“You’re an idiot, you know that? Exactly how much anesthesia did they give you?”
“Huh?”
Sarah sighed audibly. “Yeah, you must be out of it. Here’s what happened. Alaina called the Barn looking for Sebastian. After she explained who she was, Karen agreed to give him her message. He called her back, about two days ago, and she told him she wanted to bring you some food for after your surgery. Sebastian mentioned I was making stuff too and that we had a key. This morning on her way into school, Alaina dropped off her things, and we added them to ours.”
“Oh man, I didn’t expect her to do anything like that.” Guilt washed over him. Why didn’t I even consider Alaina? We’re exclusively dating for God’s sake—at my insistence. We have been for a couple of weeks now. She should’ve been the first person I thought of. Rob could use the excuse that Alaina didn’t have his key, but he should’ve known she would be resourceful. He felt like an ass.
“Hence the idiot comment. She’s crazy about you, in case you haven’t noticed. By the way, if you haven’t called her, you need to. She’s worried sick about the surgery. I gave her my cell number, and she’s already texted twice asking if we’d heard from you.”
“I will. And thanks.” I’m crazy about her too.
“Get some rest.”
He disconnected the call and checked the clock. Alaina would still be at school, and he debated whether or not to call her. Maybe a text would be better.
Colby stuck his head in the room. “Water?”
“That’s fine.” When the other man was gone once more, Rob dialed Alaina, hoping her kids would be gone so he wasn’t interrupting.
“Rob?”
“Yeah, it’s me.”
“Oh, good,” she said, relief clear in her voice, and Rob felt like even more of an ass. “I’ve been waiting on pins and needles for word. How are you? Did everything go as planned?”
“I’ve felt better. Like when Coach ordered us to do wind sprints during practice while we were having a losing streak. I puked all over the ice and then collapsed from the stitch in my side, and that was loads more fun than right now.”
“I’m so sorry.”
Knowing Alaina, she’d fret if he said more, so instead, he tried to reassure her. “Everything will get better. Anyway, I wanted to thank you for all the food. That was incredibly kind of you. Sarah told me how you sweet-talked Sebastian. Sneakiness is kinda sexy, you know.”
Alaina laughed. “I’ll have to remember that. Could I see you sometime in the next few days? I won’t stay long, but I need to see for myself that you’re all right. Silly, I know.”
“Not silly at all.” It was actually pretty cool that she cared that much about him. Every time they talked or saw each other, another little piece of his heart became hers. “I’m gonna eat and then take a pain pill. That’ll knock me out for a while, but if you want to come over around seven tonight, we could hang for a couple of hours. I’m a really exciting Friday night date, aren’t I?”
“That’s fine, Rob. You just had surgery. I don’t expect you to want to go clubbing or anything.”
“You go clubbing?”
She chuckled. “No, not for a long time. I was never into that scene. Hey, do you want me to bring dinner?”
“No. I’ll order something, or maybe we can eat one of the eight-thousand meals stuffed into my fridge and freezer. But for some reason pizza sounds good, if that’s okay. I think my diet can withstand a few days of me eating whatever the hell I want.”
“Fine with me.”
“And even though I know you’d never take the money willingly, I’d like to reimburse you for the food. That was a lot of stuff you bought.”
“You’re right, I wouldn’t accept it. Rob, have you not figured out that us dating exclusively means I’d want to do help out like this? After all, you’re my boyfriend and I’m your girlfriend. It’s natural I’d want to take care of you when you’re down and out.”
He winced at her incredulous tone. “I should’ve known better, and I apologize if I offended you with my offer to pay. I know you don’t make a ton of money, and I do. So I feel bad.”
“I care about you. The money was immaterial.”
Rob very much doubted that, but grinned. Despite the pain he actually felt happier than he had since the hit. “I care about you too.” Why did hearing that and saying the words back send such a thrill through him?
“Well, now that we’ve admitted that, I guess we can’t go back, right? No exchange, no return?”
Her tone was amused, but Rob doubted that was the most prevalent emotion at that moment.
God, I hope not.
“Nope. I’m like jock itch. I never go away.”
“Ewww.” Rob laughed even as she said, “On that charming visual, go eat and sleep, and I’ll see you tonight.”
He did exactly as Alaina instructed. He woke up from what he could hardly call a nap, since he’d slept over four hours, but still had a bit of time to spare before she arrived. His cell buzzed and he carefully rolled toward the nightstand and grabbed the phone. “’lo?”
Rob frowned. Apparently he was still groggy.
“It’s Seb. Sarah wants to know—Ow!—okay fine, I wanted to know, too, if you needed anything tonight.”
Rob gave a tired laugh. “No, man, I’m okay. Alaina’s coming over, and I’m gonna order in some dinner. Pizza actually sounds appetizing. The stupid anesthetic did weird things to my stomach.” He cleared his throat, took a breath, and as Sebastian remained silent, continued, “And yes, I know I could have something Sarah cooked for me. Or something Alaina made. But I’m hoarding that stuff. Who knows how long I’ll be out of commission and not really in a position to make food for myself? I’d probably starve if not for the ladies.”
Sebastian chuckled. “I don’t blame you. I’d be the same way. We’ll stop by for a bit tomorrow before the game. Want us to bring you anything?”
“Nah, I’m good. See you then, and thanks.”
He hung up and found his favorite pizza place on speed dial. The restaurant was owned by a family who ran the place together. Rob thought that idea was very cool, as long as you could stand to be with your family that much. The parents were mostly retired now, though they still helped out on busy nights. The son was the chef and the daughter managed the wait staff. The food was consistently good, no matter what he ordered. And the best part? They delivered.
Rob wished he could shower. He felt totally grimy after the long day, but he wasn’t supposed to get his stitches wet and wasn’t sure how to shower and still achieve that. Directions for that were probably in the discharge papers, but he had no idea where Colby had left those and didn’t feel like scavenging for them. With a sigh, he went into the living room to wait for the food and Alaina.
Alaina showed first. “Go sit, go sit.” She waved at him while she hung her coat and toed off her shoes.
Then Rob watched in amusement as her hand moved forward before retreating. He’d put the sling back on so he wouldn’t be tempted to do too much. Obviously, she was afraid to touch him.
“Are you going to circle around and cluck at me all night?” He smirked. “Cuz that’s kind of creepy.” Then he noticed her attire, a paint-splattered black knit jumper-type thingy with a red long-sleeved T-shirt underneath.
Alaina must’ve seen something on his face, because she looked down at herself with a frown, her cheeks reddening. “I forgot to do laundry. This was literally all I had that was both clean enough and warm enough to wear. I know I look like a total frump. I apologize.”
“Hey, you look good no matter what you wear.” Rob found he wasn’t lying. Geez, he was in deep.
Snorting, Alaina answered, “Liar.”
Any further comments were waylaid by the doorbell ringing. Rob had never actually been “saved by the bell,” but he was grateful for it now.
The daughter of the owners, Gia, had made the delivery and gasped when she saw the sling. “You’re hurt?”
His wallet was in his bedroom, but he’d brought out more than enough to cover the food, tip, and delivery fee. He handed the wad of cash to Gia. She, in turn, threw a reproachful look at him, like everyone else in the family did when he over-tipped them. Rob thanked her and closed the door before she could try to give the money back.
“This smells delicious. I’ll go get plates and stuff,” Alaina offered, and Rob sat, since there was little chance Alaina would let him do anything himself. Returning, she asked, “What did you get?”
“I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I got half cheese and pepperoni and half sausage and mushroom. I figured those were all things you could pick off if you didn’t like them.”
“I like all of them. Good choices.”
They sat next to each other on the couch, him with a tray Alaina had found who-knew-where and her balancing her plate on her lap, talking and eating. Rob was surprised how much appetite he had. The doctor had warned he might not be hungry for a couple of days, and he’d been queasy earlier as the anesthesia wore off, but no such problem ailed him at the moment. Everything else on his body ailed him, with the exception of his stomach.
Rob couldn’t let himself go while he was injured, though. Unless he was careful, he might well gain weight and body fat, both things he did not want to do. When he was overweight, he was sluggish, not playing with his usual verve.
A few years ago, he’d gained weight on purpose to try to help with the physical side of his game. The opposite had happened, and Rob had trouble with even basic things like skating and balance. When they figured out what the culprit for his sudden dive in performance was, Colby had put him on a diet, which Rob still followed as often as possible. With that sobering thought, he put down his half-eaten third slice.
A moment later, Alaina asked, “Are you finished?” At his nod she took the tray to the kitchen.
“You don’t have to wait on me, you know,” Rob said when she returned.
“Yeah, but I don’t mind.” She blushed and Rob wondered what had brought her embarrassment on. “I actually like it.”
“You like doing every little thing for an invalid?”
Alaina raised an eyebrow. “Number one, you’re not an invalid. You’re injured. Big difference. Number two, yes, I enjoy taking care of you. I haven’t had all that many guys in my life and it feels good to do things for you.”
“Like cook me enough food to last through a zombie invasion? I wonder if zombies eat regular human food.”
She laughed. “I have no idea.” Standing, she said, “Let me put the leftovers away—”
“If you can cram more into that fridge, I’ll be damn impressed.”
“You’re talking to a master packer. No problem.”
Rob rose and followed her, unable to resist the temptation to watch her try. Sliding onto a stool, he sat back to take in the show. Alaina had the fridge door open and was frowning at the contents inside. Finally, she began taking stuff out, covering his counter with Tupperware, energy drinks, and condiments. Once she had space, she studied each area and started arranging things to her liking. Rob’s eyebrows felt like they were going to crawl into his hair by the time she finished putting the last container in before shoving the foil-covered pizza slices on top.
“I bow down to the master. You’ve got serious packing skillz, babe. I never should’ve doubted you.”
“With room left over, you’ll notice,” she said. “Just in case someone brings you more food.”
He groaned. “I did notice that. But man, I hope not. I’m gonna be huge by the time I can start working out again. Hey, wanna organize my bedroom? Bathroom? Closets?”
Making a face, Alaina said, “No thanks. That was quite enough organizational practice for now. Plus I’ve honed my skills with all the new things in my classroom, don’t forget.” She approached him with a feline grin, and he raised an eyebrow. “Have I kissed you today for that?”
He straightened. “You haven’t kissed me at all. Somehow you keep forgetting to do that. I’m hurt.” Rob considered pouting, but figured he’d look pretty silly, and for some reason, he didn’t want to look foolish in front of Alaina.
Her hand landed over her heart as a mock gasp left her lips. “How could I forget something like that?”
“Apparently my kisses haven’t been memorable enough. It’s a cruel, cruel world.” Rob shook his head, trying to hold in a smile. “I might wither and die without kisses.”
“You are so full of shit,” Alaina said. “Good thing you’re hot.”
“And rich.”
“I don’t care that you’re rich. I hope you realize that by now. I mean, I’m grateful for all those supplies, but I didn’t go out with you because you did that.” She stopped and chewed her lip briefly. “Did you think I had?”
“No, baby.” He reached out with his good arm and drew her close. “I was teasing.”
“Okay then. Good.” Alaina blew out a loud breath.
“Now can I get that kiss?”
“You can get more than one if you play your cards right.” She smiled and his own breath caught.
Rob swiveled until he could fit Alaina between his thighs. Tightening his uninjured arm around her, he winked, and Alaina took the hint, placing one arm around his neck, while the one on his injured side caressed his waist. He met her halfway then groaned at her taste. With her so close to his groin, certain areas were taking an interest, but he wasn’t dumb enough to think he was up to any big-time fooling around, no matter how interested his third leg was.
Alaina kissed him back, pushing her tongue into his mouth then exploring as he let her take control of the kiss. Too soon, though, she backed away.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. You need your rest.” She patted him on the chest then moved back further. “We’ll have plenty of time to, um, have fun.”
“You can’t even say the word?”
She stuck her tongue out at him. “I can.”
“Then say it.”
“To mess around, to make out, to have sex. Happy now?”
“I’m a big fan of all of those things, just to get that on record. I’m especially a fan of doing all those things for hours on end.” He smirked and she laughed, rolling her eyes. “Hey, my stamina as a professional athlete comes in handy sometimes.”
“I bet.” She took a deep breath. “Okay, I’m gonna get out of your hair. Do you need anything before I go?”
“I’m good. Will I be able to see you this weekend?” Truth be told, he’d prefer her to stay but didn’t want to seem greedy or needy.
“Yeah. Let me go home, figure out what I need to do,” she glanced down at her outfit, “besides laundry, and I’ll call you.”
“Okay. I imagine I’ll sleep a lot over the next few days with those horse pills they gave me for the pain, but I definitely want to hang out.”
Leaning in, she brushed her lips over his. “Then we will.”
He walked her to the door and yawned as soon as it closed behind her. Drowsiness seeped into his pores, and Rob got ready for bed then let sleep take him.
Sebastian called the next morning after practice. “Hey, bud. Did you sleep okay? Were you able to get comfortable? That back thing last season was very hard to sleep with.”
“I got some decent rest. What’s up?”
“Want to watch some movies?”
“Sure. Alaina’s gonna try to come over.” He yawned and trudged back to the coffee pot for a refill.
“Oh, do you want me to see if Sarah wants to come also? She offered to let us have a boys’ day and get some things done here, but if Alaina will be there she might.”
“If Sarah’s got
stuff to do, I think Alaina would be fine with just us.” He put the phone on speaker so he could pour his coffee.
“Are you sure?”
“How about this.” Rob added cream and sugar to his cup. “I’ll ask Alaina and see what her plans are, and you do the same with Sarah. Then we’ll regroup and figure everything out.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“Glad one of us is the brains around here.”
Sebastian made a rude noise before hanging up, and Rob then dialed Alaina’s number. When she answered, he said, “Hi, it’s Rob.”
“So the caller ID said. I was just thinking about you.”
“No doubt how dashing and sexy my shoulder sling is.”
“Yes, exactly. You caught me.” Her tone was as dry as the Sahara, and he grinned to himself.
“Sebastian called and offered to bring over some movies. I mentioned we were talking about doing something, and he said you should hang out with us too. He’s going to ask Sarah if she wants to make a foursome.”
“I don’t want to intrude on you guys if you were planning just the two of you. I could stay home, and you guys could do a boy thing.”
Rob laughed. “I’ve seen quite enough of Seb in my lifetime. You’re way prettier than he is.”
“I dunno, I think he’s very pretty, as do half the women in the Greater Buffalo area, I would imagine.”
“Be sure to tell him later how pretty he is. He’ll just love that. I’d be offended, but pretty isn’t something I’ve ever tried to be.” He didn’t mention how popular he was with the ladies. Thankfully he and Alaina hadn’t run into any puck bunnies in the limited time they’d been together out of the house.
“Oh, come on. I’ve seen the hair products in your bathroom. You’re as vain as anybody else.”
“All right, all right, let’s not gang up on the injured guy.” She couldn’t see him, but he had an ear-to-ear grin. Alaina was far more fun to spar with than he’d originally thought.
Underneath It All (Storm Series) Page 12
