WIFE FOR HIRE

by Amy J. Fetzer

  "Oh, honey." His hands mapped a wild ride over her bare thighs straddling his and he kissed her again. Before he got carried away and could do nothing about it, he drew back, nipping at her jaw, then the slender line of her throat. "Let's go home."

  She smiled, settled her arms around his neck and said, "Fine, go."

  He looked down, then met her gaze. "That's not going to be as comfortable a ride as you think."

  "Again, I believe that depends on your point of view."

  Smiling and shaking his head, he reined the horse around. They both saw the danger in this game. The slow rock of the animal was maddening, grinding their aroused bodies in a familiar dance and drawing up more sensation. Of slick skin, the touch of his mouth where no other had tasted. Of his hardness pushing into her, the delicious friction that drove her mad and made her aware of her insatiable need for more of him. Hayley wanted to taste and touch him. She felt truly a woman in his arms, desired and adored, and the years alone fell away to the moments in the darkness, the scent of this man swirling around her.

  Her hand slipped between them, her fingertips shaping him.

  Nash couldn't stand it and stopped halfway across the field and kissed her hard, his hands sliding up her back and around to cup her breasts. She moaned, a harsh greedy sound, and she arched into his touch, then pulled at his shirt, freeing it from his waistband. She drove her palms over his warm skin. Nash trembled and threw his head back.

  She flicked open the shirt buttons and then her mouth was on him. "Hayley, oh, you're walking a dangerous line."

  "I'm trying to destroy your incredible restraint."

  He cupped her face, gazing into her eyes. "I've been marshaling it whenever you're around."

  "I know. Let's just face it, Nash. No matter what happens between us, in this—" she wiggled and loved that he shuddered and closed his eyes "—we were good together."

  He stared for a moment longer, then without a word, strong hands gripped her waist, and he maneuvered her to face forward.

  "Well, this is no fun."

  "Wanna bet?"

  He cupped her breasts, loving it when she moaned and covered his hands. It only made him want to touch more of her. Right now. And as the horse headed toward the house, Nash slid his hand downward, beneath the band of her shorts. The muscles of her stomach contracted, her hips shifting in open invitation.

  "I need to touch you," he said in a frantic tone. "I need to." Hurriedly, he flipped open the button of her shorts, peeled down the zipper and drove his hand beneath the layers of fabric.

  He found her, wet and warm, and she cried out in pleasure.

  "See what fun this is?"

  She laughed shakily, then he drove the breath from her lungs when he parted her and plunged two fingers inside.

  "Nash," she chanted, her knees drawing up in response. She laid her head back on his shoulder and reached up to push her fingers into his hair.

  He tasted anything he could reach, her mouth, her throat, his words hot in her ear. "Do you know how long I've waited to touch you?" He didn't expect an answer. He felt her tighten and tense with the rush of her desire, and he stopped the horse on the edge of the patio and stroked her into heaven, absorbing her shudders, hearing her short gasps for air. He spoke to her, heightening every sensation careering through her body, telling her how moments like this haunted him, how much he'd longed to be with her, naked and putting his mouth where his fingers were. She cried out, covering his hand and pulsing on the threshold of glorious pleasure before she sank limply against him.

  He held her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

  "Hayley, baby, I—"

  She silenced him with a kiss, curling into him like a contented kitten. She didn't want words to break the spell, but then it was broken by the ringing of the phone in the house. His face tucked close to hers, he tipped his wrist to see the time on his watch.

  "Who could that be at this hour?"

  Hayley instantly pushed his arms away and slid from the horse. "This late, it can't be good."

  Running across the pool deck, she yanked open the French doors and dashed to the phone. "River Willow."

  "Hayley, it's Grace. Thank God I finally reached you. Kim's hurt and she's hysterical. I can't calm her."

  Hayley questioned Grace, and when Nash stepped inside, she held her hand out to him. He came to her. "Apply pressure and we'll be there as soon as we can."

  She handed Nash the phone, then dashed to her room. She washed and changed into a pair of jeans, then grabbed her small red duffel bag. She was jamming her feet into her sneakers when Nash met her in the front foyer.

  "How long will it take?" she said as they trotted down the front steps.

  "Ten minutes if I speed." He helped her in on his side of the truck and climbed up after her.

  "Then speed," she said as he started the engine. "Your mother didn't tell me how bad it was."

  Nash paled and Hayley reached out, rubbing his shoulder as he tore down the drive to the highway.

  They walked in without knocking, calling for Grace.

  Hayley could hear Kim's sobs and panicky shrieks. They followed the sound and Grace rushed out of the spare-bedroom door.

  Nash went around the left side of the bed, talking to Kim, but nothing seemed to help. Her mouth and chin were bloody and even he couldn't comfort her.

  "It's not that bad and I've tried everything," Grace said in a low voice, the two women out in the hall. "But the sight of her own blood keeps scaring her."

  Hayley gripped Grace's shoulders and held her gaze with her own. "Go make some decaf and take Kate with you. I'll take care of this, Grace. Okay?"

  Grace nodded and called to Kate. Hayley kissed Kate's head, then moved to Kim on the bed.

  "Hey there," she said, sitting down on the side of the bed. "See? One day out of my sight and look what trouble you get into." Hayley smiled and Kim's crying faded to sniffles and pitiful whimpers. Hayley blotted her eyes with a tissue, lovingly pushing her damp hair of her forehead. "You're going to be fine, baby, I promise."

  Kim calmed and let out a long tired breath.

  Hayley reached for a cloth, inspecting the wound. "Nash, I need cool water, a bowl and more light." He nodded and stood, flicking on the overhead light as he left.

  "Well, how did you do this?" Hayley said, unzipping her duffel and pulling out packs of gauze. She tore open the packages, then poured antiseptic on the squares.

  "I fell."

  "This late?" She blotted the wound. "What were you doing up?"

  "I had to go to the bathroom and I couldn't see in the dark."

  She put pressure on the child's chin. "Bet you wish you'd turned on the hall lights now, huh?"

  Kim nodded, cracking a reluctant smile.

  Hayley smiled back and with her free hand cradled Kim's. "So you tripped and hit your chin on the floor?"

  She shook her head. "On the edge of the counter."

  "Open your mouth." Kim obeyed, and with a pen-light Hayley examined her mouth. "You bit your tongue. Just a little," she assured her. "But places like ears and tongues and your head bleed a lot more than other places."

  Nash came into the room, setting the cloth and a bowl on the nightstand, then moved to the opposite side of the bed to watch.

  "Has she had a tetanus shot?" Hayley asked him.

  Nash's brows drew down. "No."

  "Hold this." She instructed him to keep pressure on Kim's chin, and as she rummaged in her bag, he talked soothingly to his daughter. Hayley prepared the syringe.

  "I have to give you a shot, Kim."

  Her eyes growing wide, the child immediately started to squirm.

  "This'll keep that from getting infected. Right, Nash?"

  "Sure will," he said. Kim looked at her daddy. "I dare any germs to get on my little girl."

  Kim smiled before her gaze swung back to Hayley's, then to the syringe. Hayley was already pulling it out of her arm.

  "That didn't even hurt!" Kim said,
amazed.

  "Why, thank you, Miss Kim. You're very brave." Hayley winked and tended the wound. "It needs stitches, at least two." She glanced at Nash, then back to Kim. "I can do it, honey, or we can take you to a hospital and have a doctor there do it."

  Kim looked at her dad, her lip quivering with fear, then brought her gaze to Hayley. She touched her hand and in very adult manner said, "I want you to do it. I know you won't hurt me."

  Kim's trust was like a banner wrapping around her soul, and Hayley's heart filled with love for the little girl. She patted her hand and looked at Nash. He was now leaning against the wall, his arms folded over his chest.

  "I'd trust you with my daughters' lives, Hayley. Go ahead."

  She nodded, a lump swelling in her throat. Funny how a couple of stitches were so monumental, she thought, and went about numbing the area with a cream novocaine. She didn't think Kim could take another shot right now. She made the little girl close her eyes, then took two quick stitches and sealed the wound. The one on her tongue would close by morning.

  As she worked, Nash studied Hayley, her moves efficient, and he recalled how Michelle used to fall apart over the littlest crisis. She was never this independent and self-assured, and at first, he'd felt flattered to be needed. But with his children, Michelle was helpless. Watching Hayley calm his mother and his daughters, he realized he wanted a woman who was less dependent on him. He wanted Hayley.

  Kim smiled. "I can't feel nothing."

  "Anything," both Nash and Hayley corrected at once, then laughed.

  "Your tongue is going to hurt a little later on, but it will heal fast. I want you to rinse your mouth with saltwater in the morning. Okay?"

  When Hayley finished applying a small bandage to her chin, she kissed Kim. And the girl hugged her tightly. Hayley closed her eyes, savoring the feel of the little arms around her neck and tears burned. Oh, I will miss them, she thought. "I think we could use a treat about now," Hayley said. "A Popsicle for that tongue." Kim's face lit up. "Come on. Let's go see what Grandma Grace has in that big ol' kitchen." Hayley stood, holding out the child's robe, and Kim climbed off the bed and pushed her arms into the sleeves.

  "Thank you, Miss Hayley."

  "You're welcome, honey." Taking her hand, they left together.

  Nash was slower to follow, glancing at the duffel bag and the small plastic bag Hayley had put her used materials in. He collected her things and the bowl of water, then carried them to the kitchen. The girls sat at the table, sucking Popsicles. Kim looked funny as she tried to suck the Popsicle and hold an ice pack to her chin at the same time. His mom was leaning against the counter, cupping a mug of coffee. Hayley took her things from Nash, put the bowl in the dishwasher, then offered him some coffee.

  "Thanks so much, Hayley," Grace said softly. "I don't know what I'd have done."

  "You'd have taken her to the hospital, Grace."

  "But the hysterics. I don't remember Samantha being like that."

  "That's because she was a tomboy," Nash said, sipping his coffee.

  Grace looked adoringly at her granddaughters. "Yes, I suppose you're right."

  "We don't have to go home, do we, Daddy?" Kate looked at her sister almost accusingly.

  "I don't think that will be necessary," Grace said. "Besides, we can still do what we'd planned." Grace winked at the girls and they grinned.

  "Mom," Nash said, a hit of suspicion in his voice.

  "Oh, Nash, we'll be fine, now that Hayley came to the rescue."

  "I brought her," he said in his defense.

  "Oh, big man," his mother said, winking at Hayley. "We're going to have a girls' day—lunch, shopping, get our hair done, you know."

  "No, he doesn't, but I do." Hayley grinned at Nash.

  "I feel outnumbered."

  "On a plantation with twenty men, how do you think we feel?" Hayley said, and Nash liked the "we" part of that statement.

  After the Popsicles and a pain reliever for Kim, Nash and Hayley tucked them into bed. At the front door Grace hugged Hayley.

  "Thank you, sweetie."

  "You're welcome," Hayley said, savoring the motherly hug. It had been a long time since she'd felt this close to another woman.

  "Are you sure you want to keep them?"

  "Oh, of course. I know how busy Nash gets around this time of year. Y'all go off and have some fun," Grace said.

  Hayley caught the matchmaking hint in her voice, but decided to ignore it. "I'll need to remove the stitches in a couple of days. And give this to her if she's in pain." She handed her a small bottle of children's aspirin. "Kim's chin is going to throb, so she'll need an ice pack on it till she falls asleep, then one in the morning, to keep down the swelling."

  Grace nodded and walked with them onto the porch. Nash and Hayley were driving down the road when he said, "You know more about family than you think."

  She looked at him. "Doctoring a wound has nothing to do with family."

  His fingers flexed on the steering wheel. "You're not giving it a chance."

  "I don't have the time to give anything a chance. We've been over this before."

  "No, you have in your mind, but you haven't talked to me about it."

  "What's there to say? Residency takes up a lot of hours, and you and the girls deserve better."

  "I would never ask you to delay your career, honey."

  "You did once."

  He sighed, turning into his drive. "We've come full circle, haven't we?"

  "I guess so."

  "You know that even before Michelle interfered, I wanted to marry you."

  Her breath hitched. "I know. But you wanted a wife and mother when I didn't know a thing about being either."

  "And you think I knew how to be a husband and father? It's an experience learned over time."

  "I know, but I've never had what you've had."

  "Who says you can't have it now?" In the driveway, he stopped the truck in front of the house, then shut off the engine and faced her. "I could have helped you through your schooling, at least taken some of the burden. I never wanted you to give up your dream."

  "It's water under the bridge. Your duty to Michelle sort of makes this conversation null and void, doesn't it? We never got the chance to work anything out, and we can't now." It hurt even to think of what she would have to give up.

  "Dammit, Hayley, do you have to be so stubborn?"

  "What do you want from me?"

  "Everything," he said selfishly. "And I want to give that to you, too."

  "Well, I owe a hospital my time and attention. I'll be practically living there. That's not fair to you." She opened the door and climbed down.

  And Nash was there, gripping her arms. "Are you telling me to go find someone else?"

  Her heart nearly shattered at the thought. "Do whatever you have to."

  He would, he decided right then. If he had to fight harder for her, he would pull out all the stops. And he started with a kiss, his mouth a hard slash across hers. She clung to him, devouring, and silencing the fight. He put everything he had into the single kiss, mastering her mouth, pushing his body into hers, then just as suddenly he pulled back.

  "Now tell me to go find someone else."

  She sputtered but didn't say anything, her head and body reeling.

  "I want you. No other will do, Hayley. No other ever has."

  He turned her around and faced her toward the house, giving her a push when she didn't move. She didn't respond to his high-handed measures. She couldn't. Her body went nuclear after that kiss, and she was having difficulty getting back her control. When he escorted her like a child to her bedroom door, he stopped and looked down at her.

  "I have appointments in the morning and won't be back till five at the earliest. There's an auctioneers' dance and we're going."

  Her hands on her hips, she glared up at him. "Excuse me?"

  "I won't take no for an answer, Hayley. Be ready by seven."

  He took a few steps away, then stopp
ed when she called, "I hate bullies and this doesn't change a damn thing and … and … I don't have a thing to wear to a dance."

  He eyed her from her sneakers to the top of her head. "That's a lame excuse. You just be ready."

  "See if I will, Nash Rayburn!" She went into her room and slammed the door.

  Nash sighed hard and rubbed his hand over his face. He hated making demands on her, but why was she so dead set against even giving them a chance? Why didn't she see that they could work this out if she'd just cooperate a little. He blamed her father for this, sending a child off to take care of herself. She'd done it for so long, looking out for herself alone, she didn't know how to let anyone else in. As she had when they were together before, she was terrified that if she let anyone into her life so completely, she'd lose it all again. And he knew it was harder for her, because he was the one person she'd let get close, and he'd betrayed that trust. She was too independent and didn't want to be anyone's responsibility, let alone share her burdens with him. And he wanted to share them. He just had to make her understand that. And if she denied them this chance, Nash knew he'd never recover.

  Hayley was furious most of the day, stewing over his arrogant demands. Just who did he think he was, telling her they were going out to a dance without asking her first? She vented her anger by cleaning house and washing clothes. She weeded the flower beds around the house although a gardener came twice a month to do it.

  She was alone on the plantation, and for a while she strolled the grounds, walked through the barns and chatted with the horses. She even swept and cleaned up in there. Sweating and dirty, she considered staying just like that when he returned. It would serve him right to go to this dance alone. Yet, regardless, she was in her room, thumbing through her clothes hanging in the closet, trying to find something suitable, when the doorbell rang. Sighing irritatedly, she pitied the fool on the other side of the door as she flung it open.

  A woman, dark-haired and smartly dressed, stood on the porch.

  "Dr. Albright?"

  "Yes."

  "I'm Mary Faith Rockwell. I own the shop on Sycamore, the Blue Swan."

  Hayley smiled. "Oh, I saw that shop. You have some lovely things in the window."