Out Of Her League by Kaylea Cross Read Free Book Online

hospital.”
    “No way,” she cried, dread flaring. God, imagine her waking up to see Rayne beside her bed all night. “You've already gone to too much trouble as it is. I'll just ice my leg, then go to bed.”
    “You wouldn't let Teryl stay with you either, but I'd feel much better if I knew you weren't alone.”
    Her heart stuttered. “Why, do you think something might happen?” She'd let him drive her home instead of Teryl because after the stalker's persistence at the ballpark, she felt safer with Rayne.
    He reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, the contact giving her goose bumps. “I would just feel better if I was there in case you needed anything.”
    His non-answer didn't reassure her. “Because you're my friend, or because you're a cop?”
    He lifted his shoulders. “Both. And let's not forget you've got a mild concussion.”
    She chewed her tender lip. She was pretty banged up. And if Rayne seemed concerned about the potential for overnight encounters with her crazed fan, maybe that was reason enough to have a cop in the house. But what was she thinking? He'd had dinner with her last night for the first time, and now she was debating letting him stay over?
    “You could help me inside, if you don't mind,” she finally relented, and let herself out of the truck. Her head pounded like someone was playing a kettle drum in her skull and her neck was so sore she couldn't turn it without wincing. When she let them into the house they were greeted by an ecstatic Jake, who seemed thrilled his mistress had brought company home. He wagged his tail and gazed up at Rayne with adoring brown eyes.
    “You're a suck,” he told him, but reached down to stroke his velvety ears anyway.
    “I need a quick shower,” she said from the bottom of the staircase. “If you insist on babysitting me, you might as well make yourself at home.”
    “Okay, but call me if you get dizzy or anything, all right?”
    “Sure.” And then he'd come charging in to the bathroom while she was naked in the shower, and she'd have heart failure for sure. Those big hands sliding over her wet skin...
    Stop that .
    The hot shower helped relax her battered muscles, and she threw on a top and shorts under her robe before heading back downstairs. Rayne was on the couch watching the sports highlights. She liked that he seemed so comfortable in her house. After finding a bag of frozen corn from the freezer she wrapped it in a dampened tea towel and joined him, propping her feet on the coffee table and placing her makeshift ice pack on her swollen, discolored thigh.
    “Feel any better?” he asked.
    “By better do you mean has my head stopped feeling like it's about to explode? Or have I stopped seeing double?”
    “Both.”
    “Then yes. Thank you.” She pushed aside the nerves that skittered through her stomach at his presence in her house, his nearness. He had seen her inside and made sure everything was secure, so now she should ask him to leave. But the prospect of spending the night alone tied her stomach in knots.
    “Do you want something to drink?” she asked instead. What in the world was she doing? She must have hit her head harder than she realized.
    “I'm fine, thanks.”
    She settled deeper into the couch, making sure she kept some distance between them. “So, while I was conscious, did you think I was intimidating out there?”
    He stretched his long, muscular legs out in front of him. “I have to admit, I was impressed. You've got one hell of an arm. And you were like a general, leading from the front. Sort of scary to watch, actually. I'd never have believed it if I hadn't seen it.”
    She laughed, adjusting her ice pack. “After people see me on the field for the first time, I'm suddenly Jekyll and Hyde.”
    “That's probably because the rest of the time you don't seem capable of throwing your weight around like that.”
    “Adds to my mystique.”
    “Too bad you won't be able to play for a while.”
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