Cinnamen Read online

  Cinnamen

  Andi James

  Lila Wilde

  CINNAMEN

  Andi James and Lila Wilde

  Copyright © 2018 Andi James and Lila Wilde

  All rights reserved

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  Cover design by Kelly Griffin

  www.kaboomkelly.com

  Editing by Susie Selva

  eBook formatting by Kate Hawthorne

  www.katehawthornebooks.com

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  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the authors, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors’ imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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  All trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

  This book contains material that is intended for mature readers. It contains graphic language, explicit sexual content and adult situations.

  Contents

  1. Daniel

  2. Oliver

  3. Daniel

  4. Oliver

  5. Daniel

  6. Oliver

  7. Daniel

  Epilogue

  Thanks

  Also by Andi James & Lila Wilde

  About Andi

  About Lila

  Contact Us

  Chapter One

  Daniel

  Daniel walked into the hospital room and his heart stopped. The bed that took up most of the space in the small room was vacant. Where was Patty? He stood, frozen for a second, before stepping further into the room. He checked the bathroom. Empty. His grip tightened on the two cups of coffee in his hands and he felt the paper begin to give way under his fingers.

  Get it together, Daniel. Geez.

  He just needed to find someone and ask what was going on. He’d been told this was the right room when he called last night, so there had to be a logical reason she wasn’t here. He shook his head and turned to leave the room, bumping directly into a tall, red-headed woman wearing scrubs. Daniel moved away as quickly as possible and managed to only spill a bit of the coffee on the woman’s mint green scrub top.

  “I am so sorry.” Daniel’s voice was louder than he intended, and definitely louder than it should have been at seven forty-five in the morning. He winced and said more softly, “Sorry,” as he looked for a place to put the coffee cups, glancing around for some napkins or paper towels.

  The woman just laughed and pulled some tissue from her pocket. “I’m a nurse, darling. If coffee is the worst thing I get all over me today, I’ll definitely count that as a win.” Her eyes were twinkling and warm, and Daniel felt less guilty for covering her in coffee… well, a little bit.

  “I’m Phoebe, an RN on this floor. Can I help you?”

  “Yes. I’m looking for Patty Douglass? I was told she was in room 412 but…” He gestured around the empty room with one of the coffee cups.

  The woman smiled again. “You’re a little early for visiting hours, aren’t you?”

  Daniel felt his cheeks warm. He knew he was, but he’d been a ball of anxiety since he’d heard about Patty’s accident. His shift at the club had ended at two a.m. and he’d gone home to wait until it was an appropriate time to visit. When he couldn’t take another minute of sitting in his apartment, reading the same paragraph for the millionth time, he’d snagged his keys and headed for the hospital. He’d grabbed two coffees, one for Patty, and some scones from a bakery he’d seen but never stopped into before. Why would he? Patty made the best stuff in Easton.

  Phoebe laughed, and he could tell she’d just been teasing him. “Well, I won’t tell if you won’t.” She tossed him a wink.

  Somehow, Daniel felt better knowing this warm, sweet person was taking care of his Patty.

  She continued. “She left about five minutes ago to head down to radiology. She should be back in about an hour.”

  Daniel held his breath. “Is something wrong?”

  “Not at all! The doctor just wanted to do some additional images of her breaks to make sure everything looked good following her surgery.”

  Daniel winced. Breaks, as in more than one break, did not sound good at all.

  Phoebe seemed to sense his worry. “She is one strong woman, isn’t she? This morning she was making jokes about the terrible coffee here!” Phoebe lowered her voice. “Not that I disagree.”

  The cups Daniel clutched had already started to lose a bit of their warmth. He smiled at the nurse who had already made him feel so much better. “How do you feel about caramel lattes?”

  She laughed. “Around here, the closest you come to a latte is hoping the milk in the cafeteria isn’t expired.”

  Daniel smiled and reached out a hand. “I happen to have one very amazing caramel latte right here. Would you like it?”

  “You mean, would I like to wear it?” Her eyes glittered again.

  Daniel’s cheeks heated but he laughed. “Well, I’d suggest drinking it this time, but that’s up to you.” He handed her the cup. “I picked this up for Patty, but in an hour it will be undrinkable.”

  The nurse lifted the lid and took a sip, sighing dreamily. “Thank you. Coffee with a handsome gentleman? This might be the best part of my day.”

  Daniel laughed. “I certainly hope your day gets better than this. So, I should be back here in about an hour?”

  “That would be perfect.”

  Daniel followed Phoebe out into the hall. Now he had another hour to wait to see Patty, but he felt strangely reassured. When he thought of Patty, he still had no idea what was wrong — though breaks sounded way better than burst organs or brain fractures or whatever else he pieced together from years of watching Grey’s Anatomy — but knowing she was cared for by such an amazing team made him feel a bit lighter.

  Daniel walked toward the elevators, wondering if there was anything to do in the hospital to kill time. He knew the cafeteria was on the ground floor, but after Phoebe’s warning about the coffee, he wasn’t really interested in trying his luck. He wandered the halls, planning to find a bench or chair where he could sit and read the newest romance book on his Kindle app while he waited, when a boutique gift shop caught his eye. He looked into the large windows at the multi-colored balloons, stuffed animals, and greeting cards prominently displayed. He smiled and decided it was never too early for a little retail therapy. Besides, now that he’d given the coffee away, he needed something else to give to Patty when he saw her. His mother had taught him better than to show up anywhere empty-handed.

  He walked into the brightly lit shop, and was greeted warmly by two older women standing behind a counter. They asked him if he needed any help and he told them he was just browsing, but assured them with a wink that if he needed anything, they’d be the first to know. He meandered through the small aisles, taking in the merchandise. Daniel was actually pretty impressed with the breadth of items offered. He expected hospitaly things — new baby blankets, flowers, maybe a toothbrush for unexpected overnight visitors. What he found was an array of amazing gifts. The clear glass shelves were lined with everything from spicy scented candles to fancy European chocolates. There was even a jewelry case at the front of the store.

  He perused, waiting for something to catch his eye. Eventually, something did, but it wasn’t something he was prepared to share with Patty. Out of the corner of his eye, Daniel noticed a tall man with a sour expression on his face. Daniel wandered more closely under the guise of
browsing kitten-adorned umbrellas to get a better look. Up close, he could see the man’s features were breathtaking, even with his strong brows furrowed and a grimace overtaking his otherwise beautiful mouth. Still, Daniel couldn’t look away. As he passed the man, brushing by him in the snug aisles, he couldn’t help but notice how he smelled of cinnamon. The man was looking at a mug decorated with a local sports team’s logo, holding it in his hand and examining it, his beautiful frown deepening.

  Daniel couldn’t resist. He stopped beside him and leaned close. “Hope you’re not a big fan.”

  The man startled, looking up at Daniel. His face was pure surprise for a moment before the storm clouds returned.

  “Excuse me?” His voice was deep and not at all amused.

  Daniel chuckled, undeterred, nodding to the mug in his hands. “The Easton Eagles are having a pretty rough season.”

  The man put down the mug and gave Daniel an assessing glance, his eyes taking in every detail from Daniel’s head to his feet.

  Daniel smirked.

  “I couldn’t care less about this town, and that includes its shitty sports teams.” And, with that, the man turned on his heel and walked away.

  What the fuck?

  Daniel briefly considered going after him, asking what exactly he meant by that, especially since he’d clearly just checked Daniel out, but decided against it. He gave a little sigh under his breath. Even if he were the kind of guy to pick someone up in a hospital gift shop, which let’s face it, he totally was, he wasn’t sure his happy-go-lucky attitude was enough to turn the tide on this guy. He shook his head sadly as he continued browsing.

  He’d just about given up hope that he’d find anything acceptable to give to Patty when something non-hot-guy related caught his eye. It was a small, stuffed cinnamon roll, about the size of a grapefruit, covered in soft, brown fabric, and it was absolutely perfect. Patty loved cinnamon rolls, and the story of the total disaster that ensued the first time she’d taught Daniel to make them was one she enjoyed telling immensely, much to Daniel’s dismay.

  The thing was situated on the end of a display shelf. He walked over to it, reaching out and wrapping his fingers around it, eyes catching the sight of someone else reaching for it at the same instant. Grumpy Guy. Daniel hugged the thing to his chest and looked over at the man, who seemed even less impressed with Daniel at this moment than he had been before.

  “We meet again,” Daniel said with a warm, open smile.

  “That thing is mine.” Grumpy Guy’s voice was flat. He wasn’t asking for it back, simply letting Daniel know to whom it rightfully belonged. He was gruff and brusque, and Daniel found it entirely too adorable.

  “That’s weird, because it seems to be in my hands.” Daniel flashed Grumpy another smile.

  The smile was not returned.

  “You took it before I could, but I saw it first.”

  Daniel laughed. “Really? I’ve not heard that compelling argument since I was in the sixth grade.” He winked at Grumpy. “Want to fight me for it by the flagpole after school?”

  The fact that Grumpy didn’t find Daniel the least bit amusing only made Daniel more committed to winning him over.

  The man narrowed his eyes at Daniel, clearly trying to figure out what his next plan of attack should be.

  “I’ll give you five dollars for it.”

  Daniel’s reply was immediate. “Fifty.”

  “Are you nuts? Fifty bucks for that thing?”

  Daniel grinned. “Fifty bucks. Unless you have something better you can offer.” Daniel gave the man his flirtiest bedroom eyes, only to be met with cold resolve.

  “Ten bucks. Final offer.”

  Shut down again. What did he need to do to get this guy to loosen up? Daniel was still clutching the cinnamon roll, debating his next tactic, when Grumpy’s stoicism began to slip just a little. Daniel gave him another look, this time seeing things he’d missed when his sole purpose had been first to get into the guy’s pants, then to get under his skin.

  He was well-dressed — black shoes poked out from under dark-washed, slim-fitting jeans, and a smart blazer covered a white collared shirt. But, as Daniel looked closer, he saw the jacket was creased in several places, as though it had been hanging haphazardly over the back of a chair. The man’s shirt was bright white but wrinkled, like maybe he’d slept in it. His hazel eyes were deep and clear, but sitting atop dark shadows. His forehead was creased in what Daniel assumed were frown lines, but were maybe more tell-tale signs of exhaustion.

  Daniel immediately chided himself for teasing the man, even if he was only trying to get him to smile. No one looks happy at a hospital, do they? People are there because they are sick or because someone they love is sick. Daniel’s guess was that this man had spent the night beside someone’s hospital bed, and it pulled at Daniel’s heartstrings.

  The man sighed and ran a hand through his hair before roughly moving the same hand over his face and rubbing his stubbled chin. He looked defeated.

  Well, fuck.

  The problem with being empathetic is that you feel sorry for assholes too. Daniel looked down at the cinnamon roll and extended it to the man.

  The man glanced at it and took it from Daniel’s open palm with what Daniel thought was a little more force than necessary.

  Without a word, Grumpy McGorgeous pulled his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans, fingers slipping out a ten-dollar bill. He extended it to Daniel, who shook his head gently.

  “It’s okay,” he said softly. “I think you might need this guy more than I do.”

  The man visibly recoiled and his frown turned into a heated glare. “I can tell you what I sure as hell don’t need is your fucking pity.” He grabbed Daniel’s wrist, slapping the bill into his palm. With a final growl, he spun around and headed to the register with his cinnamon roll, and Daniel tried not to think about the tingles he felt in his wrist where Grumpy Guy had touched him.

  A little over an hour later, Daniel was on his way back to Patty’s room, clutching two coffees he’d procured from the Starbucks across the street from the hospital. He took his time coming back, hoping Patty would be settled before he popped in. He was immediately relieved when he reached the door and heard voices coming from inside. He used the knuckle of one finger to knock lightly. Daniel saw Phoebe emerge from behind a privacy curtain. She flashed a grin at him and said, “See? I told you he’d be back.”

  A loud yell came from the room. “Is that my Daniel?”

  Daniel smiled broadly. He’d know that voice anywhere. He walked into the room as Phoebe pulled back the privacy curtain surrounding Patty’s bed. Daniel took one look at his friend and tears of relief threatened to roll down his face.

  She looked like… Patty. Her face held a little less color and her smile wasn’t quite as wide as usual, but the sparkle in her eyes was unmistakable. He put the coffee cups down on a rolling table, slid his backpack to the floor, and approached the bed. Patty raised her arms and Daniel only had to think for a moment before he figured out the best way to wrap his own around her without dislodging any tubes or wires.

  They hugged for a moment, Daniel squeezing Patty more tightly than he could ever remember doing before.

  “It’s all right, Daniel,” she murmured close to his ear. “I’m all right.”

  He pulled back to look at her, and the relief overwhelmed him. He wrapped his arms around her one more time. Patty started laughing and he reluctantly let her go.

  Daniel was surprised as he heard laughing behind him, having completely forgotten Phoebe was still in the room. She smiled at him then looked to her patient.

  “Patty, do you need anything before I leave you two alone?”

  Patty gave her a small smile and shook her head.

  Phoebe was not convinced. “How’s your pain? All of that movement from bed to gurney to X-ray table… that couldn’t have been comfortable.”

  Patty winced. “It’s about a seven out of ten, dear.”

  Ph
oebe tsked. “Well, that will not do. Let me go check with Dr. Anderson and see when we can get you some more meds.” Phoebe checked the IV connected to Patty’s left hand once more. “And in the meantime, maybe your handsome friend can keep your mind off things.” With another smile, she left the room.

  Daniel turned back to Patty, unable to look away from her smiling face. He didn’t realize just how worried he had been until he was able to see her with his own eyes.

  He moved a folded pillow and blanket from a chair beside her bed and sat down, perching his elbows on the bed and leaning toward her.

  “Oh my god, Patty. How are you? I’m so sorry I wasn’t here yesterday. I only heard about the accident last night.” He stopped to take a breath, but his words continued to spill from his lips as though he needed to get everything out as quickly as possible. “What happened? Where are you hurt? When do you get to go home? What happened to the driver of the car?”

  Patty smiled warmly at him. “Tell you what, darling. Hand me that Starbucks cup I’m pretty sure is filled with a caramel latte and I’ll tell you everything.”

  Daniel laughed and did as he was told. There he sat for the next half an hour, listening as Patty recounted the events of two nights ago when she was struck by a car as she was leaving her bakery, Patty’s Cakes, in downtown Easton.

  “Luckily the car was slowing down for the red light. Honestly, Daniel, I should have been watching where I was going, but I was distracted and in a hurry.”

  Patty went into the details about her injuries, telling him she had a hairline fracture in her pelvis and a break in her lower leg. The pelvis wasn’t normally something to worry about, but since they had to operate on her leg, they would be keeping her for another few days before sending her home.