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Lucy’s eyes were wide as she gazed at him blankly. She blinked and in that second she found reality again. With a quick look around, she checked to see if anyone had seen them. Relief flooded her features when no one was visible.
Her eyes flashed at him as she hissed, “You had no business doing that!”
“It wasn’t business, it was personal.”
She clenched her mouth shout, glared at him before she swung around and stalked away.
He caught up with her before she made it out of the main entrance. “The valet service is out the other door.”
“I’m getting a taxi.”
His fingers circled her arm. She stopped and looked pointedly at his hand. He released her. “Come on, Lucy. I apologize. It won’t happen again. I brought you and I’m going to see you home.”
Lucy said nothing as they rode back to her apartment. He glanced at her while they stopped in traffic. There was a pensive look on her face and her fingers touched her bottom lip. He grinned. So she wasn’t as unaffected by his kiss as she acted.
Good, then maybe he’d get to kiss her again. One taste hadn’t been enough.
When he entered her street she said, “Just pull up in front of the restaurant. It’s not necessary to park. I can get in on my own.” She raised a hand. “I know that goes against your raisin’ but I’ve had enough tonight.”
He hadn’t had enough and he didn’t think she had either but he wouldn’t argue the point. Stopping by the curb in front of her apartment, he let Lucy out as she’d requested. “See you tomorrow, Lucy.”
“Tomorrow,” she said, as if she was parroting him instead of really thinking about what she was saying. She bit her lower lip.
His male ego took flight. Yes, there would be more kisses.
CHAPTER FIVE
LUCY STARED OFF into what little space there was in her office.
Ryan had kissed her. Had kissed her good. He’d kissed her like no one else ever had. Her lips tingled from the memory. She stuck the tip of her tongue out and licked the center of her bottom lip. Could she still taste him? With an effort she stopped herself from moaning.
“Lucy, you okay?”
“What?” She looked around.
“I’ve called your name twice. Something bothering you?” Nancy asked.
“Oh, no, I’m fine. Just thinking.”
“How’s it going with Ryan?”
Lucy’s heart revved up. Her body temperature rose. Beyond a shadow of a doubt her face had gone beet red. “We’re fine.”
Nancy looked at her longer than Lucy found comfortable. “You aren’t falling for the silver-tongued devil, are you?”
“No. We’re just co-workers.” Lucy tried to sound as convincing as possible, tried to convince herself that his kiss had meant nothing.
“I see,” Nancy said, but disbelief ricocheted around the room. She smiled knowingly at Lucy before she picked up papers off her desk. “Hey, it’s Saturday night. Why don’t you come to O’Malley’s Pub for a drink before you head home? Everyone will be there. I’ll introduce you around. Should have done it already.”
Lucy wavered only a second between going home to spend the evening alone or getting to know other staff members better. “I think I’d like that. Thanks.”
“Great. What time is Ryan usually through with rounds?”
“Today it should be about six.”
“Perfect. I’ll meet you here.”
“I’ll be ready.” Maybe going out with a group and having some fun would get her mind off Ryan O’Doherty. Still she couldn’t help but have a fluttery feeling in her middle at the thought of seeing him again.
“So, Alex, what can I help you with?” Ryan asked as he took a seat in one of the two chairs in front of Alex Rodriguez’s desk.
“Ryan, I thought I should speak to you privately about a couple of matters that came up during the patients’ review meeting yesterday,” Alex said, leaning back in his chair.
Ryan looked at him expectantly.
“I heard that you and Ms. Edwards had a public shouting match in the ER the other evening.” Alex’s voice made it clear he wasn’t pleased.
Ryan had let Lucy push him too far. His emotions had gotten away from him. Something he rarely, if ever, allowed to happen. Now he was being criticized because of it.
“Things like that reflect poorly on my department and you professionally,” Alex finished with a note of reprimand. In a very unsubtle way Alex was making it clear he wouldn’t tolerate it happening again.
“Ms. Edwards and I did have a heated discussion about a patient. We’ve worked out our differences.”
“Good. That’s what I wanted to hear. Do I need to speak with Ms. Edwards?”
Ryan shifted in his chair. He couldn’t have Lucy telling Alex what they’d been arguing about. “That won’t be necessary.”
Alex nodded. “Now for the other issue. I understand that the Rivera kid’s progress hasn’t gone as expected.”
The hair on the back of Ryan’s neck stood at attention as he shifted into fighting mode. What was this guy getting at? With his background he didn’t have any room to talk. Or accuse.
“Miguel—” Ryan stressed the boy’s name “—is doing quite well now. He did have a setback in ICU but he didn’t require additional surgery. His recovery has been slower than I originally estimated but he’s coming along fine nonetheless. Why? Is there a problem?”
“All I’m doing is asking the question that was put to me. I’m not accusing you of anything. In order to have a solid, top-notch neuro department, I need to know what’s going on. It’s my job to protect my staff but also make modifications when necessary in patient care.”
Ryan wasn’t sure how he was supposed to respond to those statements. He glared at Alex. He didn’t appreciate the implication that he couldn’t manage the case or manage his job in general. He needed to get a handle on his ire if he didn’t want to create a problem. Like it or not, Alex was his superior. Antagonizing him wouldn’t be to his own advantage. “What exactly are you insinuating?”
“I’m not insinuating anything. I’m just voicing a concern.”
“Just for the record, you should know that I’ve done my homework. I know about you and your malpractice case.”
Alex leaned forward. The only visible sign that Ryan had hit a sore spot was the tic in Alex’s jaw.
Ryan received a small amount of perverse pleasure from the other man’s reaction. “I haven’t shared this information with anyone else. I’ll admit that I wanted your job but not if I had to act underhandedly to get it. I wanted it based on my merit and skill. The committee voted for you. You’re a talented doctor and no matter how much I’d like to have your position; I can’t fault your skills as a surgeon.”
“I appreciate that,” Alex said. “Thank you for clearing the air. It’ll be my job to see that you are left alone to care
for your patients. You can count on me standing behind you. If there’s a problem regarding administration then we’ll discuss it behind closed doors.” Alex stood and offered his hand.
“Agreed.” Ryan shook the other man’s hand. He was pleased with the tentative plan he and Alex had established to stay out of each other’s way based on mutual respect. Ryan still wanted the position of head of Neuro and one day he would have it.
Long hours later he found Lucy sitting in the surgery waiting room with the family of his most recent surgery patient. He’d stopped being surprised at the consideration she gave to parents.
Lucy looked up at him from under half-lowered eyelids as he finished speaking to the family. She really was a lovely woman. Her hair was pulled back, making him wish he could take it down and feel its silkiness one more time.
That evening, she showed up for rounds, adding information as necessary. He was hyper-conscious of every move she made. She held a clipboard against her chest like a breastplate, as if preparing to go to war for her patients. The free tentacle of hair she pushed at impatiently when she spoke intrigued him. Her lips captivated him the most. The urge to create an excuse to see her in his office was so tempting. Only because he respected her enough not to make her feel cheap or self-conscious had he not let his baser instincts run wild.
The woman had gotten to him. First it had been her gentle ways, then her strong backbone as she’d told him off, then her sexy looks and tasty lips last night.
“I think Miguel might be well enough to go home early next week. Ms. Edwards, will everything be in place on your end for that to happen?” he asked. Did the others notice her cute, shy ways? What was he going to be doing next, spouting poetry? He had the hots for the leggy family counselor and if he wasn’t careful it was going to show.
“I have everything lined up. All it needs is your signature on the orders.”
“Good. I’ll take care of that. I understand there was some concern that the family might have difficulty getting him back here for the post-surgery check-ups.”
