Finally, Penny followed Nurse Matthews into Trent’s hospital room a few hours later. The minute he saw her, he gave her a groggy smile.
“Well, hey there, kitten. Come to make sure I’m still kicking?”
“Among other things.” She sat down next to the bed and took his hand in hers. “You scared a lot of people.”
“Yeah? Who showed up? Any women who wanted to make me feel better?”
Penny rolled her eyes. “Please don’t make me hit you in your weakened state.”
“Hey, give me six to eight weeks and I’ll give you all the satisfaction you could want.”
“Will you shut up?” She wiped at her wet cheeks with one hand, sniffling. “This is serious. If I’m going to stay here, I’m going to need you around to annoy me and occasionally give me really good advice. So you need to take better care of yourself.”
“I give good advice? Like what?”
“Well, you’re the one who said I should give you a chance, and look? I got to see what an amazing guy you are.”
“That sounds a lot like I’ve been friend zoned.”
“Trent—”
He covered her mouth with his hand, sucking in a breath as he winced. “Shit, that hurt.” He took a deep shaky breath and slowly removed his hand. “I really like you, Penny.”
His honest, frank admission twisted her heart guiltily.
“I like you, too,” she said softly.
“But not enough.”
Penny’s vision blurred again, wishing she could give him a different answer.
He tucked her hair back gently. “It’s okay, kitten. I never really thought I had a chance.” His hand dropped back onto the bed and he gave her a tired smile. “Can’t blame a guy for trying though, right?”
She gave a forced laugh, following his lead. For a moment, he’d shown her his soft underbelly, and now he seemed to want her to forget about it by shifting back to his old flirty self. The least she could do was let him.
“I have a feeling you aren’t going to be sad for long,” she said. “There is a room full of women out there and I’m sure any one of them would love to give you a sponge bath.”
His laughter went to coughing and then a groan. “You’ve been hanging with me too long. I’ve been a pervy influence.”
“Maybe, but I like having you around, so take care of yourself, okay?” She leaned over and kissed him on his forehead. “Want me to send one of your groupies in next?”
“Why? You leaving me already?”
Penny laughed. “Well, now that I know you’ll live, there’s someone I have to talk to.”
Trent sank back into his bed. “Fine, go. And tell the doc I said thanks.”
Penny left the room, and went straight to the nurses’ desk. “Hi,” she said. “I’m looking for Dr. Gracin.”
“Oh, he’s gone for the night. Is there something I can help you with?”
“Um, no. When did he leave?”
“Just a few minutes ago. You can probably catch him if you hurry.”
But Penny was already jogging down the hallway to the stairwell, taking them as fast as her legs could carry her. By the time she burst out of the front, she could see the taillights of Hunter’s SUV disappearing into the night.
“Shit.”
Penny ran for her Tacoma, and pulled out with a squeal, heading in the same direction he’d gone. Since he had taken a left out of the parking lot, she figured he was heading home.
Speeding along the back road, Penny finally spotted him ahead of her and laid on her horn, flashing her lights obnoxiously. When he parked in a pull-out up the road, she squeezed in behind him and hopped out.
He stalked toward the back of his SUV and the headlights highlighted the confused expression on his face.
“Penny, what happened?”
Without answering, she threw her arms around him, squeezing her to him. “Thank you.”
He tensed against her. “What?”
“Thank you for everything you did for Trent.”
He tried to pull away. “It’s nothing I wouldn’t have done for any other patient. No need to thank me.”
She leaned back with a frown. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. You should get back to the hospital. I need to get home.”
“I’m not going back to the hospital. Trent’s got plenty of company and there is something I need—”
“I’m sure he wants you there. He asked for you.”
Penny wasn’t an idiot, but it still took her a second to realize that Hunter thought she was dating Trent.
And she laughed. “Are you seriously still jealous of Trent?”
For a moment, she thought he was going to deny it, but then…
“Of course I’m jealous of Trent! I’d be jealous of any man who has even a small piece of you.”
“Didn’t you get my message?” she asked.
“No, I left my phone at home today.”
Penny grabbed his shirtfront, still laughing with a shake of her head. “Every piece of me belongs to you. Always has. Always will.”
That seemed to give him pause, and then he was crushing her to his chest.
“I thought when he was hurt, that you’d realize—”
“Hunter, it’s you. It’s always been you.”
There was only one thing for him to say to that.
Nothing. Nothing at all.
Instead, he tangled his hands in her hair and covered her mouth with his, kissing her with all the pent-up frustration and fear he’d felt. The simmering lust that had been threatening to boil over for five years exploded to the surface and he felt himself dragging her backward, his mouth never leaving hers as they found their way back to his SUV. There was a lot of fumbling and stumbling, but when he finally got the back door open, things really heated up.
Penny’s hands grabbed the front of his button-up shirt and tore it open, popping the buttons off so they pinged against the window and door of his SUV, but he didn’t care. He was as eager to feel her skin against his and proved it when he practically ripped her T-shirt over her head.
“Ow, you caught my nose,” she mumbled, rubbing at the upturned tip.
“Sorry, I’ll kiss it better.”
Her hands went behind her back. When she slid her bra straps down her arms and her breasts slipped out from the lacy white cups, his mouth dried up.
“I can think of better places for you to kiss,” she whispered.
Hunter took the hint and dipped his head, his mouth covering one tight nipple and then the other. He circled the tip with his tongue before drawing it fully into his mouth, sucking until he heard her moan huskily.
While he made love to her breasts, his hands were at her waist, trying to unbutton her pants. Her mouth found his ear and as her teeth nipped lightly on the lobe, he growled in frustration.
“Here. Here.” She pulled away and unbuttoned them for him, pushing her jeans and underwear down over her hips. And in that moment, he wished the moon was shining just a little brighter so he could see her.
“Are you going to take your pants off or what?” she huffed.
He kicked off his boots, loving the impatient tone in her voice. He unbuckled his belt as she leaned over him. The warmth of her breath and lips caressed his stomach as her fingers nimbly unbuttoned his jeans and pulled down his zipper. The cacophony of muted sounds joined his deep, rapid breathing.
Her nails scratched his hips as she helped him out of his jeans and boxers, but he didn’t have time to react before her lips were kissing the tip of his cock, making him reach for the oh shit handle as her mouth slipped down the length of him. The warm suction made his balls tighten, his toes curl, and his other hand tangled in her hair.
“God, Penny, yes.”