Tackled by the Girl Next Door (3 page)

She set her glass on the table and placed her hand on the corded muscles of his forearm. “Wait until you see what I made for dessert.”

His glance landed on her hand and then shifted to her eyes. “Knowing you, it’s chocolate.”

She pulled her hand back onto her lap as he shoved a scoop of pasta into his mouth. “Not just chocolate. It’s better than sex. Want some?”

He coughed around a mouthful of food and set his fork down. “Excuse me?”

She leaned toward his ear and whispered, “That’s the recipe name. Better Than Sex brownies.”

“Oh.” A muscle jumped in his jaw. His gaze roamed over her, and the room’s temperature rose from comfortable to sultry. After a long moment, he turned back to the TV.

She reached over him to grab the wine bottle on the end table and lost her balance, landing on his lap. His arms closed around her.

“Nice catch.” She laughed and stretched for the bottle.

His grip tightened. “You’re already past your usual limit.”

“Keeping watch on me?”

“Someone has to.” His voice deepened, and his finger grazed under her chin.

Was the wine causing her to see desire in Jason’s eyes that wasn’t there? She scrambled to her feet. “Let me grab dessert.”

She carried their plates into the kitchen. Drawing in slow, deep breaths, she prayed for clarity, then returned to the living room and set the brownies in front of him. The plate piled high with warm brownies blocked his view of the game. His eyes on the screen, Jason pushed off the floor and sat on the couch.

She jumped onto the cushion next to him, snuggled into his side, and sighed. His muscles stiffened.

“Did I hurt you?” She glanced at his face. Had she landed too hard?

Ignoring her question, he reached for the plate, broke a brownie in half, and handed her a piece. “Here.”

Sam lifted the brownie to his lips. “You first.”

He took a bite and groaned. The sound drew Sam closer. She rested her fingertips on the rough denim covering his knee. Jason set the other half of the brownie on the plate and turned to her. He was so close his breath tickled her cheek. “Really good.”

She inhaled his scent and popped the rest of the brownie in her mouth. Rich, dark cocoa exploded on her tongue. Chocolate chips melted into perfect gooey consistency enriched the flavor. She blew out a breath.

“This is definitely better than sex.”
How had that slipped out?
No more wine for her.

Hazel eyes burned into hers. “Sam.”

“What?”

“You’ve got chocolate on your lower lip.”

“Oh.” She reached for her napkin.

His hand stopped hers. “I’ll get it.”

Instead of his fingers, his lips descended. His gaze intense, his movements controlled, he leaned in. Slowly.

Sam moistened her lips and inhaled. Dream or reality? Jason’s lips closed over hers, too warm, too firm to be a figment of her subconscious. Fireworks exploded behind her eyes. The room erupted with the sound of cheers.

She tasted the heady combination of chocolate and wine and Jason. Kissing Jason was better than she’d imagined. She fisted his sweater, holding him to her. Strong hands pressed her back into the cushions. His hand cupped her breast, eliciting moans from them both, and continued its journey to massage her hip.

Humming her approval, she shifted the angle, deepened the kiss, and stroked her tongue along his. Strength and power formed from years of training had turned his body into a hard machine. She gave in to the temptation to explore. Her fingers slid under his sweater, over the ridges of his stomach. He sucked in his breath and groaned. Would his back feel as strong? His muscles bunched under her hand.

He lifted his head. “Wow, Sam.” The words whispered, his gaze hungry, he gripped her waist.

Jangling rang from the phone on the end table. He glanced at the display. Heat vanished and he pushed off her. “It’s the Glynneath police.”

Ice stole through her core. She grabbed the phone. “Hello?”

“Samantha O’Brien?”

“Yes.”

“A car registered in your name was involved in a car crash this evening. An ambulance transported the driver, Kevin O’Brien, to County General Hospital.”

“Oh my God. Is he okay?” The pause at the other end of the line provided her the answer she dreaded. The helplessness she’d experienced during the too-similar phone call received after her mother’s fatal crash slammed through her like a tidal wave. History couldn’t repeat itself. Life couldn’t be that cruel.

“He was unconscious. We have no further details on his condition. I recommend getting to the hospital as soon as you can.”

Staring at Jason’s solemn expression, she lowered the phone. “They won’t tell me how badly he’s injured. What if he’s dying?” Fear launched her heartbeat to a sprinter’s pace. She pushed to her feet.

Jason wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. “Let’s find out his condition before jumping to conclusions. I’ll drive.”

****

Jason’s last trip to a hospital was in the back of an ambulance being driven away from pro football forever. One torn patella tendon in the final year of a three-year contract meant the end of his career. Fighting to keep his position would be impossible. Despite similar stats, his replacement was ten years younger, a whole lot healthier, and paid half Jason’s salary.

This hospital trip may mean Kevin’s college playing days could be over. He wasn’t good enough to play professional football, but he could have a pretty good finish to his college career if he remained healthy. He sent up a quick prayer that Kevin would walk out of the hospital with only wounded pride and a berating from his sister.

Sam ran into the emergency room and straight to the front desk. A nurse led her into the back room to see her brother. Jason resigned himself to sitting in a plastic chair in the crowded waiting area. He wasn’t family. At this point, he didn’t know what he was. The kiss with Sam had tilted their relationship into unexplored territory. No going back, no pretending the kiss hadn’t pierced his heart. What would have happened if the phone had never rung?

Only an ass would stress about a relationship with a woman while she dealt with a family emergency. Jason wasn’t an ass. He cared about Kevin and hoped he’d be all right. His mind, however, replayed his kiss with Sam a thousand times over. Nothing had prepared him for how perfectly her lips fit with his. Yet, this was only a temporary break from his real life. He’d need to fly back to California soon to put his life in order. Sam’s life always focused on her family. In light of the accident, she’d have to take an even greater role in caring for Kevin.

A half hour later, Sam arrived back in the reception area. The usual light in her eyes had faded, surrounded by eyelids heavy with sadness and fatigue.

Jason met her in the middle of the room. “How is he?”

“He’ll live, but they need to wait until tomorrow to determine the full extent of his leg injury. They’re taking him to surgery right now. I only had a few minutes with him, but he was gorked out from the pain medication. I don’t think he even knew I was next to him.” Rather than falling into his arms for comfort, she paced back and forth.

The urge to cradle her against his chest burned through his veins, but he stepped back and kept his hands at his sides. Time and experience told him she required space when dealing with tragedy in her life. “What happened?”

“Texting his friends. Drove right into a telephone pole without slowing down. It’s a miracle he’s alive. The collision caused a complete compound fracture in both his tibia and his fibula.”

“Damn. I don’t know what to say.”

“Just being here helps. Thanks.” She approached him with the hesitation of a timid doe. She rubbed under her eyes and then reached her hand out in a helpless gesture. “I’m really glad you’re with me.”

Jason caught her hand, pulled her toward him, and escorted her over to a row of red plastic chairs by the window. As they sat together, Sam nodded in and out of sleep. Her eyes shot open each time someone emerged through the electric doors only to close again when the nurse or doctor headed toward another family. Finally, a doctor she seemed to recognize walked through the door. Sam sprang up and met him halfway.

The doctor, a middle-aged man with too much gray at his temples, clasped both of Sam’s hands and spoke in a low voice to her. Their heads tilted together as though conspiring against the world. The more information the doctor gave her, the more she beamed up at him. Kevin must be fine. The doctor chatted with her a few more minutes, never letting her hands go. His smile caused wrinkles around his eyes, and he laughed every time Sam’s face showed the slightest hint of amusement. The whole scene morphed into a flirtation, not a medical conference. A small fire ignited in the middle of Jason’s gut. The longer they stood together, the larger the flames grew until the inferno incinerated his sanity.

Jason stood up and walked to Sam’s side. He wrapped his left arm around her shoulder and pulled her back into his chest, which forced the doctor to finally release her. The doctor’s glare told Jason he was correct in interrupting their intimate huddle.

“Jason, this is Dr. Toomey.” Sam relaxed into Jason’s chest. He took advantage of her position to secure his hold on her.

“Doctor.” Jason shook the man’s scrawny hand, careful to avoid breaking his fingers. “Will he need more surgery?”

Dr. Toomey’s brows drew together, and he took one step back. His posture became more rigid, if that was possible. “Not at this point. We’ve already inserted a titanium nail into his tibia. It should help stabilize his injury and allow the bone fragments to merge. We’re leaving the fibula to realign on its own.”

Jason hugged Sam closer and rested his chin on the top of her head. “How long will he be in the hospital?”

“About four or five days.”

Sam’s muscles tensed. “He’ll miss Thanksgiving.”

“I’m sure they’ll let you bring something for him,” the doctor responded.

“That’s a great idea.” Her tone brightened. Without seeing her expression, Jason could imagine the light reappearing in her eyes. A light shining on Dr. Toomey.

“Go on home, Sam. You need rest as much as Kevin does. I’ll see you tomorrow. Nice meeting you, Jason.” He disappeared through the sliding door, like a superhero who had saved the day and would be waiting patiently for his reward. He’d be waiting a hell of a long time, because Sam’s current superhero wasn’t planning on letting her go.

They drove in silence. Sam leaned against the car window and looked off somewhere into the dark neighborhoods they drove past. Jason didn’t have anything to say. He couldn’t predict the future, and no words would comfort her until Kevin returned home. Although the operation was a success, would Kevin’s leg heal enough to keep him active? Shit. Kevin was like a little brother to him. His chest tightened. His fingers flexed and gripped the steering wheel. He couldn’t do anything to fix Kevin’s leg, but he could be there for Sam. If she let him.

He reached for her hand. Her small fingers curled over his and added enough pressure to signal her acceptance. She turned her sorrowful eyes toward him. They looked red and puffy from all the crying. Black eyeliner streaked down her cheeks and created a shadow under her bottom lashes. He’d never seen Sam cry before, not even at Alex’s funeral. She’d held it together, her strength hidden in her quiet personality and soft demeanor. The urge to pull over and comfort her made him edgy until she moved closer to his side and rested on him and not the door. He held her tight.

When they arrived at her house, she invited him in for a few minutes. He wouldn’t stay long. She needed rest.

Sam headed to the kitchen in slow motion. Her shoulders slumped down, and her chin fell toward her chest. “Would you like a beer? I’m going to brew myself a cup of tea.”

“Sit. I’ll make it.” He took her elbow, turned her around, and headed to the couch. “You need a break.”

“I’m not an invalid.”

“No, but someone needs to take care of you once in a while. I’m assigning myself the task while I’m in town.” He knelt next to her and removed her sneakers. For several minutes, his fingers massaged her tiny feet.

“I wish I could keep you forever. You spoil me.” Her voice sounded faint and breathless.

A tear lingering near the side of her nose caught the light from the lamp on the end table. Damn. He didn’t know what to do. After pulling a fleece blanket over her, he escaped to the kitchen to make her some tea. Did she want black tea, green tea, or the fruity stuff in the box under the counter? What about milk?

“What kind of tea do you want?” he called over to her.

“Anything is okay.”

Anything?
His mother liked black tea with milk when she had a stressful day, so he made Sam the same thing. Stressful couldn’t encompass the hell she’d been through all afternoon. Nothing like being molested by your best friend right before your little brother is in a car accident. Damn, he was an ass. Sam couldn’t be his girlfriend. She was his safe haven, his home away from home, the one person with whom he didn’t have to pretend to be invincible.

He carried the hot mug into the living room. Pretty red toes peeked out from the blue blanket. One of her arms draped over the side of the couch. Jason tucked it under the blanket and sat next to her. What a beauty. Even sleeping with her mouth hung open and her makeup all messed up, she took his breath away. He brushed a lock of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. His finger traced a line to her neck and remained there as he tried to find an imperfection. Not one. She was perfect. One kiss on the tip of her perfect nose opened her eyes.