Chapter Two

Geez. What the hell was this? Considering Rowan had laughed with him, slept with him, and, okay, snuck out on him, hadn’t she at least been worth a real name?

A smile pulled at his lips. A sexy smile. That cocky half smile with the dimple that sent an unwanted spike of heat to rush through her. He actually seemed happy to see her and all she wanted was to shut down her hormones that were ridiculously responsive to him.

“If it isn’t Houdini. Are you stalking me?”

Stalking him. Stalking him? Of all the pigheaded things he could say! “You’re the one who’s standing on my doorstep. And if I remember correctly, you’re the one who approached me at the hotel, too!”

Crap. Why had she brought up that night?

Wilder—or whatever his name was—winked at her. “You weren’t complaining that night.” He still had his grin in place. She’d never hit anyone in her life, but she wanted to punch him now.

“Great. Thanks for stopping by. See you later!” She tried to close the door, but he had his foot in it. And a bag in his hand. He planned to stay with her. How could this be happening?

“I’m not sure how you ended up here too, but I’ve arranged to stay. The place is owned by a friend of a buddy of mine.”

She pointed at herself. “Me! It’s owned by me. And you absolutely are not staying here.”

Her heart kicked up and she was breathing heavily. Good Lord she felt like she was about to have a nervous breakdown. Could this day get any wilder? Ugh. Scratch that. Scratch that word out of her vocabulary all together.

“Aww, come on. It’ll be fun, Houdini,” he drawled, leaning farther into the doorway in his sexy slacks and his stupid sexy button-down shirt.

He was messing with her. The glint in his eyes told her that, but it still pissed her off. “Sorry. Wasn’t that fun the first time and I’m sure it wouldn’t be better a second.”

Again she tried to push the door closed, but he held his hand out to stop it. He sighed, quiet for a few seconds before he spoke. “Listen…I apologize for being an ass. I didn’t know you were here. Besides the fact that you can tie a mean cherry stem with your tongue, I didn’t know much about you, including where you live, since you disappeared on me and all. But that’s not the point. I’m really looking for a place I can get away to for about a month. I could go somewhere else, but it’d be good to hang out with Jace again, too. I’m asking you for a favor here, Houdini.”

“Six weeks! Jace said you want to stay here for longer than a month.” Not like that was really important. “And why do you keep calling me Houdini?” She’d been honest about her name.

“Because you know how to disappear,” Another grin. Rowan opened her mouth to throw a few choice words at him, but he spoke first. “I’m giving you shit. I’m sorry. Can’t we let bygones be bygones? I’ll stay out of your hair. Scout’s honor.” He held up two fingers.

“I highly doubt you were ever a Boy Scout.” But damn it, she was smiling again. Why did this man make her smile?

He didn’t reply. Shit.

“We’re not… We can’t… I don’t want…”

“And you called me conceited the last time we met? Who said I want to sleep with you again?” he said in answer to the statement she hadn’t been able to get out. His answer made her cheeks heat with embarrassment. Okay, maybe not only embarrassment. Did he have to be so sexy? “Don’t worry, though. We’re on the same page here. I’m not looking for trouble and that’s what I seem to get any time I’m involved with a woman.”

Women were trouble? He was the one with the big blue eyes and sinfully black hair, the one with lines he knew how to use and hands that—whoa, definitely not going there. “As long as we have an understanding. And I’m only letting you do this because you’re friends with Jace.” And she needed the money. And…well, she’d slept with the guy. Manners sort of insisted you not kick a dude out on his butt after that.

What in the world had she gotten herself into?

Apparently unaware that she was having a heart attack, Wilder walked into the house.

“It smells incredible in here. Oh, and you don’t have an issue with cats, right? Either an aversion to or fetish with stealing them?”

Dizziness hit her and all of a sudden, Rowan’s world went black.

…

“Hey, open those eyes for me. You all right in there?” Breck sat on the floor with Rowan’s head in his lap. How in the hell this happened he didn’t know. Out of all the places he could end up, how was he sitting here with her passed out in his arms?

More importantly, why had she dropped like that?

He knew he had a way with women, but usually they were coming undone in his arms or cursing the ground he walked on—not passed out at his feet.

Rowan’s eyes fluttered in flashes of green. “What happened?” Her voice was soft.

“I was hopin’ you could tell me that. Was it being so close to me? I know I’m good looking, but there’s no reason to faint.” With that her eyes flared open for good. She gave him a death glare that made him feel like everything was already okay, but he still wouldn’t take a chance. “How many fingers am I holding up?” He held three in the air.

“You’re not that good looking.”

“I beg to differ and how many fingers?” Her eyes looked normal, but a little glassy. A smile tilted her lips, but he didn’t think she realized it. No, this woman wanted to be pissed at him, but she couldn’t—which should be his first clue to get the hell out of there. A feisty woman like her would be nothing but trouble. A losing hand, if you will, and Breck didn’t lose anymore.

“I mean, maybe a seven out of ten.”

“Nope. Only three fingers out of five. Looks like I’m going to have to carry you.”

With this, her eyes widened. She didn’t want to be in his arms and he somehow had a feeling it was because she’d enjoyed it there last time too much.

“No! I was rating you.”

This time Breck held up ten fingers.

“Ten,” she said.

He winked at her. “That’s more like it. I knew you thought I was sexy.”

He had no doubt that if she had super powers, this woman would be shooting fire out of her eyes at him. Just as feisty as he remembered.

“Of all the pig-headed, conceited, cocky things you can say. You know damn well that’s not what I meant!” Rowan tried to sit up, but he stopped her.

“No more tricks, Houdini. Disappearing and playing dead are fancy enough. Let me help you. You fainted, remember?” Breck wrapped his arms around her, but she tried to slap them away.

“No copping a feel allowed.”

Rowan bit her lip. Her eyes darted around, confused, and worry burst to life inside him. “Are you sick? Do you need a doctor?” Smoothly, Breck stood, lifting her right along with him. The fact that she didn’t argue sent another dose of concern through him. “We’re bringing you to get checked out.” He’d been giving the woman a hard time, sure. But he didn’t want to hurt her.

Rowan’s eyes widened. “No, no. I’m fine. I think…I just…haven’t eaten today and I’m hypoglycemic. I’ve been running around trying to get ready for you to come—well, not you in particular, but my guest. And I didn’t think to eat.” She spoke fast—urgent. It sounded like it could very easily be the truth, but he wasn’t taking a chance. Not with how quickly she’d dropped and the confusion still written all over her face.

“Then they’ll tell us you’re fine. No harm, no foul.”

“I don’t have insurance.”

“I’ll pay.” He wasn’t bending on this one.

“At least put me down! I can walk, you know. And I don’t need your money. I’m able to take care of myself.”

“No, you can’t, Ms. Independent.” He hit the button to unlock the Mercedes. The windows were down even though it was September in Washington, because Ace was inside. He’d hoped it wouldn’t rain, but hadn’t wanted to just assume he could bring in the cat. “In you go.”

The second he set her down, she stepped away from him. “I’m an adult, you know. I can make my own decisions. I don’t need you—someone I don’t know, I might add—to manhandle me.”

He knew it would make him a prick, but he leaned forward. “Honey, you know me about as well as a woman can know a man, if you catch my drift.”

With this she swung at him. He was quick enough to catch her wrist.

“You jerk! Don’t talk to me like that.”

Breck groaned. They were getting nowhere and he couldn’t relax until she got checked out. “Sorry about that, but I’m not bending on this. You just passed out cold in there, and who’s to say you won’t do it again while you’re driving. Don’t let your anger at me put you at risk. You need to take care of yourself.”

He wasn’t sure why those words penetrated her stubbornness, but her features softened and she almost looked ashamed. “You’re right. The last thing I need so close to opening Destiny Knocks is to get sick. But not you, okay? It’s just weird. Can you bring me to my friend’s and she can take me in?”

He nodded, even though it didn’t make much sense to him. Women rarely did. He’d rather get her to a doctor quicker, but if this was what worked for her, he would do it. He needed to nip his urge to take care of people in the bud anyway.

When Rowan was belted into the passenger seat, he climbed behind the wheel. The drive was silent except when she gave him directions. They ended up at a place called Lucky’s. It looked like there was a fairly fresh coat of white paint on the building—the sign boasting a bowling alley, bar, and diner.

“I can make it from here. We didn’t lock up, so you can go back to the B and B and I’ll have Sidney bring me home.”

“Not happening.” He was around the car and opening her door a few seconds later. He didn’t trust her to get checked out without making sure her friends knew exactly what happened.

“Has anyone ever told you you’re bossy?” she asked, arms crossed.

“All the damn time.” He tried to put his arm around her to help her walk in, but she jerked away from him. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her he’d touched a lot more than her shoulder, but he didn’t want to piss her off again. And even though he shouldn’t, he wanted to touch her one more time. The woman was drop-dead beautiful with that fierce look on her face and gorgeous red hair.

Despite it only being late afternoon, the place was packed. The lanes were busy and a couple teens worked behind the shoe counter. Breck took in the way everyone talked to each other and got the feeling this was one of those towns it would be impossible to keep a secret in.

The building looked newly remodeled. Breck vaguely remembered Jace mentioning something about working on the place. He followed Rowan through the bowling alley and to the bar area, where she went straight up to a man with dark brown hair. He was about Breck’s height and immediately put his arms around her in a hug.

Ah, so she had a boyfriend. That’s why she seemed so upset about seeing him. Christ, had he been the other man? No. Rowan didn’t seem like the type for that, and he doubted she would bring him here if the relationship weren’t new. Still, an unexplainable disappointment struck him at the fact that she was taken.

“Hey, Kade. Is Sidney around?”

“Yeah, she’s sitting at the bar with Betsy and Jace.” The man looked over Rowan’s head to Breck. “Who’s this?”

Breck didn’t like his tone. “The guy who just scooped her off the floor when she passed out.” Then to Rowan, “Is this who’s supposed to take you to the doctor, Houdini?”

“What the hell happened, Freckles?” the man said at the same time. “Sit down.” She let him help her to the counter, Breck noticed. He wasn’t sure why that pissed him off.

Breck wouldn’t be dismissed so easily though. He was right next to them.

“Kade, this is Wilder. Wilder—Kade.”

“Breck,” he interjected.

“Huh?” Rowan asked.

“My name’s Breck.”

“Oh, I forgot. You lied about that.”

Jesus, was she still going to argue with him? Before he could reply, they met up with her friends. Jace sat at the bar between a brunette and a black-haired woman.

“Breck Wilder! What’s up, man?” Jace stood and they shook hands.

“She passed out,” he said in reply, to which Rowan gave him another evil eye, before easing farther from him and Kade and over to the women “And see? I didn’t lie to you about my name,” Breck added.

“Oh my God. Are you okay?” one of the ladies said before Rowan could reply to him.

“I’m fine, Sidney.”

Rowan took Sidney’s seat when she stood and leaned against Kade, who put his arm around her and gave her a tender kiss. So the guy wasn’t Rowan’s lover. Good to know.

“No, she’s not okay,” he said. “She dropped at nothing. She needs to go to the hospital, but she wouldn’t let me take her.”

Rowan nodded her head. “Yes, sir!”

Oh, the things he could say to that comment. But he didn’t want to upset her, so he kept his mouth shut.

“Should I bring you in?” Sidney asked. Rowan’s eyes flashed to him as though she didn’t want him to see her reply, but said yes.

“You want me to go too, Freckles?” Kade asked her.

“No, no. You need to stay here. We girls can handle it. I feel sort of silly seeing a doctor at all. I’m fine now.”

“No—” Breck started, but was immediately cut off by Sidney and Kade disagreeing at the same time.

The third woman, who hadn’t said a word yet, stood at this and each woman put an arm around Rowan before they were gone.

…

“So what happened?” Sidney asked as they drove to the hospital. Rowan didn’t really know how to answer. She’d just been standing there looking at Wilder. Shocked he was there. Confused. Angry. Who knew what else…and suddenly she felt dizzy. But to say that to them, she’d have to explain that she knew him, something she wasn’t ready to do.

Oh, I was a little shocked the guy I slept with and ditched showed up on my doorstep just didn’t feel right to her.

And she didn’t want to admit it, but she still felt a little woozy. She wasn’t lying about the hypoglycemic thing, but she’d never fainted. Unease swirled around in her stomach and her hands started to shake.

“I don’t know. Jace called and asked if his friend could stay. Then we were standing there talking and I passed out.” All true. Still, guilt tugged at her for not telling her friends everything.

“Has that ever happened before?” Betsy asked from the backseat.

“No.”

She should have known he was bad luck. He got her into bed and now made her faint, the jerk.

“You should have let him bring you in, Freckles. I would have come down there,” Sidney said.

That probably would have been the smart choice, but it just felt too weird to have him take her to the hospital. That was something people you knew did for you. Or strangers who happened upon an accident or something. Not your one-night stand. Talk about embarrassing. The whole thing was a mess.

Rowan covered her face with her hands and groaned.

She suddenly wanted to cry. But she wasn’t a crier and didn’t know where it came from. “I don’t even know the guy…” Again, not a lie. She didn’t know much about him at all. He was a flirt. He knew Jace. He drove her crazy. Made her laugh, think all sorts of naughty thoughts she shouldn’t, and was incredible in bed. That was about the extent of it.

Luckily they pulled up at the hospital and she didn’t have time to continue. Betsy insisted on grabbing a wheelchair for her, which she tried to fight tooth and nail.

“I’m fine.” Despite her protests, she ended up in the wheelchair.

When they entered the emergency room, the nurse got her information and then took her straight back. They weren’t very busy, for which Rowan said a silent prayer of thanks. Betsy and Sidney stayed in the waiting room, and she promised to send for them if she needed anything.

She could tell they wanted to come back, but Rowan was used to doing things on her own. One of the side effects of fading to the background while growing up.

She shook as she changed from her clothes into the stupid gown. The room was freezing and her stomach was a mess as she answered even more questions from the new nurse. Had this happened before? Did she have any medical conditions? How did she feel? Did she hit her head? Could she be pregnant—

“Excuse me?” she asked, her heart suddenly tripling its speed.

“Is there any chance you could be pregnant?” the nurse asked again.

Rowan shook her head. No. She wasn’t pregnant. Couldn’t be. The only person she’d been with in a year had been Wilder and they were safe. Things like that just didn’t happen. “No…”

“There’s no chance at all?” the dark-haired nurse pushed. Rowan studied the wall instead of her.

“I guess there’s a small chance. There’s been…someone…once, but we were safe.”

She risked a glance at the nurse, who gave her the look that said once was all it took. But she’d just finished her period. She couldn’t be pregnant if she had her period.

My period that was lighter and only lasted two days…

Dizziness hit her again. No. No way. She couldn’t be pregnant. Couldn’t.

“The doctor will probably want to do a test just in case.”

Rowan nodded, trying to look much more confident than she felt. Things like this didn’t happen in real life. Didn’t happen to her. It sounded like a nightmare. Or a chick flick.

No, she couldn’t be pregnant. She’d be fine. Everything would be just fine.