Dara Girard - Snowed in with the Doctor

“Hi Lora,” he said.

“Hi. This is my sister, Belinda.”

“A pleasure to meet you. I see good looks run in the family.”

“And you are?” Belinda went into her “do you see me” mode. She wasn’t used to being ignored, and Rappaport was surprisingly focused on Lora.

“Sorry,” Lora said, ashamed that she hadn’t introduced him. “This is Dr. Warren Rappaport.”

“There’s quite a crowd here today,” Warren said. “I was just going to escape the madness by getting something to drink. Care to join me?”

Belinda shook her head. “I wish we could, but we have loads more shopping to do.”

“Can’t we finish it another day?” Lora said under her breath.

“No.”

“I’ll call you.”

“But I’m your ride.”

“I’ll find my way home,” Lora said, sending Warren a quick glance. She knew he could hear them.

Belinda made a face. “You said you’d help me.”

Lora clenched her teeth. “I’ll make it up to you.”

“Is he the one you have a—”

“I’ll tell you later.”

Belinda shot Warren a suspicious glance, then grabbed some of Lora’s bags. “All right. Be careful and call me when you get home.” She kissed her sister on the cheek. “Nice to meet you, Warren,” she said as she walked off.

Warren looped Lora’s arm through his. “I thought she’d never leave. Is she always that overprotective?”

“She likes to look out for me.” Lora said, pleased by his charm.

They took the escalator to the third floor and went to the food court, where they were fortunate enough to find a table currently being vacated by a group of teenagers. He asked her what she wanted, then left to get the beverages.

“It’s been a crazy day shopping,” he said, returning with a plate of chips with nacho cheese and two drinks.

“I do most of my shopping online, but Belinda dragged me here.”

He grinned. “I’m glad she did.”

Lora sipped her drink, feeling her face grow warm. “It must not be like home,” she said, trying to recover. Warren had transferred from a small town in Georgia, and it seemed like he hadn’t gotten used to the big city yet.

“No. I had to fight with somebody for Digital Dilly.”

She adjusted her glasses. “Digital what?”

“It’s this new robotic horse that’s all the craze with little girls. You can feed it and take care of it and play games with it on your computer. I wanted to get it for my young cousin who’s sick, but this guy beat me to it. Although I offered him double the price and told him why I wanted it, he refused. He said he wanted it for his beloved niece and nothing could change his mind.”

“Some people are so selfish.”

Warren dipped a chip into the cheese and sighed. “I didn’t expect it from him. But I guess I should have.”

“Why?”

“Because...” He stopped, ate his chip, then reached for his drink. “Never mind. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“Why?” Lora asked, now even more intrigued. “What won’t you tell me?”

“Because you know him. We both do.”

“Really? Who is it?”

“Silver.”

“What? He’s here? In the mall? I never thought of him participating in normal activities like shopping in a mall.”

“Yep, he can be ordinary sometimes, but he’s a hard bastard to bargain with.”

“I know,” Lora said. Although this was worse than even she had imagined. Why couldn’t he give up a toy for a sick little girl?

“Uh, oh.”

“What?”

“I really shouldn’t have said anything,” Warren said, lowering his head and lifting his hand to hide his face.

“Why?”

“Guess who’s coming our way.”

Chapter 2

“Hello, Rice. Didn’t expect to see you here.”

There was nothing warm about his greeting. It was just a series of stated facts, but somehow it was unnerving. He always unnerved her, and she didn’t know why. He looked more relaxed and less threatening out of his white lab coat, wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a black leather jacket. Damn, he was a good-looking man. Lora had always suspected it, but now it was even more evident. She caught a woman sending him a glance. She didn’t blame her—she would have done the same if she didn’t know what he was really like. She plastered on a smile.

“I see you’ve been shopping,” Lora said, just to fill the silence.

“Yes.” He lifted the bag, as if in triumph. “My niece wanted this popular toy, and I was able to snag it for her.”

Lora glanced at Warren, who still hadn’t raised his head. Because he wouldn’t mention the incident, she would. Silver had no right to look so proud. “And there’s another little girl who won’t get it. But perhaps you don’t think she needs it.”

He furrowed his brows. “What?”

“I just heard about what you did.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Let me clarify.” Warren lifted his head. “Hey, Silver.”

“Rappaport,” he said, his tone turning to ice. “Still charming the ladies with stories, I see.”

“It’s what I do.” He motioned to a chair. “Care to join us?”

“I have more shopping to do.”

“And more presents to take,” Lora added.

Silver sent her an odd look—a mixture of confusion and disappointment—which for a second made her regret her petty words. But she quickly brushed the feeling aside. She had nothing to feel sorry for. She knew he was a bully who liked to get his own way, and she knew how he really felt about the sick. They were merely “experimental” lab specimens to him. She’d seen his callousness in the past. She didn’t even know why he was still working in medical research. He could get better paid positions elsewhere. Perhaps he just liked the prestige.

“I’ll see you,” he said frowning, then left.

“I seriously hope not,” she muttered, wishing the restless feeling that had seized her would leave. Silver had a strong visceral effect on her that she couldn’t understand.

Warren gave a low whistle once Silver was out of view. “I’d hate to get on your bad side. I see you dislike Silver as much as I do. What’s your story?”

It was too personal to share. “A personality clash.”

“I can see that, but people usually overlook it.”

“Why?”

“He’s a brilliant man.”

Lora played with the straw in her drink, drawing it up and down so it squeaked. “He’s all mind and no heart.”

“That sounds serious. Were you two lovers or something?”

Lora stared at him, outraged. “Absolutely not. Why would you suggest something like that?”

Warren shrugged. “I don’t know. There just seems to be this energy between you two, as if you have a history.”

“We have a history but not as lovers.”

“And you’re not ready to tell me about it?”

“Not yet.”

Warren winked. “I like a woman of mystery.”

“Good, because I have plenty of secrets.”

Warren folded his arms and studied her for a moment, then said, “Have you ever met his family?”

“Why would I want to?”

“So is that a no?”

“A definite no. Have you?”

“Yes.” He leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. “His whole family is that way—proud, arrogant and determined.”

“That’s no surprise.”

“His niece is the worst. She’s spoiled, vain but brilliant and condescending to anyone who she thinks is inferior.”

“How do you know so much? How did you meet them?”

“I did an extended study after graduate school, and Silver and I shared a room. I thought he was okay at first, until he got me kicked out of the program because I won an award he wanted.”

“He got you thrown out? How could he do that?”