Tangling With Ty

“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.”

9

NICOLE STARED at Ty as he got to his feet and very carefully straightened.

“Where did that come from?” she asked.

“Forget it.” He looked around. “Where are my clothes?”

“Right there,” she said, pointing to the folded stack on her nightstand. “But-”

“I have stuff I have to take care of.” He grabbed his pants, then looked at them with a pained expression, as if he knew getting them on was going to hurt like hell. Jaw tight, he shook them out, then bent slightly at the waist. Sweat broke out on his brow and he wavered for a second.

“Oh, Ty. Get back in bed.”

“Since I doubt that’s an invitation,” he said, his voice more than a little strained, “I’ll pass, thanks.”

“I don’t get it. Your options were staying in the hospital for observation or coming home with me. You agreed, so what’s changed?”

“I told you. I have things to do.”

“Like go to the youth hostel?”

His head whipped toward her.

“I, um…” She clasped her hands together and rocked back on her heels. “I saw more of the e-mail than I meant to.”

“You see more of everything than you’re meant to.”

“What does that mean?”

“Nothing.” He waved away her efforts to help him, though he had to sit back down to work his pants up. By the time he stood again, his chest had a fine sheen of sweat on it and he was breathing like a mistreated racehorse. Getting his shirt on took another long, painful moment, during which time Nicole watch the tattooed design on his bicep bunch as he struggled. She bit her lip and clenched her fists to keep from helping.

And then he was heading toward the door.

“Ty-” When he looked at her impatiently, she sighed. “You can’t drive on those painkillers I gave you.”

“I didn’t take the last two.”

“You didn’t-” She shook her head, understanding now why he was hurting so badly. “You really are a fool.”

“No shit, doc.” He had his computer tucked against his good side, and was half out the door, but he hesitated. “Thanks.”

“For what? Pissing you off?”

Now he sighed. “For being there.”

“Okay.”

Crystal-blue haunted eyes watched warily as she walked up to him. When she got close enough, he closed his eyes, sighed again, then looked at her as he reached out and stroked her jaw. “I have to go,” he whispered, running a finger up the hoops in her ear.

She barely resisted the urge to turn her face into his hand and kiss his palm. “Tell me why.”

“Because I’m not fit for company.” He stepped back and dropped his hand.

“Sometimes, Ty, you have to let people in.”

“You’re speaking from experience, of course.”

She ignored the sarcasm. “I let my family in. And Suzanne and Taylor.” And you, she wanted say. Horrifying, how much she wanted to say it, how much she wanted him to want it as well.

“Goodbye, Nicole.”

“Wait… You’re not going to even write her back?”

“Do you really care?”

“You know I do.”

“Actually, I know no such thing.”

“How can you say that after last night?”

“We’re different, you’ve said so enough times.”

“Maybe those differences are more surface than I thought,” she admitted.

“Meaning?”

“Meaning…we’re both loners. We’re both workaholics. Maybe we connect on a more fundamental level than I imagined possible.”

“You’re a doctor. Your own words, remember? I was hurt and you’re sworn to heal. You would have done the same for a puppy.”

She swallowed hard at her own words thrown back in her face and looked right at him, the hardest thing she’d ever done. “I care about you.”

“Yeah, well, you shouldn’t. Goodbye, Nicole.”

And then he was gone, and she was staring at the closed door thinking that his goodbye had sounded a lot more final than just see-you-later.