“Sarah, please look at me.”
No way, one look and she’d be putty. He crouched down to her level. No matter where she averted her gaze, he moved to meet it.
“Stop it!” God, he was driving her crazy. “Why are you doing this?”
With tenderness, he gripped her chin and her heart danced in her chest. “Sarah, please give me another chance. I swear I came out here to ask for one. I had no idea you were hurt.”
He seemed sincere. Could she dare hope? “Really?”
John smiled at her. “Really. Come on. Let me get you an ice pack for that.”
Oh hell, the smile did it. She nodded and slowly followed him. He unlocked and opened the door next to the bar’s entrance. She couldn’t make out a thing beyond the opening.
“Sorry about the light. I don’t use this entrance very often. There are handrails on both sides.”
Once he closed the door behind them, complete darkness enveloped her and she tensed. After feeling along the wall, her hand hit the railing and she grabbed on tight. He placed his hand against the small of her back and helped guide her up the stairs.
Halfway up, a dim light appeared. At the top, a hallway continued forward and he urged her on. She passed a door and then the source of the light—stairs heading down to another hallway. Sounds of muted conversations and music indicated it led to the bar. John stopped at the next door on the right and inserted his key.
“It’s not much, but I call it home.” He opened the door and flipped a switch. A lamp turned on, but barely lit the room. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll go down and get the ice pack.”
This tiny apartment was his home? He must not entertain much. Any more than two people and they’d be bumping hips. She shrugged out of her winter gear and sat on the couch—which took up one whole wall—sinking into the comfortable cushions. It wouldn’t take much to fall asleep here. Across the small room, the largest TV she’d ever seen sat on top of a huge entertainment center, crammed with numerous gaming systems and a DVD player. She would have put her feet up on the coffee table, except she’d disrupt the game cartridges and controllers which littered the surface.
Her throat still burned from talking and swallowing. Maybe some water would help. She rose and shuffled to the kitchenette, but when she flipped the light switch, nothing happened. Okay, so she would have to search in the dark.
She opened the first cabinet and found it empty. Each one turned up the same, not a cup or plate in sight. When she investigated the refrigerator, she found it warm and smelling of mildew.
The front door opened as she shut the fridge. John glanced at the empty couch then turned and saw her in the kitchen. The startled look on his face almost made her feel guilty, like she’d been snooping. But how can you snoop when there wasn’t anything to find?
“I got the ice pack,” he said, holding it up.
She smiled and returned to the couch. Knowing the pack would be cold, she donned her glove before taking the item. The icy pack almost felt good against her burning cheek.
After moving the controllers aside, he sat on the coffee table and placed his hands on his knees. “Did Steven do this?”
She looked down. She so didn’t want to have this conversation.
“Damn it,” he cursed through clenched teeth and then muttered something she couldn’t make out. “Why are you protecting him?”
“It’s not that,” she whispered.
“You should report him to the police.”
Lori had told her the same thing before the divorce. “How would that make things better? Even if he went to jail, it wouldn’t be forever. He’d get out and then come for me, angrier than ever. I just want him to go away.” She met his gaze. “Please don’t call the police.”
He frowned. Would he call anyway? “Okay, I won’t. I don’t agree with your theory, but I’ll go along with you. For now.”
Really? No argument? No talking her into it? There had to be a catch, but she wasn’t willing to look for it. It would find her eventually, it usually did.
“Did you mean what you said outside?” she asked. “You want to try dating?”
His frown transformed into a smile, lighting up his face. When he took her free hand, her heart raced. Would she ever get used to his touch? Did she want to?
“I do. I just hope you don’t come to hate me.”
She didn’t think she could ever hate him, especially with the way his thumb rubbed across her knuckles. Every little touch excited her. What would it feel like to kiss him, to have his arms wrapped around her and be lost in his embrace? It would be heaven, that’s what. The lower half of her body throbbed in anticipation. Hell, it would probably give her a real heart attack. Maybe she better change the subject before she did something she regretted, like scare him off again.
“You know, you commented on my lack of pictures, but I don’t notice any in your place, either.”
He shrugged. “Guilty as charged.”
“Your bedroom must be tiny.” Why’d she bring that up? She certainly didn’t want him thinking she had sex on her mind, but why else mention the bedroom? Geez, she needed to get a new brain.
He smiled. “It’s big enough. I do have a larger home up north, but this place is convenient for now.”
“What do you mean a larger home?” Why would anyone want to live in this cramped place by choice?
“I have a house, with a yard, and garage,” he said slowly, as if explaining it to a child, but his smile told her he was teasing. “It’s in Urbana. I inherited it from my parents.”
Inherited? John looked like he was around thirty, awfully young to have lost both parents. “I’m sorry for your loss. When did they pass?”
“Awhile ago,” he said. “How’s your throat? Is there anything I can get you?”
She couldn’t swallow without wincing, but it wasn’t worth a complaint. “No, I think maybe I should go home. A nice soaking bath sounds good about now.” That and a bottle of aspirin. “Would you walk me to my car?”
He stood and helped her up. “Are you sure you can drive? I can take you if you want.”
The world around her didn’t spin—a good sign. “I’ll be okay, I promise.”
She wrapped the scarf around her neck and slipped her hands inside the coat John held for her. He really was a gentleman. No one had ever treated her so special before. Not even Steven during their courtship.
Chapter 7
Sarah drove into the city toward John. What a difference twenty-four hours made. She’d gone from despondent to joyous. Even her cheek couldn’t spoil her mood.
Traffic on a Saturday was practically nonexistent, making it easy to spot a dark blue BMW in her rear view mirror. Damn. Was Steven following her now? After the stunt he had pulled the night before, she couldn’t be sure. The man was seriously crazy.
She yanked the steering wheel left at the next street, unintentionally cutting off another driver. The long blare of a horn made her jump. Her heart nearly stopped and she pulled over. Every cell in her body shook. She looked out the back window. The BMW drove on without turning. God, what a fool. She could have been in an accident and for what? All because she thought she saw Steven?
After taking several deep breaths, she continued on her way. By the time she arrived at Wings, she was back to being her plain old paranoid self. She parked in front and took one last glance up and down the street for the BMW.
Yeah, she was an idiot. Not a car in sight.
She approached the door John had said to use. Remembering the cave-like environment, she hesitated for a moment. She really needed to get her shit together. It was daylight. She’d be able to spot anyone lurking inside before she closed the door. She slowly turned the knob and pulled. Instead of darkness greeting her, the stairwell was brightly lit. She placed her hand over her heart and smiled.
She’d climbed partway when John appeared at the top. His grin brought on one of her own.
�
�Everything okay? You look a little rattled.”
Boy, he was observant. “I thought I saw Steven and overreacted. Turned out to be a false alarm.”
He frowned at her statement. Maybe she better not mention Steven again. John had invited her over for a movie, not to talk about unpleasant things. When she reached the top, he took her hand. She gasped. Would she ever get used to the sensations he sparked with a simple touch?
He glanced down at their hands. “Did I hurt you?” He opened his hand to let go, but she held on.
“No. Must have been static.”
As always, John held the door for her. Unwilling to release his hand, she entered and pulled him behind her. The longer she held on, the more accustomed her body became. Her heart rate slowed and her breathing was almost normal.
“Why don’t you sit and tell me what movie you’d like to see. Of course, I’m going to need my hand back to get it.” She smiled at his tease and reluctantly let go. As soon as she did, her body missed him.
She placed her belongings on the kitchen counter before she sat on the couch. “What do you have?”
John went to the entertainment center and opened a cabinet stuffed full of DVDs. He started calling out titles and she picked one she’d never seen before.
Once he inserted the DVD into the player, he sat beside her and took her hand again. Her heart jumped in her throat and she breathed unevenly. If she didn’t watch it, he might think she was having a heart attack. Then again, maybe she affected him the same. She hoped so.
He smiled briefly, then furrowed his brow as he gently probed the bruise on her cheek. “It doesn’t look so bad today.”
Crap. Why did he have to notice at all?
“That’s because I’m wearing make-up.” She only winced a little, but enough to cause him to stop.
“Sorry. Well, the swelling’s down anyway. Do you mind if I look at your neck?”
She rolled the turtleneck down, feeling like a patient at a doctor’s office.
He gently probed the area. “Does it still hurt?”
“Just a little. At least it doesn’t hurt to swallow anymore. You know, you’d make a good doctor. You have a very nice bedside manner.”
“You think so?”
She smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I do.”
While she sat beside him watching the movie, he never released her hand. He would occasionally rub his thumb across her knuckles and it took a lot of effort on her part to pay attention to the film. They were sitting close together, her leg next to his, her shoulder against his arm. This was so much better than the theater. No armrest got in the way. Would he kiss her? Would he try?
The movie ended and John kissed the back of her hand before releasing it and standing. Well, he’d kissed her. Just not where she’d hoped. But while kissing him would most definitely be better than great—his touch titillated and then some—she should take it slow. Why scare him off again? Besides, she had rushed into things with Steven and that turned out disastrous.
“What are your plans for this evening?” Sarah asked. “I know you said you wanted to surprise me, but can I at least get a hint?”
John put the DVD away and then sat back beside her. “It’s not so much that I wanted to surprise you, I just wanted to tell you in person. Anyway, there’s an ice skating rink down by the river and I’d like to take you.”
“Ice skating? Outside? Isn’t it kind of cold out there?” Then there was the possibility of falling and making a fool of herself.
“That’s why I told you to wear layers. Once you move around, you’ll warm up okay. It’s really quite fun, but if you don’t want to do it, I’ll understand.”
Well that was a surprise. He wasn’t coercing her. Yet. “It’s my choice?”
“If you don’t want to go, we can find something else to do. But I think you’ll have fun if you try.”
Falling on ice didn’t sound like fun, it sounded downright painful. “I don’t know how to ice skate.” There, she’d said it. Let the embarrassment commence.
“Hey, don’t worry about that. I can show you how and I promise, I won’t let you fall. So, did you want to grab something to eat downstairs before we go? We still have a couple of hours before sunset.”
Sunset? “Why can’t we go now? While the sun’s out?”
Frowning, he stood and started pacing. What the hell had she said to get him all riled up and could she take it back?
“Uh, yeah, about that.” He ran his hand through his hair. “You see, Sarah, I can’t, I mean, the sun, uhh.”
“Oh heavens, just spit it out, John. What’s the problem?”
He stopped. “I can’t go out into the sun. I-I’m allergic.”
“You’re what?”
He sat back beside her. “I know, I should have told you sooner. I just didn’t think it would come up this soon. I mean, you work during the day. I hope this doesn’t change anything…”
It all made sense. She put her fingers to his lips and little sparks of electricity raced through her hand. His eyes widened and he gasped. Damn, that wasn’t her intention. She put her hand down. “Is that really why you tried to break it off? Because you can’t go out during the day?”
He nodded and grabbed her hand as if he wanted more of the same. Whether or not he felt anything, she certainly did. He was like a drug. If she didn’t watch out, she’d be addicted. That’s if she wasn’t already.
“I guess we’ll wait until sundown, then.”
He smiled like a kid at Christmas and it was infectious. “Thank you. You’ll have fun tonight, I promise.”
Ice skating still scared the crap out of her, but how bad could it be if he held her? And he’d certainly keep her warm. Okay, maybe ice skating wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
“Did you mention something about food?”
As John led them to the bar, Sarah got a whiff of grilled hamburgers and her stomach growled. Oh God, she hoped he hadn’t heard it, but his staring at her with one eyebrow raised told her otherwise. She shrugged. “I ate a light lunch.”
“Well, then let’s get Pete to fix you up something.”
Except for the music playing, the place was practically a library compared to the last time. Only two people sat at the bar and four at a table.
“Are Saturday afternoons usually this slow?”
“Not always, but there aren’t any games on today. Next Sunday it’ll probably be busy with the Super Bowl. Sometimes I enjoy it when it’s quiet. It can get hectic in here when a game is on.” He snatched a menu and showed her to a table in the back, near the pool table, where it was more private. “Is this okay?”
She nodded. He held the seat for her. Who did that anymore? He made her feel like royalty. She took the seat and he sat in the one next to her. He handed her the menu.
“I’m afraid my selection is limited, but if there’s something you’d like that isn’t on the menu, Pete can probably whip it up, provided I have the ingredients.”
She looked over the menu. “What are you going to have?”
“Nothing.”
“What, don’t you eat?”
“Oh, I eat. I’m just on a special liquid diet. But don’t let me stop you. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable eating in front of me. I’m okay with it, really.”
Special liquid diet? Well, whatever kind of diet he was on certainly did wonders for him. He looked healthy. And strong. And beautiful. Hell, maybe she should try his diet, but right now her stomach craved real food and Pete’s hamburger won out.
* * * *
John nearly pinched himself. No day could be so perfect, could it? Sarah filled a part of him that had been empty too long, and now he couldn’t imagine his life without her. To think he’d almost let her go.
Heather winked at him and gave him a nudge as she placed Sarah’s meal on the table. What? No sly remark? She went on her way instead.
Sarah took a bite of her sandwich and her eyes lit up.
“Wow, this is probably the best burger I ever ate. Pete is a good cook.”
“That’s what I heard.”
She looked at him with widened eyes. “You sound like you’ve never tried his food. Do you want a bite?”
It smelled tasty and if he hadn’t come up with that stupid liquid diet excuse, might have taken a bite. Too late now. “Thank you, but I’m not hungry.”
She hit her forehead with the heel of her hand and laughed. “Oh, that’s right. Liquid diet, duh! I’m really not as dense as I seem.”
John laughed with her. He liked how she could be silly with herself and didn’t seem to take things personally.
Might she be able to handle the truth? Yeah, if he lived in Fantasy Land. He quickly squashed that thought.
At a quarter to six, John suggested they leave. It was funny how she agreed to go, but still looked scared. He hoped she felt differently once he got her out there.
Back upstairs, he helped her with her coat and smiled when she zipped it up high. Her pink scarf peeked out through the neck opening and she placed the earmuffs over her ears. The ensemble was complete with her pink knit hat and pink gloves. She certainly looked cozy and he hoped she stayed warm enough. He didn’t need this to backfire because of the weather.
Without thinking, John nearly grabbed his light jacket, but quickly came to his senses and donned his winter gear. He followed her down, but snuck in front to open the door. After he locked up, he offered his arm. Her gaze darted down the street before landing on him.
“What’s the matter?”
“We’re walking?”
“I thought so. It’s not that far.”
“Oh, okay.” She took his arm and snuggled close.
If this was what he got for walking in the cold with her, he’d take it.
Two blocks later, they arrived at the rink. He obtained her shoe size and left her huddled on the bench while he went to the rental booth. He passed a temperature sign. Thirty-two degrees. Hopefully it wouldn’t get too much colder; he wanted her to have fun. When he returned, he handed her the skates. She eyed them diffidently before taking them.
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