Emerging Temptation: A BWWM Romance Limited Edition Collection

by Peyton Banks

  “That’s my baby. I’m not leaving him.” Tears fell from her eyes, and Julian finally got a good look at her face.

  Even with everything going on around them, he couldn’t help but notice just how beautiful she was. God, he was such an asshole. This was not the time to think with his dick. “Yes, Ma’am. But please don’t interfere. Just keep talking to him. Say his name. Let him know you’re here.”

  Adam got the vehicle moving, and sirens blared loud in the suburban neighborhood. They made their way to the nearest trauma center, which was only 20 minutes away from the scene. The beep and hum of the equipment mingled with the mother’s prayers for her child. Unfortunately, the little boy wasn’t responding to any stimuli. His small chest rose and fell with each breath he took, but even that was shallow.

  Julian thought there must be a head injury preventing him from waking up. He could see at least two broken bones, but there may be more that weren’t visible to him. He sent up a silent prayer that Morgan would be okay.

  The ambulance pulled into the hospital ambulatory entrance screeching to a halt. From that moment, all activity was focused on caring for his patient. He would dream about the beauty sitting next to him another time. The doors flew open. Hospital staff made way for them to exit. Doctors and nurses ran down the hallway alongside Julian and Adam as they replayed the circumstances and shared his vitals and potential injuries.

  Once their role in the process was done, he and Adam stepped back. It was time for their tiny patient to get the next step in his emergency care. Seeing that small body surrounded by so many white coats, machines, and loud voices, brought back memories he’d rather forget. Frozen in place, he wanted to wait and see if the little guy would make it.

  “Yo, Julian. Time to go.” Adam called out to him, motioning over his shoulder. “I’m all done with the paperwork.”

  “Yeah. Yeah. Just, um, give me a second.” Looking around, Julian noticed the little boy’s mother standing next to a nurse he was familiar with. Even from this distance, he could see her body shaking as she answered the questions the hospital needed to know. Insurance. Allergies. Next of kin. Previous injuries or other surgeries. He knew the routine like the back of his hand. He waited until the nurse left, then made his way over to the woman.

  “Ma’am,” he called out, to announce his approach. When she turned to look at him, he was struck again by her beauty. It was wrong of him to think this way, but the inappropriate thoughts didn’t seem to be going anywhere. Clearing his throat, he found his voice and tried speaking again. “He’s in good hands. Your son is with the best trauma team in the city. They’ll do everything they can to help him.

  She nodded her head, acknowledging his words. “Thank you. I hope so. He means everything to me. He’s only five.” Her voice wavered as she spoke about her son. Wetness continued to fall down her face as she looked towards the double doors where he’d been taken. “How can this be happening to him?” Her hands reached up to cover her face, and her body shook from the intense crying. Not seeing any other choice—then again, even if there were another choice, he wouldn’t have taken it-- Julian approached her, arms slowly opening to welcome her. “It’s going to be okay. This is a good hospital. They’re going to help him.” Gently bringing his arms around her, he pulled her into his embrace.

  He was so far out of standard protocol, it wasn’t even funny. All he knew about the sad but beautiful woman standing before him had been shared during the 15-minute ride to the hospital. There were rules against what he was doing, but he didn’t care. She needed comfort. He was the one here with her and willing to provide it. After a few moments, her body stopped shaking, and he heard her sniffles as her head was tucked into his chest. His uniform was fucked, but he didn’t mind. He had other shirts back at the station. Being here with her was more important.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be crying all over you. I’m just so worried about Morgan.” She stepped out of his arms and wiped at her eyes. “Thank you for everything. For taking care of him and getting us here so quickly.”

  Yes, it was his job, but little Morgan had touched the part of him he thought was protected and hidden by a concrete wall. “I’m glad I was the one who was there to help. Um, do you have any family you need to call?”

  “No.” She shook her head.

  “No one?” He asked, somewhat shocked by her response.

  “Oh, no. I called my family already. My parents should be here any moment.”

  Julian knew that was his cue to leave. He’d overstayed his welcome, and his job was done. He had no business still lingering or being in the hospital. He and his partner should be headed back to the station by now, but Julian couldn’t seem to leave her side. “Well, that’s good. I — him — I’d better get going.” He motioned with his thumb over his shoulder towards the exit. “I hope Morgan will be okay.”

  “Thank you,” she smiled. “I’m sorry. I don’t know your name. I’m sure you told me, but with everything happening with Morgan, I forgot.”

  “Well, you have a lot on your mind right now. More important things than my name,” he said while taking a step back. He didn’t want to leave her but knew it was for the best.

  “Your name? I want to know what to call the man who helped me save my son.”

  Her still glistening eyes caused an unexpected reaction inside him. Julian wanted to protect her. To stop the hurt he knew she was feeling inside. “Julian. Julian MacMahon.”

  The smile that came over her face lit up the room. It was like rays of sunshine were focused only on her. The woman was just that fucking beautiful. Her curly hair was pulled on top of her head in a casual style. Body forming jeans covered her shapely legs, plain black shoes covered her feet, and a red T-shirt showcasing her perfectly sized breasts and small waist. He could feel his dick hardening within his uniform and took another step back.

  “Nice to meet you, Julian. I’m Kori Hughes, but you know that already.”

  Just as he was about to say something else, a doctor came up to them with a nod in Kori’s direction.

  “Ma’am? Your son is in serious, but stable condition.” As he continued speaking, Julian turned and began to walk away. It was time for him to leave. As he was exiting the main hospital area, he noticed a couple rushing inside, heading over to where Kori stood speaking with the doctor. The woman looked like an older, slightly rounded version of Kori, and the man’s face was filled with worry. They must be her parents, he surmised. Julian was glad she would have someone by her side, especially if it weren’t him. Having them here with her and Morgan would go a long way to prevent him from turning around and marching right back to her side.

  Yeah, he was so fucked.

  2

  Kori

  “When you’re all better, we're going on the trip. I don’t care if people think you might be too young, that’s what we’re doing. We’re going to celebrate how strong you are. That you made it through.” Sniffles filled the room, and water leaked from her eyes as she watched her baby boy lying still in the bed. Wiping her face with a napkin, Kori knew crying would not help Morgan wake up sooner. Even with that knowledge, she couldn’t stop the waterworks from happening multiple times a day.

  She’d finally convinced her parents to go home and get some rest. They’d been with her for the last forty-eight hours, if not longer, holding vigil over Morgan along with her. Her father paced, her mother prayed, and her sister Janice railed against the drunk driver who’d been behind the wheel.

  The police came by yesterday morning to tell her they’d finally caught the man who’d hit her son with his car. He was still drunk a day later, sitting behind the wheel of his car, another bottle of rot-gut whiskey in his hand. He didn’t even try to deny what he’d done. His excuse for hitting her son and driving away?

  He didn’t have one.

  Simply told them he was sorry. That he’d been fired and had a shitty day. Janice wanted to do something, call in a few favors from some less savory sort to ha
ndle him in jail. Although they’d never tell their parents, they knew these two guys who could get things done. Sometimes it was best not to ask how they handled their business. She didn’t want to put herself in a position of having prior knowledge of a crime and collaborating with known felons. Well, maybe they weren’t quite felons, but they were the kings of the underground in their neck of the woods. If she truly wanted something to happen to the man who hurt Morgan, all she had to do was make a phone call. In the years Kori had known Maxwell Bishop, Nico Mitchell, and Lavinia Ross, she had no doubt they would do whatever she asked. Especially when it came to Morgan. More than anything, she was positive Lavinia would always pick up if Kori dialed her number.

  All she had to do was make one phone call. Even still, Kori wasn’t quite ready to go there just yet, but her patience was wearing thin the longer her child lay unconscious. However, out of the two of them, Janice was the more bloodthirsty sister.

  As for Kori, she’d managed to take a shower that morning. Her sister had brought some clothes for her to change into yesterday. Since Kori was one of the top-selling realtors at her company, taking time off wasn’t a problem for her. They knew better than to give her any shit, especially with her son involved. If they pushed her, she’d take her selling skills and her client list and go somewhere else in a heartbeat. If her son needed her to be by his side, that’s what she would do.

  A knock sounded on the door just before someone poked their head inside.

  The paramedic. Julian.

  Kori’s heart sped up, and her breathing became choppy. What was he doing here?

  “Hi, Kori,” the walking sex on a stick said as he stepped further into the room. “I just dropped off a patient and wanted to see how Morgan was doing.”

  Kori stood from the chair next to the bed, keeping one hand resting on Morgan’s arm. “How did you know we were still here?” She almost smiled at how his face began to turn a deep shade of red. The man had the nerve to look embarrassed. Tilting her head, she stared at him as he shifted from side to side. “Wait, isn’t there some law or something… You know what? I don’t want to know.” At her words, he seemed to visibly relax.

  “So, how’s he doing?” Julian nodded his head towards the bed before stepping a few paces closer.

  “Better, and the same. They’re hoping he’ll wake up soon. There’s no internal bleeding or brain swelling that’s preventing him from opening his eyes. The doctors believe his body is forcing itself to heal by staying asleep.” She glanced down at her child, and her heart filled with love. Morgan’s father was killed in the line of duty when he was just a baby. She and her family were all her little boy had left. His father had been a foster child, so Morgan was the only piece of him she had left.

  “He seems like a strong kid.”

  “Oh, he is. A few bruises, a broken wrist, and a broken leg are all the doctors can find. He’ll have something to tell his friends when he gets out of here.” Turning back to the man standing in front of her, she couldn’t help but appreciate the view.

  She’d noticed him the day of the accident but had been too focused on her son to really give him any attention. Now that things had calmed down, she took a few moments to enjoy the sight in front of her. The man was a tall, cold glass of ice water. Blonde hair tapered on the side and longer in the front for her fingers to play in the strands. Her eyes traveled down his uniform-clad body. The short sleeves of his shirt put his arms on full display, showing off his full sleeve tattoos. Instantly, a visual of his hands roaming up and down her naked body popped into her head.

  His deep voice shook her from her silent musings. “I’m glad to hear that.”

  She smiled at his apparent nervousness. “Is everything okay?” When that ice-blue gaze landed on her, it took her breath away.

  “Yeah,” he answered gruffly. “Do you mind if I stop by to check on him, and you, from time to time? Well, for as long as you’re here in the hospital at the very least.”

  “Why?” She questioned bluntly. He didn’t know them or anything about their lives. Why would he want to visit?

  Julian took a deep breath, never taking his eyes from her face. “Answering a call about a kid is tough. I’ve been at this for twelve years, and those calls still hit me the hardest. Seeing your little man lying here, it’s tough.” Julian then looked her up and down, and her face heated from the blatant appraisal. “When it’s quiet at night, and the sirens have stopped, I think of you. Of what you’re going through. The way you felt when you saw your little Morgan lying there on the concrete.” Julian sighed deeply, “I think about you all the time. You don’t know me very well, but I want you to.”

  She interrupted him. “What does that mean?” The temptation was there, beating at her chest and other parts of her body. If she didn’t have Morgan to think about, she would have already accepted the invitation burning in his gaze. She’d been to this rodeo before, and she could see the desire reflected in his eyes. He wanted her, and she wanted him just as much. But she had responsibilities, and the primary one was lying in a bed three times bigger than his entire body.

  “It means exactly how it sounds. I would like to know you better. I want to see you smile more. I want to be there and watch as little Morgan gets better and goes home one day soon. And when you’re ready, I’d like to take you out to dinner. See you in a pretty dress, looking even more beautiful than you already are. That’s what it means.”

  Hyperventilating? Yup, she was losing her breath right here and now. Who was this man? And why did she feel such a pull to him? His words were honest, which she appreciated, but she was still nervous about taking him up on his offer. This was only the second time they’d seen each other, yet he made his interest known. Could she be honest with herself and admit the same? “How about we just see how things go?” She looked around, motioning with her hand. “I have quite a bit going on right now, and my focus has to be on Morgan.”

  A half-smile came over his face as he looked at her. “Yeah, I understand that. I don’t want to push you or anything, but I would like to be here with you as you sit with him.” He looked down at his watch. “I’m off for the rest of the day. My partner agreed to return the truck to our station. Unless you have other plans, I’d like to get started on that whole getting to know each other part of the deal.”

  Kori smiled, a light feeling passed through her from his words. She had a feeling everything was going to be okay. That her baby just needed to take a few more days to heal, and then he’d be coming home soon. It was what she needed to believe so she could continue living and breathing each day. There was no other option. Glancing at Julian, she gave him a small smile. “What did you have in mind?”

  “Well. Are you hungry?”

  “Starving. You may not realize this, but hospital food is shit,” she said with a small laugh.

  Julian laughed himself, nodding at her words. “Yes, it sure as hell is. Have a seat. I’ll be back with something good. Any preferences? Allergies?”

  She shook her head, a smile hovering on her lips. “No. I’m good with whatever you pick.” He winked at her, flashing a sexy smile in her direction before exiting the room. Kori could admit, it felt good to have a normal conversation with a handsome man who was interested in her.

  Grabbing Morgan’s tiny hand, she stared down at her son lying in that huge, sterile bed. This wasn’t fair. He should not be here. Tears fell from her eyes as she willed her baby boy to wake up. Kori wanted to see those light brown eyes looking up at her, and that gap-toothed smile brightening up her day. Lowering her head, she sent up a silent prayer. Kori wasn’t an overly religious woman, but she believed that someone up there was listening. But if this is what it took to bring her baby back to her, then she’d do it every day and twice on Sunday.

  Twenty minutes later, Julian returned to the room. Two bags of food and a couple of drinks in his hand. The smell of juicy burgers and salty fries wafted in the air, and she closed her eyes in anticipation. Her stomach growl
ed, and Kori dipped her head in embarrassment. “If you can’t tell, I haven’t been eating very well these last few days.”

  “Then I’m glad to be of service. Come on, let’s eat. If you pass out from hunger, you won’t be able to take care of Morgan. Especially if you’re wasting away from this crappy hospital food. And to be honest, I like you just the way you are.”

  Kori stood at Morgan's side, kissing his forehead before walking over to the small table where Julian had laid out their food. “Won’t we get in trouble for this? How did you get this food in here, anyway?”

  He winked, motioning for her to sit down. “Don’t worry about that. I have my ways.”

  Once they settled down to eat, Kori took a bite and closed her eyes at the flavors. “So good,” she moaned. Opening her eyes, she saw Julian watching, his gaze focused on her like a predator hunting its prey. Oh. My. Damn.

  At that moment, it wasn’t fear that rolled through her body. Oh no, it was pure, raw, burning desire. Taking a sip of her soda to cool her insides, she wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Are you going to eat?” She asked him.

  “Is that an invitation?” He quipped.

  Her gaze went wide at the innuendo, and she lost her voice for a second. “I meant, are you going to eat your burger?”

  Julian took a bite of his burger before taking a swallow of his soda before smirking at her. “Sure, you did.”

  Kori needed to take this time to get to know him. That’s what this little impromptu meal was about, right? Eyeing him as he ate his food, a smile still on his face as he stared at her, Kori shook her head. Oh, he was going to be trouble. “Why don’t you tell me about you. What makes Julian tick?”

  Wiping his mouth, he sat back and paused. “You really want to know?”

  “I do.” She nodded. Kori hoped whatever she discovered was worth the risk of taking a chance.