objective in mind—her safety. Not a bad neighborhood, but it got a lot of noise from the I-75/I-696 interchange. There was also no security, which for a woman living alone was far from ideal. He’d take care of making sure she was safe and secure, for her sake as well as his own peace of mind. They were involved now, although she didn’t know it yet, but he’d see to that soon as well. There was something, be it fate or happenstance, that kept throwing them together. Although she’d irritated him today with the risks she’d taken with her knee, there was so much about her that pleased him. Not just her looks, which held great appeal, but her wit and grace, the way she challenged him even though he was more than twice her size, and her southern twang, which was charming and sexy as hell.
Using her keys to let himself in, he paused, letting his eyes adjust to the dimness of the apartment. Although approaching dusk, it was still light outside but the heavy drapes made her place dark as a tomb. In the quiet, he heard her soft breathing from the couch. Something rubbed against his leg. Looking down, he was surprised to see a fluffy white Persian winding leisurely around his ankles. Where had it been before? Of course, he should have pegged her for a cat person straight off. Not only because she was cute, graceful, and dainty, but because she was subtle, a bit mysterious, and had an independent streak a mile wide. Shaking his head ruefully, he quietly made his way to the kitchen and started their supper. Twenty minutes later the pasta was almost done with the sauce set on simmer, the French bread was in the oven on warm, and he was ready to wake her up.
“Georgia.” His first attempt didn’t penetrate and he tried again, laying a hand softly on her shoulder. “Stacy?”
“Mm… five more minutes.”
He chuckled. She sounded just like a kid asking her mom to sleep in. “It’s time to wake up, honey, dinner is ready.”
She rolled to her back and stretched a moment before her eyes flew open and she tensed. Her eyes darted quickly around the room, obviously confirming her surroundings before she pushed to a seated position. A grimace passed over her face as the movement jarred her injury.
“It’s going to hurt for a few days. I’m really very sorry.”
Her eyes flickered to his face and she frowned. “Who are you and what have you done with Jared Baker?”
She was referring to his surly behavior from earlier; not his best moment, he knew. “I’m sorry for being a grouch earlier too. I’m afraid I get that way when my patients don’t follow orders.”
“You mean you’re not usually bossy, autocratic and, oh yeah, a car thief?”
Although her message was clearly crabby, her tone was soft and husky from sleep, and the way she stretched like a contented kitten, warm and cuddly from a nap, was certainly not congruent with her sass. The confusing little cat had claws. When faced with his anger, she’d stood up to him and had given as good as she got. This he found amusing to a point, up until she’d placed her health at risk. He remembered the look on her face when he’d taken her keys. It was almost as priceless as the shocked look when he’d kissed her. Both were bold moves on his part, but he recognized a vulnerability in her that screamed for someone to take charge and take care of her. Not that she wasn’t doing all right on her own; she was a successful professional and showed the world a strong, capable exterior, but there was something underlying, an emotional frailty—maybe defenselessness was a better term—either way, it made the protective side of him emerge and he felt an instinctive need to care for and protect her. Still he planned to move cautiously.
“I brought the keys back and your Jeep was safe and sound in its space all day, so I’m only guilty on two of those counts.”
She snorted, evidently not awake enough to debate with him. Sitting up straight, she inhaled. “Something
Using her keys to let himself in, he paused, letting his eyes adjust to the dimness of the apartment. Although approaching dusk, it was still light outside but the heavy drapes made her place dark as a tomb. In the quiet, he heard her soft breathing from the couch. Something rubbed against his leg. Looking down, he was surprised to see a fluffy white Persian winding leisurely around his ankles. Where had it been before? Of course, he should have pegged her for a cat person straight off. Not only because she was cute, graceful, and dainty, but because she was subtle, a bit mysterious, and had an independent streak a mile wide. Shaking his head ruefully, he quietly made his way to the kitchen and started their supper. Twenty minutes later the pasta was almost done with the sauce set on simmer, the French bread was in the oven on warm, and he was ready to wake her up.
“Georgia.” His first attempt didn’t penetrate and he tried again, laying a hand softly on her shoulder. “Stacy?”
“Mm… five more minutes.”
He chuckled. She sounded just like a kid asking her mom to sleep in. “It’s time to wake up, honey, dinner is ready.”
She rolled to her back and stretched a moment before her eyes flew open and she tensed. Her eyes darted quickly around the room, obviously confirming her surroundings before she pushed to a seated position. A grimace passed over her face as the movement jarred her injury.
“It’s going to hurt for a few days. I’m really very sorry.”
Her eyes flickered to his face and she frowned. “Who are you and what have you done with Jared Baker?”
She was referring to his surly behavior from earlier; not his best moment, he knew. “I’m sorry for being a grouch earlier too. I’m afraid I get that way when my patients don’t follow orders.”
“You mean you’re not usually bossy, autocratic and, oh yeah, a car thief?”
Although her message was clearly crabby, her tone was soft and husky from sleep, and the way she stretched like a contented kitten, warm and cuddly from a nap, was certainly not congruent with her sass. The confusing little cat had claws. When faced with his anger, she’d stood up to him and had given as good as she got. This he found amusing to a point, up until she’d placed her health at risk. He remembered the look on her face when he’d taken her keys. It was almost as priceless as the shocked look when he’d kissed her. Both were bold moves on his part, but he recognized a vulnerability in her that screamed for someone to take charge and take care of her. Not that she wasn’t doing all right on her own; she was a successful professional and showed the world a strong, capable exterior, but there was something underlying, an emotional frailty—maybe defenselessness was a better term—either way, it made the protective side of him emerge and he felt an instinctive need to care for and protect her. Still he planned to move cautiously.
“I brought the keys back and your Jeep was safe and sound in its space all day, so I’m only guilty on two of those counts.”
She snorted, evidently not awake enough to debate with him. Sitting up straight, she inhaled. “Something
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