“What should I do?” askedAllister.
Maia smiled weakly. “How about youdrive?”
“Okay!” He paused long enough for Maia to put her hand over the towel, now dotted with red, before running ahead to open the back seat of the town car. London turned around and sat down with her on his lap. He swung his legs inside and Allister slammed the door. April climbed in the front, her phone pressed to her ear. Karen blew them a kiss and then went back to wringing herhands.
The inside of the car was hot and stuffy and smelled like lemon car freshener. “You, um.” Maia tucked her hair behind her ear and then draped her arm across London’s broad shoulders again. “You don’t have to holdme.”
London’s face turned stony. He shook his head. “You’re staying righthere.”
Maia took in his hard jaw and the determined slant to his brow and decided not to argue. Now that she was sitting in a pretty darn comfortable spot, her muscles, which had been so tense, began to relax and sleep tugged at her like a persistent child. Her eyes fluttered shut, and sounds moved to the background. Her leg throbbed. She hoped there weren’t any splinters left inthere.
“Maia—honey, stay withme.”
Maia smiled softly. “Wish you’d said that at prom,” shemuttered.
London kissed her forehead. “I wish I hadtoo.”
“Hmm.” Her legs and arms grewheavier.
“Maia?” London patted herface.
Maia wanted to answer, but she just didn’t have theenergy.
“Hurry. I think she’s going intoshock.”
Chapter Thirteen
London cursedunder his breath as Maia faded from consciousness. He leaned over and laid her on the seat, gently lifting her legs, bending them at the knee to move blood back up to her head. He berated himself for not doing that in the first place. Her hand had dropped from the cloth and he barely caught it before it fell on her stomach. “We should have called anambulance.”
April shook her head so fast her hair whipped her cheek. “No way. Maia wasn’t exactly supposed to be at The Flower Pot today. If the promotions crew at the studio found out, she could be introuble.”
London gently brushed Maia’s soft black hair off her shoulder and brushed his fingers along her neck. He told himself that he was checking for a pulse, but really, he wanted to touch her olive skin. She had the most beautiful skin. So soft. So delicate. No wonder the board had gone right through. “What kind oftrouble?”
“Breach of contract. They aren’t monsters, but they take these promotional tours seriously. She’s not supposed to put herself in danger and she should have checked in before straying from thetimetable.”
London grunted. His football contract was similar. He wasn’t allowed to participate in what the owner considered dangerous activities, which included everything from skydiving to riding amotorcycle.
He’d given up all pretense of checking for a pulse and was brushing his hand up and down her bare arm. He couldn’t get enough of being near her. The fact that she’d played hooky to come see him about melted his heart. Maianeverskipped class. She was so worried about being the straight arrow—the exact opposite of her mother—that she showed up on time to every class on the last day of school when the rest of the seniors milled about in the hallway signingyearbooks.
“I bet they all wish they’d gotten your autograph back then.” He picked up her hand and kissed her palm. “I wish I could have told you my secret.” He kissed each pad on her fingers. All those years—wasted. He should kick his own trash for being such a fool. Even after college, after the counseling sessions that helped him process how he’d grown up—how wrong it was—after the restraining order and his parents’ divorce, he didn’t go after the woman his heart cried out for because he was ashamed andembarrassed.
“I wish I’d been brave enough to let you love me,” he said barely loud enough for Maia tohear.
April gave Allister instructions to pull to the side door. He got close enough that he triggered the motion sensor and the doors whooshed open. April hopped out and opened his door. London scooped Maia back into his arms. Her face was peaceful as if she needed a nap and wasn’t in pain. That was not reassuring. He much preferred her awake and bossy. She only became bossy when she was stressed. As soon as she started handing out assignments, he knew she needed him to bestrong.
Doctors and nurses were waiting for them in a sterile room with shiny instruments and silent monitors waiting for Maia to make them beep. He hesitated beside the bed, unable to let her go quite yet. He finally had Maia in his arms once more. This was a bizarre answer to his prayers—that’s forsure.
Finally, he set her down gently, kissing her temple and then her hair before stepping back to let the doctors and nurses do their thing. His arms felt empty and cold and useless without her to hold. That was all the sign he needed to know that he needed to do all he could to hold on toher.
Chapter Fourteen
Maia staredat the drip-drip-drip in the tube that fed the line that went into her arm. The doctors weren’t taking any chances and insisted on an intravenous antibiotic. She’d asked to be alone for a while, not even letting April in the room and especially not letting London in to see her. She wasn’t ready for him yet, didn’t quite know what to do withhim.
In some ways, he was still the boy she fell in love with: lighthearted, big and strong, confident, and still hiding asecret.
She’d noticed Karen wasn’t wearing a ring. It didn’t surprise her, not really. London’s dad was strict and stern and could ice over a room with one look. He’d played college football but never made it to the pros. Maia had the impression, way back then, that Reed was living his dream throughLondon.
Drip. Drip. Drip.Driiip.
