Ready To Love Again Read online

  “But—”

  “Katie,” Chase said, cutting her off. “Let me do this, please?”

  She pressed her cheek into his shoulder and nodded.

  “Thank you,” he said.

  He situated her on the edge of his desk and unwound the sweatshirt while she closed her eyes. Going into doctor mode, he asked her quick questions to ascertain the mobility in her hand. Gina hovered in the corner. Katie looked over at her and smiled, trying to let her know she was okay. Once Chase had cleaned up the blood, he probed the area and sighed.

  “When was your last tetanus shot?”

  “I don’t know—maybe nine or ten years ago.”

  “You’re going to need stitches and another shot. I don’t think you have any nerve damage,” he said, taking a closer look at her hand. “But it looks like Shawn will need to do the dishes for a week or so.”

  “Yeah, that’ll happen.” She rolled her eyes, which made him chuckle.

  “I’m going to go pick up the kids. Can you bring her to the house?” Gina asked while she gathered up her things and opened the door.

  “Yeah. We’ve been slow, so I can slip out early.”

  Gina nodded, gave Katie an apologetic smile, and then was gone. Chase rubbed Katie’s leg and turned to a tray that held a huge needle. Looking away from what he was doing, Katie focused on his medical degree hanging on the wall and waited for the pain to come. She was surprised when all she felt was a tiny pinch before the palm of her hand went numb. Chase worked with an expert hand while he cleaned and stitched her up.

  “You know”—a crooked smile spread across his face as he worked, drawing Katie’s attention back to the handsome man she had grown so fond of—“if you wanted to see me today, all you had to do was call. You didn’t need to resort to such drastic measures.” Chase looked up at her with a twinkle in his eye, and she laughed.

  “So does that mean you’re free tonight?” she asked in a flirty voice.

  Chase searched her eyes with an intense stare, and she had a moment of panic, thinking maybe she was being too forward. Then he smiled.

  “I’m not letting your accident-prone self out of my sight this evening.”

  Her heart sped up a little at the suggestion in his words. Chase grew quiet while he focused his attention back on her hand, making her wonder if he was rethinking his remark.

  “Ten stitches later, and you’re as good as new,” he said, holding up her hand so she could inspect it.

  Katie looked at the dark thread that protruded from her skin and felt the room spin. Fighting the urge to pass out, she thrust it back at him.

  “Aren’t you going to bandage it up?”

  “Yes. I just thought you’d like to see my fine needlework.” He laughed then took her hand in his and wrapped it with care.

  “Exactly how did you get the cut?”

  Chase turned around and grabbed the tetanus shot off the tray. Katie gulped at the size of the needle before looking away.

  “I was cutting up the white shark’s meal when I slipped,” she said.

  “I’m curious—how and what do you feed the white shark?”

  “She’s eaten salmon, mackerel, and sardines, all of which are restaurant-grade fish. She’s a bit picky, so we have to supplement her diet with vitamins.” Katie blocked out what he was about to do while she focused on her work. “What’s been really interesting is that, with the other sharks, we can put the food on a pole, kind of shish kebab style, and they pluck it off. Not with her. She gets about two feet from it, and then lunges at it as though she were attacking prey.” Katie took a breath to continue, and that’s when she felt a gentle pinch on her arm. She looked in Chase’s blue eyes and was struck by the depth of compassion with a hint of worry she saw before he returned his gaze back to her arm.

  “That sounds a little dangerous for the person holding the pole,” he commented while he pulled out the needle and replaced it with a Band-Aid.

  “We had to create a special pole so it wouldn’t break off and hurt her. Then we added some safety devices to keep the feeder safe.”

  “She hasn’t taken a bite out of her roommates?”

  “Unfortunately, yes. She’s showing some aggression, but so far the wounds inflicted weren’t fatal. The sea turtles are oblivious to her, but it’s obvious the other fish in the exhibit are very aware of her presence.”

  He took her bandaged hand in his, opened her palm, and brought it up to his mouth. He kissed over the spot he’d wrapped with a tenderness that made her heart flutter in her chest.

  “Please, be careful,” he whispered, stepping between her parted legs.

  Katie’s breathing quickened. The desire in his eyes made her tingle all over.

  Chase’s hand came up and cupped her cheek. Rubbing his thumb over her bottom lip, he tilted her head back and brushed his lips against hers.

  “Ahem.”

  He pulled away and turned toward the nurse in the doorway.

  “Well, it seems like someone has finally caught the interest of those pretty blues,” the stout, older nurse with graying hair said.

  Chase’s cheeks flushed pink as though he had just been caught making out in the back of his parents’ car. When it appeared that he wouldn’t say anything, the nurse turned to Katie and gave her a kind smile.

  “Hello, dear, I’m Sadie.” She cocked her head toward Chase. “I’m the head nurse in pediatrics, but my title also includes fly swatter when it comes to Dr. Blue-Eyes here,” she said, pointing a small, chubby finger toward Chase.

  “Katie.” She introduced herself with a small wave of her bandaged hand. “Fly swatter? What does that job entail?”

  “I swat all the flirtatious nurses and the occasional patient away from our sexy attending surgeon,” she said with a chuckle and a nod toward Chase. “Who needs prime-time television when you have that to look at all day long?”

  Katie looked over at Chase. He turned away, busying himself with the instruments on the tray, but not before she saw him roll his eyes.

  “What did you need, Sadie?” Chase mumbled, and Katie grinned at his obvious discomfort.

  “I need you to sign a chart.”

  “And it couldn’t wait until later?”

  “Nope. I was also curious why you tore out of pediatrics like your pants were on fire.” She winked at Katie before giving Chase an innocent smile. “Now I understand.”

  Katie liked this spunky woman.

  Chase took the chart from Sadie and scanned over the paperwork before he signed it and thrust it back at her.

  “Nice to meet you, Katie.” Sadie smirked at Chase once more before she walked out.

  Chase raked his hands through his hair and turned back to Katie. She grinned wider as she thought of the many ways she could razz him.

  “Dr. Blue-Eyes, huh?”

  He shook his head and held out his hand to help her off his desk, ignoring her teasing. “Let’s go. I’ll get Dr. Lee to write you a prescription for some pain meds, and I’ll drive you to my house.”

  “But my car—” Katie started to argue, but he shook his head.

  “The cut is going to be tender for the next couple of days. Grabbing on to the steering wheel is not going to feel pleasant.”

  End of argument.

  After they picked up the prescription, he handed her two pills and a bottle of water and directed her toward his car.

  Once they’d arrived at his house, she waited while he walked around the car to open her door. Taking his offered hand, she stepped out onto the driveway. Katie wobbled from the sudden motion, and he grabbed her around the waist to keep her upright.

  “You’re a lightweight,” Chase said with a chuckle before scooping her up into his arms. The sudden movement sent Katie’s head spinning. “Maybe you should have only taken one of those pills.”

  His laugh rang in her ears when she felt the universe spin in a blur of lights. Pressing her face into the crook of his neck, she hoped she would be able to keep the contents of
her stomach where they belonged.

  Chase kissed the top of her head and laid her on the sofa.

  She didn’t let go of his neck for several reasons. The first was that she didn’t trust the room to keep from rotating if she didn’t have something to hold on to. She also felt safe with his strong arms around her. Plus, he smelled really good.

  He knelt down beside her and ran his fingers through her hair until she released him and let her head fall back onto the plush pillows. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I should have asked if you had adverse reactions to pain meds.”

  “Hmm. Do you know you smell amazing?”

  “I’m glad you approve.” Chase laughed and kissed her forehead. “Rest here for a minute while I go let Gina know we’re here, and then I’ll see what I can do about dinner.”

  ~*~

  Katie didn’t last two minutes before she passed out. She slept through dinner, a rubber-band war between the boys, and Liz squawking when they declared war on her. Chase considered letting Katie sleep on the sofa, but he didn’t think leather was the most comfortable fabric to be stuck to.

  Gina pestered Chase to take Katie to bed, but the only bed available was his. He didn’t want to presume she would feel comfortable sleeping with him, passed out on pain medication or not. It wasn’t until Gina said she’d pick Katie up herself that he relented.

  “Chase?” Katie whispered when he carried her up the stairs. Her voice sounded like a frog was stuck in her throat.

  “Shhh, go back to sleep.” This was a needless request since she closed her eyes and a soft snore came from her parted lips before he made it to his room. He stifled a laugh at the unladylike sound while he nudged open the door to his room.

  Once he’d laid her on his bed, Gina pulled off Katie’s shoes. He got out of the room while Gina continued to strip Katie of her clothing. Once Katie was changed into a pair of pajamas, Gina left, sending him back into his room with a wink and a nudge.

  Chase agonized over the decision to climb in bed with her. Sitting on the end of the mattress, he argued with himself over whether she would mind. There were so many factors to consider. What about the kids? What would they think? Would Katie freak out when she woke up next to him? Would she think he’d taken advantage of the situation?

  It wasn’t until Gina passed by his room and told him to stop overanalyzing the situation that he made his decision.

  Chase trusted Gina more than he did himself in this circumstance, so he took her advice and slid in next to Katie. He turned toward her and brushed the hair away from her face while he watched her sleep. Sliding his arm under her neck, he pulled her against his side, careful not to wake her. Before he drifted off, he felt a comfortable peace wash over him.

  This is something I could get used to.

  Chapter 11

  Chase heard a soft purr in his ear, waking him from a deep sleep. His eyes fluttered open, and he looked down to see thick, chestnut hair splayed across his arm. Katie’s head lay on his shoulder, her small hand wrapped around the fabric of his T-shirt. He pushed the corner of his pillow into the mattress so he could see the clock on the nightstand.

  It was still early, and he could hear the familiar sounds of Gina making breakfast for the kids. Chase pondered whether he should get up and help her. Having Katie in his arms, warm and comfortable, didn’t do anything to persuade him to move.

  A small moan came from her parted lips, and he wondered if her pain medication had worn off. She had rolled onto her hand during the night, and he worried it might hurt when she finally woke.

  Katie whispered something unintelligible, then burrowed closer to Chase, making him chuckle under his breath. He was patient while he waited for her wake up, wanting to catch a glimpse of her striking eyes. Her fingers twitched on his chest before unraveling from his shirt, sliding down his stomach, and stopping above his naval before hitting anything vital. Chase let out the breath he’d been holding and tried to ignore the errant thoughts he had of them both with a little less clothing.

  A small smile played at Katie’s lips before she let out a long sigh. She shifted until her chin rested on his chest, and then her lashes fluttered open, giving him the reward he sought.

  “Good morning,” he whispered, hoping she wouldn’t freak out over their being in bed together. She smiled up at him and leaned forward until their lips touched for a brief moment. Chase trailed his fingers down her arm, grasped the hand that threatened to embarrass them both, and pulled it up to his lips. He brushed his mouth over her palm and looked into her sleepy eyes.

  “Good morning,” she whispered.

  Katie shifted her weight until she could pull her bandaged hand out from under her. The move pressed her against his side, one of her legs wedged between his. His worry about upsetting her vanished when her mouth met his again. Chase’s hand slid up her arm and threaded into her hair while he deepened the kiss. With an eagerness that stunned him, Katie opened her mouth and attacked his lips. A spike of desire ran through his body, and he pulled her across his chest, a shudder rippling through hers.

  A short thought flickered through his mind, warning him to stop before things went too far, but that thought was forgotten when she pulled away and he saw the longing in her eyes. The hand he’d wrapped in her hair tugged her back down to him until their lips melded together.

  Soft kisses turned hungry while Chase trailed his free hand down her side, grazing the side of her breast and stopping at her hip. He rolled her onto her back and hovered over her before reclaiming her lips with his own. Slowly, he eased himself between her legs, giving her enough time to protest if she thought they were moving too fast. He felt like a starving man. It had been a long time since he’d felt anything close to what he did at that moment, and he couldn’t get enough of her. Chase broke their kiss and looked down at her, needing reassurance that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. Her hair was in wild disarray from his hands, her lips were swollen, and her cheeks were flushed, but there was no reluctance in her eyes.

  Chase bent down to kiss her again, but Katie let out a small squeak and shoved him away. He rolled onto his back, baffled at her response, and hoped he hadn’t screwed up by misreading her signals. When his head hit the pillow, he looked up in time to see Tony jump right in the middle of the bed. Shawn followed close behind him.

  “What the hell?” Chase hollered in surprise when Tony scampered up the bed between them.

  “Come on, Dad! Aunt Gina made pancakes.”

  Chase smiled to lessen the bite of his words until Tony grabbed the covers and started to pull them down. Chase’s arms clamped down on the comforter before his desire for the woman next to him became obvious to them all.

  “Go,” he commanded. “We’ll come down in a minute.”

  “But, Dad, they’re getting cold,” Tony said, continuing to tug on the comforter.

  “Anthony, now.” Chase regretted his abrupt scolding, but it was the only way to get both boys out of the room. Tony crawled off the bed with his head hung low and walked toward the door with Shawn.

  “My dad’s not usually such a grouch when he wakes up in the morning.”

  “My mom is,” Shawn said with a shrug.

  When the boys closed the door, Chase looked over at Katie. She was flat on her back, staring up at the ceiling. He rolled toward her and wrapped his arm around her waist, tugging on her hip until she faced him.

  “Are you okay?” His anxiety over moving too fast was reflected by his voice.

  “I’m perfect,” she said with a smile. “But it’s kind of awkward to have your kids sneak up on you when you’re making out.”

  Chase chuckled and kissed her nose, relieved she didn’t seem upset about him going too far. “Go have breakfast. I’ll be down after I take a shower.”

  After a long, cold shower, Chase greeted his family, giving Katie a quick kiss on the cheek. He felt her eyes on him while he poured a cup of coffee, and he found that he liked it—a lot. Chase took a long sip out of
his mug before he met her meaningful stare. When their gazes connected, he knew it wouldn’t be long before they were intimate. The hunger in her eyes mirrored his own feelings, and a part of him was excited at the prospect. The other part was terrified.

  “Dad?”

  Chase broke eye contact with Katie and turned to his son. “Yeah, slugger?”

  Tony looked apprehensive while he pushed the pancakes around on his plate. “I’m sorry for—”

  “You didn’t do anything you need to apologize for,” Chase said.

  “But you were mad when I tried to get you and Katie out of bed,” he said. Chase heard a snort come from Gina before she left the kitchen.

  “Katie slept in your bed?” Liz asked her father. Tony nodded and turned back to his dad.

  “In Mom’s bed?” she questioned again.

  Chase could see the eruption coming, but he knew there wasn’t anything he could do to prevent it. Katie’s eyes were downcast, directed at her plate as if something more interesting than pancakes were on it. The awkward silence that followed was better than the outburst he expected, but not by much. After a moment, Liz stood and, without a word, she walked out of the kitchen, leaving her half-eaten plate of food on the table. Chase sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

  Tony, oblivious to what had happened with Liz, turned to Katie. “So are you going to have another sleepover soon?”

  Katie chuckled. “I don’t think so,” she said, looking over at Chase.

  “I have to work evening shifts for the next couple of weeks, so maybe later.” Chase winked at Katie over his coffee. Both boys let out a simultaneous groan, frustrated that it would be a while.

  “I figured I can drop the kids off at school, and then you can drive me to work. I’ll bring Katie’s car home tonight,” Gina said when she came back in and fixed a plate of pancakes, handing it to Chase.

  “I need to go to work,” Katie said.

  Gina shook her head. “No, you don’t.” Her arms folded over her chest. “Doctor’s orders. Besides, I’ve already talked to Amelia, and she said to take today off.”