Dangerous Therapy: O'Connor Brothers (Volume 1) (12 page)

“Too bad it’s not nice to see you, asshole.” Donna was anything but subtle.

“Was that necessary?” He actually pouted. Stephanie used to think it was cute once, but now he just looked like an idiot.

“Yep, now go away and take Barbie with you.” Donna waved her hand at him.

“I wanted to say hi, and introduce you to, Erica.” Brad grinned. “Enjoy your night.”

Stephanie made a fist under the table. The blonde Barbie wannabe, or Erica, as Brad called her, smiled back, but the look in her eyes made Stephanie’s blood curdle.

“Argh, what is it? Asshole day here.” Donna grumbled as she shoved a forkful of her dessert into her mouth.

Stephanie felt like she was about to throw up and her head felt heavy. “I don’t feel well. I need to go home.” Why was seeing him making her feel physically ill? She opened her purse to pay for her meal.

Sandy grabbed the bill off the table. “The meal is on me.”

Stephanie didn’t have the energy to argue about it. She just wanted to go home. Her stomach clenched, and her heart was racing.

The drive home was anything but pleasant. Her stomach was cramping, and a couple of times Donna had to stop for her to throw up. It couldn’t be the food because Donna and Sandy weren’t sick. It wasn’t uncommon when she got stressed or upset, for her to get physically sick, it had to be seeing Brad. She just needed to get home and go to bed.

John sat on the couch next to his father. Trying to stay involved in the conversation going on around him wasn’t working. His mind kept going back to Stephanie. According to her, things had to stay professional. There was only one problem. It was becoming painful. The memory of the kiss they shared was in the forefront of his thoughts.

“Everything okay, John,” Sean asked.

“Yeah, Dad.” The last thing he wanted to talk about with his father was the constant hard on he had for a certain therapist.

“You look tense,” Sean said.

“Just tired.” He was tired. Tired of trying to control his feelings for Stephanie. His therapy couldn’t end soon enough. Physically, he felt stronger and even started working out more. She kept him to a minimum but encouraged him to try a little more every day.

“Tired, bro! Something, or should I say, someone keeping you up late?” Aaron chuckled as he passed John a beer.

“Have you been told yet today?” John growled.

“Told what?” Aaron asked.

“Shut up, A.J.” John snapped.

“You know one of these days you guys are going to say that to me, and I’m actually going to stop talking,” Aaron said.

“God, let it be soon.” Keith put his hands together as if he was praying.

“Can you imagine how quiet it would be?” Mike sighed.

“Dad, do you see the way they treat me?” Aaron said.

“I’ve got a feeling you bring it on yourself, my boy.” Sean laughed. The roar of laughter from the men echoed in the room. It was nice to spend time with his family. Since they were all grown up, they didn’t spend as much time together as they used to. They still had their monthly family dinner, and every couple of weeks the brothers would get together at his Aunt’s pub for some brother bonding. Although, John hadn’t been able to go since his accident.

“Seriously, how are things going with the sexy therapist?” Aaron grinned.

“Her name is Stephanie.” John snapped. “And my therapy is going fine.” He didn’t like the way Aaron referred to Stephanie. He knew she was sexy. Damn sexy! He didn’t want Aaron getting any ideas or any of his brothers for that matter.

“Geez, John he’s only joking.” Nick chuckled.

“I think John has some unreleased… shall we say.... tension.” Mike laughed.

“I can’t say I blame him, living with a girl like that.” Nick moved his eyebrows up and down.

“God damn it. Do you guys ever think about anything else?” John jumped off the couch. He stomped to the kitchen and tossed his empty beer bottle in the recycling bin.

“Ya gonna tell me what’s really botherin’ ya?” Nanny Betty was sat at the kitchen table sipping her tea. He hadn’t seen her when he stomped into the kitchen.

“It’s nothing, Nan.” John sighed

“Johnny, ya may be able to fool some people, but ya can’t fool me.” Nanny Betty pointed to the chair next to her.

“Yeah, it’s hard to fool you.” John gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and sat down.

“So tell me what’s got you so bloody contrary,” She said.

“I’m frustrated with not being back to work.” John lied. He really didn’t feel comfortable talking to Nanny Betty about sex, or his lack of it.

“That may be part of it, ducky, but I know that’s not all of it.” She gave him the look.

“Nan, I really don’t want to talk about this.” John cringed, as he hung back his head and closed his eyes.

“Oh, I see. So I’m guessing Nicky wasn’t far off the mark.” John’s head snapped up.

“Is there anything you can’t figure out?” John felt the heat rushing to his cheeks.

“No, and da sooner everyone figures dat out the better off they will be. So would ya like a little advice?” She gently pat his thigh and John nodded. “I think ya need to follow yar heart. I’ve seen da way ye look at each other. Who wouldn’t be attracted to one of my handsome grandsons? Cora says she’s the one for ya, and my Cora is never wrong, but ya need to face yar feelins before ya go any further.” With that statement, she left the kitchen.

John was grateful for how Stephanie helped him, but he knew in his heart it was more. Talking to her was comfortable and natural. When they were together, he didn’t want to be anywhere else. When they weren’t together, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. It hit him in the face like a slap.

“I guess it’s true. It hits you when you least expect it.” He’d fallen in love with the woman who gave him back his life.

“What hits when you least expect it?” His mother’s voice startled him. John turned around in the chair. Kathleen was behind him putting a cup in the sink.

“Nothing, just thinking out loud.” The last thing he needed was his mother getting excited about him being in love. She’d have a wedding planned ten minutes later.

“Don’t you lie to me, young man.” She stood with her hands on her hips. “Besides I can tell by that faraway look in your eyes.”

“Mom!” John threw his hands up in the air.

Kathleen came closer and wrapped her arms around his neck. “If you love Stephanie, tell her. Don’t waste time. Life is too short.”

“How do you and Nan know these things?” He leaned back against her shoulder.

“It’s a mother thing.” She kissed his cheek and sat next to him. “I like her and she’s good for you.”

“Mom, we aren’t even dating.” Not that he didn’t want it.

“There’s a reason Cora gave Stephanie the job with you.”

“Yeah, I know. I needed a physical therapist.”

“That was part of it, but you know Cora has a gift, and when she met Stephanie she knew. She’s the one for you, John.”

“Mom, I love Aunt Cora, but I find it hard to believe she can tell someone is meant to be with someone else just by looking at them.”

“She’s never been wrong. The first time I met her, she walked up to me and told me I was going to marry her brother.” It was pointless to argue with his mother about Cora’s gift. Kathleen made no bones that she was a true believer.

The house was dark when John arrived home a few hours later. No lights in the apartment either. That was disappointing. He’d wanted to see Stephanie before he went to bed. It made his day brighter to see her smile. He was a little worried that maybe she was trying to avoid him.

With the containers of leftovers his mother forced him to take home put away, John headed to his bedroom. Something made him stop. A whimper? A groan? What was that sound? Something wasn’t right. He scanned the living room, but nothing was out of place. He checked the gym, but everything seemed fine. With his ears straining, John walked down the hallway toward the apartment door. It was open slightly. He knocked. Nobody answered.

“Stephanie,” He called out as he opened the door and entered the apartment. No answer. Her car was in the driveway, she had to be home. “Stephanie,” John called out again as he walked into the bedroom. There was still no sign of her. A thump from the bathroom drew his attention. He opened the bathroom door and found Stephanie on the floor with her hair hung over her face.

“Sweet Jesus, Stephanie!” He fell to his knees and pushed her hair back from her face. Her eyes barely opened. Before he had a chance to speak, she pushed him away and leaned over the toilet. John didn’t hesitate. He pulled out his phone and called one of the best doctors he knew.

“Hello.”

“Dad, can you get over here quick? I just found Stephanie on the bathroom floor in her apartment.” John tried to stay calm, but this was Stephanie and she didn’t look good. “She’s throwing up really bad.”

“I’ll be right over.”

John ended the call and shoved his phone back in his pocket. He grabbed a face cloth out of the linen closet, ran it under cold water and dropped to his knees next to her.

“Here, Honey, put this on your head.” John pushed back her damp hair from her face and pressed the cloth against her forehead.

“I can’t stop throwing up.” Her voice was weak.

John felt her head. No fever but she was soaked with sweat and her face was ghostly white.

“I’m going to help you to bed.” John grabbed the bucket next to the toilet and helped Stephanie to her feet. He had to carry her because she was so weak. His heart was thudding in his chest. He wanted to hold her in his arms until she felt better.

“Thanks.” She sighed and rested her head against his shoulder.

“I called my dad. He’s on the way.” John held the cloth to her head as she lay back on the bed.

“I think I ate something that didn’t agree with me.” She bolted upright, snatched the bucket from his grasp, and started heaving again.

John did the only thing he could think of. He held back her hair and rubbed her back. “You need to drink some water so you don’t get dehydrated,” he said as soon as the wave of vomiting stopped. John hurried to the kitchen, grabbed a couple of bottles of water and hurried back to her room.

Stephanie was in the bathroom again when he returned. John knocked on the door.

“No! Don’t come in!” She said through her retching.

“I’ve got some water for you.” He tried the door, but she had it locked. “Sweetheart, open the door.”

“No! I’m.… uhh.… please, just give me a minute.” She groaned. Vomiting wasn’t her only issue. She was probably embarrassed. He fixed the blankets on the bed while he waited for her to come out. A few minutes later, she walked out with her arms wrapped around her stomach. John managed to get her to sip some water before she climbed back into her bed.

Ten minutes later his father rushed through the door. John left the room so Sean could check her over. She was so sick. What the hell was wrong with her? Pacing the hallway was the only thing he could do until Sean came out of the room. It seemed like his father had been in there for hours. Just when he was about to burst into the room, Sean walked out of the room.

“Is she going to be okay?” John ran his hand through his hair.

“It looks like it could be food poisoning, but I took some blood.” Sean pulled a bottle out of his pocket.

“So she’ll be fine?”

“Yes, but you should probably keep an eye on her tonight,” Sean said. “Make sure she gets plenty of fluids into her.” John nodded. “She’s going to be fine, son.”

“I’ll keep an eye on her.” Sean squeezed John’s shoulder.

“You should probably stay with her,” Sean handed him a bottle. “Give her two spoonful’s every four hours for the next twenty-four hours.”

“Thanks again, Dad.” Sean hugged him and headed out the door. Thank God he had a doctor in the family. Actually, two doctors, but it would have taken Ian a lot longer to get to his house from town. His father only lived a couple of roads over.

John walked into Stephanie’s bedroom. A chaise lounge was near the window. He dragged it next to the bed. Before he got comfortable for the night he grabbed a few more bottles of water. After making sure she was tucked in, he switched off the lamp and made himself comfortable in the chair. The light from the moon was shining through the opening in the curtains. It fell across her face. She was a little pale but still so lovely. Her full lips were slightly parted.

“Sleep well, sweetheart.” He made sure the alarm was set on his phone to wake him in four hours. He lay back on the chaise and closed his eyes.

When the alarm went off, he woke with a start. He fumbled with his phone to shut it off.

“Why is your alarm going off at three in the morning?” Stephanie’s voice was weak.

“Sorry, but Dad said you needed to take this medication every four hours.” John held up the bottle. “It’s supposed to help settle your stomach.” He measured out the dosage into a medicine cup and handed it to her.

“Oh! Thank you.” She sat up.

“How do you feel?” He passed her the bottle of water and she drank it slowly.

“Like I died.” She groaned. “Why are you sleeping in my chair?”

“Dad said it was food poisoning and I had to keep an eye on you.” She pulled the blankets back and started to get up. “Whoa, where are you going?”

“I’ve got to.... um…. nature calls.” She stumbled over her words.

“Oh, okay.” John helped her stand up, and while she was in the bathroom, he fixed the blankets. She returned and climbed into bed.

“You need to get some sleep. You’re doing so well with your therapy, and you don’t want to be exhausted in the morning.” Stephanie gazed up at him as he tucked her in. Those eyes were going to be the death of him.

“I don’t think we’ll be doing any therapy today.” John met her eyes. “You’re going to be resting.”

“I’ll be fine tomorrow, or today, or forget it, you know what I mean.” She lay back and sighed.

“Dad said you needed to rest for the next twenty-four hours. So you’ll be staying in bed all day, Missy.”

“Hey! You’re the patient here, not me.” Stephanie pointed her finger at him. He covered her hand with his and kissed it.

“Not for the next twenty-four hours, Honey.” John made himself comfortable on the chaise and closed his eyes. A minute later she sighed. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s not good for your back to sleep on that chair,” She said. “You’re too big to be laying on that all night.”