Carina took two small pills from the bottle and handed them to Patricia. Once the pills were in the older woman’s mouth, she handed her the glass of water.
Patricia took a sip and swallowed the pain medication before handing back the glass. “Thank you, dear.”
She helped Patricia ease into her bed. “You’re welcome. How’s the wrist feeling today?”
“It’s fine. I’ve had worse, like these wretched knees of mine. At least with the wrist, I can just not use it. With the knees, I have no choice if I want to get from A to B.”
Carina gave a small smile. “We could always get you a—”
“Do not say it. I am not at the wheelchair stage yet. I will walk for as long as my legs hold me.”
Carina dipped her head. Fair enough. She’d probably feel the same if someone tried to force her into a wheelchair.
Patricia had only returned from the hospital a couple of days ago. Carina had been nervous on her first shift back, unsure whether the woman would also believe Carina had taken her medication. They’d never discovered where her previous pills had gone.
She should have known Patricia would be nothing but lovely.
As if she’d read her mind, the older woman’s gaze softened. “I said this yesterday, but I’ll say it again. I never thought you stole anything from me. And the second I heard others did, I was outraged.”
“They all thought I did.”
Patricia scoffed. “Well, I’m the only one with any sense then, aren’t I? I’m a good judge of character, and I can tell you’re not the type of person to do that.”
She could have used Patricia in her life several months ago.
The woman touched her hand. “My son’s had a tough time since his rescue. I know he can be a lot of work, but he’s worth it.”
Carina’s smile faltered. “I just… I don’t want to get my heart broken.” She almost heard her heart laugh. Ha. Too late for that.
“But, dear, if someone can get close enough to your heart to break it, then maybe they’re worth the risk.”
God, this woman was wise. And it was true. No one had ever touched her heart like Flynn. And in such a short amount of time. Maybe that was the real reason she was scared. Because imagine what she’d feel for him after a year. After two. And then what if he hurt her again when she was in even deeper?
She smiled through her fear. “Maybe you’re right.”
“I’m definitely right.”
Carina chuckled. “Will I be as wise as you one day, Patricia?”
“Oh, you have to live through a whole lot of years before you get this wise.”
She shook her head. “Well, I look forward to that day. I’m going to let you get some rest now. Sally should be here in ten minutes and will stay overnight. So, if you need anything, just call her in.”
Some of the light left the older woman’s eyes. Carina could tell she hated that she needed so much help. “Thank you, dear. Now go home and get some rest yourself.”
She gave the woman one last smile before she moved across the room, switched off the light and stepped out.
Sally would be looking after Patricia when Carina wasn’t. She only lived a town over and had just finished her last placement, so the timing was perfect. She’d briefly met the other woman on shift changeover yesterday, and she seemed kind.
Carina pulled out her phone as she walked to the kitchen table. No messages from Flynn. She ignored the little flutter of disappointment. She was here for Patricia. She was no longer dating Flynn. She shouldn’t be disappointed.
Quickly, she shut off the phone, knowing if she didn’t, she’d just keep checking.
Patricia’s words came back to her in a whisper. That he was worth the work. Worth the risk to her heart. Her sanity.
Blowing out a long breath, she turned—almost jumping out of her skin when she saw the man himself standing in the living room.
“Oh, my heart! Flynn! What the heck are you doing standing there in the shadows like some kind of ax murderer?” She pressed a hand to her chest, not entirely certain her heart wouldn’t break right through her ribs.
Flynn stepped forward. “Sorry, I was sitting on the couch, waiting for you to be done with Mom. I thought you heard me when I got up.”
“I didn’t.” No, she’d been too eager to see if the man had messaged her and then too disappointed when he hadn’t. “How long have you been sitting there?”
Oh, God. Had he heard what she’d said to his mom?
There was a moment of pause. Her stomach dropped.
“Maybe twenty minutes.”
So he’d heard everything. Including her comment about being scared of getting her heart broken. At least she hadn’t told his mother anything crazy…like she was already in love with the man.
Flynn took a small step forward. There was only a dim light coming from the corner lamp in the living room, and somehow the shadows on his face made him look bigger. Fiercer. More of everything that made him…Flynn.
“How’s your knee today?”
“It’s fine.”
He took the final few steps to reach her. Then his hand gently grasped her hip.
Her next breath stalled in her chest. Quickly, she inched to the side, letting his hand slip away.
Do not let him touch you again, Carina.
She dragged her bag across the kitchen table, making sure she didn’t look at him on her way to the door. She couldn’t. Because everything about the man spoke to her heart in a language only known to them. It was too much.
“Now that you’re here, I’ll head out,” she said quietly. “Sally shouldn’t be far off.”
She didn’t even hear Flynn move, but when she put her hand on the doorknob, she felt his warmth surround her, his hands on her waist, holding her.
“I miss you,” he whispered, his mouth far too close to her ear.
Her entire body heated. “It’s only been a couple of days.”
His thumb swiped her ribs—a thumb that was far too close to the underside of her breast.
“I need you.”
When he moved closer, and his lips lightly touched her neck, her eyes drifted shut. She felt the touch in every little part of her body. It zipped through her like a shot of electricity.
His lips were feather-light, like if he pressed too hard, he’d risk scaring her away. She should walk away. She knew that. But, God, it was like asking a starving woman to walk away from her first chance of nourishment.
The light grazes became kisses pressed to her neck. Her hand tightened on the doorknob. Her breath shuddered from her lips.
The kisses trailed up her neck, behind her ear.
She tilted her head, giving him better access, his lips now touching her jaw. When she turned her head toward him, he moved quickly, his lips pressing to hers.
A hum vibrated from her chest.
His hands went to her hips and turned her. She was swiftly lifted against his body and pressed to the door.
Her blood heated in her veins, and a dull throb began in her core. She wrapped her fingers around his neck, grazing his hair, as his tongue dipped into her mouth.
This was what had been haunting her dreams these last few days. This intoxicating desire to touch him. Have him. The scream in her head that this was it. This was her everything.
He drew her bottom lip into his mouth, suckling and nibbling, causing the dull ache in her core to ripple and vibrate.
His fingers grazed the skin at the base of her shirt, slipping beneath the material and gliding up. Her breath caught. When his hand snuck inside her bra and closed over her breast, she lost his mouth, throwing her head back and using all her strength to silence her cry.
She writhed as his thumb grazed across her nipple, grinding her core against him and returning to his kiss.
When his hand suddenly stilled and his mouth released hers, she wanted to cry. To tug him back and make this moment last longer.
His forehead pressed to her own. “Sally just pulled up.”
Sally. Because she was at Patricia’s house. With Patricia sleeping in a room down the hall while she writhed against the door that the next nurse was about to walk through.
Reality was like a bucket of cold water on her head.
She lowered her arms and wrapped her fingers around the wrist of the hand still holding her bare breast.
The muscles in his forearm rippled. Then he released her. He slid his hand from her breast and eased her down to the floor. He’d only just stepped back when there was a soft knock on the door. She moved to the side seconds before it opened.
Sally smiled. “Oh! Sorry. I almost hit you. Evening.”
Carina almost sagged in relief when the woman immediately headed to the kitchen.
Good. She didn’t notice the suffocating thickness in the air.
She cleared her throat. “Hi, Sally. Patricia’s in bed. Everything’s clean and tidy. Call if you need anything.”
She didn’t wait for a response or look at Flynn. Nope. She was getting the hell out of here before she did something else stupid. She ducked her head and slid out the door.
God. How could she have done that? How could she have let him touch her, kiss her like that, just days after what had happened? How could she have kissed him back?
She silently cursed herself the entire way to her car. She was reaching for the handle when Flynn stepped between her and the door.
“Carina, please. You felt that too.” His voice was pleading.
She swallowed. “Flynn, I need more time.”
And she couldn’t put an exact number on that time. All she knew was that now was too soon.
He touched her cheek. She didn’t move away, but she didn’t lean into the touch, either. “I screwed up. And I’m so damn sorry. I want to make this right.”
She nibbled her bottom lip. The cautious side of her brain screamed at her to say no. But the other part of her knew that the second she’d agreed to remain in town, this was inevitable.
She opened her mouth, not sure what words were about to come out, when a car drove past. It wasn’t the car that had her pausing, though. It was the way Flynn turned his head to watch the back of it as it drove slowly down the street. His eyes narrowed, and the veins on his neck stood out.
He reached into his pocket but cursed under his breath when his hand came out empty. Was he looking for his keys? His phone?
“What?” she asked, turning to glance behind her. The car was already gone.
He looked down at her, smiling. But the smile didn’t reach his eyes this time. “Nothing. Drive safe, honey.”
She gave a small nod and was about to slip into her car when he touched her arm.
“Make sure you lock your house up, okay?”
She frowned, about to question him, but then just shook her head. It was late, and she needed to get home. “Okay.”
The second Carina drove away, Flynn ran back into the house and grabbed his keys.
Sally looked up from where she was putting the kettle on. “Everything okay?”
“Make sure you lock the doors and set the alarm.”
A small frown marred her brows, but she nodded. “Okay.”
He ran back out and slipped into his car. He couldn’t believe he’d left his keys inside. He could have gone after the car in Carina’s vehicle, but that would have either left her to walk home alone, in the dark, or he would have had to take her with him. Neither of those choices was viable.
He called Callum as he hit the road.
“Yo, Flynny, what’s up?”
“Can you remind me what Alex Brown’s license plate is?”
Callum quickly recited the plate numbers, as well as the color, make, and model of the car.
That was the one. “I just saw the car drive past my mom’s house. I’m on the road looking but can’t spot it.”
He’d lost the guy.
“Shit. Did you see who was driving?”
“No. There were tinted windows, and I only looked up once it had passed.” He’d been too distracted by Carina.
“So either Alex and his brother are still here in Cradle Mountain and okay. Or—”
“Someone took them and took their car.” Although, why you’d take local kids and then drive their well-known car around, Flynn had no idea.
“I’ll call a couple of the guys to search the streets, and we can look into street cameras tomorrow, see if we can get an image of the driver’s face.”
Flynn gave a small nod even though his friend couldn’t see him. He pulled up in front of Carina’s house and turned off his car.
“Why would he drive past your mother’s house?” Callum asked.
“No idea. Her place is alarmed though. I’ll be notified if anyone breaks in, and I’m not far away.” Carina’s house was alarmed too, but he had a bad feeling in his gut about this.
And that bad feeling had led him to Carina.
“Good. I’ll call the guys. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
Flynn leaned back in his seat. “Thanks, man.”
He didn’t put his phone away. Instead, he sent a text.
Flynn: You get home okay?
Her car sat safe in the driveway, but he wanted to see her text. Connect with her in some way. A full minute passed before he received a response.
Carina: I did. Just getting ready for bed.
Before he could respond, another text came through.
Carina: We shouldn’t have kissed tonight. That was a mistake.
No. It wasn’t. It was the best thing he’d done in days. But he’d messed up. Damaged what they had. And Carina needed time to heal and forgive him for that.
Flynn: It wasn’t. It couldn’t be. Not when every time I touch you, everything feels right again.
Not just right with her. Right with the whole goddamn world.
For a moment, there was no response. At one point, three dots showed that she was typing a reply, then they disappeared.
Flynn: I hope that one day soon, we can kiss and it won’t feel like a mistake to you.
No response.
Flynn: Make sure you lock your house up, honey. I’ll see you tomorrow. X
He clicked out of his phone. But instead of driving away, he remained where he was, not entirely sure he’d be leaving anytime soon.
