Indulgence (7 page)

“Oh, you’re a sneak, this was planned?”

A gentleman never tells. “Come here.”

Zoey stood and walked over to him. “Aye-aye, Captain.” He slid her in front of his body and set her hands on the wheel. You can steer for us.” He dropped a kiss on her neck in a comforting way.

“Thank you for this, for bringing me to your home. I don’t want to go back to the city.” She felt sadness well in her.

“We’ll be back, I promise. I meant it when I said I’d keep you. That’s my dream.”

“You may take them words back when I get a bit irrational.”

“Nah, Sunshine, there’s always another way to deal with the crazy part of you.” He nipped her neck as she steered them around.

“You’re my future.” She admitted the words to herself for the first time, that she wanted to have more with her charming man than a brief affair. If she hadn’t wanted him on a deeper level, her reactions wouldn’t be all over the place.

Words weren’t needed to carry the conversation. He got her, and she got him. They’d figure the rest out on their long, crazy ride together, and if she failed, she’d bare her ass for the strike of his palm, knowing he’d take the sting away and make her feel priceless, cherished, adored. Yeah, for once, she’d indulge in the unknown with a man who promised her the world and knew how to deliver.

*The End*

Against All Odds

Chapter One

Sweat dripped down Derek’s face, though he didn’t stop his stride. Not when the incline on the treadmill urged him to run faster, to pound on the rubber mat, albeit with light feet. Icy cold loomed outside his condo. The kind of frigid weather that froze his balls the moment he opened the door. Running outside tempted him, though the thought of slipping on ice covered pavement deterred him.

Deja plagued his mind. Four months of dating the skittish woman and he was no closer to gaining her trust than he’d anticipated. Extreme measures called for a drastic solution. First, he needed a way past her wall of sheer stubbornness. The chirp of his Bluetooth interrupted his thoughts.

“Tresvant.”

Derek punched the cool down button and slowed his jog to a brisk walk. News of a new venture piqued his interest. Phil, his accountant rambled off his latest find. “It’s for sale now?” Raising his hands over his head, he took a breath as his heart rate decelerated. Numbers spun in his head and he took them apart with systematic strategy. “Put an offer on the table, pending a thorough look at the books for the last five years. I want those documents to me within twenty-four hours. The brewery? It’s tripled the amount of capital I put in two years ago. Let’s give it another year and then I’ll sell.” He swiped the towel off the hand rest as he stepped off the workout machine. Hell, if he sold the brewery Deja could point out he no longer had a reason to put down roots in her hometown.

“Where are we at with the real estate? Hmmm. Go ahead and sell the place. I have no desire to hold onto the property. All the changes I implemented were made. The complex is rehabbed. Let’s find a corporation interested in buying. No…I want top dollar. Yeah, don’t back down. If they press for a lower price, say you’ll think about their offer. Remind them there are other prospective buyers who’ve taken an interest at the set price.” Derek grinned. “You’re doing a damn fine job Phil. How’s the weather?”

Derek stepped into his master bedroom and sat on the edge of his bed. “Damn, I miss the heat. There are no buildings to protect a person from the cold here. I swear the wind chills you to the bone. I’m tired of freezing my ass off.” Phil chuckled on the other end.
Nice to be so amusing to others
. Derek thought before replying. “Nah, there are perks to being here, plus business opportunities not available elsewhere. Look, I gotta go. I’ll check in with you later this week to see how things are going.” He clicked off his Bluetooth, pressed the button to open his closet, and grabbed dark blue worn washed jeans and a flannel shirt. Tossing the hangers on his bed, he was moving to the shower when his Bluetooth chimed again. “Tresvant.”

“Hey beautiful.” Derek tossed his socks and boxers on the bed. Her tone worried him. “What? Where are you?” He listened to Deja give her location and grimaced. “You should’ve known better than to leave your place. Are you hurt? What, you don’t think so? Call 9-1-1. Deja. A bump on the head can be dangerous.” The more he listened, the more she aggravated him. “Fine. Stay on the phone with me until I reach you. If I think you’re falling asleep I’ll call 9-1-1 myself.”

Anger surged through him as he hurriedly shrugged into his clothing and found his boots. “Calm down. No, I’m not yelling at you. I’m concerned. Deja—listen. Get in your car and lock the doors. Can you crank the engine on?” While waiting for her answer, he grabbed his coat, gloves, hat and keys. “Good. Are there any odd odors coming from the car?” Questioning her would keep her lucid enough until he reached her side. Derek let himself out of the condo and paused before giving her more instruction. “Now turn on your heater. Can you tell me if warm air comes out of your vents?” After a few moments she reported her heat worked. “Good, that’s one less thing to worry about. Did you put the blanket kit in your trunk?”

Her silence told him she hadn’t done as he told her. Hell, he grew up on the West Coast and knew to be prepared. Prevention meant being prepared. He held his breathe before counting to ten. “I’m on my way, don’t fall asleep. Just sit tight. Do not get out of your car,” he reiterated, ready to take off like a bat out of hell to reach her.

Time moved slowly or so it seemed as he climbed into his four wheel drive. After checking the chains, he wished he’d had the foresight to purchase studded tires for her or a better set of snow tires, but he had good tire traction and warranty still in effect. Heat blasted him in the face and he reached down to adjust the setting. By the time he got on the highway ramp irritation began to fade. What else did he expect from his Deja…She never planned for anything, but ran full speed ahead. He’d be lying to say he wouldn’t have her any other way. Getting her to listen and take some advance measures would be ideal, however, it wasn’t in her personality so he couldn’t begrudge her.

Jammed traffic prevented him from getting to her in a timely manner. Frustration at the twenty minute wait seized him before he pulled up to her vehicle. After turning on his hazard lights, he looked for oncoming traffic. What she’d told him wasn’t half as bad as he’d expected.

Derek braved the cold, trekked over to the car and rapped on the window. Relief crossed Deja’s face as she rolled it down a bit. The bump looked big. Her pallor worried him.

“I’m so sorry to drag you out in this. I hit a patch of ice.” Deja stepped out of her car on wobbly legs.

Derek took in her attire. “Aren’t you cold?” He slipped his gloves off and ran his fingers over the knot on her forehead, feeling the heat emanate under his fingertips. “That’s a nasty bump. Let’s get you in my truck. We can take care of your car later.”

One look at her stiletto boots told him she would break her fool neck if she attempted to walk on the shoulder of the road. “You should really dress for the weather.” Derek bit the tip of his tongue and picked her up unceremoniously. The ice made walking difficult. He cradled her body against his awkward gait best he could. That she was about to speak didn’t escape his notice. He left her in the passenger seat with a smile on his face when she didn't say a word. He pulled out a blanket from behind his seat. “Cover up.”

Thick chunks of snow covered her hood and the passenger side, but both appeared undamaged. He deduced he’d have to call in a tow and headed back to his vehicle.

Once again, hot air blasted him as he climbed in next to Deja.

“Thank you Derek.” She refused to meet his eyes, looking out the window to her broken car. No doubt mad at him for his attitude. He was pissed she was pissed, what a pair they made.

Crazy woman
. He cut his eyes to her and slipped on his safety belt. “Strap up.” While waiting, he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, and then using precaution, moved into traffic.

“I wasn’t expecting to get stuck.”

“I’m not up to arguing Deja. We don’t live in California. It’s below zero. Fashion is cute and all but is it worth hypothermia or dying for?”

“Don’t lecture. I’m a grown woman. I can wear what I damn well want. I have a coat on. I have boots on. I expected to get in and out in a covered garage. Accidents happen.”

“That is not a real coat.” He referred to the thin material hugging her body, the only closure a belt tied at the waist.
You'd think someone with her connections could find a stylish parka to keep her warm
. “It’s below zero outside,” he reiterated.

“I had a fashion meeting,” she snapped.

“Of all the stupid—” Derek bellowed at her.

Guilt washed over him when he noticed Deja wince and cover her eyes with her arm. Maybe he was being too harsh on her with the current circumstances. Hadn’t he said he didn’t want to argue or fight?

“I’m sorry.” Derek didn’t mention how the call saying she’d slid into solid wall of snow scared the shit out of him. Imagining finding her dead brought out the part of him he’d thought he’d conquered or at least suppressed. “You have to think more, beautiful. Watch the news and go from there to learn if you need to cancel your appointments during inclement weather. You could’ve frozen your pretty ass off at the least…the worse, flipped into a mangled mess. I could’ve been visiting you in the morgue. Not here picking you up safe and sound. Every man hates not being able to protect their woman, I’m not any different.” He patted her leg to reassure himself she was okay, then put both hands on the wheel.

Twenty minutes later, he parked at the entrance of the closest emergency room. “Let’s go get your head looked at. When we’re settled in there I’ll look for a tow company.” Kissing her cheek before exiting, he strode around to her side, glad the trucks had plowed the hospital parking lot. Once he had her in his arms again, he carried her inside the hospital and settled her into a chair. A triage nurse had him sign in while she took Deja’s vitals. Derek took a second to breathe and rein in his emotions now that she was being looked at. Deja didn’t need the lecture, he just couldn’t stop the words from leaving his mouth.

A quick talk to the stationary police officer gave him a local tow company. The call was short and sweet. Derek gave the mile marker along with the location of the keys to the dispatcher who promised to take care of her car post haste. When he got off the phone, Deja was being led into exam one. He trailed behind them.

“Sir. I need some information.” Registration stopped him and handed him a clipboard with a form for consent to treat.

“I’ll fill out what I know ma’am. Her total history I’m not sure about.”

“Just do your best. The nurse can ask the rest.”

Admitting handed him the necessary forms to fill out and sign. “I believe she pays her own insurance, however, just take down my information here. I’ll provide the payment for her care.” If her out of pocket expenses were high, making her premium increase because of a gross error in judgment made no sense. For now he’d take care of her needs to save her the aggravation and soon maybe she’d let him take care of her for good.

“Thank you.” Registration motioned for the next in line. Derek knocked on the ER room door before joining Deja.

“How is she?” Derek asked, standing off to the side but close enough to lay a hand of support if needed.

“I’m fine, just ready to go home.” Deja yawned.

“Is she really fine? I doubt she’s ready to go home just yet.” He didn’t want to take her word for it, not unless a trained professional agreed. After seeing the recent news on head injuries, he wouldn’t allow Deja to play Russian roulette with her life.

“No. Not just yet. I paged the doc on call and he’s instructed us to have neuro come down for a consult.” The nurse patted Deja’s hand in comfort.

“I don’t need treatment. I just bumped my head a bit. How much will this cost me? I can’t afford tests to tell me there’s nothing wrong.”

Derek crossed over and sat on a stool next to Deja. “I want you to have the tests. We played things your way by not calling an ambulance. We just saved you a few hundred by bringing you in, have the tests done.”

“My insurance is already high. I can’t afford for the premium to rise. I’d rather outpatient it at my doctor’s office tomorrow.”

“Then let me pay for your care.” He put her palm to his hand and kissed her soft skin. “Before you say no, consider it a concession for the ass I was acting like bringing you in.”

“That’s a hefty fine to pay for being such an a—”

The registered nurse, Jenny smiled at them. “She’s ready for a room in the back. Radiology will come down for her to take her for a CT scan and we’ll go from there.”

“Thank you.” Derek helped Deja up. “I’m not budging on this.”

“It’ll cost you, in more than just money. This is a big deal.”

Don’t I know. Don’t I know.

In room two they waited for radiology to show. Since she wasn’t in critical condition other trauma patients came first. The wait was killing him though. Hard to believe hospitals still made him nervous after all this time. Luckily, caring for Deja kept his mind in the present, leaving his past dead and buried where it belonged.

Fifty minutes turned into an hour. In the background he heard sirens wailing. Some cop show played on the television above the bed. Derek stroked her hand when she’d nod off, to keep her awake. When she realized the serious nature of her injury, he could only hope she’d show more concern than she was letting on. “You want anything to drink?”

“No. I just want to sleep.”

“I know beautiful, but not yet. We got awhile yet till you can.” A tap on the door pulled his attention away. “Enter.”

“We’re here for Deja Crane.” The tech came in with a wheelchair and checked Deja’s hospital band with the paperwork. “Date of birth?”

“March 22
nd
, 1986.”

“Want me to come with you?” Derek asked.

“Sir, I know you want to be there for her, but honestly you’d be better hanging out here. The waiting room upstairs is small. We’re just taking a picture and bringing her right back,” the technician explained as he helped Deja into the chair.

Time ticked by in slow painful increments. Restless energy coursed through him without his usual workload to take his mind off the present. Sitting in the hospital caused his gut to clench in remembrance of his past, although this time as a visitor and not an occupant. He sat on the stool watching a local television program without really absorbing it. His mind spun toward worry.
Damn. She has to be all right.