If I Loved You (Harper Falls Book 1) (36 page)

"And take care of you." Rose planned on
tucking him up in that great big bed of hers and keeping him all to
herself for as long as possible. "I sort of stole your dog while
you were away so if you want to see him you'll
have
to come home with me."

"That's right, I got Edgar's text. He looked
like he was having so much fun I don't know if he'll ever want to
leave."

The text. Jack had said he'd been checking
his phone when Craig attacked him. Had the text distracted him so
much that the psyco had been able to sneak up and stab him?

"No," Jack said firmly.

"You don't know what I was thinking."

"You're blaming yourself for distracting
me."

Rose sighed. He didn't have to look so smug.
"I thought we'd established that Edgar sent the text."

"Well, it isn't Edgar's fault either. The
mistake is that it's too easy for just anybody to drive up to the
office. After that whole female invasion debacle, Drew and I should
have changed the system. From now on all unauthorized visitors will
have to stop at the gate. Craig never should have been there. Add
to the fact that he was half drunk and had a huge chip on his
shoulder. Sweetheart, it was a shit storm just waiting to
happen."

"You think it's your fault that he was
drunk?" Rose was ready to argue that point.

"No." Jack frowned. "I meant I should have
been able to handle him better in the first place. I'm bigger and
stronger, and my brain isn't permanently pickled."

"But he had the knife." Rose wasn't going to
forget that fact any time soon.

Jack just looked at her. They both knew how
lucky he was to be there, even the doctor had said so. There was no
argument for that.

"Look at you." Drew came in the room with
what Rose assumed were the discharge papers. "I'm starting to
wonder what all the fuss was about. I came in here expecting to see
you all weak and helpless. Instead, you're lounging around flirting
with a beautiful woman."

Rose left the men alone and went out to the
waiting area. Tyler and Dani looked up as she approached.

"He's going to be alright?" Dani had arrived
about thirty minutes behind them. By that time, Rose was in with
Jack and all the drama was thankfully over.

"Yes. Jack is insisting on being discharged.
As soon as the doctor gives the final okay he should be able to
leave." She hugged her friends, grateful for their support.

"But what I want to know is," Dani said
slyly, "how did Tyler get along with Drew while you were in with
Jack?"

Rose and Dani both crossed their arms and
waited for an answer.

"Rose cried." Tyler threw that little nugget
onto the field hoping to turn the focus away from her. It worked,
temporarily.

"What?" Dani exclaimed. "When did this
happen?"

"When we found out Jack was going to be
okay. So, yes, it appears the flood gates have opened and I will
now be crying at every greeting card commercial. Have your tissues
at the ready. But enough about me, Tyler hasn't answered your
question. Drew wasn't limping when he came into Jack's room so it
couldn't have been too bad."

"He's ready to go now, Rose."

Tyler gave a sigh of relief. For the first
time in ten years, Tyler was glad to see Drew walk into a room.

"Don't think you're getting out of it that
easily," Rose whispered as she passed. "Something happened between
you and Drew and I plan on finding out what it was. The next time
we all meet at the coffee shop be prepared to spill."

Drew moved aside so that Rose could push
Jack's wheel chair towards the exit. He reached back and grasped
her hand.

"Take me home, sweetheart.

"ARE YOU COMFORTABLE? Maybe you should be up
in bed instead of down here on the couch. Are you hungry? The
doctor's instructions say you should eat something when you take
the pain medication, but you said you didn't need any yet. Are you
going to let me keep on rambling or are you going to answer one of
my questions?"

"I was waiting for you to wind down," Jack
teased.

Other than lifting his arms to let her to
remove his shirt, and stepping out of his pants as she lowered them
to the floor, Rose hadn't let him move a muscle since they'd gotten
to her house. Not that he had any complaints. Sitting in nothing
but his underwear and having a beautiful woman fuss over him was no
hardship. He enjoyed the attention and she needed an outlet for her
lingering anxiety. But she'd already tucked in his blanket and
fluffed his pillows half a dozen times. Enough was enough. They
both needed to settle, preferably here and now and together.

"Rose." Jack let her sit down the cup of tea
he didn't want, but she'd insisted on making. "Rose, sweetheart.
Sit by me." He patted the cushion next to him. "Edgar and I are
getting dizzy watching you." Actually, after his initial excitement
over Jack's return, Edgar had fallen asleep and was peacefully
snoring in his corner.

"I don't want to disturb your wound."

"That's why I want you to sit on this side."
He gave the seat another brief pat.

"Okay, but only if you promise to tell me if
you're in any pain."

Rose carefully lowered herself so that she
was perched on the very edge of the couch. Jack would have laughed
at how silly she looked, but he didn't think Rose was currently
finding much humor in the situation.

"If I have to pull you down next to me I
just
might
hurt myself. Now slide
back and put your head right here." He indicated his right
shoulder.

She eased into his embrace inhaling the
scent of antiseptic and warm man. Rose laid her hand on his chest
and felt the steady beat of his heart. With a grateful sigh she
fully relaxed for the first time since she'd gotten Drew's phone
call. Jack lifted the blanket so that it covered them both, and
before they knew it they had drifted off to sleep in each other's
arms.

Rose moaned. In her dream Jack's mouth was
teasing that spot just below her ear, the one that only he could
find, the one that drove her from interested to aroused in record
time. She moved her head to the side so that he could have better
access. And then he bit down. She'd never climaxed while dreaming,
but this time she was close. Just a little harder, she urged
silently, and she would topple like a row of dominoes.

"Can I make you come just by biting your
neck?"

Rose's eyes popped open. As much as she
would have loved to have him continue, now wasn't the time to find
out just how talented his mouth was.

"No, Jack."

"No? Are you sure? Because I'm willing to
wager pretty big that I can do it."

"I'm sure you can and at some future date
I'd be happy to let you show me." Rose slowly pulled back, away
from temptation. "But right now you need to keep still and stop
trying to seduce me."

"Sweetheart." Jack tried to pull her back,
but Rose just slapped his hand away.

"I mean it, Jack. You are in no condition
for anything as strenuous as sex. Do you want to have to tell the
doctor at the emergency room that the reason your wound opened up
was because you couldn't keep your you know what in your
pants."

"First of all, I don't think I'd have to say
you know what
in front of the
doctor." Jack took advantage of her reluctance to hurt him and
brought her back into his arms. "And second, you saying the word
penis won't make it magically jump out of my pants."

"I just want you to be a good boy and keep
still." Being in his arms felt so good Rose didn't want to move so
she snuggled closer. "If you don't I'll have to move and I don't
want to do that."

"Then I'll just sit here and let you do all
the work."

"Are you crazy?" You had to give the guy
points for perseverance.

"I'm not going to get any rest in this
condition." His erection was killing him and he needed relief,
immediately.

"Then let me give you a helping hand."

"It
is
crazy,
Rose but right now I need to celebrate life. With you.
Inside
of you."

"You can't do any moving, Jack." Rose knew
this was a bad idea, but she couldn't say no to him, she didn't
want to say no. She slowly eased his shorts over his hips. "Swear
to me, or I'm stopping right now."

With her straddling him, his penis brushing
her wet, slick center? He would have promised her anything.

"Don’t make me beg, Rose."

His fingers dug into her hips as she lowered
herself inch by agonizing inch. Finally, when she had taken all he
had to give she held herself completely still. Rose looked deeply
in Jack's eyes willing him to see what she'd yet to say out loud.
How could he not? It was all there. The way she
wanted
him. The way she
needed
him. The way she
loved
him.

Rose's eyes were glowing, becoming molten
amber right in front of him. But there was something more.
Something was in the depths that Jack had caught a fleeting glimpse
of before but had never quite been able to hold on to. This time
every emotion shined bright and clear—every bit of it just for
him.

"That's right, Jack." Rose moved ever so
slightly, tightening her inner muscles around his pulsing length.
"Look at me. Everything I have is yours. Take it, take
me
."

Jack groaned; her words having as much
effect as her exquisite body. Yes, everything was his. Rose began
to move in a slow, steady rhythm. It all felt so close—his
release—Rose. His eyes stayed locked with hers—as clear and blue as
the ocean. But his mind was becoming fuzzy and all he could think
about was how perfectly she fit him. How when she moved it was like
nothing he'd ever known. He was there, at the edge, and he could
tell that Rose was with him. As they tumbled over together, he
called out two words. Rose! Everything!

Rose leaned her forehead against Jack's and
fought back the tears. Lord, she was becoming a weepy mess. But now
wasn't the time. She needed to say the words. She needed to let
Jack know with more than just her body that he wasn't alone.
He
was
her
everything.

Feeling Jack gingerly shift his body, Rose
carefully eased herself away and then slid to her knees.

"Raise your arm, love." She felt Jack
stiffen. Damn it, she never should have let him seduce her. She
gently lifted the bandage to peak beneath. She couldn't see any
blood, so that was good. It looked like they had been lucky, but
she wasn't going to chance it again.

"Everything seems fine." She met his eyes,
but the look in them made her frown. "Is something wrong? You look
a little dazed. I knew making love was a bad idea. I hope you
enjoyed it because that was the last time until your doctor tells
us you're fit for strenuous activity. Now, let's get you up stairs
and in bed for the night." She helped him to his feet. "Can you
make it on your own? Jack nodded. "Good. You go ahead. I'll get
Edgar settled for the night. Oh, my God. Edgar. Jack, we just made
love in front of that poor, sweet puppy. I don't know whether to be
embarrassed or horrified." She noticed that Jack hadn't moved. "Do
you need some help after all? Let me get around to your good side
and you can lean on me."

"No," Jack shook his head. "I can make it."
He started up the stairs but only got half way before he turned
back. "Rose?"

"Yes?"

You said love three
times.
He looked down at her beautiful, smiling face and
wanted desperately to ask her what it meant. But he couldn't do it,
the words wouldn't come out.

"I'll see you upstairs."

"Okay. I'll only be a few minutes."

Jack's body moved slowly, but his mind was
racing. Rose
never
used the word
love. They always had
sex
. But
tonight she had called him love.
Raise your
arm, love.
He'd been so stunned by her casual use of the
word that she'd thought he was in pain. And on top of that she said
made
love.
Not sex—love.

Jack went into the bathroom. He badly wanted
a shower but that was out, so he ran the water until it was
steaming and cleaned himself as well he could with soap and a
washcloth. After brushing his teeth and giving his stiches a quick
glance he climbed under the covers and waited for Rose. He'd come
back from California ready to fight for her, but nothing would make
him happier that to be able to skip the fighting and go straight to
the loving. Did Rose love him or had it just been a few slips of
the tongue because of the emotional events of the day?

"I'm pretty sure I was worried for nothing.
Unless he was faking for my benefit, I think Edgar slept right
though and didn't see what we were up to on the couch." Rose bent
over and kissed his cheek. "You look nice and comfy." She sat a
glass of water and his pain pills next to him on the night stand.
"I know you're being all he-man and insisting you don't need those,
but I brought them up just in case."

"Rose, I—."

"Do you want a pill?"

"No, you go ahead and get ready for
bed."

Rose looked at him for a moment. Something
was wrong, but she honestly had no idea what it was. When she came
out several minutes later, Jack's eyes were closed, his breathing
deep and even. Asleep. Rose shook her head with a smile. She'd
known exactly what she was going to say. Why she loved him and how
she wanted to spend the rest of her life showing him. But all that
could wait until tomorrow. Jack was here and safe. Right now, that
was all that mattered.