Strong and Sexy (Sky High Air #2)(55)

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

He smiled and brought their joined hands up to his mouth so he could kiss her palm, then went back to his storytelling. He told her how he’d met Noah and Brody, how they’d partied their way through high school and a good part of college before finally applying themselves in preparation for Sky High air, and when he ran out of stories—all wicked, all utterly fascinating insights into the man—and there was still a needle being put in and out of her wound, he leaned in, put his mouth to her ear, and whispered other even more fascinating things.

Like, “Love your underwear.”

This made her face go so red the doctor stopped to ask her if she was okay.

“Y-yes.” She closed her eyes. “I’m fine.”

When the doctor had gone back to his business, Shayne leaned in again. “That pale yellow bra? It highlights your nipples. Makes my mouth water.”

“Stop it.”

“Me?” the doctor asked.

“No. No, sorry,” she muttered.

“I wanted to take them off,” Shayne whispered.

This caused another rush of heat to her body, and she began to sweat.

The doctor noticed and frowned. “Nurse.”

“Yes, doctor.”

“Check her temp,” he instructed. “Her color is way off.”

Oh, God. “No. No, I’m fine,” Dani hurried to say. “Really. Fine.”

The nurse looked at the doctor and shrugged.

Dani carefully didn’t look at Shayne again, though she heard his soft laugh, and recognized the way it made her belly quiver.

“I’ll be happy to check your temp,” Shayne whispered.

Did he enjoy torturing her? Of course he did. By the time the doctor was finished, her head ached fiercely, but so did the rest of her body.

Unbelievable. “Can I go home now?” she asked.

The doctor pursed his lips. “About your blood pressure and stress levels—”

“I’ll work on that.”

“Is it your job?”

She cut a look at Shayne. “Some.”

“Maybe a short leave of absence to relax?” The doctor scribbled on a pad. “I can write something up for your employer—”

“No, don’t. I really can’t take a leave right now. I’ll…try hard to relax.”

“I’ll make sure she does.”

Both the doctor and Dani looked at Shayne. He smiled sweetly, even innocently, but Dani could guess how he intended to see her relax, and most likely it would involve him removing her pale yellow bra.

And matching panties.

That wasn’t the question.

What was the question was whether or not she could weather another round of “just sex” without getting herself more hurt than she was at the moment.





Chapter 19




D ani stared out the passenger window, nicely dopey from the meds they’d given her at the hospital. “Hey,” she said to Shayne.

“Hey yourself.”

“We’re here.”

“That we are.” He came around to help her out of the car, then slipped an arm around her when she weaved.

She wasn’t hurting. The drugs had taken care of that. But she was floating nicely. Her brain couldn’t seem to touch down on anything for long. Which was a shame, because she had a feeling there were things to touch down on.

“Come on. I’ll tuck you in.”

“And then leave?”

“No. We’re having a sleepover.”

“Oh, fun. With popcorn?”

Was that his jaw, all bunchy and tight? “Whatever you want,” he promised.

“Really? ’Cuz I want hot fudge.” She grinned.

He did not. He scooped her up in his arms, like she was a rag doll.

“I can walk.”

“I know.”

She set her head on his very broad, very nice shoulder, then pressed her face to his neck, loving the way he smelled, which was like heaven. “This really is way better than walking.”

“We need a list,” he said, carrying her up the stairs.

“Okay. The hot fudge. Then whipped cream, because I’ve heard—”

He made a sound that might have been a laugh or a groan. “I meant of people who don’t like you, Dani.”

“People don’t like me?”

He got to her front door and propped her against it so he could slide his hands down her body, and she smiled dreamily. “Yes.”

“Yes?”

“Yes to the touching.”

“I’m looking for your keys.”

“Oh.”

He found them in her pocket and got them both inside, where he deposited her on her couch. “Stay right there.”

Since she was dizzy and groggy, that worked for her. Plus, a secret part of her liked the bossiness. She could see him in her kitchen—with the place the size of a postage stamp, she couldn’t help but see him in her kitchen—making her…aw. He was making her tea.

When he came back to the couch, he handed her the hot mug and waved a pad of paper she’d had by her phone, sinking to the coffee table in front of her. “Go,” he said, pencil poised like a cute little secretary.