Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Lucky knew she was dreaming, but couldn’t seem to pull herself out of the loop that kept playing out.
She’d open her eyes in the dream, and he’d be coming straight for her.
Neil stared her down with those brown sugar eyes, his baby face set stern as he prowled closer, looking threatening despite his youthful appearance.
Heart racing, her mind screaming for her to run, her limbs wouldn’t obey.
She gasped awake, the sheets tangled around her.
Staring at the empty side of the unfamiliar bed, she felt utterly alone.
Except she wasn’t. Not really. She was in his bed. Hawk.
She inhaled deeply and smelled him on the sheets. She buried her nose in the pillow. She could get used to this. Him.
Except she’d rather wake up to him in the bed with her.
Where is he?
She untangled her legs from the sheet and slowly rolled to her back, trying not to disturb her shoulder or pull on the stitches in her thigh.
She loved the exposed wood beams overhead.
She’d imagined herself in this room with him a thousand times since she started working for him.
This room felt the most like him. Masculine.
Strong. Sturdy, like those beams. And cozy with the river rock fireplace.
She knew the view was spectacular from the floor to ceiling windows, though the dark blue drapes were closed right now.
Where was he?
How long had she been asleep?
She peeked at the clock on the nightstand. Nearly dinner time. She’d slept for four hours. She needed it. The hospital was noisy and the nurses were in every few hours to check on her.
It took her a few seconds to muster the strength and wherewithal to sit up, setting off all her many aches and pains. She could really use a shower, but she’d need Hawk’s help.
That set off a flush to her cheeks and thoughts about him and her in the shower. Naked. Together.
She stopped that train of thought before it headed to Dirty Town—it just made her frustrated and needy when she could barely move.
It took far too much effort to get out of bed, but she made it to her feet.
The sling she needed to support her shoulder slid on relatively easily, relieving her of the worst of the pain.
One glance at her shirt—Hawk’s shirt—revealed that she hadn’t bled through her bandages.
Good. She hadn’t torn anything while she slept.
For the first time, she noticed the hushed voices coming from the other room.
Hawk had company.
She walked to the door and glanced down the hallway and her heart sank.
As much as she thought she knew about Hawk, she didn’t know everything. And she certainly hadn’t imagined that he had a pregnant…friend?
“I love you. You know that,” the woman standing in his kitchen professed.
Lucky’s stomach dropped. Maybe she was an ex.
“I’m just thanking you for coming and supporting me. It means a lot, considering your condition and how messy this is.”
That didn’t sound good. Did the woman want him back?
“I want to see you happy.” She had to be an ex. There was no one else in the room.
Hawk wouldn’t ask Lucky to be with him, say all the things he’d said to her if he was still together with that woman. Right?
But she couldn’t stand to be the person between him and the woman carrying his child. They deserved a chance to be a loving family. If it was her, she’d do anything to give her child that kind of stability. Something she never had growing up.
She couldn’t stay here.
She couldn’t be the reason a family split up, even if it had already happened. The baby would come and they’d realize they wanted to be together for their child.
It took some doing, but she managed to pull on her leggings, knee brace, and socks and shoes.
By the time she made it out of the room, rolling her bags behind her, Hawk and the woman were hugging.
He stepped back the second he saw her. “Lucky? What are you doing?”
“Leaving. I don’t belong here. You’ve obviously got a lot on your plate. You don’t need me messing this up.” She lifted her chin toward the gorgeous brunette.
Hawk looked from her to the woman and back again. “This isn’t what it looks like.”
“Maybe not right now. But you seem like a guy who’d be a really good dad and want to be there for his kid. I don’t want to get in the way of that.”
She pulled her phone out of her pocket. “I’ll call Desiree and wait out front for her to pick me up. Thank you for everything you did to help me. You have no idea how much it means to me.” Or how disappointed I am that this won’t work out.
She choked back tears and put her hand on the knob and opened the door a mere couple of inches before his hands landed on the wood and slammed it shut.
“You’re not going anywhere, sweetheart.”
She turned and stared up at him as he leaned in so close she could see the flecks of gold in his hazel eyes.
“Everything I said to you was the truth. I want you here with me. I want a relationship with you. So before you walk out that door, maybe give me the benefit of the doubt and listen.” He brushed his thumb over her cheek and she leaned into his touch without thinking, then caught herself.
“That’s right. You feel this crazy deep connection between us.
The one I can’t deny anymore and won’t. I want you to know me and my whole family, including my best friend, Lyric, over there.
She’s visiting from Wyoming with her husband, my cousin, Mason, who stepped out to take a work call.
They’re expecting their first baby in a few months.
And while I love her like a sister, my feelings for you go a hell of a lot deeper. ”
He leaned in and put his lips right next to her ear, whispering, “I’m sorry you woke up alone.
I wanted to stay in bed, right beside you so bad, but then they showed up.
I didn’t wake you because you needed your sleep and maybe some time to get used to being here with me before things get really intimate between us.
So drop the bag and kiss me like you missed me, because I’ve been missing you. ”
Lucky didn’t know what to say. She’d read the situation all wrong.
But here Hawk was giving her the truth and letting her know he wanted her to settle in here and with him.
He made it very clear he was hers. So she dropped the bag, took him by the t-shirt fisted in her hand, went up on tiptoe, and kissed him with all the longing she’d stored up over the last two years.
He kept his hands on the door on either side of her head, but leaned in, his chest pressed to hers, softly so they were connected, but not so he hurt her injuries.
The kiss was all passion and need as his tongue dove into her mouth and tangled with hers, until she felt the earth move.
Oh, wait, that was someone trying to open the door at her back.
Hawk shoved it closed and tore his mouth from hers. “I’m kissing my woman, hold your horses.”
“Let me the fuck in, asshole.”
“Wait a minute.” Hawk dove back in and the woman in the kitchen laughed.
Lucky couldn’t concentrate on anything but the man in front of her and the way he made her knees weak.
“How long is this going to take? Send my woman out so I can make out with her at least.” He sounded so forlorn.
She couldn’t help it, she chuckled against Hawk’s lips, then reluctantly pulled away. “Maybe we should let him in.”
“I didn’t invite him here, so he can wait.” The grumble was back in his voice.
“I’m family. I don’t need an invitation. Though I would like to meet your girl.”
Hawk turned to Lyric. “Are you sure you want to keep him?”
Lyric grinned. “I’m sure.”
Hawk pulled Lucky away from the door by the hips and shook his head. “I’m sorry about this. He’s going to kiss you on the head to piss me off. Are you okay with that?”
Lyric called out, “Hawk and his brothers do it to me to make Mason upset, because he’s possessive, but the guys are just being sweet.”
Hawk pulled the door open and shook his head at his cousin. “She’s hurt and doesn’t like being touched by anyone but me. Be careful with her.” Hawk turned to her. “Lucky, this is my cousin, Mason. He’s got a brother, Nick, you’ll meet another time, along with his wife and adopted daughter.”
Mason and Hawk definitely looked like they were related. “Are all of you drop-dead gorgeous?”
“They are,” Lyric confirmed. “That one’s mine.”
Lucky grinned. “Apparently Hawk’s decided to be mine.”
“Damn straight.” Hawk reached out to wrap his arm around her, but Mason got to her first and drew her a step away and kissed her on the forehead.
“It’s nice to meet you, Lucky.” He released her immediately, taking into account Hawk’s warning about her sensitivity to being touched.
“Are you sure you want to keep him? He’s a bit feral at times. ”
She stared up at Hawk. “I think he’s perfectly imperfect like the rest of us.”
Hawk moved in and wrapped her in a hug, kissing her head like his cousin had done. “Thanks, sweetheart.” He pulled back just enough to look her in the eye. “Are you hungry? Lyric put together an amazing beef stew and even made some fresh baked rolls.”
Her stomach rumbled. Loudly.
Everyone chuckled.
“You’re starving.” Hawk’s eyes filled with guilt. “I should have fed you before I put you to bed.”
“I was too tired to care or eat.”
Lyric pulled bowls out of the cabinet.
Mason joined her in the kitchen and uncorked a bottle of red wine.
Hawk picked up her bag. “Where are your meds? You should take them after you eat.”
“In the bag.” She went to get them, but he beat her to it and handed her the two bottles.
“Go sit at the table and rest.” Hawk took her bags back to their room. It seemed so strange to think of it like that already, but she went with it because she wanted this to be her life so badly.
Lyric and Mason were already at the table and had placed two bowls at the empty seats across from them.
Lucky took her seat.
Lyric smiled from across the table. “Is Lucky your real name or a nickname?”