"Hell, I hate hospitals."
"They ought to be sending you thank-you notes," Tommy remarked dryly. "From what Nick’s told me about you, you send them a lot of customers."
"Nah, I cut out the middleman. I send them right to the morgue. Saves time and money." Noah glanced at his friend. "What’d you tell your priest about me?"
"That you shoot to kill."
Noah shrugged. "That’s about right, but then, so do you. My aim’s better, that’s all."
"No, it isn’t," Nick countered.
Laurant was fascinated by the conversation, but she couldn’t tell if Noah was joking or telling the truth. "Have you killed a lot of people?"
"Now Laurant, you know better than to ask me that. I can’t kill and tell. Besides, it’s a sin to brag, isn’t it, Tom?"
Nick laughed. "Bragging is the least of your sins, Noah."
"Hey, I’m a good man. I like to think of myself as an environmentalist."
"How’s that?" Nick asked.
"I’m doing my part to make the world a better place." Turning back to Tommy he asked, "Are we going to be at the hospital all day?"
"No, I’ve got an early appointment in radiology. We should be back here by eight or nine."
"Is it time for another MRI?" Nick asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "If so, I really want to be there for you."
"What’s so funny about an MRI?" Noah asked.
Nick shook his head and Tommy actually blushed as he answered.
As a matter of fact, I am having another MRI, but Nick can’t go with me. He’s been banned from radiology."
Noah wanted details, and it didn’t take Laurant long to realize she was the reason Nick and Tommy weren’t giving him any. They squirmed around their explanation like naughty schoolboys hauled in front of the principal.
"If you’ll excuse me, I’ll just go and get my purse."
She hadn’t even reached the kitchen before she heard the laughter. Tommy was telling the story, but because he was speaking in such a low voice, she could only catch a word or two. Whatever had happened with Nick in the radiology department was hilarious to the three men. She found her purse on the floor next to the chair, looped the strap over her shoulder, and then leaned back against the table and waited for the laughter to die down.
Nick came looking for her. "You ready?"
With a nod she followed him to the front door. Tommy stooped down so she could kiss him on the cheek, and Noah immediately imitated the action.
Laughing, she pushed him back. "You’re a terrible flirt."
"Yeah, I am," he agreed. "And you’re one hell of a beautiful woman."
Ignoring the compliment, she said, "Watch over my brother."
"Don’t you worry. I’ve been bred to do just that. I come from a long line of law enforcement officers, so I’m a natural protector. It’s in the genes," he added. "Sleep well, Laurant."
She nodded. Nick opened the door, but she paused on the threshold. "Noah? What’s your last name?"
"Clayborne," he answered. "Noah Clayborne."
Chapter 9
Laurant’s car was a piece of junk. The carburetor was clogged; the spark plugs needed to be replaced, and the transmission was slipping. Nick was surprised they made it across town to the hotel.
He had made reservations from the rectory. They were registered under the names of Mr. and Mrs. John Hudson. They stopped by the reception desk to pick up their keys and then went upstairs. In the elevator he told her he’d had her clothes transferred.
"Very efficient of you."
"I’m an efficient kind of guy."
He stepped out of the elevator first, made sure the hallway was empty, then walked by her side down the long, red carpeted corridor. It was as quiet as a tomb. Their suite was at the very end of the hall. Nick inserted the plastic card in the lock and pushed the door wide.
"Did I mention we’ve got the bridal suite? It’s all they had available. Now Laurant, don’t go all awkward on me," he hastily added when he saw her expression. "You look like you want to run."
She forced a smile. It was awkward, but she was determined to get past it. "I’m too tired to run anywhere."
"Want me to carry you over the threshold?"
She didn’t answer. He finally gave her a little nudge to get her moving. She hesitantly stepped into the one-bedroom suite. She heard the door click behind her, and she felt a sudden pang of nervousness. This wasn’t the time to be embarrassed or shy, she reminded herself. Nick was standing right behind her. She could feel the heat from his body. She quickly walked away from him and looked around the living room. It was beautifully decorated in soft, soothing taupe colors. There were two chocolate chenille sofas facing each other with a black marble coffee table in between. In the center of the table was a large crystal vase filled with fresh spring flowers, and on the sideboard in front of the triple windows overlooking the plaza lights, was a silver tray laden with fruit, cheese and crackers, and a bottle of champagne submerged in a black onyx bucket of ice.
Nick was doing something funny with the door. He had a thin wire in his hand and was threading a loop around the door latch. On the end of the wire was a tiny square box about the size of a nine-volt battery, and after he twisted the wire around the doorknob, he turned the box, and a red light suddenly began to blink.
"What is that?"
"My own personal security system," he told her. "Jordan designed it for me. If anyone tries to get in while I’m in the shower or asleep, I’ll know about it."
He stood up, rolled his shoulders, and then suggested she get ready for bed. "I’ll use this bathroom, and you can have the one off the bedroom."
Nodding, she walked to the door separating the living room from the bedroom and then paused. There was a king-size bed, and the white comforter and sheets had already been turned down for the night. A long-stemmed red rose was in the center of the bed, and Godiva chocolate squares, wrapped in gleaming gold paper, were on two of the pillows.
"What’s the matter?" he asked when she continued to stand at the entrance.
"There’s a rose on the bed."
He crossed the room to see for himself. "Nice touch," he remarked.
He was just a foot away, leaning against the door frame. She couldn’t quite look at him when she said, "It is the bridal suite."
"Yep, it is," he agreed. "You feeling awkward again?"
"No, not at all," she lied.
"You can have the bed, and I’ll take the sofa out here."
She heard a loud crunch. Nick had just taken a huge bite out of an apple. Juice dripped down his chin, and he casually wiped it away with the back of his hand and offered the apple to her. She leaned over and took a much smaller bite.
The tension left, and he was suddenly her big brother’s best friend again. She headed for the bathroom, and while she was sorting through her overnight bag, looking for her nightshirt, out of the corner of her eye she saw Nick dive on the bed and grab the TV remote.
She stayed in the shower a long time, letting the hot water beat down on her shoulders until all the tension of the day eased away. She was drained by the time she finished blowing her long hair dry. She put on an extra-large Penn State nightshirt, slapped on some moisturizer, and then grabbed her tube of Chanel body lotion and went back into the bedroom.
Nick had made himself at home. He was leaning back against the pillows he’d propped against the headboard, his long muscular legs sprawled out in front of him with one ankle crossed over the other. He had changed into a pair of old frayed shorts and a white shirt. His hair was still wet from his shower, and he was barefoot. A small notebook and a ballpoint pen were on his lap and the television remote control was in his hand. He looked completely at ease.
There were complimentary robes hanging in the closet, but she’d forgotten to take one of them into the bathroom with her, and since he’d just given her little more than a cursory glance and turned back to the television, she stopped worrying about being prim and proper. She wasn’t scantily clad in a negligee after all. The nightshirt covered her from her neck to the top of her knees.