came toward him. Her bouncing blond hair hung in luxurious curls down her back and she was wearing her customary dark pantsuit. Dane appreciated her professionalism.
“Come with me.” She led him down a long corridor to an elevator that within seconds had them disembarking onto the pediatrics floor.
Whitney moved ahead of him, and they soon stopped in front of two glass double doors leading to a room with brightly colored walls. “It’s a play area for children in the hospital. I thought it would be a good place to start, but Ms. Turner isn’t here yet.”
Dane glanced into the room and his heart clenched. There were several young children in the room. Two were in wheelchairs and the other three were at low tables coloring. He vowed at that moment to give a donation to the hospital; it was the least he could do.
He heard the chime of the elevator and the hairs on his neck stood up. Dane knew Jayden Turner and his mom had arrived. He turned around in time to watch Iris Turner walk toward him. She was a lot taller than she appeared on television and every bit as slender in a pencil skirt and ruffled blouse. She was much prettier in person.
There was a youthful glow to her unblemished caramel skin, big brown eyes and dark brown hair, which fell in soft waves past her shoulders. His body tightened, reacting to her beauty, and Dane tamped the feeling down. He didn’t mess around with single moms—that was borrowing trouble he didn’t need. But he couldn’t deny he was drawn to her.
“Dane, I’d like you to meet—” Whitney began, but he interrupted her.
“You must be Iris Turner. Pleasure to meet you.”
“You, as well.” She offered a hesitant smile. “Thank you so much for doing this. To have someone of your stature…” Her voice trailed off as Dane’s focus shifted to her son. “I’m sorry.” She blushed. “This is Jayden. Jayden, say hello to Mr. Stewart. He’s here to see if he can help you.”
“Help me?” The little boy looked up, and Dane froze.
With his tight black curls, dark brown eyes and bushy eyebrows, Jayden bore a striking resemblance to Dane when he’d been young. Dane shook it off. He must be projecting because he felt sorry for him. He kneeled down. “I’m here to see if I’m a match to help you get better.”
“Why would you do that?” Jayden asked.
The innocent question caused all the adults in the room to laugh. “Because it’s the right thing to do.” Dane responded.
“Do you mind if we get a few photographs?” Whitney inquired from behind them. Dane had been so engrossed with meeting Iris and her son, he hadn’t noticed that a photographer had entered the room and was snapping away.
Iris glanced at Whitney and then back again at Dane.
“Only if it’s okay with you,” Dane said. He sensed fear in her eyes, and he didn’t want to take advantage.
Iris nodded. “Yes, of course.”
“You mind if I pick you up?” Dane asked Jayden.
Jayden immediately held out his arms and Dane eased him into his embrace and stood.
The photographer asked Iris and Dane to move closer together into the frame. “Yes, like that. Smile, please. Heck, if I didn’t know any better I’d say you guys looked like a family.”
Iris quickly glanced up at Dane, but he merely laughed.
Within minutes, the photographs were taken and the nurse led Dane away for the cheek swab test that would register him as a bone marrow donor. Due to Jayden’s aggressive leukemia, they would have the results back within a week. The entire process was over with quickly, and Dane realized Iris and Jayden hadn’t needed to be there. It was merely a photo op to show America Dane wasn’t some lothario who couldn’t be trusted, but for him it was more. It was a chance to shed light on the issue of bone marrow transplants.
When he was done, Whitney was waiting for him in the corridor. “That’s it for today. For the next couple of days, you’ll have a full calendar of appearances and events, which will hopefully bring up your approval ratings.”
“Am I being rated?” Dane inquired.
“Well, no, but we do informal polls on your image,” Whitney replied. “It’s my job to ensure you have the right kind of press.”
“I appreciate it. Now if you’ll excuse me.” Dane headed for the playroom. He could still make out Iris’s form through the glass doors. He was curious to know her story.
“Where are you going?” Whitney inquired.
Dane didn’t answer. “If the PR stunt is over, you can leave. I’ll see you on the plane tomorrow.” He spun away and went inside the playroom. He found Iris huddled over the blocks with Jayden. As he approached, he noticed a wariness come over her and it made Dane nervous. “Hey.”
“Hi.”
“The testing didn’t take long, so—I was wondering if you wanted to grab a cup of coffee and maybe a cocoa for the little man.” Dane looked at Jayden, who was oblivious to them, too caught up with building a large tower with the blocks.
“Just us?”
Dane grinned. “You mean, you don’t want my entire entourage?” He glanced behind him to find the bodyguards were guarding the door. “Yes, just us.”
She nodded. “Okay, sure.”
Dane lent his hand and helped Iris up from the small chair. He was surprised when an electric shock surged through him at merely touching her. He was aghast at having a reaction when Iris was here with her sick child, and quickly stuck his hands in pockets.
Iris swallowed and tried not to show how hurt she was by Dane recoiling from her. When he’d touched her, she’d felt the zing low in her pelvis, awakening sensations she had almost forgotten. Her heart had fluttered, making her breath catch in her throat, but it was clear Dane was disgusted. Since he had no idea about her injuries, his reaction had to be because he found her lackluster. In comparison to his latest dalliance that she’d read about online, Lia Montgomery, Iris was sure she was. She’d perked up when he’d asked her to coffee, but now she understood it for what it was: pity.
It didn’t stop her from staring at Dane from underneath her lashes. He was startlingly good-looking. With his hair cut short, his face was a marvel up close, all creamy tapioca skin, strong clean jawline, dark brown eyes, bushy ebony brows and tempting mouth. Dane was movie-star handsome and downright sexy without even trying. Take what he was wearing today, for example. The leather jacket, T-shirt and faded jeans were what any joe on the street would wear, but a woman could forget herself completely in his smile and would be thankful she had.
Impossible images flashed in her head of Dane without any clothes on. Each one was more inappropriate and more unlikely than the last. She blinked to clear her thoughts.
They made it to the cafeteria with the two bodyguards flanking them. After the two men had surveyed the place, she, Jayden and Dane were allowed to make their way to a four-seater table.
