Midnight Kisses (4 page)

“Maybe because the first time you didn't ask me like a gentleman should,” she replied. “But I'll overlook that minor infraction. I'm looking forward to dinner.”

“I'll pick you up at seven tomorrow night, if that's fine with you?”

“Yes, that's fine.”

“I'll see you later. And Renée?”

“Yes.”

“I have all intentions of kissing you again.”

With that Daniel put the phone down. Renée experienced the familiar tingle of anticipation and excitement.

Dinner was going to be interesting.

 

Daniel rested the handset on the cradle and chuckled.
That
would leave her all flustered and bothered for a while.

Renée had been on his mind all day and his need to
be with her was intensifying. He liked the feeling, but he was worried about how quickly it was developing. Just a few days ago, he'd been dealing with the past and here he was obsessed with a woman he had just met. He couldn't help himself. Her image haunted him and his body burned for her. Maybe, he'd been without a woman for too long. The kiss they'd shared had aroused emotions that he wasn't sure he wanted to handle. Their coming together was unavoidable.

And if he had anything to do with it, it'd be sooner than later.

D
uring the night, images of Daniel Buchanan filled Renée's dreams. Several times she awoke, her body alive with the memory of his kiss.

She tried to purge his image, but nothing she did worked. Once, she tried counting sheep, but soon they morphed into him, a situation that only served to increase her irritation with him, a man she hardly knew….

In the stillness of the room, Renée laughed, knowing that her attraction to him hinted at her need for companionship. Yes, she spent most of her time running away from relationships, but none of her mother's finds or the men of her acquaintance stirred her like Daniel Buchanan did.

Even though he'd told her, and she knew he was being
honest, she couldn't understand what it would be like to lose someone you loved the way he did. Her memories of her father had faded and even when he'd passed away, she'd been too young to feel anything much.

His wife and daughter.

He'd said it so matter-of-factly, but she'd seen the flash of hurt. She reached out and touched him, hoping she'd given him comfort. His only response had been to squeeze her hand.

Life was so complicated and frustrating. She'd stayed away from men for so long and now she found herself drawn to a man who needed her to comfort him and help him to heal. Well, that was what she was going to do. She'd help him. She wanted to see him really smile. He needed to live again.

She had looked at him just like she looked at all those cases she'd had to deal with. Just another case, another person to counsel and help. She was going to help him and starting tomorrow would be perfect. She'd keep her eyes off his bulging muscles, and the uncertain smile that flickered briefly in the amber pools of his eyes. She'd never seen a man with eyes that color, but his almost made her drunk with their power.

An image of her lying under him flashed in her mind's eye, vivid and bold, and she closed her eyes, the sweetness of arousal washing her body with its heat. Renée reached for the reading lamp on the side table and flicked the switch on. Maybe, a good book would help.

An hour later, despite her attempt to immerse herself
in the latest mystery from her favorite author, the image of Daniel Buchanan still haunted her.

 

On Saturday, when Daniel saw Renée, he couldn't help but be taken aback by her beauty. But he suspected she didn't care too much about that part of her. Not that she didn't dress and carry herself well, but she seemed oblivious to her own ability to turn a man's head.

Since seeing her, he'd spent Thursday and Friday thinking about her, especially after she'd called to tell him she had an emergency and could not accept his invitation to dinner. He'd even experienced a sense of relief when she'd not been at the hospital when he visited Jamie yesterday.

Now, he could not help but stare at her as she stood talking to one of the doctors. He could tell she was angry, but struggled to control her composure. He could see determination etched on her face. He watched her, enjoying the way she became so animated when she talked. She used her hands and body to emphasize her point. And then she turned in his direction and something strange and unexpected happened.

He felt alive.

Fire blazed inside. Not just the flame of desire, but something more, something exciting. He immediately sought to control his body.

She turned to the doctor, said something to him and then headed in his direction. From the redness on the doctor's face, Daniel suspected she'd scored the winning goal.

When she reached him she smiled, but he could tell
that she was angry about what had happened between her and the doctor.

“Daniel,” she acknowledged.

“Renée,” he responded, amazed that he sounded so calm when inside his heart raced so quickly.

“Jamie has been moved from the room I assigned her. She has no insurance. I tried to see if I could get something worked out but that…idiot has already moved her.”

“But she's still in the hospital, right?”

“Yes, she is.”

“Then there is no need to be feeling like you do. He didn't put her out.”

“Sorry, I try not to get emotional about patients, but it's easier said than done. Especially if it's a young girl.”

“Remember, I work with kids, too, and there is no day when I don't feel like I'm fighting against the rigid bureaucracy. So I do know exactly how you feel.”

“You're right. I need to cool down a bit, I suppose,” she replied.

“You're going up to see her now?” he asked.

“No, I just came from seeing her. I'm on my way downtown to a meeting.”

“So what about dinner?” he asked. “I was disappointed you couldn't make it the other night.”

Renée looked at him strangely and replied, “I really did have an emergency.”

“I understand, but we
do
need to talk about Jamie. I'd like to find out who she is, who her parents are.”

“Okay, we can still do dinner, but it is going to be strictly business,” she said firmly.

He couldn't help but smile. “I promise,” he said, knowing she must have heard the laughter in his voice.

She looked at him strangely, and then tried to plaster a stern expression on her face.

“I'm not sure I like the look on your face. I'm tempted to conduct business with you only in my office, but I haven't eaten out in a week, so it'll be a nice change. So don't think it's because I want to spend any time with you.”

“I won't think that at all. Now I can get back to work and you can get on to your meeting. I suggest you be getting on your way.”

She smiled, turned quickly and walked away, the sway of her hips drawing him like a magnet.

Yes, he could see that he was in trouble. She was nothing like his wife. Lorraine had been a beautiful woman, but he could never define her as sexy. Yes, they'd made love often and sometimes passionately, but sometimes he'd felt like she was being the dutiful Christian wife, and he had been happy with that.

Now Renée tempted him in a totally unexpected way. She didn't even seem aware of the effect she was having on him.

He finally moved, heading toward the elevator. A short ride later, he was stepping out and moving toward the nurses' station. He'd forgotten to ask Renée for Jamie's new room number.

“Hi,” he told the older nurse. “I'm trying to find the
room number for a patient. Her name is Jamie Fenty. I'm not sure of her previous room number, but she was brought into the hospital last week. Renée Walker will vouch for me if you call her.”

“That's no problem, Mr. Buchanan. We all know who you are. You may have saved that girl's life. She's in room 402.”

“Thanks,” he replied. So they were calling him some kind of hero. He really didn't like that.

Back down the elevator and four floors below, he entered the ward. The room held three beds. One was empty, the other held a sleeping woman. Jamie, oblivious to the world, seemed engrossed in the book she was reading. Despite that, she must have heard his footsteps. She turned in his direction and then quickly looked away, but not before he saw the flash of happiness.

“Nice to see you, too,” he said.

Her head turned, and she stared at him for a long time before she spoke.

“Isn't your time for being a hero over?” she said, her voice laced with sarcasm.

For some reason he wanted to reach out and hug her and tell her everything was going to be all right, but he suppressed the feeling. He didn't want to feel like this, didn't want to care. So why was he here? Why did he keep coming back?

“So is there something wrong with caring about people?”

She started to speak, but stopped abruptly. She hadn't expected his response.

“Care? You're just being sly. You're just like all those
other guys. Rescue me, be nice and then take what you want? You want a freebie?”

She continued to look at him and her stare didn't waver. Neither did his. He couldn't let her think he was weak. Eventually, she looked away.

“I'm tired. My head hurts,” she said, her face showing her discomfort. “I need to get some sleep. You can go. Your good deed for the day is done. God must be pleased with you.”

“I'm sure he's pleased with you, too. You seem to have been a bundle of joy for the day. I've been told you've been surly to the nurses.”

And then she laughed, a loud heartfelt laugh that transformed her from a scared little girl hidden behind a wall of bravado, into an angel.

It was unexpected and he just watched her, until she stopped, her wall rebuilt higher.

“Don't say anything.”

“I wasn't going to,” he said.

“You always seem to want the last word.”

“Seems that I
am
getting the last word. Comes with years of practice.”

She did not respond, only rested her head back onto the pillow. Daniel could see that she was avoiding responding.

“Look, I just came to check in on you. I need to get home now.”

“Have a big date?” she said with a sly smile.

“In fact, I do.”

“With Ms. Walker?”

He felt the heat against his face, but responded.

“Now that is certainly not any of your business. You have a good night,” he said and turned to leave, but not before he saw the laughter in her eyes, the same loud uninhibited laughter, and it made him happy. Before he closed the door, he looked back. Her eyes were still on him. “I'll be back tomorrow and the next day, and the day after that. Be sensible and get accustomed to it. You won't drive me away.”

The look of bewilderment on her face was priceless.

He turned and walked away. At least he knew she'd got his message.

 

Renée put the phone down. She finally called him to let him know she could go out with him on Sunday, after having had to cancel their date on Friday night.

She wanted to go, but an emergency at work had forced her to remain there well into the evening. She wanted to get to know him. It wasn't about her attraction to him. That was a given, but she knew the best way to deal with what was happening.

She'd use their time together to find out about him. What made him seem so controlled and caused those occasional glimpses of sadness.

She shook her head, rose from the stool and walked over to the oven. The decadent whiff of chocolate chip cookies filled the room. Before the night was over, they'd all be gone.

Renée poured a glass of milk, a nightly habit, and walked to the sitting room. For some reason cookies and milk seemed to be the only thing to calm her, and
tonight, her trepidation at the upcoming date left her feeling edgy.

She used a remote control to turn the home theater system on. Strains of smooth jazz filled the room. Perfect for her milk and cookies and the perfect time to look over the important cases she had to deal with; allowing her mind to focus on something besides Daniel Buchanan.

Sometimes she wondered why she continued to do the work she did. Working with children and teenagers haunted her at night.

Where had her childhood dream of being a singer gone?

She'd woken up some time in high school and realized that life was more than a great voice. That she wanted to help people. She'd known that being a doctor had been out of the question. She and blood did not mix and it had taken her a while to accept that she could not do what her mother wanted. In fact, she'd finally realized that much of what she had wanted to do had been what her mother wanted her to do. She realized now that she'd found a purpose for living.

And that was what she planned to do with Daniel Buchanan. Help him on the road to recovery. She could tell that he'd suffered, but with time she knew that she could help him to heal.

Without warning the phone rang, making her jump with its shrill ring.

She had already picked it up when she checked the caller ID and saw that it was Cheryl.

“Yes, girlfriend. I did promise I would call. What you doing?” Cheryl asked.

“Eating. Reading.”

“Cookies, right?” Cheryl asked, her voice expectant.

“I confess.”

“Chocolate chip?”

“Yes.”

“Girl, want some company?'

“Sure. But if you want some of these, I suggest you get over here soon.”

“I'll be right over. And please make sure you keep a plate full for me.”

Forty-five minutes later, Cheryl opened the door with her spare key and entered, her hands laden with several bags and a large box.

“Chinese,” she responded when Renée raised her brow. “I know for sure that if I didn't bring something else for you to eat, you'd settle for those cookies for dinner. Cookies are dessert, Renée. How many times do I have to tell you that eating all those sweets will be your downfall?”

Renée laughed. “Look who's talking?” she accused. “It's a good thing I've encouraged you to join the gym. At least we get to work off all those calories.”

“Well, let's not waste time chatting. Where are those suckers?”

They both laughed.

“Come, let's get a couple sodas, watch a movie and have dinner. Of course, those cookies are dessert.”

“I'm with you, girlfriend. Something exciting and fun. No soppy romance for me.”

Several hours later, tired but not ready to sleep, Cheryl finally got down to business.

“So how's the ex-minister?” Cheryl asked.

“Now, why do you have to go there?”

“You know me. I can't resist a sexy man, even if he was a minister. And note, the word is
was.
So you plan on jumping his bones.”

“Cheryl!” Renée said with a laugh.

“Don't Cheryl me. I'd have had his body all racked and exhausted ten minutes after meeting him. You'd think he was created so beautiful for nothing. I mean, he's a bit too serious for my liking, but he's one hot specimen of manhood.”