Chapter 23
As much as she wanted to argue with Cal about his high-handed decree, fatigue tugged at her and a shimmy of fear in her core begged for the security he offered.
New lock on her door or not, she didn’t want to go back to her motel.
Especially if the drug dealers were looking for her.
Was the attack at her motel room a one-off? A coincidence?
She didn’t know, and at this point, with the sound of the gunfire this afternoon still reverberating in her memory, she didn’t care to find out.
So she leaned into Cal’s embrace and closed her eyes. “Okay.”
“Wow,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to her hair. “That’s a first.”
“What?”
“Agreeing with me. Not arguing. You may have brain damage after all.”
Jules allowed an amused hum to slide from her throat as she snuggled closer.
Taking the hint, Cal lay back down on the couch with Jules draped over him. For the next several minutes, he rubbed a hand down her back or threaded fingers through her hair, his touch soothing, mesmerizing. And soon, like Joy asleep on Pilot’s warm fur, Jules drifted off, safe in Cal’s embrace.
When she woke later that evening, the room was darker, the sun having already set outside, which told Jules it was after 9:00 p.m. Cal was no longer on the couch with her and the house was quiet.
She kicked the afghan off her feet and sat up slowly. Her head throbbed in protest, and she discovered new aches and stiff muscles throughout her body. She moaned softly as she shoved the hair out of her face and massaged the crick in her neck.
With the click of claws on hardwood and a chuff of greeting, Pilot trotted in from the foyer and put his head in her lap.
“Hi, old boy,” she said, scratching his head. “You didn’t eat Joy while I was asleep did you?”
Pilot wagged his tail, and she gave him the stink eye. “Does that mean yes or no?”
“Does what mean yes or no?” a male voice asked.
She glanced up to find Cal standing in the open arch that led to the kitchen, a drink of some description in his hand. “I asked your dog what happened to the kitten. He didn’t eat her for dinner while I slept, did he?”
A crooked smile lifted Cal’s cheek and sent a flutter of longing to her core. He was so damn good-looking, so relaxed here in his home, so tempting. How was she supposed to live with him and not end up in his bed? And would that really be such a bad thing?
If she could walk and chew bubble gum, could make good grades in college while parenting a teenaged sister, couldn’t she have a temporary fling while she found a way to get Chase Hamilton behind bars?
Cal crossed the room and sat beside her. “Happy to report, your kitten is in one piece and currently devouring a can of chicken flavored cat food like a frat boy eating pizza. I’m not sure she’s chewing.”
“Poor thing still isn’t sure where her next meal is coming from.” Jules leaned into him and released a contented sigh.
“Speaking of which, are you hungry? You were out cold when my dad and I ate a couple hours ago.”
She pressed a hand to her stomach, admitting she was peckish. “I don’t want to be trouble. I can fix myself some cereal or—”
“Chicken and rice. I saved you a plate. You like green beans? I made those, too.”
She angled a startled look at him. “You cook?”
“In a manner of speaking. I have to if I want to eat. Jonathon Colton sure isn’t going to. I’ve been in charge of meals for my dad and me since Matti moved out several years back.”
She pictured Cal’s youngest sister, her curly hair and bright smile, and Jules grinned.
“That reminds me,” Cal said. “Both of my sisters have called me tonight, wanting to know when they could come by and visit you. They heard about the shooting and are determined to smother you with food and personal attention. Apparently they think I stink as a nurse.”
“Or they’re just kind.” Her grin brightened when she anticipated more time with Cal’s sisters. “I have nothing but time on my hands for a couple days, according to Dr. Palmer. Tell them to come anytime.”
He jerked a quick nod. “Will do. I’ll go heat up your plate.”
Cal spent the next day at home with Jules.
She spent a great deal of time sleeping, which initially concerned him, until he saw how the rest erased the dark circles that had lived under her eyes since they’d met and eased the fine lines of tension around her mouth.
He made sure she ate well, and her cheeks gained more color.
She had, in less than one day, bloomed, like a parched flower finally given water.
Jules was even more radiantly beautiful than he’d first believed, and a part of that transformation came from the fact that since yesterday, he’d seen her use her smile.
With Pilot, with his father, and even—hallelujah!
—with him. Maybe he’d underestimated how much stress and worry she’d been living with all these months.
Well, no more. While she was under his roof, he’d make certain she was well-fed, felt secure and had plenty of sleep. He wanted to see her smile more, flourish, glow.
Late that afternoon, as Jules roused from her second nap of the day, Cal set aside his laptop, where he’d been clearing out his email, and moved to the end of the couch. He lifted her feet into his lap and began massaging her feet while she yawned and gave him sexy, sleepy smiles.
“Oh, that’s nice.” Her sigh was both seductive and sweet.
“I never knew how tired your feet could get until I had to be on mine all day at the gift shop.” She arched her feet, then flexed them as he dug his thumbs into her soles.
Her brow creased then. “Which reminds me, I need to call Bonnie and let her know I’ll be out for a few days.
” Her shoulders slumped. “I really should go back to work tomorrow. I hate that I can’t. ”
“Or you could hire more help to give Bonnie some relief without killing yourself in the process. You were working too many hours before, Jules. There from dawn to dark.”
She stacked her hands behind her head and moaned softly.
“Like I told you before,” she said. “The owner is emphatic that there’s no money for more help in the budget.
The gift shop is popular in the summer but makes nothing for several months over the long winter season.
As it is, I’m going to have to find new employment myself, if I’m still here come October. ”
Cal stilled. “What do you mean, if you’re still here? Abby is here. Why wouldn’t you still be here?”