The door squeaked open behind her.
“Be with you in a second,” she said, throwing the words over her shoulder as she bent to peer into the low cabinet.
“Take your time,” a slow, drawling voice told her, the smallest hint of Mississippi deepening those words. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Drew.
She straightened slowly, then turned toward him. He stood just inside the doorway, his shoulder propped against the door frame. His eyes were on her.
And he was staring at her as if he could eat her alive.
Only fair, she was probably ogling him the same way.
“I missed you in New Orleans.” He stepped away from the door. Locked it. “And in Dallas.” He stalked toward her.
“Mercer wanted me to come back—”
“I’m not real interested in what Mercer wants.”
Neither was she. Her gaze slid over him. Tall. Dark. Deadly. That was Drew. But his eyes—they were bright.
They seemed to shine with emotion.
But Tina didn’t know if she could trust what she was seeing in his gaze.
“Don’t.” He stopped in front of her.
“Don’t what?” Why was her voice so husky?
“That’s not the way you usually look at me.”
She swallowed, not sure what he was talking about.
“Usually, you stare at me with trust. I look into your eyes, and I want to be the man you think I am.”
He was.
She made herself ask, “How am I looking at you now?”
“Like you’ve lost faith in me.” The faint lines near his mouth deepened. “Doc, don’t. I’ve been tracking you. I’ve been steps behind you all the way home.”
“I—I thought you might be on another mission.”
He nodded. “I am. The most important mission of my life.”
Oh, right. Now she understood. Another mission meant he had to be medically cleared for the field. She cleared her throat. “In light of what’s...happened...another doctor here can—”
“I don’t want another doctor.” His hands wrapped around her waist and he lifted her up. He sat her on the exam table. Put them eye-to-eye and leaned in real close to her. “You’re the one I want. The only one I want.”
“Drew—”
He kissed her.
Kissed her with passion, with need, with raw lust.
Kissed her as if he were desperate.
Kissed her as if she were his life.