To be honest, Lucas was a badass best friend. Loyal. Trustworthy.Protective.
My idea of Lucas as a boyfriend was just as badass. Hot. Irresistible.Yummy.
But, suppose we didn’t work out as a couple? Fear of possibly losing my best friend erected a mile-wide wall of doubt around my heart.
“Thanks for dinner, sweetie.” Staci stood near the front door, shouldering into her sweater. “You’ll have to tell me your recipe.”
I chuckled. “You can get it from my mom. It’s her not-so-secret recipe.”
“I’ll remember that when we chat tomorrow about our annual cruise. Can you believe it’s that time of year already?” She kissed me on the cheek, then looked over to her husband, who was sitting on the couch going over recovery tips with Lucas. “Honey? Are you ready to go?”
Hugs were exchanged, and I offered reassurance that I’d keep a watchful eye on their son.
“Believe me, we have no doubt Lucas is in good hands,” Todd said, rocking back on his feet.
“And don’t forget, I’ve arranged for some groceries to be delivered tomorrow,” Staci added, before they both gave a final wave goodbye.
Lucas showered while I cleaned the kitchen and once that task was completed, I—orNurse Macyas Lucas teased earlier—padded over to his bedroom to make sure the injured patient had everything he needed for the night.
Bottled water in hand, I knocked one time before Lucas swung the bedroom door open, nothing but a towel around his waist.
To say I stood there gawking at everything on display—his massive chest, abs of steel, a happy trail that steered my gaze southbound to an impressive bulge—would be an understatement. My eyes devoured—correction, theygobbled—every bit of Lucas Stone, like a team of ravenous Pac-Mans munching away on those teeny-tiny dots.
“I was about to get ready for bed,” he said, droplets of water dancing on his skin.
“Wa-wa,” I babbled, my idiot mouth getting a little too acquainted with my foot.
“Wa-wa?” He arched a brow.
Swallowing, I brandished the bottle of water in hand, foggy brain recalling that offering it to him was the reason I stood in the doorway distracted by one helluva glorious-looking body. “Water…would you like some water?”
His smirk disclosed how much my sudden case of foolishness amused him. “Everything okay? Or should I be the one watching over you tonight instead?”
Fighting back a smile, I rolled my eyes. “Obviously, your concussion hasn’t affected your propensity to be a smart-ass.”
“Looks like the blow may have only intensified it.”
Brash. Sexy. Concussed. Jerk.
“Here.” I shoved the bottled water into his rock-hard chest. “When I come back in five minutes, please be fully dressed. Apparently, I can’t concentrate when your naked chest and abs,among otherthings, are slapping me senseless.”
I marched to my bedroom, changed out of jeans and a sweatshirt into shorts and a T-shirt, then shuffled into the bathroom across the hall to brush my teeth. Five minutes later, I was greeted by a fully dressed Lucas, also wearing shorts and a T-shirt, his face still garnished with that irresistible cocky charm.
“You should probably get some rest,” I suggested, leaning up against his bedroom door frame.
“I’d thought we’d go over some of the aftercare instructions the hospital provided.”
I nodded, treading into his bedroom, settling onto the foot of his bed. “What’s it say?”
He eased down beside me, and my heart fluttered when a soft dusting of hairs on his thighs tickled mine. “Well, no strenuous exercise, of course, and I’ll need plenty of rest. It also says I can sleep uninterrupted now, but when I’m awake, you’ll have to be on the lookout for any of these symptoms.” He handed me the hospital’s discharge instructions.
The list of symptoms, which included drowsiness or difficulty waking up, trouble walking, talking, concentrating, and constant headaches, solidified how serious an injury he sustained. In his eyes, I sensed vulnerability, despite his strong facade. “Lucas, are you scared?”
He shook his head. “No. I mean, well, at first I was, yes. Waking up on the field, not being able to remember what happened, only to be carted off the field and into an ambulance?” He stroked his jaw. “Shit, Macy, I didn’t know what the fuck was going on. I only knew that my head hurt like hell and there was a ringing in my ears making me want to barf for days.”
Resting the palm of my hand on his thigh, I said, “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there.”
“Hey.” He tipped my chin up with the gentle graze of his thumb, heart-melting gaze and voice soft and consoling. “You aren’t the asshat who slammed into me. Besides, you’re here now.”
