Tanner replaced it on the hook. Carefully crouching for a lower display, he began stacking items on the counter while the clerk rang them up. He pinned a Go Frankfurters button to the tote. A miniature beer stein key chain dangled from the handle. Three bars of Toblerone chocolate spiked from Kathleen's bag.
An unknown imp sprang to life within her, and she pulled a pocket protector full of pens from the display wall. Tanner's brow creased.
She dropped the plastic pen case on the counter. "Businessman garb for you."
He rewarded her with another smile. "You learn fast, meine toaster strudel."
That grin and a few words shouldn't have the power to bring such a heady rush of pride. Geez, it wasn't like she'd dug out a bullet under battlefield conditions. Still, she couldn't stifle an answering smile when he slid his pen holder into his shirt pocket.
After adding a German phrase book and map sticking conspicuously in view, Tanner slid his wallet free.
"Hey, wait, Bennett. I can't let you pay for all of this."
"Of course you can. It was my idea."
"No, really." She reached into her new canvas tote. "I can—"
"O'Connell. Stop. I've got some German marks to use up." He tossed down a stack of bills before he grasped her hand. "Consider it payback for those house calls. Not exactly a down payment on a summer home…"
His hand eclipsed hers just as the sensation of his touch enveloped her senses, completely, until she could only feel the warm rasp of his callused skin. Her hand twitched free, only to fidget with her nutcracker necklace. "Thank you."
"My pleasure."
She laughed, the sound tighter than she'd intended. "Decking the uptight doc out like a tacky tourist? I'm sure it was."
Genuine concern wiped away the laughter in his eyes. "Kathleen, I wasn't making fun—"
"I know." And that scared her more than if he had. Needing that distance, soon, she flicked a finger on his jacket over his pocket protector. "Now that I've got my own spy disguise, let's find our gate."
Kathleen spun on her heel and charged for the door, away from the temptation of this strangely enticing playful Tanner. Somehow this man posed an even greater threat to her peace of mind than the cranky patient and workmate.
Workmate. How could she have forgotten her number-one rule? No more relationships with flyers.
"O'Connell!" Tanner called. "One more thing."
Kathleen stopped, braced her shoulders and her resolve before turning, only to find Tanner a single step away. Heat curled through her despite Tanner's co-worker status.
"What?" She was powerless to move as she watched his big hands ease toward her, hypnotized by the thought of him reaching for her.
"Your hair." His hand snaked behind her neck and gently tugged two pins. The short tail fell free. His movements deliberate, he untwined the rubber band, fingers combing through one notch at a time.
The man bombarded her senses, when her defenses were shaky at best. His methodical attention to her hair dried all the moisture from her mouth.
Staring up at him with unblinking eyes, she found herself studying his face with a new perspective, personal rather than professional. Her fingers yearned to explore that bump in his nose, the crook having been set ever so imperfectly.
How long did it take to unbraid hair, for crying out loud? His torturously slow progress, those hands whispering against her scalp, sent shivers prickling down her spine.
The craziness had to be a by-product of abstinence. She didn't miss her ex-husband, but she certainly missed regular sex. That had to be the reason her body responded to a man she respected but wasn't quite sure she even liked.
Her mind taunted her with how much she'd enjoyed his impromptu shopping spree through the gift shop. And she couldn't recall ever being so turned on by a guy simply playing with her hair.
His fingers massaged her scalp as he swirled her hair forward. She barely managed to bite back a moan. His pupils widened in response.
Enough.
Forget camaraderie. This had to stop. Kathleen stepped back.
"Thanks. I can finish." She combed her shaking hands through her hair, the strands suddenly unbearably sensual caressing her neck. "Okay now?"