Take Back My Heart (Come Back To Me) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Take Back My Heart

  Book One in The Come Back To Me Series

  Aubree Valentine

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Take Back My Heart

  Copyright © 2016 by Aubree Valentine

  All rights reserved.

  All rights reserved worldwide. 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 author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, locations, and names occurring in this book are the product of the author’s imagination, or are the property of their respective owners and are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual events, locations, or persons (living or dead), is entirely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  All trademarks and trade names are used in a fictitious manner and are in no way endorsed by or an endorsement of their respective owners.

  Contains sexual situations, violence, sensitive and offensive language and mature topics. Recommended for age 18 years and up.

  Cover Design—T.E Black Designs;

  www.authorteblack.com

  Formatting—T.E Black Designs;

  www.authorteblack.com

  Editing—Maria Vickers;

  https://www.facebook.com/mariavickersbooks/

  It only seems right to dedicate my first work to my husband,

  because he never stopped believing that one day I could make this dream of mine come true.

  Thank you for your unwavering support.

  Always and Forever.

  Friday nights in the ER were never dull, and tonight promised to be no exception.

  One of the many perks of being a multi-department float nurse, Lauren could always count on two regular shifts in the ICU or Trauma Center, and then her third shift—or any shifts she picked up—she got to float between various departments. She worked frequently enough that she never felt out of the loop. It probably also helped that it was a small hospital. She was lucky that her schedule meshed with meeting her son’s needs as well. As a single mom, she needed the flexibility.

  Her first patient of the night was a thirty-three-year-old male who had suffered cut his forearm, and may need stitches. The patient had arrived just minutes before she walked in the ER doors, so she quickly grabbed his chart and made her way to his room.

  Knocking on the door, she announced her arrival, and her whole body froze at the sound of her patient's voice inviting her in. She tried to convince herself it couldn’t be, wouldn’t be, him. He wasn’t here anymore. It was only her imagination.

  Throwing her shoulders back, she drew in a deep breath and held her head high as she stepped inside the room.

  "Holy shit," a voice mumbled from the corner of the room.

  Lauren turned toward the voice and came face to face with Bryce Matheson, cousin of the man who destroyed her heart. She knew he wasn’t her patient. No, Bryce was several years older than thirty-three, which meant only one thing, her past was about to collide with her present.

  Bryce, a soldier in the Army, appeared a little older than the last time she had seen him. His blue eyes had dulled a little, but she supposed war could do that to a man. His physical appearance had changed quite a bit though. His muscles had grown and made him appear to be even bigger than he was. The green Go Army t-shirt was pulled tight across his chest, threatening to rip right through the fabric if he breathed too deeply. He looked rugged, intimidating even. Especially with the tattoos that filled both of his arms. His hair was cropped short and his five o’clock shadow seemed to age him even more.

  She wondered if he was on leave, or had he finally decided to settle down?

  "Lauren Delaney, fancy meeting you here." Her patient chuckled, and that was when she allowed her eyes to settle on Connor.

  "It's Forbes now. Thank you,” she snapped back. “Wanna tell me what happened while I check your vitals?" Her voice sounded clipped and business-like, but her heart thumped loudly in her chest.

  In an instant, her childhood came flooding back to her. The laughs, all the fun times they had shared, and the heartache. Tears wanted to fall from her eyes as the ache that she’d long since buried now took residence in her chest. She refused to let her emotions happen though, it was not the time to break down. She needed to remain professional and pretend he was nothing more than a stranger to her.

  "Well, see I was attempting to hang new lights, and I must have slipped. When I fell, my arm went through one of the old windows that was lying nearby. A big chunk of glass got me pretty good."

  Connor recounted his story as Lauren wrapped a blood pressure cuff around his arm. While she gathered his vital signs, she fought desperately not to take stock of his appearance. Bryce and Connor may have shared similar eye color and the trademark dimples when they smiled, but that’s where their similarities ended. Connor’s blue eyes shone brightly, making his smile light up the room. That alone made Lauren want to stab him with something sharp.

  Time had aged him well. The bastard! His arms, God his arms were massive compared to the scrawny teen she remembered. His shirt wasn’t as snug as Bryce’s but she was willing to bet he was solid muscle underneath. His brown hair was a little longer than she was used to, and it was sticking up in every direction on the top of his head. She wondered if he still ran his fingers through his hair when he was nervous or if his mop of hair had just become unruly. It didn’t matter – it still made him look irresistible.

  “Excuse me. Sorry,” Bryce interrupted. “I’m uh, I’m gonna step out before you get to the good stuff. I’ll be in the waiting room. Come get me when he’s ready?” Hospitals were not his thing. Bryce wasn’t a fan of blood either. Rather than risk passing out, he thought it would be best to excuse himself before he looked like a fool.

  Lauren nodded in response to Bryce. Turning back to Connor, she continued. “Well, Mr. Matheson, your vitals look good. When was your last tetanus shot?"

  "Last year."

  "All other vaccines up to date?" Connor
nodded 'yes' in response. "Okay, good. Give me a moment to grab a few things, and we'll take a look at your arm. Any other medical history we should be aware of?"

  “Ah, um, MRSA. Hasn’t been had an issue since college though.”

  Ignoring the ache in her heart due to his casual mention of college, Lauren began washing her hands before gowning up and pulling on a pair of rubber gloves. Once gowned, she moved over to the wound cart and began pulling out what she needed to clean his gash.

  Connor watched her move, admiring the way her ass seemed to fit perfectly in the otherwise hideous green scrubs and the crazy yellow gown she’d put on over it. It took everything within him not to moan out loud when she bent over to grab more supplies. Her long brunette hair was pulled into a high ponytail, drawing more attention to her youthful face and the supple lips he had once kissed.

  There was no denying that his Lauren had grown up since the last time he’d seen her. Her breasts were fuller and her hips were curvier: his perfect type. There was no doubt that she was all woman now. The kind of woman he wanted in his bed.

  Which may or may not have been the exact reason he had stayed way so long and hadn’t wanted to come back home. He’d convinced himself a long time ago that Lauren deserved better. But when his grandmother died, he was the one chosen by her to settle her affairs. There was also the matter of his grandmother’s house, which she left to both Bryce and Connor. They grew up in that house and he loved it, but Bryce insisted he didn’t want the house. He felt like Connor could take better care of it. That left one option in Connor’s mind. He bought Bryce out of his half, but made it clear that Bryce would always be welcomed. That, of course, took time and extended Connor’s stay in his little hometown of Millford, Pennsylvania.

  Connor could have easily hired someone to take care of it all for him so he could stay in New York City, but he needed a break; time to decompress and figure out what it was he wanted. It was easier for him to leave his condo empty for however long it took, sans his housekeeper, who would still come by and clean it once a week. His job came with him. Most of what he needed to do for his dad’s architecture firm could be done from the ease of his computer and a comfy chair. The few times he ventured back to the city for the meetings he couldn’t avoid, he found himself hating it even more. NYC had long ago lost the shine it once held to the then eighteen-year-old college kid. Plus, being here would give him a slight of chance of seeing her again.

  Although, he hadn’t wanted their first run-in to happen in the in the ER because he was a klutz.

  He also hadn’t expected that he would still want her after all this time.

  As Lauren focused on cleaning his cut, Connor tried to laugh through the pain. "It’s crazy. The man can go to war, see all kinds of blood and guts, but seeing me get hurt freaks him out. I seriously thought the guy was going to have a panic attack before he got me here."

  Lauren scowled and glanced up at him briefly. "Maybe he just doesn’t like hospitals?" she snapped in a harsh tone.

  "Shit! That burns," Connor hissed. "Okay. I get the point. I was just trying to lighten the mood. No need to torture me."

  "I’m not. I'll let karma do her job." She laid sterile gauze on his arm. "I’m sorry.” Her tone softened slightly. “I shouldn’t have said anything. Here, hold this on there. It looks like it's mostly done bleeding, but it's gonna need stitches. I'll be back with the doctor in a few minutes." Lauren tossed her gloves and gown in the trash, washed her hands, and stepped out.

  Connor tossed his head back against the bed and let out a sigh. After fourteen years, Lauren could still take his breath away. Even in the ugliest pair of green scrubs he had ever seen.

  Lauren made good on her promise, returning quickly, with the doctor trailing behind her.

  "Mr. Matheson, I'm Doctor Novak,” he introduced himself and began looking him over once he and Lauren had gowned up. “It looks like Lauren here did a good job getting you cleaned up, so I'm going to go ahead and stitch you up. I’m going to swab the area and send it off for a culture, then I'll use some local anesthetic to numb the pain and Lauren here has some magic pills that will also help. You can have those filled at any pharmacy. Any allergies that we should be aware of, and is there someone who can take you home?"

  "No allergies, and yes, my cousin is waiting in the lobby."

  "All right. Perfect. Let's get started then, shall we?"

  The doctor stitched him up, and then told him to lie there for a little longer to make sure there were no complications. And after the doctor left, Lauren handed Connor the call button and told him she would get his discharge paperwork ready.

  “Can you send Bryce back in?” Connor requested.

  “Sure,” she responded before leaving him alone. But when she returned with Bryce, she could tell something was wrong. Connor looked pale and his face was coated in a sheen of sweat.

  “Dude, what the fuck is wrong with you?” Bryce asked, concerned.

  “Connor?” Lauren rushed to his side to examine him, and immediately hit the code button to call for the rapid response team. Placing the oxygen mask over Connor’s face, she ordered, “Bryce, I need to you to step out of the room. I think he’s having an allergic reaction to something.” She pulled out an IV catheter as the response team ran into the room, found a vein in the opposite arm, and got the IV started.

  “What’s going on?” Doctor Novak demanded as other nurses took up positions around the bed.

  “Patient’s blood pressure started to increase, heart rate up, O2 dropping, and he is struggling to breathe. A rash is also forming. I believe he is having an allergic reaction,” Lauren rattled off the information, scared of what might be happening to Connor.

  The doctor looked up at the monitor and shined a light down the patient’s throat. “Push 5mg of epinephrine and 25mg of diphenhydramine.” Once the medicine had been administered, he listened to Connor’s chest and asked, “How are his vitals?”

  Hitting the screen above Connor’s bed, Lauren gave the doctor the new stats. Things were returning to normal.

  Doctor Novak performed another examination and asked Connor if he was feeling better. When the doctor was satisfied, he informed Connor, “Well, Mr. Matheson, you’ve earned yourself an overnight stay with us. Apparently, you have some allergies after all. We need to monitor you overnight, and we need to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

  Connor nodded slowly.

  “I’ll go ahead and put in the orders to have him moved up to a room for the night. Lauren, stay here and continue to monitor his vitals. If anything spikes or drops, call me immediately.” To Connor, he said, “I’ll be back to check on you periodically before they move you.”

  The room cleared out, and Bryce stepped back inside.

  Lauren raised her brow and inquired, “Are you sure you aren’t allergic to anything?” She fought between concern for someone she once loved, now her patient, and the annoyance she felt that came with Connor merely existing.

  “I guess I am, but I couldn’t tell you what.” Connor’s gaze drifted over to his cousin. He attempted to give Bryce a smile when he saw how worried the other man was, but it felt weak and forced. He felt like he was having an out of body experience; everything felt foggy to him.

  “What did you give him, Lauren?”

  “Tylenol 3 for pain and local anesthesia for the stitches.”

  “Fucking moron,” Bryce mumbled. He looked at Lauren. “This idiot is allergic to codeine. Last time he had it, he broke out in hives and shit.”

  Lauren quickly made a note on his chart. “Would have been nice to know that information, Connor.”

  “It was years ago, Lauren, not exactly like I fucking remember everything that happened fourteen years ago,” Connor snapped at her.

  Lauren fought back the tears that formed from both his reminder and the venom in his voice. “You’re right, but in the future, you might want to make note of it. You could have died today. Had I not walked in when I did…you were f
ading fast, Connor. I’m sorry, but it’s called trying to do my job.” She turned her back on both men to continue making her notes in his record.

  She tried to ignore the conversation between them, but in a small room, that was difficult to do, and she overheard Bryce whisper, “You never learn, dude. Quit being an ass.”

  Having Connor thrust back into her world was the last thing Lauren wanted. Hadn’t she spent the last fourteen years convincing herself that she didn’t need him? That he didn’t matter? That she could do this on her own? Why then, did he still have the power to get under her skin after all this time?

  Sure, they may have been best friends in the past, but they spent one summer together as something more and, in that time, Connor Matheson managed to destroy her in the worst possible way. All the feelings she locked deep inside her started to float back to the surface with his surprise return.

  She would have been fine if he had kept his deceiving ass back in New York running his father’s architecture firm. At least, that’s what she heard he did these days, not that she was keeping tabs on him. What the hell was he doing back now? She knew his grandmother had passed away weeks ago, but that did not explain why he was still in town. He should have left by now, not shaking up her emotions or her life.

  After his overnight stay at the hospital, Connor worried that he wouldn’t have any more run-ins with Lauren, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. First, he nearly ran her over with his cart in the grocery store while he was caught up on the phone with his father. Then he ran into her again at the hardware store when he stopped by to pick up lights. He tried to be polite and make conversation, only to find out she was trying to fix a leak under the kitchen sink on her own. The next thing you know, he was offering to help her out when she obviously seemed flustered and unsure if she could handle the task. He wasn’t sure if he was relieved or disappointed when she declined.

  How he thought he’d ever manage living in their tiny town and avoid her, was still a mystery to him. They had the same friends growing up. Amy, Riley, Kyle—even Bryce. They were all inseparable back in the day; and when he left her, it seemed their friends had been there for her. Why did he think time would change any of that?