She grabbed his free hand and tugged. “That’s crazy. I’m in your bed in your house. It’s king-sized. It would be horribly rude of you to leave me here all alone. What if I wake up and I’m confused about my surroundings?” The imp batted her eyes at him.
What the hell was she proposing?
She pulled his arm farther. “I’d rest much better if you were next to me.”
He gulped. “Next to you? In the bed?” He wasn’t an imbecile. Of course that’s what she meant, but he needed to wrap his mind around her proposal.
“Yes.” She paused while he remained frozen, unable to meet her gaze. “Jesus, Zane. I didn’t mean to be so presumptuous. If I’m way out of line, forget I said anything.” She released his hand and scooted a few inches away.
Finally, he managed to jerk his gaze to hers. Her face was whiter than usual, and she looked a little embarrassed, her eyes darting past him to stare at some undisclosed location beyond him. And then he made a decision. He stood, walked into the master bath, shed his clothes, and tugged on a pair of flannel sleep pants.
Seconds later he was back at her side, climbing over her, and slipping under the blankets until he was situated alongside her. He pulled her back into his chest and kissed the spot behind her ear before he spoke again. “Not presumptuous, baby. I was just trying to avoid making you uncomfortable. I’ll warn you, though. I can’t control my body’s physical reaction to this arrangement, but I’ll do my best to be a gentleman.”
“Never asked for that.”
He froze again, his lips hovering at her ear. “Abby…” he warned.
“Yes?” she asked demurely.
“Go to sleep. I’m not in the habit of having sex with concussed women.”
She snuggled closer to him, holding the hand he had draped over her body in both of hers between her breasts. “Who said anything about having sex?” she asked, the picture-perfect example of coy.
Zane licked a line down her neck from her ear to her shoulder until she shivered. “I did. And I intend to make good on it as soon as you aren’t wincing every time you move, sexy.” He gripped her hands with his between them. “Now stop wiggling before my cock gets a mind of its own and takes over my body, rendering me unable to be responsible for my actions.”
“Mmm…” her voice was fading. “How did I land such an altruist?”
“How did I land such an imp?” He kissed her shoulder and then laid his head next to hers, catching the scent of her hair—floral shampoo.
“Mmm,” she repeated, rubbing her ass against his cock.
He wanted to spank her sexy ass for being such a tease, but he was afraid at this point she would enjoy such a thing. Besides, her ass was probably still sore from last week’s impaling nail.
She might not think she was submissive, but he suddenly wasn’t so sure about that. Given the opportunity, she might find she enjoyed some aspects of BDSM. Perhaps not all, but they might be able to come to a compromise.
Zane closed his eyes as he realized Abby’s breathing had evened out and her grip on his hands loosened. It took him a while to fall asleep with her perfect body against him, but he eventually managed.
Chapter Seven
Abby awoke slowly, gradually becoming aware of her surroundings. The first thing she knew was it was day, the sun filtering in though the partially open blinds. The second thing she knew on the heels of the first was she wasn’t in her own bed. And the rest crashed into her mind quickly. The car accident. Zane. The concussion. Zane. The hard body pressed behind her. Zane.
And then the pain. Holy shit her head hurt. She moaned as she twisted around to face the hard body behind her. She squeezed her eyes shut against the ache of tight stitches and the throb inside her head.
“Hey, baby.” Zane’s strong arm settled on her belly as she landed on her back. “Let me grab the Tylenol.”
She didn’t move as he reached across her and nabbed the bottle of pills and the bottle of water. He sat up, popped two pills into his hand, and then lifted her head to help her swallow them. When he eased her back down, she opened her eyes a slit.
He was frowning. “One to ten, how bad?”
She thought about that for a moment. “Um, maybe a seven.”
Zane settled back alongside her and set his palm back on her belly. Her naked belly. Her T-shirt, or rather his T-shirt, had worked its way up her body during the night. “Go back to sleep. You’ll feel better in a little bit. Let the drugs get into your system.”
“Mmm.” She didn’t have the energy for more than that yet. Her eyes fluttered shut. The last thing she wanted to do was move. So his plan was best. As she drifted back into dreamland, she was acutely aware of his firm palm rubbing her stomach. It felt so good…
The next time she opened her eyes, she was alone in the bed. She could smell coffee and her stomach growled. She hadn’t eaten since lunch yesterday.
Testing her ability to move, she slowly sat upright and twisted her body so her legs dangled off the edge of the bed. The world didn’t spin, so she assumed she might be up for more movement. She took a deep breath and eased her body off the bed until her feet hit the floor.
That was when the door opened. “Abby. Baby, hang on.” Zane rushed across the room and took her arm. “Why didn’t you yell?”
“I think that would have been the worst thing I could have done. Besides, I’m fine. Just getting my feet under me.” She glanced down, realized the T-shirt hadn’t fallen into place, and quickly tugged the cotton edges so it fell over her hips and covered her panties. Geez.
“I’ll help you get to the bathroom, and then you can do your thing.”
“’K.” She couldn’t decide if she was more mortified or intrigued by this turn of events. “I’m pretty sure you’re the first person I’ve ever been to third base with before the first date.”
Zane chuckled. “Baby, that wasn’t even close to third base. Your sports analogies are a mess. If that’s what you call third base, you’re in for an unbelievable inning when I do finally get a hit.”
She had to fight to keep from giggling. She wasn’t entirely sure she followed his line of thinking, but the important part was he made the mood light, his voice sent a shiver down her body, and his hand wrapped around her arm made her feel cherished.
When they reached the bathroom, Zane flipped on the light. “I set a towel for you on the side of the tub. Figured you might like a bath over a shower.”
She felt stronger already. “Sounds like heaven.”
“I even have bubbles.” He winked at her as he turned the tap on and waited with his hand under the running water while it warmed up.
“Why on earth do you have bubbles?” She regretted the question as soon as it left her mouth. She didn’t want to know the answer.
Zane lifted up a pink bottle with a mermaid on the side. “My niece. She likes her baths.”
“Ah.” Well, then. Why did that make her entire body warm?
Zane stood, satisfied with the temperature, and wiped his hands on his jeans. “You get settled. I’ll bring you a tray. Coffee. OJ. Toast. I think you can handle those three so far.”
“Perfect. Thanks. Can you grab a hair band from my purse?”
“Of course. I’ll see what I can find.”
She stared at his chest as he passed her where she leaned against the doorframe. He was too wide to pass through, and his hard chest brushed against her front. Her nipples jumped to attention, which didn’t abate when he paused and cupped her face with one hand. He kissed her forehead and then left her to pad from the room.
Abby blinked at his retreating back. Everything about him was defined. He was chiseled from stone. And she wanted to see what was under the tight black T-shirt, not just the muscles, but the tattoos.
Instead, she licked her lips and made her way farther into the bathroom, pushing the door shut behind her. She thought about locking it, but that seemed absurd. And besides, he was going to bring her a tray. So she needed to get her ass in the t
ub quick and make sure there were ample bubbles.
After using the adjoining toilet room and brushing her teeth with the brand new brush she found on the counter, she slipped the T-shirt over her head and stepped out of the panties.
The water had risen high enough to cover her body by the time she lowered herself into the tub, letting her hair fall over the edge to keep it somewhat dry. She couldn’t get the top of her hair wet yet with the staples. The water felt heavenly. The heat was just what she needed to soothe her muscles. Now that she wasn’t lying in bed, her entire body ached. She popped the top on the bubbles, smiling at the scent of cotton candy, and poured a good amount into the flow coming from the tap. When the bubbles had risen enough to relax her, she flipped off the spout and leaned back in the water.
Bliss. Perfection.
She glanced around the room. Emily wasn’t kidding. Zane was very organized. Everything in the room was precisely placed. Even the towel he’d left her was folded perfectly on the counter.
She closed her eyes for several minutes, not opening them until she heard the door squeak.
“You good? Can I come in?” Zane asked, his back to her, his ass pushing the door.
“Yep.” If you don’t mind the fact that I’m naked and wet in your tub and your sexy frame is filling the room, making me squeeze my legs together. It was downright ridiculous how her body reacted to him, her physical reaction completely obliterating the pain in her head.
Zane set the tray on the edge of the tub and handed her a hair band. “What sounds good first? Coffee or juice?”
“Juice. I probably need the sugar to jump start.” She tucked her hair up in a messy bun.
He lifted the glass, and she took it from him. It tasted delicious, and she drank the entire thing before handing him back the glass. “God, that was good. I needed that.”
He chuckled. “I can get more.”
“Nope. Coffee.” She grabbed the mug off the tray next.
“Sugar? Cream?”
“Please.”
Zane spooned a heap of sugar into the mug and then poured some cream from the refrigerator carton.
“Perfect. Thanks again.”
“Any time. How’s your head?”
“Better. A dull throb. Could be more from the staples than the concussion.”
“True.” Zane set the plate of toast next to her and stood. “I’ll let you relax. Don’t slip under and drown on my watch, though.” He narrowed his gaze while he teased.
“Got it. No problem.”
Zane left, shutting the door with a quiet snick and leaving Abby to fend for herself. She ate the toast first, used the variety of products on the edge of the tub to wash, and then lay in the water until it cooled. Getting out and facing the man in the other room was going to be a challenge. He did things to her just looking at him. He sucked the oxygen from the room with his frame. And his smile made her mouth go dry every time.
She managed though, drying off with the enormous towel he left her and then shrugging into the clean T-shirt he’d set on the counter. No way was she going to put her panties back on. But on second thought, as she made her way into the main section of the house in search of Zane, maybe she should have.
“Hey,” he said as she padded into the living room. “I got you all set up on the couch. Throw blankets. Pillows. More coffee.”
She headed straight for the spot he pointed to from where he stood in the kitchen. The floor plan was open, the kitchen, family room, and dining area all one big space. Nothing was out of place. Even the chairs at the table were pushed in perfectly. A plant sat in the middle of the table.
Indeed, he had a little nest for her on the sofa. It looked out of place in the room. She glanced across at his television and the many DVDs and CDs lining the shelves on both sides, every single one precisely lined up. She was almost afraid to sit down for fear her butt would indent the couch cushion. Finally, she slipped into her spot, tugging the T-shirt over her bare ass, and covered herself with the blankets. “I’m gonna be spoiled.”
Zane came around to her side and sat in the center of the couch, lifting her feet onto his lap. “How do you feel now?”
“Better. Almost human. I think I’ll live.”
“The concussion was mild. I’m sure you’ll be fine in a few days.”
“I might not be dealing blackjack this week.” She leaned her head on the arm of the couch and stared at the ceiling. “I’ve only been there a month. I obviously don’t have vacation time or sick leave coming to me. That part sucks. Thank God I took COBRA from my last job, or I’d be screwed.”
“Will you be okay financially?”
“Yeah. I just don’t like it.”
Zane set a hand on her knee and idly stroked her leg under the covers. His gaze pinned her to the couch. “How do you manage to look that sexy covered in dirt under the porch or covered in cuts and bruises?”
She flushed, heat rising up her face. “Whatever.” She rolled her eyes to deflect his compliment.
He chuckled. “Yeah. Whatever. I can’t wait to see you fixed up. I’ll probably faint.”
“We wouldn’t want that. I’ll keep the grunge look going for now to avoid injury to you.”
He grinned wider. “You could, but you might feel awkward when we go out to dinner.”
She lifted her brows. “Dinner?”
“Yeah. A date.”
“A vanilla date. Thought maybe you were kidding last night.” She giggled. “Can you do that?”
He leaned toward her and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Of course. I was vanilla once. I’m sure I can do it again. I told you so.”
“And I might have mentioned deciding to give your world a try.”
His eyes danced with laughter. “Let’s not get carried away. You’re concussed. I thought you were kidding last night. Or at least confused.”
“Nope. I figure I owe you after rescuing me twice.” She had trouble breathing with his face so close to hers. “And maybe Emily talked me down from my initial fear of all things BDSM.”
“I’m glad, but the reality is I like you, and I want to take you out on a real date, and it doesn’t have to be anything beyond the normal. I thought I could walk away Saturday. I did walk away. It seemed like the right thing to do. But I can’t get you out of my head, nor can I seem to keep you from climbing in my ambulance.” He cupped her face and stroked her cheek with his thumb as he spoke.
She liked that. She liked everything about him.
“Speaking of Emily, she said she would go by your house and grab some things for you. If you want anything specific, you can call her. She knows where the spare key is.”
“I don’t even know where the spare key is.”
“Well, the rose lady had Emily water her plants on occasion.” Zane lowered his hand to her shoulder and down her arm until he held her hand in his. His thumb kept moving, now stroking the back of her hand instead of her cheek. It was safer, but the damage was already done. She was totally head over heels for this guy.
“Of course. Mrs. Lamphry and her roses.”
“Also, the police need a statement from you. I told Rider he could do it when he and Emily stop by. I hope that’s okay.”
“What sort of statement?”
“Just your take on the accident. No big deal. You weren’t conscious at the scene, so now they need to fill in the blanks.”
“I doubt I can fill in any blanks. I can’t remember much before I woke up in the hospital.”
“Did you at least get a good look at the other car?”
“What other car?”
Zane’s brow furrowed. “You never saw the car that ran you off the road?”
“No.” Abby shook her head. Her heart beat faster. “Were they okay?”
Zane hesitated. “They left the scene, baby.”
“What do you mean? How do you know there was another car, then?”
“Witnesses. Several people stopped. Nobody got the plate. The guy swerved into your
lane, you veered to the right to avoid the head-on collision, and he corrected himself and continued driving.”
“Holy shit. People saw that?”
Zane nodded. “Several people.”
“Why? Did he maybe not know what happened?”
Now Zane shook his head. “Not a chance in hell. The accident was fast and loud. You hit the embankment, baby. Hard.”
“Who would do that?”
Zane shrugged. “That’s what the police are trying to figure out. Apparently you won’t be much help.”
“None.” She closed her eyes and leaned her head back once again. Nothing. She didn’t remember a single detail for those last few minutes.
»»•««
On Thursday evening, Zane stepped up to the cage at the gym ready to spar. Conner was his partner. Of all the members of The Fight Club, Conner was by far the most intimidating as far as Zane was concerned.
The man was a beast. Nobody beat him in the ring, and on top of that, he was the oldest of the group. At thirty-eight he was fourteen years Zane’s senior.
Nicest guy, though. Friendly, calm, laid back…until he hit the cage. And his fiancée, Sabrina, was the sweetest. Conner doted on her as if she were made of glass, especially since she’d gotten pregnant.
“Hey, Zane. You ready?” Conner asked as Zane entered through the fence.
“Yep. How’s Sabrina?”
“Feeling better. Still has morning sickness. Though I have no idea why they call it that since it lasts all day. Other than that, she’s officially moved in. Her house is sold. Now, if I could just get her to chill and let me take care of her so she could concentrate on writing her novel, everything would be perfect.”
Zane smiled. Sabrina was an editor. Conner had been nagging her to give it up and work on her masterpiece for months.
Joe, the owner of the gym, came in behind Zane and shut the gate. “I don’t have a lot of time, but I’ll help you out for a few minutes.”
“Sounds good.” Conner bounced on his feet, popping his neck left and right. It made a cracking noise both times. “I’m getting too old for this.”
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