Page 55 of Doc Showmance
Nabi walked around me and tapped her lips. “When do you need this dress?”
Ian looked like he swallowed a lemon. “We need it now. We’re going to the townhouse and the whole dinner kicks off in about an hour.”
“I can’t believe you broughtherhome.” Nabi lowered her voice. “You think she’s ready for this? Ian, areyouready for it?”
“No. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t ever return for a holiday event.”
“She can stay here and you can go,” Nabi offered. “I bet the two of us could find some fun and only a little bit of trouble.”
“Happy to stay.” I liked Nabi.
“Hell, no. I’m not doing Thanksgiving at my parents’ place by myself. Besides, I wouldn’t trust you not to take her to some wild party where she loses her clothes.”
“Me?” Nabi pointed at her chest and put on a dramatic innocent face. “I’d never. If I did, it’d be eons better than that uptight party at your parents’.” She shuddered. “Your parents’ people are barracudas who keep points.”
“Please help us,” he pleaded.
“All right. Let’s get to work.” Nabi rubbed her hands together, and then grabbed my arm. She shooed off the cameraman. “This is ladies only.”
Martin lowered his camera. “I’m contractually obligated to follow.”
“When she gets naked? I think not. You get to stay and film Ian looking constipated.” She threw her head back and laughed. “I cannot wait to see this episode on TV.”
I bit back a snicker.
Inside a bedroom, which had been renovated into a closet with clothing of all types packed tight together on hangers, accessories spilled out of every nook. Nabi tore through clothes racks, muttering incoherently to herself. “This’ll be on TV. It’ll be seen by all those people. I need something chic, but you’re not exactly the shape of my normal models. No offense. I mean, you’re beautiful, Dr. Hardin. It’s no wonder Ian can’t keep his eyes off you. And I hope hands.” She winked at me.
“You can call me Amber. Ian and I are barely into each other in reality.”
She laughed hard. “Girl, you’re funny. I haven’t seen Ian this upset over a woman in…well, ever. I’ve known him since we were in preschool, back when he peed his pants and puked after eating pizza. He’s never touched pizza since. Ask him.”
“Maybe that’s why he looks like fat is allergic to him.” A choked laugh escaped me. “Not sure I’ll be bringing up the time he peed his pants anytime soon, but maybe in the future. He’s been here three minutes. How could you possibly know anything about how he feels?”
She stopped to cock her head. “Was he smiling?”
I thought about it. “Well, no. I guess he wasn’t.”
“Exactly.” She yanked a black gown off its hanger and thrust it at me. “Go put this on.”
It had no back. As in, it had these strappy things that came over a shoulder and did a complex crisscross to end at the waist in the back. “I can’t wear a bra with this.”
“So?”
“I’m on national TV. That means I will be wearing a bra.”And I’ve got a tattoo of a dragon down my spine.
“Lighten up, superstar. You’ve got great boobs. Maybe you’ll drive Ian so wild he’ll carry you off camera and do dirty things to you. Then you won’t be on camera.” She put a hand over her chest and fanned her face. “I wouldloveto be the one to cause that. Hell, I’d love to see you two kiss on TV. Have they caught that already? And it’s in an upcoming episode?”
I shrugged.
“Oh, it’s a secret. You better bet your ass I’ll be tuning in and PR-ing the hell out of this episode since that’s my dress. So, please please, pretty please kiss on TV.”
“This isn’t Telenovela.”
“It’s better. Now go change while I try to find other clothes for you to wear while you’re in town. I’m venturing to guess you need help.” She pushed me into an attached bathroom.
Emerging a few minutes later, I held up the bottom of the gown that dragged the ground to avoid stepping on it. “It’s too long.”
“Honey, everything’s going to be too long. You’re a shrimp.”
