It was as good as Tyler had always known it would be to have her in his home—and in his bed—even if the leg brace and crutches hadn’t figured into the scenario he’d had in mind when he pictured her there. But the laughter and the teasing and the good-natured bickering were a nice surprise. He liked the way her laugh lit up her entire face and made her golden-brown eyes dance with glee. Despite her ordeal and the paler-than-normal face, she was gorgeous—and never more so than when she laughed.

They watched a romantic comedy her sister Hannah had given her that made Charley sigh more than once when the guy did something particularly cheesy. Tyler made a mental note that cheesiness made her sigh in a good way. He enjoyed cataloging each new discovery he made about her.

“What would you be doing tonight if you weren’t playing nursemaid to me?”

“Nursemaid? Really?”

“What would you call it?”

“At least make me an orderly. It’s much more manly.”

“That’s sexist. There’re tons of male nurses out there. I had a few myself—and they were studly.”

“So you were checking out your male nurses while I was sacrificing sleep and sanity to tend to your every need? Good to know.”

She giggled at his outrage, and Tyler experienced a profound sense of rightness that he’d only ever felt with her, despite her repeated rejections. That feeling was why he’d come back time and again for more, hoping she’d eventually change her mind and give him a chance. “So you never answered my question about what you’d be doing tonight.”

Tyler ran his fingers through his hair and stifled a yawn. He had to get out of there soon before he made the “mistake” of falling asleep next to her. “My brothers and I play poker with some guys one Saturday night a month. On the other nights we might hit a bar or hang at one of our houses to watch some sort of game. We follow the Bruins, Patriots, Red Sox and Celtics, so depending on the season, we’re watching one of those teams.”

“How many brothers do you have?”

“Three, and two sisters. Sometimes on Saturdays I’ve been known to babysit for one of my sisters.”

“How many kids do they have?”

“My sister Cheryl has three boys, and Paula has two girls. They’re all under the age of eight, so they keep me busy.”

“Aww, I bet they love their uncle Tyler.”

“We have fun together. They’re great kids. When I stay with the boys, all we do is wrestle until they conk out. With the girls, it’s all tea parties and dolls and make-believe.”

“I’m picturing you wrapped up in a pink feather boa all of a sudden.”

“I can neither confirm nor deny that there may have been boas at one time or another.”

“How about tiaras?”

“Stop. You’re unmanning me.”

She laughed so hard that tears filled her eyes.

God, he loved this. He loved being with her and seeing the softer side to her that he’d always suspected was in there somewhere behind the abrasive exterior she showed the world. Unfortunately, she’d had to fall down the side of a ravine for it to emerge.

“I know your parents moved here after they retired, but I don’t know where you grew up.”

“Rutland. We used to ski at Butler all the time and we loved it, so they bought a retirement home here a year or two after I got out of college. Most of us have gravitated here, but two of my brothers still live in Rutland. I moved into this house about three years ago.” He glanced over at her. “You know what else?”

“What?”

“Every time we came to Butler, we had to stop at your family’s store. Highlight of our weekend was always getting candy from the store.”

“That’s so cool. I like hearing that. So no date nights in the midst of all this Saturday evening revelry?”

Was she fishing or was that his imagination? “Not recently. The only girl I like keeps shooting me down. So I’ve been hanging out with my family an awful lot.”

She averted her gaze, and he hoped he hadn’t made her feel bad. “It’s not you,” she said softly. “You’re a nice guy, and I’ve always known that, even when I was saying no to you.”

“If it’s not me, then what is it?”

“Me. I’m so over the dance, you know?”

“What dance?”

“Dating and all the bullshit that goes along with it. The false charm, the bravado, the boasting, all of it. Guys will say anything to get what they want.”

“And what do they want?”

She shot him a withering look. “Seriously? Do I really have to spell it out?”

“Nah,” he said with a grin. “I got ya.”

“That’s all they want—a quick wham, bam, thank you ma’am. After that, they’re different. The charm stops, and they don’t even bother with the bullshit anymore. It’s all about getting more of what they’ve already gotten, and if you hold out, looking for something more—some substance—they move on to someone willing to give them what they want.”

“You paint a rather dismal picture of mankind.”

“My experience with mankind has been rather dismal.”

Without taking even a second to contemplate the wisdom of what he was about to do, he took hold of her hand and linked their fingers. “We’re not all like that.”

“Everyone I’ve dated has been like that.”

“You should’ve said yes to me if you wanted something different.”

“How would you be different? What would a first date with you entail?”

“Oh, you want like details? Right here and now?”

“Details would be good.”

He rubbed at the stubble he’d allowed to accumulate on his jaw during the long days in the hospital. “Wow, that’s a lot of pressure.”

“Something tells me you know exactly what we’d do.”

He smiled at the certainty in her tone because she was spot on. He’d had their first date planned in his mind for more than a year. “I’d take you to Boston for the night. We’d go to a show of some sort, something you’ve been dying to see. We’d have dinner in the North End at an Italian place and stay at the Ritz-Carlton—separate bedrooms, of course.”

“Of course.”

“But I’m sure you’ve already done all that with the many dates you’ve been on.”

“Never.”

He raised a brow. “Never?”

“Nope.”

“Huh. So my first date sounds sort of good to you?”

“Sort of,” she said with a teasing grin. “It sounds sort of fantastic.”

“Yeah?”

“Uh-huh, but you knew that. It’s probably your go-to first date.”

“I’ve never taken anyone on that particular date. I’ve been saving it for the day when Charlotte Abbott finally said yes to me.”

Her mouth opened and then closed, as if she’d thought better of whatever she’d been about to say.

“What? You don’t believe me?”

“I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings all the times I said no to you. I mean it when I say it was more about me than you. Although . . .”

“Although what?”

“Part of it is about you.”

“Ah-ha! I knew it. Now we’re getting to the truth of the matter. What part of it is about me?”

“The part where you act like you know me better than I know myself. That’s irritating. And you remind me of my brother Hunter, which is worrisome.”

“I remind you of Hunter? How?”

“You’re always so . . .” She pulled her hand free of his clasp, seeming to just realize they’d been holding hands for a while now. “Perfectly put together.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

“It’s like you’re too perfect or something.”

“Do I look too perfect right now after not shaving for three days and barely combing my hair in that time?”

“No, you look good right now. Normal.”

“Got it—so by not shaving or combing my hair I gain points with you. Good to know.”

“That’s not what I said.”

“That’s what I heard. Now about me knowing you better than you know yourself, what’s that supposed to mean?”

“I don’t know. It’s just the way you look at me . . .”

“I see you, Charley. Not just the pretty package or the smart mouth or the endless attitude. I see you.”

“What do you see?”

“That there’s more to you than what you show the rest of the world, and I’ve been endlessly curious about that other side you keep hidden.”

“How do you know I do that?”

“Because no one could be as abrasive as you are and still have so many people love you if there wasn’t another side to you.”

“See? There you go acting like you know me better than you should.”

Tyler shrugged off the predictably acerbic comment. “Am I wrong?” She glared at him, and he laughed. “I didn’t think so.” As much as he didn’t want to end this intriguing conversation, it was time for her to take more meds. Though it was the last thing he wanted to do, he got up to dole out her pills and get her some more water.

“Thank you,” she said after she’d taken them.

“No problem. How about another trip to the bathroom before we call it a night?”

“Okay.”

Like he had several times already, he carried her into the bathroom, helped her out of her clothes and left her to do her thing while he waited outside the door feeling optimistic about his chances with her for the first time ever. They’d covered a lot of ground just now. At least he understood why she’d shot him down so many times and that it was less about him than it was about her certainty that he was like every other player she’d had the misfortune of dating.

That’s all they want—a quick wham, bam, thank you ma’am. After that, they’re different.

She’d been looking for substance and not finding it. He could do substance, because he wanted much more than her delectable body. He wanted her heart and soul, too. She wanted substance? He’d show her substance.

Propped up on crutches, Charley brushed her teeth and thought about the revealing conversation she’d had with Tyler. It had to be the drugs that were making her spill her guts. How else to explain the way she’d opened up to him?

Despite her discomfort, she’d had fun tonight, eating dinner in bed with him, watching a movie that had probably bored him and then talking about things she rarely talked about with anyone, even her sisters. It hadn’t escaped her notice that he’d taken hold of her hand at one point and that she hadn’t immediately pulled hers back. No, she’d let him touch her, and she’d liked it. She couldn’t deny that, even if she might want to.

Her feelings for him were one big ball of confusion. She’d spent so much time and energy fending him off that she almost didn’t know how to let him in now that things had changed between them. And when had things changed exactly? Did it happen the day he’d saved her life? Or was it the many nights he’d tended to her while she was in the hospital and fighting off an infection? Maybe it was when he arranged for everything she needed to come home with him or how he’d put his own life on hold to take care of her?

There was a lot to like about this man, including the romantic first date he’d saved just for her despite frequent rejections.

He knocked on the door. “You okay in there?”

Charley had zoned out into her thoughts. “Yep.” She finished brushing her teeth and hobbled to the door using the crutches. The small effort took most of the strength she had, which made her realize how weak she really was. Opening the door, she found him leaning against the far wall, the T-shirt stretched across his broad shoulders and chest. He’d put on black-framed glasses and was checking his phone when she emerged.

Tyler looked up at her, and her breath caught at the yearning she saw in his gaze. Then he blinked, and it was gone. He pushed himself off the wall, stashing his phone in his pocket. “Ready for a lift?”

“I’d better get used to doing this myself. You can’t carry me forever.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’ll throw your back out.”

“Haven’t we already had this fight? You’re a cream puff to a stud like me.”

“Easy, stud. Don’t trip over your ego.”

“I’ll try not to.”

And he was funny, she thought, a quality that was always attractive to her. She managed to get herself back to bed, painfully, and sat on the edge of the mattress to catch her breath. “This totally sucks.”

“Yes, it does, but the doctor said you’re going to feel a little better every day, and you’ll be back to busting balls in no time.”

“Can’t happen soon enough for me.”

He helped her settle her leg on the pile of pillows and made her comfortable in the bed with the ever-present ice bag. “What else do you need?”

“I think I’m good.”

“I’ll be right across the hall if you need me during the night.”

“This is your room, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s a big bed. You could probably sleep here if you wanted to.”

His brows lifted in surprise and what might’ve been pleasure.

“Don’t act like I just offered to bang you or something.”

He rested a hand over his heart. “Please don’t talk dirty to me, Charlotte. My fragile heart can’t bear it.”

She snorted with laughter. “If you can manage to control yourself and your fragile heart, feel free to sleep in your own bed. That’s all I’m offering tonight.”

“Tomorrow night, on the other hand—”

“Shut up, Tyler, and go to bed.”

“Shutting up now.” He went into the bathroom and closed the door.

She heard water running and the toilet flushed before he emerged wearing a pair of flannel pajama pants and nothing else. And oh damn, he was cut. Seriously, beautifully cut with those V-shaped muscles on his hips that only the fittest of guys had. She licked her lips and told herself she shouldn’t stare, but damn, she was only human, and he was smoking hot.

Who knew? Sure, she’d known he could run for miles without seeming to break a sweat, but she hadn’t suspected he was hiding that under his starched dress shirts.

He slid into bed next to her, and she tried to ignore the insistent beat of attraction that trumped the pain for her attention. When he was settled, he reached for the light and with the click of a switch, the room descended into darkness except for a night light.

“Is that for me?”

“What?”

“The night light.”

“Uh-huh. I know where the bathroom is.”

“Thank you for everything, Tyler. I mean that sincerely. You’ve made this so easy for me and my family—and don’t say it was the least you could do after you dragged me up that hill. I went up that hill with my eyes wide open.”

“I’m happy to help you out, Charley.”

“This was fun tonight.”

“For me, too. Way better than poker night with the guys.”

“Gee, thanks. I’m honored.”

His hand came across the bed and somehow found hers in the darkness. “You should be honored. There’s no one else I’d rather hang out with on a Saturday night than you.”

“If that’s true, you probably need to get out more.”

“Ha-ha. I’ve gotten out plenty. I know a good thing when I see it. Or her.”

“Many would call you a masochist for feeling that way about me.”

“Let them say what they will,” he said on a yawn. “I can take it.”

Feeling oddly contented to be holding hands with Tyler Westcott in his bed in the dark of night, Charley drifted off to sleep, wondering what tomorrow might bring.