Heroes (Hollywood Heartthrobs #1) by Kate Rivers

stern face. “Now listen here young lady, I hope you’ve kept your
promise.”
              “I did, but
it was not without effort.”
              “You won’t be
sorry,” Dean said. As he booted up the laptop, it occurred to Jane to wonder
how old he was. He had the strong, masculine features of a man in his prime,
but when he got excited his blue eyes took on an almost boyish charm.
              Dean realized
he wasn’t sure how to arrange the table with the computer and his chair so that
both he and Jane could see. Clearly Jane had gotten there before him, because
she reached out for the computer. Dean handed it to her, thinking she would
find the best place. To his immense gratification and slight alarm, she sat down
at the head of the bed, set the computer on her lap and scooted as far to the
left as the hospital’s twin bed would allow. Looking up at him with an
expectant smile, she patted the spot next to her on the bed.
              God help me,
Dean thought. But he kicked off his sneakers and sat down next to her on the
bed. It was a tight squeeze, and her shoulder rested against his.
              “Ready?” she
asked, finger hovering the mouse over the play icon.
              Dean had a
fleeting thought that whatever was about to happen, he was most certainly not
ready. “Ready,” he answered with a smile.
              Jane seemed
immediately completely engrossed in the film. As the story progressed, Dean
could see she was the kind of audience that stage actors pray will fill their
theaters every night. She listened attentively, and she opened herself to the
story. She gasped at the big reveals, laughed genuinely at the jokes, and even
at one point let out a small cheer when Henry gave a rousing speech to his
waning soldiers outside Harfleur. The emotions of the story played beautifully
across her face.
              Dean, on the
other hand, couldn’t seem to focus on the movie. It was his favorite
adaptation, but he’d seen it many times before. Against his will, his attention
was elsewhere. He hadn’t been this physically near to Jane since the accident.
He could feel the warmth radiating from her body, smell the scent of her skin,
even feel the silky softness of her hair brush the side of his neck when she
tilted back her head to laugh. It was intoxicating being so close to her, and
he reveled in the sensations like a man on drugs. At one point Jane paused the
movie to adjust the position of the computer on her lap. She said it was making
her legs too hot. Dean silently added that they didn’t need the help. When she
settled herself again, she had moved ever so slightly closer to Dean’s body. He
could feel the side of her thigh against his. He tried to fight the stiffness
he could feel growing in his jeans. Come on! He thought angrily to himself.
You’re a grown man, not some hormone-raging teenager copping a feel on the
bleachers! He couldn’t help it, he ached for this girl. 
              Excusing
himself to the bathroom, he splashed his face and neck with cool water, then
looked into the mirror. What the hell? He had never felt like this before,
certainly not the third day he knew a woman. Trying to check his emotions (and
other things), he realized it wasn’t just a physical attraction. Yes, he wanted
her. He wanted to know her in the most carnal sense of the word. He wanted to
rip that thin robe off her and explore every part of that strong, supple body
of hers. But it was more than that. He wanted to hold her in his arms afterward
for as long as she would let him. He wanted to take care of her, to protect
her. Not that she needed protecting, as she could obviously look after herself,
but, he wanted to be there for her. She was strong, and brave, and capable, and
yet still so open, honest, and giving. All he wanted was to support her just
the way she was. Glancing back up at the mirror, the terrifying realization was
suddenly