Single Dads Collection. Lynne Marshall

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СКАЧАТЬ came to the small foyer. Even through the etched glass of her front door she recognized that shape. What was he doing here?

      Flicking the lock on the door, she opened it and didn’t get a chance to say a word as Noah stepped right up to her. His eyes raked over her, his hands falling to her shoulders.

      “Why aren’t you at the hospital getting checked out?”

      She should’ve known the accident wouldn’t remain quiet. Not in a small town with a small police force who knew each other’s business.

      “Because you told me to come straight home to bed,” she countered. “Which I was trying to do.”

      His brows drew in. “Don’t be sarcastic. Cameron said you wouldn’t go get checked out.”

      The captain was the snitch? No, she didn’t believe that for a minute. Regardless, this wasn’t Noah’s business. He couldn’t ignore her and then suddenly show up at her door like he had a right to be concerned.

      “Shouldn’t you be home?” she asked, wondering when he was going to remove his hands from her shoulders. Not that she wanted him to.

      The fact he rushed here and was worried spoke volumes about the feelings he went out of his way to fight off.

      “I’d just gotten home and changed when I heard the call over the scanner,” he replied as he eased her into her house and closed the door behind him. “A hit-and-run?”

      Lucy nodded. “Yeah. Some jerk totaled my car.”

      “Did you get a look at the vehicle or the driver?”

      Shrugging her sore shoulders, Lucy shook her head. “No. Just that the car was dark colored. It happened so fast. Thankfully I’m not hurt, just sore. My hip is a little bruised. This guy is going to have a rough time hiding with a banged-up car.”

      Noah raked his hand through his dark hair. “There’s only going to be one dark-colored vehicle that is mangled in the front in a town this small.”

      Lucy noticed he kept fidgeting. Glancing her way, running his hand over his stubbled jawline and his fingers through his hair.

      “You all right?” she asked.

      Noah laughed as he turned his focus solely to her. “You’re kidding, right? I heard you had been in an accident, a hit-and-run, and I worried. So I called the station and they said Cameron was on the scene and the EMTs had been sent away. So, no, I’m not all right because you could be hurt and not know it. Internal injuries can be well hidden.”

      When Lucy went to reach for him, she felt a pain in her back and she hissed.

      “Damn it.” Noah wrapped his arms around her and gently picked her up. “You need to be seen.”

      “No, I need to be in bed.” Just as soon as she finished being carried like some helpless heroine in a historical novel. “I need to take some pain reliever, get some rest, and maybe soak in a hot bath later. That’s all.”

      “Why are you so stubborn?” he muttered as he headed down the hallway. “Which one is your room?”

      “As flattered as I am at your seduction, I’m afraid I’m not up to a romp right now.”

      Noah’s glare told her he didn’t find her nearly as humorous as she found herself. “Lucy, you’re testing my patience.”

      “Last room on the left,” she murmured as she laid her head against his shoulder.

      Maybe just for a few minutes she’d relax and let him care for her. This wasn’t anything she’d ever had before, not even with her husband. Evan had been loving, but never the type to whisk her off her feet.

      Besides, Noah wasn’t doing anything but trying to get her to rest. He wasn’t trying to woo her or flirt or even seduce her.

      What a shame. Part of her wished they could enter into some adult agreement that an affair was the perfect way to get each other out of their systems. Because she was seriously starting to think that she was in his, too.

      The devil on one shoulder told her to be the one to seduce him, but the angel on the other told her he was grieving and to put her hormones away.

      Gently, Noah laid her on her bed and eased back. “Did you already take pain meds?”

      “No. I haven’t been home but a few minutes.” She nodded in the direction of her master bath. “In there, top shelf above the vanity.”

      While he got her meds, she had to admit that having him here was a bit awkward. No, maybe not awkward, but definitely weird. She couldn’t deny that any man in her bedroom would make her take notice, but this particular man had her aching in places that had nothing to do with the accident.

      Between that thick Southern accent and the way he obviously cared, how could she prevent her heart from flipping over?

      After she took the pills, all while Noah stood directly over her to make sure, he then tucked her in like a child.

      “I think I can get it from here,” she informed him, feeling more and more foolish. “Go ahead and get home. Emma is probably wondering where you are.”

      “She’s at the sitter until this afternoon.”

      Well, if she were feeling up to par, she may take advantage of that fact, but as it was, she was in no shape. The longer time went on, the sorer her body was becoming. Besides, she would feel even more foolish if her first attempt at seduction landed her a big fat rejection.

      “I think I need to soak in the tub first.” She sat up and twisted her neck from side to side. Her hip twinged in protest, but she was careful not to show pain. “And I definitely don’t need you around for that. Thanks for stopping to check on me, but I can take it from here.”

      “Are you seriously not going to get checked out?”

      She let out a laugh and came to her feet. “I’m seriously too tired, plus I’d know if something was wrong.”

      Lucy wasn’t going to argue. She was too sore, too tired, and not about to give in. She went past Noah and closed herself in her adjoining bathroom. This was one of those times when she was so glad she’d had an old claw foot tub put in when she’d renovated the outdated bathroom. She’d gone for an old dresser-turned-vanity, kept the old tiles, found a nice mirror at a yard sale, and splurged on the tub.

      Lucy quickly shed her clothes as the tub filled with hot water. She plucked a lavender bath bomb from the basket on the vanity and dropped it into the water. If she could just get ten minutes of warmth to her muscles, she knew she’d feel better and then she could rest peacefully.

      With her bath pillow in place, Lucy eased herself into the hot water that would for sure turn her skin a lovely shade of red. She didn’t hear anything outside her bathroom door so she assumed Noah had left. Hopefully he remembered to lock the door behind him.

      Lucy twisted her hair on top of her head and secured it with a clip. As she nestled against her little inflatable pillow, she closed her eyes and let the hot water and the bath bomb work their magic.

      Maybe СКАЧАТЬ