Chapter 20

We got to the office and she was still asleep and I knew I was gonna get lucky again.

Sleeping beauty needed to be awakened and I was more than willing to do the job.

I looked at her and could see the dark circles under her eyes. I looked more closely and could see the yellow coloring of the bruises she had gotten when she was taken from me. I looked away.

"How am I going to keep you safe CJ? This can never happen again. I don't think my heart can take it."

She was never someone that was vain but I knew that the injuries to her and the recovery had taken its toll. I had overheard her talking to Chris when she was in the hospital asking her if she had a mirror so she could see the damage. Chris said she did not and reminded her she was in the beginning stages of recovery and she had to accept she had been assaulted and was not at her best. I walked in after Chris had left when I walked in CJ was out of bed trying to get to the bathroom. I asked her what she was doing and she didn't answer. She opened the door and looked at herself in the mirror.

She gasped and turned away. I put my arm around her and she didn't say anything. I told her I was sorry that I wished it was me that was beaten, not her.

"I just wanted to look. I feel swollen and now I know why. The other room I was in didn't have a mirror and I think you had something to do with that. You can't always protect me Houston and you don't have anything to be sorry about. I'm alive and these bruises and cuts will heal and fade."

She was trying to make me feel better when I should be doing that for her. I kissed her forehead and said she was right it would heal and fade and she was still the most beautiful woman I have ever met.

She snorted as I helped her into the bed. We talked about other things and I tried to get her mind off of what was going on in her head. She hid her hands under the blanket and when she finally got out of the hospital she tried to hide the marks on her arms by wearing sweaters, jackets or long sleeves. She didn't want me to see her upper arms. But I had. When she was unconscious for those two weeks I had made a list in my head of all the damage those animals had done to her and seeing all they had done to her on that tape and witnessing it up close was now my nightmare. I had trouble sleeping those nights when I would hold her hand through the night. It was more for my sanity that I didn't leave her. Each time thinking if I left she wouldn't be there when I got back. When that reporter had snuck in to take photos all I remember was her screaming and I thought CJ was being taken again I gave chased tackled him and something snapped inside of me. I was lucky Hoyt had decided to come visit or I would be in jail right now for murder.

Getting out of my car I went to the passenger side. She was still asleep and looking at her now, she still looked beautiful to me. I had to get a grip on my feelings. I didn't want to scare her off. I needed to be her rock and to show her I was there for her.

I carefully pulled her out of the car which was easy. She still hadn't gained much weight and I would be talking to her about this. I needed to get Carol on my side so we could make her stop and eat more. I kicked the door closed with my foot and she just snuggled deeper onto my shoulder. This scare with Jake had shook both of us. I was so happy that he was going to be okay. Talking to Emma on the phone this morning I felt my world stop. Emma explained to me what the test had revealed and his rapid decline. I couldn't breathe. I looked over to CJ and wondered how I was going to break this to her.

But our little man proved them all wrong he was on the road to recovery and we were on a mission to find his momma.

I passed the guard on duty and he smiled at me and CJ. I pressed the button for the elevator and got in the doors closed and I closed my eyes. I wanted to have that talk with CJ sooner than later. I wanted her to know that we should really re-evaluate our friend status. I would present her with reasons why we should be together and hope it would be enough to change her mind.

I knew she would not be open to this at first. But I would wear her down. I would show her that I didn't want anyone else. I would tell her I finally realized that I could never find the right woman because I had always compared them to her and no one had come close.

That wasn't true. I had almost married Elizabeth. She would throw that at me so maybe I'd have to think a little bit more about what I was going to say to her. Maybe ask Uncle Roy to help me out.

The doors opened and she was still sleeping. I had given her plenty of time to wake up so I was just claiming my prize.

"CJ? Sleeping Beauty we're here, time to wake up."

She didn't stir so I came close and kissed her. She crinkled her nose, pulled back and looked stunned as she took in her surroundings. I put her down but still held onto her.

"I told you Sleeping Beauty, if you were asleep how you would be woken up." I murmured against her lips and kissed her again.

"What are you doing?"

I told her it was pretty self-explanatory but if she wanted another lesson and took her face in my hands and kissed her again. She pushed me aside and tried to make it into the office but ran right into Chris.

She grabbed her and I smiled. She had seen us kissing and I was not going to apologize. Everyone had better get used to this; it was going to be the norm here as soon as Ms. Parson stopped running. Chris kept staring at CJ and I could see her blushing and wishing she was somewhere else.

Chris cleared her throat saying she brought Danish and orange juice.

I was in a good mood and commented to Chris what a great morning it was and she knew my mood was due to Jake's successful surgery and asked what I wanted her to start on.

"Yup our little cowboy is doing just fine so why don't you start by finding out who runs the farmers market and what vendors were there this last Friday."

CJ went to go sit on a stool and I shook my head.

"Where do you think you're going? You need to head down to the spare room and get some sleep, you have an interview in a couple of hours and I know you are tired. I want you to be ready for it so go on shoo scram."

She started to argue with me and I wasn't having any of it.

"No. I promised Jake I'd keep an eye on you so that means you need to take a nap and I'll wake you when Carol and Maureen get here okay CJ no arguments please just go."

She said she'd go but on one condition. She wanted me to stop waking her up with a kiss saying it was getting out of hand and...

"And what CJ? Don't you like getting woken up with a kiss? I'm enjoying it and I know you are too. Stop thinking so much sometimes it's better to let your heart take the lead."

I leaned down to kiss her and she stepped back. I grabbed her hand, pulled her to me and we kissed. I was in heaven but we both stopped when we heard someone clear their throat.

We looked up and it was Too Mean

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything,"

CJ turned a pretty shade of pink and started to walk to the stairs and didn't look back mumbling to us, "Nope not a thing I'm going to take a nap. Houston, don't forget to wake me up."

I just stood there and yelled back, "Oh I won't forget and I'm still gonna wake you the sleeping beauty way."

Too Mean looked towards the stairs and back to me.

"Did I just walk into you two..."

I tried not to smile, I headed to the bar to get me some coffee and he followed.

"Houston I think it's time you start to fill me in. First what is the sleeping beauty way and second do we need to have a discussion on messing with CJ's feelings. She's like my little sister and I don't want anyone that's including you cowboy to ever hurt her."

I poured a cup of coffee for him and sat him down and explained what sleeping beauty was and what had happened during CJ's abduction and the aftermath.

"Too Mean I understand your need to protect CJ I have the same instinct, she is a special lady and I am finally realizing that what I really want and need. It's her I need her in my life. I'm done with what she calls my "distractions". I want to put that all behind us. I don't want anyone else. I need her. I want to court her and hopefully win her heart. I know I haven't had the best track record but she knows me and has known me practically all my life and still she's here and I am one lucky SOB that I haven't lost her to another."

Too mean looked at me and crossed his arms. I waited for the punch that was going to knock me it never came.

"I'm warning you right now if you break her heart I will break your face. Just tell me one thing Houston you are a confirmed bachelor no one woman has ever kept your interest why now."

I stood quiet, he was right, my track record with women was legendary.

"I had a week without her, the longest week of my life. I died a little each day thinking why I didn't tell her how much she meant to me. A week of nightmares of not seeing that smile and wondering if I would ever see it again. A week that aged me 100 years. With all my pull and money I still couldn't find her. It nearly broke me, then it hit me that I loved her not as my best friend but as the woman that held my heart."

He got up and came over and patted my shoulder.

"I've seen the change in you and been meaning to say something but Roy told me he had it covered. But remember what I said Houston hurt her you get hurt."

I nodded, "so is the security system almost done at CJ's ? I haven't talked about the addition I wanted to add. But let me show you where I want to put the safe room here in the office."

We talked and Too Mean, measured, I had suggested the room should be behind Chris's desk and a second one in CJ's office. With what had just happened to CJ I needed to upgrade our security system and the safe room seemed like a good addition to keep them safe if me or Uncle Roy weren't around.

Keeping my family safe was my top priority and that included our two new additions.

We were finalizing the plans he was going to CJ's and said he would be back once the final wiring was done and was going to measure the space for the surprise I was going to spring on CJ her own safe room at her home. This would give me some peace of mind especially when she wasn't near me or any of the family if anything went wrong she'd have enough time to get to safety. He left and I was about to go ask Chris what she had found.

When the elevator dinged and in walked Uncle Roy, Will, Carol, Maureen and Star who was holding on to Beast.

"Hey Boss Man, this is your office? Uncle Roy says you own the whole building is that true? Wait is that a hot tub in the middle of the office and a bar. How do you get any work done? This can't be an office it's like a teenager's dream all that's missing is the skee ball games oh and arcade. Where are they at?"

Carol and Maureen snickered as Star walked through the office doors and she shouted, "Wait is that a helicopter outside oh my god are you one of those people that have the bumper sticker 'the one with the most toys in the end wins?" They did laugh then.

Carol wagged her finger at me. "Boys and their toys".

I looked at Uncle Roy. I had forgotten to talk to Star about Beast but it was too late they were here and I'd have to deal with my office being torn apart by the hound from Hell.

Uncle Roy stepped forward, "Come along Star I'll give you the tour and don't worry Matt I'll make sure he doesn't go over the terrace wall."

I gave the ladies each a hug and kiss on the cheek as they asked how Jake was. I gave them an update and said we would be back to the hospital this afternoon. I walked them to the bar and poured them each a cup of coffee and offered them Danishes. Will asked where I wanted the TV's and VCR's set up that the delivery guy was coming any minute. I told him where to set up and Uncle Roy was about to take Star down to the lower level where CJ was still sleeping it was still early and I asked if they could keep their voices down since CJ was still sleeping. Star said she'd check it out later when CJ was awake.

"I don't know what Beast will do if he knows CJ is down there and behind a close door, he gets a little crazy when I'm not close by and I don't want him to do any damage to your office."

I thanked her and looked at the hound from hell and he was laying down and being calm.

Chris came back with the names of the vendors and we split the list and decided to get as much information as we could before we got the footage. Will and Uncle Roy went down to see about the TV's and VCR's that had just arrived and I looked at my watch and smiled. It was time to wake up CJ.

"What's with the smile Cowboy? It looks like you are up to no good."

Carol caught me and I couldn't look at her. I was turning red and could feel my cheeks getting hot.

"Houston are you blushing, hey sis why is he blushing."

Maureen chimed in.

"He wasn't blushing earlier when he was kissing CJ. He had her in his arms, almost like when a groom carries his bride over the threshold and I swear neither one of them was holding back."

Damn Chris she had just spilled the beans.

"In my defense I did tell her if she was ever asleep and I had to wake her up it would be the sleeping beauty way I gave her plenty of opportunity to wake up I carried her out of the car up the elevator and to the office and she didn't wake up so I just claimed my prize."

Chris looked puzzled, "then why did she said she wanted you to stop waking her up with a kiss I remember her saying that to you when Too Mean caught you too lip locking again and she went to go take a nap."

I had all three women looking at me and I didn't know what to do.

"Oh we need to get this straighten out so cowboy stay right where you are and we will wake CJ up."

Before I knew what was happening Carol, Chris and Maureen where running down the stairs and I saw my prize slipping through my fingers.

"Sorry Boss man I think you just lost your chance."

I got up and started to yell at them to hold up and wait hoping that I'd still get a chance to collect on that kiss.