CADEN STOOD IN the hospital room doorway and stared at Mia as she looked down at her phone, her hand pressed to her mouth, her eyes shimmering with tears. He hated to make her cry, but seeing how much his messages affected her eased his heart. She didn’t look mad. She cared. He’d hated to leave her this morning, but he’d desperately needed a shower and to check in at work about the shooting last night. He wanted to get work out of the way so he could spend time with Mia, begging her for another chance to show her he was worth all the trouble he’d put her through.
He slipped his phone from his jeans pocket and texted her.
CADEN: If you missed me as much as I missed you, turn around.
He hit Send and stuffed his phone back in his pocket. Her phone dinged with the text, and she smiled and gasped at the same time. She spun on her toes and faced him, her eyes bright with surprise and happiness. All for him.
His chest went tight. His heart beat faster. All he wanted to do was touch her.
“Hi.” That’s all he got out before she flew into his arms and slammed into his chest. He held her softly, not wanting to hurt any of her many injuries, especially the stab wound the surgeon fixed last night.
“You came back.” The relief in her voice floored him.
That simple sentence cracked his heart. “I didn’t actually want to leave you, but I thought you might want some time alone when you woke up.”
She hugged him tighter. “I didn’t want to wake up without you.”
Music to his ears. He got what she meant but hoped her words were prophetic, because he’d like nothing better than to wake up to her.
Mia leaned back, sliding her hands over his arms and chest. She stared up into his eyes. “Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”
“I’m fine.” He cupped her face and brushed his thumbs over her soft cheeks. “You’re the one that bastard hurt.”
“But your head? He hit you.”
“Yeah, and you pulled me out a six-foot-high window and dumped me on my ass.”
“Well, you did stand me up. Twice.” Unable to hold the soft smile on her lips, it fell. She rubbed her hands over him again, checking him out from head to feet. “You’re sure you’re okay.”
“Doctor checked me out last night. Nothing but a mild headache, probably still hanging around because I haven’t slept. Other than a few aches and pains from those guys roughing me up, I’m fine.”
“You’re sure?”
He smiled down at her, loving this show of concern. “Now that I’m here with you and I see you’re okay, I’m so much better.” He pulled her back into his arms and held her close. “I’m so sorry, Mia. I wish I could have protected you from getting mixed up with the scum that muck up my life.”
“It was worth it.”
Shocked, he held her away from him by the shoulders and stared down at her. “Maybe you need your head examined again.”
“I’d do it again, because right up until those guys showed up, I was really having a good time getting to know you. That kiss—”
“Went something like this.” He leaned down and kissed her, so damn happy and relieved she was open to being with him—without all the drama of last night.
Lost in the kiss, her soft lips pressed to his, the slide of his tongue along hers as he explored the overwhelming heat building between them, he broke off the kiss when someone cleared their throat next to them.
Mia glanced over at her aunt, a soft pink flush brightening her pale cheeks, bringing back some of the healthy glow he remembered from when she walked up to the table last night and smiled at him.
Caden pulled his mind back to the present and not thinking about how to spend more time with her. She was headed home with her aunt, and all he wanted to do was take her home with him so they could talk and he could look at her and maybe steal another kiss.
“Sorry to interrupt.” Her aunt gave Mia a knowing smirk.
Mia resembled her aunt, who did indeed remind him of Farrah Fawcett, as Mia had described her. Last night he’d been too worried about Mia to really see the family resemblance.
Aunt Nancy closed the distance and wrapped her arms around him in a light embrace, making him uncomfortable, since he didn’t usually go around hugging people.
“Thank you again for saving my girl.”
“Oh. Well, she did a lot of that herself. She broke three guys’ noses, and I’m pretty sure one of those guys will never have kids.” He still couldn’t believe the way she’d fought with a determination that transcended the fear she must have felt being taken by those men.
He saw some of the fear come back into her eyes now. He pulled her to his side and held her close to reassure and comfort her that the ordeal was well and truly over.
“Probably a good thing if he lives his life selling those drugs and destroying other people’s lives.” Aunt Nancy pinched her face into a disapproving frown. “Anyway, you’re here, so you can take Mia home. Doctor says she’s free to go, so long as she takes her meds and uses the ointment on her knees, back, and head.” Aunt Nancy handed over several papers to Mia.
Mia tucked them into her tote. “I thought you were taking me home. Caden’s exhausted. He’d probably like to go home and get some sleep.”
He spoke up quickly, not wanting to miss this chance to spend time with her. “I’ll take you home. I, uh, wanted to talk to you about something.”
Mia’s eyes filled with worry.
“If it’s okay with you,” he added, nervous butterflies making his stomach quiver.
“Of course it is.” Aunt Nancy pushed them together, as she and his aunt Taffy had been trying to do for weeks. “I’m sorry, honey. I’ve got to get to the restaurant and check on things.”
Mia’s worried gaze turned to her aunt. “Is everything all right? Max is covering for me, right?”
“Yes. He’s got things well in hand, but you know him, he needs reminding that the staff aren’t his slaves. If I’m not there, he’ll unsheathe his sharp tongue and flay the poor souls in his path.” Aunt Nancy gave Mia a quick hug and kiss on the cheek. “I’m off. Thank you, Caden, for taking care of my girl. See you both later.” Aunt Nancy flew out of the room like a hawk after prey.
Mia shifted from one foot to the other. “Uh, I don’t know what to say. She’s not normally like that.”
“Obvious about making sure we’re left alone together?” The humor in his voice made her grin.
“I’m sorry you got roped into taking me home.” Uncertainty tinged her words.
He immediately reassured her. “She helped me out. I hoped I’d get some time alone with you.”
He wanted to say more, but a nurse pushed a wheelchair into the room.
“Ready?” The nurse set the lock on the wheels to steady it for Mia.
Mia made a grab for her bag, but Caden snatched up the tote and packed her meds from the table. “Anything else?”
Mia picked up the enormous vase of flowers Caden had sent her. “Thank you for these.”
He smiled down at her, her face practically obscured by all the gorgeous blooms. “I hoped you’d like them as much as the ones I got you last night.”
“At this rate, I might bankrupt you on flowers.”
“You’re worth it.” Their gazes locked for a moment, then his fell away. He wasn’t used to saying things like that to women. “Anything else?”
“This is it. Except I’ll have to get a ride back to pick up my car tomorrow.”
“I’ll drive you to get it when you feel up to it.”
“If you’d rather take me to it now so you can go home . . . ”
Her words trailed away as he shook his head. “I’m taking you home. You need to rest and recover.”
“I’m worried about you, Caden. You look exhausted.”
“Then let’s get going so we can both relax.” He wanted to get her alone so they could talk and clear the air and he could explain his intentions and feelings about her. He needed to get it off his chest and find out how she felt about him. He really wanted to know if they had a future, because he didn’t want this to be the end, but rather the start of something long and lasting.