Wild Rekindled Love (2 page)
Read Wild Rekindled Love Online
Authors: Sandy Sullivan
Tags: #Fiction, #Romance, #Adult, #Erotica, #Western
Samantha’s eyes widened and she looked at Jamie. “A shot?”
“It’s okay, Sammy. I’m right here, sweetie. It will only hurt for a little bit. Like if Jeremiah pinched you.”
“Jeremiah?” Wyatt asked.
“Chase and Abby’s son—her cousin.”
Confusion rippled across his face.
“A lot has changed since you’ve been gone.”
“Obviously.”
“You know my Uncle Chase?” Samantha asked when her gaze pinned Wyatt where he stood.
Wyatt nodded and said, “I used to, anyway. I haven’t seen any of them in a long time.”
“That’s probably a good thing.”
He frowned again and cocked his head to the side.
The nurse came in behind him and moved toward Samantha with the injection in her hand. Samantha whimpered, making Jamie’s heart clench.
“It’ll be okay, sweetie. Do you want me to hold your hand?” he whispered when he sat down on the chair next to her bed and scooted closer. Samantha nodded and Jamie frowned. “Be gentle,” he said with a pointed stare at the nurse. “Roll on your side, pumpkin, toward me.” Samantha did as he asked and he grasped her small hand in his. “Jamie, hold her legs so she doesn’t kick.”
Her mouth turned down at the corners, but did as he asked, positioning herself across Samantha’s legs. As the nurse stuck the injection in and slowly pushed the medication, Jamie could see the tears well up in Samantha’s eyes, but the little girl’s gaze never left Wyatt’s face.
“Almost done,” he whispered.
Jamie felt her heart crack.
Damn it! He shouldn’t be connecting with her like this, not after deserting us.
The trust in Samantha’s eyes when she stared into Wyatt’s until the nurse finished, hurt Jamie to watch. “See. It wasn’t that bad, huh.”
Samantha shook her head ‘no’ as she rolled back on her back.
His gaze returned to Jamie’s and he stood. “We’ll give it a few minutes for the medication to kick in and relax her before I set her arm.”
Jamie nodded, but didn’t speak. Anger, betrayal, distrust and what, she didn’t know, rippled through her as she moved back up to Samantha’s side.
His lips pulled tight across his mouth when their eyes met and frown lines settled between his eyebrows. “I’ll be back in a little bit, pumpkin.”
“Okay, Wyatt.”
Her eyes met his for a moment before he turned and left the room without another word.
“You okay?”
Samantha nodded. “My arm hurts, though.”
“I know, sweetie, but they just gave you some medicine that should help.”
“Am I going to get a cast?”
“Yep. Afraid so.”
Samantha smiled and the tell-tale Wilder dimples flashed in her cheeks as her turquoise eyes danced. The medication began to take effect and Jamie could see Samantha’s features relax. “It will be kind of cool though, Mom. None of my friends have had a cast before.”
Jamie smiled as her eyes caressed the beautiful face of her daughter and she brushed the hair off her forehead. “Leave it to you to think this is something to be proud of.”
“Mom?”
“Yeah, baby.”
“I like Wyatt. He’s cool.” Jamie’s heart tripped over in her chest when Samantha’s words met her ears. “I wonder if my Dad was that cool.”
Tears burned the back of Jamie’s eyes a moment before she closed them a minute and kissed her daughter’s forehead. “He was, baby,” she whispered.
Wyatt returned a few minutes later and Samantha had drifted off to sleep. “You can wait outside if you want.”
“No, I’ll stay with
my
daughter.”
His gaze met hers a moment before his shoulder lifted in a half-shrug. “Suit yourself.” Moving to the little girl’s side, he lifted her arm and she pulled against his grasp even in her sleep. He bent down and whispered something in her ear that Jamie couldn’t hear before he stood up again. His hands moved to the bump under the skin of her forearm and he ran his thumbs over it before pushing softly.
Samantha whimpered when he gently manipulated the bones back into place.
“There. That should do it. The nurse will put a temporary splint on until you can take her to an orthopedic doctor for a regular cast.”
He moved toward the curtain but stopped when she said, “Wyatt?”
“Yeah?”
She dropped her eyes a moment and bit her lip before they returned to his. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” With a look in his eyes she couldn’t read, he smiled and then disappeared out through the curtains.
Chapter Two
She didn’t see Wyatt again except for a brief glimpse before they left the rear of the emergency room. Their eyes met across the desk for a split second and her heart dropped into her stomach. She could finally breathe again once they reached the large waiting room.
Her worried gaze met that of her brother and Abby.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Sam will be fine. She’s tired now because they gave her something for pain so they could set the arm.” Jamie pushed the wheelchair out toward her truck with Chase and Abby on her heels. Avoiding a confrontation between Chase and Wyatt, was utmost in her mind.
“It is broken, then?”
“Yeah.”
“Poor kid,” Chase said as he brushed the hair off Samantha’s forehead. “Let’s get her home, so she can sleep.”
“That would be a great idea,” Jamie said and Chase frowned.
“Is there something wrong?”
A quick glance over her shoulder at the doors of the emergency room revealed nothing. “No. Why would you say that?”
“You seem kind of wound up, that’s all.”
“I’m just still worried about Samantha, Chase.”
“Did the doctor give you something to worry about?”
Other than the fact that you will kill Wyatt when you find out he’s in town? Or that he bonded with his daughter without her even knowing who he is?
“No. He said she would be okay and I want to get her home.”
Jamie opened the truck and Chase lifted his niece into his arms before sliding her into the cab and buckling her seatbelt. “We’ll see you back at moms, then. Abby and I were headed there tonight for dinner anyway.”
“Sure. See you there.” Once she made it inside the truck, she let out the breath she’d been holding and finally relaxed a moment.
God, please don’t let my brothers find out Wyatt is back before he and I have a chance to talk. I need to find out why he’s here. The way Chase, Justin and Cole searched for him after he disappeared he had to know he wouldn’t be welcome.
Confusion rippled across her mind. Air rushed from between her lips in a heavy sigh and she shook her head to clear her thoughts.
This is the last thing I need right now.
The truck started with a turn of the key and she backed out of the stall before she pulled out onto the highway headed for home. Her gaze found her sleeping daughter in the seat next to her and she smiled. Samantha favored her father so much in her looks, it hurt Jamie’s heart to see it sometimes. The brown semi-wavy hair and dimples came from her mother, but the shape of her face and her penetrating eye color came from her father.
Wyatt. What the hell am I going to do about him? I have a gut feeling he is going to want to be a part of her life now.
Frown lines appeared between her eyes.
Just because he’s back in town doesn’t give him the right to decide he all of the sudden wants to be a father to her!
Jamie pulled the truck into her parent’s driveway and Chase parked behind her before he moved toward the passenger side of her truck. “I’ll carry her in.”
“I’ll get the door.” The door opened with the pressure of her hand and she stopped to hold the screen as he moved inside with Samantha cradled in his arms. “Take her on up to her room. She’ll probably sleep until dinner.” When her brother disappeared, she looked at Abby and frowned. The twinkle in her sister-in-law’s eyes made Jamie pause. “What?”
With a secretive smile gracing her lips, Abby cocked an eyebrow in her direction and said, “Nothing.”
“Nosy sisters,” Jamie grumbled before she disappeared into the kitchen for something to drink, but she thought for sure she heard Abby chuckle behind her. Abby’s gift was well known and unfortunately, it seemed she now happened to be the target of that gift. Chase had Abby, Cole had Carrie and Justin was setting up house and home with Katrina. Now being the only unattached Wilder left, she knew Abby had her sights set on seeing Jamie happily settled down with a spouse or significant other of her own. She didn’t think Abby knew about Wyatt except what Chase had told her, but she wouldn’t be at all surprised if her sister-in-law knew all about him.
I just hope she hasn’t sensed the meeting at the hospital. I might have to talk to her when Chase isn’t around.
With the beer she’d retrieved from the refrigerator in her hand, she headed back into the living room just in time to see Chase return from putting Samantha in her room. “She still asleep?”
“Yep. Snug as a bug.”
“Good.”
“Jamie?” Bonnie called from the den.
“Yeah, Mom?”
“You better call Ashley. She’s called several times since the accident.”
“All right.” Jamie grabbed the phone and dialed Samantha’s friend. She made sure the other little girl knew Sam would be fine, but she had a broken arm and wouldn’t be playing for at least a couple of days. “You can come over and see her tomorrow, okay? She’s resting now.” After another minute or so, she hung up the phone, grabbed her beer and sat down next to Abby while Jeremiah ran around their legs.
“So they said she would be okay?” Chase asked.
A sigh rushed from between her lips and she leaned her head back on the couch cushion. “She’ll be fine, Chase. I have to take her to an orthopedic doctor in the next couple of days to put a permanent cast on, but for now, she’s fine. Quit worrying.” Leveling him with an exasperated look, she said, “Damn! You act like her father.”
“Well, someone has to, since Wyatt skipped town.”
“I can take care of
my
daughter just fine, thank you.”
“Yeah, that’s why you’re living with Mom and Dad.”
She stood up angrily and shouted, “Fuck you, Chase! I may not have a place of my own yet, but I still can take care of Samantha when I need to.”
He rose to his feet too and stopped in front of her, grasping her shoulders in his hands. “I’m not saying you can’t. All I’m saying is that she should have a father figure and I feel like that responsibility lies with me since her real dad didn’t have the balls to stick around.”
“Mom?” The adults turned only to find Samantha standing on the stairs, rubbing her eyes.
“I’m sorry, baby. Did we wake you?”
“No, not really. My arm is starting to hurt again.”
“Let me get you some of the medicine the doctor said you could have, okay?”
Samantha nodded and Jamie disappeared into the kitchen to retrieve the medication Wyatt has prescribed for her pain. When she returned, she found her daughter sitting on the couch next to her uncle and her heart stopped when she heard Samantha’s words.
“The doctor at the hospital said he knew you, Uncle Chase, or did a long time ago. And Mom knew him, too. She even hugged him when he first came into my room.”
“Really? What was his name, Sammy?”
“Wyatt.”
Chase’s gaze ricocheted up to hers and she felt the color drain out of her cheeks as her hands began to shake.
“Wyatt?” His blue eyes narrowed into agitated slits and her knees went weak.
“Yep. He’s cool. He took really good care of me and even sat down and held my hand while they gave me medicine.”
“Care to explain, sis?”
“Um…no.”
“Jamie Marie?” he growled.
“Don’t give me that shit, Chase. I’m
not
discussing this in front of Samantha.”
“Fine.” He stood and grabbed her arm around her bicep as he physically escorted her through the kitchen and out the back. “Wyatt?”
“Don’t start, brother.”
“He’s here?” He raked his fingers through his hair before he started to pace. “That son of a bitch is here! In Laramie?”
“Yes, he is.”
“He’s a doctor? At the fucking emergency room?”
“Evidently.”
He stopped in front of her and grabbed her arm in another fierce grip. “Did you know he was here?”
“Of course I didn’t, not until he walked into her room.” Her voice rose in agitation.
Damn him!
“I’ll kill him!” Chase growled as he headed for the house.
He stopped when Jamie said, “Leave him alone. He’s not the one at fault here.”
“What the hell are you talking about? He walked away when you told him you were pregnant with Samantha. He didn’t care enough to stay here and raise his child and take care of his responsibilities.” He snapped his fingers with an almost maniacal smile lifting his lips. “Wait! I know. I’m going to call Justin and Cole and all three of us will kill him together.”