room with him.
Gabby shoved her fingers through her hair with a sigh and sank back into the bed, pulling the covers to her chin. She should be glad the bizarre interaction between her and Rafael was over with. Instead, she felt revitalized but at the same time there was an odd hollow in the pit of her stomach. A disappointment that he hadn’t responded to her ridiculous remark about a prince kissing her awake with an actual kiss. And why had she said it, anyway? Probably because, unconsciously, she’d been thinking about it all evening as she’d stared across that candlelit table at his beautiful lips.
She flopped onto her side, trying to ignore the tense, letdown feeling around her heart, deciding not to make too much of it. The man was physically gorgeous enough to make any woman swoon, right? And she was a woman who hadn’t felt much of anything for a man besides disillusionment in a long, long time.
“READY FOR WORK?” Rafael asked, breaking the silence between them as he drove them to the clinic in the powerful car she barely remembered getting into after dinner last night, which made her blush all over again. “I trust your middle-of-the-night awakening didn’t interfere too much with the sleep you obviously needed.”
“No, thank you. I slept well.” Which was a total lie. She hadn’t gotten a wink after he’d left her room, imagining how awkward it would be in his house together in the morning and on the way to work. And awkward was an understatement. She’d taken the world’s fastest shower in the stunning bathroom attached to the room she’d slept in, wondering if the man might not be the gentleman he seemed but instead a prince who thought he had the right to walk in on her. Then, nervous and uncomfortable, she’d stood in his kitchen, nerves twitchy, clutching her purse and ready to go, while he’d sat relaxed, drinking coffee and having a croissant.
She’d steadfastly declined his invitation to join him, partly because she’d wanted to get going and partly because he’d had a vaguely amused expression on his face. Obviously he wasn’t used to women wanting to dash out his door. She didn’t doubt it was usually quite the opposite.
He swung out of the car, looking smooth and handsome and not even remotely tired, like she knew she unfortunately still did. She pushed open her own door, about to get out and hurry inside as fast as she could, when he appeared, holding out his hand to her, eliminating any chance of a quick escape. She tried to walk fast, but he simply kept pace with her at her side. As they walked together to the clinic’s big double doors, she blushed scarlet from head to toe.
The walk of shame. This was what friends of hers had talked about in the past! Out on a date, spend the night, and show up somewhere wearing the same clothes for all the world to see. Except she hadn’t even enjoyed what people would think she had, damn it. Shamed without reason.
“I’m late for work. I’ll...um...see you around.” She walked faster, trying to get inside and to her locker fast, praying no one had paid attention to what dress she’d worn the night before.
Rafael caught up with her. She stared straight ahead, but he dipped his head to look at her, drawing her gaze to his. To green eyes that now danced with amusement. “Are you worried people will talk, bella, if they see us arrive together?”
“Yes!” she hissed. “So please go wherever you need to go and goodbye.”
“Not goodbye. We’re seeing a patient together in twenty minutes. Until then.” He reached for her hand, his eyes twinkling above it as he pressed his lips to it. She snatched it away and practically ran down the corridor toward the women’s locker room. The imprint of that quick kiss still tingled on her skin, and she had a bad feeling that meant she was in for a very long day.
Freya Rothsberg, the clinic’s PR guru and also James’s sister, raised her eyebrows at Gabby as she tore down the hallway, and she forced herself to slow down.
“Good morning, Gabby,” Freya said.
“Good morning.” Was it her imagination, or was Freya’s voice a little questioning? Or was she just being completely paranoid? “I...need to get into scrubs to see my first patient. Have a great day.”
Finally able to hide in the locker room, Gabby flung off her dress, quickly hung it up, then got her scrubs on. Breathing a sigh of relief, she leaned against her locker door. Clearly she wasn’t up for middle-of-the-night adventures, innocent or not.
Ten minutes later, she felt almost normal and composed, putting a smile on her face as she went into her patient’s room. Then every ounce of composure slid away when she saw Rafael standing there, talking with the woman.
“Ah, Gabriella.” His eyes met hers, and that darned twinkle still lingered, making her feel embarrassed all over again. “I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of seeing your patient before you arrived, as my first patient isn’t here yet.”
She could feel hot color rushing into her cheeks again, annoyed as all get-out at her reaction to seeing him there. Somehow she bit back the words she wanted to say, which were, Yes, I do mind, as a matter of fact. I’m trying to stay away from you!
“Of course not. How are you feeling, Megan?”
“Absolutely great! I was just telling Dr. Moreno that my yoga instructor is so impressed with my workouts. I mean, I’m doing every bit as much at eight months along as I did before I got pregnant.”
“As long as you’re feeling good when you exercise, that’s very healthy for you and your baby.” She made herself turn to Rafael, and the power of that green gaze nearly choked her.
“I’m sure I’ll be fit enough for the minor role Daddy has in mind for me in the film he’s starting this summer. I told Rafael he should come to the set.”
“Megan’s father’s films are among my favorite thrillers,” he said. “I particularly enjoyed that scene in his last movie where one of the main guys showed up in the heroine’s bedroom, and she didn’t know until then that he wasn’t her friend but the terrifying killer instead. Scary stuff.”
The wicked glint in those green depths was both irritating and unnerving, since it sent her thoughts right back to what she’d been trying so hard not to think about. Which was the feel of his hard, warm body against hers, and how he’d looked in those boxer shorts.
“So,” she said, desperately trying to change the subject, “have you examined Megan yet, Dr. Moreno?”
“I thought I’d leave that to you, along with getting her vital signs. Just wanted to introduce myself before the big day arrives.”
“Surely you won’t still be working here in another month, will you?” If her voice held a trace of panic, she couldn’t help it. “I thought this was a brief pit stop in your life.”
“I expect I will be staying a while. I’m enjoying my time in L.A. and here at The Hollywood Hills Clinic. The staff is most...interesting, and I hope to get to know everyone much better.”
Gabby dropped the blood-pressure cuff on the floor, then had to take the reading twice she was so distracted by Rafael’s teasing. Which she knew full well it was—for some reason, he was enjoying yanking her chain and making her blush again.
“I’m about to do your internal exam now, Megan, okay?” She turned to Rafael with a saccharine-sweet
