Straight from the Heart by Tami Hoag Read Free Book Online Page A

dear.”
    Rebecca shot Jace a glare as he settled on the chenille spread with his back against the head-board and patted the spot beside him invitingly. To Muriel she said, “There’s no danger of that.”
    She helped Jace ease a pillow beneath his knee and gently loosened the Velcro-ended straps that held the brace tight. “Muriel, do you have any ice?”
    “Mice? With all these cats around? Heavens no! Why, I can’t remember the last time I saw a mouse.”
    “No, no.
I—C—E
. For Mr. Cooper’s leg.”
    “Oh! Why didn’t you say so?” Muriel scurried out with Chester at her heels.
    “When did you quit smoking?” Rebecca asked. She had pleaded with him endlessly the summer of their romance to give up the habit. Jace had seemed certain he was somehow immune to the adverse effects. “That should have made the national news under ‘Believe It or Not.’”
    “It’s part of the new me.”
    “So far I don’t like the new you much better than the old you.”
    “You will, Becca,” he said softly. “I promise you will.”
    She dodged his earnest blue gaze. The tensions of the day were ganging up to renew the pounding headache she’d had earlier. The last thing she needed to hear was another version of Jace’s pledge to hound her. “That’s no promise, that’s a threat.”
    “Whatever you want to call it, I intend to make good on it.”
    Rebecca didn’t comment, turning her attention solely to his knee. “Fifteen minutes with the ice, then you can go to a warm compress,” she said, carefully examining the freshly scarred joint. “I don’t like to see this much swelling. If it hasn’t gone down sufficiently by morning, we may have to have Dr. Cornish aspirate the fluid accumulation.”
    At the thought of having a needle become intimate with his much-abused knee, Jace’s face drained of all color until it matched the silvery ends of his hair. “Don’t tease, Becca. You wouldn’t really have him do that to me, would you?”
    She gave him a cold, hard look. “As much as I would love sticking you with a few needles myself, I would not instruct a doctor to do so unless it was strictly necessary to your treatment. I resent the implication that I would take advantage of my professional position to get revenge on you for our personal relationship.”
    “At least you’re admitting we have a personal relationship.”
    “I have to go,” she said, backing away from his bed. “Dad and Justin are waiting supper for me.”
    “Becca.” Jace reached out and caught her wrist before she could get away. Her pulse bucked and jumped under his fingertips. “I appreciate your help. I didn’t mean to imply you’d be anything less than professional; you’re too damn good at your job. It’s just that I’m scared spitless of needles.”
    Saying the word made him cringe and shiver. During his stay in the hospital following the accident and then following his knee surgery, he’d been poked with enough metal to qualify him as a human pincushion.
    “Don’t be mad at me,” he said softly.
    His voice was like cool silk on her raw feelings, but Rebecca didn’t welcome the sensation.
    “I’m not mad at you,” she murmured. She tried to extract her hand from the warmth of his. His expression was sweet enough to turn around the most sour disposition. It scared her that she had to keep reminding herself not to trust him. “I told you before, I don’t feel anything for you.”
    Jace tightened his hold on her wrist. “And I told you before, I don’t believe you.”
    “What do I have to do to make you believe me so you’ll leave me alone?” she asked, hoping against hope that there would be some simple, definitive test she could pass with flying colors. However, she wasn’t the least prepared for the test he offered.
    “Kiss me.” The two words rang with challenge, and beneath the challenge ran a smoky layer of desire. Beneath desire lay memories.
    Instantly Rebecca’s gaze dropped to his mouth. Her heart