Line of Scrimmage by Marie Force Read Free Book Online

irksome gnat, Henry buzzed around him while Ryan did some quick math to determine the year Susie was born before Henry
     could figure out that he didn’t know it by heart. But yes, he did know her birthday.
    What kind of asshole did Henry take him for? The inattentive, forgetful kind, Ryan admitted to himself. The kind that forgot her birthday, forgot our anniversary, and just about everything else that mattered to her. Ryan glanced at Henry, who paced the length of the waiting room. Oh my God. I don’t deserve her. I don’t deserve her, and he does. The thought terrified him, almost as much as seeing her on the verge of anaphylactic shock.
    A doctor came into the waiting room. “Mr. Sanderson?”
    Ryan stood up as quickly as his ribs would allow and shook hands with the doctor.
    “It’s an honor to meet you,” the doctor said. “I’m a big fan.”
    “Thank you.”
    Henry groaned and rolled his eyes. “How’s Susannah?
    ” “She’s doing well. Her blood pressure is better, and all her other vitals are within normal ranges. You got the epinephrine
     into her before any damage was done, Mr. Sanderson.”
    “ Great, ” Henry muttered. “That’s just great.
    ”
    “Do you think you could just shut up?” Ryan said to Henry. “Can I see her?” Ryan asked the doctor.
    He nodded. “She’s asking for you.”
    “She is not, ” Henry snorted.
    “Who are you?”
    “Her fiancé.”
    The doctor looked to Ryan for confirmation.
    Ryan shrugged.
    “I’m sorry, but my patient is asking for Mr.
    Sanderson,” the doctor told Henry.
    “If I give you five minutes with her, will you leave?”
    Ryan asked Henry.
    Henry met Ryan’s fierce gaze with one of his own.
    “For now,” he finally said.
    “Fine. Go.”
    After Henry had scurried away with the doctor, Ryan lowered himself to a hard chair. His legs were weak from his own injuries
     and the shock of Susie’s sudden attack. As he realized just how close he had come to losing her forever, he became even more
     determined to get her back. This was the most important game of his life, and he had every intention of winning.

Chapter 5
    SUSANNAH REACHED UP TO SMOOTH THE HAIR OFF HENRY’S forehead. “I’m fine, really,” she assured him. “I was lucky Ryan knew exactly
     what to do.”
    Henry’s jaw tightened with tension. “Always the hero, isn’t he?”
    “He saved my life, Henry. Do you resent him for that?”
    “Of course not. But I suppose I’d be pointing out the obvious by saying if he hadn’t forced his way back into your life you
     wouldn’t be in a hospital bed right now.”
    Susannah sighed. “That’s not fair.”
    “You know what’s not fair? Your superstar ex-husband pushing me to the sidelines just weeks before our wedding. Is that fair?”
    “No, it’s not. It’s terribly unfair.” She squeezed his hand. “I love you, Henry. You have to have faith in that and in me.”
    “I do.” He traced a finger over one of the faded welts on her cheek. “I have all the faith in the world in you, Susannah.
     It’s him I don’t trust. He hurt you so badly. I can’t just sit back and watch that happen again.”
    “Shh, don’t. I’m going to be fine, and in a few short weeks I’ll be your wife. I’ll be where I always should’ve been—with
     you. I can’t wait until we have the rest of our lives to spend together.”
    He bent over the bedrail to hug her. Trailing kisses along her jaw, he said, “I can’t wait to finally get you back in my bed
     again. Eleven years is a long time to wait for that, too.”
    She smiled. “We’ll be glad we waited. Our wedding night will be extra memorable.”
    His ears flamed with color.
    Susannah adored him. He was the one person she could always count on. His devotion to her had never wavered, even after she
     made the biggest mistake of her life by leaving him for Ryan when they were in college. She had paid a mighty price for that
     mistake, and so had Henry.
    “Time’s up,” Ryan said from