Page 21 of Red Zone
“No. Put me down. We’re done.”
He let her go.
* * *
Today was the day of bad plans.
Rory made it three blocks into downtown Cleveland without any real destination. The city was eerily silent in the softly falling snow. Judging by the sheer amount piled everywhere, Bowen hadn’t been exaggerating about the snow emergency.
Then again, she’d been wandering around the last four months without a plan.
Her current goal of getting away from that infuriating man who’d wreaked havoc on her life unknowingly seemed better than nothing.
Though maintaining the fiery anger in the face of snow almost up to her knees was more difficult than expected.
“Rory, stop!” Bowen called behind her. “You can’t drop all that on me and leave.”
This was even more unfair. He had far less difficulty plowing through the snow than she did. Stupid giant professional athlete.
“Yes, I can. It’s a free country, and I’m peacing out. This isn’t about you anyway.” She kept walking.
“It’s not about me?”
She stopped under the awning of a closed bodega where the snow was merely six inches. “Well, I guess it is about you, because you’re the one who made me feel this way.”
He blocked her path. “Tell me how I’m making you feel so I can understand why you’re pissed. Remember, you disappeared on me. I should be mad.”
“How do I feel? Angry. You showed me you were sweet, funny, handsome, hardworking, and far more sensitive than the media portrays you.”
“Also a great kisser and good at reaching high places. I cleared off your car, by the way,” he said.
“Really? It probably won’t start anyway. And if it did, I’d still be trapped until the parking lot is plowed or the snow melts.” This explained why he had more snow on his coat than before.
“Then you agree with the good kissing part.”
Spare her incorrigible football players. “Also part of the problem because I’m your doctor, making it impossible for us to date. Ever.”
“But you wanted to date me?”
She poked him in the chest with her gloved hand. “All along I assumed you understood why we couldn’t be together and we had shared agony over this. However, I came to find out thirty minutes ago you didn’t even know I was a doctor. The guy I’m falling in love with is clueless about how he’s torturing me.”
“You’re falling in love with me.” Now he was grinning.
“It doesn’t matter. Leave me alone.” She tried to walk past him.
“It definitely does, Rory.” He herded her back into his arms between him and the glass door of the building. “This stupid football player is making sure he has it straight. I’m in love with you. You’re in love with me. The problem is that you’re my doctor.”
“Yes. There isn’t any wiggle room on this.” Life would be infinitely easier if he accepted the truth and never saw her again.
Bowen placed his hands on either side of her face, lips inches from hers. The bits of frost from their breath mingled together. “Then you’re fired.”
The kiss that followed went from cold to hot to scorching as their mouths dueled for the position of which was hungrier.
Then it went suddenly and strangely very dark.
CHAPTER12
“Rory, wake up. Are you okay?” Bowen’s voice was extremely close in the blackness, practically on top of her.
