Hardball (36 page)

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll get a lecture, and maybe a fine, but what the hell,” he said. “Not that Dembinski’s exactly Mr. Sensitivity, but he should understand that a guy’s gotta do whatever it takes to protect his girl.”

Her eyes rounded, and her cheeks pinked. “Nate, I appreciate the thought, but I’m not your girl.”

He’d chosen his words deliberately to gauge her reaction. It had worked. There was zero conviction in her denial, and her expression seemed to contradict her words.

“Yeah, but I’m working on that.” He gave her another grin. “Resistance is ultimately futile, you know.”

“Seems to me I’ve heard that line before.” Holly gave him a veiled glance. “Twenty minutes, okay? I’ve got a meeting with Rosen and the lawyer at seven-thirty. The court’s hearing our application for an order in the Arnold case today.” She scooped the last of the yogurt into her mouth before tossing the container in the trash.

“You didn’t tell me that,” he said, surprised. If she had to go to court, he’d be sitting right beside her. “Do you have to testify?”

She shook her head. “Fortunately, no. It’s all being done by affidavit. Our lawyer said Arnold’s lawyer was happy to do it that way—probably because Arnold would do more harm than good to their case if he actually testified.”

She grimaced. “I don’t know. He doesn’t have to be, and I doubt that he’ll show after the threats he made, since the police would probably use it as an opportunity to question him.” She turned and headed up the stairs.

Nate went back to the front window to make another check. Five seconds later, a police cruiser turned onto the street and drove past the house at about ten miles an hour. He was pleased to see it, but it didn’t give him a lot of comfort. A half-dozen drive-by checks a day would not deter a nut like Arnold.

He went to throw on some decent clothes, glad that Holly had agreed to his offer—his insistence, really—to drive her in to work and pick her up at the end of the day. He had nothing to do except meet with the GM and then work out for an hour or so in the clubhouse gym. Maybe he could even do some repairs around her house. The faucet on the bathroom sink dripped, and he’d noticed some missing grout around the bottom of the bathtub. He liked the idea of doing chores for her—anything that would ease the stress in her life and make her happy.

And convince her that he was serious about his feelings for her.

After the initial round of hostility when he’d barged in yesterday—something he’d known would get her dander up—Holly had mellowed out and they’d spent a companionable evening eating, drinking and watching TV. He’d made her watch the old movie
The Mummy Returns
, and it had made her laugh. Although she’d kept some of her emotional distance, she’d curled up next to him on the sofa, even getting comfortable enough to reach past him for the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table. His hands had twitched to grab her, but he’d managed to keep his self-control.

But being this close to her again—just talking and relaxing with her—hammered home how much he’d missed her. How much she meant to him. It was going to take a lot of work to win her back, but by the end of the evening he didn’t have a doubt in his mind that he wanted to be with her. And if it meant some sacrifices on his part, changes in his life…well, so be it. Holly Bell was totally worth it.

Whatever it took, he vowed to himself as he ran back downstairs to meet her at the front door. And when the silent vow reverberated through his mind, it settled into place with a righteous click.

This time it really would be different.

Holly snapped open her eyes to the startling warmth of the morning sun streaming in her window. Her body instantly tensed up again, and her jaw felt sore. She’d no doubt clamped her teeth together half the night. She’d been doing that regularly since the mess with Lance Arnold started.

Still, the tension was bearable and the fear no longer immediate. Not with Nate camped out in her house. She hoped he was still sleeping, but didn’t count on it. Every night he’d been prowling around the house, grabbing bits of sleep here and there as he kept watch on the street and yard. And he never complained, so quietly devoted to her safety and happiness that it choked her up just thinking about it. He’d even done some repairs around the house, claiming that he needed something to do to stave off boredom when she was at work.

It had been just three days, but she was already getting used to having Nate Carter in her house and by her side. And it scared the hell out of her that he might soon be gone.

Not that his leaving wouldn’t be a good thing in important respects, because it would mean that Arnold was no longer a problem. Surprisingly, neither she nor Nate had seen the slightest sign of him, despite his threats and despite the court case. The hospital lawyer had told her that Arnold had actually shown up at court, sitting quietly through the hearing and then apologizing profusely to Detective Rich for calling Holly. He claimed again that he was just upset over Tyler, and swore that he wouldn’t call her again. As infuriating as it was, there wasn’t a darn thing Rich could do about it except issue another stern warning to leave her alone.

They expected the judge’s order within the next day. The lawyer had told Holly not to be concerned at the delay, since it reflected the judge’s jammed calendar and massive workload, not the probability of success. Judges almost always endorsed the recommendations of a panel of physicians over parents’ objections. And once the ruling was issued and Holly performed the surgery, there wasn’t really much point in Arnold harassing her any longer. If things went according to plan, the jerk should be out of her life sooner rather than later.

Which would mean Nate would be gone, too. And that would be horrible, because having him in her life on such a constant basis reminded her all over again why she’d fallen in love with him in the first place. He was smart, kind, funny, and a perfect gentleman, not once coming on to her. Not that the magic didn’t still resonate between them. It did, and they were obviously fighting like crazy to keep their hands off each other. The repressed sexual energy in the little house could have powered the entire block for a month.

But, at the same time, he’d taken care of her with such careful and tender determination that her heart had slowly opened to him all over again.

Holly sighed and rolled out of bed. She could have used more sleep, but she wanted to see Nate before he left town for a few days, ordered back to Ottawa to finish his rehab assignment. Slipping on her robe, she headed downstairs and made for the kitchen. After pouring herself coffee, she picked up the paper at the front door and brought it into the living room. She tucked one leg underneath her and settled on the couch to read the headlines.

Twenty minutes later, Nate clumped down the stairs, sports bag in hand. He looked fantastic in a cherry red golf shirt and faded jeans, his black hair still wet from the shower. God, just
thinking
about him naked under the shower spray made every hormone in her body sing.

Nate poured coffee into a mug. “If I can get in the air by eight, I’ll be on the ground before eleven. That’ll put me at the ballpark before noon.”

“Why do you have to get there so early?” Holly asked, hoping she didn’t sound too pathetic. Rather than going commercial, Nate had decided to fly his own plane. He was slated to pitch the second game of today’s doubleheader, scheduled for a six p.m. start.

His eyes scanned her, flaring with sexual heat as they lingered over her bare legs, but he also looked watchful and concerned. “I want to be there for the first game. It would be disrespectful to waltz in like some big shot, just in time to pitch the second. I know some guys do that, but I think it sucks.”

She smiled. Even his reasons for leaving early were honorable.

“And you’ll be back before noon tomorrow, right?”

“You know it. I’ll head out first thing. That should get me back here around eleven.” He ambled toward her, mug of steaming coffee in hand. He reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “I still feel like crap for leaving you like this. I probably should have told Dembinski to shove it.”

He frowned, obviously worried. As much as she loved him for it, he needed to focus on his flying and his game.

“Nate, stop stewing. Everything’s been taken care of. I’ll take a taxi into work, spend the day at the hospital, and then Maddie will pick me up for dinner with her and Jake at their place. They’ll bring me back here after dinner, and I’ll lock up tight and go to bed. And tomorrow morning you’ll be back. It’ll go by in a flash.”

She smiled up at him, but anxiety pulled at her. If only she felt as confident as she sounded.

“I still wish you’d stay over with Maddie and Jake,” Nate grumbled. “Or, let Jake camp out here overnight. He’d be happy to do it.”

“I’ll kick your butt if you do,” she warned. Holly slipped her hand into the crook of his arm as she walked toward the door with him.

“Be safe,” she said softly. “Please concentrate on your flying.”

“Always,” he said. “You be safe, too.” He slung the bag over his shoulder and grabbed the doorknob. “I’ll miss you,” he added softly.

She dropped her gaze as a lump started to form in her throat.

A second later, he dropped his bag and put his arms around her, pulling her hard against him. He pressed a hungry kiss on her lips.

She gasped at the shock of it. Instantly, his tongue slid between her lips, and she didn’t resist.

In a heartbeat, the blazing kiss melted the last remnants of her resistance, and weeks of anguished longing flared through her limbs. His presence these last few days—all that wonderful masculinity focused solely on her—had finally battered through her emotional barricades. She couldn’t say no, or put up even a token fight.

Holly made a soft, whimpering sound as he gently pushed her against the wall. His body covered hers, every long, lean inch of him setting her on fire. Everywhere, he felt as hard as stone, and his erection nudged insistently between her thighs. That contact point sent a flash of desire straight to her brain, vaporizing all rational thought.

Murmuring against her lips, he leaned into her, his brawny chest rubbing her suddenly aching breasts. His hard, solid strength made her acutely aware of her own femininity, and her desire to give in to his hunger. Then he grasped her hips and pulled her firmly against his erection, and suddenly she couldn’t breathe.

“Nate,” she whispered in a squeaky voice as he smothered her face in kisses. “We shouldn’t do this.”

“Oh, yes, we should,” he growled. “I’ve been going crazy without you.”

The low, sexy rumble of his voice sent a creamy rush of moisture to dampen her thighs. Still, she pulled back a bit, staring at him. Her heart thudded with anxiety and so much yearning that she actually got woozy. She was just about to push him away when she saw the vulnerability in his eyes and the longing etched in the lines of his face.

Something fierce swept over his face, and he seemed to swarm all over her. Both hands went under her bottom, lifting her as he pushed a muscular thigh up to spread her, his jeans-clad leg making hard contact with her clit. She cried out as waves of forbidden pleasure coursed along her nerves. Biting down on her lip, she closed her eyes, letting herself be swept along with the tide. Already, spasms were gathering deep inside as he nudged his leg against her soft, wet flesh.

“That’s it, baby,” he said in a raspy voice. “Just let yourself feel.”

She had no choice but to feel—she was drowning in sensation. Some part of her brain screamed at her to stop, but she couldn’t deny herself any longer. She had to be with Nate again, even if this was the end. Holly wanted this last memory of the magic they once had, to offset the heartache and pain.

Letting her head drop against the wall, she gave herself to him. She draped her hands over his shoulders, clutching to keep her balance. One of his hands kept her balanced on his thigh, while the other swept up over her breast, roughly pushing aside the silk collar of her robe. Then she felt a tug and she heard the ripping of fabric. Her eyelids sprang open and, shocked, she glanced down.

Nate had shredded the top of her short nightgown, thin cotton and delicate lace no match for his powerful hand. Her heart slammed into her throat at the feral look on his face as he gazed at her breasts. His tanned, sinewy fingers shaped and kneaded them, a stark contrast to her plump white flesh. When he rolled one stiff nipple between his fingers, she moaned, almost lightheaded at the strength of her arousal. Instinctively, she pushed down, grinding her throbbing clit against his thigh.