Chapter 5

Nora

Tanner Daniels must have thought I’d been born yesterday and graduated medical school an hour ago. His poor attempt at faking dizzy spells was amusing but he was crazy if he thought I was going to spend the night.

As I walked downstairs and passed through his kitchen to the side door that would be closer to my house, I noticed how high that lightbulb was in the kitchen and just how far he fell. A little voice inside kept telling me all the way to the pharmacy that maybe I should stay the night.

As if the little voice wasn’t enough encouragement my phone rang and it was Harper to further persuade me. “How’s your patient? Has he showed you his penis yet?”

“Don’t be crass. It is bad enough I’ve got him faking dizzy spells to get close to me. Not to mention he’s asked me to spend the night.”

“You should. He’s not all that terrible and let’s face it, those Daniels’ men are super-hot.” I had a feeling she was looking at her man as she spoke.

“Don’t let Luke hear you telling me to spend the night with Tanner. It’s weird enough I’m his friend. I don’t want him thinking about me screwing his brother.”

“Please. You need to loosen up. I know you’ve never been with anyone, but don’t you think it’s time you stop that losing streak and find out what you’re missing?”

“I’ve been in situations with men before like him and all they care about is getting their rocks off. I want someone who cares about me, who will leave me with more than a sore jaw.”

“That’s because you’re starting off at the wrong end. Make them earn that.” I’d only done it a few times and that was just to show I wasn’t completely square. In the end, I’d given him the release he was after and he never called me again. Tanner Daniels was the same type of animal.

“Whatever.” I pulled into the pharmacy parking lot and pulled into the nearest spot.

“You’re thinking about it, aren’t you? That’s why you’re copping such an attitude.” She gave a little giggle.

“So, what if I am? God, I don’t need you encouraging me one minute and then teasing me the next. Did you need something? I’m about to go into the pharmacy.”

“I just wanted to check on you and give you a little push.”

“Thanks. I’ll let you know later if it worked.” I shut off my phone and stuffed it in my purse, then I grabbed my keys from the ignition and carried went inside.

“Hello, Dr. Adams,” said the girl behind the counter. She was a beautiful girl and to her gain, she looked more like her mother than her father, the pharmacist. “What can I do for you?”

I reached in my bag for my prescription pad and a pen. “I’m going to order a prescription for Tanner Daniels.” I jotted down the medication and then tore the paper off and passed it to her.

“Yeah, the poor guy was in here earlier. He seemed a bit confused.” The pharmacist shook her head but she was blushing making me think he’d no doubt flirted with the young girl. Or perhaps she just had a crush on him. Probably both. Who could blame her?

“Do you know Mr. Daniels?” I asked, suspecting she did. Tanner made himself known to everyone.

“Who doesn’t?” She giggled. “He helped me go to cheer camp a few years back by making a huge donation to the squad. He found out the football players had gotten a free trip to a ski lodge after their season was over and didn’t think it was fair that they get everything handed to them while we had to do all the fundraising, so he paid our way.”

“Are you sure that wasn’t Luke Daniels? You know the bigger one who rides the motorcycle.” They were easily confused in some aspects.

“No, it was Tanner. He didn’t want anyone to know but our cheer captain told us. Besides, I’ve always thought he was the hottest of the two.” She giggled and headed to the back with a blush in her cheeks. The comment gave me a tinge of jealousy. There was no short supply of women who thought he was hot, but I wondered how many others appreciated his generosity. Could it be possible that there was a whole other side to him?

The best perk of being a doctor was that no one ever made me wait in line at the pharmacy and in no time, I was headed back to Tanner’s house with his new meds in hand. I parked at home and grabbed a few things for overnight and then decided to walk over to his house. It would make things easier for me later and the extra steps would be good for me. I hoped that on the way I’d come to my senses.

He was asleep when I went up to his room and stuck my head in the door. He lay beneath the blankets which were pulled up just far enough to give me a peek at his toned abs. Everything about him was fit and as I tiptoed in to put his medicine on the nightstand he opened his eyes.

“I didn’t mean to wake you. I just wanted to leave this.”

He sat up in bed with a lazy grin. “Thanks.” Somehow, I was seeing him in a different way as if the glimpse at him from another’s opinion had cleared away the sins of his past.

“I was thinking, maybe I should stay after all.” I held up my bag.

His brow lifted. “Yeah? I’d like that. Better to be safe than sorry.” He shifted and put his feet on the floor and slowly stood. “I’ll show you to your room. You can get settled in. I know it’s getting late.”

“My room?” I’d somehow assumed he’d suggest I stay with him and I was more than prepared to turn him down. But now that he was suggesting I stay elsewhere I was a little surprised and taken aback.

“Yeah, I just assumed you wouldn’t want to stay in my bed, what with your distaste for me and all.” He gave a shrug and his tone wasn’t as accusing as it could have been.

“Oh, of course.”

He hesitated a minute then shook his head and led me down the hall to the room next door to his. “You should be comfortable here.” He swung the door open and switched on the light to reveal a gorgeous room that was adorned with so many butterflies, I felt like I was in a magical world. The last thing I’d expected to find in the bachelor’s mansion was a shabby chic room fully decked out in rich antique furnishings so lovely it was like I was looking at a page from a magazine.

“This room is gorgeous!” I walked in with my mouth hung open and felt of the soft cotton duvet that dressed the foot of the bed which was layered with so many pillows and blankets that it had to feel like sleeping on a cloud. “It’s a bit feminine, but I love it.”

“Luke and I did it to honor our mother. She loved antiques and used to drag us all over to shop. We never really appreciated it. She loved butterflies too and many of these things are what we’d bough her for her birthdays or Mother’s Day. It was always a huge contest to see who could find her the prettiest butterfly gift and she kept them and treasured them all. After her death, we couldn’t bear to part with them. No one else would appreciate them the way she did.”

His eyes brightened when he spoke of his mother and it made me miss my own. We were both orphans in life, and if I could relate to him about anything it was that particular loss.

“That’s so sweet that you did that.” I glanced beside the bed and spotted a picture of a beautiful young woman in a spring dress with two adorable little boys standing beside her. “You look like her. I look like my mother too.”

“Yeah, I was always the baby—the mama’s boy. But that was okay by me.” He stared at the picture with a longing gaze and then he blinked. “So anyway, feel free to settle in. I’m right down the hall if you need me or you know if you want to check on me.”

“I’ll be in when it’s time for your medicine. You shouldn’t take it just yet, but you should probably get back to bed. I’ll walk you.”

“No, I’m good, get comfortable.” He stepped toward the door and hesitated like he had more to say but then he left me alone with my thoughts.

I couldn’t believe he’d been so good about it, and surprised he didn’t try to get me into bed, but then again, the night was still young. I stepped behind a beautiful screen in the corner and changed into my yoga pants and a tank top that I liked to sleep in. It wasn’t the sexiest thing, but I wasn’t considering he’d see me in them when I grabbed them from home.

I wondered if I should have brought something a little sexier, especially considering the things I’d found in that drawer. Looking around at the room it was hard to believe he was so kinky. I sat on the bed and glanced around. The room was such a tribute, and as I felt the soft fabric beneath me, I wondered if there was a softer side of Tanner that I hadn’t seen. Maybe I’d been wrong about him all along.

But then I remember Meagan’s tears the day I confirmed she was pregnant. It was the same day she’d broken down and told me all about Tanner Daniels and how he broke her heart.

On the wall beside the bed were two small handprints; I assume one is Luke and the other, the smaller of the two, for Tanner. I was so torn and wondered what I would have done if he’d invited me to stay with him in his room. I’d totally expected it and breathed a sigh of relief knowing I would have given in. Perhaps there was a gentleman inside him after all?