Tangling With Ty

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.