My Hero Page 4

  If Peta thought he could exist on tea while he stayed with her, she was in for a big, and nicely fragrant surprise.

  “Well, it could be just the two of us again, Max. You know we were good together. Let’s give it a try, hmmm?”

  This woman never gave up. Max heaved a sigh. It was time to bring out the big guns. He filled the pot with water, put the coffee in the filter and plugged the thing in, while he considered his next words.

  “Diana, I—“

  He was interrupted by a sound from the next room. It sounded like a cry for help.

  Fortunately, Diana moved out of the way, or he’d have run her down in his haste to get to Peta.

  She was still sitting in her chair, but now there was the light of battle in her eyes, and she was glaring at Cary with lips clenched.

  “I’m so so sorry, sweetheart...” Cary was sputtering.

  “The reason I’m in this chair, Cary, is that my ankle is sprained. And you might remember that fact the next time you lean on it.”

  Max felt his temper flare up. “Are you all right?” His words were calm, cold, and he caught Peta’s gaze on him as he crossed the room to her side, rather unsubtly forcing Cary to move away from her.

  “I am now, thanks Max. Cary—Cary bumped my ankle, that’s all.” Her lips were white, and Max couldn’t even begin to guess how much it must have hurt.

  “You clumsy idiot.” Max aimed his words at Cary, watching as he shrank back.

  Wisely, the other man backed away. “I...I...didn’t mean to. It was an accident, honestly...”

  Diana chuckled as she leaned against the doorway. “That’s my brother. Always having accidents.”

  “Shut up, Diana,” hissed Cary.

  “Max, could you reassure Cary that I’m just fine right here in front of my own fireplace? That I certainly don’t want to come and stay in his house while I recuperate, nor do I need him to interrupt his busy schedule with visits here every day?”

  Max certainly could. In fact it would have given him great pleasure to make each one of those very points with his fist. How dare this jerk try and lure Peta away from her own home? And him?

  He found his fingers clenching, and did his best to relax them. Getting into a fight, satisfactory though it might have been, wouldn’t solve things and would probably upset Peta. Her mouth was tight, and he could see the color flushing her cheeks.

  He had to get rid of these two. Now.

  “Look, I’m sure accidents happen. But Peta just got out of the hospital, and right now she needs rest more than anything else. Thank you both for coming by...let me get your coats for you.”

  It wasn’t subtle, or tasteful. But it was effective.

  Cary was not to be outmaneuvered, however. Crossing to Peta’s chair, he reached for her hand, ignoring the fact that she’d buried it beneath Mr. Peebles’s ample tummy.

  Mr. Peebles, however, objected. He hissed, and obviously made his point clear. Cary halted, and settled for a warm smile.

  “You just let me know if there’s anything, anything at all, I can do, Peta dear. You understand?”

  “And Max...” Not to be outdone, Diana was sliding all over him as she shrugged into her fur coat. “Remember our little—conversation—in the kitchen. We’ll talk more when you’re...“ she glanced at Peta with a smug smile, “...free.”

  Max closed the door behind them both with a huge sigh of relief.

  The coffee was perked, and he grabbed a couple of mugs for them both before returning to Peta.

  As soon as he walked in, he knew he was in trouble.

  *~*~*~*

  Peta was burning. Her ankle throbbed where that idiot Cary had leaned on it, her temper was boiling at some of his suggestions, and to top it all off, it looked like Diana was still having an ongoing thing with Max.

  Unwisely, she spoke the first words that came to her mind. “So. Are you sleeping with Diana, or what?”

  Max’s eyebrows shot up, and She realized that she’d sounded like a fishwife. “God, I’m sorry. It’s none of my business what you do. Or with whom.”

  He passed her a mug, and she sniffed. It was coffee, and not bad either. Cautiously she took a sip. “Hey, this is quite nice.”

  Max grinned and settled in the chair on the other side of the fireplace. Mr. Peebles deserted Peta and came to check out the lap situation from this new perspective. Apparently he found it satisfactory, and as she watched, he lowered his large rump into Max’s crotch and proceeded to knead Max’s knees with great thoroughness. Max winced.

  “Ouch, fella. Watch the claws.” Carefully, he eased the flexing paws out of his jeans and the legs beneath. His touch was gentle and Mr. Peebles took the hint, merely rearranging his limbs and closing his eyes in bliss as he enjoyed the attentions to one of his ears.

  “It seems that perhaps we should get a few matters settled between us, seeing as I’m going to be staying here for a bit,” began Max.

  She chewed her lip. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to hear whatever he was about to say.

  “First off, you can ask me anything you want.” He paused. “Provided, of course, I get to ask you anything I want in return. Fair enough?”

  She thought about that for a moment. “Well, yes. I suppose so. It’s better to ask about things and get it all straight up front, isn’t it?”

  “Yep. Total honesty. You want to know something? Just ask. I’ll tell you the truth.”

  She gulped. Total honesty from Max Wolfe? Good Lord, she wouldn’t know where to begin. Thousands of questions trembled on the tip of her tongue, none of which she could spit out. All of which were extremely inappropriate, and many revolving around the issue of genital size. Is it as big as I’ve heard?

  “Now, seeing as Diana made some implications a moment ago, let’s talk about it and get it out of the way.”

  How could he sit there, so cool and collected, sipping his coffee and staring at her from those gorgeous hazel eyes, while discussing another woman? She held her breath.

  “First off, I didn’t fuck her in your kitchen. No matter how she made it sound.”

  Peta lowered her eyes. “I really didn’t think you did. You didn’t have time—“ She caught herself, and felt the color flood her cheeks as he grinned.

  “Clever girl. You’re right. I do like to take my time.”

  His words did nothing to cool her blushes. She badly wanted to ask him how much time he did take, but her natural caution held that question back too. Thank God.

  “As far as sleeping with her goes, well, yes I did. And no, I’m not anymore.”

  “Oh.” What more was there to say? How was she in bed? Why did you two split up? Would you consider sleeping with me?

  “You’re wondering why, right?”

  Good grief. He was a mind reader, too. She looked down at her mug. “I wouldn’t presume.” It was polite, noncommittal, and hopefully didn’t show the screaming curiosity that was coursing through her.

  He snickered. “Can’t hide from me, Peta.” He rubbed Mr. Peebles absently. “Diana and I had a brief—thing—a few months ago. Yes, she’s very attractive, and yes, she’s very sexual. Both of which I found appealing at the time.”

  She suppressed a snort. Max and everyone else in Mayfield, she suspected.

  “However,” he continued, “her tastes and mine—differed. A lot. I won’t go into it, but after a couple of nights together, I realized that we weren’t on the same wavelength. I haven’t dated her or slept with her since.”

  Okay. Good to know. She sighed a little internal sigh of relief.

  “Now supposing you tell me about Cary Stiles.” The question was firm, quiet, and demanded an answer.

  Peta thought for a moment. “Well, there’s not much to tell. He’s been making passes at me for a while now. I turned him down. Every time. Now I think it’s a matter of principle for him. I’m probably the only woman in Mayfield who’s said no to him. I’m sure he means nothing by it, it’s just that I’ve become this sort of.
..challenge to him, if you know what I mean?”

  “So he hits on you every chance he gets?”

  She frowned. Sometimes Americanisms took a little translating. “Um, yes, I suppose you could say so. He was quite insistent just now that I come and stay with him. He’s got this huge place on the other side of town.” She pursed her mouth. “With all those ‘Cary’s Cafés’ he manages, he can well afford it.”

  “Nice places.”

  “Yes they are. And successful too. I hear the chain is opening restaurants in several new venues soon.” She leaned back and gazed into the fire. Somehow, Max was easy to talk to, like this. Casual, friendly, not intimidating at all. She wondered why she’d never seen it before, this gentle side of him.

  Then she glanced at his face and caught something in his eyes that wasn’t gentle at all. It was downright hot.

  She shivered.

  “Damn, you’re running a fever, aren’t you?” He was at her side in an instant, touching his palm to her forehead. If she hadn’t had a fever before, she was well on her way to having one now.

  “No, no, really, Max...”

  “Don’t ‘no no’ me. You should be in bed.” He glanced at the clock. “And it’s time for a couple more pain pills too, I think.”

  She groaned. “Do I have to?”

  “Yes, young lady, you do.” Max stopped. “God. I’m turning into your mother.”

  Peta couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her. “No you’re not. My mother is alive and well and growing ghastly amounts of vegetables in Florida.”

  She saw the answering smile lighten his eyes.

  “Nevertheless, I think it’s time to get you more comfortable. Do you want something to eat, or shall I take you straight to bed?”

  Oh my. Now there was a question to give a girl pause. She swallowed. “I think perhaps bed, right now. I’m not hungry at all.” Except for a few things I shouldn’t be thinking of at this moment.

  “Smart girl. Come on.” He bent to the chair and picked her up in his arms, amazing her once again with his strength.

  “Max, I—“

  His face was close to hers. “What?”

  “I just can’t get over the way you do that. Pick me up. Carry me around. I’m not a lightweight, you know.”

  He snorted as he carefully made his way up the stairs to the second floor. “You’re just fine. Don’t worry about it.”

  Oh right. The deliciously delectable Max Wolfe was about to carry her into her bedroom like some character from a romance novel, and he was telling her not to worry about it.

  “Can I have a shower?” She wanted a shower. She wanted to get clean, and find herself again. She wanted him to scrub her back. She wanted him gone from her house and she wanted him to never put her down.

  Her head ached as the conflicting thoughts dueled inside her mind.

  “Nope. You have to stay off that foot, remember? If you’re a good girl, you can have a bath in the morning.”

  She chuckled. “Oh goody. Something to look forward to.”

  He lowered her gently onto the side of the bed. “Most certainly,” he grinned, his hands brushing her breast as her weight settled on the comforter.

  She wondered if it was accidental. The warmth between her thighs certainly wasn’t. That was a direct result of his touch.

  “Get undressed.”

  “I beg your pardon?” Her breath caught in her throat.

  “I said get undressed.”

  “Not with you in the room. What are you thinking?” Peta felt her eyebrows hit her hairline.

  He turned back to her, and for one instant a bolt of heat shot from her ears to her toes. His eyes were gleaming with an expression she couldn’t put a name to. Lust? Nope. Desire? Maybe. Impatience? Most likely.

  “I’m thinking I don’t want you falling and making that ankle worse. Where’s your nightclothes or whatever?”

  “My jammies?” She colored up as she realized what she’d said. He must have really caught her off guard. She seldom shared such intimate details with anyone, let alone the man of her dreams.

  He grinned. “Yeah, those. Where are they?”

  “Behind the bathroom door.” She waved helplessly at the small bathroom that led off the master bedroom, and Max disappeared to fetch her jammies.

  Her jammies. Well, that killed any sensual mood she’d been hoping for stone dead.

  He returned, bearing her flannel pajamas. “Cows?”

  Defensively, she raised her chin. “I like cows.”

  Max gave her a look that was so full of humor, she couldn’t help but smile back. “Me too.”

  She looked around helplessly as he laughed.

  “I’m going to wait outside. You get undressed. Get into your jammies, and I’ll carry you to the bathroom. Yell if you need help.”

  Peta watched the door pull to behind him, and obediently began to get undressed. Carry her to the bathroom indeed. Over her dead body. It was hard enough taking her clothes off knowing he was outside her bedroom door. If he imagined she could pee with him anywhere near her, he didn’t know her bladder.

  Which of course he didn’t, and as she struggled into her pajamas, she realized he probably wouldn’t, nor would he get to know any other parts of her body anytime soon, either.

  It was a depressing thought.

  She hopped quietly on one foot into the bathroom and freshened up, secure in the knowledge that she was, temporarily, alone. At least she could wash her face and brush her teeth while balancing one-legged on the sink.

  She ran her hairbrush through her hair and straightened the worst of the tangles. It would have to do.

  She opened the door and fell smack into a broad chest.

  “What did I tell you?” Max’s voice was stern.

  She closed her eyes. This was awful. He’d been outside. While she’d peed. And brushed her teeth. Was nothing sacred any more?

  Once again she was swept up into his arms and deposited on her bed. He’d turned the covers back, and she couldn’t suppress her sigh of relief as she felt the smooth sheets and the soft warmth of her own linens.

  “Now stay put.” He left the room, only to enter a few moments later with a glass of water and two pills. “Take these.”

  She glared at him. “Should I salute?”

  His grin softened his stern expression. “You have to rest, and get that ankle better. I’m trying to follow doctor’s orders here, kid. Don’t make it hard.”

  I’d love to make it hard, she thought wistfully, taking the pills and washing them down with the water he was holding out to her.

  “Good girl. Now lie back.” He fussed around her with a good deal of efficiency, settling her comfortably.

  She watched him, letting her muscles relax as the pain pills began to do their work. “Max?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Why are you doing this?” She was so comfortable now, her arms and legs were getting heavy, the pain had gone and her heart was singing. Max Wolfe was taking care of her. All was right with the world.

  “Because I’m a nice guy?”

  “Yes, you are. Funny thing, that...” She sighed, and with the memory of a pair of incredibly handsome eyes lingering in her brain, Peta fell asleep.

  *~*~*~*

  There were black and white cows in the field around her. They were making those soft sort of cow soundsa munch and a swish combined with the occasional grunting kind of moo.

  Peta felt the grass against her spine as she stretched in the sunlight, and realized she was naked. Some part of her registered this fact with detachment. The rest of her just relished the warmth on her skin and the blue sky that soared above her.

  Then something else was soaring above her. It was Max.

  All hazel eyes and flying hair, he was swooping in for a very nice three-point landing, andoh boyhis landing gear was down and locked.

  He smiled as he touched the grass at her side, and within seconds he was lying on top of her.

  She didn�
��t feel crushed, just warmed from head to toe by his body and his expression. His cock was hard between her thighs, and she felt herself getting wet as he rubbed his skin across hers.

  “Moo?” His voice was low and suggestive and she sighed with pleasure as it reverberated through her chest.

  “Oh moo,” she breathed.

  His hands roved across her skin, bringing tingles of electricity in their wake and his lips found her breast. He suckled, teasing her with his tongue as he did so.

  “Mmmmmoooo.”

  She couldn’t have agreed more. Her legs parted as she struggled to get him where she needed him most.

  His hip bones fit between hers like he’d been made for her, and when his cock slid over her clit, she gasped in pleasure.

  “Mmooo….”

  The palms of her hands ran over his back, tracing his muscles, learning his contours, and pulling him to her. She wanted him. She wanted to fuck him until…until the cows came home.

  He raised himself on his hands, pulling back a little and dazzling her with the light shining from his eyes. All heat and passion, his gaze sought her very soul.

  “Mmmooo?”

  “Mmmoooo,” she sighed, thrusting her hips up to leave no doubt as to the answer to his question. It definitely was “mmmooo” or never.

  She was ready. Oh so ready.

  It was going to happen. Finally, at long last, she’d get what she’d yearned for since he walked into her life.

  She was going to fuck Max.

  He poised his cock at the entrance to her sex and she gasped at the feel of it. So…wonderful.

  A new sensation made her blink. Something was sitting on her foot.

  He turned slightly, and his cock slid away from her body. She nearly cried. They both looked down at a large cat who had draped himself over Peta’s sore ankle.

  “Oh mooooo.”

  Chapter Six

  Max eased himself into Peta’s room for the third time that night, and crossed to the bed. The first couple of times, he could have sworn she was mooing in her sleep. Well, hell, if she insisted on wearing cow pajamas, it wasn’t a surprise.