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“Why don’t we sit down for a while and enjoy this without juggling the plates?” Ryan suggested, heading toward an empty table.

They lapsed into silence as they ate. Lucy’s animosity had dwindled but she still wasn’t at ease with him, afraid she’d share too much or, worse, sound needy. Her heart went out to him about his father. He’d obviously cared intensely for the man. And to have lost the department head job must’ve hit Ryan hard as well. For as little as she had shared with him on a personal level tonight, she’d managed to learn a great deal about Ryan.

While taking small bites, she looked around the room at the upper-level staff of a world-renowned children’s hospital. In spite of dealing with life and death on a daily basis, they were still humans with problems of their own. She glanced at Ryan. He too had issues, even though he worked to hide them behind that facade of humor and charm. She couldn’t point a finger. She also hid her pain.

Her gaze settled on a group that included Dr. Woods. She kept glancing toward the entrance, where Dr. Rodriguez had his arm around a pretty woman’s waist and was leading her out the door. Dr. Woods shrugged a shoulder and turned to speak to the man beside her. Something about the way she’d been watching Dr. Rodriguez intently was in direct contrast to the nonchalant way she was acting. Lucy’s belief was that Dr. Woods’ look implied she wasn’t pleased to see Dr. Rodriguez leave with a woman.

Their issues weren’t Lucy’s concern. She had enough of her own, starting with the man sitting beside her. “How much longer do you think we need to stay?” she asked.

“Why?” Ryan popped another canapé into his mouth. “You in a hurry to get away from me?”

“I thought it was the other way around.”

“Why would you think that?” His face took on a perplexed look. “I thought we were having a pretty good time.”

“Well, you made it more than clear that you weren’t interested in spending any more personal time with me than necessary.” She nudged her half-empty plate to the center of the table and stood. “If you’re not ready to go, I don’t mind taking a taxi.”

He stood. “We can go. We’ve done our duty. I’d just hoped to get one dance with you.”

“This isn’t a date. It’s work,” she said over her shoulder as she made her way to the coat-check counter. “Dancing comes under the heading of personal.”

She claimed her coat. Ryan took it from her and held it while she slipped it on. He stood so close that his body warmed her back. She stepped forward on the pretense of putting her scarf on in order just to catch her breath.

* * *

As Ryan and Lucy descended the stairs she said, “By the way, I understand about the department job but that doesn’t explain way you don’t like Dr. Rodriguez. There’s something more going on there.”

“More?” He did not want to talk about this.

“Yeah. I thought you were supposed to be Mr. Happy-Go-Lucky and you were...what would be the word?...strident, harsh, displeased...” She stopped on the step and looked up at him as if trying to pull the right expression out of the air. “You don’t care for the man. Why?”

“It’s personal.”

“Right. You’re going to play that card.”

“Why not? You’ve been throwing the word around all night.”

They’d reached the bottom of the stairs when Lucy said, “Closing off when you might have to share more than a joke. Typical.”

“Look, I’m sorry if you think I have no concern for your vulnerabilities, but I’ve done nothing wrong. I’m not your confessor. You spilled, I listened, and now we move on.” He couldn’t let her know that he admired what she’d done. If he did, she might use him as her confessor again. He desired her supple body and itched to caress her hair, but he wanted nothing to do with being involved in her life.

If Lucy could have produced steam, he didn’t doubt it would be coming out of her ears right now. “Of all the contemptuous, uncaring things you could have said. You’re nothing like people think you are.”

“How many of us really are?”

“That’s a pretty pessimistic way to look at life.’

They continued across the lobby. “It might be, but you can’t deny that it’s the truth. We all hide things from others.” He should know. Most of his life he guarded closely.

“Yes, we do.”

“But for some reason you think I should tell all. Is that little family counselor who wants to make it all better working after hours tonight?” Goading her was starting to be fun. At least, if she was mad at him he’d be less temped to explore his fascination with her. She was so beautiful with her hair cascading around her shoulders. Her eyes glittering with anger only heightened that beauty.

“Oh, you...you... You’ve managed to make it personal!”

That did it. He’d heard that word one too many times. As they passed a small alcove he took her waist and pulled her in. “I’m going to show you personal.”

Combing his fingers into her hair, he brought his mouth down to hers. It wasn’t a gentle kiss. He wanted to consume her. Wanted to get her out of his system, out of his life. The world slowed to nothing but Lucy and the moment. He’d not felt so free in a long time.

She jerked away and he immediately regretted the loss of her lips. He wanted more. The evening had certainly turned out far more positively than he’d anticipated.

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 (#u460ad609-b476-5fb6-8cb9-6ba089870f95)

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.