be him having a nightmare, and I’d be there to talk about it when he woke. I just didn’t feel right sending him off alone knowing what I knew.
He nodded. “It’s a date.”
A date, and he was going to sleep through it. Huh, wasn’t that just my luck.
“Are you going to get into trouble for this?”
I shook my head as I led Noah into the green sleep room. It was shortly after midnight, and other than another patient—a patient who was someone else’s responsibility, not mine—already asleep in a room down the hall, there was only me, Noah, and a small night staff in the clinic. The building provided security, and Joe, the night guard, would no doubt stop by later with coffee and donuts.
Donuts, which I would not eat. I had to make myself promise that now.
“It’s not like I canceled another appointment to hook you up. If anyone asks, I’ll tell them you’re helping me with an experiment.”
“An experiment?” Noah cocked a dark brow as he tossed his coat over the stiff, pinched little chair in the corner. “Sounds nefarious.”
I smiled. I was beginning to sort out when he was joking. “You’ve discovered my dark side. I’ll make something up. I wouldn’t want you to get billed for something that was my idea.”
He stiffened—just like in the movies when someone’s been offended. “I can afford your rates, Doc.” His voice actually dropped—in tone and temperature.
“I never said you couldn’t.” Actually I kinda had, I suppose. Deliver me from the fragile male ego. “You want me to bill you?”
He nodded—a quick, decisive jerk of his head. “Yes.”
Since this was now a professional situation, it would have been wrong of me to roll my eyes, no matter how badly I wanted to.
“Fine. I’ll have Bonnie do the paperwork tomorrow. Now, can we get on with this?”
“Doc.” His brows came together in a manner that was both mocking and endearing. “Do you treat all your dates this way?”
“Billing them? No. Besides, I don’t date.” Stupid, stupid mouth!
Anyone else would have looked uncomfortable, or maybe apologized, but not Noah. He looked curious—interested. The base of my spine tingled.
“Why not?” he asked, unzipping the bag he’d brought.
I might as well be honest, as painful as it was. It’s not like I’d be able to tell from his expression if he pitied me or not. “The men I meet don’t seem to find me attractive.”
“Huh.” He tossed a pair of Spider Man sleep pants over his shoulder, tilted his head and watched me with those fathomless eyes.
“That’s weird.”
I arched a brow. “Weird?”
“That you actually believe that.”
I opened my mouth at the same time he opened the door to the adjoining bathroom. He closed it behind him, leaving me alone to feel somewhat silly and bewildered.
Noah returned a few minutes later wearing only the sleep pants, and I tried not to think about the fact that I was alone in what was essentially a bedroom with one of the sexiest men I knew, and he was half-naked. Even the possibility of dream-killers couldn’t dull that realization. It was no different than any other time Noah had done an all-nighter, but somehow, since we’d had dinner together and exchanged flirtatious remarks, it seemed strange and tense.
Once he was under the blankets, I focused on my job. It wasn’t that difficult—I’m not a total flake. I got the equipment ready and in position and placed the electrodes on Noah’s head and chest.
“I’m sorry if they’re cold.” It was what I said to him every time I hooked him up.
When he didn’t respond, I looked down to see him staring at me. “Noah?”
“I thought of the colors,” he replied, watching me closely. “For your hair.”
Had he been thinking of that the entire evening? I wasn’t sure how to feel about that, but you know I had to ask. “And they are?”
“Sable with burnt umber for the highlights and maybe a little titian.”
I smiled. “You should work for
He nodded. “It’s a date.”
A date, and he was going to sleep through it. Huh, wasn’t that just my luck.
“Are you going to get into trouble for this?”
I shook my head as I led Noah into the green sleep room. It was shortly after midnight, and other than another patient—a patient who was someone else’s responsibility, not mine—already asleep in a room down the hall, there was only me, Noah, and a small night staff in the clinic. The building provided security, and Joe, the night guard, would no doubt stop by later with coffee and donuts.
Donuts, which I would not eat. I had to make myself promise that now.
“It’s not like I canceled another appointment to hook you up. If anyone asks, I’ll tell them you’re helping me with an experiment.”
“An experiment?” Noah cocked a dark brow as he tossed his coat over the stiff, pinched little chair in the corner. “Sounds nefarious.”
I smiled. I was beginning to sort out when he was joking. “You’ve discovered my dark side. I’ll make something up. I wouldn’t want you to get billed for something that was my idea.”
He stiffened—just like in the movies when someone’s been offended. “I can afford your rates, Doc.” His voice actually dropped—in tone and temperature.
“I never said you couldn’t.” Actually I kinda had, I suppose. Deliver me from the fragile male ego. “You want me to bill you?”
He nodded—a quick, decisive jerk of his head. “Yes.”
Since this was now a professional situation, it would have been wrong of me to roll my eyes, no matter how badly I wanted to.
“Fine. I’ll have Bonnie do the paperwork tomorrow. Now, can we get on with this?”
“Doc.” His brows came together in a manner that was both mocking and endearing. “Do you treat all your dates this way?”
“Billing them? No. Besides, I don’t date.” Stupid, stupid mouth!
Anyone else would have looked uncomfortable, or maybe apologized, but not Noah. He looked curious—interested. The base of my spine tingled.
“Why not?” he asked, unzipping the bag he’d brought.
I might as well be honest, as painful as it was. It’s not like I’d be able to tell from his expression if he pitied me or not. “The men I meet don’t seem to find me attractive.”
“Huh.” He tossed a pair of Spider Man sleep pants over his shoulder, tilted his head and watched me with those fathomless eyes.
“That’s weird.”
I arched a brow. “Weird?”
“That you actually believe that.”
I opened my mouth at the same time he opened the door to the adjoining bathroom. He closed it behind him, leaving me alone to feel somewhat silly and bewildered.
Noah returned a few minutes later wearing only the sleep pants, and I tried not to think about the fact that I was alone in what was essentially a bedroom with one of the sexiest men I knew, and he was half-naked. Even the possibility of dream-killers couldn’t dull that realization. It was no different than any other time Noah had done an all-nighter, but somehow, since we’d had dinner together and exchanged flirtatious remarks, it seemed strange and tense.
Once he was under the blankets, I focused on my job. It wasn’t that difficult—I’m not a total flake. I got the equipment ready and in position and placed the electrodes on Noah’s head and chest.
“I’m sorry if they’re cold.” It was what I said to him every time I hooked him up.
When he didn’t respond, I looked down to see him staring at me. “Noah?”
“I thought of the colors,” he replied, watching me closely. “For your hair.”
Had he been thinking of that the entire evening? I wasn’t sure how to feel about that, but you know I had to ask. “And they are?”
“Sable with burnt umber for the highlights and maybe a little titian.”
I smiled. “You should work for
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