One Night With a Hero

  “Actually, it was. But between Marco and Brady, I’m not used to someone who just cuts to the chase without a lot of hemming and hawing.”

  Joss sagged in her chair. “Oh, thank God.”

  Alyssa chuckled. It was contagious.

  “How far along are you?” Alyssa asked.

  “Fourteen weeks.”

  “Have…um, have you guys talked about it?”

  Joss tilted her head and looked at the younger woman. “Can I ask why you’re asking me and not him?”

  Her cheeks went pink. “I’m, uh, not exactly supposed to know. Yet.”

  Alyssa’s comment raised so many questions in Joss’s mind she didn’t know how to feel about the fact that Brady hadn’t told his sister.

  “I overheard the guys talking on Thanksgiving Day. They thought they were being all stealthy, but honestly they’re nowhere near as sneaky as they think.” She shook her head. “Anyway, that night, Marco told me. Well, more like, I forced it out of him. I guess Brady told him a while ago and asked him not to say anything to me until he’d had a chance to talk to you. But I know Brady and I doubt he’s done that. And Marco told me...” Alyssa shifted in her seat. “He said Brady didn’t handle it well when you told him about the baby. And I’ve been worried about you, so…”

  Joss’s heart gave a squeeze. Bad enough she might be in love with Brady, but every minute she spent with Alyssa, she liked her even more. She could be your sister-in-law. Joss choked on the sip of tea she’d just taken. Where the hell did that come from?

  “I don’t know what to say,” Joss finally managed.

  Alyssa met her gaze. Her eyes were so like Brady’s, it made her miss him even more. “Was it really bad?”

  She didn’t have to ask what Alyssa meant. “Yeah. He did try to talk to me, though. Later. You should know I’m the one who wouldn’t agree to a relationship.”

  His sister gasped. “He wanted a relationship?”

  Joss was taken aback by the sheer surprise in Alyssa’s tone. “I think so. I didn’t really let him get that far.” She sighed. “Listen, you might as well know something about me. I was orphaned when I was a little kid. I barely remember my mother. And I spent most of the time until I went to college in a children’s home. Given all that, I don’t have a lot of tolerance for risk. And, well, your brother—”

  “Seems like a risk? Trust me, I know. But we have more in common than you might think.”

  Joss finished her tea and debated, then finally said, “Go on.”

  “Our mother died when I was twelve. Brady had just turned seventeen. It destroyed our dad. Within months, he subsisted pretty much on vodka alone. He was angry at the world and he took it out on us. Well, mostly on Brady.”

  Goose bumps erupted on Joss’s skin. “Oh, my God. I’m so sorry.”

  “Brady became my de facto parent after that. When he graduated high school, he refused to go off to college and leave me. Instead, he got an apartment and moved me in with him. And he put his life on hold for almost five years until I graduated high school and went to college.” Alyssa sat forward. The love she felt for her brother was evident in her tone, in her expression. Joss’s throat tightened when she imagined a much younger Brady dealing with such an impossible situation. “I’m telling you this because I want you to know that he can commit, he can be a great caregiver. He and Marco are the most selfless people I’ve ever known. I don’t know where I’d be without them.” She wrapped her arms around herself.

  “What he did was very admirable,” Joss said, her mind struggling to process.

  “But you’re not convinced.”

  “I don’t know. A sister is forever, you know? He has been trying to show me, though.” The words were out of her mouth before she’d thought them through.

  Alyssa’s eyes went wide. “What do you mean?”

  Joss debated for a long moment, then pushed from the table. “I’ll show you. Come upstairs with me?” Alyssa’s obvious enthusiasm made Joss very curious to see what she’d make of the gifts.

  She turned into her office and flipped on the light switch. She lifted a box onto the desk chair and, one by one, laid the items out onto the desk—the book, the costume, the shirts, the bear. As she did, she told Alyssa about the other gifts he’d given her, too.

  When Joss looked up, Alyssa’s eyes were glassy.

  “Oh,” she said. “He…” She nodded. “He’s really trying.” She grabbed Joss’s hand. “Whatever happens between the two of you, if you’ll let me, I’d like to be there for you. I’d like to be an aunt to this little one. The two of us, we don’t really have any family—well, except for Marco and his parents. So I… But only if you—”

  Joss squeezed her hand. “I’d like that.”

  Back downstairs, her head spun with emotion while Alyssa insisted on helping clean up the dining room. “So, what do you do for a living?” the other woman asked as she settled a stack of dishes into the sink.

  “I’m the assistant director of a children’s community center. You?”

  “I’m an event coordinator at the Washington Convention Center.”

  “Wow.”

  “Well, a junior event coordinator. I’ve only been there four months.”

  “Still, I bet that’s exciting. What’s the coolest event you’ve been involved with so far?”

  Alyssa paused in front of the stove. “Hmm. Latin Fashion Week was a lot of fun. I also worked the Washington Bridal Showcase. That was great considering I was just starting to think about the wedding. Oh, and we have a professional boxing event about once a month. I’m the JEC on that event now.”

  “Professional boxers, huh?”

  Alyssa grinned. “Uh huh.”

  Joss chuckled. “Must be such a hardship.”

  She laughed. “Yes, yes it is. But it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.”

  “I bet. An event planner. Well, I should pick your brain sometime. My center holds an annual holiday fund-raiser event for the huge parts of our budget not covered by county funds. There’s a band, lots of really good food, and we do live and silent auctions, a toy drive, raffles.” She shrugged.

  “Oh, yeah? I’d be happy to help if I can.”

  They exchanged phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Joss promised to send her materials about the center’s event, and Alyssa suggested they brainstorm over lunch after she’d had a chance to read through everything. They made a date.

  Alyssa slipped her coat on and paused at the door. “I’m really glad I came, Joss.”

  “Me too. Thank you for doing it. I’m sure it wasn’t easy knocking on a stranger’s door.”

  She smiled. “Weird thing is, you don’t feel like a stranger.” Her cheeks colored at the admission.

  “I couldn’t agree more.”

  Alyssa’s smile faded. “I don’t want to pressure you, but I think you need to know something. Oh, maybe I shouldn’t.” She shook her head and looked to the ground.

  “Well, now you sorta have to,” Joss said.

  “Was afraid of that.” Alyssa gave her a small smile. “Okay, then, here goes. I don’t think this excuses anything, but it might help you to know that the night you told Brady about the baby, well, Marco and I had just left not long before. We’d just learned that our father died.”

  The words sank into Joss’s brain and the hair raised on her neck and arms. It’s all ruined now. The memory of his anguished voice flooded chills through her despite the thick T-shirt she wore. “The funeral,” Joss whispered. “The night he came to see me, after that, he said he’d been at a funeral.”

  “Yeah. Please think about talking to him?”

  Alyssa gave her a hug and they said their good-byes. Joss stood at the door until she pulled out of the lot.

  Afterward, she sat on the couch and thought about what Alyssa had said. The night she’d gone to him, Brady was grappling with the news of the death of his abusive father.

  “Oh,” she said, tears springing to her eyes as his voice played
in her head again. I am not a victim, he’d said before. “Oh, Brady.” Fat tears rolled down her cheeks as the pieces fell into place.

  Suddenly, she was on emotional overload. Sympathy for what he’d gone through. Guilt for not giving him a chance. Fierce appreciation for Alyssa’s courage in coming here, telling her, giving her more than a little hope and understanding.

  Amid all those, another emotion stood out the most. Love.

  The emotion slammed into her with such certainty she felt plastered to the couch, like gravity’s pull had suddenly multiplied.

  She was in love with Brady Scott.

  Now she just had to figure out how to tell him.

  …

  Knock, knock.

  Brady’s eyes whipped open. He listened, not sure if he’d heard something or dreamed it. A few hours before, he’d gotten home from spending Thanksgiving at the Vieris’ and the weekend at Marco and Alyssa’s place. He’d collapsed on his bed after a long run and a hot shower, not intending to fall asleep. Apparently, his eyeballs had other plans.

  Knock, knock.

  Louder. The sound was louder. And he’d definitely heard it. He flew into a sitting position and stared at the wall.

  Warm pressure filled the space around his rapidly beating heart. Was this finally happening? Was she was really knocking for him, after all this time?

  He stretched his arm around the headboard of the bed and returned the greeting. He held his breath and listened. The sound came back to him again.

  The next instant, Brady was off the bed and tugging on clothes. Jeans. T-shirt. Boots. Socks and boxers were luxuries he didn’t make the time for.

  He pounded down the stairs, heart in his throat, and flew out the front door.

  He stopped short. Joss was crossing the sidewalk to him.

  She froze, tugging the lapels of her coat tighter to her throat against the crisp, early December night air.

  His jaw dropped open at the sight of her. Long hair lifting and curling by the cold breeze. Eyes shining in the lamplight along the sidewalk. Jesus, he’d missed her so damn much.

  “Hi,” she finally said.

  She’d come to him. She’d talked to him. It was more than he could take. He couldn’t hold back what he felt anymore.

  In two long strides he was right in front of her, wrapping her in his arms, pulling her in tight against his body. He kissed her temple. “Hi,” he managed.

  Her body began to shake. She pressed her face into his chest.

  “Hey. Hey, now. Don’t cry.” He stroked her hair over and over. Her tears gutted him, but he’d take every bit of it, for her.

  “I’m sorry,” they said at the same time.

  Brady pulled back and tilted her chin upward. “What on earth would you have to apologize for?”

  “I was wrong to try to exclude you from the baby.” Her teeth chattered.

  Her words sank into the depths of him, warming, healing, strengthening. He could stand out here all night and never feel the season’s bite. But she couldn’t. “You’re freezing. Will you come in?”

  She nodded. “I’d like that.”

  He tucked her against his body and led them into his house. Her shoulders relaxed within his grasp as the indoor heat surrounded them. “Can I take your coat?”

  “Sure,” she said.

  He slipped it off her shoulders and she unwound a pink scarf from her neck that matched the colorful strands of her hair. Then she turned around.

  Brady did a double take. She wore the T-shirt he’d given her, the one that proclaimed his role in…her no-longer-flat abdomen. A small swell pushed out the bottom of the shirt. He tossed the coat to the chair and stepped toward her. He reached out, then quickly withdrew his hand and lifted his gaze to hers.

  She pulled his hand back and placed it on her belly.

  Awe. Sheer and total. It was the only word he had for the emotions that flooded through him as he touched her for the first time in months and his child for the first time ever.

  The breath caught in his throat. He looked into Joss’s bright-green eyes and so many things competed to be said at once that he said nothing at all.

  Hand still on her stomach, he came closer. Swallowing hard, he finally said, “I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed you.”

  “Me, too.”

  “You had every right to keep me away.”

  She shook her head. “No, I didn’t. But fear makes you do the stupidest things. I’m sorry.”

  “That’s the damn truth. But, much as I appreciate your apology, don’t be sorry. If I hadn’t acted the way I did, maybe you wouldn’t have been so scared. You had every right to protect yourself. And this baby.”

  Needing to touch her more, touch her everywhere, Brady reached to cup her face in his hand. He stopped just shy of making contact, not sure what she’d allow, what she wanted. She leaned her face the rest of the way into his palm.

  It slayed him.

  He closed his eyes, afraid of how much emotion he might release through his gaze, and lowered his forehead to hers. For long minutes, they stood there together, just holding each other.

  It was possible he had never in his life been more at peace.

  Her fist curled into his shirt, and he knew he was wrong. That simple expression of need felt like she’d reached into his chest and soothed the ache that had surrounded his heart.

  She tilted her head back, bringing their faces so close together her soft breath caressed his lips. “What you said, do you still feel that? I’d understand if—”

  “That I’ve fallen in love with you? Yes, Joss.”

  She sucked in a breath and chewed at the corner of her lip.

  He cupped both hands around her face, holding her to him. Heart thundering against his breastbone, he spoke words he never thought he’d hear himself say. “I love you.”

  Her eyes went glassy and her lip trembled. “You do?”

  “Yes. Even before the night…” He swallowed the lump of regret in his throat. “That night, I’d just learned my father died. To say we had a difficult relationship would be a mild way of putting it. I’d been planning to confront him. I was so angry at him. And I thought I needed him to take that turmoil away. So when he died, I thought, ‘That’s it, there goes my chance.’ I couldn’t be with you with all this rage inside me. When you came that night, as much as anything else, I was mourning the loss of any chance with you.”

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

  He shook his head. “None of this excuses what I did. I just want you to know I’m working like hell to square myself away and become a better man. For myself. For you.” He glanced down between them. “For the three of us. God, I love you.”

  Joss nodded. “I…I…”

  He wanted the words as much as he needed his next draw of air. But only when she was ready. Only when she meant them the way he did. So he kissed her, just a light brush of lips. “You don’t have to say anything. Just the fact that you’re here is enough.”

  She gave him a small, shaky smile. “What now?”

  “Would you stay the night with me? I don’t think I could stand to let you go right now. I just want to fall asleep with you in my arms and wake up next to you.”

  Joss’s whole face lit up, and he felt her happiness down deep. What he wouldn’t do to put that look on her face every day of her life. “I’d like that.”

  Brady shut out the downstairs lights and returned to her. He laced his fingers into hers and guided her up the stairs and into his bedroom.

  He pulled back the covers and kicked off his boots, then he turned to find her expression full of emotions. His gaze followed the line of hers to the ultrasound picture he kept in a frame on his nightstand.

  “I came to see you that night. To thank you.”

  Her lips dropped into an oval. “You did?”

  Brady nodded. “I turned back at the last minute. You’d asked me not to come over. I didn’t want to mess up, especially after you’d spoken to me that nigh
t. Well, had the cop speak to me. He wanted to know why you were calling me bread, by the way.”

  Joss’s grin turned into a chuckle. “You totally were a PITA. But it was fun. Classic sailor boy.” She winked.

  Brady shook his head and laughed, actually glad for her to be giving him shit. “I liked what happened later that night even more.”

  Her cheeks went pink, but she chuckled. “Yeah, that part was pretty nice, too.”

  He grinned, climbed into bed, and patted the space beside him.

  She settled in next to him on her back. When she licked her lips, the silver of her piercing flashed at him.

  The humor melted away in favor of fierce need to taste her. To run his hands over her soft bare skin. To bury himself deep within her tight heat. God, it had been so long.

  But he didn’t want to scare her. He didn’t want to rush her. And he sure as hell didn’t want her to think the only thing he wanted was sex.

  Brady shoved his arousal back a few good steps and stroked the hair off her face. He caressed her arm and traced over her fingers. His gaze landed on her belly. He slid his hand where his eyes were looking. So hard to believe his child grew inside her.

  Meeting her gaze, his fingers traveled to the hem of her shirt. “Can I lift this, just a little?”

  Joss tucked one arm behind her head and nodded.

  Brady tugged her shirt up until the soft skin of her stomach was free. Joss hooked her thumb in the stretchy pants she wore and pushed the waistband down an inch or two, baring her whole abdomen to his gaze.

  Gently, he dropped his palm to her skin. Lying on her back, the bump wasn’t as pronounced, but he knew what was there. He pushed himself down the bed until his face was level with her stomach.

  Hey little dude. I’m your dad. I’m going to try really hard not to be an asshole. And to stop cussing. I’ll probably suck at both. But your mom is totally awesome so it’ll all be okay.

  Joss’s breath caught. Brady glanced up. “You won’t suck at being a father, Brady.”

  He’d said that out loud? Shit. His cheeks went hot. “I really hope not. I’m going to try so hard, Joss.” He pushed up on an elbow, met her gaze, and dropped a kiss to her belly.