Just One Night Together (Flatiron Five Fitness #3) - Deborah Cooke Page 0,8
he replied. “They could make sure you actually get the water.”
Haley hit the machine with her fist on the left side, hard, at a spot just below her waist. The machine wobbled, thunked, then the bottle of water was dislodged. It dropped into the delivery chute and rolled into the bin at the bottom.
Damon cast Haley a smile that turned her inside out. She flushed and dropped her gaze, thinking that a smile like that should be classed as a lethal weapon and come with warning labels. “Thanks.”
She blinked as she tried to slow her pulse. “It’s easy when you know how.”
“That’s true of pretty much anything, isn’t it?” He didn’t seem to expect an answer but bent and retrieved the bottle. Haley treated herself to a quick look at his butt, then felt like she shouldn’t have. A peek just made her want to touch. Maybe fondle. Caress.
It had definitely been too long.
She remembered the F5F billboard and stole another peek. Had the image been touched up? She was thinking not.
Damon opened the bottle and drank, his gaze fixing upon her. “I thought you’d change your mind.”
“I was sure you had.”
He glanced over the quiet hospital lobby. “Look, I was teasing about going to your place or mine. Is there a classroom or something we could use here? That way, you don’t have to worry about letting a stranger into your home.”
Haley wasn’t worried about that. Not only did she have far too much defense training, but she doubted a man with such healing power in his hands could have any inclination to violence. She believed that Damon would never hurt her, or any other woman.
Her mom always said that the way a man treated his mom revealed the truth of his character.
“I’d just have to worry about being naked with a man where my coworkers could find me,” Haley replied.
Damon looked surprised.
She lifted the keys from her bag and spun them on her finger. “I think I know enough about you to feel safe.”
If he was skeptical, he hid it well. He lifted her coat out of her grip and held it for her, a gesture that both pleased and surprised her. “Let me guess. You’ve got a black belt.”
“And more,” she agreed because it was true. She met his gaze, letting him see that she wasn’t afraid of him.
“You seem to be the kind of person who takes care of herself,” he said mildly.
Haley shrugged. “No one else is going to do it.” She eyed him again. “I don’t mean that to sound bitter. It’s just true and I don’t mind.”
“It sounds practical,” he said, almost smiling. “But then, I understand that Haley Slater is a very practical nurse.”
Haley froze. “I didn’t tell you my name.”
“I had some time. I asked the nurses at the station about you.” He fastened his coat. “You’re not the only one who likes to know what they’re getting into.”
It was a little strange to find that she had anything in common with him. Haley wondered how much the other nurses had told him. She ducked her head to fasten the zipper of her coat, which she thought would hide her thoughts.
She was wrong.
“They don’t know much about you,” Damon continued. “Or they’re not inclined to share it. All I learned was that you’re completely reliable and that you offer to take other people’s holiday shifts.” He shrugged. “I expect I’ll be doing the same at work next year. Also, they weren’t surprised you came to see my mom, since you’re usually in oncology and are interested in complementary care, like massage.”
She sounded almost boring by this summary.
Haley supposed that she was boring.
She had a vehement urge to show Damon that she could be interesting.
“Should we go?” he asked and she realized she hadn’t moved.
“Do you have a car? It’s only about four blocks.”
He shook his head. “Sounds like we need a cab.” They headed for the door and he gave her a look that reminded her of her older brother. “You don’t walk that distance alone at this hour, do you?”
“No, but I do in the daytime. It’s just across the park. That’s why I took that apartment in the first place, so I could walk to work.” Once again, Haley felt like she was rattling on, so she deliberately shut up.
The fact was that she was a bit nervous to be taking Damon back to her place. She wasn’t afraid of him, but she didn’t routinely take men home. It