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"I was unconscious for two of them"

Shocked, she parted her lips

That’s when Ryan noticed Tom in the exam room, and his swollen, red cheek "Hell, what happened?"

"North tried to take her My fault" Touiltily at Jake

Jake cursed under his breath and motioned to the break room "Tell me what happened"

Silence stretched between Ryan and Carol She figured he waswhat had happened She led him into the exa, which made her more self-conscious than before "It was all my fault," she finally admitted "Not Tom’s He insisted Matthew see to the patient But the rowled

"Yes, but we couldn’t s to let hiuided Ryan across the rooood arm to help him up on the exam table Once he was settled, she released hi next to hiray, Matthew should have seen him"

"I know I know It was my fault," she reiterated "I… I just wanted to prove that I could continue to see patients, hu anyone in any trouble"

Ryan didn’t say anything for awhy this was so ined and a little weary as he tucked a curl of hair behind her ear "A guy could get used to a wo so reluctant to be examined, she expected him to keep up the resistance This business with North and the way he’d dropped the subject… well, the change in his attitude totally threw her Maybe in front of Tom and Jake or anyone like Christian ithin earshot, Ryan felt he had to put on a show Mostly, she was glad he wasn’t angry with her about her seeing North and putting both Tom and herself at risk

"I’ll beto acquiesce but not willing to get anyone hurt on account of her being so stubborn

She pressed against his knees to unbutton his shirt, but he spread his thighs, pulled her between his legs, and lifted a brow "Easier to get to the buttons" He looked like he was atte to contain a smile Devilish, desirous, rakish

She tried to be professional about this while his legs caged her in, his inner thighs touching her flesh, heating her skin through her scrubs, le She should have pushed away,next to his thigh on the outside would feel any less… erotic

All at once, she was re in the canopied bed, the way his hands and mouth and body had teased her into sub with desire Even noith their close proxihs touched her, his face leaning closer to hers, she was groith need

Her mind warred with her heart She wanted to lift her chin and kiss his lips, to wrap her arms around his waist, to hold hi soon

She meant to reach up and unbutton Ryan’s shirt and take care of him like a nurse was supposed to, but his hand cupped her chin and his ht A really… quick… kiss

But as soon as she tilted her lips up to meet his, as soon as she closed her eyes to savor the really quick kiss, she was lost Lost in the way his hands held her hips, keeping her frothe pressure and gliding over hers, hisan intimate path between them

Shelower and over her buttocks, pulling her against his groin Despite being wounded, he was hard and wanting all over again So as Ryan’s tongue tangled with hers She paused,to carry on with reckless abandon but knowing she couldn’t

Ryan released her with a curse under his breath,control, etting hie, she unfastened his buttons, feeling aroused and needy and desperate to finish what they’d started Then she gently tugged the shirt off his shoulders, her hands brushing against his heated skin She glanced up at hiaze still smoldered with lusty fascination She cleared her throat and slid the shirt down his ar not to hurt his injured arm

He sucked in his breath "So the patient’s clothes on a regular basis unless the guy’s half dead"

Her face flushed when it shouldn’t have, but she wasn’t going to let hi her job "You’re wounded, Ryan McKinley It would be too difficult for you to unbutton your shirt with one hand What ale in pain? Besides I’ off your trousers"

He chuckled wolfishly Hell, the way they’d been going, shebetween us is strictly business" At least that had been the plan before he pulled her between his legs and began kissing her