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“I refuse todiscuss this with you,” he told her tightly. “It’sover between us, and I apologize for any hurt and pain I may havecaused you. Now, I am exhausted and have a hell of a long daytomorrow-”
“You areturning me away again.” She rose. “This is the secondtime, and I assure you there will not be a third time.” Withthat, she walked away, leaving him staring after her.
Chapter 9
Working with her wasa torture he had never counted on. After the conversation, or ratherthe argument they had two nights ago, she had done her best to ignorehim completely. She would only acknowledge him if they had to consulton a mutual patient. And she would do it with distantprofessionalism.
The meals werebrought to them, but only he, Miranda and the nurse or physician’sassistant would eat in the lunchroom. She would eat on the run,barely taking the time to digest the meal before returning to tend tothe patients.
He wanted to warn herabout getting indigestion, but she was in the medical field andshould know that by now. She did not look at him if she could helpit, and the frustration of his need for her was making it difficultfor her to be around him.
He did not have totake this. He had told her he could get any woman he wanted, and thatwas not just spouting off at the mouth; it was a fact. Women threwthemselves at him, for Christ’s sake! And here, he longed for awoman who would not give him the time of day.
“Doc?”
Shaking himself fromhis tormenting reverie, he looked up at the woman who came hesitantlyinto the room. He had just finished prescribing antibiotics for alittle girl with a chest cold and was writing up his notes.
“Yes?” Hesmiled at her encouragingly as she came forward. “How may Ihelp you?”
“I have beensitting in the waiting room for almost an hour.”
“I am sorry,Ms.-”
“It’sGloria.” She folded her hands before her. “Just Gloria. Iam new here.”
“And you gaveyour information to Miranda at the front desk?”
She nodded hergraying head. “I live at the shelter up the street, and theytold me I could come here if I have a problem.”
“Would you liketo take a seat?” He gestured to the single chair next to thebattered desk.
Gloria sat on theedge of the chair, her hands clasped in her lap. “I ampregnant, or at least I think I am.”
Cooper struggled tokeep the shocked expression off his face but did not quite manage it.
“I am in myforties.” Gloria smiled faintly. Lifting a hand, she passed itover her hair. “Life has not been kind to me. I lost my housein a fire three months ago, and I have no family member I am closeto. I am forced to stay at the shelter, which is not so bad.”She added hastily. “The place is clean, and the food is ok.”
“And the manyou are seeing?”
“I wasraped.”
Cooper frowned as hestared at her. “Have you reported it to the police?”
She shook her head.“I cannot prove it, and I don’t know who the person waswho did it. I was sleeping-” She pressed a hand to her chestand breathed. “I woke up when I felt him inside me. My bed isat the end of the corridor and away from the others.
He had his hand overmy mouth and was wearing a mask. He did not say a word, just -he justdid what he did and left. I admit that I froze and stayed there for afew minutes before I could get up.”
“Surely youtold the person in charge of the shelter.”
She nodded. “Theysaid they would look into it.”
“Have they?”
“I returned tothem a few days later, and they said they had not found the time. Theshelter is full, and people rotate – coming in and staying fora few days to a week, and then they are gone. I am one of the few whohave been there for so long.”
She bit her lip. “Hehas not come back to rape me again. It happened that once, and now Iam carrying his baby.”
She pressed a hand toher stomach. “I want to keep the baby. I have nowhere to liveand have no prospects, but I want to be there for my baby. I wasthinking that I might be able to get a job here. To do the cleaningup and run errands. Before I was down on my luck, I used to work at alibrary. I am intelligent enough, but I just need a break.”
