Lean on Me (The Mackay Sisters) (5 page)

BOOK: Lean on Me (The Mackay Sisters)
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“Can you get up if I help you?”

“Of course.”  She looked from her ankle
to his face, flushed again and lowered her gaze.  “I don’t need help, Matt. 
I’ll be okay.”

Disregarding her objections, he
slid one arm around her waist.  “On the count of three we’ll get up.  I’ll
brace you.”

“What?  God, no!”

The unexpected outburst had him
looking at her in surprise.  If the woman blushed any redder, she’d go on fire.

“That painful?” he asked.

“No.  Yes.  No.”

“You’re going to have to be a
little more decisive, love.”

Lori glanced away, biting that
lush lower lip again before returning her green-eyed gaze to him while lifting
her chin gamely.  “I’m too heavy for you to help, Matt.”

His reply was automatic.  “No, you’re
not.”

“Yes, I am.”

“I’m stronger than I look, Lori.”

“You’d need to be.”

Sitting back on his heels, he
studied her face.  Her insecurities were showing, something he’d never before
seen.

Bracing her hands behind her, she
started to struggle to get up.  “I’m fine, I can do this myself.  I -
ow
!”
Her face went even whiter, if that was possible.

Shaking his head, Matt once more
slid his arm behind her back.  “Come on, love.  Up.”

“Matt, I-”

“No arguing.  Let’s go.”  The
authority he interjected in his tone was automatic, one he’d used in other
circumstances in his job.

She stared at him for several
seconds before looking away and muttering, “It’s your back.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, “it is.  And
nothing is going to happen to it.”

Using moves he’d used a thousand
times or more to brace injured people, Matt had her up on her feet in no time.

Swaying, Lori placed her toes on
the ground and whispered, “Thanks.  I’m good.”

He fitted himself against her,
bracing her with his body.  “Now let’s go in.”

“I meant, I’m good to go on my
own.”  But the step she took had her sucking in her breath.

“Lean on me,” he instructed. 
“I’ve got you.”

There was no denying that she
didn’t, not when he felt her pull away a little.

Time for the stern lecture.  “Look,
Lori, I’m a qualified ambo.  I know what I’m doing.  You’re a big girl, I’m a
strong bloke, and we can do this together.  You landing on the ground again
because you’re being stubborn isn’t going to help either of us.”

It did the trick.  Her lips
tightened and without another word he felt her soft curves come against him, moulding
to his harder frame, her warmth immediately seeping through his clothes and
into his body.

Christ, she felt good.  All soft
curves and warm skin.  And injured.

Slowly they walked the distance to
the veranda, Matt steadying her as she limped up the steps.  Once inside, he
guided her across to the kitchen table and onto a chair.  Drawing up another
chair, he slid it under the lower half of her leg before stepping back.

“Where’s Minx?”  Lori looked
behind him worriedly.  Spotting the old ginger cat sitting beside the kitchen
bench watching them, she relaxed.  “Hey, old girl.”

“Minx is fine.”  Matt squatted
down beside her leg, feeling gently once more.  “Going by the way you were able
to put some weight on your foot, I’d say it’s just a bad sprain.  I’ll bandage
it up for you for support, and you’ll need to elevate and rest it.  Along with
this.”  Straightening, he walked across to the fridge and opened the top
freezer door, finding what he was seeking immediately.  Returning to her, he
carefully laid the bag of frozen corn on her ankle.  “Leave it there while I go
and get some bandages.”

Nodding, she leaned back in the chair.

“Do you have any bandages here?”
he queried.  “No problem if not, I have some over at my place.”

“In the pantry there’s a first aid
box.  I think there’s some in there.”

The pantry was neat and tidy,
everything having a place, and the first aid box - a small plastic storage
container with a lid - was on the floor.  Retrieving it, he set it on the table
and searched through the contents.  Nestled against one side were a large and
small crepe bandage, as well as an elasticised bandage.  Taking that out, he
placed one hand beneath her calf, lifting her leg so he could nudge the chair
further under, leaving her foot sitting out over the edge.  Kneeling down, he
shifted the packet of corn to the other side of her foot, watching her
reaction.  “How’s it feeling?”

“Better.”  Slowly she lifted her
gaze to meet his.  “Thank you.”

“No worries.”

She hesitated before saying
quietly, “I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful out there, I just…”  When he did
nothing but watch her patiently, she sighed and dropped her gaze to her foot. 
“Anyway, thank you.”

Studying her, Matt suddenly
realised that Lori was wearing a nightgown and dressing gown.  A summer
nightie, not really suited to the cooler weather.  The long-sleeved dressing
gown was open down the front as though she’d just thrown it on, and the worn
material of the summer nightie gave him tantalising hints of what lay beneath.  
Only hints, true, but very welcome hints.

Was that a hint of a creamy curve
of breast?  A hint of a pink nipple pressing against the material?  His gaze
dropped to her leg.  Rounded limbs and soft, smooth skin.  Neat little feet,
neat little toes with short nails and - whoa, hot pink nail polish.  He’d
somehow expected light pink nail polish, not hot pink.  Unexpected and fascinating. 
That was a glimpse of her hidden self.

Lifting his gaze, he studied her
face.  Were those plump lips hinting at a more passionate nature?  Did those shy
glances hide a little more fire than she presented to the outer world?

Unashamedly trailing his fingers
across the top of her ankle, he shifted the corn, using it as a pretence to
observe her reaction.

Yep, there it was.  His heart
leaped.  A small shiver went through her and he’d bet it had nothing to do with
the frozen corn. Especially when accompanied by a little peep of her tongue as
she moistened her lips.  To be sure, he let his fingers caress against the top
of her foot again as he shifted his other hand to get the bandage off the table.

There was no mistaking the sudden
rise of her breasts as she inhaled quickly, nor the slight flutter of her
eyelashes as she peeked up.

That look hit him like a hammer
blow.  Christ, the green of her eyes - surely he wasn’t imagining it? - had a
shimmer of heat, as quickly there as it vanished when she glanced away towards
where Minx was sitting.

Lori Mackay wasn’t as immune to
him as he’d believed.  And didn’t that just make his day?  Unconsciously his
hand tightened around her ankle, only her swift intake of breath bringing him
back to the task at hand.

Loosening his grip, he lightly
rubbed his hand above her ankle.  “Sorry, Lori.”

Pain and pleasure combined in her
eyes and that was a hell of a mix.  Not the pain so much as that she found pleasure
in his touch regardless of the pain.  Except as soon as she noticed him
watching, she flushed and looked away.  He didn’t miss the flash of
mortification that flared in her eyes.

Huh.

Trying to understand her
reactions, Matt started to gently but firmly bandage her ankle.  “Are you
working tonight?”

“Hmm?”  She looked back at him. 
“No.”

“Good.  You’re going to need a
couple of days taking it easy, keeping your foot elevated and icing it.”

“I can’t.  Ghost’s cats need
feeding.”

“I can do that.”

“Their trays need cleaning at least
twice a day and changing once.”

“Got it.”

“They need feeding twice a day.”

“I’ll just break open one big bag
of cat biscuits a day.”  At her horrified expression, he grinned reassuringly. 
“Twice a day, and not all cat biscuits.  Got it.”

“Look, Matt, I appreciate the
offer, but they can be a handful and-”

“I’ve already been over there this
morning and sorted them out, love.  I can handle them twice a day.”  At her
dubious look, he smiled winningly.  “Trust me, I’m a paramedic.”

“That doesn’t qualify you for
dealing with those cats.”

“What if I was a member of the
SAS?”

Amusement glimmered in her eyes. 
“I’d even fear for them.”

“True.”  He returned her smile. 
“But I assure you, I am up to the task.”  When she opened her mouth to object
further, he shook his head.  “I’m doing it, you’re resting your ankle, and
that’s the end of it.”

For the first time he could
remember since meeting her, annoyance flared in her eyes, those plump lips
tightening.  “I appreciate your help, Matt, but don’t presume to order me
around.”

Well, hello
.  His eyebrows
rose in surprise.  Where had this spitfire been hiding?

As soon as she saw his expression,
she bit her lip.  “Oh, I-I’m sorry.  I sound so ungrateful.”  Pulling her leg
off the chair, she placed it on the floor and made to stand.

“Lori, stay seated.”  One hand
reaching out for her, Matt surged to his feet.

Ignoring him, she managed to
balance on one foot, the toes of her injured foot just brushing the floor.  “Thanks
for everything, but I assure you I am fine.”

Hands on hips, he studied her. 
There was a definite tilt to her chin, a hint of stubbornness, and he knew that
he’d only just scratched the surface of Lori Mackay.  Shy she might be, but
underneath all that quietness was a woman of passion.

He had the chance to test out that
newfound knowledge when she stepped forward, wincing as her ankle undoubtedly
throbbed like the devil.  Without hesitation he stepped forward as well,
catching her around the waist and drawing her right up against him. 
Automatically her hands came up to rest on his shoulders as she eased her foot
back up.

Interestingly, her eyes widened at
the sudden realisation that she was pressed up against him.

Oh Christ, was she ever pressed up
against him.  The soft swell of her belly against his muscled stomach, her rounded
thighs resting against his harder thighs, her soft, very bountiful breasts
snugged against his chest.

Those little nipples pushing against
his pecs.  The woman wore no bra under her nightgown and he could feel the
warmth of her skin through the thin nightie, the curves of her breasts, those
demanding little buds pebbling so deliciously into him.

Staring down into her eyes, he saw
the heat simmering, felt it sucking him in as surely as those soft lips
trembled every so faintly and then, God in Heaven, opened ever so slightly. 
Just parted, the moistness within beckoning to him, making him lean down,
closer and closer, and-

Jerking her head away suddenly,
Lori released his shoulders, placing her palms against his chest to push away. 
“Matt, I - you better go.”

The push and the words combined
were enough to bring him to his senses.  He might be more than willing to kiss
her, but she sure as heck wasn’t prepared to return the gesture.

Maybe she didn’t want to?  Maybe
he’d misread her?

The sudden fear that he’d mistaken
her reactions had him ready to step back and apologise, reluctant to release
her but loathe to force himself on her, the words already on his tongue ready
to spill free, his mouth opening even as his muscles tensed, readying to step
him back, but then his attention was caught by one fleeting little gesture.

Her hands on his shirt tightened
momentarily, hanging on, her fingers twining in the flannel cloth, a flash of
wistfulness that crossed her face in a lightening move so fast he’d have sworn
it was yet another mistake on his part if he hadn’t been aware of the way she
hung on to him.

Yeah, she hung on in a move fast,
fleeting, swift, over almost before it had begun, but he knew.  He knew.  Lori
Mackay was pushing him away physically, but mentally and sexually, she wanted
him.  She didn’t want him to let her go.

Even as the knowledge flashed
through him, his body responding immediately, he saw her expression.  Like
everything that had happened, it came and went in a split second, but it was
undeniable.  Shame.  Shame had been in her eyes.

That shame was enough to push down
his rising lust, to make him realise there was more going on with her than just
a knee-jerk reaction to their closeness.

It all happened so fast that
anyone watching would have thought nothing of it, but he knew.  He felt the
tension in her, knew she’d move away from him as soon as she could, but he
wasn’t about to let her retreat, not of her own accord.  Not yet.

He wasn’t about to release her.

But he didn’t want her to panic,
didn’t want to push the issue if there was an issue to push.  And that was the
whole problem, he didn’t quite know what to think of her reactions, he needed
to be alone to sort them out in his mind, to mull over the puzzle of Lori
Mackay.

But first things first, regardless
of her reactions he wanted her to know he cared, so he did it in a way that she
couldn’t very well refuse unless she openly fought him, which he strongly
doubted.

“Come on, love,” he said crisply. 
“I’ll help you back to your room.”

Her eyes flashed to his.  “What?”

Moving smoothly, he slid his arm around
her waist once more.  “Lean on me and I’ll help you back to bed.”

Flustered, she began the protests
he expected.  “Matt, no, I can do this myself, I-”

With ease he just moved her
forward, steering her through the doorway so that all she could do was limp
along beside him, protesting all the way.

“Which room is yours?” he queried
as they entered the hall.

“Matt, I-”

“Lori, I’m not leaving you to limp
around with a twisted ankle.  Now which room?”

“I really don’t think this is
appropriate.”  Her cheeks were their usual red colour.

BOOK: Lean on Me (The Mackay Sisters)
9.16Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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