Suddenly the lock in the private exit door clicked, the knob turned, and the subject of her thoughts walked in. “This won’t keep until Thursday,” he said, and pushed the door shut with the heel of his boot.
Chapter 8
Dylan tossed the notepad aside and was across the room in three strides. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“You didn’t tell John about the kiss.”
“You scared me half to death. How did you get in here?”
“I picked the locks.”
“You picked… Both? The downstairs exit, too? How did you—”
“I’m multi-skilled. Why didn’t you tell John?”
“You can’t just break in here.”
“Evidence to the contrary.” He spread his arms and grinned.
Grinned!His audacity was astonishing. “You’ll be caught on the security cameras.”
“Tsk, tsk, Dr. Reede. That’s a fib. There aren’t any security cameras. Do you think I’d break into a building without scouting it out first?”
“Leave. Now.”
“After killing so much time before getting in here? Un-huh. Isaw Ellie leave. Hung around, planning to intercept you when you followed. Except you didn’t come out, and I got tired of waiting.”
She pointed to the door behind him. “Go.”
“Why?”
“I can think of a dozen reasons, but mainly because it’s a breach of protocol and ethics.”
“Kissing you was against the rules, too. How come you didn’t raise a ruckus over that?”
“Because you were clearly trying to manipulate me into dropping you as a patient. I planned to tell Lieutenant Bowie, but after thinking it over—”
“Every time you refer to him as Lieutenant Bowie it sets my teeth on edge. Make it John or Bowie, all right? It’s easier. Now, about the kiss. You were saying?”
“I wasn’t saying anything about the kiss per se.”
“I’ve never been quite sure what per se means, but I’m positive that our subject was the kiss.”
Although she was fuming, she kept her voice under strict control. “Tattling on you was exactly what you wanted me to do.”
“Oh, so you spent time analyzing it.”
Suddenly she realized that somehow the distance between them had shrunk, although she couldn’t say who had taken the steps necessary to bring that about. “Move back, please. You’re invading my space.”
She had to look up several inches in order to hold his gaze, but she did. She also held her ground. Although it didn’t feel like solid ground beneath her. More like the deck of a boat riding gentle swells.
He raised his hands shoulder high and took several steps back. “Invading your space wasn’t my intention. I came over here so I could see if my break-in had been noticed.”
He moved to the window and peered down at the street through the slits in the blinds. “Do you keep these half closed to create an intimate atmosphere?” he asked as he turned back to her.
Actually, yes. She kept them half shut to induce trust and confidentiality. But because of his terminology, she said, “The window has a southern exposure. Sunlight comes in at an uncomfortable angle for some patients.”
“Especially when they’re sharing the juicier aspects of their lives.”
