She bit back a smile, wondering why he always had such an aversion to someone calling him kind. "If that was your motive, then why didn't you? You could have made your presence known, asked your mom to introduce us. I think it's pretty obvious that I'm attracted to you." More than attracted.
He jerked his hand away from her face, averting his eyes. "I forgot about your pain medication. I'm sure you're hurting." He slapped the call button for the nurse.
A response came immediately from the small speaker attached to the call button. "Can I help you?" The voice sounded young and female.
"Ms. Foster needs some pain medication." Simon's answer was abrupt: he came to his feet as he spat out the order.
"Someone will be right there." The faceless voice answered as the call light went from red to black.
Kara's head was still spinning from his brusque dismissal...or was it avoidance?...of her question. She tipped her head back to look at his face. He was scowling down at her, his face implacable.
Crossing her arms in front of her, she met his ferocious look with a small smile. "That tactic won't work on me anymore," she told him quietly.
"What tactic?" he rumbled, his arms crossing just like hers, challenging her, his expression unreadable.
"The one where I'm supposed to feel like I’m Little Red Riding Hood and you're the big, bad wolf." She lifted an eyebrow, refusing to look away from his disgruntled face. Simon Hudson could scowl, growl and snarl all he wanted to, but she had his number. Somewhere beneath his gruff, bossy exterior, there was a layer of compassion and benevolence that he would probably never show to the world. But she saw it, she recognized it. If he had really just wanted to screw her, he could have come forward, met her in person. It would have saved him valuable time.
He leaned down slowly, so slowly that her breath seized, as those molten dark eyes glinted with tiny flames and focused intently on her, making her want to squirm. Her body quivered, the waves of intense masculinity that were pulsating around her making her body react. His mouth lowered to her ear, the heat of his breath heavy against her neck and the side of her face. "Don't be so sure that I'm not the big, bad wolf, little girl. I'd gobble you up in a heartbeat." His low, menacing voice sent a shiver down her spine, but not from fear. Longing slammed into her body with hurricane force.
Her pent-up breath escaped in a tremulous sigh as the nurse entered the room, forcing Simon to straighten up and move away from the bed. The efficient, middle-aged woman gave Kara her medication and took her vital signs. After doing a quick assessment, the woman left, only after asking if there was anything else Kara needed and getting a negative reply.
"I'm surprised that I don't have a roommate," she muttered quietly after her nurse had departed. "This hospital is usually pretty busy." She had done clinicals at the facility and at this time of year, the rooms were generally filled as soon as they vacated.
Simon flipped his chair around and sat in it backwards, his forearms resting casually along the wooden back. For the first time since she'd opened her eyes, he grinned.
"There are some benefits of being a billionaire who just happens to be a generous donor to medical charities." The chair was close to the bed, his teasing eyes close enough to be visible in the muted light.
"So you asked for a private room because you donate?" Her lips twitched, but she tried to make her voice admonishing.
He shrugged. "Not me. Sam took care of it while I was taking a shower. And I doubt he asked."
She rolled her eyes, positive that Sam Hudson rarely asked for anything. He demanded, expecting people to do as he commanded. However, just like Simon, Sam hid a tender heart under layers of ice.
Her eyes grew heavy as the powerful medication started to kick in. Yawning, she felt Simon's hand clasp hers, his thumb running loosely up and down her palm. "Pain medication. I'm not used to it," she murmured, suddenly feeling exhausted.
"Sleep. I'll be here," he replied in a husky, concerned voice.
"You should go home and sleep. You've been here all night. I'm fine."
"I'm not leaving until you can come home with me," he answered, his tone adamant and inflexible.
"Not coming home with you," she grumbled as her eyelids fluttered.
"We'll see. Just sleep." His tone was soothing, pacifying.
And she wasn't fooled for one single second. He'd try to bulldoze over her later.
Not having the strength or the desire to fight with him at that moment, she slept.
*****
Later that morning, Simon tapped every resource he had to convince her that going home with him was the best option.
She received visits from Maddie, Helen, Sam, her attending physician and Detective Harris, each person stressing the importance of her being in a safe environment and naming Simon's condo as the most secure place for her to stay. Maddie gave her the advice grudgingly, obviously not very keen on the idea, but trying to consider the best option for Kara's safety.
Wonder how much he had to bully Detective Harris and her attending physician to get them to agree that his home was the safest?!
Privately, Simon told her if she didn't intend to go with him, he'd throw her over his shoulder and drag her back to his condo, kicking and screaming if necessary.
It wasn't his threat or the fact that she really had nowhere else to go that convinced her to get into the Mercedes and let James drive them home to the condo. In the end...it was the exhausted, wild, frantic look in his eyes while he made the demand that swayed her.
Honestly, he looked like he hadn't slept in days, his five o'clock shadow dark, his handsome face marked heavily with stress and weariness.
He's scared. Worried about me.
Her chest aching with tenderness, unable to let him go on freaking out about her, she caved in and let him take her home.
She'd worry about her additional pain later, when it came time to leave again. For now, she wanted Simon to relax, sleep and eat.
Screw her fears of hurting later. The look of despair on Simon's face hurt more than any pain she would suffer in the future.
I'll just have to suck it up!
Really, what other option did she have? She could watch Simon suffer, or she could worry about the pain later.
She chose the second option, the relieved look on his face worth every bit of hurt she would suffer in the future.
Chapter 2
A few nights later found Simon tossing and turning in his massive bed, unable to sleep. Rolling onto his back, frustrated and pissed-off, he stared up at the ceiling, his eyes wide open when they should be closed, catching up on lost sleep. Shit! He hadn't slept more than a few hours every night since the evening that Kara had left him. Now that she was back, he was still restless.