Hope Awakened by Charlene Hartnady

Chapter 16

Hope couldn’t sleep. She tossed and turned, and tossed and turned some more. She finally picked up her phone and had another look at the messages. She’d had a back-and-forth exchange with Lizzie after getting home earlier. She couldn’t put their conversation out of her mind. Hope scrolled through her phone.

Lizzie: Please come back. Surely you can get a day or two off. I need you to sign the paperwork. Please!

Hope: I can’t. I’m sorry. I’m on call 24/7. It’s going to be a good couple of weeks before I can get away. I promise I’ll be there as soon as I can.

Hope was shocked at how much she meant it. At how little animosity she felt towards her sister. Towards them. She wanted the papers signed. She wanted to move on, once and for all. Needed it.

Lizzie: Why are you doing this? I know you hate me. I know you don’t want us to be together. Thing is, Emmet loves me. You guys are done!

Hope: This has nothing to do with Emmet. I want nothing more than to be divorced already. You’re pregnant with his baby. He’s with you now. The divorce not going through wasn’t my fault.

Lizzie: I know how much you want to be a mother. You hate me since finding out about the baby. You love watching me suffer. It isn’t good for the baby.

Hope: Emmet is with you, NOT me. He left me…remember? I can’t leave here right now. I have certain responsibilities. Please try to calm down. You’re right, stress isn’t good for the baby.

Lizzie: You almost sound like you care.

Hope: I do care. You’re my sister. Emmet loves you. A piece of paper doesn’t matter. It didn’t matter when he was with me, and it shouldn’t matter now. He loves YOU.

Her sister hadn’t responded. Hope was worried. Emmet hadn’t messaged her again, either. It was radio silence from him. Why? Why was Lizzie acting like this? Like she was desperate and afraid. What was going on with them? Although she shouldn’t give a shit, she was worried about Lizzie. Her sister was pregnant, after all. It could affect the baby.

Hope had spent many months wishing for them to break up. She’d been waiting for it to happen. Expecting it to. A relationship based on lies wasn’t much of a relationship. Except they’d stayed together. They’d gotten married – or tried to – and Lizzie had fallen pregnant. Now it seemed that there might be problems in paradise. Problems that had nothing to do with her. Yet she was the one being blamed.

What the hell?

More importantly, she was worried about her sister. Hope found herself hoping that Emmet and Lizzie were going to work things out.

Maybe she was finally starting to move on. Somehow it was happening, and quicker than she ever imagined. It still hurt. It was still something she would never fully get over or move on from, but she didn’t want Lizzie to be hurt. Hope didn’t want her sister to go through even half of what she had gone through. Maybe that made her crazy or an idiot. It didn’t matter; it was true.

Hope sighed as she took note of the time. It was half-past two in the morning, and there she was, wide awake. She needed the toilet and perhaps a drink of water. Then again, chamomile tea would be better. At this rate, she wasn’t going to get back to sleep anytime soon.

Hope slipped out of bed and padded into the hallway. She looked at Reece’s door. He also left it slightly ajar. She wondered if he slept on top of the covers, with his head buried under a pillow, or— She gave an eye-roll. This needed to stop. Good thing Locke would be back the next day, and things could get back to normal.

She quickly went to the toilet. Hope didn’t flush it; she didn’t want to wake Reece. Perhaps she’d call Lizzie in the morning and have a long talk with her sister. It would be better than messaging back and forth.

She turned the corner into the kitchen and turned the light on. Hope gave a yell when she saw someone standing there. It took a second or two for her eyes to adjust.

It was Reece.

Of course it was.

Who else would it be?

He was standing with his back to her, looking outside. He had a glass of water in his hand. His ass was…it was… Could an ass be beautiful? Could a back be considered gorgeous? His shoulders were wide. He was all hard lines and roped muscle covered in bronzed skin. He was…turning around. Shit! Holy freaking shit balls! ‘Balls’ was right!

He turned slowly…very slowly. First looking over his shoulder and then turning all the way to face her. “I take it you couldn’t ?” His voice was thick with disuse.

Don’t look down.

Don’t!

His hair was mussed. How could one person be this sexy?

“Ummm…ah…” Speak! Spit it out, dammit! “Yes…I mean, no, I couldn’t…um…sleep. Sorry, you startled me. I thought you were in bed.”

He gave her a half-smile. Now? In the middle of the freaking night, naked, and he chose to smile at her for the first time. It caused her stomach to flip-flop. It made her feet feel like lead. That was some smile. It lasted all of half a second and made it all the more attractive. “I was in bed. I couldn’t sleep either. My mind works overtime as soon as I lie down.”

“Maybe you just needed something to relax you.” It sounded like she was flirting. Like she was alluding to sex. Was she? Maybe. No!

“I normally fly…hard, for a while. It works.” He shrugged his big shoulders. “I can’t tonight, though.”

“You’re babysitting me.”

“That’s okay, I don’t mind. I was sick of lying there staring at the ceiling.”

“So, you thought you would stare out at nothing, instead.” She looked past him out the window, taking a few steps towards him. It was still beautiful, even though she couldn’t see the view. The sky was slightly less black than the land. It was vast and dark and there was something to that. The stars twinkled overhead. There was a sliver of a moon. “It’s magnificent,” she whispered, almost to herself. She looked at Reece.

Crap!

Crappity crap!

It couldn’t be. No! Shit! It was. Reece was staring at her chest. As in staring. There was a hunger in his gaze which moved downward to her legs before coming back up…slowly. It made her swallow hard. It made her nipples tighten. She folded her arms.

Reece lifted his eyes. He cleared his throat, looking down, but not before she saw it. Desire! He wanted her. He was just as attracted to her as she was to him. He might not like it, but he was. Reece turned back to the window, his movement abrupt. He put a hand on the pane, his fingers tight on his glass of water.

Shit!

This wasn’t good at all. She needed to defuse this and fast. “Um…” She turned toward the kettle, putting it on. “Do you want some t-tea? I’m making some for myself. Chamomile. It always helps me sleep when I’m feeling wound up.” She glanced down, biting her lip. She was in her little pink pajamas. The tight little tank top with hearts all over it, and the even smaller shorts. Her boobs were all over the place. She groaned inwardly. If she had known he was there, she would’ve put her robe on. Changed. Not come out looking like this.

The worst part of it all was that she did feel wound up. It had been a very long time since she’d had sex. Maybe that was it.

Wound up.

Yes, she was.

Was the length of time without sex strictly to blame? Um…no… It was the man across the room from her.

“I’m okay…thanks,” he muttered, still facing the window.

“No, really, you should have some. Staring at the ceiling isn’t fun. Just lying there is…it’s awful,” she stammered, sounding completely out of sorts…which she was. There it was, that awkwardness between them. It was glaring.

“I should probably get dressed.” His voice was a deep rasp.

She glanced back, noting that he was still standing there. Hope didn’t say anything. She should probably tell him that she’d seen him naked a ton of times, and that it didn’t matter. But it did…matter. It mattered a whole hang of a lot. She made a noise of agreement as she hunted down a mug. She placed a teabag inside the mug.

“I’m going to stand here a little longer first. If it doesn’t bother you.”

“Not at all.” She glanced his way. From this angle, she caught his reflection in the glass.

Oh god!

Ohhhhh!

This was worse than she thought. Way worse. Reece had an erection. It was impossible to miss on account of him being a big guy…a really big guy. Her heart went nuts in her chest. “Maybe I should find a robe or a sweater or something.” Her eyes were wide.

“Are you cold?”

“No…but…I…um. Are you sure you don’t want some tea? Tea would help.” With his erection? It would not help with his erection. Why was she insisting on tea?

Oh hell!Reece had an erection. He was attracted to her. What now? This was a bit of a mess. All she felt was…good. It actually made her feel good that someone like Reece was having a moment because of her. Someone so serious, so together, was a little ruffled – because it was clear that he was ruffled – and all because of her. She had done this to him. Hope wasn’t sure if she still could be sexy and desired and wanted. It turned out that she could. That she was. It was a rush.

Hope stifled a smile. She pulled in a deep breath, glancing his way. His ass was pulled tight. His glutes were working overtime. If she was a guy, she might just have an erection of her own right then too. This was manic. It made her laugh. It was a silly, slightly hysterical laugh she couldn’t hold back. The situation was crazy. If anyone had told her, even a couple of weeks ago, that she’d be in a kitchen with a naked guy – a gorgeous, fully erect, naked guy – she’d have told them that they were certifiable. Yet, here she was.

“What’s so funny?” Reece asked, glancing over his shoulder at her. He looked angry. He was frowning darkly. Hope knew that it wasn’t anger.

“Um…nothing…” She giggled some more. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be laughing. I think I’m going to put some more clothes on. Can I get you pants…a pillow? Something?” She made a face.

Reece grimaced. He put a hand over his groin area. “My sincerest apologies, Dr. Bristol. I…” He winced.

“Hope. It’s Hope, please. I think we’re way beyond formalities.”

“I guess we are.” Reece turned.

Holy fucking shit!His hand couldn’t cover what he was packing. Not even close. Not even a little bit.

“You really shouldn’t look at me like that, Doctor.”

“I…I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “I…um…” She whipped herself around and poured the water into her cup, hoping that the thing had actually boiled. She wasn’t sure.

“I’m the one who should be apologizing. It’s so wrong. After all you’ve been through, and here I am… I…I’m an asshole. I’m despicable. You are safe with me, I swear. I’m going to get dressed now.” He took a step forward.

“It’s fine.” She turned and leaned against the counter. “You’re not an asshole. We can’t always help what happens to our bodies.”

“I’m a grown male.” He narrowed his eyes. “This is unacceptable.”

“You’re too tough on yourself. My body reacted to you as well. It’s just not as obvious.”

His gaze dropped to her breasts. Her nipples were still tight. Her breathing suddenly felt shallow. Like she wasn’t getting enough air.

Reece looked away. “This is bad, Doctor…Hope. It’s…it’s not right. You should— I’m going to go now.”

“We’re attracted to each other. The way I see it, we can do one of two things,” she licked her lips. “We can go with it or ignore it.”

“Go with it?” He narrowed his eyes. “By ‘go with it’ you mean that we should… That…” His jaw tightened and his throat worked. “That’s not going to happen. You didn’t come here for sex, remember? You came here to find yourself. That means being alone.”

“Things change.” Where the hell was this coming from? Maybe it was the blood pounding through her veins. Perhaps it was the tightening in her lower belly. She’d never wanted anyone more. Not ever! Why not go for it? She had nothing to lose. It’s not like it would go anywhere. She wasn’t staying long-term. Hope was setting up the clinic. She was going to see the royal chicks born. In a few months… she would need to get back to her life. To her practice. Her locum couldn’t stay on forever. Six months had been a push.

It probably wasn’t the best idea, but it could be fun. Something quick and seriously hot. She’d always balked at the idea of rebound sex. Of hook-ups in general, but that was before she found her husband of five years in bed with her sister. It was before her life had gone to hell. Maybe it was time to live a little, to let loose some. Reece could do with some fun. They both could.

There was one thing Hope knew for sure, it would be like dynamite between the two of them. Truly explosive. “I’m not looking for a relationship. That part hasn’t changed. Maybe I was wrong about being alone to find myself. Maybe I was wrong about forgoing sex. We’re attracted to one another, so why can’t we—?”

“No,” he pushed out, his voice gruff. “Absolutely not! I gave an order to my males. An order to my team.”

“You’re the boss. It doesn’t count for you.”

“It counts double for me. As much as I…” He shook his head. “Not happening, Dr. Bristol.” He marched out of the room.

Hope wondered if she should feel bad. If she should feel guilty for coming onto Reece. For trying to seduce him. For being everything he was afraid she would be. She didn’t feel bad. For the first time in years, she felt alive. They were two consenting adults who were attracted to each other…big time. Why not act on it? Get it out of the way. Get each other out of their systems. Once or twice should do it. She just needed to find a way to convince him of that.