bruises. Jared would take care of her. Her
happiness at that idea surprised her. Somewhere between him sticking up for her
against the truck driver and this parking lot, she’d begun to see him in a new
light, and she knew he would look after her if she let him.
She might actually give him that chance.
“You don’t mean that.” He let go of her but stayed close.
“Come on, the car’s over here.”
He helped her into the passenger seat, more gently than she
would have expected from him, and drove to the motel. She started to exit the
car, and he grabbed her wrist to make her stay put.
“Don’t even try it,” he said firmly. “I’ll help you.”
She didn’t like the idea of being weak in front of him, but
she had to admit she was still a bit woozy from the pain. Or maybe it was from
the medication. She waited for Jared to open her door, then allowed him to help
her out of the car and into her room. She gratefully settled onto the bed with
her feet up and her head propped against the pillows.
Jared picked up the spare pillows from the chair where
Cassidy had set them the night before and added them to the pile behind her
head. “Stay here and rest,” he ordered. “I’m going to go check out the planting
site and see where things stand. And let everyone know you’re all right.”
“Thanks,” she murmured, wishing he wouldn’t leave. She
didn’t dare ask him to stay, though. Then he’d know she wanted him around. Just
plain wanted him, if she was honest with herself. She wasn’t ready for him to
find that out quite yet.
“No problem.” He sat on the edge of the bed. “Do you want
anything to eat or anything? I can stop on the way back and pick up takeout at
one of these restaurants, I’m sure.”
Even though she still felt a bit queasy, the rumbling in her
stomach informed her that food would be a good thing. “Hamburger. Fries.
Chocolate milkshake if they have them. Cola if they don’t.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Hamburger? You only had a salad last
night. I thought you were vegetarian or something.”
She closed her eyes and squelched her irritation with him.
After all, he’d offered to be nice to her. She didn’t want to snap at him for
that. “I don’t eat much red meat. Right now, I need some. Protein equals
energy, and after that freaking debacle, I need energy. Don’t question me, just
follow orders.”
He laughed. “Yes, Mistress. Your wish is my command. I’ll be
back in about an hour. If you become too hungry before then, there are some
snacks in my overnight bag. Here’s the key to my room.” He handed it to her.
“Aren’t you going to need this when you come back?” she
asked, turning the key over between her fingers.
“This way you’ll know I have to bring you your food first.
And no looking through my boxers. I know how much those must turn you on.” He
left before Cassidy managed to come up with a retort.
She stood slowly, making sure her legs would hold her.
Injured or not, she refused to stay in her bloodstained shirt and filthy jeans.
As quickly as she could manage, she changed into a clean T-shirt and
loose-fitting shorts that she generally wore only for sleeping. Settling back
on the bed, she turned on the TV to flip through the handful of channels.
Apparently this place didn’t bring in enough money to spring for the big cable
package. It had only the first thirteen channels on the cable system’s lineup,
which included the three network stations in the area. It didn’t give her much
option for something to watch, so she set it on a sitcom rerun and lay back to
rest.
She must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew,
Jared’s arms were around her. He lay on the bed beside her in only dark blue
boxers. “I’m back,” he murmured.
“What are you doing?” She tried to push away from him, but
he only tightened his embrace. His hard-on pressed against her side and she
barely resisted the impulse to stroke it. “You can’t take
happiness at that idea surprised her. Somewhere between him sticking up for her
against the truck driver and this parking lot, she’d begun to see him in a new
light, and she knew he would look after her if she let him.
She might actually give him that chance.
“You don’t mean that.” He let go of her but stayed close.
“Come on, the car’s over here.”
He helped her into the passenger seat, more gently than she
would have expected from him, and drove to the motel. She started to exit the
car, and he grabbed her wrist to make her stay put.
“Don’t even try it,” he said firmly. “I’ll help you.”
She didn’t like the idea of being weak in front of him, but
she had to admit she was still a bit woozy from the pain. Or maybe it was from
the medication. She waited for Jared to open her door, then allowed him to help
her out of the car and into her room. She gratefully settled onto the bed with
her feet up and her head propped against the pillows.
Jared picked up the spare pillows from the chair where
Cassidy had set them the night before and added them to the pile behind her
head. “Stay here and rest,” he ordered. “I’m going to go check out the planting
site and see where things stand. And let everyone know you’re all right.”
“Thanks,” she murmured, wishing he wouldn’t leave. She
didn’t dare ask him to stay, though. Then he’d know she wanted him around. Just
plain wanted him, if she was honest with herself. She wasn’t ready for him to
find that out quite yet.
“No problem.” He sat on the edge of the bed. “Do you want
anything to eat or anything? I can stop on the way back and pick up takeout at
one of these restaurants, I’m sure.”
Even though she still felt a bit queasy, the rumbling in her
stomach informed her that food would be a good thing. “Hamburger. Fries.
Chocolate milkshake if they have them. Cola if they don’t.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Hamburger? You only had a salad last
night. I thought you were vegetarian or something.”
She closed her eyes and squelched her irritation with him.
After all, he’d offered to be nice to her. She didn’t want to snap at him for
that. “I don’t eat much red meat. Right now, I need some. Protein equals
energy, and after that freaking debacle, I need energy. Don’t question me, just
follow orders.”
He laughed. “Yes, Mistress. Your wish is my command. I’ll be
back in about an hour. If you become too hungry before then, there are some
snacks in my overnight bag. Here’s the key to my room.” He handed it to her.
“Aren’t you going to need this when you come back?” she
asked, turning the key over between her fingers.
“This way you’ll know I have to bring you your food first.
And no looking through my boxers. I know how much those must turn you on.” He
left before Cassidy managed to come up with a retort.
She stood slowly, making sure her legs would hold her.
Injured or not, she refused to stay in her bloodstained shirt and filthy jeans.
As quickly as she could manage, she changed into a clean T-shirt and
loose-fitting shorts that she generally wore only for sleeping. Settling back
on the bed, she turned on the TV to flip through the handful of channels.
Apparently this place didn’t bring in enough money to spring for the big cable
package. It had only the first thirteen channels on the cable system’s lineup,
which included the three network stations in the area. It didn’t give her much
option for something to watch, so she set it on a sitcom rerun and lay back to
rest.
She must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew,
Jared’s arms were around her. He lay on the bed beside her in only dark blue
boxers. “I’m back,” he murmured.
“What are you doing?” She tried to push away from him, but
he only tightened his embrace. His hard-on pressed against her side and she
barely resisted the impulse to stroke it. “You can’t take
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