Blade had taken off his coat and placed it on her lap. Given they lived in the frigid north, he always carried blankets in the back. He retrieved all three and gave them to Blade. “Keep her warm.”
After he started the engine, he jacked up the heater to high. “How are you feeling now?” he asked a few minutes later.
“Better. I was stunned and cold.”
“I’m taking you to the hospital.”
“I’m fine. I have a few bruises but nothing’s broken.”
“Did you hit your head?”
She didn’t answer for a moment. “I don’t remember.”
“We’re going.” She could object all she wanted, but he’d never live it down if anything happened to her.
The drive to the emergency room seemed to take forever, but the dashboard clock said they made it in under twelve minutes. He parked close and helped her inside. She limped a little as if she’d banged her knee.
Even though it was a weekend night as well as a full moon, the crazies had yet to make an appearance.
He spotted a friend of his, who was an ER nurse, and she ushered Candy into an examination room. They followed her in.
“Daniel, the doctor should be in momentarily, and he’ll need some privacy.”
Damn, his friend was kicking them out. At some point tonight, the doctor would release her and Daniel wanted to watch her in case she experienced any after affects from the crash. That meant he’d need to pick up her clothes from the hotel. A plan formed.
“Let me speak with her for a second.”
“Be quick.”
“Candy, we need to get some of your clothes from the hotel.” He didn’t need to tell her why just yet.
“Sure. The key’s in my purse.” She glanced around the room.
“It’s in my car.”
“That’s right.” She told him her room number. “My bed is the one by the window. My suitcase is sitting on top.” She clamped a hand over her mouth. “Oh, shit.”
Daniel moved closer. “What is it, sugar?”
“I have boxes of my stuff in the back of my car.”
“I think they’ll be safe until tomorrow. I’ll have your car towed to a trustworthy garage and retrieve them.”
Her shoulders sagged. Poor thing. It was tough enough that her best friend had run into some bad luck in the form of a jealous girlfriend, but Candy had been in Intrigue less than forty-eight hours and already had lost control of her car.
He and Blade stepped outside her room. Daniel moved to the side. “Why don’t you wait here and I’ll get her suitcase from the hotel. Call me if there’s any change.”
“No problem. I’m sure you’ll be back before they finish taking X-rays and do an MRI for her concussion.”
“Most likely.”
When he reached his car, another half-inch of snow had accumulated on his hood. Fortunately, the hospital was only a mile from the center of town and only took a few minutes to get to the hotel. When he entered her room, neither roommate was there, but her pink suitcase sat proudly on the bed. He smiled. The color suited her.
He looked around to see if there was anything else she might need. A ton of toiletries were scattered in the bathroom, but he had no idea what belonged to her. If any of this was hers, he could always come back or buy her more. So her roommates wouldn’t worry when she didn’t show up tonight, he left them a note mentioning the accident and saying he and Blade would take good care of her and not to worry. He had no doubt they would anyway.
He returned to the hospital and sat next to Blade in the waiting room. “Any news?”
“Not yet.”
“Poor Candy. What a way to start her new life here.”
A few people entered the waiting room, most with crying children. A half hour later, the doctor came out. “Daniel?”
They both stood. He recognized the gentlemen from a previous trip here when his dad was injured, but he didn’t know the doctor’s name.
He held out his hand and shook first Daniel’s then Blade’s. “I’m Doctor Randall. Candy will be fine. Nothing is broken, but she does have a concussion and needs to be watched.” He handed Daniel a list of what to look for.
“Thanks.”
“We’re checking her out now.”
Since her purse was in the car, he rushed out to retrieve it, as she’d need her insurance information. He and Blade went to the check-out station and handed her the bag.
She looked up and smiled. “Thanks.”
Fifteen minutes later, with the information exchanged, Blade walked her out while Daniel pulled the car up to the entrance. They both helped her into the back seat where Blade joined her.
“You comfy, babe?”
“My head hurts, but otherwise, I’m good.”
Blade mentioned he’d already explained why she had to come back with them, and she hadn’t put up too much of a fuss.
Daniel glanced in the rearview mirror. “We won’t let anything happen to you.”
Her smile came and disappeared quickly, followed by a grimace. He could tell already, it was going to be a long sleepless night.
He parked in the back alley behind his building. At times like these, he wished he had a garage. Given her high heels and the deep snow in the alley, Blade picked her up and carried her to the doorway. Daniel used the eye scan, and the door opened. This time, they opted to use the slow-moving elevator, as Blade would have jarred her had he carried her upstairs.
Once inside, Blade placed her on the sofa.
“Blade, how about putting her suitcase in my room. I’ll sleep on the sofa.”
She shook her head. “I can stay out here.”
That wasn’t going to work. He didn’t need to get up in the middle of the night and find her asleep, all cuddled in her blanket. “Not going to happen.”
Blade sat next to her. “Do you feel up to taking a hot shower?”
She moaned. “That sounds so divine. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be able to get warm. That hospital was colder than the outside.”
Blade chuckled. “I think the freezing temperatures are to prevent the spread of germs, or else I just tell myself that.” He patted her thigh. “Once you shower, why don’t you change into pajamas and crawl into bed. If anything hurts, let us know, okay?”
“Okay.” She stood and winced.
Daniel rushed to her side. “Do you need help?”
She held up a hand. “I’m good.” Her jaw tightened, contradicting her comment.
Blade picked up her suitcase and led her down the hallway. Daniel followed. Before reaching his room, he gathered some clean towels and stepped into his room. Christ. The bed wasn’t made and his razor and stuff were tossed carelessly on the bathroom counter.
He’d have to share the bathroom with Blade until she settled into Vince and Cam’s house. “Let me get my toiletries out of the way.”
He placed the fresh towels on the counter and swept his stuff into his arms then carried them next door to Blade’s bathroom. There wouldn’t be time to change the sheets. Good thing he’d washed them yesterday. When he returned, she was standing at the bathroom entrance.
She crunched the hem of her jacket. “Thanks for everything.”
“No problem.”
Assuming she’d like some privacy, they left.
As soon as they reached the living room, Blade grabbed his arm. “She can’t stay here past tonight.”
“Whoa. Where’s this coming from?” Blade had been gentle and accommodating to her. “She’ll be moving into Vince’s house tomorrow. Remember?”
“I forgot.”
Blade strode to the open concept kitchen and grabbed a beer.
Daniel followed him, totally confused about his roommate’s sudden change of attitude. “What is your problem? Weren’t you the one who wanted her to stay here?” Daniel didn’t think twice about hauling off and hitting someone if he deserved it, but his roommate’s reaction to Candy was out of character. “I thought you liked her.” Hell, he’d dan
ced with her through several songs.
“I do, and that’s the problem. Don’t you see?”
“No. I honestly don’t. Explain it to me.” Blade had lost his mind. Was he scared she might come to mean too much to them?
“I don’t think we should have her stay in the apartment above us either.”
Now he knew Candy’s accident had shaken Blade more than he’d suspected. “Give me a good reason.”
“She’s not right for us.”
Daniel laughed. “You don’t even know her.” Blade was talking garbage. “You’re scared, that’s all.”
“Bullshit.” Blade got in his face. “You don’t know her either, yet you rushed to her rescue and offered her a place to stay. Next thing I know, you’ll be fucking her.” His voice had escalated to a near shout.
“Shh. Candy will hear you.” Daniel’s blood pressure rose, but he inhaled to calm down. He didn’t want to say something he might regret. “Are you saying you don’t want to share her, assuming she agrees?” She’d seemed interested.
“I repeat, she’s not right for us.” He slammed the bottle on the counter and stalked into his room.
For the first time in longer than he could remember, he was at a loss for words. Maybe the full moon had more of a pull than he realized.
Chapter Five
Before Candy took her shower, she needed to unpack a few pieces of clothing. When she opened her bag, she saw her makeup bag had spilled. Damn. Could her luck get any worse?
Well, you did end up sleeping under the same roof as two hunky men. Life isn’t all bad.
She just finished gathering what she wanted to sleep in when Blade’s voice reverberated down the hallway. She stilled.
“I repeat, she’s not right for us.”
Candy had to assume the she in the sentence referred to her. Sure they’d only met two days ago, but she’d felt a strong connection to both men already. Their insistence she wasn’t right for them made her heart ache more than the bruises on her shoulder or the pain in her knee. Blade’s attitude seemed off. How could they be so sure she wasn’t right for them? Was she too poor for these rich boys? Blade of all people shouldn’t condemn someone for not being born rich.
Give me a chance. Whatever. Maybe she’d misunderstood. Her head was pounding and she might not be thinking clearly.
She shivered as she stepped into the bathroom, but the chills weren’t from being cold as the tile floor was heated. As she waited for the water to warm, she tried to come up with how she wanted to handle her future living situation. After Blade’s comment, unless she learned something to the contrary, she wouldn’t be taking Daniel up on his offer to move upstairs, that was for sure.
Mandy was leaving for her honeymoon tomorrow. Lucky girl. Hawaii in November would be fabulous. That gave Candy two weeks to find a place while she holed up in their house.
With her car messed up, though, she’d have to impose on Daniel to drive her to Vince’s home tomorrow. As much as she didn’t like asking someone for a favor, she needed to text Mandy to ask if she could borrow her car for the next two weeks. Crap. This was not an auspicious way to start her new life.
Needing to get warm, she ducked under the water and enjoyed the luxurious heat, trying to tamp down her disappointment at Blade’s harsh comment. She could only hope they were talking about someone else.
She pressed on her shoulder and winced then studied the rest of her body for injuries. Her knee was black and blue, and she imagined her shoulder was just as discolored. No doubt when she woke up tomorrow, she’d be sore all over.
Candy stayed in the shower until her skin pruned, and then she got out. The adrenaline rush was disappearing, and fatigue had claimed her.
After she crawled into bed, she thought, or rather hoped, at least Daniel would have come in to check on her. When he didn’t, she clicked off the light and pulled the cover over her shoulders. She prayed the excitement of coming to Intrigue and staring a new life would occupy her dreams, and not the horror of skidding off the road into that ditch.
She closed her eyes, but could still picture that maniac crawling up her butt as if he was trying to decide how to run her off the road. The only thing preventing her from going to the police was that his truck hadn’t hit her. Had she not swerved, she believed he might have.
Forcing her mind to something pleasant, she pictured herself falling in love like Mandy had.
You’re a fool, Candace Elizabeth Jackson. And a dreamer.
* * * *
Blade couldn’t sleep. His mind spun. He never should have lost control like that with Daniel. That wasn’t like him. But then, he’d never met a woman like Candy before.
He kept reliving the reception dinner. No one had ever asked how he and Daniel had become friends before. While the event occurred long ago, most of his friends had lived through his painful high school days and didn’t need to ask about his past.
Walking in the gym for the first time since graduation had caused his veins to harden. It wasn’t until he’d asked Candy to dance and had her in his arms that he slowly let go. Seeing the gym through her eyes as a magical wonderland made him realize he might need to ditch his imaginary gray-colored glasses.
He tossed off the hot blanket. What was it about her that had gotten so far under his skin? He might have told Daniel she wasn’t special, but in his heart, he couldn’t refute the pull. That didn’t mean he had to do anything about the attraction. The last thing he needed was to dredge up the past, and Candy seemed determined to do just that.
Daniel was ready to have her move in upstairs in their apartment they reserved for family and friends. They did have a rental, but the unit was already under contract. Blade believed having Candy under foot, or in this case, above their heads, would only cause trouble. He didn’t need to be thinking about her night after night. The apartment’s bedroom was directly above his room, and listening to her stir would hinder his ability to think rationally. He feared in a moment of weakness he’d tell her about his terrible life growing up, and there were events that even Daniel didn’t know about.
He punched the pillow and tried to doze, but his mind refused to still. Candy was a digger, and eventually, she might succeed at prying the information out of him.
If she ever learned about the beatings he took from Ralph Porter, one of his mother’s boyfriends, when he was a kid, he’d never be able live it down. She’d then know he was damaged goods. No way someone as driven and desirable as Candy would want someone like him. Not only hadn’t he grown up like Daniel, but he hadn’t been lying about eating food out of a dumpster. Sure, it had only happened a few times, but it had happened. Candy deserved someone better.
Shit. Apparently, he hadn’t overcome those painful days.
Blade got out of bed to get something to drink hoping it would help him sleep. As he passed Daniel’s room, he paused. Placing an ear on the door, he listened to make sure Candy wasn’t crying in pain.
He gently twisted the knob and opened the door. The room was dark. He listened but heard nothing but soft breathing.
Leave.
As tempted as he was to crawl into her bed and hold her to calm his demons, it wouldn’t be fair to her. He didn’t want to give her false hope. Given his past, he wasn’t the right guy for her, not the other way around. He closed the door and returned to bed. The drink could wait.
Sleep still eluded him. He’d punched the pillow every which way and had even added another blanket, but he was still awake an hour later.
He knew why. He wanted Candy. That was the problem. Christ. Hell, maybe he should just tell her and Daniel what went on all those years ago and maybe then the demons would fly away. If she was the right woman for him, as Daniel seemed to think, she’d understand who he really was and accept him. Right. And you’ll win the lottery next week.
You have to try.
Should he? The image of Candy’s face surfaced. The way she moved in his arms and how wonderful she smelled, caused his cock to get
hard. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d connected with someone so deeply.
Just do it.
Okay then. As soon as he made the decision to let romance take its course, the tension in his body deflated like a punctured balloon. He just needed to find the right time to tell them.
* * * *
When Candy rose, her neck was stiff and her shoulders were terribly sore, but except for some redness on her face from the exploding airbag, she was in fairly good shape, all things considered.
She ticked off her to-do list. Having a plan always helped calm her. First she’d get her car towed and retrieve her boxes. Secondly, she wanted to hug Lisa and Beth good bye, but without a car, a phone call would have to do. Lastly, she had to contact Mandy about the logistics of staying at her house and borrowing her car.
After Candy dressed and repacked her suitcase, she headed to the living room to impose on Daniel to help with her wrecked vehicle. Only he wasn’t there. Blade was. Great.
She painted on her happy face. “Good morning.”
A steaming pile of scrambled eggs sat on a platter on the counter. Blade was turning the bacon in the pan and glanced over his shoulder. “How are you feeling?” His chin jutted forward a bit.
While he was one of the most handsome men she’d seen last night, this morning he looked worse than she did. He hadn’t shaven, his T-shirt was on inside out, and his hair was askew.
“Sore, but otherwise okay. Headache’s gone.”
“That’s great. You didn’t throw up, did you?”
“No.”
His shoulders lowered, and he plucked the bacon from the pan.
“Where’s Daniel?” she asked.
“Making sure your car gets to the garage. He said he’d transfer your boxes to his SUV.”
Some of the tension disappeared. “That’s the best news yet.” With that chore completed, she mentally moved to the next checkbox.
Since her car would soon be at the mechanics, she’d either have to catch a ride to Mandy’s or to a used-car dealership. If they’d let her buy a car on credit using an out-of-state bank, she’d be set. If not, borrowing Mandy’s new car seemed the best option. Since Daniel wasn’t here, she’d have to rely on Blade.
Craving Candy [The Callens 10] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 5