Tangling With Ty

8

AFTER SHE’D CALLED in to the hospital, Nicole stood in the middle of her living room, idle. Idle.

What was she going to do with herself with only one patient to take care of?

The entire day loomed large in front of her, when she’d never allowed herself a leisurely moment in her life. With a shrug, she pulled up a stack of medical journals and other related work reports she could read.

But for the first time since she could remember, they didn’t appeal. So she sat in front of the TV she’d turned on only a few times since she’d purchased it several years ago.

And in no time flat, discovered the utter, addictive joy of daytime television. With the remote in hand, she clicked back and forth between Bewitched, I Love Lucy and Court TV.

Then the phone rang, annoying her. So did her caller.

“Hello.” The lazily cultured voice was Dr. Lincoln Watts. “Slacking off today?”

Nicole’s finger tightened on the phone. “I’m entitled to call in.”

“Did you stay up too late?” His voice lowered. “Or did your lover keep you in bed this morning?”

“I won’t be in today, Dr. Watts. That’s all that concerns you. Period,” she said with shocking calm, and because the commercial was over and I Love Lucy was starting again, she hung up the phone. She stared at her hand on the remote and realized she was shaking with fury.

Not even two seconds later came the knock on her door. Damn it. She got up, and gaze still locked on the TV, opened the door.

“Morning.” Suzanne held a covered tray that smelled so delicious Nicole promptly forgot about the TV.

“Not for you.” Suzanne slapped Nicole’s hand when she went to lift the cover. “For Ty. Tell him I hope he’s feeling better.”

“You brought Ty food and not me?”

“Yes, and don’t cheat him by eating any of it. He needs his strength to heal.” She whistled slowly at the hole in the ceiling of the living room. “That poor, poor baby.”

“He’s not a baby.” Nope, as Nicole had now seen just about every inch of his long, hard, perfectly formed body, she could say that for certain. “And food doesn’t heal.” She lifted her chin. “My skills as a doctor are going to do that.”

Suzanne shot her a look of pity. “Oh, honey, have you got a lot to learn about men. There’s only one way to reach them, and it’s not, contrary to popular belief, through their penises. It’s through their stomachs. Now give him this tray with a nice morning smile and you’ll see what I mean. You can smile this early, can’t you?”

Nicole glared at her.

Suzanne laughed. “Well, honestly, I don’t see you smile that often. Actually, I don’t see you do anything but work.”

“Not today. I called in.”

“You…called in?” Suzanne slapped a hand to her mouth in disbelief. “You?”

Nicole rolled her eyes. “It’s not that big a deal.”

“To you it is. You, the workaholic, took a day off to care for Ty. That’s huge.”

“He did fall through my ceiling.”

“You took a day off.” Suzanne marveled at that for a moment. “Wait until Taylor hears you’re falling for him. She’s going to be the last one of us holding on to that vow of singlehood.”

“Oh no.” Nicole laughed. Fall for Ty? Ha! “I don’t know what you think is going on here, but you can just wash it right out of your hair. I’m staying single forever, just like Taylor.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I am.” She meant it. Ty would finish his job here and sooner or later he’d be gone. Long gone. He wouldn’t so much as look back, as looking back wasn’t in his genes.

She wouldn’t look back either, she’d-

She’d miss him. Damn it. She’d really miss him.

But she’d carved out a good life for herself. She had her career, a family that was only slightly dysfunctional, and friends, even if they were nosy as hell. She had all she needed.

“I used to be in denial, too,” Suzanne said with a knowing smile.

“It’s not denial.”

“Right. Hey, I’ll come back later for the tray and any details you want to share.”

“There won’t be details.”

But Suzanne had already walked away. “Damn it,” Nicole muttered when Suzanne’s laughter floated back up the stairs. Shrugging it off, she went back to her shows.

And wondered if Ty was dreaming of her.

TY CAME AWAKE in slow degrees. When he was fully conscious, he carefully opened his eyes.

The sun rudely pierced into the room, stabbing him with the brightness until he closed his eyes again. He took mental stock and decided his entire body felt as if he’d been thrown under a steamroller.

Except for his head. His head felt as if he’d put it into a giant vise and cinched it down.

With no little amount of struggle, he managed to get to a sitting position. From there he eyed the bathroom door, only a few feet away.

It might as well have been a hundred miles. Determined, he staggered up, and for his efforts, nearly passed out. Gripping the back of a chair, he took a handful of deep, careful breaths. Daggers shot upward from his ankle. His ribs screamed. He had no doubt his head was going to fall right off. But he made it to the bathroom, shut the door and leaned back against it.

“Ty!” From the other side of the door came Nicole’s worried voice. “What are you doing!”

“Considering getting sick.”

“Are you okay? Are you hurting? Do you need any help?”

“No, yes and no.”

“Ty-”

When he was done, he opened the door, about two seconds away from passing out.

Nicole was right there, wrapping herself around him, taking his weight. “Of all the fool things to do, getting up by yourself, trying to walk, moving around as if you didn’t drop yourself on your head just yesterday…”

“Not back to bed,” he said when she turned him that way. “Not unless you’re coming, too.”

Her arms were around his bare middle, carefully avoiding his hurt ribs. He liked the feel of her hands on him. Too much. She took him to the living room where he could see the blanket strewn over the futon. An episode of I Dream Of Jeanie was on TV. Next to the futon was a half-eaten bowl of cereal.

“Are those Frosted Flakes?” His mouth started to water. “And I love that show.”

“It’s a Jeanie marathon. This is the one where she gets stuck in her bottle.” She looked at the TV. “I think I’d like to be able to toss my ponytail and have my every wish come true. You’ve just missed I Love Lucy. She was working on a candy assembly line. Honest to God, I’ve never laughed so hard…what?” she asked self-consciously as he stared at her.

It was just that her eyes were laughing. Her cheeks were flushed. And her hands were still on him. Irresistible combo. He found his insides stirring, and not just the part of him that usually stirred while staring at a beautiful woman, but something in his chest. She looked…happy. It wasn’t a look he’d seen on her before, making him realize he hadn’t often seen her out side of work mode.

He liked this side of her, he liked it a lot. “You haven’t seen these shows a hundred times?”

“Are you kidding?” She laughed, a sweet, simple sound. “We weren’t allowed to watch anything but public television growing up. I never even had a TV until a couple of years ago, but I rarely turn it on. I can’t believe what I’ve been missing. And The Brady Bunch! What a crack-up-” She narrowed her eyes when he grinned. “Stop that.”

“You’re pretty damn adorable, Dr. Dweeb.”

Her mouth opened, then shut. “I never know how to take you,” she finally said.

“Take me any way you want, darlin’, just take me.”

She stepped back, which left him holding up his own body. He braced his legs, shooting an arrow of pain from his ankle directly to his ribs. Clutching them made his vision waver again and he gritted his teeth.

“You fool,” she said softly, reaching for him again, easing him down. “Sit. Lucky for you Suzanne took pity and brought you a tray of food.”

“You mean you aren’t going to slave over a hot stove for me?”

“I don’t slave over a hot stove for anyone.”

“Hence the Frosted Flakes.”

“Hence the Frosted Flakes,” she agreed. “Pouring milk into a bowl, now that I can do.” Shrugging, she set a heavenly smelling tray on his lap. “I think I missed the girlie gene. I don’t cook, I don’t sew, and…” She lifted a napkin Suzanne had folded into a flower. “I sure as hell don’t fold napkins into shapes.”

It took an effort to smile when his head was pounding, but she looked so unexpectedly vulnerable, he tried. “I like you anyway.”

She didn’t smile back, but she didn’t slug him either. “You do?”

“Yeah, I do.” She hadn’t turned out to be anything as he’d imagined. She wasn’t aloof or spoiled, or insensitive, but was warm and giving and incredibly compassionate. In fact, he had to resist the urge to pull her close and bury his face in her hair. Not only would it hurt like hell to do so, but the urge was wrong. He had no business feeling this way, none at all. “I think you’re a pretty incredible woman, Nicole. And sexy as hell to boot.”

She let out a deprecatory smile. “I’ve never been accused of being sexy before.”

“Then you’re not listening, because I’ve been thinking you’re the sexiest woman I know from the first time I set eyes on you.”

“Well.” Brushing her hands on her jeans, she backed away, looking around her as if searching for someway to keep her hands busy. “I’ve got to…”

When she just turned in a slow circle, at a complete loss, he wanted to laugh. “Work?” he finished for her.

“No. No work today. I, uh…” She avoided his gaze, lifted the lids off the food Suzanne had left him. “Here. You need food before you get more pain meds.”

Obediently he picked up a fork, groaning at an ache in his shoulder. Definitely he was getting too old to be falling through ceilings. “Why no work today?” He saw the truth in her eyes and gaped at her. “You called in? For me?”

“Well, what were you going to do? Make your own breakfast?”

“You didn’t make breakfast,” he pointed out, moaning again, this time at the taste of Suzanne’s home-fried potatoes melting in his mouth.

“You complaining?”

“Nope, not at all.” He took another bite, studied her. “You took a day off for me. I think you’re crazy about me.”

“Shut up and eat.”

“Yeah. Okay.” He shoveled in more food. “Thanks,” he said into her inscrutable gaze. “For taking care of me.”

“Yeah, well, don’t get excited. I would have done the same for a stray puppy.”

Oh, yeah. She was crazy about him.

NICOLE HAD never known the guilty pleasure of a day off. She’d heard her co-workers talk about how they occasionally stayed home simply to brain-rest, doing nothing more than eating junk food and watching soap operas all day long, and she’d always felt a sort of superior smugness about not feeling the need to do the same.

Soap operas. Please.

But-and she couldn’t quite believe it-they were wonderful. She sat on the floor, cross-legged, in a ratty old pair of sweats and a comfy tank top, cradling a bowl of popcorn in one hand and the remote in the other. On the futon above her, crashed out cold, slept Ty.

It was odd, the feeling of contentment. Odd and terrifying.

When someone-two nosy someones-knocked at her door, she rolled her eyes. “You know, this is getting insulting,” she whispered as she opened the door and faced Suzanne and Taylor. “I can take care of him.”

Suzanne passed her a tray, probably loaded with lunch, because heaven forbid “poor baby Ty” starve to death with Nicole’s inability to so much as toast bread. “Frosted Flakes three times a day is not nutritious.”

Taylor grinned. “And…don’t take this wrong…but we’re not quite sure you know how to take care of a man.”

“He’s not a man, he’s my patient.”

“I think he’d say differently.” Taylor held out a laptop computer to her. “Tell him I locked up his car, but this was in it and I thought maybe he’d want it.”

“He’s not going to work, I won’t let him.” Nicole knelt to put the tray of food on the floor beside the door before rising to take the computer.

“Really.” Taylor lifted that superior blond brow and gave her a knowing, far-too-self-righteous smile. “Know what I think?”

“If I say yes, will you go away?” Nicole asked.

“I think Suzanne’s right,” Taylor said. “I think I’m in danger of being the last one holding out for permanent singlehood.”

Suzanne nodded while Nicole sputtered. She kept her voice low with great effort. “Just because I don’t think he should work doesn’t mean-”

“Honey.” Suzanne put her hand on Nicole’s arm and sent her a sweet smile. “It’s okay you’re after him.”

“I’m not after him,” Nicole said through her teeth. She jabbed a finger toward Taylor. “And I’m still firmly single.”

“Okay, but just remember, you can stay single and still have wild monkey sex-”

Nicole slapped a hand over Taylor’s mouth, glancing over her shoulder to make sure Ty was still asleep. “Okay, you guys have to go now.”

“Why?” Taylor tried to peer past Nicole. “You get him naked yet?”

“Goodbye.” Nicole tried to push them out of the way of the door so she could close it.

But Taylor kept her nose in the way. “Just one peek-”

“Goodbye,” Nicole said firmly and put her hand on Taylor’s face to hold her out as she finally closed the door.

Her relief was short-lived.

Ty had turned his head toward her. His eyes were open. Clear.

Curious.

“Hey.” She came forward, wondering how much he’d overheard. “How’s the head? You doing okay?”

“You could have told them you had me nearly naked but don’t know what to do with me.”

He’d heard it all. Perfect. “Oh, I know what to do with you,” she assured him. “I just…” She stopped the teasing words because his eyes had gone so hot it caused a mirroring flame inside her.

For just a moment she wondered what it would be like to let him kiss her again, this time allowing him to peel off her clothes and make love to her. Eager for exactly that, her body actually leaned toward him in a show of willingness, but she had to remember, he was destined to walk away.

At least she was smart enough to know that wouldn’t work for her, walking away. “I just…”

“Come here, Nicole.”

He was sprawled on the futon. A light blanket covered his long legs and lap, but had fallen away from the rest of him, leaving his chest and arms bare. Bare and roped with muscles.

And bruises. “Are you feeling better, Ty?”

“Are you coming here?”

She pressed back against the door. “No, that’s not such a good idea right now.”

His eyes were still hot but he just lifted a shoulder, the fact he was too weary to move working in her favor. “I’ll take the laptop.”

She held it to her chest. “I don’t think you should work.”

“I don’t think you should worry about it.”

If she’d fallen on her head she’d probably be feeling nasty, too, so she gave in. Sort of. “Come get it,” she said, holding it out.

“Come and get it?” he repeated incredulously.

“That’s right.”

“You’re into S and M, right?” He struggled to his feet, and the blanket fell away from him. His shorts were low on his hips, and for some reason, her gaze attached itself to that area of his body and couldn’t be torn away.

Then she caught him trying to hide his grimace of pain, and she had to lock her hands on the computer in order not to rush over there and do something stupid, like touch him.

“When I get over there,” he warned her grimly, trying to straighten. “I’m going to-”

“Fine.” Damn him, he looked so pale. “Here.” She moved toward him before he took a single step and gently pushed him back down, putting the computer on his lap. “Work. I don’t care.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.” She turned away. “I’ll just…” What? Suzanne had just provided lunch. What else was there to do?

You could stare at him all day.

“I don’t suppose you’d do me a favor,” he said a little gruffly.

She turned back. “I am not helping you take a shower.”

He stared at her for a flash before letting out a laugh that ended in a quick grab to his ribs and a groan. “Measurements,” he grounded out. “I need you to go downstairs and measure a few things for me so I can get something done while I’m wasting your day.” He hadn’t bothered to cover himself back up. The sight of a nearly nude male body shouldn’t have stirred her, not when she saw such things all the time.

But she had to admit, it wasn’t every patient that had a body like his.

“Can you do that?” he asked.

“I suppose.” He shouldn’t work, but who the hell was she to mother the stubborn man? They didn’t have a relationship or a commitment. He’d never get serious enough to have a commitment. And it wasn’t as if they cared about each other.

Okay, she cared. Knowing that, and because she needed to get away from the sight of him for a few minutes, she snatched the paper he offered her out of his hands and headed toward the door.

“You’ll need a measuring tape,” he called out. “And be careful when you-”

“I think I can manage a few measurements.” Taylor would have a measuring tape. And Suzanne would have ice cream. Because damn if she didn’t need something good and fattening to take her mind off the other craving she had.

For one Ty Patrick O’Grady.

BECAUSE NICOLE was hoping Ty had gone back to sleep, and because she had to make sure she was entirely under control before she saw him again, she took her time about getting the measurements he needed.

And if she stopped at Suzanne’s apartment and mooched three brownies and a scoop of ice cream off her first, who was going to care?

Except her jeans.

When she finally walked back into her apartment, the living room was empty. So was the kitchen.

She found him on her bed. His laptop was open and hooked up to her phone line. He had his e-mail program open but his eyes were not.

“Ty?”

He didn’t budge. He was sprawled on his back, his head turned slightly away, his chest rose and fell evenly with his deep breathing. Bruises bloomed on one side, and because he once again hadn’t bothered with covers, she could quite clearly see his swollen ankle. He needed to ice that, and probably take more meds, she thought, moving closer. She’d just check his vitals first, and-

And the e-mail caught her eye.

Dear Ty,

I’m not looking for comfort or a hand-out. And leaving it alone was never an option.

We’re family, linked by blood. Can you really say you’re not interested? You have such a full life that you don’t need this, the only other living relative you have?

I have a lot to offer, and I want to meet you. I want to know you. I want to be family.

I’m staying at the local youth hostel if you are interested.

Please, please be interested.

Margaret Mary.

Nicole stared at the letter, her heart in her throat at Margaret Mary’s raw need. And if she’d felt it, what had Ty felt?

“Did you see enough?”

Nicole nearly leapt out of her skin. Looking groggy, sleepy, unrested and irritable, Ty struggled to get up.

“No,” she said, reaching for him. “Just stay-”

He slapped the computer closed. “Yeah, I’ll stay. I’ll stay the hell out of your way. If you’ll stay out of mine.”