by Cara North
“Son of a bitch!” Ayden grabbed her foot almost knocking her over. He grabbed her hand and pulled her back up. Then he grabbed the line that was attached to the hook now in the side of her foot. “It’s a fishing hook, darlin’. Hang on.”
“It hurts.” Charlie was a little shocked.
“All right, hold on, darlin’. We gotta get you out of the water, so I can see this.” Ayden lifted her up and began the march out of the water. Tears began to stream down her cheeks as she saw the blood dripping from her right foot. It ripped at him to see her in pain. The hook wouldn’t kill her, but she didn’t know that. He promised her nothing would happen today and here she was, bleeding.
“I don’t want stitches or a shot, Ayden.” Charlie sobbed. “I don’t want to go to the hospital.”
“We’ll see. Just hang on, Charlie. Let’s set you down and get a look at it.” Ayden sat her down on the beach and grabbed her foot.
Charlie saw the blood and felt squeamish.
“Oh, it’s okay, just a little fishing hook.” Ayden knew he had to minimize the damage. She needed at least a stitch, and he didn’t want to pull the hook out himself.
“Can you pull it out?” Charlie sobbed as Joshua and Tom approached and loomed over her.
“Pull what out?” Joshua bent to look at her foot that Ayden held with blood streaming down between it and his hand.
“Fishing hook.” Ayden sighed.
“You’re gonna have to go to the hospital to get it out, may even need a stitch or two.” Tom nodded.
“No!” Charlie cried. “Ayden, you can pull it out. I won’t cry.”
“Please don’t do that, darlin’.” Ayden swallowed hard. She was trying to suck up her tears and be brave. Just the mention of hospital and she was already on the verge of a panic attack.
“Noel,” Tom called up the beach to his wife and motioned for her. “She’s a nurse. If she says you need to go, then you need to go.”
“Ayden, please, I can’t go to the hospital. I can’t you know that.” Charlie began hyperventilating. The last hospital she was in she saw Michael in the morgue.
“Joshua, grab a paper bag please.” Ayden handed her foot off to Tom and moved beside her. He gave Tom a look that could have killed. Why did he have to keep saying hospital? “Charlie, it’s okay, baby. Just look at me. Breathe.”
Joshua returned with a paper bag and set Ethan, Chase, and Evelyn on crowd control. The last thing she needed was a bunch of people around her. Noel was looking at the foot now. Reassuring her it would be all right. Because of the holiday, EMT’s were staged around the beach, and two were on their way now as a crowd of people gathered.
Charlie could see Ayden, but she couldn’t hear him. Then he was fuzzy, then gone.
“Damn it!” Ayden shouted as she passed out. The EMT’s were there with the first aid kit and checking her out.
“What happened?” one guy said.
“Fishing hook, right foot.” Ayden pointed and held her head.
“This will probably need stitches,” the other guy spoke.
“No shit.” Ayden lifted Charlie up and began carrying her away.
“Sir…,” the first man started.
“It’s okay. He’ll take her to the hospital. Thanks for your help.” Joshua blocked the EMT. Ayden would tear the man up if he tried to stop him now.
“I’ll go get the seats out of the back.” Ethan ran to catch up with the Wolf who was making great time in bare feet while carrying a six-foot woman. He grabbed Ayden’s keys and tossed his shoes in Charlie’s bag. The man would likely break into his own vehicle and hot wire it rather than walk back.
“Ayden,” Ethan called as the Wolf unlocked his door. He slowed down and gave him a quizzical look. “How the hell?”
“I keep a key hidden on the truck just in case.” Ayden nodded toward the door, and Ethan opened it.
“You never cease to amaze me with all of your super secret shit.” Ethan opened the back door to the double cab and unlatched the car seats. “Your shoes are in her bag and here.”
Ethan handed Ayden the keys. “Call us.”
“I will.” Ayden buckled Charlie in and headed around to the driver’s side.
Chapter 12
Charlie woke up with her head in Ayden’s lap. She was cold and uncomfortable. Her chest hurt and so did her head.
“Ouch.” So did her foot.
“Hold still. He’s almost done.” Ayden stroked her hair, and she relaxed closing her eyes again.
“Am I in a hospital?” she whispered and felt her chest begin to tighten again. Damn panic attacks.
“You’re with me. Keep your eyes closed and focus on me.” Ayden stroked her cheek. The doctor was tying the last little stitch, only three. There wouldn’t have been any, but the fisherman thought he hooked a fish and gave a good pull. The hook was barely in there, but Ayden wouldn’t take chances with Charlie. “You remember when I told you about SEAL training?”
“Yes.” Charlie closed her eyes tight and concentrated on Ayden. She was in a hospital.
“We stood out in the ocean all hours of the day and night, freezing our asses off.” Ayden still stroked her cheek. The doctor nodded quietly and left the paperwork on the bed with directions and a prescription for an antibiotic. “Never in a million years would I believe that some fisherman would catch your foot in a body of water that size.”
“I’m not a lucky woman.” Charlie laughed. It was absurd. They had been in the water all day. As soon as she got in, something happened.
She felt Ayden picking her up.
“Keep your eyes closed. Just talk to me.” Ayden walked out of the room and down the hall.
“Are we going back to the beach?” Charlie asked.
“No, I think everyone was packing up when we left.” Ayden guessed at that. They had planned to spend the day there and then catch the fireworks, but with all the excitement, he wasn’t going back. “We can see the fireworks from home.”
“I’m freezing,” Charlie admitted.
“That’s because you’re almost naked in an air-conditioned building. We’re almost outside.” Ayden passed through the sliding doors and into the scorching July heat. “There we go.”
Charlie opened her eyes to the blinding sunlight. She looked at Ayden as he still carried her across the parking lot. “You’re cold, too.”
“That’s because I’m almost naked, darlin’. There wasn’t a lot of time to put clothes on and get you to the hospital.” He laughed as he sat her inside the truck. “Look what you did to my truck.”
Charlie looked at the blood-stained floor and felt bad. He loved this truck. It was immaculate. He opened the driver’s side door and slid in.
“I’m sorry about the mess.”
“I was just teasing you, darlin’. It’s just a truck. You hungry?” Ayden tilted her chin toward him. She was on the verge of tears again. “What’s wrong, darlin’?”
“I’m embarrassed.” Charlie tried to look away, but he held her chin in place on his fingers.
“About what?”
“Everything, crying, passing out, God I’m a mess.” Charlie had no choice but to look at him.
“Why are you embarrassed about that?” Ayden let her go and started up the truck. The hot sun had warmed them quickly, and he needed air again.
“Now everyone will think I’m a nut case.” Charlie fished through her bag and pulled on a T-shirt and shorts.
“If you are, then you came to the right place, darlin’. You know how messed up Noel and Evelyn are. Grace and Megan aren’t much better. Stephanie, well, she’s related to Joshua, so that should sum it up for you.” Ayden laughed. “Nobody’s perfect, Charlie.”
“You are.” Charlie looked at him.
“No, darlin’, I’m not.” Ayden let out a long breath. Here was the crux of his problem with Charlie. She thought he was perfect. How he had no idea. “I have flaws, Charlie, lots of them.”
“Not character flaws.”
H
ow could he argue with that without telling her the horrible things he had done in his past? He didn’t want Charlie to look at him as a killer, but he had killed before. He didn’t want her to think of him as a failure, but he had failed her sister and the other girls by not catching on to the clues in time. He had failed Evelyn by not revealing himself as her brother until years after he knew her. The list could go on.
“I’m not perfect, darlin’.” Ayden left it at that. Charlie surprised him by sliding her hand over to his thigh and just resting it there. It felt nice, reassuring.
Charlie knew he blamed himself for a lot of things. Things he had no control over, things that he was required to do in the line of duty. Ayden wasn’t perfect, but he was perfect for her. He just didn’t understand that yet. She placed her hand on his thigh to reassure him that it didn’t matter to her.
He grew quiet and distant.
“I’m hungry.” Charlie squeezed his thigh.
“We’re almost home now. I’ll order us a pizza when we get in.” Ayden shook his head. She had to wait until they were on the bridge, less than ten minutes from the house, to say she was hungry.
“That sounds good.” Charlie smiled. “When is everyone leaving?”
“Sunday.”
“You’re ready for them to go?” She knew that tone of voice. “Yep.”
“Me too?” She squeezed his leg again.
“Nope.”
“You sure about that?” Charlie smiled as they pulled up in front of his house, and he realized everyone was there, at his house, probably waiting on them.
“I’m sure.” Ayden pulled into his space and leaned over to kiss her, but the passenger door opened, and Joshua yanked her out. He was carrying her up the stairs while Evelyn and Noel fawned over her from both sides. “What the hell?”
“You coming in or what?” Tom poked his head into the truck and looked at Ayden. All the women were worried and so were the boys, so they packed up and came home. Ayden looked a little worn out. Tom understood why. He had a woman in his life. Tom gave him a knowing look and laughed as he walked away.
Inside the house Joshua sat Charlie on the couch, and Evelyn propped her foot on a pillow. The two boys were hanging on the back of the couch telling her how worried they were. Ayden headed up to take a shower. Charlie was out of his reach for now. The feelings that shot through him were new. Possessive and protective. He wanted her to himself, he wanted to be the one to pamper her, was that more jealousy?
* * *
When he returned downstairs, she was alone watching television. He knew he had spent a while in the shower and even longer in his bedroom getting dressed and checking e-mail. He wanted to give them a chance to wind down. Apparently, they had and moved on. At least they fed her. Pizza, they stole his idea, too.
“Pizza’s on the counter.” Charlie pointed over the couch.
“Thanks.” Ayden pulled two cold slices out of the box, slid them on a paper plate, grabbed a soda from the refrigerator, and headed to the living room. “Where did everybody go?’
“To watch the fireworks.” Charlie tried to move her legs, but he just lifted them, sat down, and pulled them in his lap.
“You want me to take you out to the porch so you can see them?” Ayden slid a hand along her calve. Her legs were a mile long and smooth as silk except where the sand still stuck to her.
“No, I’m beat. I need to take a shower. I still have sand all over me.” Charlie closed her eyes at his touch. The moments they shared in private were so good. She couldn’t wait for everyone to leave. Then she could have him all to herself.
“I’ll run you a bath. You need to keep that foot out of there. You don’t want all the sand and stuff running down into those stitches.” Ayden patted her legs and looked at the foot. Her first scar and it was his fault. He hauled her out to the ocean, and some other man tried to reel her back in. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“Dragging you out to the water. If I would have just left you alone…”
“I wouldn’t have had the chance to enjoy that kiss.” Charlie searched his eyes and found him feeling guilty. She just knew it.
“Don’t you dare blame yourself for this. That guy had no business fishing that close to people.” Charlie wanted to kick him for even thinking it was his fault. He took on way too much responsibility. That’s why she didn’t tell him about the ordeal in Vegas. He would be on full alert and hunting again. No need. She was away from there and safe, here with him. “I’m just glad it caught me and not one of the boys.”
“Now you’ll have a scar.” Ayden looked at the stitches.
“And someday I’ll have stretch marks and wrinkles. Hell, I already have wrinkles.” Charlie pointed to her eyes. “Right here in the corners.”
“You don’t have wrinkles. I have wrinkles.” Ayden pointed to his forehead and his cheeks.
“Those aren’t age wrinkles. They’re character lines from smiling or frowning or thinking.” Charlie knew they were more from frowning and thinking than smiling, but they looked the best when he smiled. “I think they look sexy on you.”
“Thanks, darlin’.” Ayden smiled. She had no reason to be attracted to him, yet she was. Any man with eyes that could see was attracted to Charlie. He wanted to rip the heads off the EMT’s that came to check her out. They perused her body more than her foot, and that was what pissed him off the most.
The phone rang, and Ayden got up to answer it. Charlie heard his side of the conversation, and he seemed a little stressed by the end of it though as far as she could tell it was just a meeting of some sort next week.
“Charlie, I have to tell you something, and in light of our current situation, you’re probably going to be mad.” Ayden paced at the foot of the couch. “What?” Charlie sat up anticipating something horrible.
“I forgot about a date I had made for next week. I would cancel, but it’s one of the other instructor’s cousins, and she’s only in town for a few days. He already told her I would take her out.” Ayden didn’t want to take her out. He wanted to stay home with Charlie.
“Oh, well, that’s okay.” Charlie was a little jealous, but he had made the commitment prior to their agreement. Plus it gave her wiggle room to test his emotional progress. “Are there any more dates lined up I should know about?”
“No.” Ayden held his hands up. “This was the only one. I swear it.”
“It’s okay, Ayden. I mean we’re just getting to know each other on this level, right? Maybe a date would be good for you. Maybe I should…”
“Like hell. Look, I have to take her to dinner, that’s it. Leon needs to take his wife out for their anniversary, and his cousin happened to schedule her visit around that day. It’s not even a real date. It’s more like a favor.” Ayden propped his hands on his hips and scowled at her. How could she think it was a good idea for him to date other women? The mere thought of Charlie out with another man made him seethe with anger. “Do you want to come along?”
“No, don’t be ridiculous.” Charlie was satisfied with his reaction. Now she just prayed the woman wouldn’t grab his attention.
“Come on. Let’s get you in the tub.” Ayden pulled her up into his arms.
“I can walk, you know?”
“I know.” He kissed her nose. “But I like carrying you, makes me feel like a cave man. Besides, I haven’t been to the gym all week. Lifting you is a good workout.”
“Ayden.” Charlie feigned offense. She knew she wasn’t fat. He knew it, too, but she was tall and had a lot of lean muscle. Not the lightest feather in the pile that’s for sure.
* * *
Ayden ran the bath while Charlie sat on the commode watching him. She could have drawn her own bathwater, but he insisted. His big body sat on the edge of his tub, and he circled the water occasionally with his hand to make sure it was warm and not hot. The night was coming to an end, and she hated not sleeping next to him. Her foot could play a sympathy card in that direction, but she didn�
��t want to overplay her hand either.
“Are you going to bathe me, too?” Charlie teased.
“What, you think I should?” Ayden would love to, but he was the one slowing things down. Bathing Charlie wouldn’t slow anything down.
“You can if you want to. I mean I can’t walk, can’t run water, why should I be able to wash myself?” It was his idea to slow down not hers. She would jump ahead any safe spaces she could at any sign of weakness.
“Hummm.” He thought about it long and hard, just like he was getting. “It does make sense, but I think I better not.”
“That’s too bad.” Charlie started undressing as he turned the water off. He wanted to be the tough guy, fine. “Can you at least pull the bottoms off for me?”
“Sure, darlin’.” Damn, that didn’t work. “You need help getting in the tub?”
“I think so, yes.” Charlie pouted and nodded innocently. She felt horns growing out of her head she was being so devilish.
Ayden slid her shorts and swimsuit bottoms off at the same time carefully pulling them over her feet. There she was, naked again. Why couldn’t she have shown up in November? Instead, it was hot as the devil and Ayden knew why. He was looking at her in the flesh. Temptation, yes, Charlie was tempting him, so he returned the favor.
Ayden trailed his big hands over her legs tenderly, slid them up her sides and then around her back. Charlie was so enraptured by his caress she closed her eyes and tilted her head back. His touch affected her so much. Slowly he slid them around then finally in place to lift her. He sat her in the warm water. Charlie somehow managed to remember to leave the right foot on the side of the tub. She thought for sure he would leave, but he sat on the side of the tub instead.
“Are you going to bathe me?” Charlie said hopeful.
“Nope, just thought I’d watch.” Ayden dipped the washcloth in the water next to her and grabbed the soap. He lathered the cloth and handed it to her. The tub was large and deep, and he bought it for that exact reason. Charlie was realizing that it was going to take some balance, and he stayed close in case she really needed his help.