SEAL Forever (5 page)

“You're the only woman in history who can survive paragliding, only to trip over her own feet on the way to the car. Such an innocent-looking rock too. And to top it off, you dislocate your shoulder. What are you doing for an encore?” He was teasing her.

“Ha, ha,” she said flatly. “We don't know that it is truly dislocated.” She knew why he was being a pain in the ass. There were too many males in her family who played the same game, and oddly enough his taunting
was
helping. It was sort of comforting too. Humor had distracted her from the painful ride in the car and the walk into the hospital.

“I do. I've seen hundreds of them. I don't know why you won't let me reset your shoulder. I've had plenty of experience in the field. I've even reset my own.” Declan wanted to help so much; it was endearing. But it wasn't doing much to hide the fact that it was going to be ages before she got in to see a doctor. At the Torrey Pines Urgent Care Center, it was standing room only.

“That explains a lot,” she quipped back. Maura wasn't thrilled with the idea of anyone bumping into her shoulder. Thankfully, Declan was like a walking wall, and as long as she stayed in his proximity, no one seemed to jostle her.

After two hours of waiting around, she was almost inclined to take him up on his offer. The waiting room was the pits.

“Maxwell. Is there a Maura Maxwell?” asked a health care worker in heart-emblazoned scrubs with a name tag that had RN on it.

Maura spoke up. “That's me.”

“The doctor will see you now.”

Maura moved slowly to the door. Once through, she was amazed at the amount of activity; it rivaled that of a busy beehive.

The nurse had held up a hand, denying entrance to Declan. “It's a tight fit in here. If you wouldn't mind waiting outside.”

Maura had to endure getting her vitals—blood pressure, heart rate, etc.—before she was escorted back to a tiny corner with two chairs and a curtain. Again, her heart sank. This was going to be another waiting game.

Gritting her teeth against the pain, Maura sat down slowly, but it didn't help the jarring motion from setting off the nerve endings in her shoulder. A hand on her good arm made her eyes spring upward to take in a mountainous man. He could have been a twin to Declan.

“I'm Dr. Singer. I'm going to examine you.” He examined her fingers and fingernails and checked her pulse points against the other arm. “It's lucky I was in the building. Orthopedic docs are not usually here on weekends, but I had an emergency surgery and stayed to catch up on paperwork.”

“Okay.” She let the one word out on a strained breath of air. Luckily, it was not the arm that she'd had all the surgeries on as a teen. She didn't want to answer a million questions for this doctor about her scars and the injuries she'd sustained in the car accident almost a decade ago.

“You look pretty good. The blood flow isn't impeded, but there is no doubt you popped the shoulder out.” His fingers poked and prodded. The pain was excruciating! “How did you do it?”

“Fell on a-a-a rock.” It took everything she had to get those words out. She wanted to pass out from the pain.

Gently, he pried her fingers away from the death grip she had on her limb. “You need to let go. Give me control of your arm.”

Dr. Singer bent her elbow, forcing her arm into a ninety-degree angle, then lifted up.

“Owwwwwwww!” Maura couldn't stop the scream of pain from leaving her lips as the shoulder slid back into place.

A commotion from outside the curtain arose.

“Hold still while I fit this sling around you,” ordered Dr. Singer.

The curtain slid back and Declan was standing there. His eyes were burning with a bright fire, and he looked like he was going to take out half of the urgent care center. Three nurses surrounded him, and they were calling for security.

“He's with me,” said Maura.

One of the nurses gestured for Declan to get inside.

With two men of such large girth, Maura felt like a tiny flower. She'd never been the delicate type, and the idea made her grin.

“You'll need to keep this on for at least two weeks and follow up with your primary care doctor within that time. Just let him or her know that you've been to the urgent care and you will get in faster. Between us, it doesn't appear that you've torn anything, but just to be sure, you should get an MRI to confirm it. I'll list all of this in your file.” Dr. Singer finished securing the sling. “Let's prescribe you an anti-inflammatory and get you on your way. I'll be right back.”

Maura looked up at Declan. “Next time, you have my permission to put my shoulder back in.”

Declan smiled. “That bad?”

“I'm sitting in a corner with two folding chairs, talking to a doctor who happened to be here by chance. Yep, I'd rather have saved the hours waiting out there and sitting in here.” Maura scratched her neck. “This sling itches.”

“I'll show you how to make it comfortable. I have a few tricks up my sleeve.” Declan pulled a bandana out of his back pocket and looped it around the back of sling where it touched her neck. Then he made a few minor adjustments to the sling itself.

“I'll bet.” Maura let out a sigh of relief. “Okay. You've got the position as my chief health care man. Consider yourself hired.” The pressure was off and she felt significantly better. Declan really was a man of many talents.

A nurse opened the curtain and handed several pieces of paper and a prescription to Maura. “Follow the instructions. Heat and ice. Don't use that arm for any reason, and wear the sling until further notice from your primary care. Understood?”

Maura nodded her head.

The nurse looked Declan up and down. “I assume that you have a ride home.”

Smiling to herself, Maura replied, “Yes, thank you.”

Declan put his hand under Maura's uninjured elbow and helped her stand up. “She's in good hands.”

One of the other nurses walking by said under her breath, “I'll bet.”

Maura laughed softly as she worked her way out of the busy place, aided by her bodyguard. Declan didn't seem to mind being her buffer, blocking anyone who might bump her or obstruct her path. Most people who saw him got out of the way automatically. If they didn't, all he had to do was clear his throat.

Yes, there were advantages to having this giant hunk of a man by her side. And she was enjoying it.

* * *

Walking through the doorway of her apartment had never felt so good. Maura was relieved to be home. The car ride had been painful, regardless of how carefully Declan drove, and she was still a little tense.

She steered herself toward her bedroom. An arm blocked her way.

“Hold up, Miss Maxwell.” Declan appeared adamant as he guided her toward his place. “We are going to my house.”

“No offense, but I'm tired and sore, and all I want is to lie down.”

He stopped pushing her toward the glass door and their shared balcony. Laying his forehead against hers, he said, “I know. Trust me. Okay?”

She didn't want to. They'd picked up the anti-inflammatory on the way home. The effects were already kicking in and she wanted to sleep.

“Back at the urgent care, you said you'd trust me with your well-being. Do you still?”

She wanted to deny it, but she did trust him. “Fine.”

He winked at her. “Good. C'mon.” Taking her by the elbow, he gently guided her out her glass door, onto the balcony, and over to his place.

“Earthy,” she said as she walked inside. His apartment smelled clean and a little salty, like the sea. She liked the warm colors—beiges, red clay, sage greens, and creams.

“I find the colors soothing…as if I'm outside.” He whisked her through the rest of the place, not leaving her much time to take everything in. Soon enough they were in his bathroom. It looked nothing like hers.

“How did you get a Jacuzzi tub in here?” That thing could have fit five guys the size of Declan.

“I own my apartment and when I remodeled, I put this beauty in. I wanted a hot tub outside, but the balcony would never have held the weight.” He turned on the taps full stream and then turned to her. “This is the place I wanted to bring you after your paddleboard accident. I didn't know how you'd feel about it, though.”

“You saved me that night.”

“Maybe. If you'd held on through the storm, you'd have been able to save yourself. The storm blew itself out in a short time,” Declan reassured her. “Don't give up your love of paddleboarding.”

“I won't.” She licked her lips. “You always seem to do that.”

“What?” he asked.

“Empower me. Make me feel better about myself, like I can get through any situation no matter what it is, if I just give myself a chance to work through it.” Maura smiled. “That's a gift, Declan, that you're like this.”

“It's the SEAL in me. We never quit.” He pointed at the top of the tub where the tiles made a shelf. “Why don't you sit on the edge of the tub, and I'll help you undress.”

Maura's eyebrows shot upward. “I…uh…”

“Now you're getting shy? I've seen you naked. Don't lose that uninhibited side of yourself. I admire it.”

“Ah, thanks.” Maura swallowed the lump in her throat. The truth was…she wanted to soak in a hot tub. Her body was sore from all of the tension and pain, and she could use the relief.

When the tub was full of water, he turned off the taps, checked the temperature, and added something from a purple bottle of…yummm…lavender and eucalyptus.

Declan reached for her. Maura didn't pull away. He started with her shoes, and then removed her shorts and panties. Then he slowly reached under her shirt and unclipped her bra. From beneath her shirt, he maneuvered the bra off flawlessly before he picked up her—shirt and sling—and placed her into the tub.

“What are you doing?”

“You'll see.” He stripped off his own clothes in record time and crawled in beside her. “I want you to lie on your back. I'm going to support you with one hand and use the other to finish undressing you.”

Maura sighed. “My sling is wet,” she grumbled. “I didn't think you were supposed to put these things in water.”

“Relax,” he said, leaning over her. “I have about ten of them in the linen closet. I even have them in camo and different colors. You can take your pick after the bath.”

Maybe it was the warmth of the tub or his joking nature, but she finally gave up and relaxed. The water felt blissful on her skin, and her muscles finally started to relax. “Go for it.” She floated onto her back.

“You're a natural. I don't even need to hold on to you,” Declan remarked as his fingers moved over her, taking off the sling and working her shirt slowly up her body and over her head.

Maura closed her eyes, trusting him completely. As the shirt and sling were wrung out and slung over the side of the tub to dry, she took several long, slow breaths.

The soothing scents and the Epsom salts were working magic on her. She could fall asleep right here and now.

Arms pulled her closer. From underneath, a strong, hard surface rose to support her weight.

A voice whispered in her ear. “I'm here. Rest. Sleep. Relax. Whatever you need to do…”

With her good arm, she reached up a hand and nestled it beneath her cheek, registering the fact that she was lying on Declan's naked body.

Mmmmm…naked.
She smiled to herself. She finally had him all to herself…

* * *

Waking up in his arms was amusing and embarrassing. She must have been batting at the hairs on his chest, because there was a towel between them now. She vaguely remembered scratching at them.

Yes, he had lifted her out of the tub, dried her, and placed her onto crisp, cool sheets. That part had seemed like a dream. She remembered the twinge of pain in her shoulder as he secured a brace around her, and then she was out again. Now, here she was lying naked in a bed next to the one man who had captured her attention since she first moved in next door.

“I know you're awake.”

“Rats!” she said with a smile. “How long have you known?”

“Since the sound of your breathing changed.” He shifted his position so he could look into her eyes. “What are you thinking about, Maura?”

She lifted the sheet and looked down at herself, and put the sheet back down again. “Um, that we're naked.” Her cheeks heated. His body was lean, hard muscled, and very, very well endowed. It looked like a kickstand down there.

She pursed her lips and blew air out in a soft sigh.

He leaned down and kissed her. “Yes, and…”

When life gives a woman a gift, it's worth enjoying it. Her hand moved to capture his. “I want more of those.”

He squeezed her hand and then let it go. Trailing his fingers up her arm, he caught her chin.

Her fingers twined into his hair.

“Kisses?” he asked between the long, lazy play of lips.

“Yes. And more…”

“What about your shoulder?” Declan looked genuinely concerned. “There's no rush, we could…”

“Wait until my next accident.” Maura searched his eyes. Was Declan being a chivalrous guy or was he playing with her desire?

His fingers traced the arch of her brow and line of her cheeks. “I want you to…enjoy it.”

She smiled. He was a good guy. Down deep, she'd known that. “If you do your job right, then I will.”

“Oh, it's up to me…to do a good job. I see. No pressure.” Declan laughed. The deep baritone sound slid through her senses in waves, tickling something inside her.

“Declan,” she said, beckoning him to kiss her again.

He obliged as his hands moved over her body. Just like the experience in the tub, she gave herself over to it.

His lips trailed kisses down her neck, down the valley between her breasts, and down her stomach to the place between her thighs. As his lips and tongue explored her, she allowed the explosions of pleasure to ignite one of her wildest fantasies about him: being stranded on a desert island, with his giant bed as their oasis.