by Mary Calmes
"Jory?"
"Oh hey, Ben." I sighed because this was not who I needed.
"Where are you?"
"I'm at the gym," I lied because it was easy.
"Oh, well, I just wanted to make sure we were okay from the other night."
"Course."
"Yeah? You're not freaked out?"
"No, flattered is what I was."
"Okay good."
"But I gotta let you go, okay? I'll call ya."
"You do that."
I hung up and immediately my phone rang again.
"Yeah?"
"Jory, goddamn it, where the hell are you?"
I groaned. "I'd rather die of hypothermia then tell you."
"Very dramatic. Answer the goddamn question."
I grunted.
"You were at County, you idiot," he snarled into the phone.
"They told me you have a mild concussion and you're all beat up and—"
"I'm fine." I shivered hard, my teeth chattering. "I just don't wanna go home unless you promise you won't be there."
"I am here."
I sighed deeply. "I knew it."
"You're not coming home on purpose?"
"Yep."
"Jory, you do understand that you were kidnapped and assaulted and...."
"Yeah, I know."
"You know? That's all you have to say?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
"Jesus, you're an idiot! Jory, they are not going to stop trying to kill you!"
I sighed heavily. "I gotta go to work. What time is it?"
"Work? Are you fuckin' kidding me? Jory, your ass is going into protective custody today!"
"Yeah, no." I yawned, shivering again, my teeth making the clicking noise that I was powerless to stop. "I've got a lot of shit to do and I need to talk to my boss about something important because I think he's making a big—"
"Jory! Where are you?"
"Why'dya blow me off? Were you on a date?"
There was a beat of silence. "What the fuck are you talking about?" he asked me, his voice quiet but filled with force at the same time.
"You were, weren't you? Your buddies or whatever... you had to go on some date with some woman and so you couldn't come see me."
"This is what this is about? A date?"
"Go to hell."
"Are you on drugs? Did they shoot you full of shit at the hospital?"
"You know what, I don't even care. Just leave me alone," I said and hung up on him again.
When it rang again, I saw that the number was different.
"Hello?"
"Jory baby, where are you?"
"Hey, Nick." I sighed deeply. For whatever reason, his voice was soothing.
"I saw your name on the board when I came in but, honey, where are you?"
"I left."
"Obviously. Do you know you can't just take out an IV and walk out of a hospital?"
"Oh no?"
"Jory, baby, you're—"
"I'm fine."
"Jory, you're hurt worse than you think, honey. You can't be alone right now. Tell me where you are? Are you home?"
No, I wasn't home, I thought, and wanted to yell it at him.
Because for whatever reason, as it always did, his voice had gone from sounding sultry and sexy to whiny and needy in a heartbeat. And it wasn't Nick, I knew it wasn't Nick... it was me. I just didn't respond well to begging or pleading or anything that sounded weak or clinging. I responded to power and dominance and demands for my time and my body. The gentle, sensitive guy did nothing for me. I was a mess but realizing it did nothing to prevent it.
"Jory... honey... can I come pick you up?"
"No," I said as I started shaking. I was so cold. "I'm gonna call somebody Nicky, don't worry."
"But I do worry. You have a concussion and a bullet grazed your shoulder and I have to...."
"But I'm all right."
"Honey, I'm afraid you're gonna pass out and—"
"I'll be okay," I assured him. "I'll call ya later."
"No-no-no—Jory, baby, just tell me where you are, I'll pick you up and you can come home with me and—"
"How 'bout I call you tomorrow?"
"Jory, whatever you're mixed up in, I can handle it. Please, baby, let me take care of you."
"Nick, I—"
"Jory," he sighed deeply. "I am crazy about you. I think about you all the time."
"You do?"
"Yes, God yes. I just, you need to give me some of your time. I know I'm not as exciting as whatever else is going on in your life, but Jory, I'm good for you. I want to be with you."
It was hard to breathe suddenly, partly because I was turning into a Popsicle and the rest because brutal honesty wasn't usually my gig. I favored the disappearing act in most cases. "You know, Nick," I began quickly because it was better to do it like pulling off a Band-Aid, just really fast.
"We've got no chemistry at all. You know we don't."
"Is that right?"
"You know it is." I winced; this was just as painful to say, as it was to hear.
"Well, I think you need to give me another chance to impress you. Because if we're being honest, being in bed with you was amazing."
"Thanks."
"I'm not flattering you, it's a fact. I didn't want it to end."
"That's nice."
"Nice? Jesus." He laughed dryly.
I chuckled because he sounded so deflated.
"Listen, Jory, I'm starting my life, ya know? I'm an attending now at the hospital, I bought my first place, and I'm ready for the guy, the one guy that's gonna be my partner and build my future with me. I don't mean to scare you, but when I met you I had a feeling that you were the guy."
The man had definitely confused so-so sex with love.
"Jory?"
"Nicky, you think maybe you just needed to get laid?"
"You know I'm gonna forgive you for being a total prick since you're in shock right now and probably getting frostbite."
"Sorry," I breathed out. "That was a shitty thing to say."
"Yes, it was."
"Nick, I—"
"No just shut up and listen. Do you know you never listen?"
It was true, I didn't.
"Jory, I can get laid any night of the week. What I want is to be in bed with someone that I can see a future with and not just a one-night stand. I'm not some trick J... I wanna be your guy."
"Why do you even care? Why not just call it a day with me?"
"No. We're not gonna do that."
"Why?"
"Because I am crazy about you, I told you already."
"But why?"
He chuckled. "You're fishing."
"I'm confused," I assured him.
"Jory, you're funny and smart and those big dark eyes of yours are... and you told me my sunglasses were ugly."
"They were ugly."
His exhale of breath was long. "Do you have any idea how gorgeous you are?"
"Nick—"
"It's your lips, they drive me nuts," he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. "I never wanted to stop kissing you."
He was just the nicest guy that did nothing for me.
"I really...." His voice was hoarse. "Hey, do me a favor.
Look up at the street sign where you are and read it to me.
I'm heading for my car."
"No, I'll call ya tomorrow, I swear."
"Jory, you need to sleep and you need somebody to take care of you. I want to be that somebody. Besides, who's better than a doctor?"
I smiled into the phone and promised to call the next day after work. I hung up with him begging me to tell him where I was. The phone rang, and I realized I had missed eleven calls while I was talking to Nick.
"Hello?"
"Where are you?"
"Sam, I—"
"So help me God, if you don't tell me where you are right this second I will shoot you myself as soon as I find your scrawny ass."
I chuckled.
"I thought you liked my ass."
No answer.
"Is that not right, Detective?"
"You cocky piece of shit. You're gonna throw that up in my face now?"
"Actually, I'm not gonna do anything at all to you or with you or... shit...." I was really tired suddenly. The very last of my adrenaline was gone. I wanted somebody to take care of me. "Just have the other officer call me, all right. I don't wanna see you anymore. I gotta go. I gotta call somebody to...."
"Don't you dare hang up on me again or I will... I... oh, look at that," he said at the same time I heard the sharp squeal of brakes.
My head came up and I saw him double-parked on the street. He slammed his door and was coming around the front of his SUV. I didn't even try to stand. I leaned my head against the pole instead. Everything hurt and I was cold down inside my bones.
"Jory, I'm gonna—"
"God," I groaned. "What do you want?"
When he didn't say anything, I looked up into his face. His jaw was clenched and his dark eyes were locked on mine.
"I think I...." There was a ringing in my ears and I felt like someone had shoved an ice pick into my skull between my eyes. "Oh shit."
His hands moved to my face as I rode out the pain. When it receded, I stared into his eyes as he knelt down in front of me.
"Jory, your lips are blue," he groaned before a quick exhale. "Christ. Can you walk?"
I shook my head.
He crushed me in his arms and the warmth was instant and amazing. "I'm taking you home with me, so wrap your brain around it."
"Okay."
When he stood up, my head hit his shoulder and he rubbed his chin in my hair. My feet left the ground and as everything spun I was lifted into the seat. In the SUV he stroked my hair as I closed my eyes. He had the heater up on high and all I heard was the sound of the blower. I didn't remember the rest of the drive.
* * * *
I was warm and every single part of me felt heavy. I rolled over and realized that I was under a sheet and several blankets in a huge bed.
"You awake?"
I looked up and Sam stepped away from the window where he was standing. "Kind of."
He took a breath. "Good."
"Thanks."
"You want something?"
I shook my head.
"So this is my place, obviously. I live here alone so—"
"What am I doing here?"
"You passed out in my car. I had to do something."
"Why didn't you take me back to the hospital?"
His jaw clenched. "'Cause you just have a concussion. I know all about those."
I smiled at him before I looked around the room. "Is it okay if I take a shower?"
"Sure," he said, walking over to the bed. "You need help getting up?"
"No," I answered but didn't move.
He nodded, staring down at me.
I arched an eyebrow.
"Okay, well, it's right through there." He pointed to the right. "I'll bring you some sweats, okay?"
"Sure. Thanks."
When he left I threw back the covers and got up in pieces.
First sitting up, then my legs over the side of the bed, moving next to my bare feet on the floor. I was so glad I wasn't dizzy. I didn't want to do a face-plant onto his Navajo-patterned throw rug and even more... I didn't want to need him.
I stood in the shower under the hot water until it ran cold.
When I got out I went through his medicine cabinet and found only the essentials. There was none of my cocoa butter lotion, my hair products, my moisturizer, or my lip balm. I was completely addicted to lip balm and applied it all day every day. There was a gentle knock on the door after a few minutes. I hadn't heard the first few times he'd tapped since I was busy scrutinizing my black eye and the bruises on my throat.
"Yeah?"
"I put the sweats out here on the bed."
"Thank you."
"Are you all right?"
"Yep."
"Okay."
I waited a few minutes to let him leave the room before I went out. I didn't want to talk to him I just wanted to rest.
The sweats were neatly folded on the bed, and when I put them on I had to roll the bottoms like six times, pull the drawstring really tight, and roll the top over before they would even stay on my hips. I would definitely not be borrowing any more of Sam Kage's clothes. I climbed back into his bed and lay down. I was exhausted just with the effort a shower took.
"Hey," he said, walking into the bedroom. "You feel better?"
I bunched one of his pillows up behind my head, getting comfortable. It was raining outside, really hard from what I could hear, and I knew it was cold. But I was warm and cozy in bed.
"You look very content."
"'Cause I am." I smiled, looking around the room, letting out a deep sigh.
"Ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"Who's Nick Sullivan?"
"Doctor I date."
"Oh, okay."
"He's very nice."
"Oh yeah? Very nice?"
I grunted because I wasn't really listening.
"Very nice is the kiss of death," he chuckled, and I felt the bed dip as he took a seat beside me. "Right?"
"Pretty much."
"He's into you, huh?"
I glanced up at him, gave him a half grin.
"He must be because he's called like a dozen times. I turned your phone off 'cause I got sick of hearing it."
"He likes my scrawny ass," I teased him, smiling.
"I like it too."
I opened my eyes as he ran the back of his fingers up my throat.
"At least you're not freezing anymore."
The noise I made was halfway between a moan and sigh. I was glad I was under so many blankets so he couldn't tell I was excited.
"You sound like you're purring."
I smiled and his hand went around my throat.
"I wanted to strangle you when I called and you told me you were in the hospital... I mean Jesus, Jory, you were almost killed tonight."
I closed my eyes again, rolling over away from his touch.
"Can you get me some water?"
"Yeah," he said gruffly and left.
I wasn't awake when he came back.
Chapter Nine
When I opened my eyes it was still raining, but it wasn't dark like night but dark like morning. It was very early on a gray, rainy day. The kind of day best spent under the covers watching TV.
"I called your boss and told him you weren't coming in, so don't freak out."
I looked up at his face as he sipped coffee from a plain black mug.
"Can I have some of that?" I asked, squinting at him.
I heard his long exhale. "Sure. How do you take it?"
"Just cream, no sugar. It needs to be blonde like me."
"Okay," he said gently, the corner of his lip curling. "Be right back."
But before he could get far I stopped him with my voice.
"Last night you were worried about me, huh? That's how you get when you're scared maybe... you yell," I said softly, beginning to understand the inner workings of Detective Kage. "'Cause you were terrified that I was hurt, weren't you?"
He just stared down at me.
"Tell me."
"You scared the shit outta me."
"Were you worried about me or your case?"
"You."
"How come?"
The furrowed brows, the way his eyes looked... I felt my stomach twist into a knot.
"I don't know because mostly I just wanna kill you."
I smiled up at him. "What'd my boss say?"
"He said you need to call him by ten."
"Okay."
"What's the deal with him? He doesn't treat you like a boss would."
"No," I agreed. "I get treated like we're family."
He stared at me, his gaze never wavering. It made me uneasy.
"Do I look that bad?"
&nb
sp; He shook his head.
"You sure?"
"Yeah. You look like somebody roughed you up."
I smiled lazily, my eyes narrowing as I looked up at him.
"You wanna rough me up?"
The muscle in his jaw jerked tight and he swallowed hard, his eyes on my mouth. "Yes."
My heart was in my throat. His eyes were so dark, so intense, just locked on mine. "Come kiss me then."
He slowly, gently, like he was concentrating very hard, put the mug down. His hands were on my face as he leaned in for the kiss. I lifted my chin to meet him and felt the tips of his fingers slide over my jaw.
"Jory," he breathed against my mouth, his lips hovering over mine.
I tried so hard not to make a sound but the whimper came up out of me and I instantly felt the change as a surge of desire rolled through him. Tender was replaced with the thrust of his tongue between my parted lips. He ground his mouth down over mine, kissing me hard and deep. I arched up against him and his hands were hot on my skin.
"I don't wanna hurt you," he rasped, panting, his mouth devouring my lips, sucking and licking, his tongue tangled with mine.
"You won't."
"I want you so bad."
"Good."
He got up and grabbed my thighs, yanking me to the edge of the bed. He had the sweats off me in seconds, reaching into the top drawer of his nightstand at the same time he pulled up my knees. I saw the tube and couldn't contain my laughter. He froze, staring down at me.
"What?"
"You got lube?" I raised my eyebrows. "For me?"
He looked pained, and it was both endearing and adorable at the same time.
"You're a mess," I assured him gently, motioning him close.
He wrapped me in his arms and deepened the kiss, shifting to bear down on me, his mouth slanting over mine, so possessively, so urgently that I whimpered some more.
"Jesus," he groaned, his mouth on my throat, kissing me.
"I wanna fuckin' eat you."
It was a confession from his soul since his brain was turned off, so I put my hands on his face and kissed him back, sucking, biting, and making sure my tongue missed no part of his mouth. I gave as good as I got and felt the deep shiver that came with his surrender.
I trembled in his arms and he made a noise like he was dying.
"Shit, something's wrong with me."
