When the attendant pulled the low, two-seater sports car in front of them Ryan had the pleasure of watching as Lucy’s mouth form an O. He grinned. She liked his car. Lucy allowed his touch as he helped her into the car. A ringlet of her heavenly hair curled along his arm. He took his chance and touched it briefly. So soft.
Closing her door, he walked around the vehicle, bracing himself to be confined in a small space with a woman snapping mad at him. Could her anger and his lust coexist without turning to fireworks before they made it to the Ritz?
* * *
Lucy looked away from the stop-and-go traffic as they worked their way up Fifth Avenue. She studied Ryan’s profile by the glow of the city lights. The luminous yellows, greens, oranges and blues flashed across his straight nose and firm jaw. By anyone’s definition Ryan was handsome. When he smiled, breathtakingly so. But being attractive was only surface deep. Where it really counted, he’d let her down. He’d pushed her away. She didn’t like someone playing tug of war with her emotions.
Ryan glanced at her and she quickly looked away.
“Everything okay?”
“You mean besides us being forced to attend this party together?”
“You do know it wasn’t my idea.” His words were as flat as a table.
She sighed. “I know.” Silence filled the space between them as if they were strangers.
Minutes later Ryan said, “I had no idea you had so much hair. You always keep it up or in a braid.”
“Too much. I grow it for Locks for Life.”
“What’s that?”
“I give my hair to make wigs for cancer patients.”
Had he mumbled “What a shame”?
“Does your twin have the same kind of hair?”
“No. We’re not identical.”
“It’s beautiful, you know.”
Warmth that had nothing to do with the car heater blanketed her, but she wasn’t going to be pulled in by him again. She no longer trusted him but she couldn’t deny it felt good to receive a compliment from such a virile man. “Thank you, but you do know that you don’t have to pay me compliments. I’m not your date who needs to be charmed. This is a business party.”
“I’m sorry if giving you sincere praise and making conversation disturbs you.”
“Let’s just get through this evening with as little personal conversation as possible.”
“I’m not promising that.”
They had stopped at the next light before she spoke again. “I didn’t think anyone who lived in the city drove.”
“I don’t drive often but I like to when I can. You know, this could almost be considered a personal topic.” The smile in his voice shone through clearly.
Lucy huffed. The man was making fun of her. Typical male. Have it out and move on as if nothing had happened. That didn’t work for her. She was still upset with him.
Getting through the party was going to be a challenge, with Ryan’s charm swirling around and his talent for exasperating her. The evening could go one of two ways. She could blow up at him again or fall at his feet. The latter she couldn’t let happen. Compounding the problem was that if she’d noticed how handsome he was on a daily basis it didn’t come close to how fine he looked tonight.
His jet-black tux fit his shoulders to perfection. A tall man, his formal dress had seemed to make him tower over her as he’d helped her into the car. The stark white of his shirt accented his dark skin. The entire package screamed man of power. His haircut didn’t completely control the thickness of his locks. Was it soft or bristly to the touch? Those thoughts were better left in a drawer. She gulped and held her purse in a death grip as she resisted the urge to touch him.
She made a resolution. Her goal was threefold: get through the party; return home; and prepare herself to be professional again on Monday. The other day Ryan had made it clear he wasn’t interested in discussing anything close to being deeply personal. She’d be glad to honor that.
There was no doubt in her mind that she wouldn’t have been his date if it hadn’t been necessary to keep in the good graces of the hospital. She just hated the tension that hung between them. It was a strain to always be on guard. At one time she’d thought they might be friends. Could have been if he’d not treated her as if she’d done something wrong by showing her feelings.
Ryan pulled the car skillfully to the curb in front of the brass doors of the Ritz. The attendant opened her door but Ryan was there to help her out. He offered his hand and she placed hers in it but let go as soon as she was on the sidewalk. She liked his touch too much. He opened the door of the hotel for her like the gentleman he’d been taught to be. The O’Doherty way didn’t extend to friendship apparently.
Only by hanging onto her anger did she manage not to step closer to him and breathe in his scent. He smelled of tropical islands and salt breezes. It would’ve been heavenly to be escorted by such a dazzling man if he’d wanted to be with her. But he didn’t.
She was relieved Ryan didn’t offer his arm but instead followed a half a pace behind her as they entered the hotel. Close enough for her to feel protected by his large body but not overpowered. The zing she’d experienced when she’d touched his hand as he helped her out of the car still lingered. She could only imagine the extent of her reaction if she’d held his arm.
They walked across the marble-tiled hotel lobby towards the ornate circular staircase. She glanced back at Ryan. His attention was on Dr. Rodriguez, who was pacing nearby while talking on his phone.
When Ryan met her look his lips were tightly compressed. He cupped her elbow and they continued forward. “I’d like us to get through this evening as civilly as possible,” he said as they climbed the stairs. His relaxed attitude had been replaced by one of a man on a mission. “This is important to my career and yours as well, I’d guess.”
She looked at him. It hadn’t been a good idea to look into his beautiful persuasive eyes. After swallowing hard, she said, “I don’t see a problem. I’ll play my part.”
His brows took a downward turn as if he wasn’t completely pleased with her response. “Then there shouldn’t be an issue.”
“Agreed.”
As couples passed them on the stairs, Ryan moved closer to her to accommodate them. “Smile. You look like I’m escorting you to the guillotine.” She gave him a wry smile.
“See, that isn’t so hard.” His breath whispered across her cheek.
A shiver shot through her. Being drawn in by his charisma wasn’t part of the plan. She had a part to play that couldn’t include falling for him.
Reaching the top of the stairs, they walked through the double doors into a room filled with people mingling. Attending this function with Ryan had not been her choice but she was still grateful to have him there. In a twisted bit of irony he was her anchor in a sea of unknown people. “I’d like to check my coat.”
“Sure. While you’re doing that I’ll get us some champagne.”
She didn’t usually drink, or at least hadn’t in a long time. While she’d been carrying Emily it had been off limits. At that time, everything in her life had revolved around the pregnancy. Now her life rotated around trying to get past it. Lucy handed her coat to the girl behind the counter and slipped the check ticket into her sequin-trimmed handbag. Fanning her scarf out, she adjusted it across her shoulders.
She’d had to shop on the fly after receiving the emails from Matherson, then Ryan. The second-hand consignment store a block away had saved the day. With pure relief, she’d found her dress. The instant she’d tried it on she’d known it was