Dare She Stay — Chapter 6
The hand is quicker than good sense
Stormee hurried into her grandmother’s room and found her sitting on the edge of the bed, struggling to get the IV untangled from the bed covers. “What are you doing? You shouldn’t get up without help.”
“Well, lend me a hand then. We’re wasting time,” Nana said with a wave of her autocratic hand.
“You’re still recovering from the fall. Everything is fine but the doctor wants you to get more rest.” Stormee patted her grandmother’s shoulder.
“Girl, those thieves are after my blues. I have to keep them safe. Get me out of here so we can check on them.”
“Nana, I’ll check on them for you. They’ll be there when you get back to Serenity House tomorrow.”
“You can’t do this job alone. It’s too dangerous.”
Stormee’s concern heightened at the genuine worry evident in Nana’s trembling voice. She grasped her grandmother’s hand and held it tight to keep her from further entangling the IV tube.
“Mrs. Langley, Stormee won’t be alone. I’ll keep a vigilant watch. You don’t need to worry.” Dirk’s firm voice projected across Stormee’s shoulder.
“Who are you?” Nana glared at Dirk, a suspicious glint in her eye. Switching her attention to Stormee, she asked, “He’s not one of them, is he?”
“He…He’s a friend.” Stormee patted her grandmother’s hand but avoided looking her in the eye.
“Stormee Waters! How many times must I tell you never to catch the attention of a rogue? This one is too good looking to be humble, and he’s got the Devil’s own smile. Brainless girl.” With a jerk of her hand, Nana pointed to a spot behind Stormee. “Send him through the door this instant and turn the lock.”
“Nana.” Stormee’s cheeks fired with embarrassment. “Mr. Savage is…”
“Savage?” Nana screwed up her face and pointed a finger misshapen by arthritis toward Dirk’s chest. “Yep, he’s an untamable one. Get rid of him before he stakes a claim because when he does, he’ll take the whole territory.”
Dirk stepped close to Stormee’s side. “I believe you’ve encountered such a rogue in your youth, Mrs. Langley, so you can appreciate the truth in my words. The claim is staked. Stormee’s doing her best to send me on my way, but I’m confident I’ll win her affection. Don’t you think I’m right?”
Stormee didn’t know what shocked her more — Dirk’s outrageous words and conspirator’s grin, or Nana’s coquettish smile.
Dirk reached for her grandmother’s hand and placed a knightly kiss upon it.
Nana almost swooned in ecstasy and the eyelash flutter she bestowed on him nearly made Stormee gag with frustration.
“Oh. Young man, you’re a scoundrel of the first caliber.”
Dirk rewarded the flirty comment with a teasing wink. “I’ll go with Stormee to retrieve the blues for you. Don’t worry anymore, just rest. Will you do that for me?”
Nana smiled and released an elongated sigh. With a slight nod, she agreed to Dirk’s wishes.
“I’m taking Stormee home, Mrs. Langley. She’s had a very long day and needs to rest. We’ll be back in the morning to visit you.”
Stormee stepped forward, displacing Dirk from Nana’s side. “I’m not leaving yet.”
“You’re a precious child, always helpful.” Nana soothed her granddaughter’s anxiety with a pat on Stormee’s cheek. “You do as he says. Now that I know Mr. Savage will see to your safety, I’ll be able to rest well. We’ll visit tomorrow.”
Their departure from the hospital and subsequent ride to the Serenity Assisted Living facility passed in standoffish silence. Her misgivings escalated by the minute, leaving confusion and a sense of loss in its wake.
How can I return to Houston and leave Nana alone again? She crossed one arm over her stomach and clasped her side while another worrisome thought followed the first. What do I do about Dirk Savage and this crazy attraction I don’t want?
“Are you ready to go inside?”
Dirk’s question jerked Stormee from her mental wandering. He’d already parked in front of the assisted living complex. She moved quickly, stepping out of the car and away from his suffocating nearness. A hand latched onto her wrist before she’d taken three steps toward the building’s entrance, swinging her around to face him.
“A woman who uses silence as a weapon is both childish and infuriating.” He looked briefly over his shoulder and took a deep breath.
“I’m not a child!” The shouted retort accompanied by a stomp of her foot seemed, even in her mind, a humiliating contradiction. Stormee pointed a finger at his chest and unleashed her thoughts before the courage to do so fled. “You need to get one thing straight. I don’t want you here. I don’t need your interference in my life, and I have no interest in being one of your many women.”
The ground moved, or did she?
Dirk maneuvered her backward until her calves met the car’s front bumper. His hands rested on the hood as he leaned toward her.
Saliva pooled under her tongue. Her heart thudded against her chest. “This is a public parking lot. Pe — People may be watching.” Avoiding his intense gaze, she looked in both directions.
“Let them.”
The emphatic directive gave no hint of him taking a softer line. She kept her face turned to the side.
“Look at me.”
His unpredictability induced her to do as he asked. Amber sparks flared in his eyes like sunspots. And just like a planet caught in the inescapable orbit of its star, she couldn’t avoid the long hard look that sent a rush of heat prickling along her skin.
“Stormee, try to come to terms with your true feelings. I know it’s sudden, but you’re more than a little attracted to me. Quit playing games and allow this relationship an opportunity to develop.”
“We’ve only just met. I don’t know you.” She shook her head.
“Then get to know me. Stop running away.”
She inhaled sharply as he drew her upright against his body. An overwhelming magnetism kept her in place.
“Give me a chance,” he said, pressing his cheek to hers and whispering into her hair. “This may be moving too fast but trust me just a little. I’m not playing you. I don’t want a one-night stand, either.”
His warm breath stroked her ear. The first splintered break in her heart’s defenses made a tangible sound in her head. If not protected, the fracture threatened to open wide. “I — I don’t want this.” Her head shook from side to side.
He pulled her upright, separated their bodies, and gave her shoulders a small shake. “On the contrary, you want this as much as I do. I’ve never believed in love-at-first-sight, but I’m no longer a skeptic. You’re the woman I’ve been waiting for.”
Profound shyness made her want to hide from the passionate intensity of his words. She shrank from the implied commitment. Too many years as a caregiver and substitute parent hadn’t prepared her for this.
He raised her right hand and placed it on his chest. Their racing heartbeats synced in rhythm. “Will you give me a chance?”
His gaze was as soft as a caress and sent waves of excitement through her naive heart. His enthusiasm caught her in its wake. She wanted to be kissed senseless, to be given no choice but to enter the magnetic vortex that always encased him. Panic set off warning signals in her head, while her heart heaved and tumbled with the force of a derailed train.
He released his hold. “I’d like to make this decision for you, but I won’t. Don’t be afraid, Stormee.” His bold gaze urged compliance.
This life-defining moment threatened to choke the breath from her. Raw, unfamiliar emotions boiled in her blood, forcing a frantic response. She’d meant to just step away, run, if necessary. But when he stepped to the side to block her attempt, her hand moved with the speed and sound of a lightning bolt. The stinging slap forced his head to the side.
Stormee blinked in horrified disbelief as he ran his fingers across the side of his face. His stunned expression slowly turning cold. No residue of the persuasive lover lingered in his taut body.
Without a word, he turned and walked back to the SUV, his back straighter than a ruler. The car’s engine revved and the squeal of tires as the vehicle entered the flow of oncoming traffic shot a new type of fear through her heart.
“Miss, are you okay?” a man’s voice inquired.
Startled, Stormee turned to see a kind-faced young man dressed in blue scrubs standing a few feet behind her. She gave him a reassuring smile. “Yes, I’m fine. Thank you for asking.”
Idiotically, an overwhelming sense of abandonment confused her to the point of tears. She couldn’t blame him for leaving. After all, she’d struck him a humiliating blow, not just to his face, but to his very core.
To be continued…
Chapter 7: https://readmedium.com/dare-she-stay-chapter-7-25758fd1878d
More fiction by Lynda Coker