Breathe for Me

chapter Two





Chelsea so didn’t want to take the shirt in his outstretched hand. But at the same time she really, really did. She glanced over his shoulder and saw people staring at them. That would be because they were the only ones baring flesh. And up this close to ‘superman’, she was revealing more than she wanted. So she took the shirt.

“Thank you,” she muttered.

“My pleasure.” His eyes lit with laughter, like he knew how much it cost her to say it.

Maddening creature. She clamped her mouth shut and slipped the tee over her head. Instantly she was enveloped in his warmth and the soapy scent she’d noticed when in his arms, a tantalizing mix of citrus, lime and man. She clenched on the deep muscles firing up inside and held her breath, stopping herself from inhaling his essence. So inappropriate. So obvious.

The sleeves of the tee came down almost to her elbows, the bottom hem to below her mid-thigh. Hanging loose, it covered her perfectly. Yet now she felt even more like she’d been caught out doing something she shouldn’t have. Not so much swimming after hours, but sleeping in someone else’s bed. His. And she’d pulled on the nearest shirt quickly in the alarm... and oh yeah, his naked torso right in front of her just added to the whole movie reel playing in her head.

“Who should I return it to?” she asked roughly, trying to retain just a little cool.

“Superman never reveals his true identity.” He stepped closer, his voice dropping to that eargasmic murmur. “It’s part of the fun.”

She stared up at him, the fantasy still whirring in her head. Could he be an anonymous-hot-stuff sensual dream man for her? Could they have some kind of ‘late night strangers tryst’? Have mercy. Like that happened in real life? She shook her head clear. It had been too long since she’d done anything with any man—because a thought like that shouldn’t turn her on. Except it did. It really, really, did.

“Hey Doc, no injuries here?”

She started at the interruption. One of the uniformed building team stood beside them. She knew him—Terry. He glanced at her with more interest than apology in his eyes.

“No, we’re good, Terry.” Her ‘hero’ answered briskly.

Terry quickly turned back at Superman, recognizing superiority when he saw it. “Sorry to interrupt but we need some help, if you’re able?”

“Of course.” Superman looked at Chelsea, his smile broadened again. “See you.”

Chelsea watched him swiftly walk away and drew a sharp breath. He was a doctor? She didn’t know why she was so surprised. In an apartment complex, even a medium sized one like hers, there’d doubtless be at least one medical expert who happened to live there. And he was it. So he really did rescue people for a living. Talked them through the fright in whatever way worked. He’d not actually been flirting with her—not meaningfully—it was just play. A way of getting her to smile.

She remembered the paramedics talking to her about the most inane things. Keeping her in the present, away from the darkness. Superman had been doing a job. Which was fine. She wasn’t disappointed because she didn’t want real flirt. She didn’t want a date or a fling or anything. She was still off the market. Her time in New York was about establishing independence—her parents had been so over-protective these last couple of years. Not that she could blame them. But now was her time to get her studies back on track and make her life her own again. Alone.

But she couldn’t help glancing over to the group of people who’d formed a huddle on the other side of the building entrance. As the doctor stepped up, a number of bystanders stepped back, giving him access. An older woman was on the ground, someone’s jacket rolled up as a cushion under her head.

“Dr Xander? That you?” The old woman looked up at him, sounding almost as breathless as Chelsea had. “Nearly naked?”

“I was hot.” He smiled as he hunched down beside her.

“I’ll say.” Someone—female—in the crowd commented.

But the doctor didn’t respond to the stifled titters around him. Instead he turned all that intense focus to the septuagenarian on the ground. “What are you doing lying at my feet, hmmm? You know I prefer a woman who stands up to me.”

The older woman actually giggled. “You going to give me mouth to mouth?” she wheezed.

“Sadly, not tonight.”

“What’s it going to take? Should I faint?”

“And deny me the pleasure of talking with you?” He shook his head, holding the woman’s wrist in his big, strong, undeniably experienced hands and looking that intense way into her eyes. “Now it’s sore somewhere? Hard to breathe?”

“Tight in the chest.” The woman nodded.

“Got your meds with you?”

“I left them.” The woman looked worried.

“No problem.” He reassured, rubbing his thumb over the woman’s bony wrist.

Chelsea turned away, determinedly focusing on where the building management team were busy conferring. But she could still hear ‘Superman’ murmuring to the old lady.

Yeah, he definitely flirted with his patients. That ultra-charming bedside manner was practiced and slick. So her beating heart—and softening insides—could settle right back down. Besides, she wasn’t going to do a doctor. She’d dealt with too many of those in the last two years. He’d end up taking more interest in her recovery than her moves. And she definitely didn’t need the heroic type. That was even worse.

Truthfully she didn’t need anything. Except the libido that she’d thought long dormant had kicked back to life—in one look, one smile and one too tight carry. In that moment before he’d set her to her feet, his arms had gone like bars around her. Making her his prisoner.

She’d liked it.

And he knew it.

Which pretty much made it all the more embarrassing when it seemed his greatest strength as a doctor was his ability to make his patients smile and blush.

Unable to resist, she turned back in time to see how sharply he was assessing the older lady even though he was joking with her.

“You know you’re going to be just fine Mrs H.”

Another bystander joked again about mouth to mouth and a slim curly-headed blonde pretended to faint. The doctor grinned but kept his focus on his patient. He was clearly well known. And very much admired.

“You got a problem, Xan?” A tall guy called out, approaching the group rapidly.

“Hunter? Good.” Superman suddenly stood. “You’ll take care of Mrs Hopkins, won’t you? Make sure she’s okay until those medics get here.”

“Sure.” The tall guy accepted the command—and it was definitely a command, not a question. Every bit as built as the doctor, but with a far more serious demeanor. The ultra cropped hair looked military. So he was used to obeying then? Good job. He looked like the kind of guy you’d want covering you in a tight corner.

Chelsea turned her head again. She couldn’t stand here all night just staring.



Xander held back the grimace of frustration. All he wanted to do was get back to the damsel-who-refused-to-be-in-distress. He’d kept an eye on her once he’d checked Mrs H was okay—which she was. A bit of shock, nothing major he didn’t think, but he’d be happier once the real docs had given her the once-over.

Blue Eyes hadn’t spoken with anyone. She’d wrapped her arms around her waist, leaned her weight on her good leg and acted like she was patiently waiting and in control of the situation. But he’d seen the hidden insecurity in those eyes, the bravado.

His tee-shirt was too long for her. But that was better than all the other guys staring at her the way he knew he’d been. Like starving wolves they were circling, wanting to know who she was. But none had been game enough to breach her ‘stay away’ stance. She had a touch of the Snow White about her. Beautiful raven locks, dark blue eyes, pale, pale skin and then there were those full red lips. In that navy swimsuit she was luscious. Her resistance to his assistance deepened his fascination. An independent woman? He did like those. He got hot for a woman who wanted to hold her own—even when she couldn’t.

Now his fingers itched to slide where his shirt skimmed—those slender legs needed easing apart. He’d happily go on his knees for a taste of her. With a little time, a little laugh, she’d let him, the way she’d responded to him already told him that. But he wanted more than her to let him, he wanted her to wriggle close and reach out for what she wanted. Come and get me. Come for real. That’d be good. It had been some time since he’d had some fun. He was due some.

“Xan?”

“Hmmm.” Xander blinked and turned.

Hunter was eyeing him suspiciously. He turned and deliberately looked at the girl Xander had not-so-subtly been staring at. Hunter’s rare smile burst forth. Damn, his buddy knew that was Xander’s shirt swimming on her.

“See why you need my help. You got interrupted, huh?” Hunter chuckled and made a show of looking at his watch. “I’d have thought you’d be happy to have her out and heading home by now. Done and gone,” he said softly.

“You’re confusing me with Logan,” Xander answered briefly to put an end to it. His cousin was the slayer, not him.

“Oh, not done?” Hunter laughed. “No wonder you’re aching.” He whispered as he looked her over again. “I can see why.”

“Shut up and help me out.”

Hunter immediately switched to business. “Fire guys are here. Ambulance is less than a minute away. I’m on guard. You’re free to go.”

“Good.”

Xander hunched down again and raised his voice. “Mrs H? My man Hunter here is going to stay with you until the ambulance gets here, he’ll take good care.”

Hunter got to his haunches on the other side of the old dame and gave her a rare, brilliant smile.

“Okay.” Mrs H smiled back at Hunter and then looked at Xander, a mischievous sparkle in her eye. “Next time I see you, I’ll give you a thank you kiss.”

“Only if you insist.” He stood up, grinning at the notion. There was someone else who owed him a thank you kiss.

Chelsea listened attentively as the duty manager apologized for the false alarm and thanked them for their prompt evacuation. At that she winced—she’d been last out by a long shot. And given how slow she was, she’d be last to go back in too. She didn’t want people noticing her more. Certainly didn’t want anyone else offering help. So she stood back as people began filing in. Most were relaxed, it had been obvious from fairly early on that the building wasn’t about to burn. A few had peeled off to grab a midnight snack at the all-night diner down the street.

“I’ll see you back to your apartment now.”

She jumped. She was so self-conscious she stumbled over her own feet.

“Careful.” An iron-strong hand clamped round her upper arm. “You need me to carry you again?”

“No thanks.” She pulled on her arm and he slowly released it. “There’s no need for you to see me home.” She didn’t need protecting like that. But she tried to hide the shiver running down her spine.

“I know. But I want to.”

And he always did what he wanted? Got what he wanted? She bet he did. He was walking her along and she found herself helpless to resist.

The crowd of people piling into the lift with them made her swallow her reply. Wearing his shirt was worse than underwear. She saw a few sly looks, and knew just what half the people in the lift were thinking, given most hadn’t seen her in the building before. Same as what she was thinking.

That she’d come from his bed.

The elevator stopped on every floor of course, people taking a painfully slow time to exit. She was awkwardly aware of him standing too close because of the crowd. But even as it thinned he didn’t step away. As she was sandwiched between him and the wall, she couldn’t back away. She grew hotter and hotter as insanely inappropriate thoughts raced through her head. She stared straight ahead.

Get a grip, Chelsea.

It was clear he wasn’t similarly afflicted—not with the joking words he shared with another resident. The heat burned in her cheeks as he walked with her out onto her floor—his hand on her back. Oh so polite. Except for the inordinate amount of skin they were both displaying.

As soon as the elevator doors shut behind them, she stopped and turned to face him. Oh mamma, it was damn hard to verbalize anything when confronted by that body.

“You really don’t need to see me to my door,” she said huskily.

He merely walked around her, strolling along the corridor before turning back to face her, right outside her apartment. His smile was shameless. “You’re wearing my favorite tee-shirt.”

“Oh,” she glanced down and walked the last few paces to her door—where he already waited.

Suddenly he was standing closer than he had in the elevator. She could feel the raw denim of his jeans brushing the outside of her thigh. Wicked laughter danced in his eyes. Too overwhelming.

She looked down at his bare chest. A sprinkling of hair. Flat brown nipples that she could easily reach with her tongue. And a tan. And she’d already experienced the warmth of it, and the hard strength. It was a chest for touching, admiring, tasting. She’d have it beneath her, above her, his arms around her. He had such sensuality emanating from him—challenging her.

A frisson of aggression rippled through her body. She’d never been challenged this way. Never met anyone so blatantly wanting with just a look and a smile.

She didn’t want blatant. When she got back in the scene, she’d be taking it very, very easy. Not squaring off with some playboy. She lifted her chin and pulled the tee-shirt off in a quick movement, letting it dangle on the end of her finger.

“Thanks,” she said, totally feigning moxie.

With a grin he lifted the shirt from her crooked index finger and hooked it into his belt so it hung like a rag down the side of his leg.

“My pleasure.” The polite rejoinder sounded way too intimate to be all that polite. It sounded dangerous. And tempting. He leaned closer, bracing his arm on her doorway—so he took up even more of her vision. Dominating.

“What are you doing?”

“Making a move.”

Oh my. How was that for blunt? “Isn’t there some code of ethics that stops you superhero rescue guys from getting involved with the people you save?”

“Not that I’m aware of.”

“There should be. Women might mistake gratitude for lu—something else.”

“You think you’re feeling ‘something else’ for me?”

“I… no.” Somehow she held eye contact. The way he was looking at her sent flickers of heat along every nerve cell.

“Anyway, I didn’t really rescue you,” he said. “You’d have slid down the banister or something if you’d had to. Really it was all an excuse to get my hands on you.”

“Oh, so you’ve no ethics then.”

“Guess not.” He had that total ‘whaddaya gonna do about it’ look on his face.

And it was obvious what he was going to do about it. The laughter in his eyes was wicked—and mesmerizing.

It was a game. She got that. Except the sizzle that she felt wasn’t entirely playful. It was intense. And as she stared up at him the smile in his eyes and on his lips faded as a predatory look hardened his expression. She raised her hand. Pressed her fingertips on his mouth. To stop him? To touch him? She didn’t really know.

He stilled beneath her touch, his eyes locked on hers. In their depths she saw it, the reflection of her fantasy. Of being with him, against this door. Right here. Now. Hard. Rough. Fast.

She felt his breath on her fingers. Then his tongue. Curling around her middle finger. A sizzle shot up her arm. Intense, fierce desire ripped through her. She snatched her fingers away.

“Sorry,” she mumbled. Embarrassment burned all over her face. She’d been about to moan in the middle of the hallway.

“S’okay,” he softly answered, his eyes never leaving hers. “Anytime.”

She swallowed. The invitation hung in the small space between them. Awareness sparked between them. Sensuality oozed from the man—drawing her in.

“What did you say your name was?” he asked, leaning that bit closer.

She slowly shook her head. “Not Lois Lane.” She wasn’t going to fall for superhero good looks and good deeds. Nor the not-so-good deeds.

“No?” He reached out and took her hand. “You’re going to make me work for it?”

She leaned back against her door, glad it was behind her and able to take the bulk of her weight. But it made the temptation to part her legs all the more irresistible. Because the look in his eyes told her, captured her, swayed her.

He was going to kiss her and she was going to let him. She was going to let him do whatever the hell he wanted to do with her. She was one of the millions and she didn’t give a damn.

The elevator pinged. The door opened, expelling more people. His fingers tightened on hers. Suddenly he frowned—at the interruption?

But he didn’t look to the too-loud residents. Instead he looked down—staring hard at her hand. Then she felt the way her fingers were pressed together by his. Metal pressed into her skin—hurting. Her ring. The white gold ring with the solitaire in the center. The one she hadn’t been able to bring herself to remove in the two years since she’d been given it. The two years since the accident that had ended all their plans.

No mistaking what kind of ring it was. She swallowed. She should explain.

“I.. um…” She pulled her hand free. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t talk about it. Nor could she pull off any real kind of flirt. Better to escape. “My keys are up by the pool,” she said quickly. “I left my bag up there.”

“I’ll go get them.” He offered instantly, but his expression had shuttered. He stepped back.

“No, I can do it.” She straightened up. “I can get them myself.” She’d have to get past the guys at the desk to get to the pool again, but they’d do it for her. They’d been kind to her before and she was sure they’d be okay with it.

“Of course.” He stood still, glanced again at her ring, his muscles tense.

She walked past him, her limp worse than ever. Belatedly she turned, determined to be polite despite the ferocious chill that was emanating from him now. “Thank you.”

“Any time.”

He still sounded like he meant it.

But he didn’t sound pleased.