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“So, you aresaying that I should leave my patient waiting on the operating tableand rush across town to sit and listen to some drivel about why thecompany cannot move forward with the votes?”
“We will putback the meeting for ten instead of nine. I hope that will be enoughtime to do what you must. I expect you to be there, darling.”Before he could respond, she hung up. Putting away the phone, hedragged frustrated fingers through his hair and forced a smile to hislips.
“I didn't meanto subject you to my endless family drama.”
“She soundslike a very determined woman.” Wendy came forward with theglass of scotch and handed it to him. “You sound like you needthis.”
“Oh, I am goingto need more than this. The food will be here in fifteen minutes. Whydon’t we go out on the terrace?”
“Perfect. Ishould go and change.”
“Your bag is inthe guest room. I will be up shortly,” he told her absently.Flipping through his notebook, he made a few notes and returned aphone call to a patient’s mother before leaving for the frontdoor to collect the meal. Tipping the delivery guy generously, hegrabbed the bottle of wine and two glasses and went upstairs.
“I just lovethis view.” Wendy gushed as she stretched languidly and gazedat the pretty meadow surrounding the building. “If I livedhere, I would eat on this terrace daily.”
Cooper poured thewine and handed her a glass before taking out the cartons with thefood. “I barely make it home in time to eat a meal.” Hepassed the carton of food to her. “I ordered the Poulet auxPorto,” he added in perfect French.
“Excellentchoice.” She murmured as she reached for her fork, watching himsit down gracefully and go for his wine. “I love being herewith you, like this, without the rest of our colleagues, and gettingaway from the medical jargon and the operating theater. It’sjust us, having a meal in a perfect setting and not thinking aboutwork.”
“It’snice to get away from it all now and then.” He agreed absently,his mind already on the surgery he would perform tomorrow. He was thebest in his field and was constantly educating himself.
He might joke aroundwhenever he was not working, but saving lives was his priority. Hecontinually told himself that he did not have a God complex or wascompletely committed to his work, but sometimes he wondered if thatwas true.
“We have beengoing out for the past three months,” She began, and he felthis heart sinking as he realized where the conversation was heading.
“Sounds like weshould be throwing a party.” He was enjoying the meal and thecompany and had hoped to avoid the heavy conversation.
“I am trying tosay, darling, that we know each other and are compatible. Iunderstand you and the crazy hours we put in for the job.
I do not mind beingstood up on the spur of the moment or being called a few hours beforeto go and grab a drink. We are doctors who always put our careersfirst.” Putting away her glass of wine, she stared at himimploringly.
“I am alsosaying that I want to take this further.”
“We havealready taken it another step,” he reminded her. “We aresleeping together.”
“I want totake it further.” She ventured.
His thick, dark browslifted, and he injected a note of amusement in his tone. “Surelyyou are not talking about marriage.”
“Would that beso awful?” She asked him softly. “We are perfect togetherand adult enough to know what we want.”
Cooper saw theprospect of a pleasant meal dwindling rapidly and had to squelch thespurt of anger inside his chest. “And that is what you want?Marriage? Specifically, marriage to me?”
“Why not?”She asked lightly, picking up her glass and sipping the excellentvintage. “You are easy on the eyes; we are in the sameprofession and get along in bed and out of it.”
“Not to mentionthat I am heir to an immense fortune.” He filled in the blanks.
“Do you thinkso little of me?” There was a wounded look on her face thatalmost had him regretting the sarcastic comment. But Cooper had beenpart of this scene too often to misread it. He was an eligiblebachelor and a great catch.
Not only was he adoctor with looks, there was the icing on the proverbial cake. He hadmoney. He liked Wendy. She was intelligent and articulate. She waslovely and graceful and a good conversationalist.
“Convince methat I am way off the mark.”
Her eyes flared. “Youare way off the mark. I like you a lot, Cooper, and that like isblossoming into something stronger. I know you are accustomed towomen falling over themselves to be with you for one reason oranother, but I am not those women.”
“You aredifferent … because?” His eyebrow arched.
“Because I amdifferent, damn it.” Rising gracefully, she walked over to theiron railing. Taking a deep breath and inhaling the scent of rosesand peonies artfully planted next to the downstairs column, sheturned to look at him. Cooper Rochester was a sight for sore eyes.
