The Doctor's Damsel in Distress

“Convenience?” He laughed without humor. “Lady, there isn’t anything convenient about you.”

“I resent that comment.”

“Add it to the list of things you resent about me.”

Her gaze narrowed as she regarded him, her gaze lowered, her expression becoming pinched. “There is no list of things I resent about you.”

“No?” That surprised him. He could have written her a list a mile long. Starting with the fact that he’d not protected her when they’d made love, followed closely by the way he’d treated her afterwards. “Then me picking you up at four shouldn’t be a problem?”

Her hands went to her hips. “Actually, it is a problem. I’m meeting Carol at the center at three to help with any last-minute problems that arise.”

He sighed. “I’m working tomorrow until three. I can’t have you at the center that early.”

She gave him a so-what look. “I didn’t hear me ask you to. I’m planning to drive myself.”

Which meant she’d have her car to drive herself home in and he’d have no excuse to talk to her in private, because he didn’t fool himself into thinking he’d be able to find alone time with her at the gala so they could talk. Not with his father there.

He shook his head. “I’ll send a car for you.”

“What?” Her brow arched high on her forehead.

“I’ll send a car for you. Be ready to leave your place at two-thirty.”

She stared at him, then shrugged. “Okay, fine. I’ll be ready at two-thirty, but I think it’s ridiculous that you’re sending a car when I have a perfectly good car of my own.” She took a deep breath. “But don’t think this changes anything, Levi, because it doesn’t.”

Before he could say anything more, his phone rang, indicating a call. Glancing at the number, he winced. His father.

Rather than answer, he clipped the phone back to his waist. But he might as well have taken the call because while he’d been distracted, Madison had left the room.

When Levi had said he was going to send a car, Madison hadn’t been envisioning the white stretch limousine that pulled up in front of her and Karen’s place.

“Oh, wow!” Karen’s eyes threatened to pop out of her head from where they were looking out of their living-room window. “I think he’s planning to beg you to forgive him tonight.”

Was that what yesterday had been about?

“He doesn’t want my forgiveness.” Actually, she didn’t know what he wanted, had spent way too many hours lying in bed the night before trying to figure that exact thing out and had failed. Maybe he really did just need a date and hadn’t wanted the hassle of asking someone new.

“You should come with me so I don’t have to ride in that thing alone,” she told her friend.

“Like this?” Karen waved her hand in front of her shorts and faded Red Cross T-shirt. “I think not. No worries, though. Once I’ve had a shower and beautified myself, Connor and I will arrive in style. Not that kind of style.” She gestured to the limo. “But we’ll be there. Besides, three’s a crowd.”

“Three?” She turned back toward the window, saw Levi climb out of the limo and head toward the front door. “What’s he doing here? He said he had to work until three.”

Karen shrugged. “Guess he decided picking you up was more important.”

“Than his pa

tients?” Madison screeched, fanning her suddenly hot face. She turned to her friend. “How do I look?”

“Like a fairy-tale princess about to be swept off her feet.”

Madison snorted. “Ah, but you forget. That prince there yonder hath already swept me off mine feet.” She did her best to pull off an accent of sorts. “Right after he Heimlich maneuvered me and right before he X-rayed me to check for broken ribs.”

“Well…” Karen smiled “…you have to admire a man who’s multi-talented.”

Karen had no idea just how multi-talented the man knocking on their front door was. He’d certainly multi-wowed her on the night of their picnic. Of course, then she’d come crashing back to reality and he hadn’t been there to catch her.

“Wish me luck,” she pleaded, then opened the front door to stare at a man so handsome he really should be a prince. He wore a superbly cut black tux that made him look like he should be walking the red carpet in Hollywood with some glittery supermodel on his arm.