Taming the Playboy (Dickerman/Moretti Novels)

by MJ Carnal

  Ryan watched her from the doorway. She wasn't aware he was there. He longed to touch her. She hadn't spoken to him since he left for Boston. She looked at him like a stranger. A few nights ago, she had lost herself in his arms. But today, this whole week for that matter, things were different. He swallowed hard and the lump in his throat tightened. His heart got a work out every time she was around.

  He cleared his throat but she didn't respond. "Layla, are you alright?" He stayed in the doorway. He was afraid the smallest step forward would push her away.

  Her eyes met his. They were full of tears. "No. I'm not. What do you want?"

  He wanted to kiss her tears away. She broke his heart. "What happened to us, Lay? What did I do?"

  Anger flashed in her eyes. "You don't know what you did? I know we weren't a couple or anything. I was just a little shocked by your ability to just move on."

  "What are you talking about?" Ryan took a few steps into the room but her expression made him stop. "Layla, I am drawn to you. I cannot stay away. I know it doesn't make any sense but it is like you are a magnet and I just can't fight it. I thought we were in a relationship. We can talk about the situation with Caleb in your room. Let's just move past this."

  She stood up like a rocket. "Caleb in my room? Is that what you think this is about? My infidelity with Caleb? If you had kept it in your pants longer than 12 hours, Caleb would have never been in my room!"

  "So it’s true? You were unfaithful? Seriously? With Caleb?" Ryan stepped back, his voice a little louder than he expected.

  "You have NO right, Ryan. No right! Don't you dare yell at me while you parade your little conquests around. You made the choice to throw us away. What I do now is my business."

  With that, Ryan stormed out of the room. He would not cry. He would not admit he had been hurt.

  ****

  Ryan nodded at Dr. Turner as he entered Mark's room. The familiar beeping of machines was somehow soothing. He had been to see Mark a few times each day. The hospital staff had taken great care in making sure the room was comfortable and that Mark was cared for. The color on Mark's face was still pale and it made Ryan shiver to think that this could be all they had left.

  He lifted Mark's right leg, stretched it to the ceiling, bent it, pushed it back toward Mark and repeated the process with the other leg. Being a personal trainer, Ryan knew the importance of keeping Mark's muscles as strong as possible. Mark was religious about his work outs and lying in the hospital bed was making him weak. He massaged his legs and repeated the stretches.

  "Marco, I know you can hear me. I really need you man. Thank you for standing up for me with Layla and Caleb. I don’t know what happened. This woman has gotten me so fucked up in the head. I sure could use a friend. I need you to wake up."

  Ryan shifted his focus to Mark's feet. He bent them up, pointed them down and moved each one side to side. "I want to kill Caleb. I know how shitty that must have felt for you. I don't know what the hell is wrong with him. But if I see him, I will kill him. Your life isn't worth this so I need you to fight. I know you need time. Dr. Turner said even if you wake up, they would put you back in a coma for pain control. But I know you, man. You are a fighter and I don't want to see you like this."

  Ryan repeated the same exercises with the right foot and then sagged into the chair next to the bed. His eyes filled with tears. "I can't lose you man. It should be me. If anyone should be in the hospital, it should be me. You stood by me through all of my treatments with cancer." He wiped his tears away with the back of his hand. "Please don't leave me. I would do anything to take your place."

  Dr. Turner stood in the doorway with her head tilted to the side. Her expression was soft. She walked into the room and put her hand on Ryan's shoulder. "It's OK, Ryan. I believe he can hear you too. He knows you are here. Stay as long as you would like. Can I get you anything?"

  Embarrassed that he was caught crying, Ryan shook his head no and took Mark's hand. When Dr. Turner left the room, he bowed his head. "Please God. Mark is the glue that holds us all together. Please don't take him from us. Don't take him from Sophie when they finally have a chance to be happy. If you need to take someone, take me instead. You have had so many chances to take me. I am ready."

  He laid his head down on Mark's chest and broke. He shed tears for all the years they had been family.

  Chapter 9

  Layla stood at the vending machine buying her hundredth cup of horrible hospital coffee. It had been three days. Three horrible days of touch and go, code blue, subdural hematoma, multiple surgery hell. She had slept in a chair, on a couch, on the hard floor, but other than leaving for a shower, Layla had stayed by Mark’s side every minute. She had promised Sophie she would stay. Her sister needed rest and refused to leave him alone.

  Mark was so pale. Cuts and bruises covered his body. Machines breathed for him. Tubes fed him. His gorgeous green eyes were closed and his smile that lit up a room was gone. He had become her brother the minute she arrived in LA. Everything about him was home. And no one had ever made Sophie so happy. Their love was beautiful. She longed to find that same love one day. She had thought for just a minute that Ryan could be her Mark Moretti. How stupid she had been.

  Her mind flashed back to the last minutes she had spent with Mark. The guilt was killing her. If she hadn’t called Ryan, Caleb would not have been comforting her. If Caleb would not have been in her room, Mark would not have gotten angry. She had tried to make him understand. When he didn’t, she had yelled at him. Her last words to him were hateful. This was her fault.

  No. This was Ryan’s fault. She had fallen hard for him and he had betrayed her. Now he was parading his perfect catch in front of all of their friends. He had left for Boston with a promise to hurry back to her. It had been twelve hours before she was replaced. And the perky, little red head followed him around like a puppy. She hit the front of the coffee machine.

  “Is the coffee that bad?”

  It was her. “Go away.” Layla grabbed her change and turned to walk down the hall.

  “Wait,” Aria grabbed her arm. “Will you sit and talk with me?”

  Layla fumed. “I cannot imagine we have anything to say to each other.”

  “Please don’t walk away. I wanted to thank you.” Aria’s smile softened. She let go of Layla’s arm. “I want to thank you for teaching Ryan how to love. He is so amazing and I can’t thank you enough.”

  “I don’t know if you have noticed, but Mark is in there fighting for his life. And I really don’t feel like playing nice with Ryan’s new toy. If you would excuse me.”

  “Layla, wait.”

  Layla stormed down the hall. Using her visitor’s pass, she walked through the ICU doors and set the extra coffee down for Dr. Turner. She smiled when the doctor looked up from a chart. “How is the patient this morning?”

  “Thank you so much. I needed this. Not much change but he is fighting. CT scan this morning showed improvement. Hopefully he won’t need another craniotomy. I am amazed by the support system you have. He is a lucky man.” Dr. Turner took a long sip of coffee. “Caleb is in with him. He hasn’t left his side all night. Maybe you can at least convince him to eat something.”

  “Thank you. I will do my best. He is hard headed that one.” Layla laughed. Was it ok to laugh?

  “How long have you two been together?” Dr. Turner set the chart aside and smiled.

  “Oh, no. We aren’t. In fact, a few months ago I hated his guts. I had a fight with someone I cared about and Caleb was there to pick up the pieces. But then this accident happened.” Layla sighed. “It was our fault Mark was upset. It was all a huge misunderstanding. I wish I could take it back.”

  Tears fell down her face. Tears for Mark. Tears for Sophie. Tears for what might have been with Ryan. She walked through the sliding glass door into Mark’s room. The beeping of the machines was becoming too familiar. She set her coffee next to Caleb and crawled into his lap. His face was pale and his hands shook as he wr
apped his arms around her. “You need to go home, Caleb. Go take a shower, sleep a few hours and take a break. I will stay with him. I promise I will call you if anything happens.”

  Caleb shook his head. “We did this to him, Lay. How can I leave? It should be me lying there. I would do anything to take his place.”

  “I know you would. But you aren’t doing anyone any good making yourself sick. You need to at least eat something. Please, Caleb.”

  “You need to listen to her.” Caleb’s head snapped up at the sound of the doctor. His pulse quickened but he ignored it. She put her hand on his shoulder and he tensed. “We are going to take some x-rays and run some tests. You can’t be in here for that. This would be a good time to go get something from the cafeteria. If you are going to stay here all day, I am going to insist you get something in your stomach.”

  “I can’t. I can’t keep anything down. If you don’t mind, I will just wait in the hall while you do the tests, Dr. Turner.” Caleb looked back to Mark.

  “It’s Jena.”

  “What?” Caleb looked back at her.

  “My name is Jena. I am going to have some food sent up for you.” Dr. Turner stepped out of the room.

  “Holy shit, C.” Ryan’s voice startled them both. “You look like shit, man. And the good doc is still checking you out. Did you get her digits? Two words for you. Balls deep.”

  Layla stood up and walked to Ryan. When they were only about a foot apart, she spoke. “Don’t be a jackass. He’s devastated. This is not the time to be making jokes. Why don’t you run along and find your little play toy and leave the adults to care for Mark.”

  “Lighten up princess. It doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. You think Mark wants you parading around here with tears in your eyes?”

  “You are a huge jackass, Ryan.” Layla spat.

  “What the hell is your problem, Lay? I have been back three days and you haven’t said shit to me. All your little smart ass comments can stop now. You have a problem with me? Let’s talk it out. But stop being a bitch.” Ryan stepped around her and sat down across from Caleb.

  “Guys, this is not the place.” Caleb snapped.

  “A bitch? Really, Ryan? Is that the best you’ve got?” She turned her back to him. She would wait until he was gone to sit back down. And with her luck, little Ms. Perky, man stealer would be along any minute. Layla had had just about enough.

  “Thank God we are in a hospital, Layla. Maybe we can have the stick in your ass surgically removed while we are here.”

  With that, Layla left the room.

  ****

  Ryan slammed his front door. He fumed. Ripping off his t-shirt and jeans, he walked straight into the back yard and dove into the pool. “Damnit” he yelled as he broke the surface.

  “Rough day at the office dear?” Aria looked up from her magazine.

  “Women suck. No offense.”

  She laughed. “None taken. I called Rich a while ago and he told me Mark was stable. So what one earth has you all worked up and floating around the pool in your boxers?”

  She jumped into the pool and swam toward him. Her bikini was tiny and Ryan couldn’t help but notice how much of a woman she had become. They had known each other for so many years. It would be so easy with her. He pictured her in his life for the long haul. Yet, he couldn’t shake the hold Layla had on him. It was pointless. She had changed in mere hours. Three days ago, he was holding her and snuggling. Ryan West, snuggler. He chuckled. Never going to happen again.

  He dove at her and dunked her. Sputtering, she splashed him with all her might. He grabbed her arms and pulled her against him. She screamed and tried to break free. Her laugh was contagious. It felt good to laugh. It felt good to feel something. He had been numb since the second he gotten Caleb’s phone call in Boston. His whole world had gone dark. He couldn’t breathe. He had spent three days in a fog, unaware of anything happening around him. Friends didn’t die in their twenties. It wasn’t supposed to happen that way. Not in a senseless moment of anger over what still was a mystery.

  Tomorrow was a new day. Tonight he would cook for Aria, rent a movie and zone out. A good night sleep might bring clarity in an otherwise confusing week. He would pray hard. He would even beg. Shaking his head, he snapped out of his haze. She jumped on his back but she was too light to push him under. Feeling her body against his, he straightened and froze.

  “What’s wrong?” She smiled at him as he turned around.

  “I don’t know. Shit. I actually felt guilty for a minute.” Ryan wiped his face.

  “Honey, Mark won’t expect you to stop living. You have spent a bunch of time at the hospital and he knows it. You need a break.” Aria ran her hands up and down his arms.

  “You have to stop that.” He pulled away from her as quickly as he could. Her face fell but he kept moving.

  “Don’t you ever think about us? Like what if?”

  Ryan swam to the side of the pool and pulled himself out. He sat on the edge and watched her. She was beautiful and he loved her more than almost anything in the world. But she was like a sister to him. “Ari, you know me. I tell you everything. I can hardly imagine why the hell you would even think about something like that with me.”

  “Everyone needs someone, Ryan. I could be your someone.” She ran her hands up his legs, stopping just shy of his soaking wet boxers.

  “Shit Aria, stop. I can’t. We can’t. I would never jeopardize what we have. You know I love you. But not like….”

  “Like you love Layla.” She interrupted.

  Ryan laughed. “I don’t love Layla. We had some fun. But when I left for Boston, shit. I have no idea what the fuck happened Ari. I actually liked her. She was more than just a fuck.”

  Aria’s face turned serious. “She thinks we are together.”

  “What? Why?” Ryan toweled off his hair.

  “I stopped at the hospital this morning. She was standing at the vending machines getting coffee and I tried to talk to her. She was horrible. She wouldn’t let me talk and called me your toy. I tried to stop her but she walked off.”

  “This is bad.” Ryan ran his hands through his hair.

  “There’s more.” Aria pulled herself from the pool and sat next to him. She grabbed his hand and this time, he didn’t let go. “When I talked to Rich, he told me that Mark was really upset the night of the accident. He said that Sophie had heard him screaming at Caleb about being up in Layla’s room.”

  “Can we not ever mention that again? I don’t know what the hell that was about but she and I ended the minute she took Caleb upstairs.” He stood up and pulled away.

  “Ryan, stop. I guess she had been crying about you. Sophie says that Caleb went upstairs to talk to her because she was so upset.”

  Ryan went pale. “Why would she be crying over me?”

  “She called you in Boston. You were in the shower. I answered your phone. I didn’t know about her then. And I never thought about it again. Until today. I’m so sorry.”

  “Fuck.” Ryan walked into the house.

  Chapter 10

  Layla stretched out across the lounge chair. The lights of the city blurred into the background as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had spent hours in the ICU and was thankful for the brief reprieve she had while Sophie spent the evening there. It had been a dreadfully long day. With Dr. Turner’s help, she had convinced Caleb to go home mid afternoon. The silence of the room after he left had only made her feel more alone.

  Her argument with Ryan replayed in her head. Her hurt and anger only made worse by his gruff responses. It was time to move on. Their time together had been fun. But the harsh truth was she knew it had only been a fling. She had known it all along. Her heart had betrayed her by wanting more. At almost thirty, her heart had never given her hope of finding love. She had been determined to live life to the fullest and never settle down.

  Ryan had been different. The tears fell quickly and she wiped them away. The minute she had laid
eyes on him, even through the window of the gym so many weeks ago when she had gone with Mark to buy Sophie’s ring, she had felt an unfamiliar tug in her chest. The second she had seen him at Rich and Molly’s wedding, she knew she was in trouble. And that fateful afternoon, when she arrived in LA to make it home, she had given in to her desire with no thought about consequences. Her brain may have told her to run screaming but her heart had recognized that he was her other half.

  The back door slid open with a thud, jarring Layla from her thoughts. She sat up at the sudden intrusion.

  “She’s my donor.” Ryan rushed to her, kneeling down in front of her. Noticing she had been crying, his heart sank. He took her face into his hands. Her eyes widened as his lips crushed her mouth. The kiss was passionate and long. When he pulled away, he was breathless. He put his forehead against hers.