Damned If You Don't (28 page)

His eyes fluttered closed, and Morgan had to swallow several times before the words came out in a hushed whisper. “Thank you, God.”

She’d known Jack was a fighter, but for a few minutes there, she figured he could use some help.

Morgan waited until he fell back asleep before leaving the room to call Sam. He told her he would tell Ian. Of course it took another twenty-four hours before Jack started to come out of it. But once they moved him to a regular room, Morgan knew she could begin to relax a little.

* * * *

She had fallen asleep when an inner sense woke her up. She rubbed her eyes and checked her watch. Three thirty in the morning. Then she sat bolt upright. Jack was awake, giving her one of his patented grins.

“You’re awake.” All her fears and anxiety washed away with those two little words.

He licked his lips, then tried to speak. What came out was a harsh rasp. “Dr. Lee?”

“Dead.”

His gaze told her how sorry he was for her about that particular betrayal.

“Elaine Tanner?”

“In custody.”

He nodded. “I’ve been cleared of all charges,” she told him. “Elaine refuses to say a word, but it was a smart move to buy that tape recorder. Ian says he has all the evidence he needs to go for first-degree murder.”

She smiled at him. “How do you feel?” she asked.

“Like…crap.”

Morgan couldn’t help smiling. “That’s good to hear.”

“Easy…for you…to say.”

“Yeah. I suppose so.”

Morgan swallowed and turned serious. “You took a bullet for me. Two bullets. I can’t believe you did that.”

He simply smiled.

“I guess there are no words to thank you for that.”

He swallowed, trying to speak. “Don’t try to talk,” she told him, smoothing back the hair on his forehead. “Just listen. Please.”

He nodded. “All my life I’ve been the geek scientist. I’m not beautiful, I can’t cook, and I was never like the other girls. I had brains, and that was about it.”

“More…than…beautiful.”

She nodded, smiling through her tears. “Are you going to listen, or do I have to hurt you?”

He grinned and squeezed her hand. “When you stood there leaning against that doorjamb I was certain you were waiting for a five-foot-ten-inch model in stiletto heels with a size 36D bust and a two-inch waist. And yet, something sparked inside. I have no idea why. I probably never will.”

“Don’t…question.”

“You made me feel like a princess that night. Our one enchanted evening. And yet, you stuck with me. You made me feel like a princess every night. Talk about being thrown.”

“Betrayed…you.”

“Yeah, you did. And I’ve held it against you long enough.”

He smiled and sighed. “Good.”

“But there’s more, and you promised to let me finish,” she continued, feeling her stomach start crawling back up from between her knees for the first time in days.

He stared at her, hope filling his gaze. “I’ve never let go of myself. All this time, just like at the party we crashed. You wanted me to run with you. But I couldn’t. I was afraid.”

He sighed long and loud and lifted her hand to his mouth. But his arm fell back to the bed heavily, and she admonished, “Don’t do that again, Jack. Not until you’re stronger.”

Her gaze caught his, and Morgan let all the love in her heart shine out for him. “I love you, Jack.”

He didn’t answer. She swallowed and tried to get the words out in as normal a voice as she could. “I said, I love you.”

He squeezed her hand and rasped, “I know, kitten, I know.”

She smiled and squeezed his hand back. “Forever.”

He grinned. “You…sure? Long…time.”

She nodded. “I’m sure.”

Jack must have liked the sound of that a lot. He fell asleep again promising he was going to hold her to it.

* * * *

Jack was certain he was going to put his fist through a wall. As a matter of fact, he was downright positive. If Morgan didn’t stop hovering around him, he was going to kill her. He’d been home for two weeks, and Morgan was acting totally nuts around him. Every time he moved, she jumped up to help him. Every time he ate, she watched him like a hawk. And then it dawned on him. She was terrified. And would be. Until a certain part of their relationship was in full swing again.

“That is it!” he cried one afternoon after lunch. “I’ve had enough.”

“Enough of what?”

“Of you. Go away. Leave. Before I find my gun and use it on you and we’re both invalids.”

She simply stared at him. “What
is
your problem?”

“You.”

“What’re you talking about?”

“You cringe every time I get up. You hover around me constantly. What’s up with that?”

She didn’t answer.

“If you don’t tell me, I’m going to go find my gun,” he swore.

“You didn’t see yourself after you got shot.”

“So what? I’m fine now. Clean bill of health.”

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Of course I’m sure.”

“Positive?”

He wanted to scream. “You keep watching me eat as if you expect me to relapse. Or as if you expect me to leave. You need to get it through that thick head of yours. I’m not going anywhere. I love you. ”

“Oh.”

“That’s all you can say? Just oh? You’ve been driving me nuts since I got home from the hospital. Read my lips. I’m fine.”

“You sure?”

He sighed. “Very sure.”

“Really, really, really sure?”

Jack was just about to lose it when he found himself locked in her arms. He didn’t get another word out because her tongue was mating with his. His engine started revving when she moaned. Now this was more like it.

“I love you, Andrew Jackson Kent,” she told him, breaking their kiss.

His hips meshed with hers swaying to the song of love. “I love you more, Dr. Morgan Elizabeth Mackenzie. I have a great idea.”

She started laughing. Only this time she didn’t look at him as if he’d lost it. “The Purple Martin. I’m game.”

He grinned and bent his head down to cover her mouth with his again.

She broke away one last time. “No more guns, got that?” He nodded in agreement. “No more knives, either,” he replied, struggling to keep a straight face.

She pouted and ran a lazy finger down his chest. “I like the way you use your knife.”

Jack laughed. “Good, because—” And he proceeded to reach into his back pocket.

Loose Id Titles by Linda J. Parisi

Damned If You Don’t

Linda J. Parisi

Let multi-published author Linda J. Parisi take you through the darker, spicier side of Romance with her Paranormal, Paranormal Romantic Suspense, and Romantic Suspense tales. Awarded the New Jersey Romance Writer’s Golden Leaf Award for Best First Book for her novel,
Noble Blood
; and winner of the 4th Annual Stroke of Midnight Contest for her novel,
The Joining: Bound by Blood
, Ms. Parisi knows that a unique voice and a dash of heat will help spice up your work and get it noticed. A longtime member of RWA, board member of NJRW, board member of Liberty States Fiction Writers, as well as a Craft and Industry Instructor for Literary Powerhouse Consulting, Linda has seen the publishing industry turn upside down yet stay the same because everyone loves a well written Romance.

Learn more about the author at
http://lindajparisi.com