Wicked Game (18 page)

He liked Mark. He was a good guy, even though he was a sadist. Cass stirred a bit, rolling more onto her stomach. He winced as she settled; his still sore ribs didn’t care for the pressure of her arm, but he’d be damned if he was going to wake her up. He laid the remote down and gently brushed her hair from her face. She looked so peaceful looking up at him like that, the small smile playing on her lips made him think she knew he was thinking about her. He stroked a strand of her hair between his fingers marveling at how soft it was. The scent of vanilla lingered in the air, so fresh it was almost as if she’d just stepped from the shower. He loved that smell; it was so … Pepper.

A commotion at the door caught him off guard, a man dressed in scrubs rushed in, the flash from the small camera he wielded blinding in the dim room. Before he could think to grab the buzzer the guy was gone, followed by shouts of stop and running feet.

“Sorry about that; he got past security somehow.” The same nurse from earlier stepped into the room, her face flushed with embarrassment. “Are you all right, do you need anything?”

Jaime saw her eyes sweep over Cass’s sleeping body and her crumpled jeans on the floor, but she didn’t say anything.

“I’m fine. My eyes feel like someone has shoved shards of glass into them, but I’m hanging in.”

“No nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, anything like that?”

“Does hungry count?” He offered her a big grin; she smiled, thinking he was kidding. He wasn’t kidding; he was starving and it was hours until breakfast. “Out of curiosity, does that door lock? I’d just as soon not have another paparazzi incident before sunup.”

“I think we can do something about that.” She looked over Cass again, noting her hair still in his fingers. “Do you need another blanket?”

“Naw, we’re good here.”

Then she was gone. He could hear the lock catch behind her.

Shit, whatever that prick had managed to capture on that little camera was sure to show up somewhere before the day was out. Shit. Shit. So much for keeping this thing with Cass under wraps. Shit, she was going to be pissed.

* * * *

Sometime around dawn, Cass began to stir. Her eyes opened slowly, sleep clinging to the edges. Her smile melted his heart.

“Hey,” he said, leaning over to kiss her offered lips. “Did you sleep all right?”

“Yeah, I think so. What time is it?” She snuggled against his side, being careful not to jostle him. “You’re warm.”

“Dawn is all I can tell you. That’s based on the pale light coming in from the blinds.”

“I have to pick your mother up at the airport at eight. Maybe I should go home and change first.” She touched her lips to his in soft tame nips that had his blood boiling.

“Stay for a while longer.” He leaned closer toward her, catching her mouth for a deeper kiss. Her tongue touched his, her breath caught in her throat. “I need you, Cass.”

“Jaime, we can’t. Not here. Someone might walk in.”

“The door is locked. The nurses will only come if I call them. Please, baby, make love to me. I need you so much.”

“Jaime.” Her voice was low. She looked at the drawn curtain that blocked the door from view. “We can’t.”

Despite her words, she eased the cover off them and slowly straddled his legs. She placed her hands on the pillow on either side of his head, and being careful not to touch him, leaned in for a deeper kiss.

“Don’t tease me, Pepper. I’ve had a bad night. And I want you so badly I can’t think straight.” He let his free hand settle on her rear end, his fingers toying with the lace that covered her. “Let’s take these off.”

When she didn’t answer, he tugged, which was difficult to do with just one hand. She took pity on him and tugged the other side to her knees, and then carefully wiggled them on to the bed beside them. “Why is it I can’t say no to you?” she whispered beside his ear, her tongue hot on his cheek.

“Because you like the way I make you feel.” He eased his fingers between her legs; she moaned prettily when he touched her clit. “You’re already wet for me, baby.”

“I know. I hate that.” She sat up straight, repositioning her hands on the rails for support while he stroked her, sliding a finger deep inside her just to hear her purr. “That feels so good. That gown has to go though. It’s in the way.”

She fiddled with the ties that held the hospital gown closed over his immobilized arm and tossed it to the foot of the bed. She didn’t look at the bandaging around his ribs; her eyes centered on that part of him currently in the most pain. She reached out with long fingers, and within seconds, he was gasping.

“Come here.” He took her hand, holding it in his while he coaxed her higher in the bed until the heat between her legs all but engulfed him. “Kiss me, Cass.”

She placed her hands just above his shoulders and rose over him, the head of his cock touching that spot it craved, and with a hitch of her hips he was inside her. Her lips touched his, taking his breath away.

She rode him slowly, gently. Small gasps of pleasure escaped her lips only to be caught by his. Orgasm took her and she leaned back, her arms once again on the rails as her movements became frenzied.

He pushed her top up above her breasts and somehow, despite the sharp pain in his ribs, he managed to sit up enough to capture her nipples with his teeth, nipping at her through her bra until she shattered around him. She swung her head in a frenzy, trying not to make a sound.

He pressed into her, gently rocking with her as he leaned back against the pillow taking her with him. “That’s my girl. I love watching you come, Cass.”

He cradled her against his body with one arm, his breath coming in gasps as she joined him, grinding against him. He could feel the pulsing between her legs quicken again as a second orgasm built inside her. Her eyes caught his gaze as she held her face close to his. Fire and flame burning in their blue depths. “Jaime…” Her voice caught on a gasp. “I love you.”

“I know you do, Cass.” He held her to him, the urge to bite strong.

She pulled her shirt off and leaned her head against the pillow. “Bite me, Jaime.”

He couldn’t stop himself; he clamped onto her soft flesh, trying hard not to lose control and break skin, and as he erupted inside her, she cried out his name, which was good because at that precise moment he had no idea who he was.

Chapter Nineteen

“Mr. Dalton, I thought I would let you know that your doctor is starting his rounds.” Cass heard Jaime reply … something, feeling his voice rumble in his chest as she lay against him, in nothing but her bra, his cock still throbbing deep inside her.

“Pepper, you have to get dressed.” She felt him laugh. His hand stroked her hair along her back. Heat swirled in her midsection and dread in her very being. She’d said something monumental that wasn’t returned. She was lying mostly naked on an injured man in a hospital bed connected at the crotch after unprotected sex, and all she could find wrong with this situation was that he didn’t say he loved her back.

“Shit.” She eased off him, keenly aware of the warm stickiness between her thighs. “Please, remind me to murder you.”

She grabbed her clothes and ran for the bathroom leaving him to find his own damn gown.

“Come on, Pepper, you can’t kill me while I’m hurt. That is like kicking a puppy.”

“You’re not cute enough to be a puppy. Jesus Christ, Jaime. I have to go pick up your mother smelling like…”

“Smelling like you’ve been well fucked, Pepper. She already knows we’re sleeping together. She won’t say anything.”

“Did you tell her? Why do you get to tell your mom while I lie to mine?”

“I didn’t tell her, and she has never asked me point-blank, but she knows. And so does yours. Baby, come on, it’s all right.”

“No, it isn’t. We didn’t have a condom, and I can get pregnant. You should have thought about that before you … you … used me like that.”

He didn’t say anything to that. He looked away when she leaned past the bathroom door. “Listen, Jaime, we can’t keep doing this…”

“Close the door, Pepper, before you get caught in your undies by the nursing staff.” He cut her off, a tight-lipped smile on his face as she slammed the door. Seconds later, she heard a female voice.

Damn, almost busted. She leaned against the sink, looking at herself in the mirror. She wore yesterday’s makeup; what was left of her eyeliner was smeared, deep dark circles stood out against the paleness of her skin. Her hair was tousled from Jaime’s hands, bite marks lined her shoulder, and that was just the damage she could see.

She grabbed a washcloth and ran the water as hot as she could stand, hoping to try to make herself as presentable as she possibly could in yesterday’s clothes. But no matter how she tried to shake away the notion, she walked into the room with the dreadful feeling that everyone in the room knew what they had just done in that very bed.

Jaime was speaking with the doctor from the night before while a small team of doctors stood behind them. A different nurse looked curiously at her, making Cass wish the floor would open up and swallow her.

“You remember, Cass, don’t you, doctor? She kept me awake. I’m getting ready to send her home so she can sleep and change clothes.”

The doctor only nodded at her indifferently before he went back to issuing orders for a few additional tests. When he was done, he nodded to her and him, and the whole entourage vacated the room, leaving the incredibly young, blonde nurse behind. Her starstruck eyes were only for Jaime.

“Hey, baby, I need your phone. I can’t find mine,” he said pointedly to Cass, but the nurse started to answer and stumbled stupidly over the words when she realized he wasn’t talking to her.

“Who do you need to call?” She retrieved her phone from the nightstand and checked the time. “It’s after seven.”

“Franco, to get you a car sent over.” He punched the number in, and within minutes, he had Franco himself on his way to pick her up and drive her to the airport.

“Thanks, I’d forgotten I didn’t have a ride.” She took the phone from him and sat down heavily in the chair while the nurse just stood there watching. “Is it possible you could find Mr. Dalton something to wear besides that gown until I get back with a change of clothes and a toothbrush or something? And I’m sure he’s sitting there wondering when breakfast will be served.” She spoke to the nurse directly, breaking the starstruck spell. “And when did the doctor say they were going to let him sleep?”

“Oh, soon. They’re going to do a couple of tests, and then he can sleep the rest of the day.” She looked chagrined but professional now.

“Can I go home to sleep?” Jaime chimed in hopefully from the bed.

“The doctor will make that decision on his evening rounds. Will scrubs be all right?” She spoke directly to Jaime, and Cass took the opportunity to collapse against the chair in exhaustion.

“Those will be great.” He looked over at her, and for the first time since she’d come out of the bathroom he looked concerned. “Pepper, do you need the nurse to get you something while she’s out? A toothbrush or a sedative or something?”

“A time machine would be very nice. We could set it back to yesterday and none of this would have ever happened. Do you think you could find one of those somewhere?”

“Probably not. I can manage a toothbrush, but I would have to ask a doctor for the sedative.” She stood there for a moment and then turned and left.

“How do you think she made it through nursing school?” Jaime cocked one eyebrow.

“Probably on her knees,” she said before she could stop herself. His laughter tingled along her spine, making her smile. “That doesn’t mean you have permission to find out.”

“Aww, look at Pepper, all jealous and territorial. I think I like you like this, Pepper.”

“Just remember to remind me that you need seriously killing when we get home,” she said, her brain fuzzy and warm with interrupted sleep, the sound of his low laughter soothing.

“Hey, Pepper. Pepper, baby, wake up. Your ride is here.” He stood beside her dressed in a pair of dark blue scrub pants, his face very pale, his hair dripping.

“How did you get there? Are you wet?” She sat up, trying to clear her fuzzy mind. A yawn escaped as she stretched.

“You fell asleep while we were talking. I took a few minutes to go wash some of the game off of me, and baby, you really are exhausted. I’ll send Franco to the airport while you get some sleep.”

“No. No, I promised her I’d meet her. Besides, I need to go home and change so I can be back tonight to bring you home.”

“Sleep while you’re there, okay, Cass? Promise me you’ll stop worrying and sleep.” He kissed her forehead and walked her to the door.

“Take care of her, Franco. She’s had a tough night. Take her home after you pick up my mom. Okay? Thanks, man, I owe you for getting up so early.”

Franco just smiled and told Jaime to expect a nice big bill. And that’s how she left him. Standing there in a pair of scrubs with his right arm strapped to his side and his ribs bound. For a second, she almost let Franco go on to the airport without her, but the farther away from Jaime she got, the clearer her brain became. And her brain had a few choice words about her recent behavior to impart. In particular, the wisdom that falling in love with Jamison Dalton was probably the biggest mistake she had ever made in her life out of a very long list of mistakes.

She stood out like a sore thumb at the airport. Her Miami T-shirt made her feel as if everyone was staring at her. Jaime’s mom spotted her the second she passed through the gate, her arms outstretched, worry clear on her face. “Hey, Miz Dalton. Good morning, did you have a safe flight?”

“It’s Helen, honey. Gloria talked the whole way so I was too busy to notice anything else. Oh Lord, honey, you look like death warmed over.”

“Cold festering on the side of the road death is how I feel. Wait, what do you mean, Gloria? You don’t mean…” Before she even got the words out, her very own mother dressed in a nice linen suit with her hair neatly styled came traipsing out of the gate. “Mom, what are you doing here?”

“Besides keeping Helen company? I’ve come to check on you and Jaime and see some of Miami. Don’t I get a hug?” She laid down her bag and held her arms out for Cass, who went gratefully into them. “Ew, honey, you stink. We need to get you into a bath and some food in you before you collapse in a heap at our feet.”