Free All or Nothing by Natalie Ann Page A

arrived, and the two of them had a little heart to heart. With Ben doing most of the talking—glaring was more like it. He never had to say much. Most people got the message by his body language.
    They had come to terms—Ben’s terms. Jake would be let back into the hospital to stay with his wife, he would follow all the rules and if he crossed even one line, said even one offensive thing to any of the staff, Ben would bar him from the hospital and Jake would find himself back in a cell if need be.
    Happiness lit his face when he read Presley’s text. Where are you right now?
    He took note of the time, twenty minutes before her shift, and typed back. First floor. Entrance corridor.
    Stay there.
    He let out of a laugh. Oh, she liked to give orders, did she? Getting better and better.
    Within moments he saw her coming down the hall from the cafeteria, then caught her look when she saw his face. He knew there was light bruise on his chin, which was why he hadn’t shaved today, hoping to conceal most of it and avoid questions. But by now, he knew the story was making the rounds. Nothing stayed quiet for long here.
    Looking around and seeing all the people, he tilted his head to the side and started to walk toward the stairs. She followed his lead and didn’t say a word until they were in his office with the door shut.
    “Does it hurt?” she asked, reaching for his face.
    He was touched. It was nothing. He barely felt it when the punch landed. Actually, he had done all he could to hold himself back, reactions that had been entrenched in him upon attack. Anyone else, the guy would have been out cold on the floor. Pinning him against the wall and restraining him was nothing, and the most he would allow himself do. “Not really. Nothing more than a paper cut to me.”
    “A paper cut?” she asked, her fingers tracing his jaw.
    He reached up and grabbed her hand, held it for a minute, and ran his thumb along her palm. “Trust me, I’ve had much worse happen to me than this,” he said. “But I can lie and tell you I’m in excruciating pain if you want to kiss it and make it better.”
    Her eyes softened, the tension leaving her body, he saw. She tried to hide it, but he saw everything, and was warmed even more that she cared. “You don’t need to lie to get me to kiss you.”
    The warmth turned to heat. “Really?”
    “No. All you need to do is ask,” she said, challenging him.
    He looked around, and noticed they were away from the window on his door. “What if I don’t ask?”
    “Then I don’t kiss it and make it better.”
    Lightning quick, he reached forward and yanked her close, sealing any protest from her lips when his mouth covered hers. His tongue came out, traced her upper lip, urging her to open for him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, returning his kiss eagerly. Lifting his head, he sent her an arrogant grin and said, “I don’t like to ask for anything.”
    “Taking works just as well.”
    He shook his head to clear all the images that just rushed through his brain. He didn’t think she meant that the way he hoped, because if so, then he was getting mixed signals. Not that he would ever take more than someone was willing to offer. He didn’t picture her as the type to send mixed signals, either.
    She must have sensed his thoughts. “I’m not trying to play hard to get. I’m not someone that says no when I mean yes,” she explained.
    “Never thought otherwise.” He hated head games and was glad to know she wasn’t playing them.
    “I need to get to work, and I’m sure you’ve got things to do.” She unwound her arms from his neck, then leaned in for one more quick kiss. “I’ll see you around. Try not to get into any fights today. I would hate to have to patch you up.”
    Images of her playing nurse with him forced him to bite back a groan. “Pity. I think I would like that.”
    She flushed, then laughed, walked a few steps, stopped and looked over her shoulder. “I’ll have