Hot Number (Hot Zone 2)

At the door, Micki turned back to the dwindling crowd. "Happy birthday, Uncle Yank," she said to the almost empty room.

They reached the street as Yank was being placed in the ambulance. "I'll ride with you," Lola said.

"Why don't you ride with your boyfriend?" Yank asked.

"You old fool, he isn't my boyfriend" Lola said. "He's my friend."

"You dress like that for your friend?"

Apparently Yank's leg wasn't as badly bruised as his ego, Damian thought.

"I dressed like this for you. Spencer wouldn't care if I ran naked through Central Park! He's gay!" Lola said, then helped the ambulance men push the stretcher inside. She shot a look of regret at Spencer. "And for forcing me to reveal that secret, you can damn well ride alone. Spencer will take me to the hospital!"

The other woman stormed off, head held high.

Damian turned to Micki. "Is my mouth hanging open?" he asked.

"No more than mine is, I'm sure."

"Spencer Atkins is gay?" Damian ran a hand through his hair and laughed,

"What's so funny?"

He shook his head. "Your uncle just lost his last excuse. He's going to have to step up or step out of her life for good."

“Umm," She said in a low voice. "There's something you should know but you can't repeat it until it's official"

Damian raised an eyebrow. "You've got me curious."

"Well, the Hot Zone is going to be merging with Atkins Associates. It's mostly because of Uncle Yank's eyesight. It'll benefit him to have someone he trusts handling his clients."

"He trusts Atkins?"

Micki nodded. "Like a brother. Like you said about Lola, a strange relationship. Anyway, he agrees the merger's necessary but he's not taking it well. That probably explains his ranting back there. It's hard for him to give up his independence."

"Wow."

"Well, now you've been entrusted with privileged information. Repeat it and I may have to shoot you." She grinned and his heart twisted inside his chest.

His seven-day road trip was looking damn good about now.

CHAPTER TWELVE

TWO DAYS AFTER HER UNCLE'S ACCIDENT, Micki was still annoyed with fate. Just when she'd decided to make use of the makeover changes she'd done inside and out and enjoy one more night with Damian, fate had held her to her original promise to keep her hands off.

Uncle Yank had broken his hip and needed immediate surgery to repair the damage done in the fall. Between recuperation and physical therapy, he was looking at a long haul. She spent the night of her uncle's party at the hospital. Since they'd sedated him for the pain, he hadn't been able to have a coherent conversation with Lola, so that relationship was still on hold.

Meanwhile Micki and Sophie were taking rams dog-sitting Noodle the Labradoodle who refused to eat, sleep or drink alone. Uncle Yank had spoiled the pooch rotten and if they didn't keep up his bad habits, the dog cried day and night. The neighbors had left notes of complaint on both Sophie's and Micki's doors, forcing them to take Noodle to work along with them. They'd also been alternating Visiting hours at the hospital in order to take any burden off of Annabelle who'd been ordered by the doctor to take it easy on her feet and on her stress levels.

Though she wished her uncle hadn't hurt himself so badly, Micki didn't mind the added chaos in her own life. With Damian out of town, she was happy to have her mind occupied with other things. When she had time to think, she tortured herself with what might have happened had she not been stuck at the hospital their last night together.

Her body tingled at the thought of making love with Damian once more, of what his hot, hard body felt like pressed against hers as he drove into her again and again and again.

She sighed, then caught herself and realized she was moaning aloud while sitting in her office going over paperwork.

"Nice, Micki," she muttered.

"Woof!" Noodle answered her from her perch on the chair reserved for clients. Apparently Uncle Yank gave Noodle the run of the furniture as well as his life.