Pride and Passion

by Jenna Bayley-Burke

  Jake kept walking, forcing himself to focus on the problems he could fix. The project manager claimed the designs for the refurbishing of the former boarding school into a hotel had major flaws. He’d hoped the man had been overreacting, but standing outside the former dormitory that was about to see new life as guest suites, he knew the plans Will Harris had drawn hadn’t been his best. Which meant Jake would be redoing them. Personally. As soon as possible.

  The McTarnahan brothers were one of the best clients the firm had. They reconstructed historic structures into hotels and restaurants throughout the West Coast, and Jake wasn’t willing to lose the account. He’d told Lily this morning that he didn’t spend every day designing, but now he just might have to.

  He stopped and turned, motioning for Lily to catch up. He winced at how cold she looked, her high heels wet with slush and mud. She’d have to learn to be more prepared for the things that came up in a business like this. He wanted her to learn what it was her father had done, what he loved to do, so that she’d understand them both better. He couldn’t let her stubbornness or impractical footwear get in the way of that.

  “Do you know how to work the PDA?” he asked as she came to stand beside him.

  She rolled her eyes. “It’s three versions back from mine. You really should upgrade.”

  “Fine. Order a new one when we get back to the office. But right now I need you to take some notes so I can get started on the fixes.” He kept walking, telling her what needed fixing immediately. When they were spied by the project manager and construction foreman, Jake walked toward them quickly, introducing Lily and promising what he needed to.

  Lily wandered between the buildings while he listened to the concerns of the men. He couldn’t help but keep an eye on her, wishing she would stay still so he wouldn’t feel so distracted. He’d thought keeping her close would help him concentrate, but really it was not knowing what she wanted that kept him on edge.

  His entire world tilted as he watched her disappear. One moment she’d been walking beside the gymnasium building and the next she’d vanished beside it. He gave a shout and ran toward where she’d been, his heart hammering between his ears.

  Lily lay wide-eyed at the bottom of a trench, PVC pipes along one side of her. Mud and slush splattered all over her coat and bare legs, leeching into her hair. Jake cursed and hopped carefully into the furrow, not sure if he should move her.

  “That was embarrassing.” Lily closed her eyes and pulled her legs up. Jake breathed a sigh of relief that she could move them.

  “Do you hurt anywhere?” He surveyed her from the closer angle, not seeing anything out of place.

  “Does my pride count?” She shivered and moved to get up. Jake put a hand behind her back and eased her to sitting.

  “Are you sure nothing hurts?”

  “My head and my bum, but I’m more cold and mortified than anything.”

  The men he’d been speaking with appeared at the side of the ditch, looking down at them. Jake explained that they were fine and allowed one of the men to help him out. He then reached down and lifted Lily free. She squealed when he tried to set her down.

  “My shoes came off.”

  Jake looked down at her bare feet and the icy ground, then up at her flushed cheeks. If he hadn’t been so terrified she’d hurt herself, he might have laughed. Instead he lifted her into his arms and carried her toward the car.

  He set her inside and covered her with his coat, tensing at how she was shivering. He rounded the car and quickly had the heat on high as he sped away from the site. He hated that he’d brought her there unprepared, that he hadn’t warned her to be more careful, that his heart still raced with fear.

  “Where are we going?” she asked between chattering teeth.

  “The emergency room to get you checked out.”

  “Please don’t. I’m fine, I swear. It’s bad enough I had an audience, I don’t want to tell even more people what a klutz I am.”

  “You hit your head.” Fear and concern knotted inside his gut.

  “I’ve done worse with a kitchen cupboard. Really, I’m fine. I just need to get changed and warmed up. I’ll be back at work this afternoon.”

  “No, you won’t. And you’re freezing. You couldn’t possibly make it all the way back to the house without developing hypothermia. We’re going to the ER.”

  “Jake, that’s a bit extreme.” She fought him with words, though her body shook convulsively. He’d been wet and muddy when they’d started the car, but now he was starting to sweat from the intensity of the heater. She was obviously more than just a little chilled.

  “I’m not taking any chances with you.”

  “If you take me to a hospital I will walk out.” Her voice trembled with cold. “And if you try and strong-arm me, they’ll probably have you investigated for battery.”

  Jake cut his gaze to her at the stoplight. “Are you threatening me while I am trying to keep you healthy?”

  “You threaten me all the time. It’s not just architecture I’ve learned about.” She wrapped her arms around her body, but the shaking didn’t stop.

  He gunned it when the light turned green, taking his frustration out on the car. Goodness knows what she’d come up with next. He pulled into the garage at his apartment and coasted into his parking space.

  “Where are we?” Lily asked as he helped her out of the car.

  “The penthouse. Should I carry you, or can you walk? I wouldn’t want you to accuse me of kidnapping you.”

  She rolled her eyes. “If you’ll take me back to the office I can take my car and go home.”

  He shook his head. “It’s a half-hour drive, at least. If you don’t want to go to the hospital then you’re coming upstairs and getting warmed up.”

  She opened her mouth, probably to fight with him some more, but the chills must have gotten the best of her because she didn’t say a word as he led her to the elevator. The mirrored ride to the top showed him just how ridiculous they both looked smeared with mud and dripping with water. What a mess they’d gotten into.

  Once inside his apartment, he led her to the guest bathroom and started the shower, testing the temperature of the water with his hand. When he was satisfied it was warm enough, he pulled open a drawer the housekeeper kept stocked with toiletries.

  “Stay in the shower until you’ve warmed up. It makes me feel like an ass when I argue with a woman whose teeth are chattering.”

  She lifted her chin and looked up at him. “Stop snapping at me all the time and you won’t feel like such an ass. You’re not the only one whose opinion matters.”

  “Of course not.” Jake blinked. If he didn’t think her opinion mattered they’d have been married a month ago. He looked her up and down, his gaze stalling on her shivering, pink hands. “Do you need help getting out of your clothes?”

  “You wish. I’ll be fine.”

  He merely nodded and watched her struggle with the buttons of her coat. He stepped back to her and undid them quickly before she could protest. He reached around and unzipped her dress, but didn’t trust himself to do more. Instead he turned to go before the steam in the room went to his head.

  ***

  Lily perched on the seat in the shower, hot water pelting down on her. Her head was pounding and a bruise was developing on her leg before her eyes. Propping her elbows on her knees, she let her head drop into her hands. It had taken the last of her energy just to wash her hair. The idea of getting out of the shower was absolutely laughable.

  She’d been so lucky not to really hurt herself in the fall. She was exhausted and hadn’t paid attention the way she should have. What little energy she had seemed focused on what Jake was thinking or doing instead of keeping herself safe. If she didn’t keep her guard up she’d wind up giving in. Or she’d wind up beneath him.

  A vision of exactly that flashed in her mind and she sat straight up. She couldn’t go there. Not even in her fantasies. It was one area he had her beaten and she di
dn’t want to think about it at all.

  Lily shut off the shower, hoping it was just the water making her hot. She toweled off and then a cold chill of panic raced down her back. Her clothes were soggy and muddy on the bathroom floor. Even if she had the energy to rinse off the dirt in the sink there was no way she could put them back on.

  With a groan, she wrapped the towel around her body as tightly as she could manage. She didn’t want any wardrobe malfunctions. She opened the bathroom door and peeked out, seeing nothing but the polished floor of the long hallway. Too focused on staying warm when she’d come in, she wasn’t sure which way anything might be.

  “Jake?” she called out, holding the towel to her body.

  He burst out of a doorway, slowing when he caught sight of her. She couldn’t take her eyes off him, his hair wet and tousled, the muscles of his chest defined and tan, a pair of worn jeans, and bare feet. Even in her fantasies he’d never looked this good.

  “Are you all right?” He came toward her. The proximity of his overpowering maleness made her want to tighten her hold on the towel, but that would have meant crushing her own ribs.

  “Fine. It’s just that I don’t have any clothes.”

  “You don’t need them.”

  Her eyes widened. Part of her wanted to run, but another more sinister part felt like dropping the towel. Luckily she’d never let that part have a say in what she did and now was not the time to start.

  “I need something to wear back to the office so I can get my car. A T-shirt or sweats or something.”

  He shook his head. “You’re going to bed.”

  “Not with you!”

  “Lily, you’ve had quite the morning. You’re not going back to work.”

  “Fine, but I’m not staying here.” Her mind floundered for a way out, a solution that made sense. Unfortunately, it seemed the fall had knocked the sense clean out of her.

  “I don’t see how you have much choice.”

  His hand snaked out and melted into her shoulder. Somehow he melded into her so much she found herself entering a bedroom. The sight of the large bed with the covers pulled back stiffened her spine and had her heart racing.

  “Relax, Angel. This is the guest room. You’re safe from the big bad wolf. But you do need to get out of that towel. It’s wet and you’ll get cold again.”

  She shook her head. “No way.”

  “What if I promise to turn around?” His voice softened, losing the steely edge.

  “I’m not going to get naked with you.”

  “You liked it last time.” With a flick of his wrist her towel dropped and she went scrambling for the bed. He delivered a quick swat to her bottom before she was able to sit down and wrap the sheets around her.

  “You can’t keep me here.” Blood pounded in her ears, her headache intensifying.

  He shrugged. “If I planned on keeping you here, I wouldn’t have bought an estate outside of town for you. What I want now is for you to rest.”

  “You can’t dictate how things are going to be and expect me to respond like a puppet. The second you leave I’ll find something to put on and get a cab downstairs. Hell, I’d even wear something of Dee’s.”

  He shot a commanding look at her. “I’m not going to let you kill yourself. I wish you’d forget this damn bargain and just marry me. This is getting out of hand.”

  “I am not marrying you. You know that.”

  “I know nothing of the sort. You don’t want to marry me right now, but you will eventually.”

  “I don’t want the life you’re offering.”

  “You can’t think Ian can give you more. That boy can’t afford you.”

  She suddenly felt colder than she had lying in the slush. “You might be used to women who place a dollar value on their pride, but I am not one of them. You cannot talk to me like I am some kind of…” The words didn’t come as her face crumpled, her strength failing her as she choked on a sob. She just didn’t have it in her to fight with him, not while she was trapped here and her head felt as if it were splitting in two.

  He cursed and sat next to her on the bed. She didn’t want him to touch her, didn’t want him anywhere near her, but she couldn’t find the strength to push him away. She might have discovered it somewhere if he’d done more than wrap her in his arms and hold her close.

  Tears dripped down her cheeks, her throat growing tight and heavy. Each time she sobbed her head hurt worse, so she recovered as fast as she could manage. She pulled away from him, wiping her face with the sheet and laying her head down on the soft pillow. Feeing his heavy stare on her, she pulled the sheet over her head and wished both him and the headache away.

  “I’m sorry I made you go to the site today.”

  His apology startled her so much she peeked out from beneath the sheet. “You’re just sorry I fell. Worried about getting sued?”

  He grinned down at her, his mouth curved with tenderness as he reached his hand out to caress her cheek. “You scared me. I thought maybe you really had hurt yourself when you started crying. You’re stronger than that.”

  “I have a headache and I’m being held against my will. I think I’ve earned a tantrum or two.”

  He lay down next to her on the bed, making her eyes widen in shock. But he didn’t do anything but stare at her for what seemed like an eternity. She searched the dark depths of his gaze for answers, but she’d forgotten the questions.

  “You might have a concussion. Do you hurt anywhere else?”

  One of his hands drifted into her damp hair, massaging her neck and then her scalp. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation until he found a sensitive spot that made her wince.

  “I wish you’d have gone to the ER.”

  “Me too. I doubt they’d have trapped me naked in a bed.”

  His laugh warmed her, the tension swirling out of her body as his warm hands brushed over her shoulders and arms. He found a sore spot on an elbow that was sure to be a bruise. If she weren’t so exhausted she might worry about how black and blue she’d be tomorrow.

  “Lily, put this on.”

  She blinked to awareness, her heart hammering as she looked about the strange room. Jake’s guest room. She must have drifted off after her shower. She reached a hand to her head. It was still aching, but her hair was nearly dry. The doorbell chimed and Jake dropped a folded T-shirt on the bed beside her.

  “Put on the shirt, Angel.” Jake turned and left the room.

  Lily’s head spun as she sat up and tried to get her bearings. The fall, the shower, the slap on her rump all came back to her. In a flash she grabbed the shirt and wriggled into it, thankful to finally have something on. Not that she could catch a cab in an oversized t-shirt, but it was better than stark naked.

  The voices in the hallway had her sitting up, trying to listen and figure out just what was going on. Jake entered the room first. She realized he’d gotten dressed, a soft black sweater and worn jeans hugging his body. Behind him came a beautiful woman with long raven hair and a friendly smile. Her grassy green sweater set off her green eyes perfectly, but it all served to confuse Lily further.

  Jake sat next to her on the bed, taking her hand. With everything such a jumble in her mind she didn’t want to pull away.

  “Angel, this is Susanna Kaye. She’s a doctor.”

  She ran a hand through her hair, not sure what to think. “I didn’t think doctors made house calls anymore.”

  “I don’t for anyone but friends.” Susanna stepped forward and held out her hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Lily. Though I wish it were under better circumstances.”

  Susanna sat on the bed, opening a large bag she’d carried in with her.

  “Wait a minute,” Lily said. “Did something else happen?” Maybe she’d had a seizure and that was why she was feeling so out of it.

  “You do remember that you fell?” He stared at her until she nodded. “With a concussion it’s better to be safe than sorry.” Jake squeezed her hand and the
n rose from the bed. “I think her head and shoulder took the brunt of it, but she has bruises on her elbow and legs too. I’ll be outside if you need me.”

  “What’s going on?” Lily asked as Susanna laid some instruments beside her on the bed.

  “You scared him,” Susanna smiled and clicked a small device that shone a light in Lily’s eye. She reared her head back, but then relaxed as the light moved to the other eye. “I’ve never heard him in such a panic. In fact, I thought he was quite incapable of overreacting. Have you had any dizziness?”

  “Dizziness? When I first sat up, but I think I just moved to fast.” Jake was panicked? Maybe he thought she was serious about suing him.

  “When was the last time you ate?” Susanna’s small fingers probed along Lily’s neck to her collar bones.

  “Breakfast.”

  “That’s more likely to be it. Are you normally tired in the afternoon?”

  Lily shook her head and watched as the doctor examined one arm and shoulder and then the other. “But I haven’t been sleeping very much. I’ve been working and keeping up with school.”

  Susanna merely nodded, putting on her stethoscope. “I love Jane Austen. I don’t see anything more than a story though. I think we’re hardwired for what we’re supposed to do.” She pressed the chest piece against Lily’s ribs. “I’ve always wanted to know how the body works. I never seem to get tired of it. You’re probably the same way with books.”

  She was actually, but what surprised her was how much this woman seemed to know about her. Jake couldn’t have related much between the entry and her room.

  “Can you take a deep breath and hold it for a few seconds?”

  Lily did, glad for the moment to collect her thoughts. “How long have you known Jake?”

  “Forever. We grew up in the same housing project. He was the one who helped me fill out the scholarship forms to get into the university. He’s always helping someone, but you already knew that.”

  That made her his latest pet project. She looked at Susanna, wondering if she’d been one of his improvement schemes too. Maybe he reconstructed women the way he did buildings, and then walked away to find someone else to captivate his attention for a while. How could she make him understand that no matter how much he built up her exterior, she didn’t have the internal structure to withstand the blow of being cast aside for another?