plastic bag after plastic bag until she felt like she was carry sandbags in each arm, making her way up the steps.
Rowan sat on his porch watching Madison as she pulled the contents from the trunk of her car. Just like a woman to run away from something that seemed a little scary only to go shopping. He never understood how spending money could make a person feel better. He’d thought about going over to help her when he saw that the bags had kept coming, then just as quickly squashed the thought. He was a man who knew what he wanted and he certainly wanted Madison, but he was also a man who wanted to keep what little pride he had left. Rejected once was bad enough, but when that rejection came a second time he realized desperation was becoming a routine and it didn’t look well on him at all. He also recognized he was seeing something that obviously she wasn’t. He needed to accept the fact that she didn’t want to have anything to do with him and move on. It took everything within him not to go help her out, though, when he saw her struggling with the bags.
While Rowan sat watching Madison, he heard the familiar roar from Cade’s Kawasaki Ninja 250R motorcycle. The bike was a beautiful, slick, black machine with an engine that purred perfection. As much as Rowan liked it, he would never own such a thing. He’d seen entirely too many motorcycle accident victims come through the emergency room, many of them had been riding without helmets. Those poor fools either didn’t survive the crash, or had such severe brain damage, that had they been conscious enough would’ve wished they hadn’t. He honestly didn’t wish to be in the same situation.
He knew Cade drove Tessa around on it; she loved anything dangerous, and it absolutely pissed him off. Rowan made a point every time he saw them, to give his opinions on owning a motorcycle along with the dangers of it, while they just let his words roll off their backs like water off a duck. Of course, neither of them listened; they were both stubborn as hell. Sure enough, as they pulled up he spotted Tessa on the back of the black bike with her arms wrapped loosely around Cade’s waist. At least she had the common sense to wear a helmet.
“Let it go, brother,” she said sliding from the bike, pulling off her helmet. Tessa knew before Rowan said a word that he’d rail her along with Cade for being on the bike.
“Cade, why must you bring my sister over on that thing? You know how much I hate even you riding it.”
“I’m pretty sure I’m a big girl and can make my own decisions. I wouldn’t even be on the thing if you would answer your damn phone. I’ve been calling for over an hour.”
“Oh, I guess I left it inside,” he said as if it were a common occurrence.
He may be on vacation, but he always kept his phone with him in case the hospital needed to get in touch with him. Since he began working in the E.R., it was the first time he’d not had it on him. He had no intentions of telling her how he’d inadvertently left it inside when he came out to watch Madison, either. Even as he spoke to Tessa, he couldn’t take his eyes from the woman. Damn, but she consumed him.
Tessa glanced from Rowan to the spot of his attention, then a smile drifted across her face. So, this was the cause of the trance she found her brother in. He hadn’t even stood and hugged her, which happened never in her life.
“What’s her name?” Tessa’s voice brought him out of his daze.
Rowan stood, making his way up the steps leading to the front door. He was not about to engage in a conversation about Madison with his sister.
“Well, seems like I need to introduce myself to the new neighbor, since you are going to be rude about it.”
It took Rowan a total of two long strides to reach Tessa, grab her around the waist, turning them both back
Rowan sat on his porch watching Madison as she pulled the contents from the trunk of her car. Just like a woman to run away from something that seemed a little scary only to go shopping. He never understood how spending money could make a person feel better. He’d thought about going over to help her when he saw that the bags had kept coming, then just as quickly squashed the thought. He was a man who knew what he wanted and he certainly wanted Madison, but he was also a man who wanted to keep what little pride he had left. Rejected once was bad enough, but when that rejection came a second time he realized desperation was becoming a routine and it didn’t look well on him at all. He also recognized he was seeing something that obviously she wasn’t. He needed to accept the fact that she didn’t want to have anything to do with him and move on. It took everything within him not to go help her out, though, when he saw her struggling with the bags.
While Rowan sat watching Madison, he heard the familiar roar from Cade’s Kawasaki Ninja 250R motorcycle. The bike was a beautiful, slick, black machine with an engine that purred perfection. As much as Rowan liked it, he would never own such a thing. He’d seen entirely too many motorcycle accident victims come through the emergency room, many of them had been riding without helmets. Those poor fools either didn’t survive the crash, or had such severe brain damage, that had they been conscious enough would’ve wished they hadn’t. He honestly didn’t wish to be in the same situation.
He knew Cade drove Tessa around on it; she loved anything dangerous, and it absolutely pissed him off. Rowan made a point every time he saw them, to give his opinions on owning a motorcycle along with the dangers of it, while they just let his words roll off their backs like water off a duck. Of course, neither of them listened; they were both stubborn as hell. Sure enough, as they pulled up he spotted Tessa on the back of the black bike with her arms wrapped loosely around Cade’s waist. At least she had the common sense to wear a helmet.
“Let it go, brother,” she said sliding from the bike, pulling off her helmet. Tessa knew before Rowan said a word that he’d rail her along with Cade for being on the bike.
“Cade, why must you bring my sister over on that thing? You know how much I hate even you riding it.”
“I’m pretty sure I’m a big girl and can make my own decisions. I wouldn’t even be on the thing if you would answer your damn phone. I’ve been calling for over an hour.”
“Oh, I guess I left it inside,” he said as if it were a common occurrence.
He may be on vacation, but he always kept his phone with him in case the hospital needed to get in touch with him. Since he began working in the E.R., it was the first time he’d not had it on him. He had no intentions of telling her how he’d inadvertently left it inside when he came out to watch Madison, either. Even as he spoke to Tessa, he couldn’t take his eyes from the woman. Damn, but she consumed him.
Tessa glanced from Rowan to the spot of his attention, then a smile drifted across her face. So, this was the cause of the trance she found her brother in. He hadn’t even stood and hugged her, which happened never in her life.
“What’s her name?” Tessa’s voice brought him out of his daze.
Rowan stood, making his way up the steps leading to the front door. He was not about to engage in a conversation about Madison with his sister.
“Well, seems like I need to introduce myself to the new neighbor, since you are going to be rude about it.”
It took Rowan a total of two long strides to reach Tessa, grab her around the waist, turning them both back
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