“I’ll move it.” Mark grasped Alice’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “I’ll be back before you’re done.” He strode down the corridor.
Favored person status? Alice eyed the nurse. Maybe she was an ex-girlfriend? Her thoughts must have shown in her eyes.
“Mark handled my divorce, so I’m cutting him some slack.” The nurse wheeled Alice next to the x-ray machine and helped her up onto the table. “I’ve never seen him so frantic. Have you been dating long?”
Confused, Alice rubbed her forehead. “Not very.”
“He’s a good man. Very capable. But you know that, right?” The nurse straightened Alice’s foot gently, and brought the machine above it. She covered Alice’s torso with a lead apron, then took the x-ray.
“Okay, we’re done.” She helped Alice back into the wheelchair again. “I’ll get these films to the doc, and we’ll see what damage you’ve done to that ankle.”
“Thanks.” Exhaustion flowed over her as she slumped in the chair. The race to the hospital had been an adrenaline rush of hoping the pipe repair would hold. She’d had to clench her teeth a couple of times when the pain intensified as the truck took a corner too fast, jarring her. She hadn’t said anything, recognizing the strain in the little lines that feathered from the edges of Mark’s eyes and the hands clenched white around the steering wheel.
The nurse was right, he had been frantic. The feeling obviously hadn’t lessened on their arrival. He’d paced back and forth as they waited for the doctor. And he hadn’t seemed to be able to stop himself from touching her, with a hand on her shoulder, a rub of her back, the lacing of long fingers through hers. She liked the comfort he gave so easily.
They reached the ward, and the nurse helped her into bed. “He’ll be back in a minute.”
Alice smiled. “I wasn’t…”
The nurse smiled back. “You so were thinking about Mark.” She patted Alice’s arm. “I don’t blame you—he’s a keeper.” Running footsteps sounded in the corridor outside. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
Mark burst into the room, his hair awry, concern written all over his face. “I had no money for the meter. I had to go and—”
The nurse smiled at him. “She’s fine.”
Then she left, and silence filled the room.
Mark pulled up a chair next to the bed and sank onto it. “I need to explain, to apologize for not telling you the truth.”
Nerves fluttered in Alice’s stomach. She breathed in deep, and waited.
“That’s what this trip today was for. To confess and explain.”
“Was it?” Another man had been dishonest once, and the echoes of deception ate away at her insides. When Mark had confessed on Heartbreak Ridge, her first reaction was one of shocked disappointment. But as he’d worked on fashioning a repair from her boot, she’d seen the regret on his face.
Mark pulled in a deep breath. “I wasn’t lying when I said I had a crush on you. The thought of you fixing my car was hotter than hell. The way you took charge and were so capable was such a turn-on.” The look on his face was sincere.
It would be easy to tell him to go to hell. To guard her heart.
“I wanted an excuse to see you again, to talk to you. And I did need the brake pads replaced, so when you offered, I jumped at it. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was totally capable of doing the repairs myself. After dinner, I wanted more than anything to kiss you senseless in the elevator and follow you through the door into your apartment. To make love to you all night. But I couldn’t do that when you didn’t know the truth. And then Louise happened… I’ve been a total idiot.”
He’d tried to explain before, and had walked away when she desperately wanted him to stay, rather than make love to her under false pretenses. A warm feeling bloomed in her chest.
“My ankle might be broken, and even if it’s not, I’m going to have to stay off my feet for a few days. I’m going to need some help around the apartment.” She gazed into his eyes.
“I live just upstairs. I could be there whenever you need me.”
“You’d have to be at my beck and call. I’m going to need a lot of TLC.”
Mark brushed a hand against her hair. “When it comes to you, Alice, I have more than enough tender, loving care to go around.” His mouth hovered mere inches from hers. “Let me show you.”
Alice’s pulse raced. She breathed in his scent, citrusy, overlaid with a faint aroma of motor oil. It wasn’t a declaration of love, but love shone in his eyes, was there in every touch. She wanted him, both in her bed and in her life. Couldn’t imagine being without him.
“Yes.” She looped a hand around his neck, drawing him closer. “Yes, please.”
* * *
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Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank my family for putting up with my distracted self while I’ve been writing and editing. I couldn’t do it without you! And thanks must go to my talented editor, Lewis Pollak, whose attention to detail has made this story shine.
About the Author
Sally Clements writes fun, sexy, and real contemporary romance, partnering hot heroes with heroines who know what they want and go for it! Since her first novel was published in 2010, she’s published seven more and is a full-time author. Sally lives in the Irish countryside, and when she isn’t writing can usually be found in traffic, driving “Mum’s taxi.” Always a voracious reader, she considers writing for a living the perfect job—the only downside is saying goodbye to her characters at book’s end!
You can find her at:
Blog: http://www.sallyclements.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SallyClementsAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sallywriter
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Other Books by Sally Clements
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Love for Beginners
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Mechanic Melody Swan is looking for a man who can share her hopes and dreams, but she swore she would never lose herself to passion. When sexy Heath Starr agrees to temporarily sub in the Under the Hood garage for his sister, Mel sees the perfect opportunity to enjoy being with a man without becoming attached. Heath came to Meadowsweet to photograph nature, not find a hookup, especially since his last relationship ended in disaster. When the two find themselves isolated in a rustic cabin, they could both break their promises if they aren’t careful…
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Under the Hood: An Under the Hood Novella (Entangled Bliss) Page 6