Sunlight streamed through the window, waking Sam in a painful way. He forced his eyelids open and rolled over to face Nicole, finding her watching him.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
Her eyes filled with pain. “I can’t move.”
Her groan went straight to his heart, memories of the mangled car coming back to haunt him.
“My whole body feels like I was slammed by a semi.”
“Let me get you something to eat and some Motrin. It should ease the aches and pains.”
She closed her eyes. “Thank you. Then I’ll try a warm shower and see if I can get moving.”
In between sleeping and tossing and turning, he’d been fighting a mixture of emotions. Fear at the thought of what might have happened to her in that accident. Rage at the notion that someone might have been sent after her. And a healthy dose of both of those feelings over her words last night.
You make it too easy to love you.
Damned if she didn’t do the same to him.
He wasn’t sure what threw him more. That she’d said it or that she hadn’t pushed him to say it back. Vulnerable yet strong, loyal and so damned gorgeous she took his breath away; yeah, he was probably in love with her.
But the too-rapid pounding of his heart, the sweats and shakes he’d have if he didn’t have to concentrate on keeping her safe, and the fear of being hurt again told him he couldn’t handle it.
Thanks to her, he didn’t have to. “Be right back.” He slid out of bed and went to get the supplies to take care of her. That was something he could handle.
A while later, the Motrin worked and she was able to move around, although he saw the pain in her tight expression. While she went to shower, he called his folks to check in, then headed for the kitchen.
He opened the fridge and studied the contents, trying to decide what more he could put together for lunch.
“The shower helped a lot,” Nicole said, walking into the room. He turned to see that she wore a summer dress that was light and obviously easy for her to put on. One that was hell on his libido. The white ribbed tank top showed her breasts, perky and bouncy beneath the flimsy and relatively thin material. The light blue skirt flowed around her hips and ass, coming to rest at her shapely calves. She’d wrung out her hair, leaving it damp as it air-dried around her face. Even makeup free, she affected him on a soul-deep level.
He watched her gingerly move around the kitchen and wanted to help, to take her pain as his own. Shit. He knew he was in trouble, and the best thing to do was not to think.
He pulled out his cell and called his brother, walking out of the room as Mike answered on the first ring. “Hey, bro. Any news on the drunk who rear-ended Nicole?”
He listened to his brother and was relieved by the answer. “Got it. Thanks.” Mike asked about Nicole. “Yeah, she’s okay. Hurting but okay. How’s Cara?”
Mike told him she seemed better and thanked him for talking to her, then said good-bye. Sam noted his brother still hadn’t mentioned anything about Cara being pregnant.
He wondered if she’d taken the test. Spilled the news. Maybe they’d decided to wait to tell everyone, Sam thought. But he already knew. Well, he assumed he knew. Not that he’d ask.
He disconnected the call and turned, finding Nicole watching him from the doorway of the family room.
“Well?” She stepped into the family room. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I heard you ask about the drunk who rear-ended me. Was he connected to the Russians?”
“No. It was just an accident.” Sam shook his head. “I can’t believe I’m calling that wreck just anything.”
She walked over and wrapped her arms around him. “I’m fine.”
Reflexively he squeezed back, wanting to be as close to her as possible.
“What else is wrong?” she asked.
“Why do you ask?”
“Just a feeling.” She shrugged and pulled out of the embrace.
Immediately he felt the loss. She read him well. “It’s a secret,” he said.