Dare To Stay

by Phillips, Carly

  Her hand came to her stomach. “But I don’t have insurance.”

  “We’ll work things out. Just make an appointment and come back. Please.”

  She eyed him warily and didn’t answer, so he started for the door. “Nice to meet you, Aurora.” He smiled warmly and hoped he’d see her in this clinic again next week.

  They rolled up their sleeves, so to speak, and stayed for the day, during which Braden learned how much they were needed here. He left feeling more productive than he had since leaving MSF.

  Back at their apartment building, he and Hudson parted ways, Braden making his way upstairs to his unit. He tossed his keys onto the counter and pulled his phone from his pocket, checking his messages. His sister wanted to meet for a catch-up lunch, and his mother had checked in.

  But the one person he wanted to hear from remained stubbornly silent.

  * * *

  The players had all gone home for the night, and Willow took the time to type notes onto the computer about the patients she’d treated, long-term plans, and her thoughts on their ability to play. After finishing up, she sent the file to both the head orthopedist and Braden for the upcoming week’s game. She knew Cole was staying late, as well, so as soon as she finished work and shut down for the night, she drew a deep breath and headed to find him.

  She discovered him in an office he shared with the other team doctors, but he was alone.

  “Hey there,” she said, announcing her presence so she didn’t startle him.

  “Hi!” He turned from his computer, a smile spread across his face.

  He was obviously happy to see her, but that wouldn’t be the case in a few minutes, once she said what she had to say.

  “I was just finishing up for the night.” He rose to his feet and came around the desk. “I didn’t expect to see you.” He reached for her hands, but she kept hers at her sides.

  “I’ve been … busy,” she murmured.

  “Busy avoiding me?” He nailed her behavior completely and she sighed.

  There was no doubt Cole was a handsome man, and maybe, given time, she could have developed feelings for him, but she’d never feel that explosive desire for him that Braden elicited inside her. And after seeing Braden again, experiencing that out-of-this-world kiss, she knew she wanted much more than companionship with any man she chose.

  Cole deserved more than a woman who couldn’t give him her heart. “Not avoiding you exactly,” she hedged. “But I do need to talk to you.”

  His expression fell, the smile gone. “I had a feeling. Care to tell me why? I thought we enjoyed each other’s company.”

  How did she explain? Mentioning Braden was out of the question for so many reasons, her professionalism being paramount. “Can we say it’s not you, it’s me?” she asked, cringing as she used those trite words.

  “I’m not sure it matters why, but can I ask if it’s about Braden Prescott?”

  She blinked in surprise. “What makes you say that?”

  “Which isn’t a no.” He shoved his hands into his chinos pockets. “I saw you two on the sidelines last week and briefly on television this past weekend. There’s a certain chemistry between you that’s hard to miss.”

  She swallowed over the lump in her throat and realized she had to tell him the truth. “We’re not together now but we have history,” she admitted.

  “It’s obvious. And you should have told me,” he said, sounding hurt.

  She stepped forward to put a hand on his shoulder, then thought better of it. “Probably but I wanted to keep the past in the past and my private life private.”

  “Not so easy when you’re working with your ex. He is your ex, right? That’s what you mean by history?”

  She nodded.

  “Well, I see something current brewing between you two now.” He met her gaze, his expression cool. “You should be careful. I heard him telling stories about his time traveling for Doctors Without Borders, and the man definitely lit up when he talked about his time there. Who knows how long he’ll stick around.”

  Although Willow didn’t know if he was looking out for her or trying to hurt her, she was annoyed just the same. As for Braden, Cole wasn’t telling her anything she didn’t already know. But it still hurt to hear and reminded her of why she needed to keep her emotional walls high.

  “I don’t appreciate you making assumptions about me or gossiping about my life.” Braden joined them, a pissed-off expression on his face, arms folded across his chest.

  Cole glanced at Braden and, without another word, shook his head and walked out of his own office, leaving them alone. Her stomach twisted at the way things had ended. She’d wanted an easier breakup, but he’d taken her off guard. The fact that both Bella and Cole had picked up on something between her and Braden meant others would, too. And she didn’t like it at all.

  “So what was that all about?” Braden asked.

  “It’s really none of your business.” She did not want to tell him she’d ended things with Cole and have him make all sorts of assumptions as to why.

  There was no reason for him to know his kiss had been the impetus for her to take that step because she wasn’t the kind of woman to lead a man on.

  Braden narrowed his gaze. “Considering he mentioned me by name and had the balls to come to pretty wrong conclusions about my life, I’d say it’s very much my business.”

  She leaned against the desk, gripping the edge with her hands. “We broke up,” she said through clenched teeth.

  Interest flashed in his gorgeous eyes. “I take it from how pissed off he was that you’re the one who ended things?”

  He stepped into her personal space, and when she drew a breath, it was his cologne she smelled, his sexy frame that was close to hers, and as usual, her own body responded.

  “Does it matter?” she asked.

  “It does to me. I want to know that our kiss meant something to you. Enough to break up with Walsh.” He leaned in and she stopped him, placing her hand on his chest.

  Eyes leveled on hers, he grasped her wrist and pulled her toward him, placing her palm against his mouth. She shivered, the soft feel of his lips a whisper she felt everywhere. Her nipples tightened and her sex clenched, moisture coating her silk underwear. She held back a moan, but she knew there was no missing the evidence of her arousal, not when his gaze zeroed in on her chest.

  “Admit it. I’m the reason you ended things,” he said in a raspy tone. He threaded his fingers through hers.

  “Even if you were, it doesn’t change things between us.” But the pulsing desire flowing through her begged her to change her mind.

  “You just cleared the way, sweetheart. I’m a Prescott and a Dare. We know how to get what we want.” His gaze bored into hers, making it abundantly clear exactly what he meant.

  She decided not to dignify his comment with a reply, but clearly he wasn’t put off, because he merely grinned at her. “So what are you doing for Thanksgiving this year?” he asked.

  She took the subject change as a good sign. “I’m not sure. Bella may go to her sister’s and she invited me, but she lives a couple of hours away…” She trailed off and shrugged. “I’m not sure. I think I’d rather stay close and do my own thing.”

  “In other words, spend the holiday alone?” His frown told her what he thought of that idea.

  “I’m used to it. Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s been a long day and I’m tired. I’d like to go home.”

  He nodded. “I’ll walk you to your car.”

  She opened her mouth to argue and he shook his head.

  Fine, he could escort her out. She hoped this wasn’t the beginning of having him around her constantly, because despite the warnings that came with Braden Prescott, he was extremely hard to resist.

  Chapter Five

  If Willow thought Braden would let her spend Thanksgiving alone, she had another thing coming. Despite her intention to hole up in her apartment, he had a plan. One he wouldn’t tell her ahead of time or
she’d find a way to avoid being home when he rang her doorbell.

  In the two weeks leading up to the holiday, he made sure to work closely with her when he could, bring lunch to her, join her in her office to eat and make small talk, and just get to know her again.

  In between, he worked at the health center, getting to know the regulars and meeting the patients as they came in for either emergency or regular medical care. To his dismay, Aurora didn’t show up again, which both upset him and had him worrying about her and her baby. He hadn’t had a chance to check out where she worked and the place she called home, but it was on his agenda for tomorrow morning before he went to his mom’s for holiday dinner.

  That night, he and Hudson walked to their cars. They had one day off tomorrow before game weekend prep began. Most players would come in the morning to train and exercise, regardless of the holiday, which meant some physicians and trainers would be on duty, but he and Hudson were off. So, he knew, was Willow. He’d made it his business to check schedules.

  “What time should I come to your house tomorrow?” Hudson asked as they strode through the facility.

  “I’m going to the clinic before I head over for dinner. I hope to get there around four,” he said. “I think the rest of the family will show up any time from two o’clock on. Mom has food out all day. So basically it’s up to you.”

  “Did you ask Willow what she’s doing for the holiday?” Hudson pulled open the door leading to the parking lot, and they stepped outside into the warm air.

  Braden nodded. “I did. She said she’s going to be home alone, and I plan on changing up her plans. I just haven’t mentioned it to her.”

  Hudson chuckled. “I don’t know if you’re brave or stupid.”

  “Probably a little of both but what’s that expression? No pain no gain? She needs some prodding out of her safe little world. There’s no other way I can prove she can trust me again.”

  He didn’t just intend to bring her to his mom’s house for dinner and not take no for an answer but he had a way to convince that she couldn’t turn down.

  He glanced at his friend. “What about you? Anyone you want to bring over for dinner? I know Mom wouldn’t mind.”

  “No, thanks. You have enough siblings for me to hang out with. So you’re bringing Willow. Is Bri coming with a date?” Hudson asked as they reached their cars, parked near each other.

  “Not that I know of.” He hit the button on his key fob and his car locks opened. “Why?”

  Hudson shrugged. “You’re all paired off. Just wondered if I was going to be lone man there.”

  “As far as I know, Bri’s single. Though she keeps her dating life pretty private. At least from her brothers.”

  Hudson grinned. “Can’t say I blame her on that score. Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “See you.” Braden climbed into his car and started the engine, planning his day tomorrow carefully in his mind.

  He had two women on his mind. One needed him professionally, the other he needed personally, but the irony was he thought Willow could help with Aurora and encourage her to come back to the clinic. They had foster care in common, and maybe Willow could use her past to bond with the pregnant woman and encourage her to trust Braden.

  Not to mention it gave him an excuse to visit her on Thanksgiving Day, to get her to spend the morning with him, talking to a patient, and end up at his mom’s house for holiday dinner. Willow might be able to resist him, but she wouldn’t be able to turn her back on someone in need. The fact that he benefitted from the entire scenario was a bonus. One he planned to use shamelessly to his advantage.

  * * *

  Willow had debated all week on whether or not she wanted to cook a holiday dinner for herself and ultimately went with a small turkey breast and a baked sweet potato. Simple and easy. She took out the meat the night before and, once it was defrosted, seasoned it and put it aside for later. It didn’t bother her that she was alone. She was used to it, more or less. Although she spent some holidays with Bella and Peter, there were others when they’d visited family and she’d been by herself.

  Of course, she would prefer to find someone to share her life with, but she’d tried that with Braden, and not only had he left her, when she looked back, she realized she hadn’t been that good at being part of a couple. She held a lot of herself back out of fear of being abandoned. It had been one of the reasons she hadn’t gone to Braden’s family for any of the celebratory holidays.

  The times she’d been with them, each sibling had been more than nice to her, but she’d always felt like she was on the outside looking in at a loving family. In the end, nothing Braden ended up doing had convinced her that her self-protective behavior had been a mistake. She could only imagine how much worse his leaving would have been if she’d let him in all the way.

  Settling onto the sofa, she turned on the television and changed the channel so she could watch the parade. Later she’d view the football game while she cooked dinner. She didn’t often get a chance to kick back and relax, and today she planned to do just that.

  No sooner had she put her bare feet up on the couch than the doorbell rang. She stood up and walked to the peephole, shocked to see Braden on the other side.

  As usual, her body responded, her stomach doing an excited flip. She drew a deep breath and prepared herself for an argument about her spending Thanksgiving alone versus with him and his family.

  She opened the door and greeted him with a smile. “Well, this is a surprise.”

  “A good one, I hope.”

  “That depends on why you’re here. Come on in.” She stepped aside, and he brushed past her, the scent of his cologne potent and alluring.

  She’d already taken in how sexy he looked in jeans that molded to his thighs and the hint of a bulge in the front of his pants. God, the man was everything hot wrapped in the perfect package.

  Shutting the door, she gestured for him to go past the entryway to the living room, where the television was still on.

  “Watching the parade?”

  “Mmm-hmm. I love the floats.” She cleared her throat. “So what brings you by?”

  He turned away from the TV. “I’ve been working at a health care center downtown. I think I mentioned it to you?”

  She nodded.

  “There’s a young girl who came in. Name’s Aurora. She’s eighteen, pregnant, and all alone. She lives in a room behind the diner where she works. She eats for free there, and the owners are good to her, but from looking at her, it’s obvious she’s underweight and scared.”

  She blinked in surprise, the subject taking her off guard. She would have sworn he’d come to invite her to dinner. Now that he hadn’t, she didn’t know if she was disappointed or relieved. And what did that say about her fluctuating feelings for this man that she couldn’t decide?

  “I’m really sorry. Where is her family?”

  Braden’s gaze met hers. “She aged out of foster care and found out she was pregnant. Other than the diner owners, she really has no one.”

  Willow expelled a long breath. It wasn’t that long ago she’d aged out herself, but she’d had the Jonases, who hadn’t made her leave their home. She could easily imagine herself in the young girl’s place, and Willow shivered at the feeling of utter loneliness and fear she must feel.

  “Why are you telling me this?” She braced a hand on the wall beside her.

  “Because I want to go visit the diner where she works and see if I can’t convince her to come to my mom’s house for dinner. And I think seeing a woman with me, one who can relate to her on some level, will help her feel safe.”

  Her heart beat harder at this man’s thoughtfulness and caring for his patients. There was no way she could say no. Of course, she knew that he was counting on the childhood she had in common with the girl to encourage Willow to want to help. Which meant she’d have to spend time with Braden, and that was obviously part of his plan. But she couldn’t deny how much she felt the need to reac
h out to the pregnant girl. Being with Braden was a side benefit, as much as it killed her to admit.

  “Let me get myself together. I can’t exactly go barefoot.”

  Braden nodded. “Do you have any extra clothes you could bring? I have a feeling Aurora doesn’t have much. I know she’s pregnant, but she’s not huge despite being in her third trimester, and something oversized on top should do.”

  God, it was hard not to like this man. “Sure,” Willow said, a lump in her throat for the girl they were about to go see.

  His gaze fell to her feet and a sexy smirk lifted his lips. “Nice toenails.”

  She glanced down at her Tiffany-blue polish and grinned. “Thank you,” she said, pleased with the pedicure she’d given herself, not to mention the fact that he’d noticed, then headed for her bedroom.

  A few minutes later, she’d pulled her hair into a messy bun, fixed her face with a little makeup, and put on a swing tank that was nicer than her favorite soft tee shirt with a hole in the bottom. She looked casual and unimposing, which was who she was. Someone a young girl wouldn’t find intimidating. Sifting through her clothes, she found a soft, comfy, oversized shirt that was huge on her and a pair of black leggings that maybe the pregnant girl could leave below her belly. Then she slipped on a pair of Chucks and was ready to go.

  She met up with him in the living room. “All set. I just need to be home in time to put my turkey in the oven around three.” The small breast didn’t need more than two to three hours to cook.

  He raised an eyebrow. “Do you really think I’m taking Aurora home with me for the holiday and leaving you to eat by yourself? Besides, once Aurora meets you, I bet she’s going to be more comfortable with you there.”

  He had a good point. “You don’t play fair,” she muttered, knowing arguing would be futile. Although her stomach fluttered with nerves at the prospect of spending hours with his whole family. There were so many siblings and now significant others. She forced in a deep breath and reminded herself she was doing it for a good cause.

  He shrugged. “Never said I did.” He grasped her elbow and steered her toward the door.