When Hearts Collide (7 page)

“I can see that.”

Was her face as red as it felt? His words teased, but the look of kindness and gratitude melted her insides. When he squeezed her hand and whispered a soft thank you, she knew it came from his heart. She desperately needed a long, tall drink of water.

“Daddy?”

“Yes, Gracie.”

“I love you, Daddy.”

A tear slid down Pearce’s pale cheek. “I love you, too.”

Gracie had climbed onto the bed and wiggled her way into the crook of Pearce’s unhindered right arm. Molly could have kissed the child for diverting his attention away from her, but she didn’t want to think about kisses of any kind. She needed time to gather her emotions, to get back to her normal unflappable self. Here was this man lying flat in a hospital bed, restrained by intravenous tubes and monitor wires, yet the six-foot two inches of his muscular, broad-shouldered frame held more attraction than any man she’d ever met. Several wisps of dark hair had fallen across his face, and Molly had to restrain herself from reaching out and brushing them away from his eyes. Instead, she spoke quietly. “We need to talk. I need to know what you want me to do with Gracie.”

He motioned to Gracie. “Little pitchers have big ears.”

“What pitchers, Daddy?”

“The pictures on the wall.”

“Oh, Daddy, pictures don’t have ears.”

Pearce and Molly both laughed. Their eyes met, and it was like something synapsed between them and they were in harmony. She couldn’t believe she’d just known him for a few short hours. And she couldn’t believe the attraction she felt.

Molly sat in the chair beside the bed, content to watch this man cuddle with his daughter, his hand making soothing circles on her back. The child, exhausted from her late night and the trauma of the accident, soon slept.

“Molly?”

Drawing her attention from the child, Molly looked up and her heart did a little flip as she was caught in the intensity of Pearce’s expression. A knot formed in the middle of her chest when she saw the concern on his face. Would she ever be lucky enough to have a child of her own, one she could care about as much as this man obviously did? His clear blue eyes examining her snapped her mind back to the present.

“Molly, you’ve done so much already, I hate to ask.” Exerting a slight pressure on her hand, he pleaded with her. “Would you consider caring for Gracie until I get out of hospital?”

Shocked at his proposal, Molly jerked back in the chair and her hand slid out of his. She shook her head. “I have to be on my way.”

“Please. I need you to look after her.”

“I can’t. I’m on my way to...” Where was she going? All she knew was she’d wanted to get away from St. Christopher’s. She had no concrete destination in mind. She’d booked a night at the Tillsonburg Towers to give her distance to think about what she was going to do, and where she was going to go. Right now, she had no idea, but it definitely didn’t include looking after a stranger’s child.

“Please, Molly. I’ll pay you.”

His words reminded her of the conversation with his mother-in-law. How could she have forgotten? She needed to tell him.

“Mr. Taylor...”

“Please!” His hand shot out and grabbed hers as he glanced at the open door. When he was sure no one was listening, he released his hold, mumbling an apology. His shoulders slumped back in the bed, his eyes pleading. “Don’t call me that. You’re supposed to be my wife.”

Molly saw the despair written on his angular face. She was sure he was a man used to managing every aspect of his life, and now, with one catastrophic incident, his life had spun out of control.

“I need your help. I can’t let them take Gracie.”

Molly shook her head. “What about her grandmother?”

“That woman! I wouldn’t leave a dog with her.”

He reached out for her hand, and a spark of electricity jumped between them. She jerked her hand away.

“I’m begging you, Molly.”

She was unable to look away from his imploring blue eyes. When she could break her focus, her gaze shifted downward, only to stop at a smile so devastatingly potent her breath caught in her throat. She remembered the feel of those lips on hers and wanted to taste them again. No, she needed to go, for her own sake.

“What about a nanny? You could easily get one from one of the agencies.”

Pearce shuddered.

“It wouldn’t take any time at all to get one.”

“No.” The muscles on his face squeezed together as if he’d been sucking on un-ripe lemons.

She tried again. “There are well qualified nannies out there.”

For a moment, Molly thought a thundercloud had descended over Pearce, and she recoiled in the chair. Was she in range of a possible lightning bolt? But then his face cleared and his anger was traded for a look of such desperation that Molly wanted to take him in her arms and make his pain go away.

“I can’t leave her with just anyone.” Pearce pushed the oxygen mask away from his face.

“You need to it wear it.” Molly placed the mask firmly back in place.

“I can’t stand it. It’s making me claustrophobic.” He raked his hand through his dark hair. “I’ve got to get out of here.”

“Pearce, you can’t leave the hospital yet. You just had surgery. You need intravenous antibiotics, and your incision needs to heal.”

He glared at her. “I need to take care of my daughter.”

“Isn’t there someone you can trust to look after her?” Molly pleaded. “A relative, a friend, a neighbor?”

“There’s just us. I won’t let anyone else look after her.”

“What about when you work?”

“I work from home. I have a partner. We have an office in town and he works there. I take her with me when I have to go to town.”

The last thing she needed was the responsibility of looking after a child. She had enough problems. But this man tore at every string holding her heart together.

“I don’t know anything about looking after a child.” She paused. “And you know nothing about me.”

“I know you’re an angel. The doctor said you saved my life.” He took a deep breath, then closed his eyes briefly as if saying a prayer. His voice was almost a whisper. “She’s been through so much. Please, Molly, can’t you stay and look after her?”

“I have somewhere to be,” Molly lied.

“Could it not wait a few days?”

The way his eyes pleaded reminded her of a sad, lost puppy. Did he know she had a soft spot for anything sad or lost? She shook her head, yet felt the tug on her heart. Did she really have to leave today, or tomorrow, or the next day for that matter? She didn’t really have a place to go.

She was torn between her need to get her life back in order and the need to stay and look after this child. It really wasn’t her problem, but now that she was in the middle of it, how could she walk away? What type of person would she be if she took off and left this defenseless child? The little girl had suffered enough stress without having a heartless woman or a total stranger look after her. But wasn’t Molly a stranger? She had only known the child less than twenty-four hours.

As if he’d read her mind, he tipped his head and grinned. “And she’s already taken to you, Molly Mommy.”

Molly felt her cheeks ignite as he enclosed her hand in his. When his thumb caressed her gently, she felt her heart start to somersault. His features had softened, and he was looking at her with the most irresistible, devastating smile she had ever seen. Another heart vault and words tumbled out of her mouth. “I guess I could stay a few days. At least until you get home.”

“Oh, Molly, you really are an angel.” Pearce squeezed her hand.

A shiver of excitement raced through her, and she was grateful to be sitting. The way he was smiling at her, Molly knew her knees wouldn’t support her weight. There was something about this man that drew her. He’d sparked a sexual awareness that had lain dormant for longer than she wanted to remember. Did that have anything to do with her agreeing to his crazy proposal?

This man had suffered critical injuries and would need time to recover. His child was in need of a mother figure, but was Molly ready to be that figure? They both needed intensive care. Molly could give it, but would she lose her heart to both of them in the process?

She should have said no. If she had any common sense, she would have. She should run as fast and as far as her legs would carry her. Her mouth opened, but the “no” on her tongue refused to budge.

Less than twenty-four hours ago, Molly had been free, no ties, no commitments, no one depending on her, and now, here she was, responsible for a small child, staying in some unknown man’s house.

Molly watched the child sitting across the kitchen table from her. Gracie had been inconsolable when she found out they would have to leave her father at the hospital. She couldn’t understand he needed to recover from his injuries.

Molly had been almost ready to leave her there, almost ready to have Mrs. Nesbitt take over, no matter how unkind the woman appeared—almost, but not quite. Besides, Mrs. Nesbitt would be on her cruise by now and unavailable.

Despite being at her wit’s end, she couldn’t desert Gracie. Molly thought of how many times as a child her hopes had been raised that there was a foster family for her and her sister. But her hopes were continually dashed when the social worker found out the potential family really wanted a boy, a younger child, a child with blond hair and blue eyes, definitely not two red-haired sisters who got older every year.

“Could you say goodnight to your daddy without crying?” Molly asked.

Gracie sniffed loudly, then nodded. Molly dialed the hospital number and waited for the nurse to get Pearce on the line. True to her word, Gracie remained tear-free.

“Daddy wants to talk to you.” Gracie handed her the phone.

She listened to Pearce’s rich baritone. “Oh, Molly, you don’t know how much this means to me, to know I can count on you. I need you so much right now.” She pressed the phone to her ear and slumped into the chair. He was doing it again, pulling at her heartstrings. Other than her sister, no one had ever told her they needed her. Now she had two people depending on her. Molly clutched the phone to her ear.

When Pearce spoke again, he sounded tired, and his voice softened to a husky whisper. “Goodnight, Molly. I’m off to dream about my two angels.”

A rush of warmth spread through her and she couldn’t help smiling. The thought of being in his dreams was astonishingly appealing. Molly wouldn’t be surprised if tonight he ended up in her own dreams.

As she tucked the blankets around Gracie, Molly was drawn to the pastel bunny pattern on her pajamas. It reminded her of a pair she’d had as a child. She remembered wearing them, just as she remembered her mother putting her to bed. She remembered all the good times, before her own world turned upside-down. She wiped a tear from her eye.

“Molly Mommy, are you sad, too?” Gracie asked.

“I’m okay.” Impulsively, she bent down and placed a kiss on the child’s forehead. She shook away the sad memories. That was long ago. She was a grown woman now, and had to let it go. But she would do whatever possible to keep this child from entering foster care.

Molly flipped on the child’s nightlight and eased the door partway closed. Now, where was she going to sleep? Last night she’d been so exhausted she’d fallen into Pearce’s bed. There was no excuse tonight, even if the temptation remained. Yes, the thought of lying in his bed, wrapped in the same sheets he’d used, his masculine scent enveloping her, was wickedly tempting. She could close her eyes and almost feel his arms enfolding her.

Stop it. The man is lying in a hospital bed, fighting for his life, a stranger that you haven’t spoken more than a few scattered words with, and you’re dreaming of sharing a bed with him.

Last night Molly had done no more than open the doors and peek inside. Tonight she brought her suitcase up to the bedroom next to Gracie’s. With its canopy bed, homemade patchwork quilt, sedate landscapes, and French provincial furniture, the room had the homey air of family–well-loved treasures and kindred spirits. Molly pulled back the lace curtains to reveal the manicured garden below. The tulips drooped, but the lilac bush was in full bloom. The fragrance from their lavender blooms created a warm and cozy feeling. Dropping the curtains, Molly did a pirouette in the middle of the room. Yes, this would be a lovely place to spend a few nights.

Within minutes, Molly was slipping under the homemade quilt. Her eyelids, too heavy to stay open, drooped like the fading tulips in the garden below. There was no need to count sheep tonight. And in this room, there were no pictures of a sexy, scarcely clad Pearce to disturb her sleep.

But she didn’t sleep for long. Screams from the next room woke her. She was out of bed in seconds, racing down the hall and throwing open the door. Gracie’s eyes were closed and she continued to sleep, but she had thrown her covers and thrashed wildly in the bed.

“Gracie. Gracie, it’s okay.”

The child screamed unintelligible words and continued to flail. Molly ran to her and pulled her into her arms. Sitting on the bed, she rocked her and stroked the damp strands of blond hair. She whispered soft, soothing words to the child, but it took several minutes for Gracie to settled.

When she had calmed, Molly laid her back on the bed and replaced her cover. She placed a quick kiss on the child’s forehead and went to step away. Before she could even straighten, Gracie realized she was no longer cloistered in Molly’s arms, and began to whimper.

Molly sighed. Exhausted, she just wanted to head back to her room and fall back asleep. The child continued to sleep but would the nightmare return? Would the whimpers escalate to screams?

Molly slid under the covers. Gracie immediately curled into her. The whimpers ceased and she settled into a peaceful sleep. It was early morning before Molly slipped out of the child’s bed and headed back to her own.

Doctor Summerville examined Pearce’s exposed incision. “Considering what you went through in the accident, this looks pretty good. I want you on intravenous antibiotics for a couple of weeks. Don’t want to have any infection set in.” He turned to Molly. “You’ll be able to administer the antibiotics?”

Molly found her head nodding at the same time her brain told her
no, she wouldn’t be able to do it; she’d be on her way by that time
. She planned to leave once Pearce got home. Scrutinizing the object of her thoughts, Molly wondered how he would manage. His broken leg, his intravenous antibiotic therapy, and his physiotherapy regime were not going to be easy to deal with. There must be home care nurses in the area. Maybe she could stay until that was arranged.

“Well, Rita,”—Doctor Summerville spoke to the nurse—“do you think you can get everything arranged for discharge tomorrow?”

Tomorrow? Molly jerked her head to look at the doctor. Her hands started trembling. She couldn’t believe her ears. Pearce had almost died less than forty-eight hours ago and now he was being discharged tomorrow. Was she ready to take on two charges? She looked at the patient in the bed beside her, his eyes questioning, pleading, begging. She thought of his helpless child with her blond curls and brilliant blue eyes, and she found herself nodding again.

Molly was rewarded with a grin so disarmingly wicked, she couldn’t help grinning back. She felt as if she were no longer on solid ground. In fact, she felt like Nadia Comaneci
doing
a somersault on a balance beam
.
She was just getting her feet back on the ground when Rita turned to her. “Give your husband a kiss and out you go. He needs to rest if he wants to go home tomorrow.”

Hoping Rita would leave the room, and she could avoid her directive, Molly busied herself cleaning up the toys she’d brought to occupy Gracie. Unfortunately, the nurse appeared to have no intention of departing any time soon. She filled Pearce’s water jug, fluffed his pillow, rearranged his night table. It seemed as if she were looking for things to keep her busy to ensure Pearce received the proper display of affection from Molly. Did Rita suspect she might not be his wife?

This was more than Molly had bargained for. A kiss was such an intimate thing, and she wasn’t used to showing affection in public. Wasn’t it enough to proclaim she was his wife without having to exhibit affection?

Remembering kissing Pearce when she first came to visit made Molly’s lips tingle. She filled the tote bag with the toys and slung it over her shoulder. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Rita watching her, one eyebrow raised in expectation. Molly was trapped. Oh well, what was one kiss?

Yes, what was another kiss with a man she’d only met days before, a man she’d aided at an accident scene, a man whose kiss caused her body to react in ways she’d never expected? Just like the way her heart burst through her chest right now, making it difficult to breathe.

Molly crossed to the bed, planning to give Pearce a quick peck on the side of his cheek. Rita stood behind her and couldn’t witness the actual kiss. Leaning down, her lips touched his left cheek, but suddenly Pearce turned his head, sliding his lips until they met hers. The tingling amplified, feeling like a thousand tiny sparks scorching her lips.

Pearce’s hand slid to the back of her head. His grip, though gentle, held her prisoner nonetheless. After several seconds, his lips slipped along her cheek, leaving a blazing trail in their wake. They paused at her ear, his breath hot against her lobe. Her heart raced so fast she felt dizzy and was relieved to be leaning against the bed. Her knees were wobbling and she didn’t think her legs would support her.

“Molly, we have an audience. We have to be convincing,” he whispered. His lips caressed her flaming ear, then his hand slid away from her head, releasing her. Now, she was only held prisoner by the fervor in his deep blue eyes.

“Okay,” Rita said, “our patient needs his rest.”

Molly jerked upright, turning away from the nurse’s prying eyes. Was her face as red as it felt? Gathering Gracie, she mumbled a goodbye and hurried out of the room.

Gracie finally asleep, Molly was glad to have a few minutes to relax, and settled back into the cushions. The chesterfield was thickly padded, expensive, and very comfortable. The whole room spoke of luxury merged with comfort, from the coordinated muted colors to the rich patina of the walnut furniture and the wide-screen entertainment center. The red brick corner fireplace just waited for the weather to turn cool enough to fire up.

She picked up the book she’d bought at the hospital gift store. It was a light, fluffy novel, something she could read without having to think, except that she couldn’t concentrate. The enormity of what she had agreed to left her reeling. Her head was still shaking for consenting to stay and administer Pearce’s intravenous medications and do his dressing changes.

The doctor wanted him on antibiotics for two weeks. She looked around her. The room was lovely. The whole house was lovely. It would be easy to stay. She’d already delayed her departure, so what was a few more days?

Someday she might have a home to call her own. Someday she might have a family. A smile crossed her lips as she thought of Gracie calling her Molly Mommy. Yeah, and someday cats would bark. Molly opened the book to the first page. She read five pages before her mind drifted.

Prior to the suspension, her life had been going okay, ordinary, unspectacular, nothing terrible, but that was the problem, her life was nothing. She wished she could wave a magic wand and change it. She was tired of being alone. She was twenty-seven, single, and had a good profession. But she wanted more. She wanted a loving husband, lots of children, her own home—a real family.

But for now, she could use a change. After Pearce was better, maybe she would stay in the area. She thought of Rita’s offer earlier that day. “When your husband is better, you should apply for a job here,” Rita told Molly. “We’re always looking for good nurses.”

Molly hadn’t known what to say. It was a nice offer. Better than working with Randy, her former boyfriend. It just made it too difficult when he became her temporary supervisor. He changed her shifts, her assignments, her time off, anything to make her life miserable. But when he’d called her into the office and told her she was suspended for missing medications, she couldn’t believe her ears. Did he have something to do with it? He couldn’t forgive her for breaking up with him, but did he hate her enough to ruin her career?

Too bad she couldn’t think about taking a position here. The hospital had a nice atmosphere. It was well run and better equipped than she might have thought for the size of the area it served. And the staff, they had all been so friendly and helpful, especially Rita.

She sighed so deeply her chest hurt. Would she ever be able to fulfill any of her dreams? The way her life was going, it looked like they would remain just that, dreams. Her biological clock was running on expired batteries. Its hands would soon be rotating so slowly she’d need a stick of dynamite to get them going.

Molly sighed. She’d never realized how tiring looking after a child twenty-four hours a day could be. At least Pierce would be home tomorrow, and that should make life easier. Between Rita and herself, they had organized the supplies he would need. Pearce wouldn’t be able to navigate the stairs for a bit, so had decided to sleep in his office. The adjoining bathroom made it perfect. A rented hospital bed, a wheelchair, and a walker were already at the house.

Maybe once Pearce was home, he’d be able to make arrangements for himself and Gracie and she could be back on her way. But she wasn’t going to think about that now. There would be time to deal with it tomorrow. One day at a time. How much of her life had she spent thinking that? One day at a time. It had got her through so far, and it would get her through this time, too.

Slipping under the bed sheets, Molly closed her eyes with a smile on her lips. She realized she was looking forward to Pearce coming home. Pretending to be his wife had been easier than she’d thought.