Cautious (9 page)

Misty pushed p
ast Richard and ran to her car as tears streaked her face. She could hear Amanda shouting after her, but she didn't care. All Misty wanted to do was get home and find Aaron. She wanted him to hold her, make love to her, and tell her it was going to be okay. She needed him now more than ever. Her hands shook uncontrollably as she put the car in gear and backed out of the driveway. For a moment she wondered if she'd be able to make it home safely.

Of all the rotten things for Amanda to do, sleeping with Richard was the lowest of the low. Amanda had something wonderful with Scott and she threw that away for Richard? What the hell was wrong with her? No wonder Amanda was so sure that the father wouldn't step up and do the right thing. Richard hated children. Misty slowed the car, wondering if she should go back. Richard would not be kind to Amanda. Then again, Amanda had brought this all on herself and it wasn't Misty's problem. Nope. Amanda was on her own from here on out.

Misty was physically and emotionally drained by the time she made it home. She'd called Aaron's cell phone a few times and it had gone to voicemail. Finally, the fourth time she called
, it went through. But the person who answered the phone wasn't Aaron. It was a woman. "Hello? Who is this?" Misty said impatiently.

"
This is Sara. Who is this?"

Sara? As in Aaron's ex-girlfriend, Sara? What was she doing answering his phone? "Where's Aaron?"

"Who is this?" Sara asked for a second time.

"Aaron's girlfriend," she said with irritation. "Now, tell me, where is Aaron and why do you have his phone?" Before Sara had a chance to respond there was a knock on Misty's door. She opened it to find Mr. Terrell on the other side.

"Misty, I'm so glad to find you at home. Aaron's been in an accident. He's in the hospital and he's been asking for you," Mr. Terrell said.

Aaron had been in an accident? Christ could this
night get any worse? "Is he okay?" Misty hung up on Sara, grabbed her keys from the counter, and followed Mr. Terrell to the parking lot.

"He's got a fractured rib, his leg is burnt, and he's badly bruised, but he'll be okay." Mr. Terrell stopped by his car. "I'll drive you if you want. You look pretty shaken up."

"Thank you, Mr. Terrell," Misty said getting into the passenger's seat. Her head was throbbing and her nerves were frayed. She'd been gone less than twelve hours and in that time she'd found out her sister was pregnant by her ex-husband, her boyfriend was in the hospital, and his ex-girlfriend had his phone. She wanted to rewind the day back to when she was in bed with Aaron and agree to spend the day on the boat with him instead of going with her backstabbing, liar of a sister.

"Please, call me James," he said with a smile. "You are dating my son after all."

Misty smiled. Yes. She was dating his son. At least she hoped she was. She didn't know what the hell was going on now that Sara was back in the picture. Misty remained silent for the short drive to the hospital and as she followed James up to Aaron's room, where she found him sleeping. A gorgeous woman with silky black hair and siren red lips sat beside Aaron's bed, holding his hand in hers. Misty's heart rate spiked and something inside of her snapped. There was no way that bitch was getting Aaron. Sara had had her chance and she'd blown it. Misty would be damned if she was going to let Sara weasel her way back into his life. Aaron was hers. She loudly cleared her throat and the woman looked up. "You must be Sara," Misty said entering the room with confidence.

"Yes, and you are?" Sara asked standing.

"I'm Aaron's girlfriend. Misty Bauer."

"Huh, he's never mentioned you."

Misty gritted her teeth. "That's probably because he has no reason to speak to you anymore." Sara smiled sardonically and Misty had to stop herself from slapping the woman. God, what had gotten into her tonight? Yesterday Misty was determined to take things with Aaron slow, to just see him casually and now she was ready to fight this woman for him.

"Sara," James said from the doorway. "Don't be causing trouble. I'm going to go check in with his doctor and it might be a good idea for you to be gone when I return."

Misty could hear the animosity between them, the tension palpable. She wondered what that was all about.

"He's being released tomorrow to my care," Sara said.

"The hell he is," Misty nearly shouted.

"What do you mean he's being released to your care?" James asked.

"I mean he's being released and I'm taking him to my home to care for him," Sara said.

"Okay, that's enough!" Misty ran a shaky hand through her hair and blew out a breath. "I have had one hell of a night and I'm in no mood to have a pissing match with you." Misty walked over to Aaron's bed and placed a hand on his arm. "You are not taking him to your home. You are not going to care for him, and you most certainly are not going to stand here and act like you’re his goddamned girlfriend."

"Misty?" Aaron's voice was low and hoarse.

"I'm here," Misty said looking down at him with a smile.

He slowly took her hand and brought it to his lips giving it a soft kiss. "I hope you didn't cut your trip short because of me."

Tears pooled in the corners of her eyes. Even lying in a hospital bed he was still concerned for her. "No," she whispered shaking her head.

"Good." Aaron smiled then winced slightly. "Now come here." Misty leaned over and Aaron slid his hand into her hair, bringing her mouth to his. The moment their lips touched her tears fell. She couldn't stop them. Everything that had happened came crashing down on her. "Baby, why are you crying?"

Misty straightened and wiped her face. "It's just been a rough day is all." The last thing she wanted to do was burden him with her problems right now.

"Aaron, darling, I'm so glad you're awake," Sara said standing on the other side of his bed opposite from Misty. 

"Sara? What're you doing here?" Aaron asked.

"Lucinda called me when the ambulance brought you in. The doctors have agreed to release you into my care tomorrow," she said with a bright smile.

"Why would they do that?" he asked pushing the button on his bed that brought him to an upright position.

"Because I asked them to," she said.

"Sara, we've been through this. You made your choice and now you have to live with it. The only person I'm leaving this hospital with is Misty," Aaron said.

Misty didn't try to hide her smile. Aaron wanted to go home with her, not Sara. That was the best news she'd heard all day. In that exact moment she realized just how much she needed and wanted Aaron. No more trying to take things slow, no more fears about him turning into Richard. From this point on, Misty was in it with her whole heart.

"Well, fine then," Sara said sticking out her chin defiantly as she smoothed her skirt. "If that's what you want then I'll be on my way. You have my number should you change your mind." Sara gave him a kiss on the forehead before leaving the room with a dirty look thrown in Misty's direction.

"I'll leave you two alone for a few moments," James said as he too left the room.

Misty pulled the chair closer to Aaron's bed and sat. "What happened?" she asked.

"We answered a call for a burning house with survivors trapped inside. I went in one last time to make sure we'd gotten everyone when a portion of the ceiling collapsed on top of me, pinning my leg. If I hadn't shielded myself with my arms it would've been a lot worse."

"I’m so glad you're okay," she said as fresh tears coursed down her face.
"I couldn't stand it if something happened to you."

"Hey, shh, it's okay," he said softly. "Come on, lay down with me."

Misty shook her head. "No, I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't. You can lie
on my good side." He smiled.

Misty climbed into the bed. She settled gently beside him, her head on his shoulder blade and his arm around her. "Thank you, Aaron," she whispered on a hitched breath. "I needed this. I needed to feel your arms around me."

"You never have to thank me for holding you, baby." He kissed her forehead. "Want to tell me what happened today?"

"No, not yet, I just want to lay here with you."

"That's fine with me," he said before they both drifted off to sleep.

***

Aaron awoke the next morning when the nurse came in with his breakfast tray. Misty was still tucked by his side, snoring softly.  The nurse gave him a disapproving frown, but he ignored it. No one was going to make him feel guilty for having the woman he loved sleep by his side while he was hospitalized. He closed his eyes and sighed. When he'd been pinned in that house, the only thing that had been on his mind was Misty and how he didn't have nearly enough time with her, and that he never had a chance to tell her that he loved her. Well, he wasn't going to waste any more time. He was going to tell her tonight. And if she freaked out and told him it was too soon then so be it. At least she'd know the truth. Maybe he'd get lucky and she'd tell him that she felt the same. He doubted it, but he could hope.

"How're you feeling?" Misty asked turning her head to look at him.

"I’m a little sore, but it's manageable. What about you?"

"I'm stiff. These beds are not very comfortable and they are definitely not made for two people," she said.

Aaron laughed. "Well tonight we can sleep in your bed. Or mine, whichever you prefer."

"Always so presumptuous," she said lightly resting her hand over his heart.

"I’m accommodating," he said and she laughed. "God, I love your laugh."

"It's up to you where you want to say. You are the injured one here."

He cocked a brow. "Are you going to be my personal nurse?"

"Mmm hmm." She adjusted her body so that her face was inches from his, her mouth within kissing distance.

"Are you going to cater to my every desire?"

"Absolutely," she said pressing her mouth to his.

He groaned at the feel of her tongue in his mouth. It'd been less than a day since he'd last kissed her like this, but it felt like it'd been an eternity. Every second away from her felt like a lifetime. His hand found her breast and massaged it through her shirt. Her nipple hardened to his touch and he fumbled to get his hand on her bare flesh. "I've missed you," he whispered against her lips.

"I've missed you, too," she said dipping her hand beneath the thin sheet and cupping his balls.

His cock jerked in response. "Misty," he moaned lifting his hips and thrusting his cock further into her hand. Her fingers curled around his shaft and she gave it a slow, firm stroke up then down. "Fuck that feels so good."

"I want you, Aaron." Misty flung her leg over his waist and straddled him, keeping her weight in her legs and off of him. "I want to feel you inside of me." She pressed her crotch into his and began to rub herself on his erection.

"It is so hot to hear you talk like that." He lay still, allowing her to dry hump him, until they were both breathing hard. She had arrived last night wearing a skirt so the only barrier between him and her were her panties. He could feel how wet she was getting and that only made his dick harder. Reaching around with his good hand, he pulled her panties to the side and slid his aching cock into her pussy.

She moaned long and low, her gaze locking with his. "We shouldn't be doing this here," she said as she began to
move on him. "What if we get caught?"

"The thrill of getting caught," he said tugging on her bottom lip "is half the fun."
Her hips rotated in a circular motion, grinding all the way down on him, and he felt her pussy tighten around him as his cock swelled in response.  "I don't think it's going to be…oh, fuck, yeah, just like that baby. Fuck my cock just like that."

"Aaron."

He'd learned that when she said his name like that, in that seductive breathy tone, that she was going to come. She tightened painfully around him, holding his cock deep inside of her, as she reached the peak of her orgasm. He noticed she was biting the pillow to stop from screaming and he smiled with satisfaction seconds before he shot his release deep into her core. Her pussy spasmed, milking his cock for everything he had and he couldn't stop himself from crying out in pleasure. Misty covered his mouth and swallowed his cries with a hard kiss. "God you're incredible," he said.

"You're not so bad yourself," she teased.

"Not so bad?" He laughed.

Misty gave him another kiss before climbing off him and adjusting her clothes. "Okay, so you're pretty incredible, too."

"That's more like it."

She smiled.
"I’m going to go home, shower and change and check my messages. I'll be back in an hour to take you home?"

Aaron grabbed her hand and pulled her down so she was sitting on the edge of the bed. "Let's stay on the boat for a few days," he said grazing his thumb across her knuckles. "We'll take it out and go nowhere specific. We can enjoy the solitude, just you and me."

"You're not in any shape to be operating a boat," she said.