Her footsteps echoed off the tiles as she looked around the room, the warm humidity seeping through her skirt and polo shirt. There were two dozen showers including two stalls whosedoors were probably just for show since they were wide open — giving Anna a good view of Lucas.
He was facing the wall, water flowing in thick streams over his broad shoulders, down his muscular back, and over his fantastic ass, which Anna had stared at so many times, she could have molded it from clay. She knew Lucas’ body inside and out. Knew which muscles danced when he raised his arms to run his hands through his hair, like he was doing now. Knew every mole. Every dip, every ridge, every damned sinewy perfection.
And yet she couldn’t tear her eyes away. Her mouth went dry as she watched him run his hands over his own body, foam and water dripping down his smooth skin everywhere…
Heat pooled in her abdomen, and she jerked her gaze upward. She wasn’t here to gawk at him!
“What the hell?” she snapped, her angry voice echoing twice off the ceiling and walls.
Lucas flinched and turned to her. His eyes widened when he saw her, and with his mouth gaping in disbelief, he stepped out from under the spray of water. His dark hair clung to his forehead and neck like ink stains. “Fuck, Anna. You can’t be in here!”
She snorted loudly. “Says who?”
“I’m fucking naked!”
“I can see that! And I couldn’t care less,” she lied, pressing her lips together and crossing her arms. She forced her gaze to focus on his face, not down his delicious, wet torso and… “What the hell were you thinking?” she cut through her own thoughts heatedly, stepping toward him until the water dripping onto the floor from him touched her bare legs. “You don’t want to be treated by me?”
The guy had the nerve to sigh. “Anna…”
“No! I’m not finished yet.” Angrily, she jabbed her index finger against his chest. “I’m a damn good doctor! Do you understand?”
“I never said otherwise,” he growled, yanking her finger away from his body.
“Yes, in my boss’ eyes, that’s exactly what you’re saying!” she cried angrily. “How dare you not let me treat you!” She tried to jab his chest with her free hand, but the bastard’s reflexes were too quick. He took a step back and caught her other hand as well. Warm water splashed down over his stupid, broad shoulders, bouncing in all directions and soaking her polo shirt, but she barely felt it.
“Stop it,” he said, infuriatingly calm and dark, his gaze locked with hers.
“Stop what? Yelling at you or trying to punch you?”
“Both!”
“No!” Glaring, she looked up into his face. He seemed so damn calm even though he was the one naked. Even though he was being yelled at. And she hated it. “I’m not leaving until I get a fucking apology and a promise! You’re going to go to Reed in the morning and tell him you’ve changed your mind!”
“I will not,” he said impassively, his quiet voice barely audible over the falling water.
“Damn it, Lucas, you will!” she snapped.
“No. It’s nothing personal…”
“Of course it’s personal!” She might have been screaming now. “What else could it be? I’m good enough for you to go down on, but not to look at your fucking knee?”
“Anna,” he said threateningly. “This isn’t the fucking place to…”
“I couldn’t care less,” she snapped, twisting her hands in his grip. “I want an explanation, Lucas. Why can’t I treat you? Whydo you have to trash me in front of my boss? You said we were friends! Friends don’t do that!”
“I…” He paused. He frowned. And then his expression darkened. “I never told you we were friends,” he said sharply. “Shit, you were eavesdropping on Fox and me?”
Oops. “It was unintentional, okay?” she replied heatedly.
He laughed dryly. “Now listen to me carefully, Anna,” he whispered, leaning toward her so that drops of his wet hair fell onto her cheek. The warmth of shower steam surrounded her, and Lucas’ own heat. His honey scent lulled her. “When you treat me, you touch me — and we both know what happens when you do that.” His gaze darkened, bringing heat with it that triggered a tingling sensation deep in Anna’s stomach. “And that has to stop. Fox is right. You don’t want it, but you’re drama just waiting to swallow me whole. And I’m not what you’re looking for, damn it! Because, what did you say?” He narrowed his eyes. “You want a man who can communicate well?”
She widened her eyes. She had never… Oh, the bastard! She opened her mouth in disbelief. “And here you givemeshit for eavesdropping?”
“It was unintentional, okay?” he replied, unperturbed. “That makes up for everything, doesn’t it?”
She snorted. “I don’t believe a word of it. Such bullshit! Surely, you can control yourself. The only place I would probably touch you is your knee, anyway, Lucas!”
He didn’t answer, just stared at her steadily, his pupils dilating with each passing moment. His gaze wandered over her now-damp hair, down her neck to her shirt, which clung to her torso – to her nipples, visible beneath her shirt, which continued to harden under his gaze.
