The Rebel Doc Who Stole Her Heart

by Susan Carlisle

  She deserved better than a lover who couldn’t give his best because his body wasn’t in a good state. He groaned as he moved. What he wouldn’t give for a cold bath! Maybe that would ease the roar of desire in him. He wanted Michelle with a fierceness he’d rarely known.

  “In a hundred years I couldn’t explain how much I hate feeling so rough right now because that type of admiration should be rewarded. Instead, I think you should make a straight line to your bedroom and lock the door.”

  Michelle gulped and her eyes flew to meet his gaze. Her hand shook as she offered him the rest of the glass of water. He drank it all. Some dribbled down his chin and she wiped it away.

  Ty reached up and grabbed her wrist. Taking the cloth napkin out of her hand, he opened her fingers and kissed the center of her palm. “Thanks for taking care of me.”

  Michelle drew in a breath then let it out slowly. She nodded, picked up his medicine and left. As his eyelids drifted closed he again enjoyed the sight of the sway of her hips.

  * * *

  “Wake up.”

  Ty’s eyelids flickered upwards. His eyes strained in an effort to focus on Michelle. Once again she was sitting in the chair beside his bed.

  “What’s your name?”

  “You know my name.”

  “Tell me your name. I need to know you don’t have a concussion.”

  “Ty Smith. And you are Michelle Ross. And you’re not holding up any fingers.”

  “Funny, very funny.”

  “I told you to go to bed.”

  Her eyes didn’t leave his. “Can’t. I have to see about you.”

  “Well, I’m not going back to sleep until you lie down.”

  “I need to be close so I can check on you. I’m fine in this chair.”

  He shifted closer to the edge of the bed and patted the other side. “If you’re not going to your bed then you have to share mine.”

  “I’m not sharing the bed with you!”

  “Hey, it hurts like the devil to move. I’m not going to do anything. I’m not even capable of sitting up without a struggle. Who are you more afraid of, me or you?” He grinned at her huff of indignation. “That’s what I thought. Lie down on top of the spread and pull that quilt at the end of the bed up over you. That way we both can get some sleep.” He gave her his best determined look.

  She stood. “Okay, if you promise to go back to sleep.”

  “Frankly, I’d love to kiss you all over but, much as I hate to admit it, I don’t think I’d be at my best,” he murmured in a gravelly voice. “So as soon as you’re settled I’ll go straight to sleep.”

  Michelle walked around the bed. She stood looking down at the space he’d offered for so long he thought she wasn’t going to do as he asked. Finally, she sat down, pulled the quilt up and lay down.

  “Hey, don’t move around too much. It rocks the bed. Hurts,” he mumbled as he closed his eyes.

  She went so still she gave a new meaning to the saying “as stiff as a board” but at least she’d get some decent sleep. He liked knowing she was near far too much.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  MICHELLE CARESSED THE smooth, heated silk beneath her hand. Mmm. It felt wonderful. She liked fine sheets and pillow cases but this one was extra special. She rubbed her cheek against it. Perfect.

  Her eyes opened, to be captured by green ones that didn’t blink. The pain that had fogged Ty’s eyes the night before had disappeared, to be replaced by desire that was crystal clear.

  She tingled with want. Her fingers flexed against the skin of Ty’s waist and her cheek rested on his upper arm. Michelle wanted to groan but clapped her mouth closed. Hadn’t she already embarrassed herself enough?

  With a jerk, she sat up. Glancing at Ty, she found his gaze still on her. Why didn’t he say something? Defuse the tension, as thick as ice, between them? He’d always made jokes. Where was one when she needed it?

  “I’ll, uh, get your medicine.”

  “Michelle?”

  She stood and pushed her clothes back into place.

  “Yes?”

  “I couldn’t think of a nicer way to wake up.”

  She shoved her hair back, hoping it was going into some semblance of order. “I bet you say that to all the women.”

  His look intensified, bored into hers. “I do not.”

  Heat flared in her. It felt good to be considered special by this man. “I’ll get you something to eat.”

  “I’d rather have you,” he said softly as she went through the door.

  Michelle headed straight to her room and into the bathroom. She looked in the mirror. Her face was flushed as if she were a teenage girl who’d received her first kiss. And Ty hadn’t even tried!

  She’d been the one caressing his chest. The one who had rolled towards him. How could her body have betrayed her like that?

  But it had been an extremely pleasant feeling to have Ty look at her with desire. What if she took him up on his interest? Would it be so bad to let go for a while? They were both adults…

  All those romantic thoughts amounted to nothing. He was only interested because she’d all but thrown herself at him in her sleep. He’d made it clear the other night that he’d only kissed her for the benefit of her mother.

  Enough of that. Ty had been injured and still needed care. Starting with something to eat. Heck, she’d been so caught up in her attraction to him she’d not even asked him how he was feeling. He managed to get her to forget everything but how he made her feel.

  She washed her face and pulled a brush through her hair.

  In the kitchen, she started the coffeemaker and pulled out eggs, bacon, cheese and bread. She was in the process of putting together an omelet when Ty entered the room.

  All he wore was the bottoms to a scrub set. He’d been given a new pair in the ER to come home in as a leg had been cut out of his other ones. In fact, that’s all he had to wear. Her hand shook as she picked up the whisk to whip the eggs. She beat them far too vigorously in an effort not to stare.

  Had Little Red Riding Hood felt this unsure when she’d faced the wolf? That was a foolish thought. She was a grown woman and a doctor who saw people undressed regularly. For heaven’s sake, she was acting like a silly schoolgirl seeing her first naked chest. The problem was that it wasn’t bare chests that got to her, it was Ty’s in particular and it being in her kitchen. Few she’d seen before were as muscular or well defined as Ty’s.

  “How’re you feeling?” she croaked.

  He gingerly put a hip on a bar stool. “I’m stiff. I needed to move around a bit.”

  “Well, don’t start thinking you’re well enough to do as you please.”

  “I promise to be a model patient,” he said with a weak smile.

  “You can start being that by taking your meds and eating all your breakfast. I’ll have it ready in a minute.”

  She put her back to him. Placing a pan on the eye of the stove, she turned it on to heat. She didn’t have to look at Ty to know that he was watching her. Every fiber in her body was aware of his appraisal. The hair on her arms stood on end.

  Minutes later, she placed a plate with a cheese omelet, bacon and toast in front of Ty.

  He inhaled deeply. “This smells and looks wonderful.” He cut into the eggs and forked them into his mouth. “Just wish it took less effort to eat.”

  “Would you like me to feed you?” Michelle asked.

  He twisted his lip up in disgust. “I’m in bad enough shape without having the humiliation of being fed like a baby. Hey, you do know that a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?”

  What would it be like to have Ty’s heart? To wake up every morning touching him? Being touched?

  She returned to cooking her food in the hope that Ty might think the heat in her cheeks was coming from the stove. “I’ve heard that but I’m only interested in getting you well enough that you can make you own breakfast,” she said over her shoulder.

  “Hey, I don’t take up that muc
h room.”

  Yes, he did. He filled every room he was in as far as she was concerned.

  They ate in silence until Michelle said, “I’ll need to take a look at those stitches as you ran a fever last night.”

  “I figured as much. I hate to ask it but I think the bandage on my knee needs some attention as well. It has bled through.”

  “As soon as we’re done here I’ll see about getting you cleaned up and then you can get back into bed. You look as if you’re fading fast.”

  “I’ll have to admit I’m not feeling as energetic as I’d like to be. Thanks for the food. I’m going to wash before you see about my bandages.”

  She put her plate in the sink then picked up Ty’s and did the same. “I’ll straighten up and be there in a few minutes.”

  Killing as much time as she could to make sure Ty was out of the bathroom, she knocked lightly on the door to his bedroom fifteen minutes later.

  “Michelle, could you help me?” Ty called from the direction of the bathroom.

  She didn’t think twice before she hurried towards his voice. “Are you all right? What have you done?”

  Ty stood near the tub with the shower curtain pulled back. A towel was wrapped around his waist.

  “What’re you doing? You can’t get in the tub with those bandages on.”

  “I wasn’t going to get in the tub. I sponged off the best I could and I was just going to wet my hair so I could wash it. But I decided that wasn’t such a good idea. Could you help me?”

  Michelle smiled. He sounded pitiful. “Why didn’t you ask me sooner?”

  “I don’t know. Somehow it doesn’t sound too macho to ask a woman to wash your hair.”

  She laughed genuinely this time. “Turn the water off.”

  He did as he was told then looked at her questioningly.

  “Put your pants back on. Customers don’t get a wash and dry in my beauty shop dressed in a towel. Meet me in the kitchen.”

  * * *

  Ty dropped the towel to the floor and struggled into his scrub pants again. Barefoot, he padded to the kitchen. It hurt just to walk but he knew he’d feel better if he was at least clean. Michelle stood by the sink with towels and a bottle of shampoo at hand.

  “So did you work your way through school in a beauty shop?” he asked.

  “No, but my mother used to wash my hair like this all the time. You have enough that it needs to be done this way.”

  “Are you complaining about the length of my hair?” he asked in as indignant a tone as he could muster.

  “No. I’ve never seen more beautiful hair.”

  Her sharp intake of breath told him she hadn’t meant to say that. He grinned. Thankfully that didn’t cause any pain. “Why, thank you, ma’am. I always hated it. Too curly, like a girl’s.”

  “I know more than one girl who wished she had hair like yours.” Michelle suddenly turned businesslike and folded up a towel lengthways and placed it on the counter in front of the sink. She turned on the faucet.

  “Now you’re starting to embarrass me. Let’s get on with this.” He glanced at her. Had she said she didn’t think that was possible?

  After testing the water with her hand, Michelle said, “Lean over the sink. Put your chest against the counter.” She pulled out the hand sprayer. “You might want to close your eyes.”

  He leaned forward from the waist and felt every muscle in his body. He moaned.

  “I’m sorry. You must be very sore. I’ll make this as quick as I can.”

  Warm water hit his head and Michelle’s fingers ran along his scalp, fanning out and moving through his hair.

  “Turn your head the other way,” Michelle said in a soft voice that sounded as wonderful as the spray felt.

  When the water stopped he groaned.

  “Are you in pain?”

  “No. Not if I don’t move. I moaned because that felt so good.”

  She laughed quietly. “I used to complain too when Mother turned off the water.”

  He started to stand.

  She placed a hand between his shoulder blades. “Stay where you are.”

  The heat of it was like a brand on his skin. Her fingertips trailed away.

  He looked at the sink drain and waited. The top of what had to be the shampoo popped then there was a squirting sound.

  “Here.” She handed him a small towel. “I don’t want to get any soap in your eyes so hold it over your face.”

  Seconds later her fingers begin tunneling through his hair. Slowly her fingertips massaged their way across his scalp. She applied pressure and he sighed with pleasure as she worked her way up and over the crown of his head. Coming back down, she took extra time at the base of his neck in an almost erotic movement of her fingers.

  “Mmm, that feels good.”

  She giggled lightly and scrubbed with more force, using the ends of her fingers.

  Ty closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensation, forgetting about any pain. The pressure ended. “Hey, don’t stop now. That feels so great.”

  She chuckled. He moved as if to stand and she said, “Be still or you’ll get soap everywhere.”

  A second later spray, warmer than before, hit the top of his head and flowed downwards.

  Michelle’s fingers returned to moving gently through his hair as she removed the suds. Far too soon, she turned off the water. “Stay still. I’m not done yet.”

  A towel flapped over his head and she began to gently rub his hair dry. She was as thorough and precise at hair washing as she was in the OR.

  He shifted and looked her direction. One of her breasts was within an inch of his lips. His mouth went dry.

  “Stop moving.”

  Had she caught him?

  “Turn your head.”

  Disappointment filled him at losing such a delightful view. Adulation replaced his regret when both breasts were pressed firmly against his shoulder as she leaned over to get to the top of his head. Grateful to be on the receiving end of all this attention, Ty hated to see it end. He’d had no idea how pleasurable it was to have someone wash his hair. Especially if it was Michelle.

  “You can straighten up now.”

  Ty did so but far too stiffly. Did he look as pitiful as he felt? He shook his head, throwing fine droplets of water around him.

  “Hey, you’re getting me wet,” she squealed.

  Ty looked at Michelle and smiled. His gaze dropped. Her shirt was plastered against her body, leaving nothing to his imagination. “It looks like you’re wet already.”

  She looked down. Instantly she brought the towel in her hand up to cover her chest. “I’ll go and change.”

  “You don’t have to on my account,” he called as she headed down the hall.

  * * *

  Michelle closed the door of her bedroom and leaned back against it. Had she lost her mind?

  First she’d installed Ty in her home. Then she’d let him insist she sleep beside him and then she’d felt sorry for him and washed his hair. What was going to be next? Would he wiggle his finger and she would jump into bed with him?

  She’d crossed that large black line of control she’d had over her life. Ty had ridden in and her brain had turned to mush. Grabbing a dry shirt out of her chest of drawers, she dragged off the wet one she wore and pulled on a dry one.

  The glow in Ty’s eyes had created an unfamiliar heat deep in her that felt so right. It had started a fire in her center that flowed out, ripple after ripple and made her feel alive. The man had a way of unlocking emotions she’d put away. Had her wanting things better left alone.

  Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and went back into the kitchen. Ty was no longer there. Retracing her steps down the hall, she found the door to his room wide open. Ty lay on the bed sound asleep. What little activity he’d done had worn him out. He looked like a small boy, lying on his stomach, his face relaxed. It was a handsome face, all slants and planes. A golden tan covered his back. He was a man who spent time outdoors. The desire t
o touch him almost overwhelmed her. She wanted to caress that expanse of skin. Instead, she pulled the blanket she’d used during the night over him.

  A lock of Ty’s still damp hair had fallen over his forehead. Against her better judgment, but unable to resist, she pushed it back into place.

  He shifted in his sleep, moaning as he did. Her heart went out to him. She wanted to take his aches away. He was so beat up that he couldn’t even get into a hot bath to ease the soreness. Moving again, Ty wrapped his arms around a pillow and pulled it to his chest.

  Michelle couldn’t remember ever being jealous of an inanimate object before. She wished she could curl up next to his gorgeous body. But she couldn’t.

  * * *

  Ty found Michelle sitting in the corner of the sofa in her living area. This room was off the kitchen but he’d not been in it before. Decorated in cheerful hues, like the rest of her place, the room also had a cozier feel. Quilted throws hung off the backs of the chairs and the lighting came from lamps instead of the harsher overhead lighting. Books lined one wall and the TV took a less prominent spot in the corner. She had it turned on and was watching an action movie that was about five years old. Even in her movie choices she continued to surprise him.

  The sun was setting. Her face glowed in the last of the light filtering in from the window on the far wall. It was the type of light that a photographer dreamt of having when taking a picture of a subject. Michelle looked angelic. Ty couldn’t help but admire her. She was pure beauty.

  Michelle must have felt his eyes on her because she looked over the back of the sofa at him.

  “Hey.” He came further into the room.

  “Hey, yourself. How are you feeling?” She twisted further towards him.

  “Much better.”

  “Good.”

  He moved around the sofa. “Will you help me with this?” He held out his scrub shirt. “I can’t seem to get it on by myself.”

  She stood and took it from him. Gathering the material up around the neck, she said, “Lean over.”

  He did so and she slipped the material over his head. Lifting his arms, she helped slide the shirt on and down. Her heat warmed him but not once did she touch him. He had no doubt that had been intentional. What was she scared of? There was something there between them, didn’t she feel it too?