Sizzling Nights with Dr. Off-Limits (2 page)

Up close he looked even better than he had from across the room. Why, oh, why couldn't time have taken its toll and marred the physical beauty of his face?

He told you to leave. He filed for divorce. He's a cold, heartless jerk who means nothing to you.

Even so, her hands shook and her stomach threatened to hurl the appetizers she'd consumed earlier. “Do I what?”

“Find the man who bid against me more attractive?” His blue eyes twinkled with the same old arrogant mischief. He knew that he was handsome as sin, that women fell to their knees when he so much as bestowed a smile upon them. He couldn't fathom her finding any man more attractive. The jerk.

“Of course I find Richard more attractive, Dr. Cain.” She put great emphasis on her formal use of his name. “He and I have been dating for almost ten months.”

“Ten months?” He raised a brow as if impressed as his gaze took in everything about her. “Some marriages don't last that long.”

Her breath lodged in her throat and she dug her fingernails harder into her palms. Mentally, she called him every rotten name she could think of.

“You're right,” she agreed. “Too many people get married who shouldn't. Probably because they're too young to know any better or one of them wasn't committed to the relationship to begin with. My guess is that when those people become involved in their next serious relationship, they are a lot choosier.”

The arrogant look in his eyes flickered just a little, as if she'd delivered a damaging blow and won that round. Good. He needed taking down a peg or two.

“I bet you're right.” He turned to Meghan and gave her a smile so charming that it was a wonder she didn't swoon. “Hi, I'm Dr. Lucas Cain. I work at Children's with Emily.”

Ugh. He sounded so nice, so polite, and Meghan was tripping over herself trying to form coherent sentences. He'd always had that effect on women. Even her.

But that had been in the past. These days her sentences were freaking pieces of grammatical art. She'd been inoculated against his sexual mojo.

Well, mostly. He was a sexy beast and her body wasn't dead. Good thing her mind knew better and ruled.

“Me, too,” Meghan practically stuttered. “At Children's. I mean, I work at Children's, too.”

Lucas's brow lifted. “On the neuro floor with Emily?”

Hearing her name on his lips caused tightness to squeeze Emily's chest. Darn him that he was here creating chaos in her world, not to mention making a blabbering idiot of her best friend.

Meghan nodded, still stammering and stuttering. “I've taken care of a few of your patients.”

He flashed one of his most potent smiles and Emily had to forgive her friend. When he was more handsome than anything Hollywood had ever put on the silver screen, how was Meghan supposed to resist? Her friend didn't know he had a heart of ice and a soul as black as coal.

“Ah,” he said. “That's why you look familiar.”

Emily wasn't buying that he hadn't known who Meghan was. No doubt he knew everything about her best friend.

Meghan's lashes swooped downward. “I guess you heard what I was saying about how you looked.”

Her best friend was flirting with her ex. Not that Meghan knew, but still. Gag. Gag. Gag.

Just take Emily out and push her in front of a taxi driver right now. She couldn't take any more.

“If you'll excuse me, I need to go find a ladies' room.” She went to move past Lucas, but the photographer chose that moment to appear.

“Hello,” the overly friendly guy said, smiling and motioning for Lucas and Emily to pose. “Get together for a photo for our website.”

Emily clenched her teeth and moved one step closer to Lucas.

The photographer frowned. “Smile. Look happy. You just brought in more money than any of the others.”

There was that. Raising money for a good cause did make her happy. She sighed and focused on the help that would be provided to her patients' families because of Lucas's generosity.

Surprisingly, he looked a little hesitant. Lucas off guard. Now, that was something new. Still, he put his arm at her waist and smiled for the camera.

Trying to ignore the fact that he was touching her, Emily curved her lips upward.

The photographer's flash went off a couple of times.

“Thanks.” The photographer turned to Meghan and her winner, who'd joined them. “Your turn, Pretty Lady.”

Meghan curled up next to the stockbroker she'd gone on a couple of dates with.

Which moved everyone's attention off Emily and Lucas.

Her throat suddenly tight, she glared at him. “Congratulations. You're such a winner.”

CHAPTER TWO

T
HAT
HADN
'
T
GONE
anywhere near the way Lucas had mentally rehearsed his first encounter with Emily outside the hospital.

Then again, what had he expected? He should thank his lucky stars that she hadn't made a scene.

The look she'd given him said she'd like to have smacked him. Or worse.

“I think you two got off on the wrong foot.” Meghan rejoined him after the photographer had snapped a few shots of her and her date winner. The brunette frowned after Emily. “I don't understand how that's even possible. Emily gets along with everyone. She's the sweetest, kindest person I know.”

They hadn't gotten off on the wrong foot, but they'd ended that way.

He closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath, catching the faintest whiff of Emily's perfume still on the air. She'd always worn the light vanilla scent. He could never smell anything even close to the fragrance without being haunted by memories of the past.

Lately, most everything had his mind filling with Emily.

Ever since he'd been offered the position at Children's, he'd been confronted with memory after memory. Probably because he'd known taking the job meant coming face-to-face with his biggest regret.

To head the department, oversee research in traumatic brain injury, play an active role in the decisions being made that would impact how things were done on the pediatric neurology unit—Children's had offered him all that and more. The position was his dream come true.

He'd still hesitated.

Because of the woman walking away from him.

Just as she'd walked away five years ago.

Not that he hadn't deserved her leaving. He had. He just hadn't thought she'd walk away from their marriage, no matter how bad things got.

He'd been wrong.

But Emily had been right to leave. She'd been so unhappy, crying more often than not. Marriage to him had rapidly done that to her. He'd thought she was depressed, needing counseling, but when he'd suggested as much, she'd burst into tears. That night had been the night she'd packed her things.

His wife leaving him had hurt like hell, but he had gotten over it, had moved on and made a good life for himself.

But seeing Emily again had been tough. More so than he'd been prepared for. He wasn't sure quite what he'd expected of her, but the cold shoulder he got every time he walked onto the unit just had to go.

No, he didn't expect her to do cartwheels that he'd joined the hospital where she worked, but he was a good pediatric neurosurgeon and was now medical director of her unit. What had happened between them was a long time ago, water under the bridge, they'd both moved on. He was happy. She was happy. There was no need for awkwardness between them.

That was why he'd bid on her date.

Mostly.

As Emily's bid had proceeded, he'd grown more and more annoyed with the man she'd arrived with.

The man she'd been comparing him unfavorably to.

The man who'd acted as if bidding on Emily was an inconvenience.

Emily was too good for the guy.

He supposed it could be argued that she'd been too good for Lucas, too. She probably had been.

Besides, the guy must make her happy, since she'd defended him to her friend. Something Lucas had failed miserably at.

Regardless, the man's reticence to bid had irked. As he'd watched her on stage, the insecurities that only someone who knew her as well as he had would recognize flittering across her lovely face had brought out something protective.

So much so that he'd placed a bid. Then another, then, when her foolish date had hem-hawed on his last bid, Lucas had more than doubled the amount.

Probably not his brightest move.

But the guy needed to be hit over the head with the news that a date with Emily was worth every penny.

The realization hit Lucas hard.

He watched her retreating backside head out of the ballroom, appreciated the curvy lines of her body beneath the sleek lines of her formfitting emerald dress. Once upon a time, he'd slept with her backside snuggled into the curve of his body, spooned so close every breath he'd taken had been filled with her. Now he didn't have the right to even stroke his finger over the silky smooth skin of her cheek.

Lucas swallowed. Where had that thought come from?

He hadn't bid on Emily because he wanted a date with her. He didn't. He only wanted a chance to clear the air between them.

Maybe he'd been led to Children's so he could set the past right, could mend his relationship with Emily to where they could be friends, or at least amicable coworkers.

* * *

When Emily joined Richard at their table, his expression was sour and she cringed on the inside.

“Who was that man?”

She supposed she should have been prepared for his question, but it still caught her off guard. She'd run back to Richard to escape Lucas, not talk about him.

She bent, kissed her date's cheek. “No one, dear.”

She wasn't lying. Lucas was no one. No one of any importance. Not anymore. Not ever again.

“He's interested in you.” Richard didn't sound pleased. No wonder. Lucas had just upstaged him and their colleagues would be curious.

She sat in her chair and scooted closer to him. “He's new at the hospital and just drawing attention to himself.”

Richard didn't look convinced. What he looked was annoyed. “By paying that crazy amount for you? Why would he do that?”

The money meant nothing to Lucas. He had paid too much. But did Richard really have to sound as if he found the idea that a date with her could possibly be worth so much as unfathomable? Shouldn't he find time with her priceless?

“It was for charity,” she reminded him, irritated by his insensitivity to how she might take his question. “You said so yourself.”

His expression pinched, Richard straightened the napkin in his lap. “I saw him talking to you a few minutes ago. Should I be worried?”

She laughed. “No. His type appalls me. Besides, all the bachelorettes took photos with the winning bidders. What did you want me to do? Refuse?”

Not that she wouldn't have liked to have done just that.

Richard's eyes narrowed beneath his wire-framed glasses. “You labeled his type in those few short minutes?”

“I've encountered him before.” Ha. Wasn't that the understatement of the century? “He's a pediatric neurosurgeon in the department where I work. Actually, he's the new head of the department. He started about a month ago.”

Twenty-two days.

Not that she was counting.

Emily shot a nervous glance toward where Lucas still stood with Meghan. They were both looking her way. Seeing her looking at them, Lucas lifted his glass in salute.

The jerk.

Emily rolled her eyes, grabbed Richard's hand and moved her chair to where her back was completely to Lucas. She didn't want him anywhere near her line of vision. She just wanted to forget he was even there.

Which later proved impossible even after Richard had quit talking about Lucas. He'd finally relaxed, quit suggesting she'd encouraged Lucas, and they were enjoying a slow dance. The emcee's boisterous voice cut in.

“Folks, it's time for our bachelors and bachelorettes to share a dance with their lucky high bidders.” Applause went through the ballroom, but Emily didn't clap. Instead, she clung to Richard.

“Did you know they were going to do that?” He sounded aggravated, as if she'd somehow arranged the dance.

“No.” She shook her head, wondering if she could make a mad dash toward the open double doors leading into the hallway. She could hide, freshen up in the ladies' room. “Maybe he won't come over here.”

No such luck. Not that she had much hope of Lucas staying away. His new life mission was to irritate her as much as possible.

“Hello, Emily. I'm here to claim my dance.” His gaze shifted to Richard's. “If that's okay with your date?”

She cringed. She did not want to dance with Lucas. Nor did she want to further upset Richard.

Hello. He'd been the one to let Lucas have the high bid. Couldn't he have spared more cash to have ensured she didn't spend time with any other man? Then again, Lucas might have just kept bidding higher and higher. Money meant nothing to him, except during the time when they'd been married and he'd been forced to live within their means rather than his parents'.

Maybe she was being overly sensitive of Richard. Maybe. Being around Lucas had her on edge, making her more critical than she should be.

She liked Richard. He was calm, soothing. He never rocked the boat, never made her question herself. Usually. Why was she letting Lucas disrupt her nice, content life? Letting him make her question a man she sincerely liked and had previously never fought with?

Her annoyance with her date was Lucas's fault, not Richard's. She needed to remember that.

Her gaze met Richard's.
Just say no
, she mentally pleaded.
Tell him to get lost. That I belong to you. That you refuse to share me. That I'm the love of your life and you'll never let another man take me into his arms.

Richard didn't do any of those things. He just gave an exasperated sigh, stepped back and practically handed her to Lucas on a silver platter.

“Go ahead. All the others are,” he said by way of justification.

So much for Richard going all macho and staking his claim. Not that she was the type to want the drama, but he could have at least issued some type of “she's mine, hands off” warning.

“He's a real winner, Em,” Lucas teased as they stepped out onto the dance floor. “I see why you find him so attractive.”

“Be quiet,” she ordered, placing her arms around his neck. The feel of his body next to hers, the smell of him, the utter maleness of Lucas Cain, the memories of the past that hit her full force, almost had her forgetting about not making a scene and dashing out of the ballroom.

But she couldn't run away from him forever. She might as well find out what it was he wanted from her so he'd leave her alone. She didn't fool herself that he didn't want something.

Once upon a time, she had been what he wanted. That time hadn't lasted, had been more a tiny vapor that disappeared almost as quickly as it had appeared.

What was it these days that filled his dreams? That he wanted enough to come seek her out after all this time?

Had she accidentally taken a favorite shirt five years ago or something that he'd decided he just had to have back?

Too bad, so sad. Any clothes of his she'd accidentally taken had been donated to a local homeless shelter long ago.

Except for one shirt.

Memories assailed her.

Memories of going through a duffel bag she hadn't used in a long time and finding a T-shirt he'd bought at a concert they'd attended at Madison Square Garden. They'd been happy, dating, in love, laughing continuously, totally enamored with each other, believing nothing could ever come between them.

How wrong they'd been.

She'd shredded the T-shirt into pieces, hoping she'd feel better after doing so, but had only felt just as tattered as the bits of material.

“I'd have never let another man win your bid back when we were dating.”

“No, probably not,” she agreed, still fighting the urge to flee his arms. “But you'd have gift wrapped and hand delivered me after we were married.”

Touching him was torture. Like being burned alive. Like having a vise on her heart and it squeezing until every last drop bled forth.

“That's not true.” His body stiff, his feet stopped moving for a few beats before resuming their dance. He looked torn, but then, rather than argue his point, he just sighed. “Let's not talk about the past anymore, Emily. Not right now. Let's just enjoy the song.”

His capitulation surprised Emily. Before, he'd never have given in just to keep the peace. That had been her job. But he was right. They shouldn't talk about the past. The past was just that. The past. Done and gone forever. Best thing they could do was forget the past. It was what she'd been striving toward for five years.

She couldn't have said what song was playing prior to his calling her attention to it. A slow tune about second chances and new love. Ha. Emily never planned to fall in love again. Sure, she wanted someone to love her and to love, but she never planned to experience the craziness she'd had with Lucas.

That had been overwhelming, intense, too much for a heart to take when things fell apart.

She wasn't so naive as to think relationships lasted forever. Not anymore. Just look at most of the people she knew. Separated. Divorced. Achingly single.

Give her good old dependable Richard.

Sure, he didn't light any fires or even smell half as good as Lucas, but he wasn't a stick of dynamite burning at both ends, either.

“You smell nice, Emily.”

Not something she expected to hear Lucas say. She misstepped and probably scuffed the black Italian leather dress shoes he wore. She didn't care. If she stomped his toes a dozen times, he deserved each and every smash.

“I don't know what you expect me to say.” She didn't look up at him, just kept her eyes focused above his shoulders.

Her gaze collided with Richard's unhappy one.

Great. Trouble in paradise. Well, not paradise, but...trouble in Just Okay Land?

She inhaled sharply, then frowned at how her senses were overcome by Lucas. How could she have forgotten how good he smelled? Not that he wore cologne. At least, he hadn't in the past. Did he now? Maybe the light spicy scent was his aftershave? Or maybe his bodywash? Or maybe some expensive and pheromone-filled fragrance that guaranteed to drive women wild?

Not that he was driving her wild. He wasn't. Crazy did not equate to wild. Just...well, he smelled nice, too. And felt strong and solid next to her. Yes, her heart was beating wildly, but that really was just crazy.