look, and his full, wide
mouth was the kind you wanted to kiss. Not that she thought about things like
that anymore, but she could still appreciate the man he was.
He looked up. “You’re
awake,” he said. “How are you?”
“Tired, but okay.”
“The doctor said he stopped
the bleeding and cleaned everything out,” he told her. “But your body won’t be
able to take another miscarriage. If you have another one, you’re going to have
to have a hysterectomy.”
“I know.” She swallowed
hard. “Thanks for being here. You didn’t have to stay.”
“Of course I did. No one
should wake up from surgery alone.”
“They take good care of
people here, even when you don’t have money.”
“I’m paying for everything.
Don’t worry about that.”
“I can’t take money from
you!” she said, tears pooling in her eyes. “You barely know me!”
“I thought we made a deal
that I would help you get through this and you would help me get through my
issues?”
“But your issues don’t cost
money!”
“My issues could cost me a
$25 million contract,” he said mildly. “I would say they cost quite a bit.”
She choked back a sob. “Why
are you doing this? I’m just a messed up, abused woman who stumbled into your
life. Helping me isn’t going to bring Brian back, Dom.”
“I know.” He took one of her
hands between both of his and gently rubbed it. “If I can make a difference in
someone’s life, everything I’ve worked for is actually worth something other
than money. Maybe Brian’s death wasn’t a freak accident that ruined me forever.
Maybe you’re my second chance. Maybe saving you makes up for being three
minutes too late to save him. In my heart of hearts, for whatever reason, I
truly believe that Brian sent you to me to take care of. Maybe it was his time
to go, but I refuse to believe it’s yours.”
For what seemed like
forever, they just looked at each other. Finally, she smiled faintly. “You know
that I have nothing? I have a purse and a driver’s license and there might be
some loose change in the bottom of my bag, but that’s it. Even the clothes on
my back are ruined.”
He shrugged. “Suze can take
you shopping.”
They looked at each other
for another long moment before she spoke his name. “Dom?”
“Yeah?”
“If I agree to this, I go
from being an abused prisoner to being a pampered one. I still have to hide
from him.”
“Not forever.” He squeezed
her hand as the doctor came in. “We’re going to take care of it. And you’ll
never be a prisoner with me—you can walk out that door any time you like. But I
want you to stay and get well and let me help you. Okay?”
“Okay.” She looked deep into
his long-lashed chocolate-brown eyes. For a moment, she was entranced by his
good looks and realized she couldn’t remember what it was like to feel that way
about a man. She smiled again. “Thank you,” was all she said.
“You’re welcome.”
Molly woke up the next
morning feeling disoriented. This wasn’t her room at Dom’s, and for a moment
she felt panicked that she might be home again. Then she remembered, and
settled back into the comfortable bed. They’d decided she might be more
comfortable at Suze and Cody’s house, so now she was getting charity from even
more people she didn’t know. But they’d made her feel welcome, and both seemed
easy-going and sweet. She’d been a little nervous about coming here, but Dom
could talk her into almost anything. When she’d gone to bed, he’d lain next to
her and promised not to leave until she was asleep.
He was gone now, and she
looked around for some clue as to the time. The clock on the nightstand said
ten-forty-six, and she realized she’d slept for more than 12 hours. She got up
and went into the bathroom, staring at herself with growing alarm. She was
wearing a pair of Cody’s old sweats and a t-shirt, with a pair of Suze’s
maternity underwear. Her right eye was finally open, though
mouth was the kind you wanted to kiss. Not that she thought about things like
that anymore, but she could still appreciate the man he was.
He looked up. “You’re
awake,” he said. “How are you?”
“Tired, but okay.”
“The doctor said he stopped
the bleeding and cleaned everything out,” he told her. “But your body won’t be
able to take another miscarriage. If you have another one, you’re going to have
to have a hysterectomy.”
“I know.” She swallowed
hard. “Thanks for being here. You didn’t have to stay.”
“Of course I did. No one
should wake up from surgery alone.”
“They take good care of
people here, even when you don’t have money.”
“I’m paying for everything.
Don’t worry about that.”
“I can’t take money from
you!” she said, tears pooling in her eyes. “You barely know me!”
“I thought we made a deal
that I would help you get through this and you would help me get through my
issues?”
“But your issues don’t cost
money!”
“My issues could cost me a
$25 million contract,” he said mildly. “I would say they cost quite a bit.”
She choked back a sob. “Why
are you doing this? I’m just a messed up, abused woman who stumbled into your
life. Helping me isn’t going to bring Brian back, Dom.”
“I know.” He took one of her
hands between both of his and gently rubbed it. “If I can make a difference in
someone’s life, everything I’ve worked for is actually worth something other
than money. Maybe Brian’s death wasn’t a freak accident that ruined me forever.
Maybe you’re my second chance. Maybe saving you makes up for being three
minutes too late to save him. In my heart of hearts, for whatever reason, I
truly believe that Brian sent you to me to take care of. Maybe it was his time
to go, but I refuse to believe it’s yours.”
For what seemed like
forever, they just looked at each other. Finally, she smiled faintly. “You know
that I have nothing? I have a purse and a driver’s license and there might be
some loose change in the bottom of my bag, but that’s it. Even the clothes on
my back are ruined.”
He shrugged. “Suze can take
you shopping.”
They looked at each other
for another long moment before she spoke his name. “Dom?”
“Yeah?”
“If I agree to this, I go
from being an abused prisoner to being a pampered one. I still have to hide
from him.”
“Not forever.” He squeezed
her hand as the doctor came in. “We’re going to take care of it. And you’ll
never be a prisoner with me—you can walk out that door any time you like. But I
want you to stay and get well and let me help you. Okay?”
“Okay.” She looked deep into
his long-lashed chocolate-brown eyes. For a moment, she was entranced by his
good looks and realized she couldn’t remember what it was like to feel that way
about a man. She smiled again. “Thank you,” was all she said.
“You’re welcome.”
Molly woke up the next
morning feeling disoriented. This wasn’t her room at Dom’s, and for a moment
she felt panicked that she might be home again. Then she remembered, and
settled back into the comfortable bed. They’d decided she might be more
comfortable at Suze and Cody’s house, so now she was getting charity from even
more people she didn’t know. But they’d made her feel welcome, and both seemed
easy-going and sweet. She’d been a little nervous about coming here, but Dom
could talk her into almost anything. When she’d gone to bed, he’d lain next to
her and promised not to leave until she was asleep.
He was gone now, and she
looked around for some clue as to the time. The clock on the nightstand said
ten-forty-six, and she realized she’d slept for more than 12 hours. She got up
and went into the bathroom, staring at herself with growing alarm. She was
wearing a pair of Cody’s old sweats and a t-shirt, with a pair of Suze’s
maternity underwear. Her right eye was finally open, though
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