Could This Be Love? (7 page)

“Nancy, this is Avery, my . . .”

“His friend.” Avery reached out to shake the nurse’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Nancy.”

“Sweet. Another movie star.” Nancy talked too fast for Avery to correct her. “The kids will be excited. And you’re pretty enough to counteract his ugly mug.”

Avery grinned and glanced at Sijan for his reaction, but he only laughed and wrapped an arm around Nancy.

“Nancy was the love of my life in sixth grade. And then Davey moved to town, and it was ‘good-bye, Sijan, hello, Davey.’ I blame it all on that spelling bee. Only a future doctor would get ‘osteochon-drous’ correct.” He turned to Nancy. “Is he around today?”

“Home sleeping after working the night shift in the ER. I’ll tell him you tried to have your wicked way with me.” She threw Avery a wink. “Now, go work your magic, Sijan.”

When he walked into the rooms of the patients, Christmas morning smiles popped onto the faces of children and parents alike. Yep, his presence did magical things to the pale, pain-filled faces. He hugged frail bodies, kissed bald heads, and handed out high fives while he asked about school, new crushes, favorite movies, sports teams, and chemo. He took time to talk to the parents too. He shook hands or wrapped someone up in a hug and pulled them off to the side, where he’d quietly tease out what they needed, nodding as they listed one or two favors for their children.

A little girl, too small and frail to be fighting this battle, whispered, “Sijan, I thought you wouldn’t make it.”

“You’re my best girl, Bethany.” Sijan leaned in and kissed the young girl on her cheek, and Bethany giggled, blushed, and beamed all at once. Magic.

Avery had to step out of the room when her eyes teared up. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. Lord, it was heartbreaking to see those kids, babies practically, waging battles for their lives. But if these children and their parents could handle it, then so could she and Tansy. If the biopsy result and second opinion came back with the worst-case scenario, they would handle it.

That thought helped center her. Which was good, because now she another problem to deal with: trying to talk her heart out of going all gooey over this movie star, because seeing how much his visit meant to the children and their families, and to Sijan too, was doing just that.

Five years ago, she had easily stuffed all actors into the same “too selfish to deal with” box, and along comes
this
movie star pushing his way out of that box and messing with her life. She could withstand his drop-dead gorgeous sexiness. Sort of. Maybe. Okay, it was debatable, but she had so far. But throw nice into the mix, and holy cow!

Of all the movie actors, in all the towns, in all the world . . . Ugh. It was like asking her to resist a decadent fudge brownie after drizzling it with warm salted caramel. On a good day, she could avoid being tempted by the brownie. She could avoid being tempted by the salted caramel. But put them together and there would be carnage.

“Well, hello. I was just coming to introduce myself. You must be Avery. My son’s fiancée.”

Chapter Six

A
very opened her eyes to find a smiling woman holding out a welcoming hand to her.

“Oh, um, yes, that’s me. Your son’s fiancée. It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Cates.” But so very awkward. The woman looked a little too closely at her face as they shook hands.

Just then, Sijan poked his head out, his face crunching into a grimace when he saw her standing with his mother. “Oh, hey, Ma. What are you doing here?”

“Henry Lee was rushed in, and I came to sit with him while they track down Hawk. A possible hot appendix, but one of the nurses took him for a scan to confirm, so I thought I’d come up and meet your
fiancée
.” She looked questioningly at Sijan. “The one I didn’t know you had.”

“Damn it. I forgot how fast the Grapevine works. Ma, can we talk about this later?” His eyes cut a warning look over to Avery.

Pfft. Don’t waste your time, Mr. Movie Star.
There was one slimy handful of worms still wriggling around in her all-too-clear memory that had to be accounted for.

“Oh, we’ll definitely talk about it later, Sijan.”

“Mrs. Cates, I wouldn’t worry about me if I were you.” Avery linked her elbow through Sijan’s. “This engagement has been pretty rocky from the start. I honestly think your son is going to wise up and break it off. Any day now.”

“Please, call me Cecelia.” Her head tilted as she looked at Avery a little closer. “You think so?”

“Definitely.” Avery nodded, blinking up adoringly at Sijan. “Isn’t that right, sugarhoneybritches?”

“Maybe even today,” Sijan ground out.

Cecelia moved her gaze between the two of them. “Interesting. I know my son pretty well, and he sure doesn’t look at you as if he wants to break up.”

“What?” Avery frowned and shot Sijan a warning glance. “Oh, that. No—that’s just the weird attraction thing. That’s going to fizzle out any day, and then he’ll see I’m just a sad, shallow woman.”

“Most sad, shallow women don’t realize they’re sad, shallow women.”

“Oh, well, we Hollywood types are always in therapy. It’s very popular, you know, getting in touch with your inner child. Knowing what color your chakra is. The best actors are the most twisted.”

“Then plan on earning an Oscar, because you’re bent like a pretzel,” Sijan said.

Cecelia’s gaze ping-ponged between the two of them. “You two should come to dinner. It sounds like it would be entertaining and enlightening. Why don’t—”

Sijan shook his head before his mother even stopped talking. “Oh, hell no, I don’t think so.” He leaned in and kissed his mother on the cheek. “We’re going to head down and visit Henry Lee. I’ll call you later and explain.”

“It was nice meeting you, Cecelia. You’ll thank Sijan later for dumping me.” Avery had to raise her voice a bit since Sijan was firmly guiding her toward the open doors of the elevator. “Seriously, I may be a red-hot habanero chili pepper in bed, but I give your son heartburn everywhere else. Bye!”

Before the doors to the elevator had slid shut, Sijan had her backed up against a side wall and was kissing her silent. And kissing her stupid. Wow, the man packed some sexy into his kiss. She would have oozed onto the elevator floor if his hard, muscular body hadn’t been pressing hers against the wall. When he withdrew his lips, her neck refused to do its job and her head bumped against the wall behind her. “Ouch.”

“I can’t believe you said that to my mother.” Sijan blazed his lips on a wicked path up her exposed neck.

“I didn’t mean to, but the look on your face egged me on. Now we’re even for your slimy trick at Lonnie’s.” She tilted her head farther to the side, giving him better access.

“How about a temporary truce?” Sijan brushed his lips along her jawline up to her ear, leaving a tingling trail of nerve endings.

“Deal. Only tone down the sexy. And stop smelling so good.” She plastered her nose against his shirt to absorb the scent. She was pitiful, but she figured it was more subtle than licking his neck. “What is that?”

“Ivory soap?”

“And it’s
legal
in America?” To heck with subtle. Avery nibbled her way up his neck while her hands made a total mess of his high-end haircut. He didn’t seem to mind. “No, it’s you. Stop it. You’re driving me crazy.”

“I’m driving you crazy?” He stroked his hands down her back and lower to cup her behind, pulling their bodies tight together while he used his warm mouth to sip at the corner of her lips. “I hate that you’re using me to help your career.”

“Pretend I’m not.” She turned her head to capture his lips, diving back into a kiss that singed them both.

“What?” His lips barely lifted from hers. “No, I don’t date actresses. It never ends well.”

Thankfully he lowered his lips right back where they belonged. Joined to hers. He let his tongue stroke hers, as he caressed his hands up and down her back.

The man’s touch tied her common sense and inhibitions up like a calf in a rodeo. They were immobilized and absolutely no help whatsoever. Her lips, hands, and hips, on the other hand, were having no problem moving, touching, bumping, and . . .
grinding
? What mystical power did this man have over her?

“Pretend I’m a
former
actress”—she kissed her lips down one side of his neck—“living a quiet life”—she kissed her way back up the other side of his neck—“only I need to track down the foster family”—she stroked her hands across his chest—“I haven’t heard from in two years”—tilting her head, she give Sijan free rein of her neck while her hands caressed his back—“to help save my sister’s life.”

Sijan laughed against her neck. “Hell no. That sounds like one of those horrible movies of the week.” The wicked man went right back to her lips, kissing her even more senseless.

It was a good thing every elevator had a fire extinguisher, because she was about to go up in flames. This time, she let her tongue take the lead, making Sijan groan. She used super-human power to pull her lips off his, and their uneven breaths filled the silence. Oh gosh, what were her hands doing up under his shirt? What little self-control she’d thought she had had obviously evaporated in the scorching heat they’d created. “What if—”

“Whatever it is, it doesn’t seem to matter.” And he proved it by pressing her against the wall again, only this time he lifted her up a few inches until their hips aligned.

Oh baby.
Her insides swirled. She was free-falling. Floating in a vortex, spinning faster and faster. Out of control. A wisp of memory flashed, causing her breath to catch and pain to slice through her like a plunge into icy water. Her body froze and she wedged her hands between their bodies.

Sijan’s gaze locked onto hers, and whatever he saw there had him back up, giving her space. One of his hands held hers, his warmth and strength keeping them connected. “Are you okay?”

“I . . . I’m fine. I just got a bit claustrophobic for a second. That’s all.” She took a step back, severing the physical connection with Sijan, and gaining back the control she needed. Control? Who was she kidding? She wouldn’t be okay and in control until her past released its vicious grip on her life. Maybe it was about time to come up with a plan for that.

“Well, hell, that was my fault. I pawed you like an awkward high schooler on a first date.”

“No, not your fault. I’m pretty sure I got my own licks in. Literally.” She tried to laugh off the moment. “I didn’t date in high school, so thank you for helping me check that box.”

“Not once? Not a—”

“Nope. It’s a long, boring story and I’m starving.” When he gave her a heated look, she steered the conversation further away from dangerous waters. “For dinner. You know, food? Oh, right. I forgot you usually hang out with those size-zero models who exist on lettuce leaves and a small dollop of caviar.”

The man looked like he wanted to dig further, like an alpha dog with a bone he wasn’t willing to give up. Luckily he succumbed to his Southern manners. “Okay, I just need to pop down and check on Henry Lee, my brother’s godchild.”

“Oh, of course.” She watched him reach over and press a button on the elevator panel. “Did you stop the elevator?”

“No. I’ve been pressing random floor buttons. We’re lucky no one got on.” He grinned at her. “At least I don’t think anyone did.”

They headed down to the ER, and found Henry Lee curled up on his side as his gurney was wheeled back in from X-ray by a perky nurse.

“HL, how are you doing, buddy?” Sijan moved next to Henry Lee once the gurney was in place. “What’s up with your appendix?”

Henry Lee opened his eyes and sent Sijan a weak grin. “Hey, Sijan. Nothin’. My tummy hurts ’cause I swallowed a quarter.”

Sijan shook his head. “Why’d you go and do that?”

“Jordy double-dog-dared me.”

“Oh, well, sometimes, HL, you have to say no. Even if it’s a double-dog dare.” Sijan held his hand out to the boy, who took it and held on tight.

“I know. That’s what Daddy says too.” Henry Lee’s gaze landed on Avery, where she waited just inside the doorway. He stared at her for a minute before a big smile spread across his face. “Hey, you gots yellow hair like the sun.”

Avery smiled, not sure what to say to that. “I do. I hope your tummy is feeling better.”

He shrugged. “Daddy said he’d get me some ice cream ’cause ice cream fixes everything.”

“Sure it does.” Sadly, Avery hadn’t found that to be the case, but that had never stopped her from trying it. Often.

“Do you like kids?”

“I do.” Avery glanced over at Sijan, who winked at her.

“That’s good,” Henry Lee said. “Do you like frogs? And hamsters? And dogs?”

“I’m a fan. I like them all.” Avery hadn’t been around many children lately; she’d forgotten they were so full of questions. “I don’t like all of them in my house though.”

“Oh.” The boy’s excited tone dipped. “How many baths a week would you make a kid take?”

“I have no idea. How many does a kid need a week?”

“One.” His eyes darted to Sijan, and back to her, looking so sweet and innocent. “Maybe two if we made a mud fort.”

Avery nodded her head. “Then, I guess two.”

Henry Lee’s smile filled half his face. “Do you think it’s mean to make a kid eat broccoli?”

“No, I don’t.” At the child’s falling expression, Avery knew that wasn’t the answer he had wanted. “Broccoli helps boys and girls grow up big and strong.”

Henry Lee sighed. “Sijan, how come ladies all like broccoli?”

“It’s one of life’s great mysteries, HL.” He ruffled Henry Lee’s hair. “Hey, I hear your dad coming. We’ll see you later.”

They ducked out with a nod to Hawk, Henry Lee’s dad, who entered the cubicle while getting briefed by the doctor.

Sijan headed them out the back of the hospital, hoping to avoid the paparazzi out front.

Avery turned up to him, her curiosity piqued. “What was that all about?”

“You just failed the mommy test.” Sijan shook his head. “Speaking of eating broccoli, I’m hungry. How about dinner? We’ll find somewhere quiet, away from the paparazzi. And I’ll feed you
real
food. Not a lettuce leaf in sight.”