“Sounds rough.”
He said nothing. The urge to find solace with her was nearly overwhelming, but unlike how he felt with other women, he didn’t wish to lose himself in her body. He just wanted to hold her, and take comfort in her caring. Her livelihood was healing, and he wanted, for just a fleeting instant, to be healed.
He squashed the desire ruthlessly.
“I’m so sleepy, Aidan.”
“Rest, then,” he murmured. “I’ll make sure you’re not disturbed.”
“Are you an angel?”
His mouth curved, and he hugged her closer. “No, darling. I’m not.”
Her reply was a gentle snore.
It was not-so-gentle kneading on her leg that woke her. Lyssa stretched, startled to find herself on the couch, then even more startled to realize she felt wonderful. The late afternoon sun lit her living room through the sliding glass door, and Jelly Bean, her tabby cat, was grumbling as he always did when she slept too long and didn’t pay enough attention to him.
Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes and laughed as her stomach growled in protest. She was famished, truly hungry for the first time in weeks.
“I guess I should have tried sleeping overnight on the couch earlier,” she told JB, scratching him behind the ears before rising to her feet. The ringing of the phone made her jump. She hurried to the breakfast bar to get it.
“Dr. Bates,” she greeted breathlessly.
“Good afternoon, Doctor,” her mother replied, laughing. “You sleeping all day again?”
“I guess.” Lyssa looked at the clock. It was nearly one. “It must have worked this time, though. I feel better than I have in months.”
“Good enough to go out to lunch?”
Her stomach rumbled its approval at the thought. “Definitely. How long before you get here?”
“I’m just around the corner.”
“Cool.” Reaching over, she sprinkled fish food in her salt-water tank. Eager clown fish rose to the surface, making her smile. “Let yourself in. I’m going to clean up.”
Tossing the cordless handset on the couch before running up the stairs, Lyssa showered and dressed quickly in a comfortable chocolate velour jogging suit. She ran a comb through her wet hair and then clipped it up, noting that she still looked tired, even though she felt great.
Her mother, however, looked nothing less than fabulous dressed in red silk cigarette pants and matching shrunken jacket. With her chin-length blond hair and rouged lips, Cathryn Bates hadn’t let two divorces dampen her desire to look hot and attract men.
While her mother rambled on about one thing or another, Lyssa rushed her out the kitchen door and into her Roadster. “Let’s go, Mom. Talk in the car, I’m starved.”
“You’ve said that before,” Cathy muttered, “and then ate like a bird.”
Lyssa ignored that quip and looked over her shoulder as she backed out of her garage. “Where to?”
“Soup Plantation?” Her mom raked her with an assessing glance. “Nah, you need some meat on your bones. Vincent’s?”
“Pasta. Yum.” Licking her lips, she turned the wheel and sped out of her condo complex. With the top down and a good night’s rest, she felt ready to take on the world. It was nice to have energy and be happy. She had almost forgotten how wonderful it was.
Vincent’s Italian restaurant was busy, as usual, but they didn’t have any trouble securing a seat. Red and white gingham tablecloths and wooden chairs lent to the casual country interior. Soft candles burned on every tabletop, and Lyssa immediately broke into the fresh-baked rosemary bread with gusto.
“Well, look at you!” her mom said approvingly, gesturing for wine by holding her stemmed glass aloft. “I wonder if your sister is eating hardy, too. Her obstetrician says the baby is another boy. She’s been trying to think of names.”
“Yeah, she told me.” Dipping another chunk of bread in olive oil, Lyssa shrugged and reached for the menu. An up-beat Italian tune struggled to be heard over the lunch crowd din, but the busy atmosphere was just what she needed to feel like part of civilization again. “I told her the best I could do was some pet names. She wasn’t impressed.”
“I suggested she pull out that baby book I bought her. Start with the A’s and work her way down. Adam, Alden—”
“Aidan!” Lyssa cried mid-bite. Something tender warmed her insides and made her sigh. “I don’t know why, but I really love that name.”
It was a beautiful Twilight night. The sky above was an ebon blanket of stars, and in the distance, the roaring of the various waterfalls competed with laughter and hushed musical tones. Guardians who had worked the long night before were relaxing away the stresses of their day. For Aidan, however, his work was just beginning.