Unlocking the Surgeon's Heart (12 page)

He grinned like a loon. “I’m glad you think so.”

“It’s too bad, though.”

“Oh?” he asked.

“Because it wouldn’t take much for me to fall in love.”

His breath froze in his lungs. “Would that be so terrible?” he asked softly.

“Not terrible,” she murmured. “It would be wonderful. Not a good idea, though.”

“Why not?” he asked.

One minute of silence stretched into two, then into five, but she didn’t answer. He wanted to nudge her awake so she could reply to his question, but he was reasonably certain she wouldn’t remember what she’d said.

He, however, wouldn’t forget.

Another five minutes went by. With great regret, Linc eased out from under her, covered her bare legs with a sheet, then tiptoed from the room.

He’d never imagined the evening would end with the two of them engaging in pillow talk. If another woman had said she could fall in love with him, he would have run for the nearest exit, but hearing Christy admit those feelings only reinforced his determination to hold on to her in any way he could.

Aware of his lingering arousal, he headed once again to the basement. At the rate he was going, he’d develop a bodybuilder’s physique before Ty and Gail returned.

CHAPTER SEVEN

“I
THINK
Jose is well enough to go home, don’t you?” Linc said to Christy after he’d reviewed Jose’s chart five days later.

“He’s doing remarkably well,” she agreed. “He’s complaining about the food again, so he’s definitely feeling better.” Between the filter that had been surgically inserted and medication adjustments, his most recent tests showed the clot in his leg was nearly dissolved.

Linc clicked a few final computer keys before he logged off the terminal. “I’ll break the news to him while you get things rolling.”

“Will do.”

He scooted his chair away from the counter. “You have a sitter for tonight, right?”

“Heather’s coming over at seven,” she told him. Heather was the sixteen-year-old high-school girl who came early on the mornings Christy had to work and oversaw Derek and Emma getting ready for school. Sometimes Linc was still there, but more often than not he’d left early, too, so Heather’s presence was a godsend.

“Although I still don’t understand why we need a sitter while we practice a dance routine,” she grumbled good-naturedly. “Derek and Emma won’t bother us.”

He raised an eyebrow. “If they don’t, it would be a first,” he said wryly.

“I agree they’re rather clingy, but they’re still adjusting.”

“I understand that, but even if by some miracle they would give us an hour to ourselves, I’d rather not risk it. Constant interruptions aren’t conducive to learning what we need to learn. The competition is only six weeks away.”

As if she needed reminding. She’d fielded more questions about being Linc’s partner, and from some of the comments she’d overheard, most were surprised to hear of his participation. Speculation and curiosity had increased ticket sales, as she’d suspected would happen. She only hoped Linc hadn’t heard those same rumors because, knowing his determination to excel, he’d insist on incorporating a more advanced routine than necessary.

“Regardless, everything is set for tonight,” she said.

“Great.” With that, he rose and headed to Jose’s room.

Less than a minute later, one of the other nurses, Rose Warren, strode into the nurses’ station, looking over her shoulder with eyes wide and her jaw slack.

“I can’t believe it,” she remarked to Christy. “Did you see him?”

“See who?” Christy answered as she pulled the appropriate discharge forms and patient home-care instructions from various folders.

“Dr Maguire.” Rose stared in the direction she’d come. “The man
smiled
at me.”

Christy grinned. “How absolutely terrible.”

“I wonder what’s happened? I mean, he’s always been courteous but he’s never gone out of his way to be friendly.”

“Yes, he has,” she protested mildly.

“To you, maybe. To the rest of us, he’s just…
polite
.”

Was Rose right? Christy thought for a moment and suspected there was some truth to her observation, but if Linc spoke to her more often than anyone else, it was only because most of the staff didn’t bother including him in their conversations. Granted, they’d probably tried at one point and his usual monosyllabic answers had eventually convinced them to stop trying, but she’d been undaunted. She’d always forced him into a discussion that didn’t involve treatment plans or patient symptoms and over the two years she’d known him they’d progressed to single sentences. Now, though, he didn’t wait to speak until spoken to, which was quite an achievement, in her opinion.

“He’s a very quiet, reserved person,” she countered, “but once you get to know him, he’s a great guy.”

“Well, whatever you’re doing to put the smile on his face, keep it up.”

She wasn’t doing anything in particular, although she had to admit that ever since Linc had sat with her while she’d fallen asleep, she’d caught him staring at her with the most amazing twinkle in his eyes. She must have said something amusing, but she couldn’t remember what it must have been. She recalled asking him why he hadn’t married, as well as a host of other questions regarding the woman he wanted to get to know. In a fuzzy corner in her memory she thought she’d apologized for jumping out of her skin when he’d touched her, and had told him why, but the rest was a blur between reality and a dream.

However, when she pressed him for details, he simply smiled, which made her wonder if she’d talked in her sleep.

It was probably best if she didn’t know what she’d said while her defenses had been down because she’d never be able to face him again.

“I wonder if he’s seeing someone,” Rose said thoughtfully.

The idea gave her a moment’s pause, but unless he carved out time in his already busy days, she couldn’t conceive how it might be possible. Although she wasn’t trying to keep him from his lady friend, she was, however, pleased that he’d devoted his evenings to her and the children.

“Could be,” she said in a noncommittal tone.

Rose’s dark eyes grew speculative. “Aren’t the two of you looking after his brother’s family while they’re out of the country?”

“Yes.”

“How’s that working out?”

Christy was nothing if not circumspect. “Fine. You know how it is with kids, there’s hardly time to breathe.”

Once again, Rose glanced in the direction he’d disappeared. “If a love interest hasn’t lightened his mood, then being around you must have done the trick.”

Linc
had
spent far more time at home than she’d initially expected. While he still had definite ideas about how and when things should be done, he’d also been more willing to compromise than she’d dreamed possible.

“Unless…” Rose stared at Christy thoughtfully “…you two are having a romance.”

Christy fought the warmth spreading up her neck and into her face. “Don’t be ridiculous. He’s just getting into the spirit of the hospital fundraiser,” she prevaricated. “Have you bought your tickets yet?”

“I have. Dean and I are looking forward to a night out.” She grinned. “Even if we have to spend it with the same people we work with.”

“Oh, the sacrifices one must make.”

“Where are you going on your vacation this year?” Rose asked. “Let me guess. You’re running the bulls.”

Christy laughed. “Sorry, that’s in July and I’ve missed it for this year.”

“Maybe you can do one of those Ironman events.”

“I’m not in shape for it.”

“You’re not in shape for what?” Linc’s voice interrupted.

“An Ironman event,” Christy explained. “You know—those endurance events that involve swimming, biking, and a marathon run.”

“We were discussing ideas for her annual adventure,” Rose added helpfully. “She’s already missed running with the bulls, but I suppose she could always do something wild like climbing Mount Everest.”

“Sorry,” Christy answered cheerfully, noting how Linc had suddenly tensed. “Too cold.”

Rose turned to Linc. “Do you have any suggestions for her, Doctor?”

A predatory gleam appeared in his eyes as he met Christy’s gaze and the heat she saw caused all her nerve endings to tingle.

“Not off the top of my head,” he said. “But I’ll give the subject some thought.”

Hearing that Christy was looking for a new adventure activated a fiercely protective streak he hadn’t noticed before. He didn’t want her choosing a dangerous pastime and he certainly didn’t want her getting her thrills in the company of some other guy, no matter how innocent the circumstances might be.

As for suggesting an exciting activity, he had an idea and it had driven him to the weight bench on several occasions. It involved the two of them, alone on a deserted island and surrounded only by the sun, sand, and the sea. Unfortunately, the rest of his mental picture wasn’t suitable to mention to a relative stranger and he was certain Christy wasn’t ready to hear it either.

Some things a man had to keep to himself until the proper moment.

However, he’d planned an adventure of another sort for this very evening—Christy didn’t know about it, yet—and he spent most of his afternoon keeping close tabs on the clock. If his office staff thought he was unusually eager to leave, they were too polite to comment.

At six forty-five, after promising Derek and Emma that he’d make up for missing their bedtime story, Linc promptly ushered Christy into his car. Tonight was their first private dance lesson and he couldn’t decide if he was dreading the experience or looking forward to it. He hoped the instructor would be as good as his billing because he didn’t want to disappoint Christy with his two left feet.

He passed the street leading to her apartment, then turned in the opposite direction from his house when she spoke.

“Linc,” she said carefully, “I thought we were going to practice a dance routine.”

“We are.”

“Then where are we going?”

He made a right turn. “I’ve scheduled private lessons for us at the You Can Dance
studio.”

Her jaw visibly dropped. “However did you manage that? They’re booked for weeks in advance and that’s just for a
group
lesson. I can’t imagine what one would have to do for a private session.”

“Yeah, well.” He shrugged. “It’s who you know. In my case, one of my patients is a relative and he put in a good word for me.”

“I should be angry with you,” she said without heat. “First you announce at dinner that your housekeeper will come by every week and now you’ve arranged for private dance lessons? What’s next? A caterer?”

He chuckled at her obvious frustration. “Catering is definitely out, but we have a dance routine to perfect,” he reminded her, “and that won’t happen overnight. So, to be sure we have time to devote, it only makes sense for Paullina to take on a few of our housekeeping chores. It isn’t a reflection on you, I swear.”

She fell silent and he hoped she was weighing the benefits and not preparing to present new arguments. “Okay,” she conceded, “but the minute we don’t need her—”

Gail and Ty would be home
. However, he didn’t want to mention, or think about, the day when their familial interlude would end. In the meantime, whether he turned into an overnight dance sensation or not, he intended to practice his steps with Christy as often as possible until he had another legitimate reason—one she would accept—to hold her in his arms.

“She’ll be gone. I promise.” He parked in a space in front of the studio’s entrance. “Shall we see what Mario and Carmen can do for us?”

Mario and Carmen were a Cuban husband-and-wife team in their mid-thirties and they greeted them with wide smiles.

“What would you like to dance for your competition?” Mario asked in his distinctive Spanish accent.

Linc shared a glance with Christy. “We’re open to suggestions.”

“Then we will show you various types of dance and you can choose which one speaks to you.”

As the couple demonstrated everything from the tango to mambo, the Viennese waltz to a foxtrot, with a fluidity that Linc envied, he began to wonder what he’d gotten himself into. Christy obviously sensed his concern, because she’d threaded her arm through his in a most comforting manner.

Halfway through the session, Carmen started the music for “The Time of My Life”. As he watched the pair perform the steps Patrick Swayze had made famous, he knew what he wanted. The sparkle in Christy’s eyes and her tight grip on his arm suggested she agreed.

“A good choice,” Mario said when Linc announced their decision. “I’m afraid some of the steps might be too much for you to learn in such a short time. The lift, for instance.”

“Then modify it for us,” Linc said, “because that, or something similar, is what we want.”

Mario grinned. “Ah, I like to see determination. That is good because you must work hard. We will meet only twice a week, but you will practice every day.”

Linc had anticipated the order and was looking forward to it. “We will.”

The lessons began. Ten minutes into the session, Mario pulled him aside.

“You are trying too hard,
amigo.
You wish to impress the lady, no?”

Frustrated by his missteps that made it difficult for Christy to follow, Linc rubbed his face with both hands. “Am I that obvious?”

“Only to me,” Mario assured him. “Don’t think about what you’re feet are doing. This is a song of love between you and your partner and has nothing to do with people out there.” He swept out his arm toward an imaginary audience. “As you express your feelings, you will relax and move with the confidence of a man who has a prize that many others want but cannot have.”

He recognized the truth in his instructor’s comments, but he hadn’t earned the prize either.

Mario must have seen something on Linc’s face because he smiled. “Ah, so that’s how it is. You are not certain you’ve won.”

Linc shrugged sheepishly. “No.”

“But you are here and they are not, so that gives you an advantage, does it not?” He paused. “She is a beautiful woman.”

Linc didn’t hesitate. “She is.”

Mario winked. “And do you not think so many men will be envious of you?”

He grinned. “Probably.”

“Then be confident that for this moment she is yours and only yours. When you move securely in that knowledge, your feet will go where they need to and she will follow.”

Yours and only yours
.

He liked the sound of that. Furthermore, he suddenly realized that he wanted far more than only a moment. He didn’t know how or when it had happened, but he wanted weeks, months, and
years
with her. He also wanted the clock to begin now, not later after her check-up.

“Shall we try again?” Mario asked.

He drew a bracing breath. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

The instructor clapped his hands. “Good. Then we begin.”

By the end of the session Linc was exhausted and he was certain Christy’s head was spinning from all the turns they’d practiced, but as soon as he’d put Mario’s advice into play, he’d felt himself become more sure-footed.

Mario pulled him aside as they were leaving. “Well done. I can see your confidence growing, no? Perhaps when you return you will be the teacher and I will be the student?”

Linc laughed. “I appreciate the thought, but that would take a miracle.”