at me through his beady, wide set eyes. Even though he was rail thin, he’d always scared me the most. Probably because he seemed completely nuts, as if he was just a few good marbles away from being a serial killer.
The laminate floor creaked under their heavy feet, and it seemed the trailer tilted to the side a bit more as they filled the tiny space in the kitchen.
“Well, Pigeon, two weeks is up.”
“Tonight, I’ll have the money for you tonight.”
Chambers adjusted his glasses on his round nose and glanced around the room as if he was giving my offer some thought. His harsh scowl landed back on me. “Nope. We’re here now, so pay up.”
I crossed my arms to keep my hands from shaking. “You said two weeks. Tonight is still two weeks.” I was shocked to be holding it together at all. I glanced at Scarecrow. He had walked to my bed and picked up my pillow. He pressed it to his face and breathed it in. Then he dropped it back onto the bed with an expression that caused the hairs to stand up on the back of my neck. A shiver of revulsion coursed through me.
Tears pooled in my eyes, but they weren’t for garnering sympathy. Chambers didn’t know that emotion, and his two cronies barely fit into the category of human. I’d finally hit the big bump in the road, and this one was a damn mountain. I wasn’t going to make it out of this alive. That cold, grim reality was starting to take hold of me.
“I don’t have the money.” I was ready to surrender over to them, figuring I’d let them kill me long before I ever agreed to whore for Chambers. Then the nightmarish morning went horribly south.
Parker yanked open the door. “Come on, my beautiful lady luck—” His words stopped cold. He looked around at the strange faces and then at me. Without another word or showing an ounce of fear, he walked over and stood in front of me like a shield. I stared at the strong, confident set of his shoulders as he crossed his arms and stared at Chambers. “We’ll have your money Monday. I’m getting a check today, and I’ll cash it first thing Monday.”
Chambers nodded at Scarecrow, who grinned like a Jack-o-lantern on Halloween. Chambers buttoned up the coat on his designer suit, and for a brief second, it seemed he’d walk out without another word. I hadn’t even noticed their secret signal, but, without warning, Hawk lunged at Parker and me. Hawk’s big hand knocked me back, and I landed hard on my butt. With hardly any room to move, Parker managed to take an effective swing at Hawk, nailing him square on the jaw. Scarecrow stepped in and kicked Parker’s feet out from under him. He groaned as his side, the one with the bruises, hit the edge of the counter. The agony of taking a hit on his injured ribs rendered him senseless long enough for Hawk to recover and grab him. He dragged Parker up and smacked his head back against the cupboard, grinding the kitchen counter into his back. Parker’s face was a shade of pale gray, and I was sure he’d puke all over Hawk’s ill-fitting suit.
“I’ll go with you right now,” I blurted. “Leave him alone. I’m yours to do with whatever the hell you want.”
“Sayler. No. Don’t.” Parker strained to talk and his breathing was labored. His ribs had been reinjured, and it seemed he was barely staying conscious through the horrible pain.
“Pigeon, Pigeon, you stupid little bird.” Chambers’ tone made bile rise in my throat. “You haven’t let me finish. I just wanted to collect a little interest payment from your friend so he realizes how much is at stake if that money isn’t in my hand Monday.” He motioned his head toward Scarecrow.
Hawk still had hold of Parker. Even in his terrible pain, Parker struggled to free himself from his iron grasp. The bruised ribs made it impossible. Hawk wrenched one arm behind Parker’s back. He gritted his teeth as his arm was twisted up into an unnatural position. Hawk turned Parker toward the counter.
Scarecrow grabbed Parker’s free wrist and smacked his hand down on the counter. I saw the small wooden club just as Scarecrow pulled it from his coat.
“No!” I lunged to push between Scarecrow and Parker. Hawk’s big elbow jammed hard against my cheek, and I fell backward right into Chambers’ arms. He wrapped his arm around my waist and cinched it so hard, I struggled to breathe. “No.” This time the word came out as a whimper.
Scarecrow lifted the wooden club and brought it down hard on Parker’s hand. He yelled out and even with his arm wrenched up behind him, he dropped to his knees in pain.
Tears streamed down my face and the room swayed. Hawk released Parker, and Chambers flung me aside like a piece of trash. “Monday, Pigeon,” he said as they walked out.
I flew to Parker’s side and dropped to my knees next to him. He had brought the injured hand close to him and was holding it against his stomach with his other hand. His face was white and smooth like marble. “Grab the trash can.” His voice was barely audible.
I hopped up and yanked the trash can out from under the sink. He held the edge of it with his good hand and threw up several times. Then he collapsed back onto his bottom.
I wiped clumsily at the tears that wouldn’t stop flowing. I was sick too. Sick with the thought that all of this had been my fault. I deserved no less than a quick trip to the bottom of the ocean. Fish food was a fitting end for someone like me.
I got up and wet a dish towel with cold water and knelt back down next to Parker. I pressed the cold cloth against his forehead. It seemed to revive him some. I hadn’t had the courage yet to look at his hand. And it seemed he hadn’t either. He had it tucked against his body beneath his good arm.
I had a small bag of ice in the box I called a refrigerator. I crawled over to it, grabbed the ice out and returned to his side. Misery and pain floated around him like a dark, ugly cloud.
Gently, and with trembling fingers, I took hold of his wrist and lifted his injured hand away from his body. My throat tightened painfully as I looked down at it. The blow had gone across the knuckles. All four were already swollen to twice their normal size.
Parker’s eyes were closed beneath the makeshift compress I’d placed on his forehead. “How ugly are they?”
“It’s not good. I guess since you got sick, it means a couple of the knuckles are broken.”
“I heard them crack, so I’d say so.”
A sob bubbled from my mouth. He turned his head without lifting it from the cabinet. “Put the ice on them. I need to get the swelling down so my glove will fit.”
I laid the ice bag over his hand. His face tightened. He pulled in a deep, shaky breath.
“There’s no way you’re going to ride today.”
“I have to.”
“No.” Another sob followed. “I won’t let
you do this. I walked back into your life and brought you nothing but trouble and pain. I’m going to get you to a doctor. Then I’m coming home here—alone—and waiting for Chambers to come back for me.”
His lids seemed heavy as if weighted down from the physical agony he was suffering. “You haven’t brought me trouble and pain.” He shifted the ice over his hand. He held his breath for a second. “Well, maybe a little trouble and pain. But you’re worth every fucking broken knuckle, Sayler. There isn’t a second in the day when I’m not thinking about you and when I do, I’m not thinking about pain or trouble. I’m thinking about how damn glad I am to have you back in my life.”
Another sob shook my shoulders, and he lifted his good arm. I climbed under it and tucked myself against him.
“The initial explosion of pain is subsiding. Could be the ice is making my hand numb, but I’ve climbed back on a bucking horse with a broken wrist. I can easily climb on a motorcycle. They’re far more predictable than an unbroke colt.”
“Maybe I can work out another deal with Chambers to get some more time. I’ll go to the club and beg for my job back. I know there has to be a solution.”
He sucked a breath through his teeth as he lifted up the bag of ice. The cold had made the hand even redder, but the swelling had shrunk some. “It’s pretty obvious from my ugly looking hand that the guy is a ruthless asshole. You need to be done with him. I only have to do one routine for the money. It’s enough to pay the jerk. I just hope he leaves you alone after that. Now help me up. We’ve got to get to the show.”
Chapter 22
Rodeo
Sayler had driven as I slouched in the passenger seat shifting the bag of ice that was now mostly water back and forth between my bruised ribs and my knuckles. The ribs had been feeling a lot better but when the asshole had shoved me against the counter, I’d managed to land right on the old injury. It had almost hurt worse than the initial pain.
