Letters from Home (Love Beyond Reason #1)(4)

Phillip strode through the crowded kitchen toward her, and a small moan must have escaped because her mother tisked. “Don’t do this to yourself, Lena.”

“But, he could be the one, Mama,” her voice faltered, and the room spun.

Phillip was standing over her with a punch in one hand and a silly grin on his face. “Laney?”

Elena opened her mouth, irritation warring with Twilight Zone music. She hated that nickname. “Don’t—”

The room spun again, and she leaned to catch up with it. “Mom?”

Her mom’s lovely face came into sudden, sharp focus. Her lips were moving, but it was as if someone had muted a television.

Mom’s beautifully tapered fingers snapped at someone behind her. Funny, she hadn’t noticed her mom’s nails were painted to match the Christmas tree.

“Pretty…” Lena slipped into the sweet, blessed oblivion of darkness.

…

When Anabel snapped her fingers, Zack moved. Everyone moved.

He didn’t mind shoving the love-struck Phillip out of the way, either. Could this be the guy Lena had been going on about? An overseas address for the town’s pride and joy could be found in the newspaper… Maybe Zack hadn’t been the only one sending her letters.

He caught Lena just as her knees gave out.

“Hey.” Phillip countered the move with indignation, and his hand came out to stroke Lena’s arm.

An unexpected ball of fury lodged in Zack’s throat. He gritted his teeth. “Upstairs?”

Anabel patted Phillip on the arm with a consoling smile and nodded to Zack. “Sí. Take her to her room, Zack. I’m sure she’s just exhausted. I’ll follow you up.”

He took the stairs two at a time and turned the corner to the girls’ room, his steps quiet on the shaggy carpet.

Lena moaned and moved in his arms.

“Take it easy, babe.”

“Oh.” The word was drawn out, and she shifted in his arms. “I don’t feel good.”

Zack changed direction and gently kicked open the door across the hall from the bedroom. Letting go of her legs first, he set her down and lowered her to sit on the edge of the bathtub. She leaned against his leg so that he was stuck.

Bending at the waist, he reached for a hand towel from the rack above the sink, turned the cold water on, and soaked it. He squeezed the thick purple cotton, draining the water.

With one hand full of towel, he placed a hand on her head, and his fingers caught in the soft web of her hair, his breath stopped in his throat. Okay. It’s just hair. Really thick, shiny hair, which he shouldn’t be touching, because it made him feel an unbelievably tender ache inside. But not just that, he wanted to touch her. He shook the thought from his mind.

“Hey. Come on, Lena.” With a hand supporting her shoulder, Zack lifted her weight from his leg and crouched down in front of her. He placed the cold towel in her hand and helped her place it against her forehead for a moment. “How you feeling now?”

She opened eyes still clouded from fatigue and blinked. “A little better. I think.”

A knock on the door, and it opened, bumping into his back.

Anabel slipped in and set a glass of water on the counter. “Everyone okay?”

Lena nodded her head. “I think…I just need to lie down for a little while.”

“Zack, could you…? I’ve got Uncle Eddie down there, and he just dumped a pan of chile con carne down the front of the oven.” Giving his shoulder a squeeze, she kissed him on the top of the head. “Gracias, mi otro hijo.”

Right. The reminder he needed. A son and brother. “No problem. I’ll get her settled in.”

“I’m not a baby.”

Undoubtedly, Zack couldn’t help thinking.

“You’ll let your family help, young lady,” Anabel ordered before she hurried back down the steps.

Lena sighed. “You don’t have to do this. I’m really fine now.”

“Sure you are. Come on.” Zack took her elbow, which she immediately took back, making him want to grin, but he knew better. She stood, only a little shaky, pressed a hand to her stomach, and he led the way to her bedroom. “You’re a doctor. You know better than to push the limit.”

With a shrug, she crossed the room and pulled open a dresser drawer.

He waited in the doorway. As kids, there never seemed to be boundaries. They’d grown up practically living together. Age had changed that. So had the talking-to Mr. Rodriguez gave him and Mike after a particularly juvenile prank involving a handful of bras.

“What are you smiling about?”

Zack glanced over and froze, knowing he should look away yet not wanting to, either. “Jeez, Lena. Warn me when you’re going to start taking your clothes off.”

Apparently, the same talk hadn’t been given to the women in the family.

“You’re crazy. And I’m wearing clothes.”

Hardly. The sports bra might be worn in the gym, and the boxers could be considered shorts—he was not going to think about the tantalizing string-like fabric that was riding her hip above them. He cleared his throat. “I should go.”

“Hey, would you grab me a blanket from the hall closet before you leave?” She rubbed her arms. Still toned, still lean. She was a runner, and it showed. “It’s chilly in here.”