you expect to survive if you don’t eat? I’m going to dress your hand, then I’m going to take you out to dinner.”
“I’m not going out with you.”
“Why not?”
“Because I can’t go out dressed like this.”
His frown vanished, a slow grin taking its place. He lifted his curving eyebrows. “I happen to like what you’re wearing. If you want, I can help you change your clothes,” he added as her delicate jaw dropped.
Dana was relieved that lengthening shadows hid the flush in her cheeks, and she was angry with herself for being embarrassed. “Thanks, but no, thanks.”
“This is no time for you to be modest, Dana. I’ve seen so many female bodies over the years that I’ve lost count.”
At that moment, she did not care that he was a doctor, because she was unable to separate the man from his profession.
Tyler opened a tube of Silvadene, gently applying the salve to the tender flesh on the back of Dana’s hand. Then he withdrew a roll of nonstick gauze and wound it around her hand and fingers. Only her fingertips were visible. It had taken him less than five minutes to complete his ministrations.
“If you don’t want to go out, then you can come home with me. I’ll cook something for you.” She opened her mouth to refuse him, but he held up his hand. “Enough, Dana.” His voice was soft and firm at the same time. “Go put some shoes on. I’ll wait for you outside.”
He left the tube of Silvadene on the table, repacked the case, rose to his feet, and walked away, leaving Dana to glare at his broad shoulders under the white T-shirt.
She sat, arms crossed under her breasts as fury nearly choked her. She was not one of his nurses that he could intimidate just by glaring at her. If he’d asked her politely, she would comply with his request becauseshe was hungry. However, she did not take orders from any man!
And as if her stomach could read her thoughts, it rumbled loudly. Dana had barely eaten her breakfast, and she’d drunk water most of the day, because she hadn’t been able to move the fingers on her left hand to manipulate them enough to even open a can of tuna. The day she’d arrived in Hillsboro, she’d cleaned out her grandmother’s refrigerator of leftovers, planning to restock it once she settled in. Well, she had settled in and she was temporarily handicapped. It had taken her more than twenty minutes to change her clothes. Her stomach rumbled again, and she knew she was just being stubborn. She stood up at the same time Tyler reappeared.
“I’m coming,” she snapped angrily.
“I just came back to see if you needed my help.” His voice was soft and comforting.
Her defiance dissipated quickly. Since she’d met Tyler Cole earlier that morning, all he had done was help her. She was hungry. and he’d offered to feed her. And she knew if she didn’t put some food into her stomach, in another hour she would wind up with a pounding headache.
Tilting her chin, she smiled up at him through her lashes, unaware of the seductiveness of the gesture. “Will you do something for me?”
His gaze lingered on her parted lips. “What?”
“Please turn off stereo and put out the candles while I get my shoes.”
“Sure.”
She followed Tyler back into the house, mounting the staircase to the second floor while he retreated to the living room. Walking into her bedroom, she stared down at her toes. They were covered with a light filmof dust. She couldn’t go out with dirty feet, even if no one saw her other than Tyler.
Making her way to the bathroom, she sat on the side of the tub and turned on the faucet, letting warm water wash over her feet. Reaching for a towel on a nearby bar, she blotted away the water, using her right hand.
Tyler was leaning against the bumper of his truck when she finally closed the outer door, locking it behind her. Four young girls were in the middle of the street, jumping Double Dutch as several others waited their turn. A smile touched her lips.
“I’m not going out with you.”
“Why not?”
“Because I can’t go out dressed like this.”
His frown vanished, a slow grin taking its place. He lifted his curving eyebrows. “I happen to like what you’re wearing. If you want, I can help you change your clothes,” he added as her delicate jaw dropped.
Dana was relieved that lengthening shadows hid the flush in her cheeks, and she was angry with herself for being embarrassed. “Thanks, but no, thanks.”
“This is no time for you to be modest, Dana. I’ve seen so many female bodies over the years that I’ve lost count.”
At that moment, she did not care that he was a doctor, because she was unable to separate the man from his profession.
Tyler opened a tube of Silvadene, gently applying the salve to the tender flesh on the back of Dana’s hand. Then he withdrew a roll of nonstick gauze and wound it around her hand and fingers. Only her fingertips were visible. It had taken him less than five minutes to complete his ministrations.
“If you don’t want to go out, then you can come home with me. I’ll cook something for you.” She opened her mouth to refuse him, but he held up his hand. “Enough, Dana.” His voice was soft and firm at the same time. “Go put some shoes on. I’ll wait for you outside.”
He left the tube of Silvadene on the table, repacked the case, rose to his feet, and walked away, leaving Dana to glare at his broad shoulders under the white T-shirt.
She sat, arms crossed under her breasts as fury nearly choked her. She was not one of his nurses that he could intimidate just by glaring at her. If he’d asked her politely, she would comply with his request becauseshe was hungry. However, she did not take orders from any man!
And as if her stomach could read her thoughts, it rumbled loudly. Dana had barely eaten her breakfast, and she’d drunk water most of the day, because she hadn’t been able to move the fingers on her left hand to manipulate them enough to even open a can of tuna. The day she’d arrived in Hillsboro, she’d cleaned out her grandmother’s refrigerator of leftovers, planning to restock it once she settled in. Well, she had settled in and she was temporarily handicapped. It had taken her more than twenty minutes to change her clothes. Her stomach rumbled again, and she knew she was just being stubborn. She stood up at the same time Tyler reappeared.
“I’m coming,” she snapped angrily.
“I just came back to see if you needed my help.” His voice was soft and comforting.
Her defiance dissipated quickly. Since she’d met Tyler Cole earlier that morning, all he had done was help her. She was hungry. and he’d offered to feed her. And she knew if she didn’t put some food into her stomach, in another hour she would wind up with a pounding headache.
Tilting her chin, she smiled up at him through her lashes, unaware of the seductiveness of the gesture. “Will you do something for me?”
His gaze lingered on her parted lips. “What?”
“Please turn off stereo and put out the candles while I get my shoes.”
“Sure.”
She followed Tyler back into the house, mounting the staircase to the second floor while he retreated to the living room. Walking into her bedroom, she stared down at her toes. They were covered with a light filmof dust. She couldn’t go out with dirty feet, even if no one saw her other than Tyler.
Making her way to the bathroom, she sat on the side of the tub and turned on the faucet, letting warm water wash over her feet. Reaching for a towel on a nearby bar, she blotted away the water, using her right hand.
Tyler was leaning against the bumper of his truck when she finally closed the outer door, locking it behind her. Four young girls were in the middle of the street, jumping Double Dutch as several others waited their turn. A smile touched her lips.
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