.
Ty grimaced and bent to scoop up the towel, managing to wrap it clumsily around his waist before Paige looked up.
“You’re still here,” she accused, taking in the towel clutched at his hips before cutting her eyes to Nate. Arms folded across his chest and leaning casually against the wall, he studied them with a casualness belied by his watchful eyes. “Why are you still here?”
Ty wasn’t sure if she was talking to him or Nate and opened his mouth to apologize but, “You think I’m sexy?” slipped out instead.
Nate snorted rudely and Paige rolled her eyes. “Please. You’ve clearly let yourself go,” she said breathlessly, her gaze cutting to his towel and then sliding away. “You’re a mess.”
Not likely, he thought when Nate laughed with the appreciation of a long-time friend. “You said sexy naked men. And as I’m the only naked one here—”
“Don’t mind him, sweetheart,” Nate interrupted dryly. “He’s always been shy about letting girls see him naked.” He pushed away from the wall and pulled Paige to her feet. “Hi,” he said. “I’m Nate and you must be the cute doctor that took down a dangerous intruder one-handed.”
“It was dark,” Ty growled, wiping water out of his eyes on his equally damp shoulder. “Don’t mind me,” he muttered when Paige allowed herself to be steered towards the stairs. “I’ll be down as soon as I get dressed.”
“Take your time,” Nate called over his shoulder. “Dr. Cutie and I are going to get better acquainted.”
After a couple of beats Ty turned and returned to the bathroom. By the time he descended the stairs, Nate was shoulder-propped against the arch leading into the kitchen, sipping coffee.
“Still spreading joy and happiness everywhere you go, I see,” his friend drawled laconically.
“And you’re still trying—and failing, I might add—to look like the coolest kid on the block.”
Nathan Oliver chuckled. “I don’t have to try any more, T, it just comes naturally. You, on the other hand, look like sh—”
“Yeah, yeah,” he interrupted, catching Paige’s quick furtive sideways look and the faint flush staining her cheeks. “I know exactly how I look.”
“I heard you got beaten up by a girl and just had to see for myself.” He chuckled at the exasperated sound Paige made in the back of her throat and reached out to ruffle her hair. “Did a good job on him too.”
Ty’s eyes cut to Paige, wondering at the casual way his friend had touched her. “I already looked like this before a crazy person jumped me and tried to beat me up with a flashlight.”
She heaved a huge sigh and Ty could almost hear her eyes roll around in her head. He moved into the kitchen and purposely crowded her as he went for the coffeepot, biting back a smile when she sucked in a sharp breath and scuttled out of his way, muttering what sounded like, “He’s just a stupid BAB, Paige. Get a grip.”
“What’s a bab?” he asked, after pouring coffee for himself and leaning against the counter. He eyed her over the mug rim and tried not to notice the silky smoothness of her skin.
She started, like he’d caught her doing something indecent. “BAB?”
A frown slowly wrinkled the smooth skin of her forehead and Ty had to restrain himself from reaching out and smoothing it with his thumb. What the hell? He wasn’t a touchy-feely kind of guy so why the hell did he suddenly want to touch her?
Again refusing to meet his eyes, she muttered something beneath her breath and he had to dip his head to peer into her flushed face.
“What’s that, Dr. Cutie? You say something?”
“No.” She shoved her way past him. “Excuse me,” she said with excruciating politeness, and headed for the stairs, muttering, “And the next person to call me that is dead meat.”
“Where are you going?” he asked, watching her take the stairs at a mad dash. He heard her say, “Out,” as she disappeared. Thoroughly confused, he turned to Nate. “What the hell did you say to upset her?”
“Me?” Nate drawled. “I didn’t do a thing but rush to rescue the damsel in distress. You, on the other hand, were the creepy stalker standing there dressed in nothing but pink tape, and...” he leaned forward and sniffed “...smelling like a spring garden.” He chuckled and flashed a look up the stairs where Paige had disappeared. “Maybe I should invite her sailing. Cute and feisty is an irresistible combination.”
“And maybe you should back off,” Ty growled, feeling unaccountably annoyed. “What are you, seventeen? She’s not the kind of woman you take sailing just because you need to get laid. Pick someone who knows the score.”
“Oh, yeah?” Nate drawled. “And how would you know? I thought you two only met last night.”
“We did,” Ty growled. “When she tried to crack my skull open.”
“Then what’s your prob—? Ah.” Nate nodded sagely. “I get it. You want her for yourself.”
“What—? Of course not,” Ty scoffed, feeling his gut clench. “She’s a bossy pain in the ass who decorated me in pink, for God’s sake.” He jerked his chin at his cast. “I’m here because I need peace and quiet to think about what I’ll do if I can’t do surgery again. I don’t need an annoying distraction, no matter how cute and feisty. Besides, she’s not my type any more than she’s yours.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Nate said, thoughtfully. “I think cute and feisty would be a refreshing change, don’t you?”
“No, I don’t. It would be suicidal.”
Behind them they heard a sound and turned to see Paige standing at the bottom of the stairs looking like she was considering which of them to maim first.
“Oh, hey,” Ty said. “I was just—”
“I’m leaving,” she interrupted. “I hope your visit with your father goes well. I left his address on the entrance table. Please lock up when you leave.” Her tone, as cool as her expression, suggested she hoped it was soon.
She’d obviously heard.
“Listen, I didn’t mean—” he began, but the front door slammed. Hard. He winced. “I think she heard.”
“Yep.” Nate clamped a hand on Ty’s shoulder in brotherly support. “And now you’re scum just like the rest of us. Welcome to the club.”
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