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Therin was first to wake the next morning. He dressed and started coffee before returning to the bedroom. From his position against the doorjamb, he studied Kianti for a long while.
At first, he was simply taken in by the sight of her tousled and naked but for the sheet twisted around her lovely brown body. He finally had an answer for the nagging voice consistently asking what he thought he was doing. He was falling in love with the tiny, talented beauty he’d enjoyed the pleasures of the night before.
The words gave him pause. Had last night evoked the sudden feelings of love? He’d bet everything he owned that it hadn’t. He’d been falling, cautiously but surely, perhaps from the moment he’d met her.
She began to stir beneath the gray woven coverings and Therin braced off the jamb. He took a seat on the edge of the bed and leaned near, draping an arm across her prone form. Gently, he reached out to smooth a few locks of hair from her thoroughly kissed mouth. The top sheet was bunched loosely at her breasts, beckoning him to indulge. He let his fingers be nudged by the gradual heaving of her bosom as she breathed.
He’d done his best to mask the fear in his voice and expression over the frantic sound of her heartbeat. He thought back to what she’d said about taking herself off the pills and the anger he’d felt then returned in a sudden wave. What the hell was that doctor of hers thinking?
Kianti woke as if on cue and Therin forgot everything else while drowning in the sleepy dark pools of her gaze. A disturbed current eased into her stare as she took note of the clothes he wore.
“You’re going?”
“Only for a few hours.” His deep voice was soft while he stroked her temple. “There’s a meeting I need to go to.”
Kianti propped herself on an elbow. She took in the sudden agitation which flashed on his handsome face.
“Can I at least make you breakfast?” she asked instead of questioning the look.
“I’ll grab something while I’m out.” He dropped a quick kiss to her mouth and stood. “This is my cell number.” He waved a card between his index and middle finger before pressing it to the nightstand. “Call if you need anything before I get back.”
Realizing it was pointless to argue, she snuggled her head into the pillow. “’Kay.”
He graced her with a wink and a smile before leaving the room.
Therin didn’t bother to put a smile in place when he spotted the four men across the café dining room. He greeted them with nods and handshakes and they all placed breakfast orders before getting to the point of the meeting.
“This is about Kianti,” Cube David guessed from his position at the opposite end of the rectangular table.
“That’s right.” Therin nodded.
“And if you’re here, that means she’s told you who he really is,” Winton Terry noted, glancing toward the man who sat next to him.
Again, Therin nodded while looking toward Brody. “In light of that, I don’t see how any doctor worth a damn could allow his patient to self-medicate or in this case, not medicate.”
Brody smiled, but waited until the server had set out milk for Cube and coffees for the rest, to the table. “If you know that, then you already know at least two other things about our lovely Kianti.” He dropped his elbows to the faux-wood-grained table. “She hates those pills with a passion and she’s not a woman who appreciates being told what she can’t do.”
“To hell with that,” Therin growled, though he fully understood Brody’s words. “You’re her doctor. One she trusts enough to have travel with her.” He waved a hand across the table before laying it down. “You tell her there’s no wiggle room on that—take it or leave it.”
The rest of the guys exchanged glances before joining in on a round of soft laughter.
Khan tugged up the sleeves of his sweatshirt and cleared his throat over the remnants of his laughter. “You’ve obviously never tried to tell her what she can’t do.”
Therin wasn’t amused. “This is her life we’re talkin’ about.”
“Now hold on, man.” Cube pointed a finger in Therin’s direction. “Don’t mistake us. We care about Key’s welfare more than we do our own, but when it comes to this medical stuff…” He shrugged. “We take our cues from Bro. If he’s cool with lettin’ her do this, we’ve got to believe he knows she’ll come through it okay.”
“Forgive me if I don’t share your certainty.” Therin massaged the bridge of his nose.
“By my calculation you’ve only known her a little over a week.” Winton toyed with the rolled cuff of his sleeve. “Already such concern…”
