One side of his mouth rose into a half grin. She’d take it.
“Thanks, I think. I’m just not sure that petting a dog can have much effect on a serious medical condition.”
“I don’t see how it can hurt.”
Hmm, silence from the man. Score one for her and Smiley.
“Okay, I’ll give you that,” he said.
“How about giving me something more?” Annabel offered a sincere smile as she walked back toward him, shaking out a garage bag. “As in a chance to test your theory? Let Smiley and me work with some of your patients, Forrest included, on a trial basis, and we can see how it goes.”
“Annabel—”
She pressed her index finger to her lips, the librarian’s universal signal for silence. “Just think about it.”
It took a lot of willpower, but Annabel allowed her request to hang in the air as they worked together to fill the bag with their trash and headed for the exit. She reset the alarm, locked the door behind them and pointed out the Dumpster on the far side of the building.
Once they were back on the sidewalk, a cool breeze sent a shiver though her. She started to pull on her jacket, but Thomas gently took it from her.
“Here, let me help.”
Turning her back to him, Annabel smiled as she slid her arms into the sleeves, enjoying the gentlemanly gesture.
Tugging her hair free, she peered backward at him. “Thanks.”
“My pleasure.” The weight of his hands rested a moment at her shoulders then they were gone.
As they headed back toward Main Street to their parked cars, Annabel knew this was the end of their evening, and she wanted so much to ask again about the therapy group. But she’d told him to think about it, and pressuring him wasn’t giving him time to think. Still she had to capture her bottom lip between her teeth to stop the words from blurting out of her mouth.
Of course, that move only made her think back to the almost kiss.
Would Thomas want to brush his lips across hers as he said good-night? How would he react if she kissed him instead?
“Which car is yours?”
Thomas’s question surprised her and she stopped short. They were back in front of The Hitching Post, but on the other side of the street.
Well, she guessed the saying good-night part was already here.
Annabel pointed toward her vehicle. “The little green Bug. Straight ahead.”
Thomas headed toward it and Annabel hurried to catch up with him. “Oh, I’m fine. You don’t have to—”
“Annabel, don’t argue.” He motioned for her to continue moving. “Just walk.”
She did, digging her keys out of the bottom of her purse. Hitting the button to unlock the driver’s side door, she reached for the handle only to have Thomas’s hand shoot past hers first.
He opened her door and she stepped off the curb into the space between the door and the driver’s seat. Thomas moved in behind her, his close proximity distracting her for a moment.
Should she turn around? If so, would he still be standing on the curb making him appear even taller?
Darn, why hadn’t she slipped on her wedged sandals instead? They would’ve put her at the perfect height to lean forward, balance herself by lightly placing her hands on his chest before she’d lay a quick kiss on his—
“It’ll probably take me a few days to secure a room for your group. How about you start two weeks from today?”
She spun around, his words setting off tiny bursts of sparkling happiness—almost as sweet as the kiss she’d been imagining a second ago—that reached all the way to her toes. “Oh, Thomas! Really?”
He stood, one hand braced on the door and the other on the roof of her car looking down at her with a smile that turned those miniature fireworks into a full-blown explosion. “Yes, really.”
Kiss him!
Fighting off the internal command to throw her arms around his neck took all of Annabel’s strength. She clasped her hands together and held them tight to her chest, just in case.
He took a step backward, his hand coming off the roof. “My secretary will call you with the details. We’ll put the word out about your group, but I can’t guarantee anyone will agree to come. Or how many sessions you’ll have. That all depends on the patients’ reactions and your dog’s behavior.”
Trying to feel grateful he’d saved her from making a fool of herself, again, she concentrated instead on the good news. “I understand. Don’t worry. Smiley will be on his best behavior. This is too wonderful for words. I really don’t know what to say, but thank you so much!”
“You’re welcome.”
Deciding to end the evening on an upward note, she dropped into the driver’s seat and started the car’s engine. She then reached for the door, but Thomas’s voice stopped her.
“Thanks for tonight…for dinner.”
The pause when he spoke made her look up at him, but he’d moved farther back on the sidewalk, his face in the shadows. “Thanks for meeting me. I had a lot of fun.”
He gave her a quick nod in return, then crossed in front of her headlights to his own car on the other side of the street. Pulling out into the road, Annabel stopped at the red light. In her rearview mirror she watched as Thomas made a quick U-turn in the middle of the empty street and headed in the opposite direction, his taillights disappearing into the night.
The light changed to green and Annabel headed for home. As happy as she was about Thomas giving her therapy-group idea a green light, she had to admit his reaction to her reaction did sting a bit.
Had he been able to tell how much she wanted to kiss him?
Heck, he’d started it with wiping the barbecue sauce off the side of her mouth. She’d only been responding to the vibes he’d put out in the cozy setting of the library. Just because she’d been told in the past, by more than a few people, that she tended to leap before she looked, didn’t mean she was to blame.
Pulling into the driveway at her family’s home, Annabel parked alongside the collection of other cars that belonged to her parents and siblings. She was greeted by a happy, tail-wagging Smiley as soon as she stepped into the darkened kitchen and her victorious feeling returned.
Kneeling, she gave her baby a hug and a treat from his special biscuit jar in celebration. “I did it, sweetie. We’re all set for you to work your magic. Provided you follow the rules and do what you’re told.”
Smiley offered a cheerful bark in return and Annabel hugged him again. So what if her date—if one could even call it that—hadn’t ended the way she’d hoped.
“I got what I really wanted tonight,” she whispered to herself as much as to Smiley. “That’s what counts.”
“Hmm, not sure if I like the sound of that.”
Annabel’s head jerked up at her mother’s voice. Evelyn Cates stood in the doorway that led into the family’s oversize dining room, flanked by Annabel’s sisters.
Jordyn Leigh snapped on the overhead light. “I don’t know, Mom, it sounds pretty good to me. So how was Mr. Better-Late-Than-Never?”
“He was fine. I mean, it was fine.” Annabel stood. “I told you Thomas got held up in surgery. That’s why our plans changed.”
“Yet you left and returned with the same sappy grin on your face.” Jazzy winked as she headed for the sink with a handful of empty glasses. “And it sounds like you had a better-than-average time on your date, the first one in…what? How long has it been?”
“Refresh my memory.” Annabel opened the refrigerator and stuck her head in for no other reason than to escape her sisters’ prying eyes. “Which one of us actually had plans tonight?”
“Oh, sis, she’s got you there,” Jordyn Leigh said, then laughed. “Come on, let’s get back to our movie.”
“Why do I get the feeling that lin
e ‘the lady doth protest too much’ fits somehow?” Jazzy shot back. “Hmm, I smell another romance brewing.”
“Oh, please. We’ve already got two bridesmaids dresses hanging in our closet. The last thing we need around here is another wedding.”
Annabel jumped at Jordyn Leigh’s parting words as her sisters left the room.
Wedding? Who said anything about a wedding?
Grabbing a soda she didn’t want, Annabel closed the door. Her mother had stayed behind, her blue eyes filled with the same loving concern she’d shown for all her children over the years.
“Mom…”
“Can I at least ask what it is you got tonight that you’re so happy about?”
Annabel explained her plans for Smiley and the therapy group. “This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Talking about the group and how I want to help Forrest, and anyone else who might come, is the main reason Thomas and I met tonight. I really think Smiley can make a difference.”
“I’m sure he will, honey.” Her mother smiled. “But I do think your sisters might be right. You haven’t been this happy about a date in a long time.”
“I’m happy about getting the approval for my therapy group,” Annabel said, refusing to allow the memory of the way Thomas had touched her mouth and the desire she’d seen in his eyes come back to life. “Tonight was no big deal. Goodness knows I’ve had enough missed connections and false starts when it comes to men in the past. I doubt I’ll be spending any more time with Dr. North outside of the hospital.”
“Okay, dear. If you say so.” Her mother leaned in and gave Annabel a quick hug. “I’m going to wash up those dishes before I head to bed. You joining your sisters?”
“No, I think I’ll go up to my room. Good night, Mom.”
Annabel headed for the stairs, Smiley at her side. She knew her sisters’ good-natured teasing was all in fun, and with two recent weddings in their family, Annabel supposed she couldn’t blame them for seeing romance where none existed.
She had to admit that Thomas North wasn’t anywhere near as stuffy and uptight as she’d first thought. In fact, he was smart, caring and downright sexy. And if asked, and there was no reason why anyone should, she’d also admit the barest hint of his touch sent zingers to all her girly parts.
However, when he had the chance to kiss her tonight—more than once, in fact—he’d backed off.
So what did any of it mean?
Frustrated, she placed the unopened soda can on her dresser and once again flung herself down on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Was the attraction all in her head?
Or was the hunky doctor very good at keeping his feelings under wraps?
Chapter Five
Thomas pushed the button that activated the garage door as he turned the last corner in the condominium complex. When he moved home two years ago he’d been one of the first people to buy in the gated community and had chosen an end unit in the last row, hoping for as much privacy as possible.
At the time there had only been a couple dozen of the two-story condos in the development. Now there were fifty units along with amenities that included a gym, pool and club house, not that Thomas ever found the time, or the inclination, to use them.
He preferred to take his daily runs in private, usually on the many trails crisscrossing the hills behind the complex or the treadmill in his spare bedroom.
Damn, it felt like forever since he’d done his usual five miles this morning.
After pulling his car inside and shutting down the engine, he locked his BMW and closed the garage door. Heading upstairs, he entered the open living/dining room and went straight to the kitchen.
Tossing his keys next to the pile of mail on the granite countertop, he yanked open the refrigerator and pulled out a cold beer. The cap released with a simple twist and he tilted his head back, downing half the bottle without stopping.
Then he dropped his head back against the wall with a resounding thunk.
Nope, she was still there.
Two more thunks and one empty beer bottle later didn’t help.
Annabel Cates, with the most delicious mouth he’d even seen on a woman, was still front and center in his head. Not to mention his other body parts that remembered and appreciated her soft curves, the spicy vanilla scent that clung to her skin and the way she got him to open up and talk about himself as if they’d known each other their entire lives.
He’d even told her about Grandpa Joe.
Tossing the empty bottle in the recycling bin, Thomas grabbed a bottle of water and made his way upstairs, pausing to set the security alarm and turn on a couple of table lamps in the living room. He’d learned the hard way to leave the low lights on all night. The chrome, glass and leather furniture he’d chosen was sleek and modern, but it also hurt like heck when walked into while fumbling around in the dark during those times he needed to leave in a hurry.
He entered his bedroom, stripping as he went. Leaving an uncharacteristic trail of clothing behind him, the last thing he did was put his cell phone, wallet, and the water on the bedside table before crawling naked between the cool sheets.
The clock read 12:35 a.m., meaning he’d been awake for twenty hours, fifteen of them spent at the hospital. He should be exhausted, but closing his eyes didn’t help.
All he saw was Annabel.
The way she almost glided when she walked, as if her feet barely touched the ground. The way her lips curved upward in a mischievous grin when she’d asked him about breaking rules. The pride in those amazing pale blue eyes of hers as she showed off where she spent the majority of her waking hours.
Pride that melted into kindness and compassion when he’d revealed how a childhood tragedy shaped his entire life.
Damn, it was going to be a long night.
Thomas groaned, remembering his cell phone needed charging. He plugged it in, took it off vibrate and punched up the volume of his ringtone. Just in case.
His fingers paused when he saw the missed-call icon. He pressed the code for his voice mail, breathing a sigh of relief it wasn’t the hospital when he heard the voice of his buddy in Hawaii who’d left a disjointed message, mixed with the sound of crying babies, that ended with Reid’s usual “I hate talking to these damn things” tirade.
Grinning, Thomas pressed the button to return the call, figuring out it was only nine-thirty in the Aloha State. Besides, his roommate through medical school and five years of residency had said Thomas should call because he was spending his Friday night—
“Dr. T!”
Thomas smiled at his friend’s greeting. “Dr. Gaines, I presume. It’s been a while since I’ve heard from you.”
“Well, you know. The life of a busy doctor.”
Yes, Thomas did know about that.
He also knew Reid somehow made time for his beautiful wife, a nurse he met a year after graduating from medical school who’d convinced him to return to her native hometown of Honolulu after they’d married. Now Reid was the father of twin eight-month-old boys who he was constantly sending Thomas pictures of via text messages, and the owner of three prized surfboards.
The former San Diego surfer had found his own slice of paradise.
Wasn’t that what Annabel called Thunder Canyon earlier?
Maybe for her. But Thomas often wondered if he would’ve ever returned to his hometown if not for making the biggest mistake of his life—one that forced him to leave behind everything he’d worked so hard for.
“So it’s already Saturday in Montana.” Reid’s voice filled his ear. “Please tell me you were not at work this late.”
“Is that any better than what you’re doing tonight?”
“Hey, me and the boys, who finally crashed, thank goodness, are watching my beloved Angels getting their butts handed to them by the
freaking Red Sox while the baby mama is out with her posse of girlfriends,” Reid shot back. “Hopefully the twins will stay asleep until after she strolls in. Then we’ll have some real home-run action going on.”
“TMI, buddy.” Thomas pushed himself up against the padded headboard, refusing to think about the fact he’d passed up the chance to even get to first base tonight. Twice. “Since Gracie was practically a third roommate back in the day, I already know more about your sex life than I ever wanted.”
“At least tell me yours has improved since we last spoke. I think you said something about a lawyer who caught your eye?”
It took Thomas a moment to figure out what his friend was talking about. “Yeah, that was almost a year ago.”
“Okay, so it wasn’t the last time we talked. Sue me. You still seeing her?”
“No.”
“Because…”
“Because our careers kept us too busy.” The lie fell so easily from his lips. Thomas grabbed the water and took a long swallow. “Doctor. Lawyer. Long hours all around.”
“You are the worst liar I’ve ever met.”
“It once served me well.”
His friend sighed. “Dammit, you haven’t let go of that yet? It’s been almost three years.”
This time Thomas knew exactly what his friend was talking about. Reid had had a front-row seat to his stupidity and ultimate humiliation after he’d gotten involved with the wrong woman.
The worst possible woman.
Another man’s wife. And to make matters worse he’d actually fallen in love with her.
Except he had no idea at the time she was married, with no plans to change her status.
Not that Thomas had been inexperienced in matters of the heart. He’d dated through high school and college, but most girls wanted more of his time and attention than he was willing to give. His studies had been his main focus, especially during medical school, and that focus switched to his work while living the crazy life of a new doctor knee-deep in his residency.
Puppy Love in Thunder Canyon Page 5
