Page 69 of Modern Romance Collection December 2024 Books 1-4

And she’d felt deflated, which was ridiculous because what more had she expected? If he truly was who he’d said he was, then why on earth would he want to stay in the ER with her? She was merely a random stranger that he’d helped, and he’d already helped as much as he’d been able to. There wasn’t anything more he could do.

Yet still, her heart pinched tight at the memory of his powerful figure disappearing through the curtains around her bed. He hadn’t looked back and she hadn’t realised she’d wanted him to until he didn’t.

It was the way he’d looked at her just before he’d left that was the issue. His gaze burning bright silver as it followed the line of her body before coming to rest on her face once again. She knew what a man wanted when he looked at a woman that way. Clayton had looked at her in a similar way, yet his gaze had never been as hot, never been as hungry. And more importantly, she’d only felt...warm in return. Warm, not burning hot. A bit peckish, not starving. Pleased that he wanted her, of course, yet...

If she was being really honest with herself, she’d never felt the rush of sudden, hot physical desire for Clayton. Had never been so breathless in his presence that all thought had left her head. Never felt as if her cheeks were on fire whenever he’d caught her looking at him. In fact, she couldn’t remember looking at him the way she’d looked at Aristophanes Katsaros.

God, it was stupid to be thinking about him. It didn’t matter how he looked at her. He was too disturbing for her peace of mind anyway, and she should be glad he’d walked away.

Peeling off the embarrassing, ridiculous dress, Nell stepped into the shower, sighing as warm water ran over her chilled skin. Apart from a painful lump at the back of her skull, the ache in her head had receded and she was feeling a lot better. The doctor had given her a list of concussion symptoms to watch for and Nell was to let her know if she felt woozy or dizzy. Some people didn’t develop concussion, though, so she might be fine, especially if she’d only been out for a couple of seconds.

Nell wasn’t sure how long she’d been unconscious, but she had none of the symptoms the doctor had mentioned. Maybe she’d be one of the ones who didn’t develop any. She hoped so. She didn’t want to annoy Sarah by not coming into work tomorrow.

Once she’d showered, she stepped out of the stall and dried herself off, then reached for the thick pink fluffy robe she always wore when it was cold, wrapping herself up in it. Humming softly, she towel-dried her hair to get most of the water out before winding the towel around her head turban-style.

Then she opened the bathroom door, stepped out into the hall, and came to a dead stop.

A man stood in the middle of her tiny, narrow hallway.

A familiar man.

Aristophanes Katsaros.

All the breath left her body in a wild rush, an electric thrill shooting straight through her, and her first thought was,Thank God.He hadn’t abandoned her after all. He’d come back.

He stood with his arms folded across his muscular chest, filling the hall with his compelling physical presence. His height and the broad width of his shoulders, the flickering silver fire in his storm-grey eyes. A crackling energy seemed to leap between them, rooting her to the spot.

He seemed to be furious about something and, given the way he was looking at her, that something appeared to be her.

Her mouth became a desert. She had no idea what he was doing here.

‘I have dismissed the doctor.’ His deep rough voice was a shock to her system, as if she’d been fast asleep and the sound of it had woken her up. ‘I said you were my responsibility and so you are. For the next twenty-four hours.’

She struggled to find her own voice. ‘But...why? Don’t you have better things to do?’

‘I did.’ His gaze slid over her and she was very aware that she was naked underneath her fluffy pink robe and...oh, yes, she was wearing a fluffy pink robe. And a towel turban. Sexy. ‘Until you interrupted my evening with your accident.’

There was definite accusation in his tone and her cheeks heated. She was shocked he was here, embarrassed to be caught in her dressing gown with a towel around her head, and already angry with herself for thinking about him. Him getting angry with her for having the gall to slip in front of him was the last thing she needed.

‘I’m terribly sorry your evening was inconvenienced by my head injury,’ she snapped. ‘I’ll be sure to watch my step better next time when incredibly rude, overbearing men are in my vicinity.’

His black brows twitched again, his gaze sharpening. ‘I amnotoverbearing.’

‘Really? Then maybe I imagined you flinging your phone at me and ordering me to google you. I probably imagined you ordering me to come with you back to your residence, and being petulant when I refused, too.’

He said nothing, yet she could see the temper glittering in his eyes.

She shouldn’t have spoken to him that way. Why had she? She was always patient, always caring and considerate. Never rude. It was just... Everything about him rattled her.

Still, she handled some of the worst nonsense humanity was capable of every day in the form of four-year-olds. She would not let a confrontation with one adult man get the better of her.

Nell lifted her chin, determined to show him that she was not intimidated by him and his silly little male temper, not one bit.

He glowered, obviously unimpressed by this show of defiance. ‘Do you know what I had planned for this evening?’ he bit out.

‘No.’ Nell lifted her chin even higher, ignoring how her heart beat far too fast and her skin was tight and hot. ‘I can’t imagine how your evening plans would be at all relevant to me.’

He did not like this one bit, something hot leaping in his eyes, and he took a step towards her, his arms still folded, his stare relentless. ‘Sex, Miss Underwood. That’s what I had planned for my evening. Dinner, conversation and sex. But because I couldn’t stop thinking about you, I could not pay proper attention to my date.’

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