Sarah gawked at Dante as he joined them in the hallway and proceeded to charm the two elderly women.
“So you understand that I couldn’t see her anymore as a doctor because we’re together,” Dante told the two women, grinning charismatically at both of them.
“I knew I was right,” Beatrice chattered. “I knew you two would end up together. I told Sarah that before you even got here.”
“Did you?” Dante turned his head and raised an eyebrow at Sarah.
Sarah knew her face was flushed, and she wasn’t sure if she was flustered or angry. She’d asked Dante to stay hidden in the exam room across the hall so he didn’t make the patients uncomfortable. That had become their daily routine. She saw her patients while Dante sat across the hall with a gun and his computer to kill time.
Most of Dante’s superficial wounds were nearly healed, but his ribs had to still be tender—not that he ever complained. She might not be his physician, but at least he was in a doctor’s office in case he had any problems.
Sarah sighed as she watched Dante charm his way into the two venerable women’s hearts. She could tell by the way Beatrice and Elsie were looking at Dante that he was finagling his way into their good graces. She knew he wasn’t doing it intentionally. Not really. He was just being the Dante who was used to working in public service, and he actually chatted with them naturally and appeared to be genuinely interested in Elsie’s work at the paper and Beatrice’s self-proclaimed talent of matchmaking.
Another reason to like him! He spoils my dog and is nice to old ladies.
“Are you the friend that Sarah’s staying with?” Elsie asked stealthily, obviously hoping to get even more of a scoop.
Sarah wanted to laugh at the pseudo-affronted look on Dante’s face. “Of course not,” he answered, trying to sound insulted. “That would be highly inappropriate, and I respect Sarah,” he said emphatically.
Elsie tittered happily. “You’re such a gentleman.”
Sarah had a hard time not giggling. He’d said exactly what the ladies wanted to hear and made sure they knew he’d be offended if they even suggested she was staying with him. Obviously, he wanted people to know she had a protector, but he didn’t want anyone to know her exact location.
The ladies chattered to Dante all the way out to the reception area, where he brilliantly ushered them out the door without making them feel unwanted.
Sarah waved at the two women as they disappeared around the corner and Dante pulled the door closed.
“You realize that you just let the whole town think that we’re an item,” Sarah told Dante reproachfully.
“Good,” Dante replied with a grin. “I was hoping they’d tell everyone. That way, every man in town will know that you’re not available. It will keep me from having to beat the crap out of any guy who touches you.”
She wasn’t available? It had been ten days since Dante had shackled her to his bed and made her lose her mind. “You’re being rather presumptuous, aren’t you?”
“Not at all,” Dante answered arrogantly. “I was the man who caused your first screaming orgasm, the first man to taste your—”
Sarah slapped a hand over his mouth to stop his flow of naughty words. “Stop.” They were in the reception area of her office, for God’s sake, and her office manager was still here. Kristin had needed to be privy to some of the information regarding Sarah’s attack and knew why Dante was there. But she certainly didn’t know that Sarah slept with Dante every single night, and dreamed up all kinds of dirty fantasies both awake and asleep. Sarah couldn’t think about that night ten days ago without her panties getting moist.
Who am I kidding? Just looking at him or hearing his voice makes me melt.
Dante’s hazel eyes were pinning her with a sinfully playful look, one that she was fairly certain no woman on earth could possibly resist. Unfortunately, Sarah knew that Dante was aware of exactly how his dirty mouth affected her. He lifted her hand from his mouth slowly, kissing her palm before letting it go. “They were your last patients. Let’s go.”
Sarah turned and went into the storage closet to grab her purse and hang up her white coat and stethoscope before joining Dante by the door. For once, she didn’t argue with him about wanting to take a walk. She’d worn a new pair of shoes from the wardrobe Emily had picked out for her, and her feet were killing her. Three-inch heels? What had Emily been thinking? Sarah loved the professional skirt and blouse, but her feet were aching from standing all day in very cute but very uncomfortable shoes. Thankfully, they were the only pair of heels Emily had bought that were quite this high.
She hopped into Dante’s truck and kicked off the heels with a moan of relief.
“What’s the matter?” Dante asked, hesitating before closing the passenger door.
“Shoe torture,” she answered with a frown. “My feet hurt.”
Dante closed the passenger door quickly and jogged around to seat himself in the driver’s seat. “You don’t like the shoes?” Dante asked with a scowl as he started the engine. “We’ll get different ones.”
“No,” Sarah answered hastily. “I like them. I just don’t think three-inch heels are designed for a working physician. I think they’re supposed to be worn for leisure occasions.”
Dante chuckled as he pulled onto Main Street and headed toward the peninsula. “Why would you want to wear painful shoes when you’re supposed to be doing something pleasant?”