Broken Dreams (Franklin Blues #2) (2 page)

When I get up to his room, I notice he’s doing it again, chilling in his bed watching some sports game on T.V.

“Yes, Mr. Underwood, what can I get for you this time?” Yes, I called him Mr. Underwood; he is, after all, a client. I call all my clients by their formal titles; it’s more professional that way. Plus, doing it with Lance irritates him so I find it comical.

“You can start out by not calling me Mr. Underwood, that is my father and I am definitely not like my old man. The next thing is, can you help me get my sling off, its driving me crazy.” He doesn’t really need my help with his sling; it’s one of those Velcro ones that he can use his good arm to undo. I shake my head and go over to his side of the bed, sit down, and before I know what’s happening, he’s grabbed me around my waist and rolled me so I am now under him.

“You know how I hate when you call me Mr. Underwood. My name is Lance, and you should really start using it. I’m telling you, Baby, you’ll be screaming it one day, so you might as well get used to saying it.”

He’s close, too close. He needs to back away before my resolve breaks. I’m staring into his intense brown eyes, and it’s almost as if he can see into my soul the way he’s staring at me. He starts to lean down and I’m in a trance. He gets so close to my lips that I can feel his breath against mine.

“Baby, we’d be so good together, why are you denying what I know you feel too?” For some reason that does it and the trance is broken.

I push his shoulders up and he must get the picture because he leans away from me and onto his back. I jump up off the bed and leave the room. I can’t believe I almost let him kiss me; that would’ve been the worst thing that could’ve happened. I can’t let anything happen between us. Even if it did, it would only end in heart break. I’m a no strings attached, one-night stand kind of girl. I never used to be this way until I saw how easy it was for men, so I figured why the hell not. Come to find out, I’m good at it, probably better than a lot of men.

I lean against his door, knowing that if anything were to happen with us, there’s no way I’d only want one night with him; one night would never be enough. I need to get these thoughts out of my head. What can I do to keep myself busy?

I walk down and into the kitchen. I decide to make myself some lunch before I start on preparations for dinner. If there was one thing I am good at, it’s cooking. I learned from my mom who said that the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach. I learned that with Jeremy too. He loved my cooking, and I cooked for him on our first date. I shake my head to clear the thoughts of Jeremy. You would think that after three years I’d be over the betrayal, but it hurts as much today as it did the day I found those two in bed together.

I hear Lance coming into to kitchen so I look up and give him a small smile. I know he can tell that it’s forced, but he never says anything.

“Is lasagna okay for dinner, or do you want something else? If you have plans let me know, and I will make something for me. It doesn’t matter to me either way; I didn’t want to make too much food.”

“That’s fine, I don’t have any plans. I was thinking of inviting Shawn, Hailee, Scarlett, and Mason over for dinner. Would that be okay with you or would you rather not have to cook for everyone? I can help you as much as I can, tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”

I look at him for a moment and study his face. He looks kind of nervous, and that makes me giggle slightly to myself.

“Inviting everyone over for dinner is fine by me. I’ve been a shitty friend to Hailee lately, and I really want to see my niece. She’s getting so big, and it’s been too long since I’ve seen her. I need to run to the store to get more ingredients for the lasagna, salad and stuff.”

I make my way to the front door, lunch all but forgotten. I grab my purse but his hand on my forearm stops me. I look up at him to see what he wants.

“Please, let me go for you. You wouldn’t have to go to the store if I hadn’t wanted to invite everyone over. I’ll go, get everything and I’ll stop on the way back home to grab us some lunch too.”

I’m kind of shocked that he actually volunteered to go grocery shopping for me and I can’t help but start laughing at him. He looks so confused that it makes me laugh even more.

“I’m sorry Lance, I’m not laughing at you per se, I’m laughing that you, Mr. Badass Detective, are volunteering to go to the grocery store for me. Then you looked so genuinely confused that it made me laugh even more. Oh, my God, I can’t breathe. I’m not even sure what was so funny to begin with, but I needed that.”

He smirks at me, “Maybe we should go together. I mean, I’m not sure that, what was it you called me, oh that’s right, Mr. Badass Detective, would be able to get the right things that I’m sure you’re used to using for lasagna. We can stop and get lunch on the way. So what do you say, go grocery shopping with me?” He gives me these puppy dog eyes, and I know right then and there I’d never be able to say no to those eyes.

“Fine, stop with the begging. Let’s go.”

He chuckles to himself and mumbles something I’m not able to catch. We walk out the door and make our way to his car. He tosses the keys at me. Guess I’m driving. This is going to be interesting.

Lance

Man, she’s beautiful when she’s trying to be annoyed. I knew the minute that I was told that I would need around the clock help, that no other nurse would do. She has a fiery personality that you can’t help but take notice of the moment she walks into a room.

When I had to arrest her a few months back, I really didn’t want to, but I knew that Hailee and Shawn, my best friend who is closer to me than a brother, wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m a detective not a patrol cop, but I took the call anyways. When I got there, she was beyond wasted; her eyes were glossed over, she couldn’t walk to save her life, and her speech was off the charts. She slurred so bad, you would think you were talking to a baby who couldn’t really talk yet.

Being a police officer has its risks and dangers, but when I decided to go undercover and infiltrate the drug ring that killed my best friend’s first wife, I never knew exactly the risks involved in my job. I still only remember bits and pieces, but the doctors all say that in time it will come back to me. I’m not even sure I want to know the details that almost got me killed.

Waking up in the hospital, I couldn’t remember how I had gotten there in the first place. I couldn’t remember a lot of things actually. I was told I was on some undercover assignment, but the last thing I remembered was hanging out with Shawn, Hailee, and Amy the night my niece, Scarlett, was born. Amy was amazing that night; she delivered her like she had done it a thousand times. The moment I saw her holding newborn Scarlett, I knew I needed to change my bad boy ways. I wanted to find someone to settle down with, and I had a feeling I was already looking at her.

We’re riding in my car and she’s listening to the local country radio station, as I listen and watch her drive. She really is gorgeous, with her fire engine red hair and her crystal blue eyes that I could get lost in. Today her hair is straight, but I love it when it has a natural bounce to it.

“Lance, are you listening to me? I’ve been trying to get your attention, but you’ve been in another world. Are you okay, feeling dizzy at all?” She’s looking at me with such concern, more concern than any nurse would have for a normal patient.

“I’m fine, Amy, I promise. I was thinking about my injuries and how I got hurt during my assignment. There’s no need to worry your pretty little head about me,” I reply and I throw her a wink to get her to smile at least. I hate it when she doesn’t smile, and I want to do everything I can to make her smile everyday if possible.

Next thing I know, I hear a honk and look up to realize the light has turned green. I look over to Amy, and she’s staring out the window with a small smile on her beautiful face, so I nudge her with my elbow, snapping her out of whatever trance she seems to be in and she drives through the light. We get to the store and get everything that she seems to think we need and we proceed to checkout. After a battle of who is going to pay, which I won, we are on our way back to the house.

She goes to the kitchen to put everything away and I realize I don’t want to be away from her. Therefore, I decide to give up my man card for the night and help her. She has a pull, and I can’t help but want to be near her as much as I can. I should go upstairs and leave her alone, she’s made it very clear that she doesn’t want anything to do with me, but I can’t help it, she’s like the light and I am a moth. No matter the danger, I still go towards the light.

“Hey, can I help you cook dinner? I may not be of much use, but I should probably learn at some point, I’m tired of take out and will miss your home cooking once you’re gone.” She looks at me and gives me the slightest of nods.

“Can you start by chopping up the veggies for the salad? I can get everything else started. It’s really easy to make lasagna; you just need to make sure you cook everything right before putting it together.” She keeps talking but all I can seem to do it watch her float around my kitchen. Yes, I said float, she’s not only walking or moving around, it’s more like she’s completely at ease with her movements.

“If I’m going to learn to cook, I’m going to need to do more than chop stuff for the salad. Come on Amy, I need to be put to actual work. I’m all better now thanks to you. We only have two weeks left, please teach me to keep up with home cooked meals, take out really is getting old.”

“You know, I can still come over and cook for you after I leave, it’s not like you’ll never see me again. Our best friends are married and have our niece, I’m pretty sure that guarantees us seeing each other again. Think of it this way, once I’m gone, you can go back to parading women around here like you used to and I won’t be cramping your style anymore.”

Her words kind of hurt, and I’m not going to lie, at one point in time I thought that I wanted to be a bachelor forever, but now that I’ve met Amy, everything has changed. I want her in my house, my bed, and my life. I’ve wanted this since I picked her up outside of that bar when she was drunk off her ass.

“Well, I hate to tell you, but I’m done with ‘all the women’. It’s time for me to settle down, and there’s only one person I want to settle down with. The only question is whether or not she feels the same way.” I make sure I keep eye contact with her as I am pretty much telling her it’s her I’m referring to. She breaks the contact and shakes her head, but I can’t help but notice the small smile on her face as she tries to hide it behind a curtain of hair.

I can’t take it anymore, I have to touch her. I walk up to her, tuck her hair behind her ear and whisper softly, “Please don’t hide from me. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and you should never hide that from me.” Her cheeks start to turn pink, and I’m wondering what happened to the ball buster who used to live in her body. The woman who I arrested definitely wasn’t a blusher and neither was the one who delivered my niece.

“Lance, please back away, this isn’t a good idea and you know it. Our best friends are married, what happens if things between us go sour? They’d have to pick sides and it would cause nothing but problems. I can’t put them through that, so please, let me make dinner, and get through these next two weeks. I’m begging you to walk away now. If you don’t, I’m not sure I’m going to be able to stop myself again.” She says everything in a breathy tone, and I’m not sure I can restrain myself. My jeans are feeling about two sizes too small at the moment, and it’s to the point that it’s painful.

“Here’s the thing Amy, I’m not sure I can stop. I want you beneath me. I want you squirming while I run my tongue all over you, exploring every inch of your body. I want you to beg me to let you come while I taste your sweetness. I want you to scream my name and my name only while your body rocks from orgasm, and last but not least, I want to wake up to your beautiful face in the morning. I want all these things, and I’m telling you, one day I’m going to get them. When that happens, it will be the best sex of our lives.”

I back away from her and notice that she’s gripping the counter so hard her knuckles are turning white, her breathing has escalated, and she’s squeezing her legs together. I know she feels what I feel, and I’ll be damned if I give up on her. I think that with a few more comments like that, I’ll get that woman in my bed.

Game on, Amy, game on.

Amy

Holy shit, how can he expect me to not jump him when he says things like that to me? I’m pretty sure my panties are soaked now and I have a pulsing sensation between my legs. I have to grip the counter to keep upright and not melt into a puddle of desire in the middle of his kitchen.

I look over my shoulder to Lance’s retreating form, and I’m not sure what it is, but something snaps. I call out his name, and when he turns around I’m already right up on him. I want to jump him, but his body would break if I did that, so I push him down on the couch. I sit on top on him and straddle him.

“Damn you Lance Underwood, I was doing so good at keeping my distance, but you had to go and get all sexy, tempting me with something I’m not sure I can say no to.” With that last statement I crash my lips onto his. Everything about this kiss is passionate with just a hint of desperation. I grab onto his shirt, trying to bring him closer even though we are as close as humanly possible. His hands are everywhere, in my hair as he grabs fists full, my hips, causing me to grind on top of him, and even my ass to keep the movement going. I can feel his hardness growing beneath me and it only fuels my passion for him even more. It’s like we are fused together at the mouth, and I’m completely okay with that.

As he starts to take my shirt off and there’s a knock at the door. We look at each other like two teenagers who have been caught making out by their parents.

“Don’t go anywhere, I’ll get rid of whoever is at the door, and then we are going to finish what we started. I know that if you think too much you are going to back out, so don’t think, just sit there looking all sexy, because when I come back, I’m going to make you mine.”