PRINCE CHARMING M.D. (12 page)

Trevor put her suitcase next to his in the trunk. The two small bags filled the tiny space. He smiled. "Okay, so I didn't buy it to carry things around."

Sally slipped past Dana and moved close to him. "I adore this car," she said, and gave him a winning smile.

Dana braced for the lovers' departure. She told herself it didn't matter what he did in his private life, and she didn't care if they wanted to make a spectacle of themselves.

But instead of pulling Sally close or making a personal comment, Trevor merely said, "Thanks," then walked to the passenger door and held it open.

Dana frowned. That didn't make sense. Why would he practically ignore one of the women he'd been seeing? Unless they'd already said their goodbyes in private and he didn't want to do that again in public.

She shook off the faint feeling of resentment toward Sally. None of this was the nurse's fault. If she, Dana, had a problem with Trevor, she should either bring it up with him or get over it.

"Don't I get to drive partway?" she asked teasingly as she started to slide onto the leather seat.

"Absolutely," Trevor said. "Want to go first?"

Dana stared at him. At his hazel green eyes and the laughter lurking there. "Are you serious?"

"Of course. Can you handle a manual transmission?"

"I learned to drive one."

"Then go for it, kid." His grin turned mischievous. "But I warn you, this car has a lot of power, so be careful if you don't want to get a ticket."

Dana got out and walked around to the driver's side. As she slid onto the seat, he handed her the keys. She glanced back at the two nurses and saw identical expressions of envy on their pretty faces. She knew it didn't come from wishing they could drive the car. They wanted to be going away with Trevor.

"See you in a week," she called as she pulled her seat belt across her lap and chest,
then
snapped it into place. The car started instantly. The rumble sent a thrill through her.

"Bye. Have fun."

Trevor waved absently at the two women watching them. "You ready?" he asked Dana.

She nodded. In her jeans and light-blue sweater, she looked more like the high schooler he remembered than the professional woman he saw every day. He liked the contrast. He also liked the excitement on her face.

She eased the car into gear and let out the clutch. They moved forward slowly.

There wasn't much traffic on the way to the interstate. Dana kept them just under the speed limit as she got used to the powerful car. He liked the way her hands held the steering wheel with a sureness that showed she was in control. The wind whipped her short gold blond hair away from her face. Dark glasses hid her eyes, but her mobile mouth kept him apprised of her moods. Currently, she was having a blast.

They stopped at a light before turning onto the freeway. "Will you get nervous if I go fast?" she asked.

"Not at all. She can handle it." He patted the dashboard.

The light turned green. Dana released the clutch and punched the gas in one smooth movement. The car leaped forward. They flew down the on-ramp and merged with traffic. It was a full minute before his seat belt unlocked sufficiently to allow him to lean forward enough to see the speedometer. Then he laughed.

"Should I mention there's a speed limit?"

Dana glanced down and gasped. "Wow. She has a lot of power. Okay, I'll slow down."

She did. A little. Then laughed. The sweet sound made him respond in kind. Although he tried to leave his work behind when he left the hospital, some of the tension always stayed with him. Now he felt it ebbing as the wind whistled by and the sun warmed him.

A car full of teenagers pulled up next to him. A couple of boys looked at Dana and yelled encouragement.

"I'm not going to race them," she muttered.

But Trevor saw the speedometer inch up. Then she shook her head and they slowed down. The teenagers roared past them.

"They weren't just interested in the car," he said.

"What on earth do you mean?"

"You're a beautiful woman. The car only highlights the fact."

She glanced at him. "Oh, please, Trevor. Don't use your good material on me. It's wasted."

"Hey, this isn't material. I mean it."

She shook her head as if she didn't believe him. He refused to let that fact spoil his good mood. They would be at the seminar for a week. He planned to use the opportunity to get to know Dana again. Although they'd spent some time together, it had been disjointed at best. He knew the rumors circulating around the hospital kept her at a distance. But if they could spend several days together, away from all the talk, she might start to see him for the man he was. He wanted that more than he should.

She changed lanes to go around a slow-moving vehicle. "You always had the coolest car," she said. "I remember the Mustang you had in high school. It was perfect."

"I didn't think you noticed."

She shrugged. "I noticed everything about you, Trevor. Everyone did. You were the most popular boy in the school. Or don't those past conquests matter anymore?"

"There weren't as many conquests as you think, and yes, some of them matter very much." You matter, but he didn't say that. She wouldn't believe him. Not yet, anyway. But soon. Maybe.

"High school was a long time ago," she said. "We've all changed."

"How are you different?" he asked.

"I've grown up." She brushed her hair off her face,
then
laughed when it blew back. "I suppose the biggest difference is not being poor anymore."

He remembered her small apartment and her mother's run-down car. He'd always thought Dana dressed really well, but he'd heard the other girls talking about her clothes and the fact that many of them had been hand-me-downs from friends or purchased at a thrift store.

"You worked hard," he said. "You've accomplished a lot."

She nodded. "My mom used to tell me not to bother. That the best way out was to wait for a man to rescue me. She waited for that for years after my dad walked out on her."

"Where is she now?"

"In
Florida
. She finally got her rescue. But even back in high school I knew I wanted something different. I wanted to be responsible for my own future. That's why I went to college and then on to nursing school."

"My dad told me you had a scholarship for college, then a grant for nursing school."

She gave him a quick look before turning her attention back to the road. "You were talking about me?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

He could feel her questions. She wanted to know why he was interested in her and what other things his father had volunteered. But she didn't ask any more questions and he didn't offer the information. Better for her to wonder.

"Is your life what you thought it would be?" he asked.

"Sometimes. Right now I don't have a lot of balance, which can be a problem. For the past couple of years all I've thought about is work. Therefore my social life is pretty sad. Now that I have the job I want, though, I suppose I can think about making some changes."

"Marriage and a family?" he asked.

"Something
like
that."

He wondered if she had anyone special in mind.

"What about you?" she asked. "Are you where you wanted to be?"

"Career-wise, yes. I always dreamed of being a surgeon. But personally—" He shrugged. "Obviously I'd hoped for better."

"Do you have any contact with your ex-wife?"

"No. I prefer it that way. There's nothing left to say. Vanessa wasn't interested in a career or even finishing college. She wanted to play. I was a little too sincere and hardworking for her. Last I heard she had married the eldest son of a wealthy plastic surgeon. She should be happy with him."

"If nothing else, she'll get to look young for a really long time."

"There's nothing wrong with a few wrinkles," Trevor said. "I think living life makes women beautiful."

Dana opened her mouth,
then
closed it. "Wow. You sound like you mean that."

"I do."

"Such deep thoughts for a man who drives a convertible. You're right. You're a lot more than a pretty face."

Her teasing made him laugh. Dana was easy to be with. That had always been the way with them and he was pleased it hadn't changed.

"I have an assortment of personal questions," she said. "Don't feel you have to answer any of them."

"Fire away."

"Do you miss Vanessa?"

"No." He probed his heart. "I don't feel anything for her, either. It's been over for a while."

"Did you lose the baby early in Vanessa's pregnancy?"

He frowned. "We never had a child together."

"But I thought…" Her voice trailed off.

Trevor's confusion faded and he had to hold down a flare of anger. "Amazingly enough, I thought I was in love with her, Dana. I proposed to Vanessa because I planned to spend the rest of my life with her, not because I thought she was pregnant."

Dana's mouth twisted. "Really?"

"Don't sound so skeptical."

"I'm not. And you sound angry."

"It's a hell of an assumption. That the only reason I would marry a woman is that I got her pregnant? Do you really think that about me?" He took a deep breath, his good mood suddenly lost. "Never mind. I don't want to know your answer to that."

They didn't talk for a few minutes. He tried to concentrate on the road, but he wasn't driving, so the light traffic didn't keep his interest. Why did he even bother? She wasn't going to change her mind about him.

After a while, she reached out and placed her hand on his forearm. "I'm sorry," she said. "That was a terrible thing to assume. I don't blame you for being angry with me. Can we please start over?"

"Sure. Whatever."

"Trevor, I mean it I
am
really sorry."

"I know. It's okay. I'm used to it."

"To people assuming the worst about you?"

"Yeah. It happens all the time." He thought about the rumors currently circulating through the hospital. He hadn't heard all the details, but from what he'd put together, he was supposedly dating at least two nurses regularly, maybe three. And having casual sex with God knows how many others.

"How do you handle it?" she asked.

"I ignore it and hope it will go away. I've given up trying to explain. It doesn't help."

"So you're saying I shouldn't believe the stories?"

"Not if you want the truth. Yes, there are women interested in me, but it's a whole lot more about my reputation than who I am. I'm selective about who I get involved with and I date much less than the grapevine would have you believe."

She glanced at him,
then
focused on driving once more. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Why do you think?"

Her mouth opened,
then
closed. "Oh." She was silent for a minute,
then
repeated, "Oh." Trevor smiled. At last he was making progress.

They arrived at the resort in the late afternoon. Dana stared at the imposing glass-and-wood structure and was grateful she hadn't come alone. Nothing like a five-star rating to make her remember her humble roots.

Trevor handed his car keys to the valet and gave the young man both their names. Yes, they were attending the management seminar; yes, they were there for the week. He waited until she'd climbed out of the sports car, then placed a hand on the small of her back and led her inside.

The ceiling soared three stories. Plants gave the lobby an outdoor feeling inside, while the furniture groups created an air of intimacy. The floors were marble, the walls and columns wood, the trim brass. It was the kind of place that prided itself on attention to detail. Instinctively, Dana took a step closer to Trevor. She knew he wouldn't let her put a foot wrong.