She stomped over to her desk and picked up her purse, which she'd forgotten the first time she'd tried to leave, and turned to the two men standing by the door. "Well, don't we have a party to get to?" she asked.
With any luck her uncle would have his driver waiting and she could get a minute alone with Damian before heading over to the large family gathering.
"We sure do. Let's get a move on so I can open my presents." Uncle Yank shoved Damian through the door first, then held it open for Micki.
"We'll meet you there," she promised
"I thought we'd go together." Her uncle rubbed his palms in anticipation, not the least bit concerned that three was a crowd.
“I’ll drive," Damian offered.
"Fine," Micki muttered. A short drive with her uncle as chaperone wouldn't be so bad. They had all night to enjoy their time together.
And to see whether or not they planned to go any further than that kiss.
DAMIAN WANTED TO SURPRISE MICKI and spend time with her before his road trip. Just the two of them hanging out, having fun, no talk of anything serious. Instead he'd ended up having to invite himself to Yank's party if he wanted to see Micki at all before he left for the week. He'd had to do some fancy talking to get Sophie to let him come.
Hell, he'd had to flat out beg. Damian knew he'd look out for his own sisters the same way. Considering Sophie had threatened to rip his hotshot balls off if he hurt Micki again, Damian considered himself fairly warned.
He’d been prepared for Micki to be wary and he hadn't been disappointed. He'd sensed the war going on inside her as she'd fought not to let herself get close to him, but somehow she'd ended up not only giving in, but treating him to a hot, sensual kiss.
He wasn't stupid enough to think they were picking up where they'd left off on the island and he knew damn well it wouldn't be a good idea. But he could admit to himself that the cold showers he'd been taking since she'd come back into his life just weren't cutting it. He was walking around with a permanent hard-on courtesy of Micki Jordan and that kiss had been an appetizer that had him hungry for more.
Now he and Micki, along with Yank and a curly-haired cream puff of a dog walked into the restaurant. "Morgan party," Yank said to the hostess, using his gruffest, meanest voice.
The young woman's gaze darted from Micki and Damian to Yank and then lower to his pet. "I'm sorry, Mr. Morgan, but there are no dogs allowed. The health code prohibits it," she explained.
"I may be going blind but I ain't deaf and I don't really think you just told me I can't bring my Seeing Eye dog into this establishment."
Micki stifled a groan.
The hostess peered down at the unkempt dog who resembled a mop more than a well-trained assistant "Oh," she said, skeptically.
Seeing as how the thing kept pulling against his leash in a blatant attempt to take off at a run, Damian could understand the girl's confusion. "How about you talk to your manager and see if you could make an exception for the gentleman and his…er…guide dog," he suggested.
She nodded, and headed down a hallway, presumably to a back office.
Damian bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. "So now the poodle's your guide dog?" he asked.
"It's not a poodle, it's a Labradoodle," Micki replied to Damian before turning to her uncle. "Why couldn't you leave Noodle home?"
"Noodle the Labradoodle?" Damian asked in disbelief.
"Don't you dare make fun of this girl. At least she's stood by me."
"Veiled reference to Lola," Micki whispered in Damian's ear.
"But why didn't you just leave her home?"
"Because she's my date." Yank's surly tone was obviously meant to warn Micki to back off and leave him alone. If Damian was a betting man, he'd wager she'd do neither.
Micki burst out laughing. "Do you really think Lola's going to be jealous of a dog? And do you really think a dog is going to keep you warm at night? Or are you counting on your stubborn streak to do it instead?"
“Missy, I'm still older than you and I know what's best."
"Then why are you still alone?'
"Okay, time out," Damian said, stepping between Yank and Micki. "Before one of you says something you'll regret."
At that moment, the hostess returned and told them, "The manager's willing to make an exception for you, Mr. Morgan, but you need to keep the dog in the private room."
"It's discrimination, that's what this is," Yank muttered.
"He'll keep the dog out of sight and thank you," Micki said to the other woman.
She nodded and led them the long way around the restaurant to the back room they'd rented for the event.
Yank went first and Damian followed behind, surprised when Micki reached back and grabbed his hand, pulling him alongside her.
"He's so tense about seeing Lola and Spencer Atkins together that he's close to insane." Micki gestured to her uncle and the dog.
"I can't imagine what he's going through, what with his eyesight deteriorating and the woman he loves having moved on."
"With his best friend."
Damian shook his head in sympathy. He glanced at Micki and realized that she'd been supporting him while her own situation wasn't exactly calm and quiet.
"I didn't realize about Yank's eyes or how much Lola's desertion has hurt him. You've been going through a lot of craziness yourself."
Micki paused outside the private party room. "Uncle Yank all but pushed Lola out.If he'd just given her an inkling about his real feelings instead of treating her like his slave and servant…"
"They have an odd history," Damian said.
"Amen."
"But between his health and the PR agency, you've been dealing with a lot." He lowered his head. "And then Carter spiked your drink, Yank pushed you off on me and sent you to the island-"
"We slept together, came home and went our separate ways and then you showed up at my office to tell me another woman might be carrying your child. Does that about sum it up?”
He waited for her voice to turn from matter-of-fact to bitingly sarcastic but it didn't happen. Instead she laid out the facts and started to laugh.
"Just what's so funny?" he asked
"My soap opera of a life."
"I'm sorry for adding to the list."
Micki shook her head, an unbelievable smile on her tips. "Don't be. If you hadn't come around, I might be bored."
The sound of raised voices traveled from the room next door. "Something tells me being bored wouldn't be a remote possibility. Let's see what's going on"
Micki shot around him and he followed her into the room. Her uncle stood on a chair surrounded by decorations the family had strung around the room. Paper streamers were taped onto the ceiling, green and white helium balloons floated at will, and a store-bought Happy Birthday sign dangled precariously from the wall.
Damian wanted to ask Micki about the significance of such obviously childlike party symbols, but Yank was pontificating from on high. Loudly.
"…And since it's my birthday-and I thank you all very much for coming-I thought I got to decide who I wanted here. And I can tell you right now, I don't want to party with the lovebirds." Yank pointed first to Lola, then to Spencer Atkins, who were on separate sides of the room, whether out of deference to Yank's feelings or pure irony.
Yank's always wiry hair stood on end and his face flushed red with pure jealousy. Damian leveled a sidelong glance at Micki. He couldn't be responsible for his actions either if she walked into a party with another man-a notion that rattled the hell out of him.
Suddenly Yank, who was still ranting from his perch in the center of the room, lost his balance. Without warning, he wobbled, pitched to one side and fell before anyone could help him.
"Uncle Yank.'" All three of his nieces ran to the older man's side, but Lola got there first "You frustrating, crotchety, old coot!" she yelled, bending down at his side. "Where does it hurt?" She spread her hands all over him, her concern and love so real eve
n Damian could feel it.
"My leg," he muttered and rubbed a place high on his hip.
Damian winced. "Somebody call for an ambulance," he yelled to the waiters nearby.
Yank was still yelling at Lola to get the hell away and let him be humiliated in peace.
Uncomfortable making them a spectacle, Damian stepped back.
Micki slipped her hand into his. "There's not much we can do. The hostess already called 911," she said.
"I ain't going in an ambulance," Yank blustered.
Noodle woofed in agreement and licked Yank's face, the dog's concern obvious.
Spencer Atkins stormed over to his best friend. The two men couldn't be more different in looks, Yank in his button-down Hawaiian shirt and Atkins in his double-breasted suit. "Shut the hell up, will you? Your mouth is what got you into trouble in the first place."
Yank scowled at his friend. "You stole my woman-"
“I was never yours to begin with. You didn't want me," Lola said, tears streaming down her cheeks and causing her makeup to run.
If she cared about that or her hair, which had fallen from its bun, or the fact that her blouse had pulled loose from the back of her skirt, she didn't show it. All her concern was lavished on the man lying on the floor.
"I wonder if he'll come around now," Micki whispered. "I mean it feels like his last chance. If he pushes Lola away this time, it's probably for good."
The overwhelming emotion of her family situation struck Damian hard. "Hopefully this'll smarten him up. It can happen to even the dumbest jock," he said, hoping to lighten the mood.
She laughed and hiccupped at the same time.
"Coming through." The paramedics came in and the next few minutes passed in a blur as they carefully loaded the older man onto the stretcher.
"Come on. I'll drive you and Sophie to the hospital." Damian tugged on her hand.
Annabelle and Vaughn were already halfway out the door. Micki relayed the offer to Sophie, who held a squirming Noodle in her arms, and they all headed for the exit.
At the door, Micki turned back to the dwindling crowd. "Happy birthday, Uncle Yank," she said to the almost empty room.
They reached the street as Yank was being placed in the ambulance. "I'll ride with you," Lola said.
"Why don't you ride with your boyfriend?" Yank asked.
"You old fool, he isn't my boyfriend" Lola said. "He's my friend."
"You dress like that for your friend?"
Apparently Yank's leg wasn't as badly bruised as his ego, Damian thought.
"I dressed like this for you. Spencer wouldn't care if I ran naked through Central Park! He's gay!" Lola said, then helped the ambulance men push the stretcher inside. She shot a look of regret at Spencer. "And for forcing me to reveal that secret, you can damn well ride alone. Spencer will take me to the hospital!"
The other woman stormed off, head held high.
Damian turned to Micki. "Is my mouth hanging open?" he asked.
"No more than mine is, I'm sure."
"Spencer Atkins is gay?" Damian ran a hand through his hair and laughed,
"What's so funny?"
He shook his head. "Your uncle just lost his last excuse. He's going to have to step up or step out of her life for good."
“Umm," She said in a low voice. "There's something you should know but you can't repeat it until it's official"
Damian raised an eyebrow. "You've got me curious."
"Well, the Hot Zone is going to be merging with Atkins Associates. It's mostly because of Uncle Yank's eyesight. It'll benefit him to have someone he trusts handling his clients."
"He trusts Atkins?"
Micki nodded. "Like a brother. Like you said about Lola, a strange relationship. Anyway, he agrees the merger's necessary but he's not taking it well. That probably explains his ranting back there. It's hard for him to give up his independence."
"Wow."
"Well, now you've been entrusted with privileged information. Repeat it and I may have to shoot you." She grinned and his heart twisted inside his chest.
His seven-day road trip was looking damn good about now.
CHAPTER TWELVE
TWO DAYS AFTER HER UNCLE'S ACCIDENT, Micki was still annoyed with fate. Just when she'd decided to make use of the makeover changes she'd done inside and out and enjoy one more night with Damian, fate had held her to her original promise to keep her hands off.
Uncle Yank had broken his hip and needed immediate surgery to repair the damage done in the fall. Between recuperation and physical therapy, he was looking at a long haul. She spent the night of her uncle's party at the hospital. Since they'd sedated him for the pain, he hadn't been able to have a coherent conversation with Lola, so that relationship was still on hold.
Meanwhile Micki and Sophie were taking rams dog-sitting Noodle the Labradoodle who refused to eat, sleep or drink alone. Uncle Yank had spoiled the pooch rotten and if they didn't keep up his bad habits, the dog cried day and night. The neighbors had left notes of complaint on both Sophie's and Micki's doors, forcing them to take Noodle to work along with them. They'd also been alternating Visiting hours at the hospital in order to take any burden off of Annabelle who'd been ordered by the doctor to take it easy on her feet and on her stress levels.
Though she wished her uncle hadn't hurt himself so badly, Micki didn't mind the added chaos in her own life. With Damian out of town, she was happy to have her mind occupied with other things. When she had time to think, she tortured herself with what might have happened had she not been stuck at the hospital their last night together.
Her body tingled at the thought of making love with Damian once more, of what his hot, hard body felt like pressed against hers as he drove into her again and again and again.
She sighed, then caught herself and realized she was moaning aloud while sitting in her office going over paperwork.
"Nice, Micki," she muttered.
"Woof!" Noodle answered her from her perch on the chair reserved for clients. Apparently Uncle Yank gave Noodle the run of the furniture as well as his life.
"You miss him, don't you, girl?"
The dog let out a whine, laid her head down on the expensive leather and covered her eyes with her paws.
“I’ll take that as a yes " Micki said, laughing.
She checked her watch and realized it was almost time to relieve Sophie at Uncle Yank's bedside. It had been two days since the accident and the doctors wanted him up and out of bed to begin the difficult process of making him mobile in order to prevent pneumonia or infection from setting in. It wouldn't be fair to subject Sophie to that hell all by herself.
Micki grabbed her purse and walked out of her office. "Amy, if anyone needs me I'm at the hospital. I’ll check in when I can, okay?"
"Don't worry about anything on this end. We've all got things covered. You just get your uncle back to his cranky old self."
"Put that way, it shouldn't be all that hard after all." Micki laughed. "Wish me luck," she said and headed for the hospital and the grouch of the century.
Yank lay in his hospital bed and pretended he was sleeping while Lola paced the floor, muttering to herself. Only a blind man couldn't see he had a choice to make, he thought wryly. He just wasn't ready to make it yet.
"Why the hell didn't you tell me Spencer was gay? Why didn't he tell me himself?"
Lola turned around, obviously startled he wasn't sleeping. "Why? Are you interested in him?" she asked.
"Ha-ha."
Lola walked toward the end of the bed. "How are you feeling?"
At the reminder, he winced and pushed the pain medication button on his IV. "Like I broke my hip and had major surgery."
She nodded. "I figured."
"You're avoiding my questions."
She grabbed a chair and pulled it closer to his bedside, then smoothed her skirt and sat down.
Her new position gave him a direct view of the tank top beneath her blazer and her cleavage, which looked dam
n good for a woman her age.
"I didn't tell you because it wasn't my secret to tell and Spencer didn't tell you because…I don't know why. He kept it quiet because the industry's so male-oriented, he didn't want to make any of his clients uncomfortable."
"That's bullshit," Yank muttered. "Nobody cares about his personal life, only his ability to negotiate the best damn contract he can."
Lola's eyes sparkled with appreciation and he squirmed beneath her gaze. He wasn't used to her looking at him with anything other than frustration and disgust. He'd nearly forgotten what her approval felt like.
It felt good.
"I sent Sophie home for a shower and Micki's coming back in time for the physical therapist to help get you out of bed"
"I can't move."
"You have to move or else you'll end up with twice as many problems. Here." She shoved a contraption the night nurse had brought by. "Breathe into this and make sure you get that pressure thing up to ten. You don't want to get pneumonia on top of everything else."
He scowled. "Damn bossy woman."
"And you love me, Yank Morgan-don't tell me you don't."
"Even if I did, and I ain't admitting nothing yet, don't you think you deserve a helluva lot better than a man who's going blind and now has a busted hip?"
She glared at him, the frustration and annoyance back full force. "Don't you think that's my decision to make? That's been my point all along."
"Are you saying I could tell you I love you just so you could turn around and make the 'decision' to say I'm not what you bargained for anymore?" he asked, outraged by the thought.
Lola treated him to a smile he couldn't figure out. "I'm not saying yes or no. Life's full of risks and it's time you took one." She rose from her seat. "One beyond standing up on a chair and ranting like a fool," she muttered and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" It wasn't easy to admit but he didn't want her to leave.
"I have a lunch date and then I have to get back to work. I promised the girls I'd start going over the files and figure out who can cover your clients while you're laid up. The merger's got to be on the fast track now."
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