Going For Gold: Providence Gold Series Book Four

by Moore, Mary B.

Holding up one finger, I used my other hand to tap twice, watching as the smile dropped slowly from his face. Then, holding my finger back up again to show him this was the second answer, I tapped him once and then pointed at him.

  Reaching up, he carefully cradled my jaw in his large hands and leaned down to give me a soft kiss. “We’re going to work on your second answer being the only one you give when I ask you that question again, I’ll make sure of it.” I knew he would. “But first, you’re going to have a shower and get into bed. You need sleep to heal.”

  This I knew was the truth, sleep would help me both physically and mentally. Leaning back, he looked down at me and tapped me on the nose, the action so different from his gentleness only seconds before. It worked, though, because I couldn’t stop the grin that it brought out, but I sure as shit could stop the giggle that had almost come with it.

  Seeing the grin, he winked at me and then picked me up and started walking toward where I assumed his bathroom was. I’d obviously been to his house before so I knew where the guest bathroom was, but I hadn’t ventured any further into the place.

  When we entered the huge room with slate tiles on the walls, an old-fashioned looking bathtub on one side, and a huge shower on the other, I fell in love. It would be impossible not to. There was a beautiful mix of modern and old, and with the sinks and bathtub being white, the contrasts between it all made each feature stand out.

  Placing me down in front of the shower, he stood back and made a frustrated noise. “Ah, shit,” he groaned, rubbing his face with his hands. When I just raised my eyebrows, he sighed, “The shower’s voice activated.”

  Well, that was a problem now, wasn’t it?

  Chapter Eight

  Charlotte

  Not for the first time since I’d met him, I felt sorry for Levi. He’d worked out a system for me to shower which involved me knocking on the glass.

  To get it to start, he’d yelled at it through the open door of the bathroom. After that, I was to knock once if I wanted it to be warmer, then twice for cooler. When I was done, I knocked three times on the glass and he yelled at it to stop. Admittedly, I thought his shower was freaking awesome – if you had the power of speech on your side, that was.

  After I’d gotten dressed, we’d faced a new dilemma – where I would sleep.

  He had two other guest rooms, but one was an office and the other one was down the opposite end of the hallway. If I needed help through the night – or what was left of it – it’s not like I could shout out, and I had to agree with him when he’d pointed out that there was a possibility I’d have nightmares or flashbacks about what had happened to me. So, with no arguments from me, he decided I’d sleep with him in his room until I felt more comfortable being on my own.

  Which led me to now - warm, exhausted, in pain, and unable to switch off. It wasn’t what had happened per se that was preventing me from sleeping, but the information Eric had blurted out during his ranting. Even the fact that he’d dated me for money wasn’t the problem. I didn’t have a high opinion of the guy as it was, so I wasn’t surprised now that he’d stoop as low as he had. He’d proven tonight he was willing to stoop a helluva lot lower than that, too, so I guess I was kind of numb to that part of it all.

  No, what was bothering me was that my parents had controlled everything in my life to the extent that they had. And I couldn’t understand why. If they didn’t want me, why had they done it? They obviously had nothing to gain or lose by me even living with them, so why? And I wasn’t sure Eric was telling the truth about his own parents either. I’d been around them a lot, and you couldn’t hide behavior like that – again, I knew this firsthand from my parents. And, if he was lying, should I call them to warn them about what he’d done?

  There was also the fact that I had sweatpants on instead of shorts. I wasn’t feeling the way I normally would yet, but I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to sleep with them on and I didn’t have anything to change into.

  “I can hear you thinking,” Levi muttered sleepily from behind me, making me smile. His long fingers running through my hair and gently massaging my scalp made me purr inside the safety of my brain. “I would ask if you wanted to talk about it, but…”

  Reaching behind me, I pinched the first part of him I hit, blushing when I realized it was his butt cheek. Could have been worse, could have been his penis or a ball, I guess.

  Moving closer to me, he wrapped his arm around me and tugged my back into his front. “You know, thinking about it while you’re tired won’t actually solve anything. You’ll create more questions for yourself, get more wound up, and then end up an anxious wreck.” Damn those Levi-smarts of his. “Things always seem better after you’ve had some sleep, and it’s easier to clear the fog so you can see the answers.”

  Nodding my head, I tried to follow his advice, but it wasn’t easy to just switch my brain off.

  When he realized how much I was still struggling, he sighed and adjusted his position so that his mouth was closer to my ear. “If you ever tell anyone I did this, I’ll deny it and make you drink out-of-date milk,” he warned, making my eyes shoot open and stare blankly at the dark wall in front of me.

  What the hell kind of threat was that? And what was he going to do?

  I didn’t have to wait long to find out, because he started humming a tune that sounded familiar, and then softly sang Eric Clapton’s Wonderful Tonight. His deep husky voice crooning the words of possibly one of the most beautiful songs ever written? Out-fucking-standing. I wanted to listen to him singing it on repeat for the rest of my life, but unfortunately sleep won.

  I don’t know if it was his singing, the fact I felt safe with him, or how exhausted I was, but I didn’t even dream.

  * * *

  I jerked awake, hearing the sound of the shower running from the adjoining bathroom. I didn’t even need to swallow to know how much worse my throat felt than it had last night. The only way to describe it was like a python trying to strangle me while a porcupine did the Charleston inside – fucking ow!

  “Water off,” Levi’s deep voice ordered, making me smile.

  I had no idea there were voice activated showers nowadays, but I guess it made sense. I wonder what would happen if you answered a call during it and said the word cool? The amount of fun you could have while someone was in there, tampering with the temperature was insane… unless you were the one in there. Which made me wonder how many times one of the brothers had done that to Levi. I’d be too paranoid to use that shower if I was him.

  The bed dipped behind me and a droplet of water landed on my cheek, making me wrinkle my nose. “Morning, baby,” he said softly, moving my hair off my neck and groaning. “Shit, that looks bad. Tate’s gone to fill your prescriptions, but I’ve got the shit the doctor gave us last night. I’ll go get it for you.”

  Know what’s weird? People having a conversation at you rather than with you. I didn’t even have to shake or nod my head, he just acted like I had. It wasn’t irritating – although I was sure at some point it would be – it was just strange.

  Getting up, I sat with my back against the headboard, wincing at the new aches and pains in my body. Apparently sleeping had brought them all out, even in the areas I didn’t know would hurt. My neck and head were no surprise, but I actually ached all the way down to my hips, most likely from where I’d tensed my muscles trying to get away from him or trying to breathe. Basically, I feel like shit - I think that about sums it up.

  Hearing Levi walking back down the hallway, I slowly turned my head, stopping at roughly the two inch mark. After that, it was a case of moving my shoulders instead, and doing it at a pace that would make a snail look like Speedy Gonzales.

  Walking in, he noticed how stiffly I was moving and frowned. “That bad?”

  Did he actually expect me to answer that question?

  Leaning over, he passed me a syringe with whatever the doctor gave us last night in it. I should have been more aware of what was going on at the tim
e, but Luna had been telling me what she went through with her father, so I’d been slightly distracted. Her story was far, far worse than mine, but I got the feeling she was making sure I knew I wasn’t alone.

  Swallowing it carefully, I leaned back against the headboard and frowned. What was I meant to do with my time? From education to work, I’d never sat down idly. I didn’t have any hobbies, I didn’t really even have any interests. Hell, I think that much was obvious by the fact that I couldn’t even come up with my own bucket list items and had to rely on internet searches for ideas. When I looked at it like that, the state my life was in was kind of depressing.

  “Tate’s going to stop by your apartment and make sure that your door’s fixed and secured properly. He’s also going to pick some stuff up for you,” Levi told me, sitting down carefully beside me. “Is there anything specific you want him to pick up for you?”

  Looking at him out of the corner of my eye, I raised my thumb. Grinning at me, he picked up the pad and pen that I hadn’t seen him drop on the bed, and passed them to me.

  “Make a list, Lottie, and tell him where to find the stuff, too.”

  My list consisted of the normal stuff.

  Underwear (sorry)

  Socks (including the big balls of black and gray ones)

  Clothes (go for sensible, warm, jeans, t-shirts, sweaters etc.)

  Black coat from hanger next to door

  Shoes (Uggs and sneakers)

  Toiletries from bathroom (I don’t have a lot, so throw it all in the bag)

  Makeup bag from bathroom - again, there isn’t a lot so just throw it all in

  Flat irons for hair - not clothes in case you were confused

  Hair dryer

  Purse next to door - brown one

  Phone charger - plugged into next to bed with the pink cable

  Laptop

  And then I remembered something and bit my lip trying to figure out how to word it so that he wouldn’t be tempted to look inside it. My normal bucket list notebook was in my purse so that was ok, but my naughty one was still under my pillow.

  So I added:

  I left the notebook with my college work in it on my bed. With everything that happened it might be under my pillow. Could you bring it for me so I can get some work done, please?

  That ought to do it, and it was unlikely that Tate would know that I didn’t still do actual college work. Studying for my CNRN wasn’t the same, although I guess I could do that while I was off, too.

  Passing the pad back to Levi, I watched him take a photo and send it to his brother, smiling as he read what was on it.

  “Is there really work in that notebook?” I nodded, looking as innocent as possible. “Uh huh, I’m calling bullshit.”

  He could call whoever he wanted, I was going to hide that book as soon as it got here. If it wasn’t for the fact that I didn’t want to risk anyone else coming across it – you never knew who was going to go into an apartment that was technically a crime scene, even if there wasn’t any evidence to find in it – I’d have left it where it was.

  Shrugging, I gingerly scooted across to the bed, lowering my legs carefully to the floor.

  Helping me to my feet, Levi held me against his chest. “Do you want to leave having a shower until he brings your stuff back?”

  I had no underwear to put on and these were Luna’s sweats, so that was a resounding yes. Nodding, I pointed at my teeth. I desperately wanted to brush them and just freshen up a bit. I don’t know if it was because I wasn’t talking or using my mouth, but my teeth felt freaking gross.

  “I’ve got a toothbrush set out next to the sink with toothpaste on it for you,” he assured me, hitting the nail on the head first time. Turning me to toward the bathroom, he patted me on the ass and gave me a nudge. “Go brush your teeth and I’ll get you a cup of coffee.”

  Making my way there, I waited until I heard him leave the room. Here’s where I had another issue – going to the bathroom while he was around. I wasn’t exactly comfortable with him hearing me pee and I don’t even want to think about what was going to happen when I needed to poop.

  So, as soon as I knew the road was clear, I sat down and tried to do it so that it didn’t hit the water directly and make that telltale sound. I should have maybe just turned the faucet on, but I’d remember to do that next time.

  Finishing up in record time, I flushed and washed my hands, then looked down at the toothbrush waiting for me, smiling when I saw he had in fact put toothpaste on it like he’d said.

  Avoiding looking at my throat in the mirror while I brushed my teeth, I thought of whatever I could to distract myself. It was Thanksgiving next week, and I’d already been planning to spend it with the Townsends after they’d insisted I join them. How would I manage being surrounded by them and not be able to talk? And the food, how was that going to work? Hopefully, I wouldn’t have to puree my turkey because that would just be awkward and gross. I’d never tried baby food, and the thought was disgusting so I’d have to do my best to get to the point where I could at least swallow small mouthfuls by then.

  Rinsing off my toothbrush, I placed it in the holder next to Levi’s and dried off my face. Taking a deep breath, I made sure everything was tidy, before walking back out into his room where he was now sitting on the edge of the bed with the biggest mug I’d ever seen in my life in his hand. How much coffee did it hold? And where the hell did you get a mug that big?

  Looking down at it, he shot me a smile. “It was a gag gift,” he snickered, turning it around and showing me a picture of a rooster on the side with Big Cock written under it.

  The laugh that came out of me sounded like a frog being run over, and it hurt like a bitch, but there was just no avoiding it.

  Holding my throat with one hand, I went to wipe under my eyes with the other one, but a rough thumb got there first.

  “Sorry,” Levi murmured, looking worried as he wiped under the other eye. “Probably shouldn’t have made you laugh.”

  Sighing, I went and picked up the pad.

  I’m not an invalid, and laughing is good for you. I’m not going to break so stop worrying, it’s just a sore throat.

  “Just a sore throat?” he asked incredulously. “Have you seen your throat? It looks like you were attacked by a psychopath.”

  I was! I wrote down and then passed it to him.

  Sighing, he passed the pad back to me and stared at the wall for a moment. “Noah’s got tickets to a football game on Saturday. It’s for charity so I don’t know who’s playing, but do you want to go with me?”

  Pursing my lips, I pretended to think it over. I’d never been to a football game – no shocker there – so hell yes I did. Looking up at him, I gave him a grin and let him see how excited I was about it.

  I didn’t even know what happened in a football game apart from them throwing and kicking an egg-shaped ball through a big H, but I definitely wanted to go.

  Pulling me into his side, he chuckled, “We’ll take you through the rules first so you know what to expect. But it’ll be fun, I promise.”

  Turns out, I should have said no. Not that anything truly bad happened, just something that would embarrass me for the rest of my life.

  * * *

  Three days later…

  “Now remember,” Levi said as we took our seats. “No yelling out, no screaming, and no cheering. Got me?”

  Nodding, I looked around us at the rows of people in different color shirts, some holding up big foam hands, and most holding food of some form. Sigh, I missed food. Everything I ate just now was mushy and like baby food. What I wouldn’t give for some popcorn.

  Turning back, I noticed we were two rows away from where the field was. I maybe should have realized that when we first sat down, but the atmosphere here was infectious, so I was distracted by what was going on when we’d taken our seats.

  I really did want to scream and cheer, even though I didn’t have a clue what I’d be doing it for but still. I also wanted t
o raise a huge foam hand up in the air and yell… and I definitely wanted one of those tubs of popcorn that a majority of the supporters seemed to be holding.

  Just then, a big foam hand appeared in front of me and conked me on the nose. “Here you go,” Lily snickered, holding up her own. “We figured you’d enjoy one of these. The next time Levi asks you a question, you can just hold it up and he’ll see you even from the other side of the room.”

  Grinning at Levi, I looked back just as she shoved a huge mouthful of popcorn in her mouth. I’d never even been a big fan of the stuff, but now I want it badly. I wouldn’t mind the bits that got stuck in your gums that you then have to spend ages brushing out, or the little piece that wedged itself between two of your teeth and you have to perform surgery with dental floss to fix – basically, all the parts of popcorn that deterred me from eating it before now weren’t an issue at that moment. I was hangry, and I wanted to get popcorn wasted.

  “No,” Levi rumbled, somehow reading my thoughts through the back of my head.

  Sighing, I leaned back in my seat and fiddled with the big foam hand. He didn’t need to remind me, trust me I could still feel the pain. The swelling and bruising to my trachea hurt like a mother, and as much as I wanted the popcorn and to get popcorn wasted, it just wouldn’t be worth it. Even the huge plastic cup he passed me filled me with trepidation. Anything carbonated would make it hurt, anything too cold would make it hurt, anything acidic would make it hurt… I was like one of those assholes who made the waiter go back and forth ten times to get his drink right in a restaurant. I’d always hated those guys, so becoming one of them made my ass twitchy.

  “Relax, I got them to put a bottle of water in it that hadn’t been refrigerated,” he winked, taking a big draw on his straw. Lucky bastard.

  Within minutes, the players were out and there was a lot of posturing going on. They were hugging, smacking each other on the back, hitting shoulders… and then it all started. There was a coin toss and some of the people watching seemed to be happy with who’d won it, but I couldn’t figure it out so I just nodded my head. I didn’t want to look like that chick – the one who’d just come along to be with the hot guy. I mean, granted that was part of it, but the other part was to experience the game.