Chapter 16
When Genna paled, as if all the blood had drained from her face, Parker turned to call for the nurse. Instead, when he saw the tall, broad-shouldered man standing just inside the doorway, he realized that was the cause for Genna’s distress.
Short dark hair in a military cut, hard brown eyes and an aggressive stance, the stranger glared at Parker before directing his gaze to Genna.
Acting on instinct, Parker moved to place himself between the intruder and Genna.
“Who are you and what do you want?” Parker demanded.
Jaw tight, the stranger took another step into the room. “I might ask you the same question. Please leave. I need to talk to my wife alone.”
“Ex-wife, Chad,” Genna corrected. “Parker, please stay. I don’t want to be alone with him.” She took a deep breath. “In fact, call security.”
“No need,” Chad quickly responded. “Ann called me and asked me to bail her out. She told me everything she’s done, including trying to kill you.
I just wanted to let you know that I had nothing to do with her actions.
Ever since I left her for Claudia, Ann has been unhinged.
Claudia even had to take out a restraining order on her. ”
“So did I,” Genna reminded him, her voice and expression tired. “You’ve said your piece. Now please leave.”
Jaw working, Chad simply stared, unmoving. “You look terrible,” he mused. “Small-town life obviously hasn’t been good for you.”
“She asked you to go,” Parker said, keeping his tone level. “It’s time for you to do that.”
For one split second, he thought the other man would refuse. But then Chad shook his head, muttered something unintelligible under his breath and stalked off.
“Whew,” Genna exhaled. “I’m just glad he didn’t start any trouble.”
“Me, too.” Dropping back into the chair next to her bed, Parker glanced at the doorway. “Do you believe him when he says he had nothing to do with Ann harassing you?”
“I’m not sure. I know right after they got together, he was pretty invested in tormenting me. But it’s been a year. I had no idea it was her.” Genna shifted restlessly. “She traveled all the way to Shelby just to continue hounding me.”
“I’m surprised she didn’t move on to the new woman,” Parker said.
“Me, too. That would make a lot more sense than her continuing to stalk me. I’ve moved on. I would have thought Ann would, too.” She sighed again. “Well, now that I’ve been discharged, I’d like to get dressed and get out of here.”
Parker handed her the bag of her clothes that he’d grabbed at the house. After pulling the curtain around the bed, he stood guard while she dressed.
“All done,” she said.
He pulled open the curtain. “Still no wheelchair. Let me go see if I can find one for you.”
“I don’t really need it,” she protested. “A pair of crutches would help just fine.”
Just then an orderly arrived, pushing a shiny-black wheelchair. “Are you ready to go home?” he asked, his cheerful voice matching his smile. He helped Genna into the chair before turning to Parker. “Go ahead and pull your vehicle around to the side entrance and I’ll bring her out.”
Finally, with Genna buckled carefully into the passenger side, Parker headed home. Since he didn’t have a wheelchair, he stopped at a drugstore on the way and purchased an inexpensive portable one. After he’d loaded it into the rear of his truck and got back in, Genna shook her head.
“I plan on using crutches,” she said. “I have some in the garage at my parents’ house. I think you can return the chair. I don’t need it.”
“Crutches will be impossible to handle with a broken arm,” he pointed out. “You can’t hold on.”
She stared at him for a few seconds. “I didn’t even think about that. I guess I don’t have a choice but to use the chair.”
Since he was driving, he couldn’t give in to impulse and kiss her. He promised himself he’d make up for that once they got home.
After pulling up in front of the house, he asked Genna to wait in the truck while he got her chair. Though she nodded, her grimace told him she was unhappy with the situation. Opening her door, he bowed low.
“Your throne awaits, my lady,” he said in his best British accent.
Though she shook her head, her frown turned into a smile. When he gently lifted her out of the truck and into the wheelchair, she clung to him a millisecond too long. Which he didn’t mind at all.
Then he pushed her through the garage and into the house.
Once inside, both Revis and JB greeted her, tails wagging.
She spent time with them both, crooning endearments.
JB appeared beside herself and, after Genna invited her, the tiny dog jumped into her lap and snuggled into Genna.
“She thought I was going to die,” Genna said, her eyes shiny. “She didn’t leave my side.”
“She’s a good girl,” Parker replied. “Her barking is what alerted me to the possibility that there was some kind of trouble.”
She nodded. “I’m just glad all that’s over and Ann is in police custody.”
“Me, too.” He pushed her over toward the couch. “Do you want to lie here or should I take you into your bedroom?”
“Neither.” She hesitated. “I have another favor to ask. I really need to take a shower. I don’t feel clean. Will you help me?”
Due to her condition, he tried like hell not to imagine her naked, water sluicing down her body. But the sensual images wouldn’t stop and his body immediately reacted.
“I’ll help you,” he offered. “I know you have to keep that cast dry.”
“And my foot, too,” she said. “They wrapped my ankle inside this boot. I’ll need you to help me wrap both of those in plastic.”
“Are you hurting at all?” he asked.
“No.” She didn’t even have to think about it. “I’m guessing whatever pain medication they gave me at the hospital is still working, because I feel fine.”
Luckily, the main shower had a place where she could sit. He pushed her wheelchair inside and carefully helped her to undress.
Then he wrapped her arm, using several plastic bags and a rubber band, hoping like hell he didn’t inadvertently hurt her. Moving on to the foot, he knelt in front of her wheelchair and carefully undid the Velcro straps.
After he wrapped her foot so the bandage wouldn’t get wet, he helped her from the chair to the shower ledge.
He then turned on the water, waiting until the temperature seemed perfect before turning the showerhead on her.
He placed a couple of towels nearby, within easy reach, and then beat a fast exit.
“Call me if you need anything or when you’re done,” he said, closing the door behind him.
Though he suspected there was no way she could have missed his arousal, he hoped she understood that he’d never do anything that could hurt her. She’d been through a lot. And he’d do whatever it took to make sure she healed. Including resisting his ever-present desire for her.
Waiting for her to finish her shower, he finally admitted how terrified he’d been at the prospect of losing her. Seeing her lying on that ledge on the side of the mountain, unable to discern the extent of her injuries, the thought of losing her had nearly brought him to his knees.
Even now, with her hurt and needing to heal, he couldn’t bear the concept of inadvertently doing something wrong.
He heard the water turn off. Though he tried not to, he pictured her toweling herself off. He kind of wished she’d asked him to help her, even though he knew doing so would only make him rock-hard again.
“Parker?”
Blinking, he shook off his thoughts and went to help her get dressed. She’d asked for a soft T-shirt and a pair of terry-cloth shorts, telling him they were her version of pajamas.
A short time later, Eli arrived at the house, bearing gifts. “A pizza from Pizza World,” he said, handing the box to Parker. “And a decent bottle of red wine to go with it.”
“Thanks.” Ushering his brother in, Parker led the way to the living room, where Genna, JB and Revis were all snuggled on the couch. Though both dogs looked up at the intruder, they must have decided Eli was safe because they laid their heads back down on Genna.
“I brought you food,” Eli announced, gesturing toward the pizza box in Parker’s arms. “Hopefully, it’ll make up for whatever crap they fed you in the hospital.”
“Thank you.” Genna smiled. “Any news? Did Ann bond out?”
“Not yet. She kept saying her husband would be coming to rescue her, but the dude never showed. Now she’s demanding to talk to you.”
“Me?” Recoiling, Genna looked at Parker. He shrugged.
“I’m sorry,” Eli said. “I have no idea what she wants to say, but apparently there’s something she needs to get off of her chest.”
“I don’t think I care to hear it.”
“I don’t blame you.” Eli looked at Parker. “She tried to kill you after all.”
“She probably wants to try and talk you into dropping charges,” Parker interjected.
“That’s not going to happen.” Eyeing the pizza box, which Parker still held, she gestured. “I’d really like to have some of that. Would you mind grabbing some paper plates so we can eat?”
Both dogs perked up at her words.
“Not for you,” she scolded, half laughing.
“I brought wine, too,” Eli pointed out.
“Thanks, but I’m not sure I can drink with all these pain meds.”
Eli shook his head. “Sorry, I didn’t think. Well, just save the bottle for later.”
Parker went into the kitchen and returned with plates and napkins. Eli set the pizza box down in the middle of the coffee table and opened it. “I just got basic pepperoni,” he said. “And a large, in case you both are hungry. I hope that’s okay.”
Parker’s stomach rumbled, reminding him he hadn’t eaten in a long while. “That’s perfect,” he said.
“That smells so good!” Sitting up, Genna shooed the dogs away. Making an appreciative sound, she grabbed a couple of slices, looking up at both men. “Don’t be shy. Help yourself,” she said, licking her fingers. “Thanks for getting this, Eli.”
Parker grabbed a few slices and Eli did the same. They all ate, sitting around the living room, with the two dogs watching intently. Both men took seconds, though Genna declined.