“Well, I wasn’t really popular in school so I was more of a homebody.”
Noah jerked back. “Not popular? How is that possible? You’re outgoing, not to mention stunning.”
He cringed at the same time she did and he knew he’d chosen the wrong words.
“Damn, Callie. I just keep digging that hole deeper.” He shook his head and met her gaze. “Even though you’ve had this setback, you’re still beautiful to me.”
She smiled and rested her head on the back cushion. “That’s okay. It’s not your fault. It is what it is.”
“I plan on taking you to the office next week if you don’t mind.”
Her eyes widened. “What for?”
“A minor microdermabrasion. Your stitches will come out and I’d like to start removing some of the dead skin a little at a time and take this process slowly so we can insure the best results.”
Callie smiled. “That would be great, Noah. The sooner I can see what I’m dealing with, the better.”
Pleased with her eagerness, he settled deeper into the cushions and rested his arms on her legs. “So, what did you do at home since you didn’t participate in school activities?”
“My dad found this old pool table at a yard sale and worked to clean it up. We loved that thing. Every night my brother and I would bet who would win. I beat him nearly every time.”
Noah laughed. “I can see that. You’re a fighter.”
Her eyes held his. “You’re right. Sometimes I forget that.” She offered a smile.
“You’re entitled to, but just make sure you don’t lose it.”
“I won’t.”
Her eyes darted to the big screen as the movie began. He watched her for a moment before he, too, rested his head against the back of the couch and slid his hand down to one of her dainty feet. He began massaging one foot, working her arch, her heel, each of her tiny toes.
She let out a slight moan and he smiled as he picked up the other foot. As she watched her movie, her body relaxed and Noah kept right on massaging her. He wanted her to stay relaxed, wanted her to stay comfortable.
By the time the movie was about halfway through, Noah glanced over and found her asleep. He’d stopped massaging her a while ago, but apparently she’d settled into this state of comfort and let her guard down.
With her slinged arm resting on her stomach and her other arm behind her as a pillow, she looked so innocent, so young. She had bluish circles beneath her eyes and he knew she hadn’t been sleeping well. She was worried about her prospective career and he’d be lying if he didn’t agree that her future in the movie industry was unstable.
But he also hadn’t been lying when he said he’d do everything in his power to make her whole again. He’d make damn sure she had the best treatment and care she needed, and he’d be with her every step of the way.
He slid a hand over her foot, over her ankle and along her shin. She was so soft, so smooth. His hand glided back down as his groin tightened.
God, what a jerk he was sitting here getting hard and stroking a sleeping woman. Seriously? Had it come to that because he couldn’t just admit how much he wanted her and instead let fear prevent him from acting on his emotions? Had he turned into a voyeur?
Her lids fluttered and Noah watched as she awoke and her gaze met his. Slowly she pulled her arm from behind her head and extended it before laying it across her stomach.
Darkness had long since settled, and the only light came from the big flat screen hanging on the wall across the room. Her face glowed in the subtle light and Noah couldn’t stop from reaching out and taking her hand, stroking it with his thumb.
He shifted, placing a knee on the couch between her legs and easing up over her. Keeping his movements slow, he waited for a sign of fear or doubt from her, but the way that pink tongue came out to lick her lips was all the indication he needed. That and the heavy rise and fall of her chest as her breathing quickened.
Reaching for the buttons on his shirt, which she wore so much better than he ever did, he slid one button, then another, then another open until he reached where her sling lay. Her tanned, flat abdomen stared back at him; her belly button held a small blue stone twinkling in the low light.
His hands gripped her waist as he leaned down to kiss her stomach and let his tongue flick the gem. She felt so smooth beneath his lips, he moved lower. Once more he glanced up at her to see her staring back at him, her face flushed, her breathing heavy. How could he not move forward with this? He might regret it later, but he’d had regrets before. And now he wanted to taste Callie the way he’d been fantasizing about for months. This was nothing more than physical. He wouldn’t let it be.
With both hands, he slid his fingers inside the waistband of her shorts and eased them down. He stripped them all the way off and flung them aside. Staring down at her plain pink cotton panties was more of a turn-on than if she were lying here in a red teddy. She was simple, she was real, she was wearing his shirt and for now she was his.
He skimmed a finger across the top band of her panties, then slid his fingers along the elastic that hugged her thighs. She was already hot and wet. For him.
Easing the moist fabric aside, he slid one finger into her heat. Her body arched up as she dug her heels into his couch. Slowly in and out he worked her until she was rocking her hips and gripping the cushion with her good hand.
Perfect. Just how he wanted her.
He dipped his head and slid his tongue over her, pleased when she cried out. He spread her legs farther with his shoulders and kept hold of the panties with one hand while his mouth and other hand continued to assault her.
Her moans, her heavy breathing, her tilted hips against him had him working harder to bring her pleasure.
And he didn’t have to wait long. Her body arched, froze and she gasped. Noah stayed right with her until she stopped trembling.
“That was the most erotic thing I’ve ever seen,” he whispered as he let her panties slide back into place.
Her eyes found his and a slight flush crept over her cheeks. “Um…watching a movie isn’t what it used to be,” she joked.
He put his arm along the back of the couch and leaned toward her face. “You don’t have to be embarrassed or uncomfortable.”
Her eyes darted to his groin. “Speaking of uncomfortable…”
Noah smiled. “Yeah, it is, but that was all for you. I’ve been wanting to do that for some time.”
Callie tried to ease herself up, but before she had to struggle, Noah offered a hand and pulled her up with her good arm.
“You can’t just stay like that,” she said, pointing to the obvious. “I want to—”
He placed a fingertip over her lips. “I know you want to, and believe me, so do I. But this isn’t the time.”
Callie’s heavy-lidded eyes darted to the floor as she nodded. Damn, he hadn’t meant it that way.
“Hey,” he said softly, taking her chin in his hand and forcing her to look at him. “This has nothing to do with you physically. I just think you’ve been through enough and I hadn’t exactly planned on seducing you in my home.”
Her eyes studied him. “It’s okay, Noah. You’re right. This isn’t good timing and you obviously have something in your past you’re still working through.”
He dropped his hand and sat back. “You know nothing about my past, Callie, so you’d best not bring it up again.”
She sighed as she sat back against the arm of the sofa. “I was just making an observation. That’s all.”
Noah cursed and came to his feet, raking a hand through his hair. “No, I’m sorry. There are just some topics that I cannot talk about with anyone, and my past is one of them. I’m still sorting through some rough things, but that’s really none of your concern and has no place here.”
God, he was such a liar. No place here? Didn’t he carry those demons around with him everywhere? Didn’t he put them down beside him in bed each night? Hadn’t they brought him to Callie and inadver
tently led to her accident? How the hell could he say they had no place when in fact they had every place imaginable in his life right now?
He looked back down at her, clad in nothing but his shirt, which was unbuttoned from her rib cage down, exposing those soft panties he’d just been inside.
“I have someone coming to look at the house tomorrow. I’d like to take you out—”
“Noah,” she started, but stopped when he held up his hand.
“I know you’re not comfortable,” he told her. “But I was thinking of just going to the park for a picnic in the shaded area where no one is lingering. Or we could visit my friend Max.”
“The movie star?” She laughed. “Yeah, like he wants me in his house.”
“Actually, he’s called to check on you,” Noah told her, turning to face her fully and placing his hands on his hips. “He’s one of my best friends, and if you’re not comfortable with the picnic, we can hang at his place for a few hours. He won’t mind a bit.”
“Of course.” She tried to button the shirt with only one hand. “This is your house and you’re putting your life on hold for me. I’m being a jerk trying to get picky about where I go. Actually, we can go to my place if you want. I could grab some more things and get my mail, check my messages.”
Noah nodded as he sat on the edge of the couch and slid her hand aside so he could adjust the buttons.
Why hadn’t he thought of her place? Maybe because that was just another level of Callie he was afraid to enter. While she was here, on his turf, he was fine. But if they went to her place, he would be so out of his territory….
“That will be fine,” he conceded. “We can pick up some lunch and eat at your apartment. The real-estate agent is coming at noon, so I’d say we need to be gone by eleven-thirty.”
“I’ll be ready,” she informed him. “But, um…are you sure you’re okay?”
He cocked his head, and when her eyes darted to his lap, Noah laughed.
“I’m okay,” he assured her. “I promise this isn’t my first hard-on and it won’t be my last where you’re concerned.”
Nine
Callie was so confused. She wanted to read more into last night’s little escapade, but how could she when he’d only been on the giving end and not the receiving?
Had to be out of pity. But what man did that? She’d never known a man to put her sexual needs first. Of course, she hadn’t had that many lovers by which to judge.
Mercy, she was beyond confused.
As Noah wove his way through the streets toward her apartment, she was trying to recall if it was clean. Oh, well, too late now, and it wasn’t as if she had a cleaning service to come in and take over.
He pulled up in front of her building and came around to help her out.
“My key is in the side pocket of my purse,” she told him, holding her bag with her left hand while he dug out the keys.
Noah unlocked her door and ushered her in. “While you gather more things, I’ll get the food from the car and meet you in the kitchen.”
Callie nodded and headed to her room. With her right arm snug against her body thanks to the sling, she had to tug on drawers with her left hand, one side at a time until they sprang free.
She grabbed more underwear, because she just couldn’t bear to ask Noah to wash hers, a few more shorts and the few button-down shirts she owned. As much as she liked wearing his, she knew she couldn’t go on like that the whole time she was with him.
She tossed all that she wanted onto the bright orange comforter and went in search of a tote. She had a slew of tote bags from various pharmaceutical companies when sales reps came into the office.
She found a bag and began putting her items into it and hoisted it up onto her good shoulder with only a slight wince as she pulled too hard and jarred the broken collarbone.
She needed another pain pill, but she was afraid to ask Noah after his reaction the other day.
After placing the bag by the door, she turned to see Noah at her two-seater table spreading out their Chinese food containers.
“Smells great,” she told him. “I’ve been craving Moo Shu Pork for a while.”
He smiled and looked up at her. “We just had it in the office two weeks ago.”
Callie shrugged. “Then I’ve been craving it for two weeks. Seems like so much longer. I could eat this stuff every day.”
He pulled out their egg rolls and turned toward the kitchen. “What do you want to drink?”
Callie moved past him. “I can get it, Noah. It’s my apartment. Let me.”
“No, you sit. I can get the drinks.”
She sighed. “You’re not going to let me win this little argument, either, are you?”
He grinned and that damn head tilted sideways as if he just knew his charm would win any battle he fought.
“Fine. I’ll take some ice water. I can’t imagine there’s much else in there. I was due to go to the store after the photo shoot.”
The photo shoot. At least she could say the words now without breaking into a crying fit or turning into a total bear and growling at everyone. Well, not everyone. Just Noah.
“It’s no problem. Water is fine with me, too.” He came back to the table with two bottles of water and unscrewed hers for her. “Eat up.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice.”
They ate in silence, but something kept digging at her curiosity and she wanted to approach it. Even if he’d told her to back off.
“Why sell the house if you don’t really want to?” she asked.
His fork froze at his mouth before he dropped it back into the box. “What makes you think I don’t want to sell?”
“Because I’ve seen your face when you talk about the house being for sale and I saw your face when you told me the real-estate agent was coming by today. You’re not happy about this decision, so why make it?”
Noah sighed and eased back in his seat. “Part of me needs to, but the other part of me is afraid to.”
Well, that revelation shocked her. Noah Foster afraid of something? She’d seen the sadness and occasional darkness in his eyes, but she’d never believed he’d admit to fear.
“Then why the rush?” Callie asked. “Wait until you’re not afraid anymore.”
“I have a feeling that fear will never go away. It’s just something I need to do.”
“Does this have anything to do with that past you don’t want to discuss?”
His lips thinned as he eased forward in his seat and grabbed his fork. “Leave it, Callie. You’re purposely dancing on shaky ground.”
She crossed her legs and sat back in her creaky chair. “So you can pry into my life and make me face my fear, but I can’t do the same to you?”
“We don’t share the same fears,” he told her. “Not even close.”
“Really? Why don’t you try me?”
“I don’t want to try you,” he told her, his hands on his hips, his lips thin. “This is not up for debate.”
“I don’t find it fair that you can dig into my life, my personal space, and then tell me that a part of you isn’t up for discussion.” She remained in her seat because as much as she wanted to stand up and shout, at least one of them needed to remain calm. “I thought we were moving toward something, Noah.”
“We have a sexual attraction, Callie. I’m not looking for more, and honestly, I wasn’t even looking for that.”
“Okay, no need to be so blunt,” she told him, trying to hide the hurt. “I’m just trying to help you. You know, like you’re helping me?”
“I’m helping you as a doctor.”
Okay, now she did come to her feet. “Really?” she asked, resting her good hand on her hip. “So what happened on your couch last night was, what? You playing doctor?”
“Don’t make this into something it’s not.”
“And what is that? I don’t even know what the hell is going on because you’re so closed off.”
“I have to be closed off,”
he retorted, his voice booming. “You don’t know the pain I went through, the pain I still live with.”
“No, I don’t because you won’t let me. You are always flirty, always eager to make me happy, but you’re miserable, Noah. I can see it now that I’ve spent more time with you.”
“You think you know me because you shared a few nights in my house and worked for me for a few months? Because we shared an intimate evening? There’s so much, Callie. So much in my heart, in my life, that you don’t know.”
“Then tell me so I can help,” she pleaded. “This can go both ways, you know. Keeping your hurt or anger bottled up can’t be healthy.”
“Maybe not, but talking about it also makes it…”
“What? Real?”
He closed his eyes and sighed. “I just want it to go away.”
“Yeah, I know how you feel.” She’d give anything if this living nightmare she was in would vanish. “Please, Noah, let me in.”
“You want in?” He opened his eyes, met hers, and she was surprised to find not only anger lurking in those mesmerizing gray eyes but also unshed tears. “Getting in would mean more than I can give right now, Callie. Trust me, you don’t want to live my hell.”
She tilted her chin and stepped closer. “I don’t want to live mine, either, but I am.”
Callie’s cell chimed through the room, cutting the tension with the upbeat ringtone.
She crossed the room and rummaged with her left hand through her purse. She glanced at the screen and sighed.
“Hi, Amy,” she greeted her agent.
“Just calling to check on you. How are you feeling?”
Callie glanced over her shoulder to Noah, who was staring back at her. He could be part of her private life and she couldn’t be part of his?
She turned her back and walked to the front window. Her apartment wasn’t big, but at least moving away would give off the silent hint that he wasn’t welcome to listen to her conversation.
Hollywood House Call Page 9