Single Dads Collection. Lynne Marshall
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are.”
“She’s at the sitter until this afternoon.”
Well, if she were feeling up to par, she may take advantage of that fact, but as it was, she was in no shape. The longer time went on, the sorer her body was becoming. Besides, she would feel even more foolish if her first attempt at seduction landed her a big fat rejection.
“I think I need to soak in the tub first.” She sat up and twisted her neck from side to side. Her hip twinged in protest, but she was careful not to show pain. “And I definitely don’t need you around for that. Thanks for stopping to check on me, but I can take it from here.”
“Are you seriously not going to get checked out?”
She let out a laugh and came to her feet. “I’m seriously too tired, plus I’d know if something was wrong.”
Lucy wasn’t going to argue. She was too sore, too tired, and not about to give in. She went past Noah and closed herself in her adjoining bathroom. This was one of those times when she was so glad she’d had an old claw foot tub put in when she’d renovated the outdated bathroom. She’d gone for an old dresser-turned-vanity, kept the old tiles, found a nice mirror at a yard sale, and splurged on the tub.
Lucy quickly shed her clothes as the tub filled with hot water. She plucked a lavender bath bomb from the basket on the vanity and dropped it into the water. If she could just get ten minutes of warmth to her muscles, she knew she’d feel better and then she could rest peacefully.
With her bath pillow in place, Lucy eased herself into the hot water that would for sure turn her skin a lovely shade of red. She didn’t hear anything outside her bathroom door so she assumed Noah had left. Hopefully he remembered to lock the door behind him.
Lucy twisted her hair on top of her head and secured it with a clip. As she nestled against her little inflatable pillow, she closed her eyes and let the hot water and the bath bomb work their magic.
Maybe when she got done resting she’d feel like figuring out her car situation. Right now, though, she didn’t have the mental energy to worry.
As the bubbles enveloped her, she couldn’t help but get all giddy as she realized something. Despite his having worked all night and despite the fact that he needed to get home to his daughter, Noah had come to her house when he’d found out about the accident. She’d seen the worry in his eyes. He hadn’t simply asked how she was while standing at her door, but had picked her up and whisked her away to bed.
She made a mental note to revise her schedule for later today. First on her agenda was figuring out exactly what that all meant.
She’d been behind that closed door for so long, Noah wasn’t sure if he needed to knock, call her name, or barge in to see if she was still alive.
He’d notified his sitter and explained where he was and that he may be a tad late in picking up Emma. Apparently, Emma was in no hurry to get home because they were baking cupcakes and other surprises for him.
Noah stifled a yawn and stretched his arms above his head. As tired as he was, he still hadn’t calmed down from hearing Lucy had been in a hit-and-run. Maybe it was the fact he’d lost his wife tragically, or perhaps he’d been so shaken because he’d actually come to care for Lucy. Regardless, he hadn’t been able to get to her house fast enough.
When he’d heard she wasn’t being taken to the hospital, he’d figured she was fine, but he’d needed to see for himself. He didn’t care if that was crossing some unspoken professional boundary. There was something about Lucy that stirred a desire in him, a desire he’d tried to ignore, but one that was only getting stronger.
Now that he stood in her bedroom, glancing at the pictures of her and her friends that she’d placed on her dresser, he realized just how intimate this moment was. He hadn’t been in a woman’s bedroom since before he was married. And suddenly he found himself in Lucy’s, a woman he’d only known a short time. But in that time she’d completely taken his world for a spin. She made him fantasize, desire, ache.
Since when was that okay for a grieving man? What were the rules exactly in this situation?
Noah glanced at his watch and realized she’d been in there for nearly an hour. He crossed the room, skirting around her four-poster bed and antique trunk.
Using his knuckles, he tapped on the door. “Lucy, you all right?”
No reply. He listened, but even the sound of her swishing in the water had stopped. But how long ago?
“Lucy,” he called louder in case she had earbuds in. Still nothing.
He rapped his knuckles on the door harder this time. After a minute or so of no response or noise from the other side, he didn’t even think twice. Instincts kicked in and he went for the knob. She’d been in an accident and she could’ve had internal injuries. What if she’d passed out? What if she’d drowned in her bathwater?
He opened the door and was met with steam. Lucy lay in the tub with her arms resting on the lip of the old claw foot bath, her head tipped to the side on one of those bath pillows. All of that blond hair had been piled up on top of her head with a few random strands clinging to her damp skin.
Noah crossed the room, wondering if she was passed out from injuries or just asleep. He crouched down next to the tub and checked for a pulse. Instantly, Lucy jerked awake. Those bright green eyes met his and his worries were put to rest as his question was answered. She’d been asleep.
And now that she was awake, he felt like a fool for standing here. All of that creamy skin was on display and it took every single ounce of his willpower to keep his eyes fixed on hers.
“Noah?” she whispered, not blinking or even attempting to cover herself.
“I thought something was wrong.”
That sounded so lame, but it was the honest truth.
Lucy blinked. “I must’ve fallen asleep.”
When she shivered, he figured the water had gotten cold since she’d come in so long ago. Noah reached for a towel and extended it to her, keeping his head turned away.
“I’m sorry for just barging in here,” he stated.
Water sloshed as she must have stood up, and took the towel from him. “No. Um… I just didn’t realize you were still here.”
Noah turned to give her privacy, but before he could step back into the bedroom, Lucy let out a hiss in pain. He spun back to her, instantly finding his arms around her.
“I’m all right,” she insisted, but she clutched his arm as she leaned into his chest. “I guess I’m a bit sorer than I thought. I just stepped wrong, that’s all. My hip is not cooperating.”
She’d managed to wrap the towel around her body, but she hadn’t dried off. Her damp skin soaked his T-shirt, her body lined up with his perfectly, and that heaviness of guilt he’d been carrying since meeting her was growing lighter. Because holding her didn’t feel so wrong after all.
Without thinking twice, he lifted her in his arms once again and carried her from the bathroom.
“Noah—”
“You’re fine. I know.” He went into her room and set her on the edge of her bed. “What else is hurting?”
She clutched the ends of the towel between her breasts. “Just my hip. I banged it against the door when the other car plowed into me.”
Rage coiled within him at the thought of someone hurting her and fleeing the scene. Noah knew the guys were out looking for the mangled car and he hoped like hell they found the culprit.
“Go home and rest,” she insisted.
Her