Love Under Protection (425 Madison Avenue Book 15)

by Aubree Valentine

  “You mentioned my fiancé earlier, but in case you still haven’t noticed, I’m not wearing another man’s ring on my finger.” I wave my hand in front of his face before crossing my arms over my chest, I try my best to remain levelheaded and not go off on him. “See you only have half of the story. Yes, I was engaged. I’m not now, and none of that has anything to do with you. Us? What we had was a fling. Nothing more. I’m not that girl. I don’t cheat on people. Never have and damn sure never will.”

  His mouth drops open, then closes and he runs a hand across his face then sighs. “Fuck. Raylynn, I’m real damn sorry.”

  “You know what they say about people who make assumptions.”

  He huffs out a laugh. “Yeah, yeah I do. You end up looking like an ass. Just like I do right now.”

  “Sawyer and I broke up before I even set foot on that plane to come to Hawaii. Our breakup is the whole reason I flew in early. If not, we would have never met that first night.”

  “I’m sorry. Once I put all the pieces together, I realized you were that Raylynn. The bestie from Paris with the hotshot fiancé.”

  “And instead of asking me right away, you acted like a dickhead. You assumed the worst about me.” Is it wrong that his accusations sting? Sure, we’re nothing, but damn if it doesn’t hurt that he thinks I’d cheat on someone.

  “That’s exactly what I did.” He looks down and kicks at the sand. “I’m sorry.”

  “Sawyer and I broke up because I found him fucking some slut from Accounting,” I confess, laying it all out on the line for a guy who is practically a stranger.

  Harley hisses. “Shit, shit, shit. Damnit Raylynn, I am so sorry.”

  “Yeah me, too.” We’re both silent for a beat then I add, “Good talk. I’m going to head back.”

  “I’ll walk you back.”

  “No thanks. I’ve got it. I could use the time alone.”

  Harley shakes his head. “Raylynn, please. At least let me walk you back.” There’s concern and authority laced in his tone. “No ulterior motives. Just want to make sure you make it back to your room safely.”

  “I appreciate the concern. It’s literally twenty yards back to the resort. I’ll be fine. Thanks for a good time,” I slide in at the last minute, taking one final dig.

  I don’t wait for a response either, instead I indignantly turn around and walk away.

  I’m all too aware that Harley’s several paces behind me. Part of me didn’t expect anything less. It’s obvious to me that he’s protective by nature and I admire him for both his persistence and the fact that he’s still giving me space, in his own way.

  Chapter 7

  Harley

  She asked for space. I did the best I could while still ensuring her safety. I couldn’t help myself and I’m convinced I would do the same for anyone else, not just her.

  I retreated to my room once I knew she was safely tucked in hers and spent the night figuring out exactly how I’m going to redeem myself. Which is exactly why I’m standing in the hallway with flowers, hoping she’s on the other side of the door getting ready for lunch with the newlyweds.

  Not wanting to seem like any more of a creeper than I already feel like, I decide to knock on the door instead of waiting her out. I’m surprised when she opens up, still in her pajamas with her hair piled in a mess on top of her head. Her eyes are red and puffy and she’s pale.

  “Whoa, Raylynn. Are you okay?”

  Her voice comes out frail and scratchy, “I think I’ve got a stomach bug. You might want to say away. I’ve been puking my guts out most of the night.”

  “Damn. Lucky for you, a little stomach bug doesn’t scare me.” I hand her the flowers. “Take these and I’ll be right back with some Gatorade, stomach meds and some chicken soup. We’ll get you all fixed up in no time.”

  She gives me a weak smile and shakes her head. “You really don’t have to do that. We’re supposed to be at lunch with Liv and Jameson. You should go.”

  “Raylynn, in case you don’t remember, I’m not very good at taking instructions. I tend to do what I want.”

  “I remember.” She rolls her eyes. “I’m not responsible if you end up with the plague.”

  Unable to resist, I lean in and kiss her forehead. “I’ll take my chances. You get in bed, and I’ll be back in a few.”

  I consider it a victory when she doesn’t protest. The door slips closed, and I head for the front desk while sending off a text to Olivia and Jameson.

  Me: Raincheck on lunch. Checked on Raylynn and seems she’s down with some kind of bug. I’m making a supply run for meds and fluids.

  Jameson replies with a series of emojis, making me roll my eyes.

  My little venture to find all the essentials takes longer than I hoped for but the four bags I’m carrying could potentially cure a small village. A little flirting and flashing of my badge—yes, I went there—gets me a spare key to Raylynn’s room.

  Walking off the elevator on the fifth floor I head straight for her room and knock three times, then I swipe the key. Opening the door a crack, I’m actually quite pleased when I find that she’s got the secondary lock on the door and I can’t barge in.

  “It’s only me,” I call out.

  Raylynn’s already out of bed and giving me the evil eye as I let the door close so that she can undo the swinging lock. A second later she opens the door all the way and lets me inside.

  “I’m not even going to ask how you got a room key. Only because I’m thankful for whatever you have in that bag.” She sighs a sad sigh. “Hold that thought,” she finishes, making a bee line for the bathroom.

  While she deals with whatever it is she’s dealing with, I empty the bags onto the long dresser and refrigerate what's best kept chilled.

  She reemerges with a sad look on her face. “Please tell me you have some sort of stomach meds.”

  I hold up a bottle of Pepto and some anti-nausea/anti-diarrhea pills. “I wasn’t sure if you had a preference or what exactly was going on.”

  Raylynn takes the pink liquid and makes quick work of taking the first dose.

  “I also got pain reliever too, in case.” I point to the other boxes on the dresser. “There’s also chicken broth, some chicken noodle soup for later, crackers and plenty of fluids. And, a thermometer to check your temp.”

  She shuffles back to the bed and sits on the edge before working on opening the thermometer. “Thank you. I think I’ll let the Pepto kick in before I try sipping some ginger ale. You’re my hero, Harley.”

  I shrug it off. “I’d do it for anyone.” And I would, that’s a fact.

  “That’s a rarity in my world,” she says with a sad smile. The thermometer she’s holding to her forehead beeps. “Ugh. 101.1, I guess I’ll be needing that Tylenol after all.”

  I don’t push her to tell me more. Instead, I open the box of meds and hand it to her along with the Gatorade. She takes a sip and pops two pills in her mouth.

  I toe off my shoes and pull my shirt over my head before taking up residence on the sofa near the balcony. “Get some rest. I’ll be here if you need anything at all. I’ll wake you in a little bit and see if you’re up to drinking.”

  “Harley,” she starts to protest, but I cut her off with a hard glare.

  “Rest.”

  “Yes, Sir,” she teases and damn if my cock doesn’t jump.

  “Christ,” I hiss and Raylynn lets out a small laugh.

  “I’m sorry. That was cruel,” she says as she gets settled in bed.

  “I’ve endured worse,” I tell her from my new perch.

  A yawn escapes her mouth then she holds out the TV remote. “If you want to change the channel.”

  I shake my head. She’s got some chick flick on, so I’ll scroll through my phone and check emails or something while she rests. Let her keep the TV on whatever she wants.

  Her eyes drift closed and a few minutes later she lets out a soft snore.

  I’ve got a funny feeling that I’m never goi
ng to live this down.

  Chapter 8

  Raylynn

  I’m off in dream land when I feel someone’s hand on my shoulder, gently shaking me and a deep male voice echoes.

  Harley.

  I smile and think about our night together, I can’t be sure, but I think a moan brushes past my lips and then I jolt upward. My heart is beating out of my chest as I rub my heavy eyes.

  “Hey, it’s okay,” Harley’s voice soothes.

  “You’re real,” I blurt out.

  He lets out a hearty chuckle. “Last time I checked; I was.”

  Shaking the cobwebs from my head, I flip him the finger. “Don’t make fun of the sick. It’s bad karma.”

  “Pfft. I’ve earned plenty of bad karma in my lifetime and I’m still standing.” He helps me scoot back against a pile of pillows. “You should try to drink a little.”

  “You’re bossy.”

  “You didn’t seem to mind before.”

  My cheeks flush and I swear it’s only because of the fever. Nope, not blushing because I loved how he bossed me around when we were in bed, and against the wall, and again in the shower. Where’s the thermometer? I think my fever is rising. Good Lord.

  Harley holds out a small cup. “It’s warm, but my mom always swore that room temperature ginger ale worked best to cure any ailment.”

  The first sip is like heaven on my tongue. “Thank you.” I take another drink. “It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this bad.”

  “At least you picked a good place to get rest?” he offers.

  “Sure. I can enjoy the view before tossing my cookies,” I joke. “Part of me would almost rather be sick at home in bed. Sick on vacation, especially in a place like this, kinda sucks.”

  “Are you hungry? When’s the last time you ate?”

  “At the reception. I don’t think I can handle much more than some broth right now though.”

  “Broth it is.” Harley snaps into action, pouring some broth into a cup. He hands it to me with a spoon and a smile.

  “You really do not have to do this,” I try again to convince him that it’s not necessary. I don’t want him to feel obligated to be here simply because he hurt my feelings. I still know the score.

  “No one said I had to. Without meaning to sound like a complete dick, is it really so hard to believe that I want to be here? That I’m doing this because I care?”

  “You have no reason to care,” I argue. “When this trip is over, you’re going back to New York City and I’m going back to a life in Georgia. What happened with us was supposed to be all fun.”

  Harley sits on the foot of my bed and pats my leg. “You’re not having fun?” he teases.

  I roll my eyes. “You do not need me to stroke your ego. I have no doubt that you know we had fun.”

  “Then I don’t see the issue. With Jameson and Olivia married now, I’m sure it’s possible that we might see each other again from time to time. No reason why we can’t be friends, right? It’s really not the first time I’ve taken care of a sick buddy before. Don’t believe me? Ask Jameson about the time I found him drunk off his ass outside of Olivia’s apartment. He was about to make a HUGE mistake that I knew he’d regret. I tucked his ass in bed and helped him nurse his hangover the next day. I’ve delivered care packages to buddies who’ve come down with the flu. Don’t overthink it.”

  I take a sip of broth off of the spoon in my hand and nod. “How do you know Jameson anyway?”

  “We went to the same college. He was studying business and architecture; I was studying criminal justice.”

  “And, then you met Liv. I heard you were not her biggest fan.” I give him a hard stare.

  He holds up his hands. “Hey, can you really blame me? I felt like she was giving my buddy the run around and acting like a brat. If I’m being honest, I didn’t have all the facts and I based my judgment on what I knew at the time. Now though? Fuck, they deserve each other.” He laughs. “They both drive me insane. They’re absolutely the yin to each other’s yang.”

  “God that’s the truth. I love Liv, and Jameson, but there were so many times when I wanted to smash their heads together when we were growing up,” I say with a yawn.

  “Damn. Am I boring you?” Harley winks playfully.

  “You know what.” I grab a clean tissue from the box on the nightstand and ball it up before tossing it at him. “I’m actually debating some fresh air. Those lounge chairs on the balcony are actually fairly nice, and I bet the sunshine would feel good.”

  In my head, it sounds like a great plan. Until I go to stand up and nearly fall over.

  Harley’s quick and catches me. “Umm. Raylynn, you’re burning up,” he says while gently guiding me back to bed. He grabs the thermometer that I left on the nightstand and immediately turns it on and presses it to my forehead. “Nope, fuck this, we need to get you to an ER, now. You’re running a high fever, that Tylenol didn’t do shit.”

  “It’s fine. I’ll take a dose of Motrin and I’ll be fine.”

  “Like hell,” he mutters, already on the phone to the front desk requesting a cab to the ER. Hell,

  I’m surprised he didn’t call for an ambulance instead.

  “Okay, Mister. I’ll let you run the show, only because I don’t have the energy to fight. One rule though, you do NOT call Jameson or Liv and say a word, unless they tell you I’m dying. Then they can stop doing it like rabbits and come hold me while I take my last breath.”

  “Christ, you’re dramatic,” he grumbles while putting his shirt and shoes back on.

  What a shame, I’m too sick to thoroughly enjoy the sight that is his naked torso.

  “What do you need to take with you? Let’s make it quick, you’ve got five minutes. I’ll gather it all up.”

  “You could let a girl shower before taking her out.” I try to joke but I’m too tired to laugh now.

  Harley ignores me, grabs an empty bag and starts tossing things inside it. I have no clue what he’s grabbing but in my delusional mind I pretend he’s preparing for the zombie apocalypse. I must doze off while he’s packing because next thing I know, I’m being lifted out of bed and carried to the door.

  “Hey, I can walk,” I mumble and nestle into his shoulder. But I think I like this better. He smells nice.

  Chapter 9

  Harley

  I’ve been sitting in the ER with Raylynn for three hours now. They took her straight back when we walked in. I might have lied and said I was her fiancé, then proceeded to look like a complete ass when I had zero of her information. Thankfully the nurse laughed it off when Raylynn piped in and said I was actually her voodoo doctor and could stay. At least she’s kept her humor about her while they poked and prodded.

  She’s on her second bag of IV fluids and some heavy-duty meds to cure what the doctor has pronounced as food poisoning.

  “I’m going to walk out front and call Jameson while you rest for a few minutes,” I tell her.

  She shoots me a death glare that I give right back. “You’ve gotten sick from something you ate. They need to know in case anyone else comes down with it. If they decide to stop humping and come visit you, that’s on them. Quit worrying about ruining things and rest.”

  “Bossy,” she whispers.

  I give her hand a gentle squeeze and excuse myself.

  The minute I step out into the late evening air, I dial up Jameson’s number.

  “It’s Jay, I’m busy consummating my marriage. If this is important, I’ll call you back when we come up for air.”

  I can’t help but laugh out loud at his voicemail greeting. Jackass.

  “Jay, letting y’all know, Raylynn’s in the ER. I’m with her, but she’s got a bad case of food poisoning. Hopefully you are enjoying your new bride and not barfing your brains out instead. Call me back.”

  Message left, I pocket my phone and take a short walk around the parking lot to stretch my legs.

  Jameson calls back before I make it a full lap.
>
  “Yo, what the hell? Liv wants to know what she ate. No one else has complained yet,” he babbles the minute I answer.

  “Fuck if I know. I was too busy stewing all night and trying to avoid paying attention to her.”

  He sighs into the phone. “We’re on the way. Liv said she’s not letting her bff sit in the hospital alone.”

  I can hear movement in the background and assume they are indeed hustling out the door.

  “Jeez, she’s not alone. I said I was here with her. She’s doing fine, they’ve got her hooked up to an IV and they’re giving her meds.”

  “Well, I’d like to keep my balls and get laid again, so we’ll be there soon. See ya.” He hangs up and I head back inside.

  Raylynn is resting so peacefully that she doesn’t even notice my return. But when the cavalry arrives—or more like Olivia comes busting through the ER like her ass is on fire—Raylynn peeks her eyes open.

  “You told her,” she grumbles and tries to hold up a finger. The meds are obviously making her feel really good because her hand dramatically falls back onto the bed and her eyes drift closed again.

  “What are they saying? Is she going to be okay?”

  “I’m fiiiiiiine,” Raylynn answers.

  “See, she’s fine.” I nod in Raylynn’s direction. “I told your husband the same damn thing.”

  “She’s my best friend, you ass.” Olivia smacks my chest. “You should have called me earlier.”

  “Umm, I did. When we missed lunch. Duh,” I reply, indignantly.

  “What? No, you didn’t. Jameson said he called our lunch date off because he wanted to spend more time with me.” Her cheeks flush.

  “Well...well...well, trouble in paradise already.” I smirk and give her a playful nudge.

  “You,” she huffs. “Get out. Leave. Your damn cohort is in the waiting room. He brought you dinner.”

  At the mention of food, my own stomach grumbles, reminding me that it’s been hours since I last ate. “Toodles.” I wave and step out.