Waiting for You (RightMatch.com Trilogy) (22 page)

He kissed her neck, the hollow of her shoulder. Made a tiny trail of them over her chest, then her breasts while he removed the bra.

“I want to touch you more,” she whispered.

“You can, just not yet. Lean back.”

Resting against the pillow, she let him kiss and caress her whole torso. It was torture. Wonderful torture. But when his hands slid to her feet, she stiffened. She wore specially ordered, delicate shoes that covered most of the skin there.

“Shh. Don’t ruin the mood. Let me take them off, please.”

She swallowed hard saw him focus intently on her. She wanted to go further, she really did, but it was so hard.

“Just your feet tonight,” he coaxed. “Then more, later.”

“All right.”

Sliding to the end of the bed, he removed her shoes. She didn’t look, but knew her feet were bony and withered from lack of use. They were exercised regularly, but still…

“I’m going to look now, honey.”

“O-okay.”

He picked up a foot and she watched his face. “They aren’t dancer’s feet. From what I hear, those are totally ugly.”

Slowly, he leaned over and kissed one.

And Dana felt a tear slip from her eye.

When he noticed, he let go of her foot and moved up to her again, kissed away the moisture, said, “See that wasn’t so bad,” stood and gave her his back so she could slip off her slacks.

As she did, and pulled up the sheet, she wondered if, even before the accident, any man had ever treated her so tenderly, so gently, so considerately.

The answer, of course, was no. And she realized in that moment she was in love with JoeyD.

o0o

Cole had come out to the track to clear his head; the woman who often babysat Ellie was staying with her so he could have a morning free. He was perilously close to telling a lie to Beth Montgomery--going on his site and pretending he was over forty to get to know her. All would break his code of ethics, and he didn’t like the obsession that was urging him to do so. He was halfway around the first lap when someone came onto the track. She waved at him. At first, he didn’t recognize her, then he realized she was Barbara Swanson, a teacher from the elementary school, who he dated occasionally. She jogged over to him. “Fancy meeting you here.” She smiled up at him, her face completely unlined, her skin flawless. She had short dark hair pulled back with a head band and wore a pink sweat suit which highlighted her eyes.

“Hey, Barbara.” He leaned over and kissed her briefly. “Good to see you again.”

Setting her foot on the bleachers, she stretched her calves. “Is it? I was wondering why you haven’t called. Returned my calls, actually.”

“Man, I’ve been swamped. This is the first chance I’ve had to get away.”

“Is it?”

He felt like a shit, but they’d never said they were
together,
whatever the hell that meant. “Want to get some breakfast after we run?”

“I’d like that if you would.”

It was fun circling the track with someone, talking when they could. After they’d finished and were heading to the parking lot, Cole watched a van pull in. He was surprised to see his brother clamber out of it and circle the hood to the driver’s side. The door opened and Cole got a glimpse of Dana.

And was smacked in the face with the lies she’d told Joe and how it had really complicated his brother’s life. He glanced over at Barbara, suddenly glad he’d invited her to breakfast. Lies weren’t good and he needed to remember that.

o0o

Joe watched Dana exit the van, smiling. Her happiness was good to see. Things were going so well between them, he was grinning, too, more content than he’d been in a long time. Apparently, so was she. Before he could ask what he could do for her, he heard behind him, “Hey, bro, fancy meeting you here.”

Turning, he saw his brother with a woman he didn’t recognize. She was young, healthy, vibrant with the glow she likely got after a run. “Cole, hi. I’ve never seen you here before.”

“Yeah, I know. But you said you liked this track and it’s close to my house. Hi, Dana. Joey, Dana, this is my friend Barbara Swanson.”

After greetings were over, Cole and Barbara left, and Joe saw Dana staring after them. He wondered if she was thinking about Barbara’s abilities, ones she didn’t have. Whatever it was, she shook it off and turned to him with a great smile. “Can you get the other wheelchair out for me?”

A good sign. She’d been letting him do more for her. Opening doors, like able-bodied people would. Carrying her when it was more expedient, like to the bedroom when they couldn’t wait to get there. And now retrieving her specialty wheelchair, a Transformer All Sport chair.

He thought about one hurdle they hadn’t overcome—his seeing her legs. Today she was dressed in light shorts with leggings underneath. A T-shirt peeked out from an open hoody. She, too, looked young and cute and athletic, which he had to admit he liked. A lot.

“What can I do to help you get in?”

“Nothing. I got this. Honest to God,” she said, laughing because he used the oath all the time.

“Well, if you put it that way, have at it.”

In her daily chair, she wheeled around, put down the arms and set the brake, then slid her body to the right side. The sports chair was much different from the other. It had a square, padded back and seat, no arms, two huge wheels, piping beneath for support and a foot rest. It was adjustable for different sports, was stable and easy to get in and out of.

After she settled comfortably in it, she smiled up at him. “See, all done. Shall we head to the track?”

“Yep.”

Before they began, Joe watched Dana put on specially made racing gloves that protected her hands, as the rims of the sports chair had hard surfaces. They started out slow. It was a beautiful end of September morning—crisp, a bit cool but the sun was shining. Joe was glad there were no other joggers here.

Halfway around, she said, “This is a piece of cake. Let’s go faster.”

They picked it up some. He could, of course, run ahead, but the pace wasn’t bad for some aerobic workout. Dana smiled as they finished the lap and started a second. She rolled even faster. He wanted to tell her to slow down, but he hesitated. She knew her limits, she’d say. As they circled another half mile, she quipped, “Come on, I’ll race you.”

“Dana, I don’t think—”

Despite his objections, she sped up and wheeled more quickly than he believed the chair could go. Eventually, he fell into the rhythm with her, forgot she was in a chair and just enjoyed the pull in his lungs and the strain in his calf muscles.

As they rounded a turn, he began to slow down for it. She didn’t, and holy shit, the wheelchair teetered, then tipped over. She went flying onto the grassy area inside the track.

Oh my God!

His heart galloping in his chest, he rushed to her just as she was starting to sit up. “Stay still. You might have broken something.”

“I didn’t. I’m fine.” Then she added, “Hell, I hate when this happens.”

His whole body sagged. “Excuse me?”

“This has happened before. I lose a lot of time getting back into the chair in my marathons.”

“Oh.” His heart was still racing. He’d panicked like he never had before in his life. “Oh.”

A twinkle came to her eyes and she socked him in the arm. “I have to learn to roll with the punches, Joey.”

This time, he didn’t think her pun was funny. She must have noticed, because she sobered immediately. “People fall in all sports, on foot or in a chair, Joe. No big deal.”

He struggled not to make one of this. He was able to control himself, and after she reseated herself—without his help—he bent down and put his face near hers. To dispel any lingering awkwardness, he asked, “You sure you didn’t do this on purpose, lady? Because I was ahead of you?”

 “No, big guy, I didn’t. And you weren’t ahead of me.”

The levity eased the tension and they started out again. In a few minutes, she said, “I’m ready to call it a day. My shoulder’s a little sore. You can run more and I’ll watch.”

“No need. This was a pretty good workout.” Which pleased him because it proved they
could
exercise together in a meaningful way for him.

They drank some water where they’d left their things, then headed to her van and began the process of getting inside. Once there, he turned to her before she started the engine. “Come back to my place.”

“I’d love to, but I need to shower, especially if you have some hanky-panky in mind.” They’d used that term a lot after Jeremy had spouted it that morning with Ruth.

“I’ve got the whirlpool all heated. It’d feel good on this crisp day.”

She frowned. “Um.” And looked down at her legs.

“You could leave those legging things on,” he said easily.

“Sure then. I’ve got a sweat suit in the van, too,” she said and started the car. “The jets will feel great on my shoulder.”

Twenty minutes later, Dana sat on Joe’s deck by the whirlpool while he went inside to put a suit on. Tugging off her shoes, then her shorts, she left the leggings on and unzipped her sweatshirt and removed it. She heard the phone ring inside, so she didn’t take off her T-shirt just yet. Sitting there, she felt content, enjoying the chirping of the birds and the sun peeking through leaves that were beginning to turn red and yellow. She had to smile at her circumstances. Even if there was a bump in the road almost every time they were together, she was with a man she cared about deeply, would soon slide into a sinfully warm whirlpool, had had healthy exercise this morning and, if she played her cards right, would probably spend a good part of this beautiful Saturday morning in bed with JoeyD.

She glanced down at her legs again. Was she still such a coward that she couldn’t take the leggings off and let him see her legs in broad daylight? He’d dealt with everything, with aplomb and grace and often humor. Even the fall this morning that seemed to have scared him to death. Ruth had practically had a heart attack when she’d seen it happen the first time.

Dana thought long and hard for a moment, then put her thumbs in the waistband of her pants, pushed and pulled and finally got them off so she wore only white-cotton bikini underwear.

In a few moments, Joe appeared in the open door to the deck. “Sorry, that was Kara—”

He stopped short when he saw what she’d done. His gaze met hers and the soft swell of emotion in them stirred something inside her. She held his stare, communicating without words the poignancy of the moment. Eventually, he moved in closer. Briefly, he kissed her lips, then looked down. His mouth pinched tight and he frowned, but he ran his hand down her right leg, then back up to her knee. He repeated the gentle caress, the tender affirmation, on the other. “See? It’s okay, sweetheart.”

Dana swallowed hard, unable to speak. She was moved by his reaction, and the show of concern for what had happened to her was normal, wasn’t it? He made quick work of ridding her of the shirt, then he stood. “Wanna skip the tub and go straight to the bedroom?”

“No.” She kissed his cheek. “But can we, um, you know, fool around in the tub?”

“A girl after my own heart.” Gently, he scooped her up, stepped down and lowered them both into the water.

In so many ways, she was totally naked and vulnerable to him, but it didn’t terrify her. And, as she basked in the warmth of the water, the pulse of the jets, in Joe’s presence beside her, Dana realized she hadn’t felt freer in the entire twelve years since her accident.

Chapter 14

“Keep your voice down. Dana might be home.” Ruth’s words, though hushed, made their way from the foyer back to the exercise room, where Dana was lifting hand weights. It was nighttime, and Jeremy had picked Ruth up earlier that evening, so she wouldn’t have seen Dana’s car in the garage.

“I don’t care if she is home. She should know what’s going on.” Jeremy’s voice was tight and strained, a tone Dana never heard from the mild-mannered doctor. All her nerves went on red alert.

“I won’t tolerate interference in my relationship with her, Jeremy.” Wow! Ruth’s voice was full of angst. What was going on with them?

“Well, I guess that puts me in my place.”

“Don’t go. I…”

Quickly, Dana rolled out of the exercise room and down the hall. She reached the living area just as Jeremy was opening the front door. “Jeremy, wait.”

When he turned around, Jeremy’s face was ravaged. He was a handsome man, youthful for sixty, but he seemed pale, older tonight. And really furious.

Dana calmed the butterflies in her stomach before she spoke. “I heard my name or I wouldn’t have interfered. What should I know about?”

“Dana, I—” Ruth began.

But Jeremy intervened. Hand still on the doorknob, he directed his gaze at Dana. “It’s pretty simple. Ruth has just unequivocally chosen a life with you over one with me.” Nodding to her, he said, “I’m sorry, Dana, I can’t discuss this without being unkind,” then opened the door and walked out, closing it with a bit of a slam.

Dana looked at Ruth. Her complexion was pale, too, but it was the bleak expression in her friend’s eyes that intensified Dana’s worry. And then Ruth burst into tears. Something was terribly wrong.

Grabbing Ruth by the arm, Dana tugged her to a chair, where Ruth sat, buried her face in her hands and continued to sob. Dana rolled up close and let her cry. Ruth had done the same thing for her numerous times in the beginning, while Dana was trying to adjust to her new life.

When Ruth quieted, Dana took her hand. “What did he mean, Ruth? That you chose me over him?”

“He—he…” Watery eyes filled again and tears trickled down her cheeks. By now, her face was blotchy, too. “He asked me to marry him.”

Panic swelled inside Dana. Ruth was getting married? Moving out? The thought terrified her. How would Dana live without the woman? She’d been with Ruth since she’d moved to Rockland after the accident. Dana had never lived alone. The erstwhile Jacques had made it clear that he hadn’t wanted her to come back to their place when she’d been released from rehab, so she’d lived with her father before it became apparent that he was caring for her out of a sense of duty and not love. They’d nothing much in common with dance out of the picture.