Meant for You (19 page)

“A couple of days. The swelling on the spine is the biggest concern right now. Until it goes down, they won't know if it could cause paralysis.” Gabriella gasped and stood and fled to the bathroom. “Summer? Are you all right?” James asked, panic lacing his tone.

“I…I'm fine,” she said, her voice trembling. “That was Gabriella.”

“Oh…well, is she all right?”

Summer looked toward the closed bathroom door and listened for a moment. “I'm not sure.” She paused and let the news sink in. “James, no one mentioned the possibility of paralysis before. How…how soon until we know?”

“They're not sure,” he said. “Right now, everything is uncertain. I think we're all in a bit of shock. I mean, I know I was expecting broken bones and hypothermia…that sort of thing. But paralysis? My brain didn't even go there.”

“But they can be wrong, can't they?”

“I'd like to say they could, but they're the specialists, Summer. All we can do right now is hope for a miracle.”

Tears began to stream down her cheeks. “Oh God…”

“Are you sure you don't want to talk to the doctor yourself? He's right here.”

“Honestly, I don't think I can process all of this and actually think of an intelligent question to ask. I'm…I'm shocked. This wasn't something I was ever expecting to hear.” She turned and looked toward the door where Gabriella had gone. “I'd better go and check on Gabriella. Will you be heading to the hotel soon?”

“As soon as Dad comes down, we're leaving. We let the town car go earlier, so we called the service and they're sending another to come and get us.” He paused and Summer heard him thanking the doctor for staying and then saying good-bye to him. Once back on the line, she could hear the weariness in his voice.

“Is there anything I can do?” she asked.

“No. I think we all just need a good night's rest and some time to let all of this sink in.” He yawned loudly. “My head is spinning and my stomach is growling. I hope the food at the hotel is decent. We talked about stopping somewhere, but we're all just so damn tired that we thought it best just to go right there and order room service.”

She gave him the rundown on the menu. It seemed like a good distraction. “We ordered ours earlier and everything was very good. Although, if you're feeling the way I was earlier, anything will taste good to you right now.”

“You got that right,” he said with a slight chuckle. “Listen, kiddo, I'm going to go. If you want, one of us will call you when we get checked in. Ryder and I are sharing a room and Dad and Uncle William have one together, too. I have no idea how close they'll be to yours.”

“Call me when you get settled in, but then just focus on getting some rest. I didn't think I'd be able to sleep, but once my head hit the pillow, I was out.”

“I can almost feel it now,” he joked.

“Have you spoken to Selena? Is she doing okay?”

“Yeah. I hate being away from her and not knowing exactly when I'll get back, but I know she's doing okay. She's with Mom and Aunt Monica and Casey, so she's got plenty of people around her.”

“Well, when you talk to her later, send her my love.”

“You got it, Summer. I'll talk to you soon.”

They hung up and Summer hesitated before climbing from the bed. She stood and stretched. “I'd really like to get off this emotional roller coaster,” she mumbled as she walked across the room to knock on the bathroom door. “Gabs? You okay?” The door opened slowly and Summer could tell her friend had been crying. “Want to talk about it?”

Gabriella shook her head. “What James said just took me by surprise. I'm sorry for being such a drama queen.” She hastily wiped her tears and walked back out into the room. “Are they heading back now?” Her tone was business as usual, but Summer knew it was a defense mechanism.

“I told James to call when they're settled, just so we know what rooms they're in. They're all going to order dinner in their rooms and call it a night.” Summer headed back over to her bed and flopped down on it and thought it wasn't such a bad idea—just calling it a night. The clock told her that it was already after ten, but after her long nap, she wasn't overly tired. Dammit. She was already dressed in a pair of flannel boxers and a T-shirt; it wasn't like she could go anywhere.

Not that she wanted to.

Reaching for the TV remote, she figured the best way to kill time was to find something to watch. While she channel surfed, Gabriella called down to the front desk and alerted them to the Montgomerys' impending arrival. She wanted their rooms freshened and some form of food to be waiting for them. Summer was thoroughly impressed. The woman was amazing—in tears one minute, quick and efficient the next.

“It's pretty cool watching you crack the whip and seeing everyone scurrying around to do your bidding,” Summer joked when Gabriella hung up the phone.

“What are you talking about?”

“The way you spoke to the people at the front desk? That was a thing of beauty. I'm sure there are people running around right now preparing fruit and cheese platters, dusting the rooms, and fluffing the pillows.” She sat up and smiled. “Had I been thinking clearly when we left the hospital, I would have had you wield that kind of power for us earlier.”

“You would have been asleep before you even noticed or appreciated it.”

Summer made a face at her. “And how do you know none of them will do the same?”

“Oh, I already know they aren't going to notice,” Gabriella said as she sat down and tried to tell what Summer was watching on the television. “But I'll feel better knowing that it was done.”

“Silent and deadly. I like it. You're kind of like a ninja.”

Gabriella rolled her eyes. “Um…no.” She stared at the screen and watched as people ran around a kitchen decorating massive cakes. She glanced over at Summer. “I never would have pegged you as a reality TV person.”

Summer shrugged. “I wanted something mindless to watch. No real drama, nothing that was going to make me think. I want my mind to just go blank—or numb—so I'll be able to sleep again.”

“I am not going to have any trouble there. Another hour or two and I will be out for the night.”

“I envy you. It normally takes me hours to relax enough to shut my brain down to go to sleep, and even then I need to take something like melatonin.”

“Or Ethan Reed,” she teased.

“Ha, ha, very funny.”

“So are you telling me you didn't sleep like a baby when you were with him? He didn't exhaust you until you didn't have the strength to move?” The blush on Summer's face said it all.

“Well, that's neither here nor there,” Summer said. “All I know is that tonight is going to be a melatonin night.” Dammit.

* * *

By eleven thirty, all the Montgomery men had checked in with Summer. They were on the floor above hers and were all looking forward to a full night's rest to prepare them for another long day at the hospital. When she hung up with Ryder and turned her phone off, she was seriously ready for bed.

“I can see what you mean about these shows,” Gabriella said. “Just a couple of hours of this and I feel like I've lost several dozen points from my IQ…and my vocabulary.”

“It's not that bad,” Summer said and then yawned. “But you see…it did the trick. You're feeling sleepy, aren't you?”

“Yes, but it had nothing to do with the show and everything to do with the fact that I haven't had a decent night's rest in almost a week. I miss my own bed.” She was pulling the blankets down on her bed and crawling in when there was a knock at the door.

“Oh for crying out loud,” Summer muttered. She wasn't in the bed yet, so it only made sense for her to see who was knocking. “I just talked to all of them. What could they want?” She pulled open the door and froze.

Ethan.

“Hey,” he said quietly, his hands braced on either side of the doorjamb. “How are you doing?”

How was she doing? How was she
doing
?? She wanted to scream at him that she was miserable and upset and angry and scared and worried and… She silenced her inner tirade and simply looked at him. No, she didn't just look; she drank in the sight of him. He was perfection to her. He always had been and he always would be. It wasn't fair. Why couldn't she have just gotten him out of her system? Why couldn't one night of wild sex have been enough to make her move on? Or for that matter, why couldn't a week's worth of wild sex have been enough? Why was it that she wanted him now more than ever? Even after the way he had crushed her earlier? True, he didn't really know she was there, but the fact remained.

“Fine,” she finally forced herself to say. “I was just getting ready to go to sleep.”

Ethan nodded. “You left so abruptly earlier. I was worried about you.”

“Oh, were you?” she asked sarcastically. “I don't see why
. Summer and I don't really talk. I was playing peacemaker between the two of them. I didn't take her seriously,
” she said mockingly. “Sound familiar?”

He hung his head. “Dammit, Summer! That wasn't what I meant. I was just trying to—”

“Um, excuse me,” Gabriella called from inside the room. “While I am sure this riveting drama would entertain me a lot more than the last two hours of reality TV, I think the rest of the occupants of this floor would rather not have to listen to it. So either the two of you come in and hash this out—quickly—or go to Ethan's room.”

They both stood and stared at her for a long moment. Ethan stepped back and looked at Summer expectantly. “I believe we're done,” she finally said and got a mild sense of satisfaction when Ethan paled.

“Five minutes, Summer. Just give me five minutes to explain.”

“Explain what, Ethan? That we had a quick fling? Believe me, I got it. Loud and clear.”

“It's not that!” he snapped. “This whole situation—”

“Is being broadcast for the entire sixth floor!” Gabriella called out. “Seriously, Summer, just go down the hall to his room with him and be done with it.”

Indecision warred within her. To go or not to go. She didn't want to hear what Ethan had to say; none of it was going to make her feel any better. And unfortunately, she seemed to have a habit of throwing herself at him when they were alone, and even as pissed off as she was right now, she couldn't help but notice the way that his hair was rumpled and his jawline was shadowed. She had no doubt it would be rough and scratchy against her skin.

Dammit
. Her nipples hardened at the mere thought of his jaw rubbing up against her, and now she had to cross her arms to try to disguise it. Ethan's eyes followed her movements and she saw the heat flare in his dark eyes and knew that it was too late; he already knew the effect he had on her.

“Fine,” she huffed. “Five minutes. But I'm telling you now that nothing you say is going to matter. You made your position perfectly clear earlier.”

“Good night, Gabriella,” Ethan called pleasantly into the room.

“Good night, Ethan,” she replied with a smile and when the door closed, she added, “and Summer.”

With Summer's hand firmly in his, Ethan dragged her down the hall and into his room. She pulled free and stalked across the room and stood by the window. He closed the door and leaned against it and just watched her. The short flannel boxers, the soft, clingy T-shirt, and her long, tan legs… She made quite a picture. Her blond hair was loose and hanging down her back, and he knew she'd let it dry naturally because it wasn't styled the way she normally wore it. Her face was devoid of makeup, she was mad as hell, and she was the sexiest, most desirable woman he had ever seen.

Quietly, he walked across the room to her. When he reached her, he placed his hands on her shoulders to get her to face him, but she stepped away before he even had the chance. His stomach clenched. Had he screwed things up so badly that she wouldn't let him touch her even in the most casual sense? “Summer?”

She turned toward him but her expression was blank. “Go ahead. Say what you have to say so I can go back to my room.”

He wanted to yell that he wanted
this
to be her room. Their room. He hated coming back here by himself after spending the better part of a week sharing a hotel room with her. It was lonely as hell to be there without her after such an emotionally draining day. Normally the solitude didn't bother him, but after having so much time with her over the last week, Ethan was starting to get used to it. Beyond used to it—he wanted it, he craved it, and now wasn't sure he'd be able to live without it.

Taking a step toward her, he watched as she took a step back. They continued like that until her back was against the wall and he was toe-to-toe with her. “I panicked today,” he said, his voice edged with regret. “This whole thing with us, with your family…with Zach, has me in knots. I don't know what to do or say to anyone. Everyone is upset enough and I thought that by keeping this”—he motioned between the two of them—“private for now, I was doing what was best.” He stared into her face—her beautiful face so etched in his memory that whenever he closed his eyes, she was there—and smiled. Reverently, he reached up and skimmed a hand down her cheek and watched as her eyes slowly closed.

“I never wanted to hurt you. Ever. I just don't know what to do.” His honest admission seemed to have the desired effect. Summer's eyes opened and she looked up at him. Ethan could tell her every thought, her every emotion because they mirrored his. He wanted her; he needed her, and the desire was like a force of nature that couldn't be stopped. “Tell me what to do, Summer,” he pleaded.

Closing the small gap between them, Summer reached up and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, anchored one slim hand up into his hair, and pulled his head down toward hers. “Kiss me,” she whispered.