Handle With Care (9 page)

L
auren watched as Margaret strutted into the ER. She’d dyed her red hair burgundy; green eyeliner and shadow emphasized her green eyes; and her full lips were colored a dark plum. But it was her grin that gave her secret away.

“You’re in love. Again,” Lauren said by way of greeting.

Margaret giggled. “You bet your pretty ass I am. Guy’s even cuter than Shane. His name is Anthony. Isn’t that the dreamiest name?” She patted her chest. “Oh my. My heart’s pounding.”

“Probably because you’re late and had to run from the parking lot.” Lauren hid a smile.

Margaret ignored the comment. “As I was saying, I met Anthony at the dueling piano bar, and when he looked at me, I knew. He’s the one. This time I’m sure of it.”

“So you’ve known him for all of—what?” Lauren glanced at the large clock on the wall. It was one in the afternoon. “Fourteen, fifteen hours?” She spoke in mock horror. “Tell me you didn’t sleep with him.”

“Of course I did. How could I know if we were meant for each other if I didn’t check out his equipment first?”

Trish arrived in time to hear the last part. She grinned, bobbing her head in agreement. “You got that right. Why waste your time on a guy if he doesn’t do it for you in bed?”

Lauren rolled her eyes. “Really? I’m shocked at the two of you. You both know there’s a great deal more to a relationship than sex.” She put her hands on her hips and pursed her lips. “Whatever happened to taking it slow and getting to know each other first? It might be old-fashioned, but that system has been around for quite a while. And for a very good reason: it works.”

“Not anymore it doesn’t,” Margaret replied. “And I don’t have time to wait. I’m thirty-four years old. If I ever want to get married and have children, I need to seal the deal as quickly as possible.”

“Come on, Dr. Reynolds,” Trish said. “Times have changed. Men like women who know what they want and go after it.”

“Sure they do,” Lauren agreed. “But that doesn’t mean they have to rush into anything. Slow things down. Prove you’re worth the wait.”

Trish shook her head. “I knew after our first date that Jared was the guy for me, so I made damn sure he knew it too. I gave him the best sex of his life, and that, my friend, is the way to a man’s heart.”

“Trish, you sell yourself short,” Lauren replied. “You’re a very smart, warm, affectionate person. That’s why Jared is madly in love with you. Not because of your sexual prowess in bed.”

“So you say. I’m just making sure he doesn’t stray.”

“Well, you girls are more up on these things than me.” Lauren had heard enough girl talk for one afternoon. She turned to walk away and ran smack into Shane.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, aware that her breasts had, however briefly, made contact with his chest. The chest that she vividly remembered from her dreams.

“I came to see you.” He took her arm and moved her away from the others. “I wanted to ask if you could spend extra time with me this week. I’ve got an exam coming up, and I sure could use your help.”

“Of course. Would you like to come over tonight?” She kept her voice low, not wanting to give the nurses more fuel for gossip. “I’m off at eight.”

“I work until ten. Will that be too late?”

“No.” She looked into his eyes, thinking that today they reminded her of a melted Hershey bar with a caramel center. Forcing her gaze away, she reminded herself that she mustn’t let her physical attraction for him get in the way. A little chemistry was bound to happen between two people. It didn’t mean she really wanted to sleep with him, even if she had in her dreams. She couldn’t control her subconscious, but she could control her waking thoughts.

She dragged her mind back to their conversation. “After ten will be fine. Josh will be asleep, so we won’t be disturbed.”

“I appreciate it. See you later then.” He turned and walked away, and Lauren caught Margaret checking out his tush.

“So what was that all about?” Margaret asked.

“He wanted to know if we could have sex tonight,” she said in jest, half-hoping to shock Margaret the way she always did her. “After my conversation with you, I thought, why not?”

“You’re kidding me, right?”

“Right.” Lauren marched off, annoyed at herself and the world at large. Why could other people just fall into bed together, call it love, and move on without guilt? Well, she knew the answer to that. They didn’t have Josh. He was the one who’d get hurt, and no way would she chance that.

Shane quietly knocked on Lauren’s door, not wanting to wake Josh. Lauren opened it right away. She was wearing navy knee-length shorts and a Victoria’s Secret T-shirt. He could make out the outline of her bra underneath and quickly glanced away.

“Hi, Shane. Come on in.” She led the way to the kitchen. “I made us a pot of coffee, and I baked an apple-walnut loaf.”

“That was nice, but you shouldn’t have bothered.” Even as he spoke, his mouth watered when he spotted the loaf sitting on the counter. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had cooked for him, but Lauren didn’t seem to think anything of it. “I don’t want to be more of a pain in the ass than I already am.”

She smiled. “You’re not. Actually, it’s nice to have adult conversation once in a while.”

“Really, you need to get out more.”

“Yes. I agree.” She didn’t say anything for a second and when she did, it was the last thing he wanted to hear. “Shane, I’ve got to tell you something. I made the decision to go out with Kevin Saturday night.”

“Wow. That was sudden.” He knew he was scowling, but hell. He hadn’t expected this so soon. “Got a babysitter lined up?”

“It’s Kevin’s weekend with Brad, so the boys are going to stay together at his apartment. He’s got a regular babysitter.”

Nice guy, Shane thought. Gets to see his son for the weekend but goes out on a date instead. Not that he could blame him. Lauren was one special lady, and a guy would have to be half crazy to pass that up. “I’m busy this Saturday too, but if it’s okay with you, I can take Josh somewhere Sunday afternoon.”

“Great. He’s been really into baseball lately. Do you think you could take him to the park and show him how to hit a ball? He’d love that.”

“That’s easy enough.” He poured a mug of coffee for himself. “So, what time’s your date?”

“I’m dropping Josh off at Kevin’s place at four, and then he’s coming over here to pick me up at six. We don’t want the boys to know we’re going out together.” She darted a quick look at him. “The last time I dated someone, Josh really liked the guy and was broken-hearted when it didn’t work out. I don’t want that to happen again.”

Shane nodded, giving them both points for that sensible decision, but then she went on and spoiled it.

“Maybe Kevin and I can spend the afternoon together on Sunday too, if Saturday night works out.”

“Of course.” Shane’s stomach tightened. He’d be taking her son out, while she would be … what would she be doing? Hell, he didn’t want to know.

Lauren licked her lips. “Are you okay with that?”

“Sure. Why not?”

“Just checking.” She tossed her head back. “I didn’t want to date anyone, but everyone, including you, seems to think that I’m being unfair to Josh. You know he means the world to me. And I like Kevin. He’s nice.”

“I think you should date. Not for Josh’s sake. For your own.”

Her eyes met his, and they were honest and open, without guile. “I do get lonely sometimes. It would be nice to have someone to share my life with, I must admit. But unless I think it has a good chance of working out, it’s not worth the gamble.”

She played with the hem of her T-shirt, and Shane noticed the thin material stretch over her breasts. He quickly glanced away.

“If I didn’t have my son to think about, it would be a different story.” She sounded like she was on the defensive, and he wondered why.

“You can’t always put him first. You also have to think about yourself and your needs.”

“No, I don’t.” She straightened up and glanced away. “My needs are not all that important. Besides, it’s not easy having a romantic relationship with a six-year-old around. Which is all the more reason I should try to see him both days this weekend. You have to grab your moments when you can.” Her lips parted in a smile. “And the sooner I know if there’s any chemistry, the better.”

“I see.” Shane took a sip of his coffee, which tasted too bitter. “Yeah. Now that you’ve explained it, it makes sense. As a matter of fact, I think it’ll do you good.”

“You do?” She frowned. “Why?”

“Because you need it and you deserve it.” His eyes roamed over her face and settled on her mouth, thinking how sweet those lips would taste. “You’re young, beautiful, and shouldn’t sleep alone.”

“That’s nice.” She cut a few slices of the loaf and set them on the table. “But I’m not planning on having an afternoon love fest,” she went on as she sat down. “If it’s a nice day, we could go for a drive and get to know each other better. Don’t worry. I’m not going to drag him into my bed as soon as he walks in the door.”

He yanked out a chair and sat as well. “I’m not worried. You can do whatever you please.”

“Well, I don’t please.” She broke off a piece of the loaf and ate it. “I don’t want to go to bed with Kevin.”

“Then why are you going out with him?”

“Because I need to get out more. And Josh desperately wants a father.”

He slapped his textbook onto the table. “I don’t get the connection. If you don’t want to have sex with him, how can you think about marrying him?”

“Jeez. I’m not! Marrying is not in the equation. Just a date. One date. Possibly two, if the first one’s good.” Lauren ran her fingers through her hair, mussing it. “This whole conversation is ridiculous. I like my life just the way it is.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“I’ve tried to be both mother and father to him, and I thought that would be enough. Obviously, it isn’t.”

Shane put a hand over hers. “He’s a good kid. You’ve raised him well.” He lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. “Now you need to think about yourself.”

“I was fine until that kiss,” she muttered. “Unfortunately, it reminded me of what I’m missing. Hence, the date.”

“I see.” The idea of her kissing Kevin got his hackles up. “Look, I’d really love to sit around and discuss finding you a husband, but do you mind if we get to the reason I’m here? It’s late and we both have to work tomorrow.”

“Yes, of course.”

She pulled her chair closer to his and leaned over the table, sharing the textbook. He could see the curve of her sweet, soft breasts, and his nostrils twitched from the flowery scent in her hair.

He forced his mind to concentrate, and for the next hour he managed to focus, but then she sat up straight and stretched her back. Her breasts swelled in the T-shirt, and he couldn’t tear his eyes away.

His mouth dried, and he took a sip of his cold coffee. He tried not to look, but hell, when a starving man is offered a feast, he’s not expected to turn away.

She noticed his expression and stood up, crossing her arms over her chest. “Are we done here?” she asked, a frown wrinkling her brow.

He stood as well and feigned a yawn. “I think so. You helped clarify a few things.”

“I’m glad.”

They both started to clear the dishes at the same moment, and their fingers brushed as they reached for the plate.

Lauren snatched her hand away and said, “I’ve got it.”

Shane didn’t move. She stood only inches away from him, and he wanted to pull her close, feel that sexy body against his, and taste her lips again. He wanted it so badly, it hurt.

He stuffed his hand into his pocket and his prized i-limb behind his back. Would he ever be comfortable enough with it to enjoy the charms of a woman? He wasn’t ashamed of his disability, but what would he do with a mechanical hand during the physical part of making love? He’d only had it for ten months and had made great progress, finding it easy to use for most normal activity. But how would a woman feel about it when they were rolling in the sack?

“Enjoy your date,” he said. He saw the disappointment in her eyes and knew exactly what she wanted. Her mouth trembled, and he had to clench his teeth together to stop from kissing it.

“Good night.” Afraid to linger, he turned and walked away.

“Good luck with your exams,” she called as he reached the door.

He nodded. “Good luck with Kev.”

K
evin took several minutes to peruse the extensive wine menu and then signaled to their waiter. “We’ll have the Silver Oak Cabernet,” he ordered.

The waiter nodded and left, and Lauren leaned across the table toward Kevin. They were dining at Melisse, a French restaurant in Santa Monica.

“What a great choice for tonight,” she said. “I hear the food is excellent.” She glanced around the beautifully appointed room with curved, shuttered windows and noted the round tables covered with starched white linen, each set with elegant china. A few well-dressed couples were enjoying drinks in the cozy bar. Lauren smiled with pleasure. “I don’t get out often enough, I’m afraid.”

“Well, we’ll have to rectify that, won’t we?”

“If you say so.”

Her eyes met his, and for the first time since she’d known him, she really looked at Kevin. Not as Josh’s best friend’s father, not as someone else’s husband, but as a possible mate. He was a striking man. Just short of six feet, he was well built and tanned. A hint of silver threaded through his brown hair, and though his straight nose and strong chin hinted at sternness, his smile was wide and easy.

Any woman would think herself lucky to be in my shoes
, Lauren thought, and yet, she was reluctant to encourage his interest in her. She liked him well enough but had never had any romantic inclination toward him. Maybe if she made an effort, she could change that. If Josh wanted a father, it was her job to see that he got one.

“Kevin, I have a feeling that you know how to treat a lady.” She gave him what she hoped was a seductive smile. “Watch out. I might get used to it.”

He laughed and clinked water glasses with her. “I hope you do.”

Lauren sat back in her chair and fiddled with her cutlery. “Does this feel odd to you? I mean, how long have we known each other? Five years at least. So, why are we acting like two people on a first date?”

“Darned if I know.” His eyes met hers. “Maybe because we are.”

The waiter returned with the wine, and after Kevin sampled a taste, the waiter told them about the evening specials.

“We’re not in any hurry,” Kevin told him. “But you can bring us some caviar to start.”

Lauren turned her attention to the menu and wondered if Shane had ever been here. She couldn’t imagine him in such a fancy place, but she knew he’d fit in anywhere. He was that kind of guy. Easygoing, easy to like.

But what was she doing thinking about Shane when Kevin was out to show her a good time? He was being perfectly charming and witty, but there was a new awareness in his eyes. He had the look of a man who knew exactly what he wanted and planned on getting it.

Lauren wished she could feel a little more enthusiasm about being the dessert on Kevin’s personal menu. What was wrong with her? She’d been tempted to sleep with Ron Hammond during their two-month relationship and had regretted not taking that step. She certainly was no prude. Sex was wonderful with the right person, and she missed it. Kevin would be more than willing to change all that.

She simply didn’t want to make a mistake and screw up a solid friendship. Sex had a way of doing that.

“What’s on your mind?” Kevin asked. “You look worried about something.”

“No. It’s nothing. I’m sorry if I seemed distracted. I’m not, I assure you.” She put a hand over his. “I’m having a wonderful time.”

They ordered dinner, and the rest of the evening went well. She felt relaxed with him and trusted that he only had her and Josh’s best interest at heart. So when he took her home, she didn’t hesitate to invite him in. They were alone, but she had no desire to go to bed with Kevin.

She made coffee and they sat in her living room to enjoy the fresh brew and each other. She was not surprised when he took the cup out of her hands and pulled her gently toward him. She leaned against his arm and turned up her face, hoping she’d feel differently about him once they’d kissed.

She wanted electricity, sparks to fly, and a heady dose of passion.

But his kiss, although nice, didn’t get her pulse rate up.

It tasted like the kiss of a friend. There was no hunger. No pounding heart, no quickened breathing, no inflamed libido crying for more.

It was not like kissing Shane. Now that had been something. She’d wanted him. In her bed, inside of her, flesh pounding flesh, and hot moist kisses that went on and on and on.

But Shane couldn’t afford to be strapped down with a woman and a kid. He had a goal, and it would take a lot of hard work and dedication to make it a reality.

The following day, Lauren’s stomach did a bouncing act as she waited for Shane to come and collect her son. All morning she was nervous, but why, she had no idea. Nothing was going to happen on her date because she didn’t want anything to happen. She had nothing to feel guilty about, and yet .…

Just the thought of Shane, this dear man, spending time with her son while she was out with another didn’t sit right with her. Even if he’d encouraged it, she knew his reasons were unselfish. He cared about her and Josh and only wanted the best for them. But what was that? Did he not fit into this picture at all? More importantly, did he not want to fit?

By noon, she was hanging around the kitchen, anxious for Shane to appear, wanting to have a word with him before seeing Kevin.

“Shane.” She smiled and beckoned him in. “Josh is waiting for you, but I wanted to ask you something first.”

“Sure. But first tell me, how did the date go?”

“It went fine,” Lauren told him, searching his face for clues. When she didn’t get any, she added, “Actually better than fine. We had a really nice time.” Still not a single twitch. How did he feel, dammit? She’d wanted to test his reaction, but so far the verdict was zilch. Did he not care about her after all?

Finally Shane grunted. “
Nice
. You use that word a lot.”

“I guess I do,” she answered, happy to hear something in his voice, a trace of emotion. “We went to Melisse in Santa Monica for dinner. It’s a beautiful French restaurant, very romantic, and the food was out of this world.”

“Hmmm. That’s … nice.” He flexed his shoulders. “I ate at my favorite restaurant too. Pizza Hut. Had the extra-thin crust, fully loaded. Brought half of it home and ate it for breakfast. Delicious.”

She made a face. “Yuck. I can’t imagine eating a greasy pizza for breakfast. Do you ever cook for yourself?”

“Not unless I have an overnight guest.” He grinned and raised an eyebrow. “Speaking of which. Did you get any rest last night?”

“That’s none of your business, but we did make arrangements for today.” She stared into his eyes, hoping to gauge his feelings, if he had any. “You don’t mind, do you? Perhaps you could come back around four?”

He raised a brow and gave a hint of a smile. “Does that give you enough time?”

“Not funny,” she answered, hurt by his indifference. “I have no intention of doing whatever you think I’ll be doing.”

“You might not, but he may have other plans.” He didn’t break eye contact. “So you do like him then?”

They were interrupted by Josh’s reappearance. “What are you guys talking about?” He tossed a baseball in the air and didn’t catch it. It rolled down the hall, and he chased after it. Running back, he said, “Come on, Shane. Let’s go to the park.”

“Yes, why don’t you?” Lauren spoke.

“Okay, sport,” Shane said to Josh. “Let’s get going. Your mom has important things to do.”

“I do not,” she snapped. She tapped her foot, now eager to see them leave.

“Whatever. Have fun.” He put a hand on Josh’s shoulder and guided him out the door. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” he said with a wink and a grin.

“Go to—” She stopped herself just in time. “Enjoy the park. ’Bye, honey.”

“’Bye, Mom.”

She closed the door firmly behind him and sucked back tears. She’d hoped he might show a little jealousy, but he hadn’t seemed to care.

To make things worse, she wanted to spend the afternoon with him, not Kevin. He always made her laugh, made her feel good. She enjoyed his humor, his warm smile, the natural camaraderie they shared, and the way he connected with her son. But she was stuck entertaining Kevin whether she wanted to or not.

He arrived a half hour later, and as soon as he was in the door, he pulled her into his arms. “This was a great idea,” he murmured against her ear. “Got both of our boys taken care of, and now I have you all to myself.”

“Yes. Right.” She slipped out of his arms. “There is a fabulous art auction at the Long Beach Museum that I’ve been dying to take in. The exhibition has been open to the public for a month, and I haven’t had time to go.” She grabbed her handbag. “This is my only chance. The auction’s coming up on May 22nd.”

“That sounds interesting, but couldn’t we make better use of our time?” He glanced at his Piaget watch and frowned. “We only have a little over two hours.”

“Just enough time.” She linked her arm with his. “If we hurry, we can probably see the entire exhibit.”

“I thought we were going to spend the day getting to know each other, not traipsing around a museum.”

“We will be getting to know each other. This is one of my passions, and I hoped you might enjoy it too.” She touched his face, looking into his eyes. “I want to take this slow. I don’t want to have any regrets or lose you as a friend.”

Kevin was quiet for the entire drive, and Lauren did her utmost to lighten his mood. She had been an active fundraiser for many years and was well known by the curators. She happily introduced Kevin to everyone she knew, but although he was courteous, he showed little interest in either the people or the magnificent works of art.

After an hour and a half they returned home, and Kevin’s mood seemed to lift.

The moment they were inside, he trapped her against the wall with his arms. He bent and kissed her. “Well, now that you’ve had your fun, how about if we have some together?”

She slipped out from under his embrace, giving a nervous little laugh. “Behave yourself. Josh will be home soon, and it would probably be better if he didn’t see you here. I don’t want the children to know about us quite yet.”

“What would be wrong with that? We’re adults and if we like each other, why shouldn’t the boys know?”

“Things are different with Josh and me. I’m all he’s got, and because he’s had to grow up without a dad, I’ve treated him like my best buddy. We don’t keep secrets from each other, but this time I believe it’s the prudent thing to do.”

“Why? What’s the big deal?”

She looked at him, not understanding why he didn’t get it. “Because we don’t know how things are going to work out between us. And I don’t want him getting any hopes.”

“What about mine?”

She smiled. “You can definitely hope.” She gave him a light kiss. “I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the day, but I loved seeing the exhibits. I could easily have spent more time there.”

“It was fine, but if I’d had a choice, I’d have preferred to keep you to myself.”

She sighed. “Please don’t rush me. When the time is right, we’ll know it.”

“Don’t keep me at arm’s length for too long, or I’ll take the hint and not bother you anymore.”

“Really?” She took another step back. “Fine by me. If that’s how you want to play it.”

“I’m sorry. I guess I’m not used to being put on hold.”

“Well, I’m not used to being pressured for sex. So get used to it,” she snapped back.

“I didn’t mean to pressure you. That was never my intention. I just thought … well, you know, that you were attracted to me the same way I am to you.”

“I like you, Kevin, but I’m not ready to hop into bed with you. Or anyone. I need to take this slow.”

“Sure. Fine. I can do slow.” He stayed a little longer and didn’t try to kiss her again. She liked him better this way.

When he was ready to leave, she walked him to the door. “Good-bye, Kevin.” She closed the door behind him and wondered whether or not she wanted to see him again.

About ten minutes later Shane returned with Josh, and Lauren’s stomach did a sudden flip-flop as a wave of heat washed over her. Avoiding looking at Shane, she asked Josh if he’d had fun.

“It was great, Mom. I hit a home run.”

Shane nodded. “He hit the ball out of the park. The kid’s got talent.” She turned aside to hug Josh. “I’m proud of you, honey. I see a baseball scholarship in your future.”

He gave her a wide, happy smile, showing off his missing tooth. “You bet. Shane pitched some really hard balls too.”

“Didn’t want to make it too easy on you.” His gaze shifted to Lauren. “You’re looking a little pink. Did you get some exercise too?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Yes, I did. I went to the museum.”

“Uh-huh. See anything interesting?”

He didn’t believe her, which ticked her off. “Yes. I saw plenty.” She picked up Josh’s bat and ball, which he’d left near the door, and stuck them in the hall closet.

“Are you going to see him again?”

She shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

He’d walked up behind her and was too close for her liking. She felt like she couldn’t breathe, and her heartbeat had picked up a notch. Being a doctor, she knew the physical signs, and this wasn’t good. She ducked around him and spoke to Josh. “Why don’t you go wash up and then watch some TV? Shane needs some help with his studying.”