Page 22 of Doctor Grump

“Ian?” I called out, finally inching the door open a little. “Are you there?”

There was no one in the room. I walked in, wondering where he could have gone as I analyzed the space. Ian kept his room neat, almost eerily so, and did not have many decorative pieces around. In fact, his room was quite utilitarian, draped in greys and browns, and it held a bed, a dresser, and not much else.

How depressing.

I drifted toward the back of the room, heading to one of the doors to the side. I could hear a clicking sound from the other side, followed by a curse, which told me for a fact that I had found where Ian was.

“Ian?” I called as I knocked.

There was a pause. “Yes?”

“Um, are you decent?” I blushed as I said it, but I had to know.

“Come in, Piper,” was his response, which probably meant it was safe enough to peep in.

I pushed open the door, revealing what seemed to be a study. In stark contrast to his bedroom, Ian’s study was a giant mess. Piles of books sat in disarray on a torn couch, more folders lay on the floor, and there were papers stacked in uneven piles on the desk, leaving only a little bit of space for him to work.

And he sat behind his laptop, looking at me through the glasses he wore. “What is it?”

“You haven’t had dinner yet,” I said.

“I’m not hungry.”

“I doubt that’s true. If I had to take a bet, I would say you probably haven’t eaten much the whole day.”

He shook his head. “No, but it’s been a long day. In any case, I have too much work to do right now.”

“Yes, I understand that, but—” I hesitated to say it now that I was here. It wasn’t my business, but the memory of Kendy’s hurt look had me pushing through. “You could have at least come down for just a few minutes to see your daughter.”

“I did see her.”

“Not like that. I mean, sit down and talk to her.”

He frowned. “Is there something wrong with her?”

“No, but—”

“Is she sick?”

“Well, no—”

“Then why would I need to sit down and talk to her?”

I gaped at him in disbelief. “Because she’s your daughter, and you’re her father, and that’s what you’re supposed to do. Listen, I might not have any kids, but I’m pretty sure most kids would like to have their parents around, even when they do have nannies. I mean, seriously, Ian. You should have seen her this morning. She was so sad that you couldn’t take her to school.”

Ian looked doubtful. “She didn’t seem like it.”

“Of course she didn’t,” I threw my hands up in exasperation. “She’s nearly a teenager. They’re masters at hiding how they’re feeling, especially to important people. But she needs you around, especially since her…you know, is not in the picture.”

Out of deference to Ian, I hadn’t mentioned the mother, but his gaze darkened regardless. However, as it turned out, it was not because I referenced Kendy’s mother. While talking, I had crossed my hands over my chest, and Ian’s eyes dropped there briefly before he brought them back to my face. He eventually formed his expression into a sedate one, but it was too late. I saw it.

Heat. In his eyes.

I definitely hadn’t imagined it. Nor did I imagine the wetness that teased between my legs.

Oh, I was definitely in trouble.

The warmth in me that had started earlier roared back to life, slithering through me and bringing around a curling sensation from the peaks of my nipples down somewhere deeper, darker, and more perilous.

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