From Temptation To Twins

“Thank you,” she said instead.

Caleb smiled, and his hand firmed against her back. Warmth and pleasure flowed through her before she remembered to shut it down.

“Can I see Melissa?” Jules asked the nurse.

“Not for at least an hour. She’s in recovery.” The nurse’s gaze went to the clock on the wall, which showed that it was well past midnight.

“You might as well come back in the morning,” Caleb said. “You need some sleep, too.”

Again, Jules wanted to argue with him on principle. But she was tired, and he wasn’t wrong, especially if Melissa was only going to sleep anyway.

“I’ll drive you home,” he said, seeming to take her silence for agreement.

It was, but that didn’t mean she wanted him to make the assumption. But now wasn’t the time to make an issue of it.

She directed her attention to the nurse instead, reaching out to squeeze the woman’s hands in gratitude. “Thank you so much. Will you thank the surgeon for me?”

“I will.”

The nurse departed, and Jules stepped away from Caleb’s touch as they walked down the corridor.

“I can get a cab,” she said as they approached the double doors of the foyer.

“Sure you could,” he said. “And that makes perfect sense. Especially since I’m driving past your house on my way home.”

“We’re not your responsibility,” she felt compelled to point out.

He pushed open the door. “Nobody said you were.”

“What are you doing here anyway?” The night wind was brisk against her thin T-shirt, and she wrapped her arms around herself.

“I wanted to make sure Melissa was okay. And I knew you’d need a ride home.”

“You barely know us.”

He indicated a black Lexus parked near the door. “I’ve known you for twenty-four years.”

“You’ve disliked me for twenty-four years. It’s not the same thing.”

“I never disliked you.” Something softened in his tone. “I barely knew you.”

“You dislike me now.”

“I’m annoyed with you right now. That’s not the same thing either.”

“Close enough.”

He cracked a smile as he opened the passenger door. “You do make it difficult to like you, Jules.”

“Because I won’t give in and give you what you want.”

“That’s part of it.” He closed the door and crossed to the driver’s side.

“What’s the other part?” she asked as he took his seat and pressed the starter button.

To her relief, warm air immediately blew through the dashboard vents.

“You disagree with virtually everything I say.”

She thought about that. “Not with everything you say.”

He gave an ironic shake of his head, but he smiled again, too.

She liked his smile. She had to stop liking his smile. And his touch, she really had to stop liking his touch.

He pulled out of the parking spot and headed for the winding coastal road back to their houses. “Name one thing where you’ve agreed with me.”

“I’m letting you drive me home.”

“I had to talk you into that.”

“Proving I can change my mind,” she said with triumph. “I’m a reasonable person who can change her mind when presented with evidence.”

“In that case, let me explain about how...”

Her heart sank a bit. “Not tonight, Caleb.”

“I was joking.”

She suddenly felt drained of energy and realized she’d been running on adrenaline since the accident, and the relief that had buoyed her at learning Melissa would recover had already worn off. Now she was just exhausted.

“Are you hungry?” he surprised her by asking.

She was, but she didn’t want to admit it. It felt like she’d be showing him another weakness.

“I’m starving,” he said. “Do you mind if we stop?”

“You’re driving. It’s your car. You can do whatever you like.”

He glanced her way. “Have I done something to annoy you just now?”

She instantly felt guilty. “No.” That was a lie. “Yes.” That wasn’t quite right either. “I wish you’d quit being nice. It makes me nervous.”

He laughed, and the rich sound was somehow soothing to her nerves.

He took an abrupt left, entering the parking lot of a fast-food place. “Burger okay with you?”

“Whatever you’re having,” she said. She was hungry, not fussy.