Flaming Hearts (Beyond Reality Book 2) (4 page)

“Please,” he told her quietly. “Let me help you. I can at least help you wash your hands so they don’t get infected. Then can you please let me take a look at your head where you hit it? I’m worried about you.”

Becky cocked her head and looked at him, ignoring his comment about worrying about her, even though it sent tingles throughout her body. She asked after a moment, “How do you know I hit my head?”

Dean took a deep breath. This was killing him. Why wouldn’t she just give in and let him help her? He usually admired women who were tough in the face of adversity, but he’d give anything for Becky to want to lean on him and let him take care of her. He answered honestly, “You’re squinting like your head hurts, and I can see a bit of blood on the collar of your shirt. You also have some dried blood under your fingertips. I figured it had to have come from your head somewhere. If you aren’t going to let me do it, please take this wet wipe and clean your hands so they don’t get infected. I really want to at least check out your head to make sure it’s not worse than you think it is. I’m sure you know head wounds can be dangerous.”

“It’s not bleeding anymore,” Becky told him quietly. “It’ll hold until I get back to the house.”

“What can it hurt for me to take a look to be sure?” Dean insisted, about ready to be done with the back and forth between them and just take her hands into his own and take care of her whether she wanted him to or not.

Becky sighed. She really did just want to get back the house and not have to deal with this anymore. But it didn’t look like this man was going anywhere anytime soon and he genuinely sounded like he wanted to help her.

“You aren’t an escaped murderer, are you?” she asked him, only half kidding.

Dean shook his head and tried to look as non-threatening as he could. “Would a crazed escaped killer take the time to try to wash your hands before he killed you?” he asked with a chuckle.

Becky giggled and shook her head, wincing when the movement made her head ache again. She reached up to take the scrunchie out of her hair when Dean stopped her.

“Let me,” he said as he reached for her hair.

Becky flinched as he reached toward her and she made a conscious effort not to back away from him.

Dean noticed the flinch and paused in mid reach and asked, “May I? I promise I’ll be gentle and will do what I can not to hurt you further.”

At Becky’s reluctant nod he reached over slowly and unwound the hairband and loosened her hair, careful not to pull on it or otherwise cause her any unnecessary pain.

Becky closed her eyes. Man, it felt good to have his hands in her hair. Even though the pain of her injury persisted; she could enjoy his hands on her. She’d never really been touched that much after her mom died, maybe hugs by some friends every now and then, and his hands were so gentle. It was pathetic that this was turning her on. She really needed to get out more. Dean removed her hair from its bindings.

She took a deep breath and smelled…him. Holy crap, he smelled good. She didn’t think he was wearing cologne, because he didn’t seem like the kind of man who would drown himself in a manufactured scent, but whatever soap he used must be slightly scented. He smelled like the ocean and…man. She didn’t know how to describe it, but it was delicious.

Dean was trying to control himself. He couldn’t believe she was here. That he’d finally found his
One
. The fact it was because she was injured was making it not quite what he’d envisioned, but it didn’t matter. He’d take care of her, then figure out what came next. He’d not lose her now.

Her hair was smooth and when he ran his fingers through it, loosening it up and making sure it was all out of the scrunchie, it slid through his fingers easily.

Dean immediately felt the wound on the back of her head. It seemed pretty big and he could tell that it had bled somewhat profusely. It was still oozing just a little bit of blood, but for the most part it’d stopped and didn’t look life threatening.

He took a washcloth from his pack and wet it with his water bottle. He looked at Becky. She had her eyes closed and her hands in her lap. She didn’t flinch when he started cleaning her wound, but he saw her hands clench into tight fists. He knew he was hurting her, but he also knew he didn’t have a choice.

“You really hit your head hard, Becky,” he told her. “Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

Becky gave him a small nod.

“Will you let me take you to the hospital?” He tried again and as soon as he said the word ‘hospital,’ Becky jerked away from him and stood up with a wobble.

“No, I told you, I’m fine! I don’t need to go to the hospital!”

“Okay, okay,” Dean said soothingly. “I’m sorry. I’m just worried about that bump.”

Becky sighed. Crap. She was screwing this up royally. “Really, I’m fine. I’m sorry I snapped at you. I just want to get back to my friend’s house. I’ve had a concussion before, this isn’t one. Yes, it hurts, and yes I have a headache, but nothing is rattling around in there, I promise.”

She tried to smile at him. Dean couldn’t smile back. He was reaching the end of his limit of letting her stand alone and not allow him to help her. He reached back into his pack and came up with a small bottle.

“How about a couple of aspirin then?” he said with a small smile. “Will you at least take these?” Becky gratefully held out her hand and took the peace offering. If he was a killer and was offering her cyanide pills or something, so be it. She’d take the chance. She
needed
those aspirin.

“Thank you, Dean. Seriously. I’m sorry I’m being such a bitch. This hasn’t been the best day for me. Will you help me wash the rest of the blood out of my hair before we go? I’d rather not go back to the house with the blood in my hair.” She had no idea why she was trusting this stranger, this man, like she was. It was unlike her. It was especially unlike her to want to lay her head on his broad chest and have him hold her.

“Of course, Becky, I’ll do anything you want me to,” Dean answered honestly. “And you’re not being a bitch. As you said, you’re having a bad day. Give me your hands, let’s start there.”

She sat back down beside him and held her hands out to him with her palms facing up.

Dean took her right hand in his and used the wet wipe to clean her palm. Because of the fall, and the subsequent climb up the hill, they were filthy. After wiping the dirt away he could see the scrapes underneath. When he was finished with that hand, he brought it up to his mouth and kissed her palm. He held his lips to her skin for as long as he thought he could get away with before placing it back in her lap and taking her left hand into his and beginning to clean it as well.

Becky curled her right hand into a fist as if she could hold the feel of his lips on her skin a little longer by the action. She’d never, in her entire life, felt the way she had when Dean had kissed her. She felt…special. Wanted. Desired. So much feeling by one simple touch of his lips. It took her breath away.

Dean finished wiping her left hand clean and kissed it the same way he did the right. He placed that hand back into her lap, took her by the shoulders and turned her away from him.

Everything he did was no nonsense and done with a purpose. Becky thought it was sexy as hell.

“Turn this way so I can get to your head easier,” he told her softly as he spun her around. “Tip your head back and look at the sky. I don’t want to get your shirt wet. I’m going to pour some of my water on your hair to rinse the blood out.”

Becky did as he asked and closed her eyes as she looked upward. He carefully cleaned the back of her head and got as much blood out of her hair as he could. She opened her eyes when he started drying her hair with something. Oh man, if he’d taken his shirt off she didn’t know what she’d do. She looked and sighed with relief, at least she tried to convince herself it was relief. He’d taken an extra shirt from his backpack and used that to dry her hair as best he could. He’d been so gentle with her. He’d done just as he said he would, and hadn’t hurt her.

Dean’s hands on her shoulders were gentle. Becky opened her eyes and found herself looking into his eyes. He’d knelt on the ground in front of her and was staring at her intently.

Dean looked at this amazing woman, who, thank God was his, and said seriously, “I’m worried about you. I’m not sure I can just drop you off and forget about it. Will you let me contact you? Will you let me know you’re okay after today?”

Becky swallowed. Why couldn’t
this
man be on the show? Then again, she figured as soon as he saw Marissa he’d probably forget all about her.

“Dean,” she said hesitantly. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to.”

Dean cut her off. “Please, I
need
to know you’re all right, Becky,” he said urgently.

Becky looked at the man in front of her. He sounded sincere and she wasn’t sure what to tell him. She really,
really
didn’t want to lie to him, and she was conscious of the confidentiality contract that she’d signed. But she also liked him. Here she was, covered in blood and dirt. It was irrational as hell, not to mention that she wasn’t at her best at the moment, but something about him drew her in.

“I don’t have a phone, and um…I’m not allowed to receive any phone calls…I’m kinda on vacation right now…but it’s also kind of a job…” Her voice trailed off, realizing how dumb and flighty she sounded. She didn’t want Dean to think that she didn’t
want
to talk to him. “Oh, shit…here’s the deal…I’m on a reality show being filmed here in Arizona,” she blurted out suddenly. The hell with it, she wasn’t going to find anyone to spend her life with among the choices on the show, so why not? She didn’t know what she expected Dean to say but it wasn’t what came out of his mouth.

“Really? Are you serious? Cool! My brother is a camera operator on that show!” Dean tried to sound as convincing as possible. It wasn’t that he wanted to lie to her, he just figured it would be better if she thought he didn’t know who she was.

Becky just looked at him in disbelief. A camera operator? What were the odds? “He is?” was all she could get out.

“Yes, ma’am, and that means I’ll be able to have a guest pass to come to the set! That is…” He paused and suddenly looked nervous, “if you
want
me to come and see you.”

Becky looked down. “Um, Dean, I don’t think I’ll be able to talk to you when I go back. It’s, um…a dating show…and I’m only supposed to talk to the other people on the show…” She didn’t want to discourage him, but she had no idea how this could work. There was no way Eddie was going to allow her to have ‘visitors,’ especially if it was a man.

Dean smiled at her. “You know what? Where there’s a will there’s a way. Now that I know where you’ll be, we’ll figure it out. Just know that I
want
to figure it out. Come on, let’s get you back to the house so you can shower and rest. You’ll feel better once you can take a nice long shower and get into clean clothes.”

He carefully took her hand and helped her stand up. He kept his hand on her waist until he was sure she was steady on her feet. Then he helped her shrug on her backpack and started back down the trail toward the parking lot. He reached out and gently took her hand in his as they walked, smiling at her when she didn’t protest or pull it out of his grasp.

Becky smiled back at him as she walked. Even though her head hurt and she didn’t know what would be waiting for her back at the house, she felt content holding Dean’s hand and just being with him. It was the oddest feeling, and she wouldn’t have believed it if she hadn’t been experiencing it for herself. It freaked her out on one hand, but on the other she was so tired of being treated like crap and feeling like she was nothing. She’d gladly soak up every ounce of attention she could get from this man. And it wasn’t as if Dean was hard on the eyes. He was gorgeous and she got goosebumps remembering the feel of his lips on her palm.

Suddenly, she thought of something else. She was on a dating show and his brother probably knew everything that was going on since he was a camera operator. She was instantly mortified. What had his brother told him about the show already…about her? Maybe he’d known she was going to be here today and wanted to see the reality show reject. She stopped walking suddenly and pulled her hand out of his.

“Did you know I was going to be here today?” she asked Dean abruptly.

Dean looked down at Becky calmly. She was definitely riled up. “No, sweetheart, I didn’t,” he easily bent the truth a bit, the endearment coming out of his mouth without any thought, “I had no idea I’d meet such a beautiful woman today, or that I’d get to play a knight in shining armor,” he told her honestly. “Am I happy that I met you? Definitely. Am I happy that we can’t be together right now? No way, but I can wait. I know you have obligations, and believe it or not, so do I. But I feel better knowing my brother will be around in case you need him and just to keep watch over you.”

Becky’s forehead furrowed and she awkwardly stood in the middle of the trail. “I don’t understand this. You. I don’t understand you. Why would you care? I mean, you just met me, you don’t know me. Unless your brother has told you about me?” she asked in a small voice, dreading his answer.

Dean wanted to beat the crap out of all the men on the show. He could tell from her demeanor and the way she asked the question she was embarrassed.