“Stop playing with your food,” Kelly scolded. Like a hawk, she watched Spencer as they sat facing each other in the hospital’s cafeteria.
“I don’t like the food here.” Spencer, who was seated across from her, pulled apart his burger. He curled his lip as he dangled the almost-black meat inside. “Look at this.”
“That’s why I told you to let me bring you food. You’re the one who insisted that it was too much trouble.” She reached for his plate and switched it with hers. “Here, have my burger. It isn’t as burnt.”
“You don’t need to do that,” Spencer protested as he tried to take his plate again.
Kelly slapped his hand away. “Eat your food. I don’t think Lawrence will be happy to find out you wasted away while he was sleeping.”
“You obviously don’t know him.” Spencer scoffed. “If I don’t waste away, he’ll complain that I didn’t miss him enough.”
Kelly chuckled before ordering, “Eat.”
After four days of her constant fussing over him, he knew better than to argue further. With a mock-huff, he picked her burger off the plate and bit into it. Normally, having someone hovering over him like she was doing would’ve annoyed the hell out of him. But for some strange reason, Kelly’s mother-henning didn’t bother him. If anything, it left him feeling grateful and amused.
The gratefulness was because he wasn’t sure how well he would’ve handled Lawrence’s illness if she wasn’t here. Harrowing was too tame a word to describe the last few days. Fear, panic, and sadness had circled Spencer like hungry vultures threatening to consume him. Though Lawrence had awakened several times now and his scans looked good, Spencer still couldn’t leave the hospital for fear that something would happen while he was away.
Lawrence was such a larger-than-life presence that it’d never occurred to Spencer that he was mortal too. Just thinking of this man, who was practically his father, dying was enough to make a fist tighten around Spencer’s lungs. If Kelly hadn’t been there too soothe his fear, he probably would’ve gone into full panic-attack mode.
Though she didn’t spend nights at the hospital, every morning she dropped by to check on Lawrence and to bring Spencer breakfast and fresh clothes. She spent her days covering for Spencer at the office and splitting his pending cases with Angelina. Whenever she had a free minute, she dropped by on the pretense that she wanted his advice on a case. However, he knew that she was really just checking up on him. In the evenings she was back at the hospital, fussing over him and keeping him company until eventually he forced her to go home. Her support and constant presence was what had kept him sane.
“I’ll drop these off.” Kelly reached for his tray when they were done with their meal. Spencer didn’t protest, but when she tried to walk him back up to the hospital’s VIP floor, he put his foot down.
“You’re going to be late for work.” He cupped his hands over her shoulders and turned her to face the hospital’s main exit.
“I have a few minutes to kill,” Kelly protested.
“Ten minutes to be exact. And we both know that that’s not enough time for you to go up then come back down and catch a cab.” He wrapped his arm around her waist as they strode towards the door. “I don’t want you getting fired while I’m away.”
“Is that your way of saying you miss working with me?” Kelly teased with a smile.
“Maybe.” He flicked her nose with his finger.
It was nice to see her smiling and teasing so easily. Although Spencer still didn’t know where their relationship was or what they were to each other, the last few days together had eased the tension between them.
Kelly seemed more comfortable with him, which was both good and bad. Good because now he could hug or touch her without being afraid that she’d push him away. Bad because each of those touches left him tempted to go a step further, something he couldn’t do for fear that Kelly would run for the hills.
“Is there anything you want me to bring you when I come in the evening?” Kelly asked as they waited for a cab outside the hospital.
“I’m actually thinking of sleeping at home tonight,” Spencer said as he played with her fingers. “But it depends on how Lawrence will be doing.”
“Ah! So that means I won’t see you until tomorrow?” she asked. Was that disappointment in her voice or was he just imagining it?
“Probably.” He was watching her keenly enough that this time he saw her eyes shadow. Definitely disappointment. He fought to hide his instinctive smile. He considered suggesting she drop by his place instead, but he wasn’t sure they were there yet. So he just said, “I’ll let you know if I’m staying here or going home.”
“Okay.” She nodded.
Spencer waved for a cab, and soon one stopped in front of them. As he opened the car-door for her, she said, “Don’t forget to call me.”
“I won’t.” He smiled. “Promise.”
He expected her to get into the car right away, but then she paused beside the cab for a brief moment before suddenly stepping towards him.
Then her lips were on his.
It wasn’t a long kiss. It wasn’t even a deep kiss. In fact, it was more of brief peck as her fingers lightly caressed his arm. And yet it left him watching her in wide-eyed disbelief as she stepped back. Embarrassment flashed in her eyes just seconds before she darted into the cab. Before he could gain his composure and stop her from leaving so he could ask her what that kiss was about, the cab was already driving away.
Long after she was gone, Spencer stood stock-still staring at the road she’d disappeared down. What had just happened? Had Kelly kissed him goodbye? Of her own free will? He touched his lips and felt the ghost of her lips on his. He grinned. There was still hope for them after all.
The vibration of his phone drew his attention back to the present. He extracted the gadget from his pocket and checked the screen only to find that it was the hospital’s number. Already walking towards the entrance, he picked the call. “Yes?”
“Mr. Chambers?” A female voice echoed over the line.
“This is he.”
“It’s Nurse Edwards,” the caller said. “I just wanted to let you know that Mr. Quinn is up. If you’d like to see him, this would be a good time.”
“I’m on my way.” Spencer hurried into the hospital then took the elevator up to the VIP floor.
When compared to the rest of the hospital, the VIP floor was like a different world. The elevator opened into a lounge that was lined with expensive and comfortable beige furniture. The walls had been painted a cool cream instead of the regular hospital-white. There was a large TV to entertain the floor’s esteemed guests, a sign saying that fast, wireless internet access was available, and a large shelf filled with books. Even the few doctors milling around wore white jackets instead of the traditional doctor’s coat.
Lawrence’s suite was even more luxurious. In fact, it was better than most five-star hotel rooms. Several windows lined the north wall, bathing the large room in plenty of sunlight. The fresh flowers (from friends, colleagues, employees and even enemies) that occupied every free surface in the room, only made the room seem brighter and larger. So large was the room, that it had its own visitors lounge complete with expensive furniture, and an en-suite. Spencer suspected that if they could get away with it, they would’ve even fitted crystal chandeliers in the rooms.
The only hospital-ish thing in the room was the bed; a white cot with side rails and flunked with various medical equipment to monitor Lawrence. The man of the hour himself was lying on the raised bed while a doctor and nurse examined him. The three people in the room turned when Spencer stepped into the room.
“Ah, Spencer. Finally here.” The doctor offered him a smile. “Lawrence has been asking for you.”
“Has he?” Spencer crossed the room to stop by Lawrence’s bed. He almost teared up at the sight of his godfather smiling up at him. Just a few days ago, he’d been worried that he’d never see Lawrence’s smile again. Spencer grinned. “How are you feeling, old man?”
“Who are you calling old?” Lawrence asked, his words emerging with almost painful slowness.
“You,” Spencer retorted cheekily before turning to the doctor. “How’s he doing?”
“Much better as you can see,” the doctor said.
Even as a layman, Spencer could see that Lawrence was recovering. The first time the older man had tried to speak, he was slurring so badly, Spencer couldn’t even understand what he was saying. And now he could even string words together albeit slowly. There really was a god up there.
The doctor briefed Spencer on Lawrence’s condition. Considering the state he’d been brought in, Lawrence was very lucky to have come out with only slight issues with his speech and motion. Given some time, medication, rehab and major weight loss, the doctor said, he could regain his former physical vigor.
“Are you telling me that I need to start exercising?” Lawrence’s horrified look drew laughs from the others.
“Yes.” The smiling doctor nodded. “And a change in diet.”
“Get me some morphine.” Lawrence scowled. “I’d rather die.”
Spencer knew his godfather was just joking but his words sent an immediate pang of worry coursing through Spencer. To the doctor, he said, “Don’t worry, I’ll feed him grass myself if I have to.”
“Traitor,” Lawrence mumbled as he shot Spencer a narrow-eyed glare.
After making sure that everything was fine with Lawrence, the doctor and nurse left the suite. Once they were gone, Lawrence turned to Spencer. “I heard you went for lunch with your girlfriend.”
“Not my girlfriend,” Spencer denied as he pulled up a chair next to his godfather’s bed. “Kelly.”
“Same difference.” Lawrence chuckled “At least someone’s getting something out of this nonsense.” He gestured towards his supine body.
“Don’t even joke about that.” Spencer frowned. If the price of having Kelly come back to him was losing Lawrence, then he would’ve gladly given up Kelly regardless of how he felt about her. He set his palm over his godfather’s hand. “You scared me.”
The amusement in Lawrence’s eyes faded and was replaced by sadness. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry.” Spencer squeezed the older man’s hand. “Just get well.”
* * * * *
A WEEK LATER, Kelly was having a conversation with her own father.
“Hi, Daddy.” Her hushed voice echoed in the silent room as she sat on the bed staring at his picture. Beside Kelly lay Sin, deep asleep and oblivious to the turmoil swirling within her friend.
Kelly asked her father, “How’ve you been?”
She could almost hear her father cheerfully telling her that he was having a blast up there.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.” She smiled at her father’s picture. “You always said that when you got up there you were going to turn it into a real party. No harps and hymns - rap all the way.”
Thought of Jesse rapping to Kanye in front of scandalized angels was enough to make Kelly’s smile widen. But her smile soon faded…
“I guess you’re wondering why I pulled you out of your party.” She paused as sudden tears clogged her throat. “I just called to say I’m sorry.”
Afraid to even look her father in the eye, she lowered her gaze to the edge of the picture frame. “I’m really sorry, Daddy. I didn’t plan for this to happen. It just did. I even tried to let him go, but it didn’t work.”
A tear slid down her cheek. It was soon followed by another, then another. She sniffed and wiped her cheeks. “I wish I could give him up, but I can’t. Even though I know everything he did, I can’t let him go. I think I’m in love with him.”
Nothing else could explain why she’d been so distressed when she’d heard that Spencer’s godfather was in the hospital. Suddenly, his pain had become hers. It hadn’t even occurred to her to deny him comfort just because they had issues. When he’d cried, she’d found herself crying. When he took his first easy breath after Lawrence woke up, she’d taken it too. Wasn’t that the foundation of love?
“Can you forgive me, Daddy?” Her tears were now in free-flow. She brushed her arm over her eyes to get rid of the tears so she could see her father’s smiling face. “Can you understand my feelings for him?”
Her father smiled back at her and she could’ve sworn she heard his voice in her head. I understand.
“You do, don’t you?” She offered him a teary smile in response. “Thank you.”
Despite her tears, Kelly slept more deeply than any other night since she’d met Spencer. It felt like a load had been lifted off her shoulder. She couldn’t help smiling as she took the elevator up to their office.
That smile widened when Marie told her that Spencer was waiting for her in his office for an update about their current cases. Now that Lawrence was out of the hospital and recovering at home, Spencer was back at work and ready to take back his cases.
Spencer’s eyes lit up when she walked into his office and his mouth kicked up in a smile. “Good morning.”
“Morning.” Edging closer to his desk, she asked, “How does it feel to be back at work?”
“Like I never left.” Spencer grimaced as he eyed the numerous files she was carrying. “Please don’t tell me those are all the cases I have to catch up on.”
“What can I say? People have been busy breaking the law.” She heaved the files higher up in her arms. “Where do you want me to put these?”
“On the coffee-table.” Spencer pushed back his seat and stood up. “It will be easier for you to brief me there.”
“I sent soft copies via your email,” she huffed as she set the files on the coffee-table then settled on the couch.
“I prefer paper in my hand.” He circled his desk to come and sit beside her.
Immediately, his masculine scent assailed her senses. When he shifted closer to her, his arm brushed hers. The hairs on her arm rose in immediate awareness. When he turned the pages of the file, his muscles shifted against her arm, and her breath caught in her throat. And when his thigh bumped against hers, shivers of electric need pulsed straight to her core.
Did he not feel that odd energy pulsing between them? Kelly wondered as she snuck a glance at him. Given his complete concentration on the file he was reading, it seemed like he couldn’t feel it? Strange, because her body was humming and throbbing to its tune.
Being close to Spencer was so intoxicating, so distracting that she completely forgot what she was here to do and focused on him. She wasn’t sure whether she liked his hair neat as it was right now, or as rumpled as it was in the hospital. Both styles were spectacularly sexy. Her gaze lowered to his torso. Suits and ties were definitely made for men like Spencer. His broad shoulders and muscular thighs stretched the fabric, flaunting the athletic body beneath. Dropping her lids, she found herself unwittingly studying his groin and picturing that bold, masculine part of him that lay beneath his black pants.
“Don’t…,” he whispered huskily.
“Don’t what?” She reluctantly dragged her gaze back to his face. He was still staring at the document in his hand but there was a harshness to his expression that hadn’t been there before.
“Don’t look at me as if you want to see what’s beneath the pants,” he murmured without looking away from his reading material. “It’s hard enough for me to look at you without wanting to get you out of your clothes and into my arms.”
Immediate embarrassment heated her cheeks as she realized that she’d been caught ogling him. This was becoming a thing, wasn’t it? Even so, her embarrassment came with a healthy dose of desire. It was one thing to want him but quite another to find out that underneath his blasé expression, he was lusting over her too.
Suddenly feeling shy, she picked one of the documents from the table and pretended to read it. She brought the paper as close as possible to her face, partly to hide her mortification, and partly to hide her smile. Good to know she wasn’t the only one feeling the zing!
“Have you done Carrigan’s opening statement?” Spencer asked as if he hadn’t just turned her inside out with his hot words.
“Um… yes.” Kelly cleared her throat as she forced herself to get back to work. Leaning forward, she rifled through one of the case files on the coffee-table to come up with a document. She held it out to him. “Here.”
Spencer reached for the document and in the process his fingers brushed against her. The light touch lit a fiery path through her already throbbing nerves. How in the world was she supposed to survive this briefing if even the slightest touch from him drove her this wild?
It only got worse with the passing minutes. Spencer always managed to find a reason to touch her; when he was taking documents from her, when he was patting her back because of something she’d done right, when he was squeezing her thigh to catch her attention…
She was beginning to suspect that he was doing it deliberately. That suspicion turned to certainty when he completely covered her hand with his as they read from the same document.
Her eyes wide, she stared at his face, then at their joined hands. At his face again, then at their joined hands. At him…
This time she found him watching her too. His dark gaze was shadowed with a strange wildness that left her breathless. Unable to look away, Kelly’s heart raced with a combination of anticipation and need.
She wasn’t even sure how it happened or who moved first. One second they were staring at each other, and the next they were kissing. Spencer released a deep groan when she caressed his bottom lip with her tongue. His hands spanned her waist to drag her closer to him as his lips parted against hers. Her tongue forayed in and found his to start an erotic game of chase-and-tease.
The kiss was sweet, it was tender, it was longing. Beneath it simmered all the feelings they’d both held in check these last few weeks. Kelly scooted even closer to him so she could feel his body against hers. She shivered and trembled in desire when her already swollen breasts brushed against his muscular chest. Being so close to him brought back poignant memories of how it’d felt to have him over her, inside her. Goodness, she needed more of him.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to happen soon. A sharp rap on the door cut into their kiss. Instinctively, they jumped apart, just seconds before the door swung inwards and Duke walked into Spencer’s office. Panic driving her, Kelly grabbed a document off the coffee-table and pretended to read it while the annoyingly calm Spencer turned his attention to Duke.
“Don’t you know how to knock?” Spencer asked as he sat up straighter on the couch.
“I did.” Duke’s impassive gaze swept to Kelly before coming back to Spencer. “You must’ve been too busy to hear it.”
What did that mean? Was Duke just making a general comment? Or was that his way of saying that he knew what they’d been up to before he’d walked into the office? The thought sent mortified heat flushing through Kelly. This was one of those times she was glad to be dark-skinned because if she was paler, her cheeks would be a flaming pink right now.
“How can I help you?” Spencer asked.
“Aaron Miller just called. He wants us to go downtown and see him,” said Duke.
Spencer released a tired, drawn out breath. “What does he want this time?”
Duke grinned. “To give another confession.”
“God, no!” Spencer pinched the bridge of his nose. “He probably wants to tell us about the time he went undercover in North Korea and stole the codes to a nuke.”
“I feel like he might take us to Iraq this time,” Duke disagreed with a chuckle. “He made me bring him a book about the Middle East yesterday. Who knows – maybe Aaron knows where Saddam’s secret treasure is buried.”
Aaron was what one would call a problem client. He was a compulsive liar who’d made a career out of making false reports to the police and sending them on wild-goose chases. Unfortunately, the cops were now tired of him and wanted him prosecuted for wasting their time.
“All right.” Spencer nodded. “I’ll be right out.”
Seconds later, Duke left. It was only after he was gone that Kelly took her first easy breath. Jeez, that had been nerve-wracking, she thought as she stared blankly at the document in her hand.
“You’re reading upside down,” Spencer informed her with a grin.
Shocked, she took a better look at the document. Spencer was right – it was upside down.
“Ugh!” She dropped the paper as horror rushed through her. “Do you think Duke noticed?”
Spencer only laughed. Kelly covered her face with her hands. This was so embarrassing.
“Don’t worry.” Spencer gently tugged her hands from her face. She found him watching her with eyes that danced with both amusement and tenderness. “I doubt he knew why you were reading upside down. But even if he did, I wouldn’t care.”
He moved closer, his eyes already darkening as if he was preparing to kiss her again. Kelly quickly shoved him away and shot to her feet. “Get away from me, Satan!”
The man was too damn tempting.
“Yes, Ma’am.” Spencer laughed, the wicked sound echoing in the room.