Yeah, she would’ve. Because no matter what he would’ve done or said, she would’ve known he was only sitting with her out of guilt and pity. She’d take loneliness any day over that.
“I was fine. Tired, but fine.”
He stared at her for several long moments before he glanced beyond her to the screen. “You’re not seriously going to leave the office, are you?”
Callie nodded. “I think I should. It’s not fair to you for me to take time off until I heal, and I can’t afford the break in income.”
“I can help you financially until you’re back to work, Call
ie. I don’t want to lose you.”
He didn’t want to lose her. That warmed her in so many ways, but he wasn’t talking on a personal level. More than likely he didn’t want to train anyone to fill her shoes and Marie couldn’t do both offices.
“Marie, I’m sure, would fill in until you found someone,” she told him, only to be rewarded with a scowl.
“I need to call her anyway to let her know how you’re feeling because she left me a voice mail.”
Callie shook her head. “Talk to her all you want, but I won’t be coming back, Noah.”
“I need you, Callie.”
She jerked up out of her seat, standing literally toe-to-toe with him. The elbow of her arm in the sling bumped against his hard abs.
“You need?” she mocked. “Let me tell you what I need. I need to go back in time, I need to not have this new life I’m adjusting to and I need to get my independence back. Your needs are irrelevant at the moment.”
Noah stared at her, his eyes holding on to hers, and Callie wondered if she’d totally overstepped her bounds shouting at not only her boss that way, but also the man who was putting aside his life to help her recover.
She closed her eyes and sighed. “God, I’m sorry. That was really cruel of me to say and very selfish.”
Noah’s strong hand cupped her cheek. “It’s okay. You’re entitled to be upset, to hate me, this situation, your life. I’m tough, Callie. I can take it.”
She lifted her lids, though her eyes burned with unshed tears. “But you shouldn’t have to take it. I just get so frustrated when I look at long-term goals because I can’t even put my own clothes on, for pity’s sake.”
His thumb stroked across her cheek as he glanced down to her lips and back up to her eyes. “I don’t mind, Callie. I know it’s upsetting to lose your independence, but there’s nothing about helping you that bothers me. What does bother me is how hard you are on yourself.”
“I just want to be whole again,” she told him. “But that may never be.”
He wrapped an arm around her waist, tugging her in closer. “It will be if I have anything to say about it.”
His lips came down on hers in a powerful yet tender way. Callie froze for a second, but then slid her hand up his bare, sweaty arms. That hard body pressed against hers, combined with his musky scent from his workout, made her moan as his lips continued to claim hers.
She squeezed his thick biceps, making sure to keep her body angled so she could still get the maximum benefit of rubbing against his even while protecting her arm.
His lips were just as gentle yet demanding as the other night. He nipped at her and pulled her bottom lip between his before he eased back.
Noah rested his forehead to hers and sighed. “I won’t apologize for that, Callie. I just can’t control myself sometimes around you. I know you’re here to heal, not to get mauled, but you do something to me.”
“Yeah, you do something to me, too,” she admitted.
That something was tying her up in knots and leaving her confused. This man could have nearly any woman he wanted and he was standing in his kitchen—wearing only gym shoes and running shorts with those glorious sweaty pecs on display—and he was kissing a broken woman. That made no sense.
“I can’t help but feel you’re recovering from something, too.” She searched his face. “I may be far off the mark, but sometimes you get this look in your eyes like you’re hurt. I’ve seen it when we discussed the house and when you think I’m not looking.”
His eyes closed for the briefest of moments before he opened them and sighed. “I’m going to hop in the shower. Think about what I said and don’t start looking for another job just yet.”
Callie nodded, unable to form a coherent thought after that kiss and his intense stare as he totally dodged her analysis. Which just proved she was more than likely accurate in her assessment.
Someone or something had a hold on him. He had a past that haunted him and she had a sinking feeling in her stomach that he was waging an inner war with himself. One second he was kissing her like he needed her air in his lungs and the next second his eyes held pain and doubt.