Page 289 of Under Her Skin

And just like that, I see he’s looking at me to be his mother—someone I’m not about to become. But with his father’s death still so fresh, I’m also not about to go on a rampage and tell him anything justyet.

Mr. Green makes his way to us, hobbling a little bit, and I notice he’s giving in to his right knee. “Knee problems, Mr. Green?” Iask.

“Well, last month this one started giving out on me. I probably will have to have a knee replacement. My older brother had to have that done two years ago when he was myage.”

We head into the restaurant, Blaine’s arm still around my shoulders and me still wondering how I’m going to avoid falling for the handsome man with a troubledsoul.

I spot Tammy’s mother right away as she hustles around a table, picking up the empty plates. The hostess asks us if we want a booth or a table. Blaine answers quickly, “A booth. And I want one in,” he looks at me. “What’s hername?”

“We want a table in Patsy’s section,” Isay.

“Oh, friends of hers,” the hostess asks as she leads usaway.

“Not yet,” Blaine says. “But I hope we will be soon. You see, I’m about to make an attempt to steal her away fromhere.”

“How romantic,” the hostess says, then looks back at us. She takes notice of Blaine’s arm around me, then frowns. “Oh, sorry. I guess Imisunderstood.”

Blaine laughs, and I nearly pass out as his lips touch the side of my head. “Not romantically. I’m going to offer her a job at mycompany.”

“Now I get it. Well, she’s one hell of a worker,” she tells us, then gestures to a booth. Obviously, she ignored my words when I said we wanted a table instead ofbooth.

Blaine moves me into the booth and sits next to me, moving in so close that our legs touch. I lean against the wall and find him leaning too, so our bodies stay touching. “How about a little cocktail with lunch? I won’t tell on you,Delaney.”

“No,” I say quickly. “No drinking when in charge of people’s health. It’s a hard and fast rule Ihave.”

“I was just testing you,” he says with a laugh. “Youpassed.”

Patsy makes her way to us and nods when she sees me. “Nurse Richards, how’s my girl doingtoday?”

“She’s blue,” I tell her. “But I think I have found something or someone tohelp.”

Blaine extends his hand, and she shakes it with a confused expression. “Hello?”

“Hi, I’m Blaine Vanderbilt and I think I’m about to help your life become a bit easier for you. When can you take a break to talk tome?”

“Blaine Vanderbilt? The man who owns that chain of stores called Bargain Bin?” sheasks.

“That is me,” he says with a big, oldsmile.

“I’m sorry, sir. I don’t see how you could make my life easier,” she says. “Now, what can I get you all todrink?”

“Sweet teas all around,” Blaine says. “Please give me a chance to tell you my offer. I think you’ll like it verymuch.”

She looks at him for a moment, then at me. “Can you vouch forhim?”

I don’t want to vouch for him. He hasn’t even told me what he’s going to offer her. But I find myself nodding anyway. “Ican.”

“Okay,” she says. “I’ll be back with your drinks, then place your order and take ten minutes to talk toyou.”

“Great!” Blaine says. “You will not bedisappointed.”

She leaves us and I ask, “So, what are you going to offer her?” His hand moves over my leg, and I nearly slap it away until I realize my keys he took from me back at the hospital are in it. I bite my lip with how hot his touch is making me and have to clear my throat before I say, “Oh, my keys.Thanks.”

“I thought you might want them back. I forgot I had them until I sat down. They were making meuncomfortable.”

Our hands touch under the table as I take the keys, and I hate the way my heart is pounding in my chest.I hope he can’t hearit!

Chapter5