Tough Love
Page 8
Stack felt the crooked grin pulling at his mouth. The woman would brave a car fire, dismiss any danger, but at the thought of him patching her up, she grew wary. “I have a first-aid kit in the trunk,” he explained, hoping to soothe her. “We’ll put some ointment on it and wrap it, that’s all. You can take some ibuprofen for pain.”
Her shoulders relaxed. “Oh, good. Nothing too awful.”
“Nothing awful at all,” he promised. But the way she continued to study him prompted him to add, “You know I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you, right?”
“It’s not that, it’s just...” She looked at her arm again, then deliberately dismissed it. “Before we do that, I need to shower.” She licked her lips. “And so do you.”
A hint? “You’re sure you’re okay?”
“Positive.”
Thank God. “Then how about we shower together?”
As if she’d just been waiting for him to offer, she smiled. “That would be wonderful, thank you.”
Thanking him? This time Stack couldn’t choke back the laugh.
“What?”
He shook his head. Telling her she was the first woman to thank him for sex wouldn’t be a good idea.
She scowled and repeated with more insistence, “What?”
Again he took her hand, then lifted it to his mouth and kissed her palm. “Like your enthusiasm, that’s all.”
“I am enthusiastic.” She shifted her hand so her palm cupped his jaw. He’d shaved before the wedding, but now, as her thumb moved back and forth, he heard the rasp of new whiskers. “It seems like I’ve been waiting for this forever.”
Yeah, no kidding. “You’re the one who set the stipulations, darlin’.” Hell, the second she’d propositioned him, he’d been ready. But she’d spelled out the rules—most importantly that they had to wait until the night of Cannon’s wedding to seal the deal. Something about her not wanting to take the chance that they’d get together, hit a snag and she’d end up without a date to the wedding after all.
As if she expected him to annoy her right off. As if having him as an escort to the wedding was more appealing than having sex with him.
What had burned his ass the most was her assertion that in the meantime, they should both carry on as usual, dating others, sleeping around, as if they hadn’t made an intimate deal.
What woman did that?
“So,” she said, trying to be all businesslike despite her breathiness. “Quick shower first, you can take one minute to wrap my arm, and then, finally, sex. Yes?”
God help him. “Sure.” He’d do his best to behave until then. And maybe after the shower she’d stop shaking and settle down. Because even now he could see the slight quivering of her shoulders. He didn’t bring it up again, though. Why bother? She’d deny being affected by the wreck and fire and the injuries she’d witnessed, and for him it didn’t matter anyway.
Nothing mattered except finally having her.
“Turn right here.”
Stack slowed the car. “Where are we going?” He knew her apartment was straight ahead.
“My house.”
“Your...house?”
“Yes.” Clearly pleased, she told him, “I moved in last week.”
Impossible. She’d only recently relocated to Ohio and settled into an apartment. But a house? He hadn’t heard anything about her moving, and no way could she have moved on her own. Women had a lot of stuff. Clothes, makeup, toiletries, not to mention furniture and drapes and everything else she’d have needed.
“Who helped you move?” If she’d asked others, but not him, he’d—
“I hired a company.” She shrugged. “All I did was pack up my most personal belongings, and they took care of everything else, including the setup in my new place.”
New tension invaded his muscles. “You could have asked me.”
“I didn’t need to.”
No, in so many ways she was the most independent woman he’d ever met.
“Stack.” Indulgent, her smile small and knowing, she stroked his shoulder. “I appreciate your willingness, but you’re always so busy, I didn’t want to infringe on your free time. I told you, I can afford to hire the help I need.”
Yeah, that bugged him, too. “You said you’re well-to-do.” She’d mentioned it only once, sort of matter-of-factly when explaining why she wanted him to be her date to the wedding. According to her, guys hit on her because of her wealth.
Her shoulders relaxed. “Oh, good. Nothing too awful.”
“Nothing awful at all,” he promised. But the way she continued to study him prompted him to add, “You know I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you, right?”
“It’s not that, it’s just...” She looked at her arm again, then deliberately dismissed it. “Before we do that, I need to shower.” She licked her lips. “And so do you.”
A hint? “You’re sure you’re okay?”
“Positive.”
Thank God. “Then how about we shower together?”
As if she’d just been waiting for him to offer, she smiled. “That would be wonderful, thank you.”
Thanking him? This time Stack couldn’t choke back the laugh.
“What?”
He shook his head. Telling her she was the first woman to thank him for sex wouldn’t be a good idea.
She scowled and repeated with more insistence, “What?”
Again he took her hand, then lifted it to his mouth and kissed her palm. “Like your enthusiasm, that’s all.”
“I am enthusiastic.” She shifted her hand so her palm cupped his jaw. He’d shaved before the wedding, but now, as her thumb moved back and forth, he heard the rasp of new whiskers. “It seems like I’ve been waiting for this forever.”
Yeah, no kidding. “You’re the one who set the stipulations, darlin’.” Hell, the second she’d propositioned him, he’d been ready. But she’d spelled out the rules—most importantly that they had to wait until the night of Cannon’s wedding to seal the deal. Something about her not wanting to take the chance that they’d get together, hit a snag and she’d end up without a date to the wedding after all.
As if she expected him to annoy her right off. As if having him as an escort to the wedding was more appealing than having sex with him.
What had burned his ass the most was her assertion that in the meantime, they should both carry on as usual, dating others, sleeping around, as if they hadn’t made an intimate deal.
What woman did that?
“So,” she said, trying to be all businesslike despite her breathiness. “Quick shower first, you can take one minute to wrap my arm, and then, finally, sex. Yes?”
God help him. “Sure.” He’d do his best to behave until then. And maybe after the shower she’d stop shaking and settle down. Because even now he could see the slight quivering of her shoulders. He didn’t bring it up again, though. Why bother? She’d deny being affected by the wreck and fire and the injuries she’d witnessed, and for him it didn’t matter anyway.
Nothing mattered except finally having her.
“Turn right here.”
Stack slowed the car. “Where are we going?” He knew her apartment was straight ahead.
“My house.”
“Your...house?”
“Yes.” Clearly pleased, she told him, “I moved in last week.”
Impossible. She’d only recently relocated to Ohio and settled into an apartment. But a house? He hadn’t heard anything about her moving, and no way could she have moved on her own. Women had a lot of stuff. Clothes, makeup, toiletries, not to mention furniture and drapes and everything else she’d have needed.
“Who helped you move?” If she’d asked others, but not him, he’d—
“I hired a company.” She shrugged. “All I did was pack up my most personal belongings, and they took care of everything else, including the setup in my new place.”
New tension invaded his muscles. “You could have asked me.”
“I didn’t need to.”
No, in so many ways she was the most independent woman he’d ever met.
“Stack.” Indulgent, her smile small and knowing, she stroked his shoulder. “I appreciate your willingness, but you’re always so busy, I didn’t want to infringe on your free time. I told you, I can afford to hire the help I need.”
Yeah, that bugged him, too. “You said you’re well-to-do.” She’d mentioned it only once, sort of matter-of-factly when explaining why she wanted him to be her date to the wedding. According to her, guys hit on her because of her wealth.
