Be My Guest (9 page)

Aurora's eyes widened, but she said nothing.
Unconsciously her tongue flicked over her lips as she continued to
gaze into Will's eyes. He kept his left hand entwined with her
fingers as he leaned over her to rest his weight on his elbow,
partially pinning her under him. His finger traced the line of her
brow. He let his hand travel down her cheek slowly until it came to
rest on the bed near her shoulder. His face was so close she could
feel his breath sweet on her face as he spoke.

"When I met you yesterday, I was, well, I
guess you could say fascinated." He kissed the tip of her nose and
smiled down at her. "No--I think bewitched is a better word. I saw
you get out of your car and twirl around at me, your hair whirling
out in the wind and your eyes twinkling. Your smile hit me like a
ton of bricks. When you blew me that kiss...well, I can't explain
why, but I knew I had to find a way to meet you."

The alluring picture he drew of her actions
of the day before amazed her. He made her sound like some sort of
siren or temptress, certainly much different from the way she
perceived herself. "You surprised me when you sat down in that
booth beside me. When I realized I'd stolen the park of someone
with a broken leg I could have died of shame. You glared so
ominously, I thought you wanted to choke me."

Will ran his finger lightly across her lips,
"No, that wasn't what I wanted at all."

Aurora sank further under his spell, and
tried to resist. Remember your resolve, she told herself. In an
attempt to break his spell on her, Aurora reminded him, "You said
you were going to call your daughter."

Will let his eyes memorize every detail of
her face before, with resignation, he sat up and picked up the
phone again to dial his mother's phone number. Kelly answered the
phone and he told her briefly about his houseguest. Once again he
laughed and winked at Aurora as he answered Kelly's questions.
Finally, he told her they would discuss the situation further when
she got home.

Aurora loved the way his voice changed tones
as he talked to his daughter. He sounded friendly and polite when
talking to her father, and very professional when he talked to the
deputy at the sheriff's office. His tone with his daughter was
entirely different--patient and loving. His pride and love for his
little girl showed in every word he said.

While Will talked on the phone, Aurora
absentmindedly organized the medical supplies on the bedside table
into a neat little group on one corner of the tabletop. She
realized what she’d done and found he watched with an amused
expression. She blushed and put her hands in her lap. Why, why did
she have to be such an organization nut? Will probably thought her
totally crazy by now, just as Russell had.

When Will finished his call to Kelly and his
mother, Aurora crossed her arms and accused, "That's the second
time you've done that."

"What?" Will frowned. “What did I do?”

"You know, laughed while you answered
questions over the phone. What did you say about me?"

"You heard what I said about you." Will
grinned innocently.

His stone gray eyes came to life when he
smiled, and each time it made her even more aware of her attraction
to this man. She tried to fight the spell he cast over her, to
concentrate on her goals. Her experience with Russell remained too
recent a reminder of her bad judgment where men were concerned. And
her childhood convinced her of the necessity for a woman to be
independent rather than falling for a man she hardly knew. She
never wanted to end up like her Aunt Faye.

"You know very well what I mean. For
instance, just what did my father ask that you found so amusing,
anyway?"

Will's smile became mysterious. "That's my
secret for now. Let's just say we had a meeting of the minds. I'm
sure I'm going to like him."

Aurora scowled at him, but ignored the
implication. "What did your daughter ask that was so funny?"

"She wanted to know if I still wore my
wedding ring--that's been such an unbelievably big deal to her
lately. Most kids don't want a stepmother, but she's determined to
get one. I think it's because the father of her friend Marcie
remarried last year, and Marcie has been lording it over her with
tales of how great it is to have a stepmother. When I admitted I
removed the ring, she wanted to know if it was because of you."

Will shrugged. "I never lie to her, so I had
to tell her yes. Then, she wanted to know if I plan to keep you
here. That's when I said I certainly intend to try."

Aurora relaxed her arms and folded her hands
primly together in her lap. "Oh, you know very well that I'm on my
way to Colorado."

"I know what you told me." Will said as he
took her hand. For a moment he sat examining her hand. When he
again met her gaze there was a new intensity there. "Yesterday I
let you walk out of the restaurant and hated myself for letting you
get away without my even knowing how to contact you. It may sound
foolish but I determined to find you again if I had to go to
Durango to do so." He traced his finger across her palm. "I promise
you it won't be so easy to get away from me next time."

He had revealed far more of himself than he
had intended at this point. He intended to find out if his
attraction to her was because of his three years of celibacy or
because she was as special as he suspected. He had to be careful
not to scare her off, he must know the answer. To accomplish that,
he had to keep her nearby.

Before she could comment on his revelation,
he withdrew his hand and changed the subject, "While you were
asleep I checked on the things in the laundry room, and a few of
them are dry. They don't smell softener fresh and they're a little
stiff, but they're okay."

He flashed her a wicked grin, "Although I
like my pajama top on you, I suppose you'll be more comfortable in
your own things--and definitely a lot safer."

"Thank you." Shyness suddenly overwhelmed
her--so unlike her. On most days she lived up to the ideal in the
organized, take-charge kind of person known by her coworkers for
her efficient managerial skills and ability to deal calmly with any
situation. No nonsense, that was her reputation. Perhaps that’s why
Will's confession of interest startled her.

If only she could believe he really meant
it. Maybe she just happened by at the time he had decided to--what
words did he use?--get back into circulation. Obviously he cared a
great deal for his late wife.

Will saw the mask of reserve slip over her
expression. Damn, damn, damn! He revealed too many of his feelings
too soon. Back off, Harrison, he told himself. Keep it casual for
now, will you? Move slowly with her--I think this woman is worth
waiting for.

He continued as though more certain of
himself than he actually was. "Nick was very specific. He said you
must rest, especially since your medical care's delayed. It's best
not to take chances, Aurora. If the roads open later, we'll go to
Snyder so Nick can check your injuries."

Her brow furrowed. "Have you forgotten it's
Saturday? No doctor's in his office today."

"Ah, you forget this isn't the big city, and
that Nick's a good friend of mine. He told me to call him when we
leave here and he'll meet us at the hospital so you can get x-rays.
In the meantime, you're supposed to remain very quiet and rest a
lot." Will smiled, "I suspect it's not in your nature to be this
inactive."

"No, it's not. However, I can tell by my
aches and pains that rest is all I'm currently suited for. Oh,
where are my clothes?"

"I'll get them. Do you think you can manage
a shower? It'll be the easiest way to clean the cuts again. I don't
know how soon Raul will come by so I can send him for Lily. Since
their kids are sick, I won't ask her to leave them until Raul is
back to be with them."

"I'm sure I can manage a shower by myself
this time." Aurora colored at the memory of Will's assistance the
previous evening. Her body tingled as she recalled his gentle
touch, the caring way he had helped her the previous night. How
many men would have done what he while nursing a broken leg? He
really was a very gentle and attractive man, she thought.

Careful, came the warning in her mind, his
heart belongs to his wife. You'd better be careful or you'll get
your own heart broken again. The last thing you need is to be
someone's experiment in a return to the dating scene, no matter how
captivating that someone might be. She slid her feet around to the
floor. The dizziness had diminished but her head ached.

Will handed her the robe she wore the night
before. "Put this on again after you shower. I'll get your clothes
and bring them in here. We need to put antibiotic cream on those
cuts again."She clutched the robe around her immediately and walked
toward the shower. Will called to her, "Please leave the door
unlocked in case you need help, okay?"

"Okay, but I'll be fine. Maybe I'll take a
bath instead, Will. Soaking in warm water might help my aches more
than a shower."

"I'm sorry I don't know how to wire the
whirlpool bath to the generator. I guess an ordinary bath will have
to do until the electricity's back on."

Will accompanied Aurora into the bathroom
and turned on the tub tap to fill the large, elevated tub. As he
stood near the tub, the hands on his crutches seemed suddenly too
large and rough. He glared at the cast on his left leg, the large
western boot on his right foot.

What an oaf he must seem to her. What must
she think of him? He thought he knew. Her friends were
sophisticated, urban men. She must think him a bloody, clumsy
bumpkin, hobbling around on these crutches.

He stood back, knowing his face grew red.
The picture of her standing naked before him flashed through his
mind, of the two of them sharing the large tub. Stop it, he told
himself. "Um, are you sure you can...um...you can climb in and out
by yourself?"

Aurora smiled at him, "Yes. At least, I'm
pretty sure I can get in. I'll find out later whether or not I can
get out."

"Okay, let me know if you need help. I'll
close the door, but I'm not locking it." Will left the room as
quickly as possible. He had to get out of there fast before he made
an even bigger fool of himself and begged her to let him stay and
help her again. What a ninny you've become, he told himself in
disgust.

Aurora lay the robe across the closed toilet
so she could reach it easily after her bath. She removed the pajama
top and folded it neatly on the vanity counter. Carefully, she sat
on the edge of the tub and gasped as the cold marble of the
over-sized tub touched her bare skin. One leg at a time swung over
slowly and she slid into the warm water.

Wonderful. Soothing, warm, and wonderful.
She closed her eyes and slid down so that only her face remained
out of the water as her head rested against an inflated cushion on
the back of the giant tub. The liquid warmth covered her painful
shoulder, back, and the lump on the back of her head. Time ceased
to exist for Aurora until Will knocked on the door.

Startled back to reality, she called, "I'm
fine." Aurora forced herself from the tub and grabbed the robe to
wrap about her like a giant towel.

He waited for her in one of the chairs in
the bedroom. "Are you okay?" he asked as he struggled to his feet
and moved near her.

"Yes, I feel much better since the bath. It
eased the soreness in my back and shoulder and made me feel more
alert." She adjusted the robe to cover as much as possible.

He took hydrogen peroxide and cotton balls
to clean her cuts again. Aurora had to drop the robe to her hips so
Will could treat her back. On her painful bruises and lacerations,
his touch seemed as gentle as a mother to a baby, yet his presence
made her very aware of his strength and virility. As he leaned
toward her she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Soap and
after-shave mingled with his natural body oils to form a clean,
masculine aroma. What would it be like to run her hands over his
broad chest?

Her eyes flew open. One of the pocket flaps
of his western shirt was tucked into the pocket. It would be so
easy to straighten it and fasten it, pressing against his strong
body. No! Where had her mind gone? She willed her hands to remain
in her lap, but only with conscious effort did she resist the urge
to reach out and touch him.

The air on her damp body coupled with his
gentle touch on her back and shoulder made the nipples of her
breast harden and point. As if all at once, Will saw the effects of
his touch. He paused in his ministrations only a second. Very
gently he bent to brush a kiss on a rosy peak before he brushed the
corner of her mouth with his lips. All the breath left her body.
She needed all her strength to resist the urge to pull his head
back to her breast.

His voice rumbled low and gravelly. "It's
nice to know you're not totally unaffected by me."

Aurora grabbed a pillow and clutched it to
her breast as her jaw jutted defensively. "It's--it's the cool air
on my damp skin." She knew she must be fiery red. If he knew how
close she came to seducing him, her embarrassment would be
greater.

He finished his first-aid treatment of her
wounds and cleared away all the paraphernalia involved to the table
beside the bed. Gently once again, he cupped her face in one hand
and kissed her mouth as he slid the pillow away. Aurora tried to
force herself to stop him. Instead, she met his kiss, her right
hand slid to his shoulder.

A low moan escaped as his tongue slipped
between her lips. He tasted so good. She fought again for
self-control, but found herself leaning into his kisses once more
as his hand slid to the small of her back pulling her toward him.
Will's mouth slid to her cheek and then fanned kisses along her
neck and shoulder as his hand slid to cup her breast. He bent once
more to take the hard nipple in his mouth. The world exploded
around her. Aware only of this man, forgotten were her injuries and
her resolve.