Breaking the Rules (13 page)

“Do birds fly?”

“Well, at least stay behind that big desk of yours for the rest of the day and stick your foot up on another chair. Have you heard of the RICE treatment?” When she shook her head, he continued. “Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. The first twenty-four hours are critical and since several hours have already passed, you need to take it easy.”

She rolled her eyes.

He retrieved a bandage from a drawer and walked back to the exam table. “You need rest to avoid more complications. Ice for twenty minutes every three hours. Use an Ace bandage to compress it. I'm sure you already know this, Ms. Frequent Flyer. Here, let me wrap it.”

She cringed a little as he put his hand on her ankle. After wrapping, he moved a strand of hair away from her chin. “Lastly, you need to elevate your foot higher than your heart.”

She waved him off and sat up. “That all sounds great, but I really need to get back to school. I have a meeting with student government and another administrative meeting at four.”

He looked at her and crossed his arms. “Take care of yourself first, Hope. If you don't, you can make it worse. When you get home, stay in bed for the rest of the night.”

She scooted to the edge of the table, not looking at him directly.

Before she could get them, he handed her the crutches. When she tried to take them, he held on tight. “Rest. Doctor's orders.”

“Okay.” She huffed and grabbed the crutches successfully this time.

“I'm glad you have these. You don't need any weight on that foot. No more injuries.” He grabbed her shoulders and stared at her face.

She stared back and it was silent for a long time.

He lifted his chin. “Why haven't you answered my calls?”

She got off the table and maneuvered toward the door. “It's not a good idea to talk here. We're at your clinic and I need to get back.”

“You need to start acknowledging me … us … that we have something going.”

“I've got to go.” She avoided eye contact. “Thanks, Doctor.”

Why did she avoid him after their day together last weekend? He thought they were moving in the right direction. He stared after her as she opened the door. “I'll talk to you later. Take care, Ms. Robinson.”

• • •

It was six thirty and Hope finally sat on her couch and fired up her ereader. She made it home around five after her horrible day at work. Despite Colin's warnings, she couldn't leave early, so she had all her meetings in her office with her damn foot up in a chair. It worked enough to take care of business, but she couldn't deny that her foot ached.

Her heart ached, too, when she saw Colin's expression as she left his office. Why she felt guilty, she didn't know. She was right in not discussing it in his office. But she did feel bad for not answering his calls.

Skimming back up to the top of the page, she tried to continue reading.

And what did he mean that she couldn't ignore this thing between them? Of course she could. Sure, what she felt was hot, but she had her job and he had his and they had to stay away from each other. That fact was still as real to her after she drove home from the beach as it was from the beginning.

Sighing, she skimmed back up the page.
Stop thinking and read, Hope.

A knock at her door interrupted her reading this time. Who the heck was that? Hope pushed herself into a standing position, which was difficult with one foot out of order. “Just a minute.”

She limped to the door and opened it. Her heart rate elevated at the sight of Colin leaning in the doorway.

He stood up straight and crossed his arms. “You're supposed to be on bed rest for the night.”

“Kind of hard when someone rings the doorbell,” she said. Colin had changed from his business attire and now wore jeans and a Dr. Who t-shirt. Sexy as hell. “What are you doing here?”

He held up a big bag from Whole Foods. “I bring provisions.”

“Me, woman. You, man.” She squinted her eyes. “I can take care of myself, Colin.”

“I have no doubt, but can't a
friend
help? Now let me in.”

She held the door wider, letting Colin walk past, her eyes lingering on his backside a little too long, and shut the door.

Colin's eyes lit with humor. He dropped the bags and picked Hope up, cradling her in his arms. The crutches made a loud bang on the floor, and she squealed. “What are you doing?”

Carrying her to the couch, he said, “You really need to get off that foot.”

“You like to play the caveman role, don't you?”

“Foot. Elevated.” He packed two pillows up on the side of the sofa and laid her legs on them. Then he strode to the front door, picked up the food bags and brought them to the coffee table in front of her.

Even though she wouldn't want him to know, she thought this was very sweet.

Guilt washed over her for ignoring his calls. He had called her once and sent a few text messages throughout the week. The first time, she had been busy, but she purposefully decided not to call him back. After their romp on the boardwalk, she felt electrified. However, once she got home and let their secret friends talk sink in, she knew it was the worse idea she ever had. Especially after her hidden relationship with Vincent last year. That turned into a nightmare. So, when Colin called the second time, she turned her phone off and kept herself busy on the school newsletter that was due at the end of the week.

The text message was hard to ignore.
Can't get you out of my head.
She couldn't get him out of her head, either, and that was why she had to ignore him. But, she should have known ignoring him would make things worse. He would find any way to talk to her, including a house call. She drew up on her elbows and watched him.

He pulled out two soup bowls and two salad platters. He even remembered the utensils — plastic fork, knife and soupspoon — and a napkin at the side.

She giggled. “You really do know me, don't you?”

“I still have lots to learn. Hopefully you'll give me the chance.” Colin strode to the kitchen. She heard him opening and closing cabinets and finally heard glasses clinking together. He sat on the floor next to her feet and poured water from a tall Evian bottle into the glasses. Placing his arm across the edge of the couch bottom, he turned sideways and looked at her. “So, why have you ignored me?”

She averted his gaze and reached for her glass of water. “I've been busy.”

He grabbed her knee and rubbed it with his thumb. “I'm busy, too, but I found the time to call.”

She darted a glance at him. His serious face radiated honesty, his green eyes glaring up at her, green as the ocean water. Wow, she could get sucked in. “I owe you an apology. The thing is I just don't know how to handle these feelings.” The touch of his fingers on her knee gave her goose bumps. She reached for his hand. “I've had some bad luck in the past. Once I got home, the secret thing didn't feel right.”

He shrugged. “So, no secret. Better for me, too.” He handed her the salad plate and a fork, then smirked. “Now, eat. Or do you want me to feed you?”

“I can handle it,” she laughed and rolled her eyes. “Thanks for understanding.” He was too good to be true and she didn't deserve him. She knew she was being elusive, one minute saying one thing and the other minute the opposite. If he only knew that was how she felt on the inside. Whenever she was near him, electricity sang through her body, like a bolt of lightning. But she also knew it wasn't appropriate. She was Jason's principal, for Christ's sake. “So, where's Jason?”

Between a mouthful of salad he said, “Study group.” He swallowed. “Science test tomorrow.” He looked at his watch. “I have an hour before I pick him up at the library.”

“What a good kid.” She took a bite of a cucumber slice.

He held his fork midair, halfway to his plate. “Ever think that has something to do with his dad?”

She put her fork down. “All the time.”

“Good.” He smiled. “I have another surprise,” he said as he reached into a second bag and pulled out two DVDs. “I got the latest action movie. We can start it together, but I have to get Jas in an hour.” He laid it on the table. “And I brought the
Grey's Anatomy
latest season, for when I'm gone, so you can still think about me.”

“Would friends do that?”

“Hell, yeah.”

“You're a man of many talents.”

“You don't even know half of it.” He wagged his eyebrows. He crawled to the TV, put movie number one into the DVD player, and then sat next to the couch on the floor again.

His strong arms reached across the couch next to her. She wanted to touch those biceps to see if they were as firm as they looked. His long fingers were clean and beautiful. She never noticed Colin's hands before. Of course, she saw his hands in his doctor's office when he examined her foot, but now that she paid close attention to them, she thought they were fine, strong hands. Shaking her head, she wondered what was wrong with her. A man's hands were turning her on now.

She moved her gaze to his face. Dark circles rested under his eyes, as if he had a long day or even a longer week. “How was work?” she asked, really wanting to know.

“Crazy. Rajan, Dr. Patel, was in the hospital all afternoon. That means all patients went to me and our PA. When he got back, I took off,” he looked at his watch, “forty-five minutes ago.”

“You told me I had to take care of myself. How about you taking care of yourself?”

“I do just fine.” He brought his arm down and sat up straighter.

“Yeah, on call all the time and any free time you have you're with Jason or taking care of patients at their homes.”

“I want to be here.” Colin grabbed her plate out of her hand and put it on the table. He sat on the edge of the couch and took her face in his hands.

Hope sighed. Looking into those sea green eyes, any worries could melt away. It was simple, really. But her practical mind always got in the way and told her better.
He's your student's father.
She bit her lip and whispered, “Not a good idea, McSteamy.”

He flinched. “Mc what?”

She opened her mouth in a wide O and shook her head. “Pretend I didn't say that.”

He laughed softly and then his eyes smoldered. “Stop talking and kiss me.”

To hell with it. He was too hot not to touch, with tight jeans that made his butt look like a playground and green eyes calling to her as if he were the medication she needed. Plus he made her insides steam up — and it was cold. A cold, lonely life.

She reached up, put her arms around his neck and pulled him in closer. “I like these house calls, doctor.”

“Glad to hear that.” His last words were smothered on her lips. The touch was a delicious sensation, so she returned his kiss with a reckless abandon. Deepening the kiss, their tongues explored each other. She heard his breathing quicken and her own must have matched. He leaned in closer but didn't smash her bad foot, and his hardness pressed into her leg. A moan escaped her throat and he pulled her up so his hands could caress the back of her neck.

Knowing she had to end it soon, before something else far more tempting happened, she rubbed his firm back, wanting to be closer to him for a final brief instant. She released her lips slowly and let him sear a path down her neck in feathery-soft kisses.

Finally, he looked in her eyes and smiled. “My house calls aren't normally like this, but if you're in pain, I can schedule more of these intense treatments.”

She propped herself up on her elbows, moving Colin upward into a sitting position. “Colin, this is really hard for me. Ethics are involved. It's not all about feelings.”

Still breathing heavily, he held his palms out. “I get it.”

Hope pushed her body into him and touched his cheek. “I don't know what to do.”

Colin rubbed his thumb against her lips. “I won't let anything ruin you.”

As she melted into his fingers, she sighed. “Why do you do this to me?”

He let go and looked away. “You want me to make you some tea?”

“I'm serious, Colin. No matter how much I want to do this, I can't.”

“I have news for you. You can and you did.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I just think you won't. Relax, Hope. I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't want to do.”

“The thing is … I do want to do it.”

“You're confusing, you know that?”

“Blame it on the medication.”

“You've only taken ibuprofen.” He reached in his pocket, pulled out his Yankees cap and put it on.

“No way. Not in here.” She pulled it off his head.

He tried to grab it back, forcing him to lean over her body again, which wasn't the best idea. The obvious attraction between her legs pulled her closer to him and she stopped playing. Lowering her hand with the hat, she stared at him, licking her lips.

Colin groaned, grabbed his hat and stood up quickly. “I better go.”

She sat up. “Really? But the two movies … the rest of the food.”

He picked up his water bottle and looked down. “If I stay, I'll end up climbing on top of you and showing you a new version of mouth to mouth — even though you're breathing.”

“Self-restraint, doctor. That's what it's all about. If I can do it, so can you.”

“Self-restraint is not in my dictionary at the moment. Especially with you in that flimsy top and short shorts.” He grabbed his keys off the coffee table. “When will I see you again, out of school or the office?”

“Maybe I can run into you and Jason at Luigi's Pizza again Friday night.” She clamped her mouth shut. Did she really say that? Not a bad idea, really.

“Jason would like that, too. He's really smitten with you.” He leaned down, paused and then gave her a quick kiss.