“You do realize you owe me big-time for coming along,” Meredith told Shelby when they finally stopped for lunch.
Jed had excused himself for a few minutes and walked away. Even though he was slightly gray in the face and was dressed more casually than usual in a dark red, crew-necked sweater and jeans, he turned more than one woman’s head.
“You already conned me out of my copper blouse,” Shelby reminded her. She stared across the room at the menu board and wondered if she had time to get a chocolate shake. Right now she needed all the comfort she could get.
Meredith finished the last of her drink and set down the cup. “I know I was discharged today with my doctor’s blessing, not like someone else who’s so stubborn he checked out long before he should have.” She ignored Shelby’s warning glare. “I was getting to know the man of my dreams, and instead, I’m chaperoning the two of you. Guess where I’d rather be?” She went on without waiting for a reply. “Which I believe means I deserve the earrings that go so beautifully with that blouse. After all, they are a set and shouldn’t be separated, should they?”
Shelby leaned across the table. “You are pushing the limit.”
Meredith merely smiled. “You were the one who was so eager to go up there, so don’t try to put any blame on me.”
“She only went because she didn’t want to see me again. Too bad her plan didn’t work.”
They looked up to find Jed standing by their table. Shelby noticed he held a paper plate in his hand, which he placed in front of her.
Shelby’s mouth watered. A slice of cheesecake.
She turned to face him when he sat down. “Thank you.”
While there was no smile on his lips, there was one in his eyes. “Thought this might calm you down some. As for our traveling buddy…” He handed Meredith a tall cup.
Her eyes lit up. “A chocolate shake. You are forgiven,” she said regally, taking the plastic spoon he handed her and promptly digging into her treat.
“Thank you so much,” he said sardonically.
Shelby cast him a sly glance. “Are you regretting returning with us?”
“Not at all. I’m learning more every moment I’m with the two of you,” he replied.
She felt a frisson of unease travel up her spine at the expression on his face. “Such as?”
Jed stirred his coffee in a leisurely manner even though he hadn’t added anything to it.
“I’ve found out that there’s a lot more to you than I ever knew about. I fully intend to ferret out that hidden part of you until there’s nothing about you I don’t know.”
Shelby was grateful she hadn’t had her shake in her hand. Otherwise, it would have surely dropped from nerveless fingers.
Chapter 13
“I must say, being with you two is better than sitting home watching a television sitcom,” Meredith announced when Shelby dropped her off at her condo. Shelby had walked her up to her front door. Meredith looked past her, smiled and wiggled her fingers at a stone-faced Jed, who merely inclined his head in acknowledgment. “Goodbye, Jed,” she called out. “It’s been entertaining.”
Smiling brightly, she turned to face a glaring Shelby. “He’s so cute when he’s serious, isn’t he?”
“What has happened to you?” Shelby demanded.
“You should know, since you suffer from the same ailment. It’s called love.” Meredith patted Shelby’s cheek. “Give your father a hug from me. Then do yourself a favor.” She lowered her voice. “Make an effort to show Jed what a great thing he has in you. You just might get a very nice surprise.” She unlocked her door, quickly disarmed her security system, and stepped inside. “Call me later and let me know how things go,” she ordered.
“I hope your good Dr. Taylor snores like a freight train,” Shelby said loudly just before walking off.
“He would never do that.” Meredith’s light response followed her down the walkway.
Shelby was still muttering under her breath when she jerked open the driver’s door and dropped onto the seat. She turned to Jed and held up one hand in warning. “Not one word,” she insisted in a dark voice. “If you value your life you won’t say one word.”
“Fine by me.” He turned back to stare out the windshield. “Why don’t you just drop me off at my place? Feel free to use the car to go visit your father. I can understand you’re anxious to see him.”
“Whatever.” There was no way she was going to let him know she had another plan in mind. She turned on the radio and found some classical music in hopes it would lull him to sleep. Her goal would be easier to accomplish if he wasn’t awake.
Jed settled back in the seat and closed his eyes. He was more tired than he’d realized, and he could feel painful twinges starting at the edge of his wound and moving in with relentless daggers. He slowed his breathing, willing the blood to flow slower, to allow him to drift into a dream state as the soft music soothed his tired brain.
Ordinarily, he wouldn’t have tried this technique when he was with someone else. The last thing he wanted was to allow anyone to see him in a weakened state—especially Shelby. But it was a long drive to his apartment and he wanted to conserve his strength as best he could. Once he made it back there, he figured it shouldn’t be any problem to get up to his apartment, where he could shed his clothing, drop into bed and sleep for a week. Once Warren knew of his injury, he would understand Jed’s not coming to see him right away. The idea had barely formed in his brain before he began to fall into a light doze.
If Shelby only realized just what it meant for him to sleep while she drove. He thought it best not to let her know how much he trusted her. She was getting too out of hand as it was.
Jed wasn’t sure what told him something was wrong. Perhaps the sounds of traffic were a little too loud for his neighborhood. And why could he hear so many sirens? Was there an accident or a fire nearby? He frowned as he forced himself to swim upward through the foggy gray layers of sleep.
When he opened his eyes, they were parked in a garage, with a sign nearby posting hospital visiting hours. He blinked several times and carefully turned his head. Shelby was curled up in the seat with her back resting against the door. She watched him with an unwavering gaze.
“I thought I told you to drop me off at my apartment,” he said slowly. He was right; she was getting out of hand.
“You need medical attention that you’ll get a lot easier here than at home,” she said, so reasonably it was almost frightening. Why couldn’t she be as intimidated by him as everyone else was? “So I called Dad’s doctor on our way here and he arranged to have someone check you over when we arrived. You were sleeping so peacefully I didn’t want to wake you.”
Jed sincerely wished he could lose his temper. Except that would take too much energy, and right now he didn’t have any to spare.
“I had more than enough medical attention at the hospital to last a lifetime. I’m fine,” he growled, forgetting the burning pain in his chest. Damn! All he wanted was a bed! Why, for once, couldn’t she do what he wanted her to?
“Are you fine?” Shelby asked softly, nodding toward his chest.
Something in her eyes told him there was more to her argument than her trying to be stubborn about this. He looked down and swore. He didn’t have to touch the dark splotch on his sweater to know it wasn’t water.
“You started bleeding just before we dropped Meredith off,” she said quietly. “I’d already planned to bring you here to make sure it was safe for you to check out of the hospital so soon. But once I saw you were bleeding through your bandages, I knew it had to be done no matter how much you didn’t like it.”
“Look…” Jed bit back his instinctive argument when he looked at her fully. There was true fear in Shelby’s eyes and her lips trembled. “Oh, hell,” he groaned, turning to open his door. He muttered a pithy curse when a sharp pain hit his chest. Luckily, he was able to mask it before she could see him.
Shelby hopped out of the car, ran around to t
he passenger side and waited as Jed levered himself out. She sensed he wouldn’t appreciate any assistance on her part, so she stood back, waiting for him to climb out. As soon as he closed the door, she set the car alarm and took his arm.
“I do not need any help,” he said between clenched teeth as they headed for the elevator.
“I know you don’t,” she said airily, pulling him closer. “But take advantage of snuggling up to me while you can.”
“Where did this bossy woman come from?” he asked no one in particular.
“I’ve always been this way. I just kept this side of my nature from you.” Shelby punched the elevator call button. “Of course, being such an open and honest person, you wouldn’t understand such a thing.”
He couldn’t help but grin when she made payback so enjoyable. “Touché.”
Shelby ushered him into the elevator car. “Yes, well, wait until you hear what I’m going to tell the doctor about you.”
Just before the door closed, someone joined them inside the car, so Jed wasn’t given a chance to demand just what she had meant by that statement. He settled for a meaningful glare, but it didn’t seem to have the power it used to. She merely gave him a serene smile in return.
Jed hated hospitals. He’d never been in one he liked. To him, they always meant being given food that wasn’t fit for a dog, being awakened at odd times just to make sure he was all right, being poked and prodded and asked where it hurt when they damn well knew where it hurt. Not to mention being woken up to be given a damn sleeping pill!
He was positive this hospital wasn’t any different. The doctor greeted him warmly, then turned into the consummate professional when he saw the blood staining Jed’s sweater. He turned to Shelby.
“If you’ll just wait outside, Miss Carlisle, while I conduct the examination,” he said, glancing toward the door.
She perched on a small stool. “I’m staying.”
Jed winced as he tried to extricate himself from his sweater. “Dammit, Shelby,” he muttered.
She didn’t blink an eye at his grizzly-bear attitude. “I want to make sure you tell the doctor everything.” She smiled at the doctor. “He tends to bend the truth to his own means.”
“Next time I bend something…” Jed said under his breath, leaving the rest of the threat unspoken. He swallowed a curse as the sweater caught on his bandage, pulling on his wound.
Shelby gasped when she saw the blood staining the white strips across Jed’s chest. After his next warning look, she remained quiet as the doctor and nurse removed the bandages and examined his injury. She kept her lips compressed tightly as she saw the stitches used to close the ragged wound. The skin was badly bruised, black and purple; there was no doubt there would be a scar marring the muscled skin she remembered caressing with such delight.
The few other scars on his chest were much smaller and fainter. She knew the new one wouldn’t affect her feelings toward him. But the realization of what he did for a living and what could happen to him hit her harder now than before. While he might be used to dealing with this kind of danger, she wasn’t used to seeing its effects. She didn’t like it.
“You’re a very lucky man,” she heard the doctor tell Jed. “A fraction of an inch to the left and you wouldn’t be here now.”
“I figured that,” he replied.
Shelby blinked rapidly, but it didn’t help. The edges of her world still flickered and turned a soft pastel color before turning black. She had no idea when she slid off the stool onto the floor in a graceful heap. Nor did she hear Jed shout her name in a panicked tone. If the doctor hadn’t been holding on to him tightly, he would have caused further damage to his wound by trying to catch her.
“Miss Carlisle. Miss Carlisle.”
Something pungent was passed under Shelby’s nostrils. She batted at the offending smell and jerked her head from side to side.
“And I thought those creeps smelled bad,” she muttered, opening her eyes. She was stunned to find herself lying on the examination table while a worried-looking Jed hovered over her. The nurse standing next to him, holding something in her hand, smiled and stepped back. “It’s natural to faint,” she assured Shelby.
“Not for me.” She started to sit up, but Jed pushed her back down.
“And you figured I was the one who needed medical attention,” he rumbled.
Shelby frowned at the bandages on his chest. They were white. “Where’s the blood?”
“While you napped, the doctor cleaned me up and said if I don’t do anything stupid, he can’t force me to check in here,” he told her with a smug smile.
She curled her lip. “Then he doesn’t know you very well, does he?” She glanced at the doctor. “In case you haven’t figured it out yet, Doctor, Mr. Hawkins doesn’t take directions very well. It would be easier to just tie him to the bed.”
The man looked pained. “Miss Carlisle, he’s an adult. I’m afraid I can only do so much. If he doesn’t want to check in, I can’t force him,” he explained.
She uttered a long-suffering sigh. “Then I guess it’s up to me.” She pushed herself off the table. It took a moment for her to keep her balance without fearing she would fall on her face. She walked over to Jed and gently placed her hands on his thighs. She could feel the play of hard muscles under her palms. She looked into eyes the color of storm clouds at dusk.
“Jed, you can’t be a hero all the time,” she said softly, keeping her eyes locked on his. “If you had stayed in the hospital instead of checking yourself out too early, you wouldn’t have torn those stitches and started the wound bleeding again. You can’t afford to take any more chances with yourself. If I had driven you to your apartment the way you wanted me to, you might have collapsed on your bed and bled to death out of pure stubbornness. Now, either you check yourself in here until the doctor says you’re ready to be discharged, or I will go up to my father and tell him you are not physically ready for work. I don’t think you want me to do that.”
Jed uttered a soft curse. “All right,” he conceded grudgingly. “But don’t expect me to be pleasant about this.”
There was relief in her smile. “I’ll make sure you don’t regret it.”
He hooked an arm around her neck and brought her face closer to his. “That’s a promise I’ll want you to keep,” he murmured, before bringing his mouth down on hers.
Shelby’s head spun, as it always did when Jed kissed her. All sense of time disappeared as she gave herself up to the heady taste and leaned further into his embrace.
If the doctor hadn’t coughed just then, anything could have happened. She could feel her face burning with embarrassment as she drew back. She offered him an apologetic smile. “Sometimes I have to use unorthodox methods to get him to behave,” she explained.
“I’d say it worked very well,” he muttered. “I’ll arrange a room for Mr. Hawkins. A nurse and orderly will be in shortly,” he thought to warn them before walking out.
Jed was grinning when Shelby turned back to him. “You enjoyed that, didn’t you?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I wasn’t sure it would work, but I could hope. Besides, whether you want to admit it or not, you must be in a lot of pain. The ride back wasn’t all that smooth.”
“Not with Meredith and her lively chatter incessantly flowing from the back seat,” he said wryly. “That woman can outtalk a magpie.”
“Mr. Hawkins?” A nurse and an orderly standing behind a wheelchair appeared in the doorway. “Shall we take you up?”
For a moment Jed looked uncertain, but the expression was banished from his eyes as quickly as it had appeared.
“Would you mind if I tagged along?” Shelby asked. “That way, later on, I won’t have to peek in every room to find you.”
“If you want to.”
Shelby hid her smile as she watched Jed sink into the wheelchair and allow himself to be wheeled out of the room. How like Jed to refuse to admit he needed someone. Perhaps she was getting further under
his skin than he realized.
After Shelby saw Jed settled into his room, she kissed him and headed for the cardiac wing. After what he had told her about her father’s position, she wasn’t surprised to find a well-dressed, yet dangerous-looking man seated in front of his room. She smiled and introduced herself to the man. Still, it wasn’t until he’d carefully examined her identification that she was allowed inside.
Shelby found her father seated by the window looking out. His navy blue velour robe enveloped a figure that didn’t seem quite as large as it had been before. His skin color wasn’t as robust as she remembered and he looked frail. Her nose wrinkled at the antiseptic aroma in the room. Even the many bouquets of flowers surrounding them couldn’t disguise the smell she always equated with a hospital. She erased the concern from her face and forced a smile to her lips.
“Honestly, I can’t leave you alone for a minute without you getting into trouble, can I?” she teased.
Warren Carlisle looked up, his face stiff with shock as he stared at his daughter in disbelief.
“Shelby?” he whispered, as if speaking louder would break the spell. “Is that you?”
“I can’t believe it. I don’t hear any phones ringing. There are no incoming faxes. No computers spitting out facts and figures.” She walked over to her father and dropped a kiss on his forehead. “This must be a red-letter day for the import/export business.”
“Oh, baby,” he murmured, holding on to her tightly. Tears squeezed out of his eyes as he refused to let go of his daughter. When he finally did, Shelby took a nearby chair and brought it close to his. Warren held her hands as he searched her face. He winced when he saw the scratches and fading bruises on her face and arms.
“I learned the hard way that the great outdoors and I are not compatible,” Shelby said lightly. “Now what about you? You haven’t lied to the doctors, have you? Are you doing everything they want you to do?”
He grimaced. “I have no choice. No more brandy at bedtime, no more cigars, no more of my favorite foods, and they want me to think about retiring.” His expression told her what he thought of the last item.
No More Mister Nice Guy Page 17