The Sterling Boys (7 page)

RAIN

Tears blur my vision, but I manage to choke back a sob as the woman wheels me out to the curb. I only had to spend one night in the hospital, but that's an eternity in a cold, sterile room by yourself.

Though I'm grateful for the fact they managed to get it all, it doesn't make it easier to live with the fact that I can't have children. I knew my mother suffered from more than just breast cancer. I was well versed on the in-depth meaning of endometrial cancer by the time I was eleven, but I thought if I kept a check on it, I could somehow stop it from happening to me. I took all the preventative measures.

A lot of good it did me.

"Have you got someone coming to pick you up? You know I can't let you drive home," the concerned nurse says.

They're already pissed that I didn't have someone with me. They asked me every time they came in my room if I had someone coming to be with me. Fucking nosy hospital people.

"My sister should be here any minute," I mumble, hating the fact that she was the only person I could call.

Maverick and Corbin would have asked too many questions. Kode isn't here, though I doubt I would have asked him either. Dale is probably still tossing Fiona out, or making up with her. Who knows?

I haven't spoken with any of them since the day before yesterday. Not that they haven't tried calling—over and over. But I haven't had the patience to deal with them. Yesterday and today have been about me, and I need to stay focused. I can't fall apart.

The familiar Audi pulls up to the curb, and Tria leaps out, feigning terror.

"Oh my gosh! What the hell happened?"

I didn't call her until thirty minutes ago. She looks like she just rolled out of bed and came straight here—to hell with hair or makeup. I didn't realize she was capable of going out in public looking less than perfect. And I hate her even more because she still looks frigging beautiful.

"I just need a ride home," I mumble as the nurse helps me stand.

I want to cringe, wince, grimace, or slap someone, but I remain stoic, keeping the pain I feel hidden. Damn. That's a sore spot. Standing is a bitch, and it's officially my least favorite thing to do.

"Your house? Just come home with me, Rain," she says, still pretending as though she really cares.

"My house," I say evenly, though it's all I can bite out right now.

She tightens her lips as she helps me into her car, but I can tell she's too freaking curious about what's wrong with me. I do wince when I drop to the low seat too quickly. Now sitting is my least favorite thing to do. Motherfu—

"Rain, you have to tell me what's going on."

I groan as the incessant rambling continues, and then I finally say the first, ridiculous thing that comes to mind as she drives away.

"It was a sugar test," I lie with a shrug and sigh.

"A sugar test doesn't call for a wheelchair ride out."

"I got dizzy. It happens. Just take me home and give me peace. I swear I'll never ask for your help again."

Next time I'll call some random stranger and offer them cash to come pick me up. Anything has to be better than this.

It takes about thirty minutes to get home, even after stopping by the pharmacy, since I was operated on outside of Sterling Shore. I didn't want anyone finding out. Now everyone will know. I had no idea there was some stupid rule about not being able to leave the hospital by yourself. I suppose I should have listened better.

All I can focus on right now is sleep. Lots of wanted sleep.

DANE

A loud, pounding startles me awake. It sounds like someone is trying to beat the glass off my door. What the hell?

I jump out of bed, jerk on a pair of shorts, and run to the living room, ready to pound whichever one of my stupid ass cousins is drunk and banging on my door at one in the morning. But when I see who it is...

"Tria?" I ask, wondering if I'm still asleep and having some terrible sex dream. Please, God, let me wake up before it gets started.

"I need your help. I'm sorry. I didn't know who else to call. Mom is out of town, Dad is pointless, and the other Sterling boys hate me."

She darts inside and grabs my shoes before shoving them at my chest, forcing a grunt from me when I'm caught off guard by her excessive force.

"What the hell, Tria?" I finally manage to get out between her frantic shifts.

"It's Rain. She won't answer her phone, and I called Mom. She doesn't have a fucking sugar problem. I picked her up from the hospital earlier, and now—"

"Get in the car," I interrupt, unlocking my Range Rover and rushing her down my steps.

None of her bumbled up ramblings make a bit of damn sense, but hearing Rain might need help is all I need to know.

I barely let her get her feet in before I'm barreling out of the driveway in reverse. Her door slams right as I throw it in drive, but she doesn't complain. She's just as worried as I am right now.

I dial Rain, thankful Dale gave me her number, but it only rings several times before going to voicemail. It's possible she doesn't want to talk to me or Tria and we're overreacting, so, using my car's built-in phone system, I dial Dale instead.

"Hello," he answers in a rasp, just-woken-up voice.

"Call Rain right now and see if she answers."

"Christ, Dane. It's one in the fucking morning. She'll kick my—"

"Just do it!" I demand, gripping the steering wheel tighter as we round a curve.

I hear the call being connected when he dials it using three-way, but just like with me, it goes to voicemail.

"I tried going to her house, but it's locked up. I beat on the door, but no answer. Her car isn't there, but I think she left it at the hospital. I'm pretty sure she didn't know they'd make her get a ride home," Tria says shakily.

"Fuck," Dale hisses. "Hospital? Why the hell didn't someone call me?"

"Because you all treat Tria like shit. Do you have a key to her place?" I ask, taking another sharp curve.

"It's a keypad lock. It's five, four, three, two, one."

I roll my eyes while groaning. "That's fucking stupid."

"I know, but it's Rain. She keeps things simple. I'll meet you there."

He hangs up just as I see her house coming into view. I'm really thankful I'm such a psycho who wanted to see where his dream girl lived after she first moved back. I'm sure Tria will wonder how I knew soon enough, but right now she's too focused on her sister.

She flings her door open before I even come to a complete stop, but I still beat her to the door and use the ridiculous keypad number that I fully intend on having her change. Tria leads the way through the house, but neither of us knows which way is her room. Until we hear the hellacious heaving from down the hall.

Tria barges past me to beat me into the room, and I stumble to a halt when I see Rain hanging off the side of the bed, gripping onto her nightstand, and hurling into a trashcan.

She whimpers while dropping her head to her arm, and I rush over to the bed. "Go crank my car. We're taking her to the hospital."

Rain cries out when I scoop her up, and I hold her to me, trying not to let her feel me shaking. I don't know if I've been this scared since I was eighteen and learned about her surgeries. I know one thing, I can't pretend not to care about Rain Noles anymore.

After pacing the halls
for an hour, the doctor finally walks out to talk to us. He breathes out wearily, and then he gives us a brittle smile.

"The pharmacy messed up on her post-op meds. They gave her the wrong milligram. It made her sick, but she's fine now. We want to keep her for another night of observation, but she refuses to stay."

Another night? "Post-op?" I ask, seeing Tria tense up as stiffly as me.

"Yes," he says while furrowing his brow. "She didn't tell you? She was supposed to have someone stay with her for at least a night—as a precaution."

"She told us she had a sugar test," Tria growls, growing angrier by the second.

The doctor sighs out and drops his head back.

"What sort of operation did she just have?" I ask. Nervously, I start fumbling with my hands, unsure of what to do with myself at this point.

The doctor frowns as he runs a hand over his balding head. "I'm afraid I can't divulge information like that. It'll be up to her to tell you. I'm assuming you're her boyfriend?"

"Um... no, but I plan on staying with her until she's better, if that's what you're asking."

He looks at my bare chest and smirks before glancing over to Tria, and then back to me again. "Are you her sister's boyfriend?"

Really? This isn't the time to be going through the sordid details of the weird situation.

"I'm her friend and her sister's friend. When is she going to be ready to go?" I grumble, suddenly feeling a little... awkward.

I didn't think about being in here in a pair of jogging shorts, and wearing my tennis shoes without socks until this very moment. Now that I've noticed, I also realize there are several blushing nurses eyeing me. Fucking great.

"She'll be ready in a—"

Before he can answer, a nurse wheels out Rain who looks like she could curl up and hide from the world forever. She never meets my eyes, but I don't care. I'm not leaving her.

"Go grab my car," I murmur to Tria, who still has the keys.

She nods and disappears out the door while I walk over and kneel down in front of Rain, forcing her eyes to come to me.

"I'm staying with you tonight, so don't even bother arguing."

"I can call Maverick or Co—"

"I said don't bother arguing," I interrupt, keeping my voice soft.

A tear rolls down her cheek, but she nods slowly, accepting my offer grudgingly. I sigh long and hard while standing back up, and the older nurse behind the wheelchair gives me a saucy wink which provokes a low chuckle from me.

"Let's get you home."

RAIN

Dane feels good against my body as I stroke the hardest, best piece of his body. My lips tangle with his as he rolls me onto my back, kissing me and readying me to be taken, ravaged. And I keep my hand on him, bringing him pleasure as his tongue dances in my mouth.

A smile creeps over my lips as I wake up, but I'm not in bed alone, and... Oh my fuck! No!

The smooth, slick erection I was feeling in my dreams is in my hand, which is inside Dane's boxers—the man of my dreams who is stiff, wide-eyed, and completely shocked.

"I'm so sorry!" I say in a rush, making it sound like one word as I rip my hand away from his... body.

I didn't know he was even in bed with me. I fell asleep in the car on the way back from the hospital. Shit. I just violated him. This is so much more awkward than it already would have been.

"It's fine," he says through what sounds like a pained tone while standing up. "It... happens?" he asks, or at least I think he's asking.

"Um... I really don't know what to say," I mutter while choking on a laugh. I don't know whether I should laugh hysterically, mourn the loss of that touch, or just go ahead and die right now from utter mortification.

He laughs nervously while blushing, and then he turns toward my bathroom. "I'm gonna take a long, cold shower. I'll be back when I'm done."

I laugh a little louder as he disappears into the bathroom, and then I drop back to the bed to cover my face with my hands. I can't believe I just woke up with my hand down Dane's shorts.

When he showed up last night, I'd never been so relieved. I still don't know where my phone is. I had it on vibrate, and I haven't been able to find it since I got home the first time. After being grilled about what surgery I had, I finally broke down and told him a lie.

Gallbladder surgery.

He seemed to accept it.

I was too weak and exhausted to let him see my telltale for lying. I usually blink two rapid times. He always called me out on it when we were friends. Last night I kept my eyes lowered, possibly even closed, when I told him.

"You okay?" Dane asks, startling me out of my silent reverie.

I jump up in the bed, quickly regretting that when my skin stretches around the small incisions.

"Sorry," he chuckles, but I'm too distracted by the fact he's wearing nothing more than a towel right now. What the hell? And when did he get a tattoo?

On his arm is a broad, tribal tattoo that goes from his shoulder to the bend of his elbow. I really, really hate him for that, because it only makes him sexier.

"Britt is supposed to be bringing me some clothes," he says, grinning when he catches my wandering gawk. "I'm going to stay with you for a couple of days to make sure you're okay."

He's staying with me?

"You don't have to stay. Really. I'm fine now. The doctor said it was just because the pharmacy messed up on my meds."

"And I'll deal with them today," he says through clenched teeth.

He seems... protective. Like he once did. I just want to tell him to come back to bed and finish what I subconsciously started.

His eyes lock with mine, and I willingly stare back, unable to help myself. For eleven years I've fantasized about Dane Sterling. Now he's wearing a towel in my room, and nothing in the past matters. We're not kids anymore. I'm not an inexperienced virgin he has to be careful with. I'm a woman, damn it.

A knock at my bedroom door ices the moment and brings us back to reality. Crap. Who is—

"Hey," Tria says, making my heart stumble to a nearly exhausted halt.

How did I forget about Tria? She was with him. At one in the morning, she was dressed for bed and so was he. They showed up together, and even though I was weak and sick, I distinctly remember Tria's car missing from my house when they rushed me out.

I have to swallow back bile. Now I just want them both out.

"Hey," Dane says, smiling at her.

He doesn't bother to act awkward in his towel either, proving they are incredibly comfortable with each other.

"Sorry to bug you, but my car is still at your place, and I need to go grab some stuff if I'm going to be staying here."

Oh. So they were planning to stay together. In my house. Of course her car is at his house.

"Actually," I interject, trying to sound calm and not at all sick and destroyed, "I'm calling Maverick to come over. If I have to have a babysitter, then he'll do. Besides, he owes me more favors than I can ever really collect."

I smile, keeping the bitterness out of my gaze. These two need to get out of my house. Right now.

"You can call Mav if you want, but I'm still staying. He can sleep in the guestroom," Dane says with a shrug.

Surely he doesn't plan on sleeping with me again. As tempting as it is to find out, I also feel gross. Tria and Dane were together, more than likely in the same bed. No thank you.

"Please, just go. I don't want you here because it's just too... odd. You should take Tria back to your house. I'm sure the two of you were somehow interrupted, and though I appreciate what you did—since I have no idea where my phone is—I just want to relax for a while."

Tria and Dane exchange a look, and then Dane starts laughing. "We were somehow interrupted? Your sister woke me up at one in the morning because she was banging on my door when she couldn't get a hold of you or get into your house. By the way, we need to discuss your pathetic excuse for an entry code."

They weren't together? Tria went over there because she was worried? I'm relieved and shocked.

"I'm staying, so get the hell over it," Dane adds with his beautiful grin.

"I'll be back later, unless Maverick is coming," Tria says with a sneer.

I bite back a grin, since Maverick and she aren't exactly as close as she and Dane.

"Keys are on the table," Dane says while walking toward the bed, keeping his eyes on me.

Damn. I really need to brush my teeth, fix my hair, and take a shower. I spent the majority of the night hurling.

Tria leaves, carrying a small smile as Dane crashes to the bed beside me. He flops back and stares at the ceiling, and I start praying his towel falls apart. I'm pathetic.

"It felt like old times last night. You. Me. Sleeping in the same bed, and then me waking up with a damn painful hard-on."

My eyes almost pop out of my head, and I strangle on air, which prompts his laughter. I know my cheeks have to be sizzling right now.

"Don't act so bashful, Rain. It's not like you never noticed it. And though you avoided discussing it... ever... you have seen every inch of my body. Don't make this weird."

"Weird?" I chuckle nervously, feeling like a thirteen-year-old-girl blushing because a guy said
hard-on
. I'm such an idiot around him. I write sex scenes for fuck's sake. This shouldn't be embarrassing.

"Weird," he repeats, winking at me. "We used to touch, snuggle, and kiss on each other like it wasn't a big deal. And we were kids. Granted, you never woke me up by stroking my—"

"Okay, Okay," I interrupt, feeling the fever attack my cheeks again, and making his laughter return.

Little by little his laughter tapers off, and I risk a glance at him to see him studying me. After what feels like forever, he seems to decide against whatever he was going to say, and instead asks, "What happened between you and Kode?"

I really wanted to avoid this conversation. I can lie, but he'll know it if I do.

"He wanted more. I don't see him as more. I didn't know he felt that way, or I wouldn't have... I don't know. Everything will be different now. The way it was with..."

My voice trails off. I can't say what I want to. I refuse to bring up that terrible letter and the heartbreak I endured. But I want to tell him I understand it now. He handled it like a total jerk, but I understand why he freaked out. You just don't know what to say, and you know the friendship is ruined no matter what.

I've blamed him for destroying us for all these years, but it was really me. I wanted more, and I stole the fun and innocence of our friendship. I'm the one who broke us.

He lets out a heavy breath and drops his head back. "We were kids, Rain. Neither of us knew what we wanted. We were just too young to maturely deal with the situation. We threw away an incredible friendship because we couldn't talk it through."

So he admits that much. Finally.

He's right, though. We were both too immature. I threw a letter in his car, and he starting icing me out, keeping the conversations too casual and never addressing it.

I can't believe he's talking to me right now. Right here. Are we finally going to just move on from this and be semi-friends again?