by Wendi Sotis
Elizabeth huffed out her frustration. She sat down once again, crossed her arms over her waist, and glared at Dan.
In a way, Elizabeth was relieved that Dan’s team was winning, because it gave him less reason to blow up later and make that prophetic picture come true. Of course, she wasn’t about to throw the game to keep the photo from happening, either. For all she knew, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference, anyway.
Then again, even though William looked calm and cool on the outside, he had to be all wound up inside and keeping his temper on a tight rein. Maybe Dan would end up pushing too far, and it would be William who snapped.
Can’t we just end this game now?
William had just been tagged out at second base, and he took up his usual coaching position near first. She was up next.
Dan pitched her ball to the outside. Having too much adrenaline pumping through her veins and seeking an outlet, she reached out and tipped it. The ball skittered through the infield, and, out of the corner of her eye, she could see the second baseman scoop it up.
It dawned on her too late that she really shouldn’t slide into first base while wearing shorts. Pain exploded in her knee and shin as sand grated her skin. The icing on the cake came when she heard Mr. Lucas call her out.
Elizabeth groaned and pushed herself into a sitting position so she could look at her leg. “That was a stupid thing to do.”
William and the first baseman, Larry Phillips, squatted down next to her.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes and looked at Larry. “You’d think after last year, I’d remember not to slide in shorts.” She winced as she brushed the pebbles out of the cuts as she explained to William, “I was on the high school girls’ softball team. It didn’t hurt so much to slide with uniforms on. Every time I play now, habit takes over.”
“Come on; let’s get you over to the bench.” William helped her up. Once she was on her feet, he lifted her into his arms and carried her off the field. Elizabeth could see Mrs. Reynolds gesturing for William to put her down on the bench where she had been sitting.
Glancing back toward the field over William’s shoulder, Elizabeth stiffened. Dan was rushing in their direction, and he looked angrier than a charging bull.
She patted William’s shoulder. “Put me down. Put me down, now!”
“Almost there.”
“You don’t understand—the picture!”
William’s eyes widened, and he mumbled something that she couldn’t understand. He placed her on the bench and turned around about a millisecond before Dan caught up to them. Dan slammed his open palms into William’s chest. Since William had been prepared to take a hit, he barely flinched.
“Get your hands off her, Darcy!” he growled as he pushed William again. William took a step back to steady his footing and held up his hands, showing everyone, especially Dan, that he wasn’t going to retaliate. He wasn’t backing away, either.
Elizabeth managed to stand and step between them, hoping to distract Dan’s attention.
“Elizabeth, get out of the way,” William said calmly.
Even though it occurred to her that William might touch her to move her out of the way, and that would probably enrage Dan further, she wasn’t backing down. “He was just helping me, Dan.”
Dan didn’t take his glare off William. “He probably set the whole thing up so he could carry you off the field. Did he tell you to slide, Lizzy?” Dan turned to Larry. “Did he tell her to slide?”
“Darcy didn’t do anything wrong,” Larry answered softly. He clapped his friend on the shoulder, took hold of his arm with his other hand, and moved closer so no one outside their little group could overhear. “Listen, you’re creeping me out here, dude. Use your head—think of your future. Nobody’s going to elect a District Attorney who’s a known hothead and picks fights. Walk away, Dan.”
Dan stood there for another few seconds staring at William, and then he shrugged off Larry’s hand. He turned to Elizabeth and asked in a calmer tone, “You okay, Lizzy?”
Elizabeth nodded. “I’ll be fine.”
“All right.” He threw one more glare William’s way and then walked away, heading for the pitcher’s mound. “Who’s up next?” Dan hollered.
“Charles, can you take over as captain?” William looked down at Elizabeth’s wound—blood was dripping down her leg, and her sock was soaked with it. His eyes widened. Lowering his voice, he said to Charles, “Keep Dan busy.”
Charles agreed and jogged away.
Mrs. Reynolds laid a hand on William’s arm. “We’d better find a first aid kit and see to Elizabeth.”
“There’s one in Lizzy’s bag at the picnic tables,” Jane offered.
“Why don’t you return to the game, Jane?” Elizabeth pleaded. “A scraped leg doesn’t warrant losing so many players. Georgiana and Mrs. Reynolds can take care of me.” She looked up at William.
William shook his head. “Don’t expect me to get back into the game. I’m team captain—or at least I was your captain—and I will take care of any injured players on my team. Besides, I think it’s better if I don’t return after I carry you all the way to the picnic area.” He winked at Elizabeth. “I doubt I’d escape without a softball in one of my eye sockets... or somewhere even less desirable.”
Elizabeth raised her chin stubbornly. “After what just happened, you are not carrying me. I can walk.” She got up and tried to limp away. Georgiana caught up to her and pulled Elizabeth’s arm over her shoulder. The two hobbled along for a few seconds before she heard William say loudly enough for her to hear it, “Be prepared for the worst and stay out of range, Mrs. Reynolds. I will not let her walk like that.”
“I’m glad you won’t, William. She’s going to injure herself further that way.”
In only moments, Elizabeth felt herself being swept off her feet by a pair of strong arms. She was tempted to cross her arms to show her disapproval of the situation, but being held by him felt too good to pass up. Her arms made their way around his neck to steady herself.
“You’re shaking,” he said, looking at the path ahead of them.
“I’m not used to seeing men fight.” It wasn’t a lie... but it wasn’t the complete truth, either. His nearness was affecting her in ways that she would not admit out loud.
William glanced at her and chuckled. “I’ve been in fights before, Elizabeth, and believe me, that wasn’t a fight.”
“I know what you mean, and I’ve seen a lot worse myself, but it’s a heck of a lot more frightening to stand right between two guys hyped up on adrenaline and testosterone than it is to stand on the sidelines, watching.”
“I would have moved you out of the way, but I figured if I touched you, Dan would completely lose control.”
She smiled. “I was thinking the same thing, and that’s why I stayed between you.”
“Huh?” He looked at her, his brows furrowed.
“If he was aware of my presence, he wouldn’t risk hurting me to get to you; therefore, by staying where I was, I saved you both from a fistfight.”
He set her on an empty picnic tabletop. Georgiana brought over Elizabeth’s backpack. Elizabeth rifled through it until she found the first aid kit. William and Georgiana kept Elizabeth talking to distract her while Mrs. Reynolds worked on her wounds.
“Sorry I’ve ruined your shirt, Will.” She looked down and scrunched her nose. “And your shorts.”
When he looked down and found blood stains on both, the color drained from his face. Remembering what he had said about the condition of his clothes after his family’s accident, Elizabeth gasped softly. “Really, Will, I am so sorry!”
He met her gaze and held it, taking a few deep breaths. “Don’t worry about it.”
When Mrs. Reynolds finished, Elizabeth thanked her and then announced, “Okay, that’s it! I’ve had enough, and I’m going home.” She grabbed her sneaker from William and wrestled it on. “Or at least I’m going to your home to look at the plans we spoke of. I have the key
you gave me. See you later.” Leaving the first aid kit on the Bennetts’ table, she slipped on her backpack and hobbled toward the parking lot. After a few steps, she stopped. Her shoulders slumped in defeat, and she turned around. “Can someone drive me, please? If it were my left leg, I’d be fine, but I don’t think I can manage driving right now.”
“I’ll take you.” William approached and took the backpack off her shoulders, slinging it over one of his own. “I can’t stay here with blood all over me anyway, and we need to discuss those plans.” He turned to Georgiana and Mrs. Reynolds, handing the older lady his car keys. “You two can stay as long as you’d like. We’ll be busy working in the conference room.”
“Not that I’m complaining, but you’re allowing me to drive your truck?” Mrs. Reynolds asked, wide-eyed.
“It’s just a truck,” he answered.
Elizabeth tried to hold back a smile as Georgiana and Mrs. Reynolds both seemed equally shocked.
William added, “Please, be careful.”
He lifted Elizabeth again and started walking to the parking lot.
“Elizabeth has changed him,” Georgiana remarked as soon as she thought they were out of hearing range.
Mrs. Reynolds nodded her agreement. “In more ways than one—and all for the better.”
Chapter 16
~Later that night
William lay awake, staring at the ceiling. While it might have a new coat of paint, this was the very ceiling under which Elizabeth had spent most of her life—sleeping, dressing, studying, working... dreaming.
Had she ever stared at this ceiling while thinking of me? He shook his head. If so, it probably wasn’t favorable thoughts. Her opinion of me did not improve while this was her room.
Trying to ease his mind, he thought back over the evening. Georgiana and Mrs. Reynolds had returned home from the picnic not too long after he and Elizabeth had, but other than letting Elizabeth and him know they were home, they had not disturbed their work until dinner was ready. By the time they were finished eating, the wind had kicked up and heavy rain had begun. When a weather alert sounded simultaneously from William’s and Elizabeth’s cell phones, they learned a severe storm had taken an unexpected turn and was headed directly toward them. When Charles and Richard arrived home after dropping off their girlfriends at the Bennetts’ home, they had convinced Elizabeth it was too dangerous to drive. She had agreed to stay.
It had affected him thoroughly when he entered his room tonight and found her laying on his bed—this bed—looking up through the skylight in the ceiling, as he was doing right now. Before she noticed him standing at the door, he had heard her say that she loved this room.
She had been with Georgiana, of course, who was giving her a tour of the changes they had made to her old home. William realized he must have made some sort of noise—actually, looking back, that sound he made probably gave away too much of what he had been feeling at seeing the woman he loved lying on his bed. Elizabeth had jumped off the bed as if it were on fire, twisting the ankle on the same leg she’d injured earlier in the day. It was bad enough to force her to request that he carry her again.
It had taken every bit of willpower he could muster to force himself not to throw Georgiana out of the room and return Elizabeth to his bed, but he had succeeded.
Therefore, he had not argued the point when she passed on his offer for her to sleep in her old room—his room, now. He was relieved when she had insisted on sleeping on the foldout couch in the storage room behind the conference area instead. He really didn’t think he could have handled being there in the house all night while knowing she was sleeping where he normally would... though he did know exactly where she was sleeping.
And right now, he desperately needed to stop thinking about that subject!
Lightning illuminated the windows, and thunder shook the house, bringing him back to the present. Acknowledging that there was no way he was going to get any sleep anyway, he had to get away from this room and end these thoughts. He rose and pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a tee shirt—he’d walk around the house and burn off some of this nervous energy.
He stopped at the kitchen to get a glass of water. When he brought the glass to his lips, he realized his hand was shaking. He put it down on the counter.
While staying at the Bennetts’ new home, William had spent a great deal of time studying what he thought of as Elizabeth’s photographic life story that lined the entire surface behind her bedroom door. Now, when he would least expect it, as he spent time in this house, visions of Elizabeth as a child popped into his mind.
But tonight, it had not been necessary to rely on his memory of her photographs to see her in these rooms. He had stood here in this spot doing the exact same thing earlier this evening, just after walking into the room and finding Elizabeth at the table with Georgiana... sitting in the seat he was staring at right now.
When Elizabeth had first been injured earlier in the day, other than the satisfaction of an opportunity to indulge his protective tendencies, he had been so worried about her that he hadn’t paid much attention to the intimacy of the situation. It wasn’t until he carried her to her car that her scent began to overwhelm him. He had had to force himself to concentrate on walking, trying his best not to pay attention to the way she fit so perfectly in his arms, the way her fingers were laced around his neck, the way she looked up at him and smiled. When he had leaned down to place her in her seat, her lips had been merely inches from his. She couldn’t possibly have known how difficult it had been for him not to kiss her.
I’ve got to stay busy. The storm... think about the storm!
He shook his head to clear his thoughts and left the kitchen. At each room’s doorway, he peeked inside to see if the raging winds had blown any tree branches through the windows.
As he approached the rooms above the garage to complete his inspection, he slowed his pace. With so many windows and a skylight in the conference room, William would not feel comfortable without checking that area, but Elizabeth was sleeping on the sofa bed in the next room. Would she feel that his being there was an invasion of her privacy?
He stopped. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and released it slowly.
I really should make sure she’s safe.
William straightened his back and continued down the hall, slowing again when he thought he heard music.
Arriving at the door to the conference room, he stopped short. Elizabeth sat leaning over a blueprint at the drafting table. He assumed she was examining the design they had spoken of earlier. Since she had not looked up, he supposed the noise of the storm and the music drifting from the radio on a table near the door must have drowned out the telltale creaking of the floorboards during his approach.
Hesitating to announce his arrival, he worried that his sudden appearance in the middle of the night with the unnerving atmosphere of the storm as a background might frighten her. He leaned against the doorjamb, enjoying the sight of her.
The clothing Georgiana had lent her to sleep in, a tank top and shorts, were a size too small, accentuating her curves. Her brow furrowed as happened only when she was in a state of deep concentration and worry.
How he loved that expression. Any time he saw it, he had to fight the temptation to take her in his arms and kiss away all her worries. Sighing quietly, he admitted that the suppressed desire to kiss Elizabeth was never very far from his thoughts.
A lock of dark hair fell across her cheek, renewing his attention. His own hand twitched as her slender fingers brushed the offending strand away and captured it behind her ear. Closing her eyes, she arched her spine to counter the bent position she had been in. The fabric of the tank top strained across her feminine charms.
William swallowed hard. Feeling like a voyeur, he pushed off the doorjamb and knocked on the wall just loudly enough that she could hear it over the sound of heavy rain pounding on the skylights overhead.
Elizabeth startled, turned, and smiled widely. “You
couldn’t sleep either?”
Not after today... and certainly not with you sleeping right down the hall, William admitted only to himself. He shook his head and took a few steps toward her.
She glanced at the clock. “Oh! I had no idea it was this late! I must’ve been sitting here for hours.” She stretched again, raising her hand to rub her neck.
“Here, let me.” He moved forward, placing his hands on her bare shoulders. She tensed slightly as he began to knead her stiff muscles, but after a few moments, she relaxed.
He concentrated on keeping his respiration even so she wouldn’t be aware of how this interlude was affecting him. “Georgiana tells me I have a talent for working out all the kinks whenever she’s pouring over her books, studying.”
His breathing stopped altogether when she moaned. “Mmmmm, that’s nice.”
Who do I think I’m kidding? This is nothing like rubbing my sister’s back.
He had not realized that his hands had stopped moving until Elizabeth turned in the tall stool to face him, revealing an expression of curiosity. The scent she wore usually drove him to distraction, but now it was close to overwhelming him. She seemed about to speak, but remained silent as their gazes locked.
When she placed her hand on his chest, William thought Elizabeth would push him away, but her hand lingered there over his heart instead, encouraging him. She had to feel it hammering wildly against his ribs, but suddenly, it didn’t matter if she finally knew of his attraction to her. He didn’t care that he had sworn he would never trust a woman again. It made no difference that he had been warned repeatedly not to act on his feelings. He loved her.
William’s breath caught as he recognized a longing reflected back at him in Elizabeth’s eyes.
Yes, he had misread women before, but this was different. She was different.
Were all of Dan’s actions today based on his seeing something in Elizabeth, and not just what he saw in me?
The radio announcer introduced a new song, which was perfect for a slow dance... perfect for this moment.