Single Dads Collection. Lynne Marshall
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she let herself in her back door, her cell chimed, but she was juggling her key in the lock and holding her purse. She let it go to voice mail; it wasn’t like she was in the mood to talk anyway.
As soon as she stepped inside and dropped her purse to the counter, the phone started ringing again. All she wanted to do was grab a quick shower and crawl into bed. Or maybe she’d just go straight to bed.
Lucy’s mind raced as she thought of getting some much-needed sleep, then getting up to bake something to take to Tammy, who’d just lost her pup.
First thing after she woke she needed to see to the horses and make sure they had enough straw and water. They should be fine, but she tended to them every single day just like Evan used to do.
Oh, yeah. Then after all of that she had an invitation to Noah’s house. She may cancel that because…well, she was exhausted and sore and perhaps she shouldn’t keep going around sweet, impressionable Emma. The little girl had recently lost her mother and Lucy wasn’t sure of the circumstances surrounding that tragedy. But Noah had invited her over, so perhaps he wanted to grab that olive branch she’d extended. Maybe he needed a friend. But part of Lucy didn’t want to just be a friend to the only man she’d felt a pull toward since her husband passed.
Though there was more time since her tragic loss than his, she knew grief couldn’t be given a time frame. Everyone healed differently and everyone moved on at their own pace.
Lucy locked her back door and wondered what she’d do about wheels. On a groan, she realized she wouldn’t be going anywhere with baked goods. Perhaps she could call Tammy and invite her over. Maybe getting her out of the house would be a good idea, because that’s the only way Lucy was going to be able to try to comfort her in person.
And she surely wasn’t about to ask Noah to give her a lift. Speaking of Noah, she’d best send him a text and tell him she couldn’t make it later that day.
As she headed through her one-story house, she started stripping out of her clothes. By the time she reached her bedroom, she was ready to put on her favorite ratty nightgown, draw her room-darkening shades, and crawl into bed. She’d worked midnights for so long, she had her system down pat. Her bedroom was in the back of the house, away from any road traffic, and when her door was shut and her fan was on, it was out of earshot of the doorbell.
Lucy tossed her clothes into the basket and had just pulled her nightgown over her head when the doorbell rang. Seriously? She should’ve turned her fan on and shut the door right away.
She started to climb into bed, more than willing to ignore the unwanted guest. Her neighbors knew she worked midnights, so they never bothered her. But the doorbell turned to a persistent knock.
Obviously someone needed her right now. Since her nightgown was an oversize T-shirt style that hit her knees, she didn’t bother with clothes. She’d get rid of this person and get into bed.
Lucy padded down the hallway and came to the small foyer. Even through the etched glass of her front door she recognized that shape. What was he doing here?
Flicking the lock on the door, she opened it and didn’t get a chance to say a word as Noah stepped right up to her. His eyes raked over her, his hands falling to her shoulders.
“Why aren’t you at the hospital getting checked out?”
She should’ve known the accident wouldn’t remain quiet. Not in a small town with a small police force who knew each other’s business.
“Because you told me to come straight home to bed,” she countered. “Which I was trying to do.”
His brows drew in. “Don’t be sarcastic. Cameron said you wouldn’t go get checked out.”
The captain was the snitch? No, she didn’t believe that for a minute. Regardless, this wasn’t Noah’s business. He couldn’t ignore her and then suddenly show up at her door like he had a right to be concerned.
“Shouldn’t you be home?” she asked, wondering when he was going to remove his hands from her shoulders. Not that she wanted him to.
The fact he rushed here and was worried spoke volumes about the feelings he went out of his way to fight off.
“I’d just gotten home and changed when I heard the call over the scanner,” he replied as he eased her into her house and closed the door behind him. “A hit-and-run?”
Lucy nodded. “Yeah. Some jerk totaled my car.”
“Did you get a look at the vehicle or the driver?”
Shrugging her sore shoulders, Lucy shook her head. “No. Just that the car was dark colored. It happened so fast. Thankfully I’m not hurt, just sore. My hip is a little bruised. This guy is going to have a rough time hiding with a banged-up car.”
Noah raked his hand through his dark hair. “There’s only going to be one dark-colored vehicle that is mangled in the front in a town this small.”
Lucy noticed he kept fidgeting. Glancing her way, running his hand over his stubbled jawline and his fingers through his hair.
“You all right?” she asked.
Noah laughed as he turned his focus solely to her. “You’re kidding, right? I heard you had been in an accident, a hit-and-run, and I worried. So I called the station and they said Cameron was on the scene and the EMTs had been sent away. So, no, I’m not all right because you could be hurt and not know it. Internal injuries can be well hidden.”
When Lucy went to reach for him, she felt a pain in her back and she hissed.
“Damn it.” Noah wrapped his arms around her and gently picked her up. “You need to be seen.”
“No, I need to be in bed.” Just as soon as she finished being carried like some helpless heroine in a historical novel. “I need to take some pain reliever, get some rest, and maybe soak in a hot bath later. That’s all.”
“Why are you so stubborn?” he muttered as he headed down the hallway. “Which one is your room?”
“As flattered as I am at your seduction, I’m afraid I’m not up to a romp right now.”
Noah’s glare told her he didn’t find her nearly as humorous as she found herself. “Lucy, you’re testing my patience.”
“Last room on the left,” she murmured as she laid her head against his shoulder.
Maybe just for a few minutes she’d relax and let him care for her. This wasn’t anything she’d ever had before, not even with her husband. Evan had been loving, but never the type to whisk her off her feet.
Besides, Noah wasn’t doing anything but trying to get her to rest. He wasn’t trying to woo her or flirt or even seduce her.
What a shame. Part of her wished they could enter into some adult agreement that an affair was the perfect way to get each other out of their systems. Because she was seriously starting to think that she was in his, too.
The devil on one shoulder told her to be the one to seduce him, but the angel on the other told her he was grieving and to put her hormones away.
Gently, Noah laid her on her bed and eased back. “Did you already take pain meds?”
“No. I haven’t been home but a few minutes.” She nodded in the direction of her master bath. “In there, top shelf above the vanity.”
While he got her meds, she had to admit that having him here was a bit awkward. No, maybe not awkward, but definitely weird. She couldn’t deny that any man in her bedroom would make her take notice, but this particular man had her aching in places that had nothing to do with the accident.
Between that thick Southern accent and the way he obviously cared, how could she prevent her heart from flipping over?
After she took the pills, all while Noah stood directly over her to make sure, he then tucked her in like a child.