by Katie Dowe
Robyn took them first into her small office which looked the same way he had known it except for the vase of freshly cut flowers in the center of the desk. She then led the way into one of the rooms where she treated her patients. The girls crowed in delight as they raced over to a small corner of the room where toys for both boys and girls were piled onto shelves. There was also an aquarium with several small fish swimming around.
“Doctor Herringbone never had this,” Timothy commented as he watched his nieces poking the glass of the aquarium.
“I figured that it was something to make the children feel comfortable.”
***
Timothy stared down at the petite woman standing next to him. She barely came to his chest as she was wearing sneakers with the scrubs she had on and her hair was caught up in a ponytail. She was also not wearing makeup but she was so beautiful that he could scarcely take his eyes off her. He dragged his eyes away from her and stared at the girls, who were still standing there fascinated by the fish behind the glass. “I want a gold fish Uncle Tim,” Madison told him.
“Me too!” her sister piped up.
“Taking care of a fish takes a lot of time and attention and I'm not certain your parents would ever agree to that,” he told them mildly. They knew his weakness where they were concerned and took advantage of it every chance they got.
“You can come and help me take care of these whenever you have the chance,” Robyn told them.
“Can we?” Both girls turned to their uncle, their eyes blazing in excitement.
“As long as Dr. Faulkner is okay with it.” He glanced at his watch reluctantly and realized that he would have to take them home now but wished that there was some way he could come back and see her. Suddenly inspiration hit and he went with it! “I'm going to take them home but I was wondering if I could come back so you can have a look at my knee?’
Robyn frowned at him in concern and he felt like a damned fraud! “Is it still stiff?’
“Somewhat,” he responded, fudging the truth. He'd been traveling over the past week and hadn't been able to go on his usual run but intended to take it back up and wondered if she was still jogging. He had every intention of finding out when he came back later.
“I'll have a look at it when you come back,” she agreed. He almost sagged in relief that she hadn't suggested he stay and do so now.
“Okay girls, say goodbye and let’s go.”
They did so reluctantly, hugging Robyn before they left and making Timothy wish that he could spontaneously do that as well. But he wanted more than a hug, he wanted everything, and for the first time in his life he wanted it badly.
***
Robyn locked up the facility and turned the lights off, making sure she had everything ready for tomorrow. She was falling into the routine of the place and getting to know the people here. She'd also fallen in love with two adorable girls who reminded her sharply of how much she would like children of her own. She went into the living room and wondered if she had time for a quick shower before Timothy McLaughlin came by. She'd almost told him that him that she was tired and wanted to be alone but she owed him as she'd been the one to cause the damage in the first place. She'd been jogging for the past week and hadn't seen him, feeling guilty that she'd curtailed his health regimen by being so careless. With a quick decisive movement she headed for the bathroom to take a quick shower and then into the bedroom to pull on an old pair of sweatpants and black t-shirt. She pulled the rubber band from her hair and ran her fingers through the strands a few times before making her way into the kitchen to make herself some tea. A few of the patients had gotten into the habit of bringing foodstuff over for her and one had even brought her an orchid plant. She'd protested that she had no idea how to take care of the very expensive plant but the woman had written down the instructions for her and told her that if she needed help she would be happy to offer her assistance. She'd just turned off the stove and had poured the water over the pouch of tea when she saw the red light flashing on the house phone. She had severed all ties to her past and had even gotten a new cell number, which she'd only given to her mother. She pressed the button and went rigid when Sean's voice came over the message. “Robyn darling, I know that I am the very last person you want to hear from but I had to call and tell you how sorry I am. I never meant to hurt you and I want you to know that I do love you.” There was a pause as if he was considering what to say next. “It just happened between Brianna and me and I want you to know that I am so sorry, you didn't deserve anything like this—” a pause again “—please call me back so that we can talk.”
***
She'd been so immersed in the message that she hadn't heard the door open or been aware that Timothy had heard every single word as he stood in the doorway, watching the tears stream down her face as she listened.
Timothy felt impotent rage as he stared at her bowed head. He'd knocked but she hadn't heard him and he'd opened the door, coming in just in time to hear the message. His hands clenched into fists and he willed himself to be calm. He couldn't let her see how affected he was and he had to decide how to play this. He could be the sympathetic friend or he could pull her into his arms and let her cry there. Either way he had to do something now. He strode over to her swiftly and she lifted her head to look at him through the sheen of tears. “I didn’t hear you come in,” she choked.
“I knocked and you didn't answer.” He took one of her hands hesitantly and when she didn't pull away he took the other one and pulled her closer to him. “I have a very broad chest,” he told her gently.
***
Robyn was caught between the need to laugh and cry. For some reason she didn't feel embarrassed, didn't feel the need to tell him to get out. Instead, she accepted his offer and went into his arms, her fingers curling into his jacket as she sobbed against him.
***
His arms tightened around her petite frame, his body rigid with the need to find that son-of-a-bitch and do him physical harm for breaking her heart like this! That damned spineless fool, he thought viciously as he strove to get his rampaging emotions under control. This wasn't about him. It was about her and finding the means to make her heal. He had to show her that he was there for her no matter what and he had to make her trust him and let her realize that not every man was like that bastard who'd betrayed her! But for now he had to comfort her. This wan't going to happen for very long as she'd stopped crying and was already pulling out of his arms.
“I ruined your shirt,” she murmured, keeping her eyes on his chest.
“I’ll send you the dry cleaning bill.” His tone was light and he mentally beseeched her to look up at him. She did and her tear-drenched eyes looked so vulnerable that he wanted to pull her into his arms and lose himself in her.
“I'm sorry,” she whispered.
“So am I,” he told her.
“What?’
“Sorry that you felt the need to spend one second crying over a man who clearly didn't deserve a single moment of your time, much less a fraction of your tears.” The comment was made in such a way that wrung a laugh from Robyn.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Any time.” He inclined his head. “What now?”
“What do you mean?”
“I've seen you at your most vulnerable, held you in my arms while you cried. I'm just wondering where we go from here? Maybe telling each other our deepest darkest secrets while we drink tea.” His dark blue gaze swung to the abandoned tea cup on the counter and grimaced. “I have to confess though that I'm not much of a tea person.”
***
Robyn stared at him for a moment and laughed. She couldn't help it! She felt better! Somehow he'd made it possible that she wasn't drowning in despair and mortification but she actually felt better.
“I could skip the tea and offer you a glass of wine but hold off on the confessions until I have seen you at your most vulnerable.”
He smiled at that. “Agreed.” He reached o
ut and she placed her hand in his as he guided her towards the counter.
“I think I have a bottle of Chardonnay lying around.” She let go of his hand and opened the fridge door, retrieving the bottle of wine and grabbing two glasses from the cabinet. He reached for the bottle and worked the cork out of it with ease, pouring the liquid into the two glasses. Robyn hopped onto the stool opposite him and sipped her wine contemplatively before she looked at him. “Do you often come to the rescue of women in distress?”
***
“I'm a regular knight in shining armor,” he told her sardonically as he sipped his wine. Her lashes were still spiky from the tears and her hair was tumbling around her shoulders in tangled waves, begging for his fingers to slide through the strands. He wanted to fist his hand into her hair and hold her head still while he devoured her mouth, his tongue driving into her mouth with a force that would leave her in little doubt as to his intentions. His attention snapped back and he could feel his erection getting painful. Christ! He would have to leave shortly or run the risk of her finding out that his intentions were anything but honorable.
“Why do I get the feeling that isn't true?” she was saying.
He mentally shook his head and forced himself to appear cavalier. “Maybe because it's not,” he told her lightly. He hesitated a moment and wondered if it was too soon to delve into a subject that was apparently too painful for her. “Are you in love with him?”
She looked at him, startled, and then looked down into her glass. She was silent for so long that he decided that she wasn't going to answer him.
“I suppose I was,” she said thoughtfully. “I was dazzled by him and also dazzled and gratified that out of a hospital filled with attractive female doctors and nurses he'd chosen me. He was charismatic and handsome and carelessly arrogant. I guess it was because he was also very wealthy and he was used to getting anything he wanted and I was thrilled that he wanted to be with me. I was even more so when he asked me to marry him. But I was so committed to my career that I hardly had time for him. I was determined to become the best in my field and I worked assiduously to make sure that happened.” She tilted the glass and drank the wine before continuing. “I'm not making excuses for him but I wasn't as committed to the relationship as I was to becoming the best and I never noticed that the relationship was floundering.” She stopped and used a finger to trace the edge of the glass.
Timothy didn't say anything but watched her movement as if hypnotized by it. She had long tapered fingers—fingers that had been made to tend to people and make them better. Fingers that he wanted to feel on his naked body, reaching for his—he finished the wine and got to his feet abruptly, causing her to look up at him. He willed the raging desire from his body and hoped fervently that she hadn't noticed anything amiss. “You need to get some rest.”
“But I haven't looked at your knee,” she protested.
“Right.” He was reminded of the excuse he'd used to come back and see her but the thought of her hands on any part of his body was more than he could bear at the time. “I think it's fully healed. As a matter of fact, I'm going to start jogging again tomorrow. Maybe I'll see you around?”
“Are you sure?” She looked at him quizzically, as if she knew a secret he was trying to hide.
“I am,” he told her firmly, moving from around the counter. He stopped just next to her and tilted her face up. “Don’t beat yourself up over him and torture yourself over what you should have done. If he'd truly loved you he wouldn't have done what he did.” With that he dropped his hand and walked out of the room. Robyn caught him at the door and touched his arm, making him turn towards her. “Thank you.”
He nodded and smiled at her. “Lock up,” he said briefly as he left.
***
Timothy contemplated calling up an old flame to quench the raging desire inside his body. He thought about it for a full ten minutes as he paced the length of his living room and had actually reached for his phone to make the call before he decided against it. He couldn't involve another person in the tableau unfolding in his life and he had a distinct feeling that taking someone else to his bed wasn't going to quench the desire raging inside his body. He'd held her in his arms and felt his heart break as he listened to her heart wrenching sobs and had wanted to go out and slay her dragons for her. He'd wanted to find that guy and tear his limbs off for the part he'd played in hurting her. He laughed grimly and shoved his fingers through his hair. For the first time in his life he was on the receiving end of an emotion that he couldn't identify, did not want to identify at this particular moment. He'd had women at his beck and call, even when he couldn't rub two pennies together, and then even more when he started making money. He'd grown cynical and cold when he found out that they were more interested in the money and what he could do for them than in him. His mind drifted to Monique and his expression hardened a fraction. He'd been twenty and had just bought his first building with the intention of fixing it up and maximizing the profit he would make from selling it. He had plans and he had written them down. He was going to become rich, not only rich but filthy rich, and he wasn't going to allow anything to stand in his way. He'd met her when she stopped by the gas station to get gas and had been bowled over by her striking beauty and her careless grace. She had gotten out of the convertible and run inside the store to grab some snacks, coming back out just as he was finished. He'd been bold enough to admire her long black hair and her dark green eyes and had asked her for her number. She'd looked at him and laughed and then with a shrug she'd given it to him. He was on his way to being what he wanted to be and he'd thought he'd found the woman who would share it with him. He'd started seeing her and after the third date he'd taken her in the back seat of his dilapidated jeep, the sounds of her moans and expressions of pleasure filling the interior of the vehicle.
He'd started to suspect that she was more into him for the lovemaking than anything else as she kept telling him that he was the best she'd ever had and she couldn't help but want more. But he'd ignored the voices in his head and continued to see her. He told her his dreams and that he wanted to share them with her and she'd agreed. Until several months later when she'd told him with tears in her eyes that she'd accepted a marriage proposal from someone who could keep her in the style she was accustomed to. She was very sorry but that didn't mean they couldn't still be together. She didn't want to give up the love-making that she'd become addicted to. He'd felt contempt replacing the love he'd thought he had for her and had told her that he never wanted to see her again.
He'd seen her years later at a function and she'd told him that she was divorced and maybe they could pick up where they'd left off, that she'd made a big mistake. He'd taken her in his arms and onto the dance floor where he'd held her treacherous body close to his, giving her the mistaken impression that he was amenable to her suggestion and when the dance had ended he'd told her that he no longer sleep with snakes and had left her standing there without turning to look at her.
Timothy closed his eyes as he thought of Robyn. He knew without a doubt that she wasn't like that and never would would be and he also knew that he was in big trouble.
Chapter 5
“Fancy meeting you here!” Robyn slowed down immediately and pulled the earphones out just as he ran in front of her. She jogged in place for a moment before stopping. She couldn't help but notice his powerful muscled forearms and the way the grey t-shirt clung to the muscles of his chest. A sheen of perspiration clung to the hard planes of his face and the hairs at his temples.
“How's the knee?” she asked him as she stretched automatically to work out the kinks in her body.
He stretched the foot out and turned it experimentally. “Good as new.” His dark blue eyes searched her face. “How are you?”
“Good as new,” she echoed his phrase as she fell into step with him. “I slept like a baby last night for the first time in several months.”
“Good to hear,” he told her lightly. “How abo
ut a race up the block? The loser buys dinner.”
She looked at him startled. “That wouldn't be a fair race as I'm sure you've noticed that your legs are way longer than mine.”
“I'll give you a head start.” His voice was coaxing and she almost said yes but not quite.
“You shouldn't put pressure on your knee—”
“You're making excuses.” His tone was implacable and his look dared her to agree.
“I'm making reasons.” She shook her head as she stared at him. “Okay fine!” she said, throwing up her hands in defeat.
“I like Italian and there happens to be a very fine Italian restaurant a few miles from here,” he told her arrogantly.
“Oh I see!” she said with a laugh. “You're already implying that you will win.”
“Who's implying?”
She planted her hands on her hips and stared up at him. “I would have you know that I was the champion long distance runner in high school and college.”
“How long ago was that?” His eyebrows lifted in enquiry.
“Not that long. Are you going to stand there talking or are we going to do this?” she demanded.
***
“At the count of three! One! Two—”Before he finished saying the word she was off like a shot, catching him by surprise.
“You minx!” He exploded with a laugh as he took off behind her. “If you happen to win by cheating it doesn't count,” he called after her. But to his surprise in spite of his long legs, he had a hard time catching up with her and had to put forth the extra effort not only to catch her but to pass her and only just managed to beat her by a fraction. He stood there with his hands folded on his chest as he waited for her to stop in front of him.
“What should the punishment be for cheating?” he asked her mildly, admiring the way her breasts heaved at the effort she'd put into the race.
“I think it's only fair that you decide,” she said after she'd caught her breath.
“You're right.” He tilted his head as if he was considering. “How about two dinners? One on Saturday night and another on the day of your choosing.”