“Is that supposed to be you?”
“Do I look dead?”
He definitely did not look dead. But why was he whispering? Yes, they were standing very close but him keeping his voice soft kept doing something to her it shouldn’t.
She shook it off again. “You’re lucky you’re not. Your little girl could’ve ended up with no parents instead of only one.”
He jerked, which also made Jemma start and lift her gaze to his. She was surprised he hadn’t thought of that. He hadn’t considered the possibility of dying when Judge beat the fuck out of him. He hadn’t realized his daughter could’ve been left alone on this Earth with only a grandfather and uncle. Because the Amish certainly didn’t want her.
The baby was created from sin. To them, she was an embarrassment.
From what Dutch had found out, right after the birth, Dyna’s mother was sent to another Amish community in Ohio to marry a widower who already had a bunch of kids. Because of her mistake with Cage, Sarah was now destined to raise another woman’s children and most definitely bear more of her own.
More she’d keep this time. Unlike the one she left behind.
“Won’t be breakin’ that rule again.”
“I imagine so.” She placed her hands on his right side, his skin warm under her fingertips as she moved them along his rib cage. “How about not breaking any rules?”
She didn’t have to look up from her exam to know he was staring at her. She could feel his eyes searing her. Almost as if they were hands. Touching her. Sliding over her skin. She fought a shiver.
What the fuck was going on?
“Can’t promise that.” Again, a whisper that did things to her it shouldn’t.
He needed to stop that. Was he doing it on purpose? Was this a game to him?
Was this how he convinced an Amish woman to hike up her dress and allow him to take her virginity?
She carefully prodded the worst bruise to make sure the ribs hadn’t shifted out of place. Even as gentle as she was, he sucked in a sharp breath.
“Sorry,” she mumbled, but hurried to finish.
When she was done, she stepped back, giving herself some space and breathing room.
“They seem to be healing, but you need to be careful. Try to carry Dyna in the car seat rather than in both arms. Just carry the seat with your left arm instead of your right. I’d tell you to avoid lifting anything heavy, but I know you’ll ignore it.”
When he didn’t answer, she looked up from his chest to his face. His eyes held curiosity. And even a little interest.
No, they weren’t going there. No chance in hell.
She was here to help with the baby, not scratch some biker’s itches. Even if he kind of made her itchy, too.
Even with the busted up face and the broken nose, she could tell he was normally good-looking. However, looks were only skin deep and that tattoo permanently marking his skin, the large one on his back, was enough to not make her search any deeper.
He held out his shirt to her. When she stepped closer again to take it, he murmured, “Jem...”
With her heart racing, she panicked and snapped, “Stop it,” before she could bite it back.
His mouth tightened and the interest in his eyes flickered and died.
Thank fuck. She was struggling as it was.
She ignored the humming in her veins and helped him tug on his shirt. She watched him carefully shrug his cut back on. That leather vest alone was like an anti-aphrodisiac. It was enough to chill her blood.
The perfect reminder of what she didn’t want out of life.
She pulled her attention from Dyna’s father back to the baby, now asleep in the bouncer.
She fought the urge to scream at him, “If you love your daughter, take her far, far away from this fucking club!” Instead, she said, like a civilized, somewhat sane person, “I’m going to head out now. I’ll be back Monday morning before you leave for work.”
As she turned, he caught her wrist and pulled her back to face him. His blue eyes locked with hers. Once again, she could read the intense, obvious interest in them. She shook off the ribbon of heat threatening to swirl through her.
This wasn’t what she was here for.
The only reason to be in this mobile home was for the baby, not the baby’s father.
Dyna was proof he didn’t make the smartest decisions. His interest in her was another one.
It would never happen. Even casually.
She’d never been a casual sex kind of person. Being intimate with someone was just that. Intimate. Meaningful. A special connection.
She knew plenty of people who could have a one-night-stand, roll out of bed and never say boo to that person again. Deacon previously being one of those people. Judge also. Jemma had never been like that. That was why she never did casual.