The last thing he wanted was to see tears in his woman’s eyes. He wanted to see something soft and righteous. His gut twisted as he realized he wanted love.
Sinking down into a rolling chair, he leaned back and tried to sleep. This was as close to safe as his life was likely to get anytime soon. He’d be a fool not to take advantage of the locked door.
Slipping off into a deep slumber, he dreamed of the thing he’d probably never have. In his dream world, he had a beautiful, willing woman in his arms. Though they had their eyes closed and were kissing, he knew instinctively who the woman was. Her light floral cologne and the taste of her cherry lip gloss gave it away.
His hand slid through her long brunette hair, and he just enjoyed the moment. In his dream world, hands skimmed over him, setting off a wave of need fiercer than any he’d known before. Her hands drifted down to his pants. Apparently, in his dream, he was wearing scrubs as well, ‘cause she pulled the elastic waist down beneath his junk. The moment her delicate hands landed on his cock, his eyes sprung open.
“You got a thing for molesting innocent, hard-workin’ bikers, doll?”
Her lips were hot on his neck as she whispered her reply. “Didn’t want you to think I wasn’t interested. The kiss was just…”
Trailing off, she left him to fill in the blank. The realization hit him like a freakin’ ton of bricks that his kiss had apparently put her into a tailspin of sorts. He knew nice women were easy to rattle, but he just never thought himself capable of doing the rattling. A huge tidal wave of lust hit him hard and fast.
“Give me your mouth, darlin’. I need it.”
Nodding, she slid to her knees in front of him. Swallowing hard, he wondered if he was still dreaming. Her warm, wet mouth closing over his heated flesh banished that thought from his head. This woman was putting her all into it, taking him deep and swirling her tongue around the head as she sucked at him.
Grabbing a handful of her hair, he guided her up and down his cock, careful to avoid choking her on its massive length. The visual of seeing himself sliding in and out of her mouth tore him up. Then one delicate hand closed around his ball sack and she squeezed him gently.
“Fuck.” He hissed the words as he filled her pretty little mouth with his seed, rocking him to his core. She was everything a woman should be, and he wanted to bury his face between her legs in the worst way. “Come, it’s your turn. I’m gonna lick you ‘til you can’t even walk.”
Laughing, she stood and leaned over, kissing him again. “As sweet as that offer is, I have to get back. Rest. You only have a couple of hours before shift change.”
The side of his mouth tilted up and he relaxed back into the chair again, feeling all the muscles in his body loosen. “Whatever you say, doll. Thanks for lending me those sweet lips. You got no idea how much I needed that.”
Smiling indulgently, she replied, “I can’t imagine a big, sexy guy like you has to go without very often.”
Reaching out and grabbing her by the nape of the neck, he pulled her down for another kiss. “Ain’t never had a problem with quantity. ‘Til now, the problem has always been quality.”
Her answering smile was soft and sexy, just like the woman it belonged to. “Careful, I’m starting to think you’re just a big old sweetie.”
“I’d always be sweet to you, doll.”
“Bet you’re a man of your word.”
Something about how she said that made him believe she thought them to be true.
“You give me one goddamn minute and I’ll prove it.”
She shook her head, those brown locks swaying around her beautiful face. “Wish I had a minute. We can’t get distracted by sex. Remember the angry man with long, stringy hair? We need to be on the lookout for him and keep you safe. Don’t you have people who can come and help you?”
“I got brothers. Taking care of him is my assignment. I ain’t gonna call for no backup ‘til the job’s done.”
“Jesus, you’re supposed to kill him?” she asked, sounding shocked.
“Best you don’t think on what I’m meant to do to that ornery bastard. Get back to work before they come lookin’ for you. I’ll think of something, doll. I always do.”
Nodding, she avoided looking in his eyes. That wasn’t a good sign, but best for her to get her head around what he did early on, ‘cause when this was all over, he was definitely gonna come looking for her again.
~ Ryder ~
Ryder spent the next couple of hours mulling over his options. The one inescapable fact of his life was that he simply could not stay here after the light of the coming day. He needed to get his wallet and get the fuck outta town, taking Ace with him. The only way to keep Tiffany safe at this point was to put distance between them.
A plan slowly formulated in his mind. He’d pretend to settle down back in his emergency room bed when she came for him. Once she was out of the building, he’d discharge himself whether they liked it or not. Members of his club did it all the time. It was called leaving against medical advice. They could advise all they wanted, but in the end, it was still his choice to stay or leave.
Once he was out, he’d buy a gun at a local pawn shop and hunt Ace down like the mangy mongrel he was. When it was all over, he’d come for Tiffany. No matter the time, the expense, or the protesting on her part, he’d make her fall in love with him. Hell, the pretty little witch was already halfway there. If there was one fuckin’ thing he was competent at, it was wooing women.
Before he knew it, she was standing over him again. “Time to wake up, mister sleepyhead. You don’t look very comfortable wedged in that tiny chair. Ready to get back to your comfortable bed?”
“I need to get outta this joint, doll.”
“I hear they’ve lined you up a bed at Mercy. Transport should be here for you within an hour.”
Grabbing her by the hips, he pulled her down into his lap. “I was gettin’ worried that you forgot all about me back here.”
Smiling warmly, she brought a bottle of water to his lips. “You’re too tasty to forget.”
His eyes shot up to hers. “Is that a fact? Ain’t no woman ever told me that before.”
“I thought you might want to know.”
“Gobbled a lot of dick in your day, princess?”
Biting her bottom lip, her face heated and she shook her head.
“I didn’t think so. You seem kind of shy about it. You gonna be shy about me returnin’ the favor?”
Her eyes shot wide open. “Get your mind back on staying alive, will you?”
“The coast is clear? You didn’t see our guy, did you?”
“No, maybe he’s not coming back.”
“I’m not getting my hopes up. He’s pretty tenacious.”
She slipped back and off his lap. He followed her until they were standing face-to-face.
“I honestly don’t know what to make of this situation. It’s getting progressively harder to believe all this is actually happening.” Before he could respond, she turned and headed through the door.
Grumbling as they headed out, he did a mental assessment and felt as if his body was stronger. “Unfortunately, it happens to me all the time. Don’t worry, I’m hard to kill.”
“He needs to leave you the fuck alone.”
“Careful, doll, you’re starting to sound like a woman who gives a shit. Those are in short supply in my world.”
He climbed into bed, noticing that the sheets had been changed. She quickly covered him with a blanket that had been heated. Next, she tenderly changed out his bandages. He liked how she held down his skin when she pulled tape up and smoothed her hand over his skin as she cleaned him. Hell, this must be what it felt like when someone gave a shit about you. Instead of just demanding shit from you constantly like the club whores, they were kind and gentle. It felt wonderful, and Ryder desperately wanted more of it.
Pulling over a tray, she murmured, “Try to eat a little something. You need to keep your strength up.” Fidgeting wi
th the front of her shirt, she asked anxiously, “Are you going to be at Mercy if I come and visit you tonight?”
Sighing, he waved her over. “Look, doll, you stay away from wherever I’m supposed to be, ‘cause you know it ain’t safe.”
Nodding, she whispered, “Take care of yourself. I left my number on a little piece of paper in your shoe. Call me if you need anything.”
Cupping her chin, he tilted up her face to look into her eyes. “I don’t know what’s going on between us, but I want more of it. What do you say I give you a jingle when it’s safe, and we’ll see where this goes?”
She nodded to him. “I like you, unlike your little friend with the stringy hair. He’s kind of an asshat. Do you have any idea why he’s gunning for you?”
“I killed his brother,” Ryder choked out in a hoarse whisper.
Her gaze held tight to his, searching his face for some clue as to why he would do that. The poor woman honestly looked shocked shitless by his abrupt admission.
Cursing under his breath, he stated flatly, “Hey, babe, I never said I was a saint.”
She began to scoot back. “I don’t know how I feel about that.”
“You’re too trusting, Tiff. You warmed right up to me, even though I look like leashed carnage.”
“I’m not mentally deficient.”
“I’m all too aware of that fact. You should be commended for not assuming the worst of me, but I’m not like most people.”
“It was your eyes,” she blurted.
“My what?”
“You can tell a lot about a person by looking into their eyes.”
Ryder swallowed thickly. “What about my eyes caught your notice?”
Moving a little closer, she spoke softly. “Your eyes are very honest and a little haunted. I don’t know if you realize it or not, but you’re very direct. I’m thinking you don’t bother lying very much because you could don’t care what people think of you.”
Her insight shook him up a little. He wasn’t used to being read so clearly by another person. Trying to get back to the point, he insisted, “I’m just pointing out that most people aren’t very nice, doll. You need to be aware most people you are going to meet are pretty selfish and self-absorbed.”
The look on her face told him she wasn’t buying his attempt to redirect the conversation.
“Why’d you do it, Ryder? You’re a decent person. If you killed someone, there must have been a reason.”
“It was self-defense, but I’ve done other bad things. I’m not technically what you’d call decent.”
“I refuse to believe that you’re a bad person.”
For some reason, her insistence that he was a decent person provoked his anger. “Well, you better get your head around the fact that I am damn sure not a hero. You know, not all of us had parents at home checking our homework and teachin’ us to be God-fearing little girls and boys. Some of us came from truly shitty circumstances. We had to do things nobody wants to in order to survive from one day to the next.”
“I can’t see you hurting me.”
“There is a world of difference between being capable of and willing to hurt a woman than being a decent human being.” Running his hand through his short, spikey hair, he spat out gruffly, “Shit, girl, I’m trying to give you a piece of advice in case I don’t make it. There’s no goddamn nice way to say that. Just do me a personal favor and don’t be so trusting.”
The empathy on her face nearly took his breath away. “I promise to be more cautious in the future. Does that make you happy?”
“Sure, babe. It thrills the fuck outta me.”
“You’re going to be fine. You’re hard to kill, remember?”
Her gentle teasing took the edge off, causing him to smile.
“Look, I’ve got to go give a report. Stay put and be safe.” She pushed away from the bed and started for the door.
“I ain’t used to a woman tellin’ me what to do,” he grumbled.
“Think of it as a suggestion,” she teased. “I’ll call your room once they get you to Mercy. You’ll be needing some jammies and stuff.”
His expression snapped back to angry in a heartbeat. “You’re gonna stay the fuck away ‘til I say otherwise, just like we talked about. Got it, doll?”
She froze in place just inside the doorway. He could tell she was shocked by his anger. Fuck, why couldn’t he dial it down a notch?
“Any idea why you’re suddenly so annoyed?” Her head was tilted to the side and her expressions more curious than angry. Most chicks would be running for the hills. This one at least had enough of a heart to cut him some damn slack after everything he’d been through. That spoke volumes about the kind of woman she was.
His eyes held hers as he tried to articulate what was eating at him. “’Cause you’re not listening to me, and I don’t like repeating myself.” The words were tossed out with no heat this time. Glancing away, he finished, “If you keep sticking your nose in my business before I’m at full strength, you’re likely to wind up dead.” His voice broke. “You can’t be dead, sugar. You just might be my one, and I’d die if that bastard put so much as a scratch on your skin.”
She nodded, a small smile forming. “I get it. You’re being protective in your own screwed-up way.” Fuck, her voice sounded almost cheerful. “Just remember, you catch more flies with honey.”
“Work with me here, doll. I can only take so much stress.” If Ryder could hear the desperation in his own voice, so could she.
Nodding, she headed out of the bay with that little smile still playing on her face. Shit, that woman was something else, and he was circling back around to her as soon as it was safe.
The pretty little thing was in and out several times in rapid succession before dropping a kiss on his lips and heading home for the day. He gave her fifteen minutes to be sure she was gone and then headed to the nurse’s station. Twenty minutes of ruckus later and he was strolling out the door. Well, it was more like hobbling with dignity, but at least he was a free man again.
Ticking off his priorities kept them clearly in mind on a day when he was not only limping but light-headed. First, he needed to stay out of sight as much as possible. Second, he needed to buy more ammo. For some reason, when they gave back his gun there were no bullets in the clip. He always counted his shots. According to his calculation, he should have had at least four bullets left. Even though he hadn’t gotten off a shot during the altercation with Ace that landed him in the damned hospital, he had earlier that day. The bottom line was, carrying an empty gun was no kind of protection at all.
The one and only silver lining in an otherwise shit situation was the knowledge that the pretty little nurse was miles away.
Tiffany sat in her SUV listening to her favorite music mix. Ryder was not fooling anyone with all the bullshit about complying with Dr. Cole’s transfer order. Her women’s intuition told her the man had no intention of going to Mercy Medical. He needed a swift kick in the pants for thinking he could fight off a killer all on his own when he wasn’t even stable on his feet. He was a serious badass; there was no doubt about that. However, he needed to hold up somewhere and recuperate before something bad happened to him.
Seeing him staggering out of the emergency room was verification of her worst suspicions. The stubborn fool was dripping sweat and limping as he tried to make his way down the street. Something in her chest tightened when he reached up to shove his sweaty hair out of his face. Starting her SUV, she pulled up beside him and rolled down the window.
“If I’d been a snake, I’d have bitten you.”
Panicking slightly, he jerked his head around. “What the fuck are you doing here, Tiff? We talked about this.”
Rolling her eyes, she just knew he was looking for his killer. “He’s not here. I’ve been keeping an eye out for you. Besides, we didn’t talk. You talked and I just listened. Get in. I want to have my say.”
Cursing under his breath, he swung himself around the other side
of her vehicle and climbed into the passenger seat.
“Buckle up, hon. You’ve had a pretty rough time of it as of late. We wouldn’t want you to get injured if I have to brake hard.”
“What part of ‘being around me is dangerous’ don’t you understand?”
“The part about how you plan to defend yourself when you can barely walk.”
“I’ve got to end this,” he insisted.
“You can get back to shooting up the west once you’re fully recovered.”
“You sure the fuck are not just taking me home with you. Get your head around that fact right goddamn now.”
“Do you always curse so much? It’ not your best feature,” she replied calmly.
“Yeah, babe, we both know what you think my best feature is.”
“Your eyes.”
“Thought I was tasty.”
She bit down on her bottom lip. “You are. You have the most beautiful brown eyes, though. Can’t get them out of my mind.”
Looking out the back window, he murmured, “That’s real nice, doll. I need to stop somewhere to buy bullets.”
His quick change of subject was jarring, but Tiffany shook it off and replied, “I got you covered. Check the glovebox.”
“What the fuck. You’re driving around with bullets in your glovebox. That ain’t safe, sweetness.” Popping open the glove box, he pulled out her tiny gun safe.
Reaching over, Tiffany swiped her thumb over the biometric lock and the latch sprang open, surprising him.
“Shit, that’s high-tech.”
She shrugged. “My last boyfriend was a cop. He took me to the firing range every single weekend.”
“What you got in here?”
“It’s a small semi-automatic. I believe there’s an extra clip in there as well.” She jerked a thumb toward the rear of the SUV. “There’s another in the back under the tire. He called it my ‘back-up’ gun.” Rolling her eyes, she giggled. “How many people need guns, much less back-up guns?”
“You’d be freakin’ surprised. You sure you don’t mind if I use it?”
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