They both pulled back, laughing. “I won’t forget this night anytime soon,” he told her.
“Me either.” Admittedly, she wouldn’t have a burn on her arm from it.
Walt walked her to the door of her car and opened it for her.
She turned over the engine and rolled down the window before shutting the door.
He leaned over the car. “Do you own a gun?” he asked.
“A gun?”
“Yeah, you know . . . bullets?”
She pulled her hair over her right shoulder and looked up at him with a grin. “You snuck up on me.”
“I need to know what kind of medical kit I need to have on hand for our dates.”
“An almost date. Kissing in the parking lot doesn’t count. Not since high school anyway.”
Walt tossed his head back with laughter and moved away from the car. “Be safe, Dakota.”
“You, too, Doc.”
Chapter Seven
Brenda never called. Hearing her voice on his answering machine shot alarm bells off in Walt’s head.
“Who is the best little sister in the world?” she asked when the machine gave her time to talk.
“I am, that’s right. I just learned through several channels that Mom is setting up not one, but three potential love matches for you when you come over for Dad’s party.”
Walt groaned.
“Don’t you dare flake on this party since I told you this. Larry told me to relay that he’s already got a bottle of Crown stashed at Mom and Dad’s for you.”
Larry was his sister’s husband. Poor sap lived less than twenty miles from his in-laws and had to endure a whole lot more than Walt did.
“Take some advice from your younger, albeit wiser, sister. Bring your own dates and this shit will stop. Love you, bro. Can’t wait to see you next week.”
He’d been running nonstop since he watched Dakota drive away, his arm stinging beyond anything he’d experienced.
He was doing his best to get all his obligations out of the way so his date with her the next night could go on uninterrupted. He’d ordered flowers, and he’d even stocked his wallet with new condoms. That made him either a bastard or thoughtful. He still wasn’t sure which. One thing for sure, he was hopeful he’d use them. Dakota, and her stun gun, had invaded his head. He thought of her and couldn’t ignore the heat inside him.
The day after the incident at Joe’s, Walt took it upon himself to scout the area around the hospital to see if there was a better alternative than the watering hole they were all used to.
Sadly, everything else pushed his limits of dive bar or was so trendy and opposite from everything he and his colleagues looked for in a place to unwind.
Walt set his clean laundry, clothes that really needed to be folded and put away, aside on his sofa. He turned on his TV and opened a beer. He hadn’t watched a game in forever, knew he could get the last half of the Dodgers game.
He was cursing a ref’s call when his phone rang.
“Hey, Doc.”
Damn her voice was sexy. After quickly turning down the volume, he replied. “Didn’t I tell you to call me Walt?”
“You did. But I never dated a doctor before so you’re just going to have to deal.”
“So it’s a status thing?”
“Yep! I’m dating you for your title.”
“And a character profile.”
“Right. Both those reasons.”
He laughed.
“Don’t hate me,” she said with less laughter in her voice.
“Why would I—”
“I have to bail on our date tomorrow.”
He really hoped he wasn’t hearing her right. He switched off the TV, not wanting the distraction.
“Seriously?”
“I have to fly to New York tonight. My agent pitched my latest book to my publisher and she wasn’t happy with their first offer.”
“So what does that mean?”
“She pitched it to three more publishers and now there’s a frenzy building.”
Walt knew nothing about publishing but somehow understood a frenzy in Dakota’s world was better than in his. “This is a good thing?”
“Crazy good.”
“Do you like your current publisher?”
“Love ’em. But in business, you try to get the most for less. Desi, that’s my agent, suggested we push for more money, and everyone is outbidding the last. They call it an auction . . . it’s never happened to me before. So I’m going to New York to meet with the different publishers. I want to know who I’m signing with and if I can work with them.”
“Sounds exciting.”
“It is. Sucks that I have to flake on you.”
“Work comes first.” Still sucked, though. “How about next weekend?”
“You’ll be in Colorado.”
He leaned back on his couch, scratched his head. “Join me.”
She hesitated. “In Colorado?”
“Yeah.” He’d probably kick himself for this later. “Fair warning . . . I’m using you so my mother doesn’t set me up with unwanted women.”
“As in plural? More than one?”
“So my sister tells me.”
“So I use you for my current book, and you use me to get Mummy off your back?”
“That about sums it up.” Should he mention his supply of condoms? Nawh!
“OK, Doc . . . you have yourself a weekend date. Oh, wait . . . saying that aloud brought up all kinds of images.”
It certainly did.
“Separate rooms,” he offered. “I don’t expect—”
“Won’t that raise a red flag on your plan?”
“I don’t have a plan, Dakota. Come with me to Colorado and we’ll figure it out when we get there. One thing for sure, my work won’t get in the way.”
“And I’ll have this deal worked out before I get back to LA.”
“So you can use me, and I can use you.”
She busted out laughing. “I’m rubbing off on you, Doc. Your parents are going to hate me.”
“I doubt that.”
“Can you add me to your flight at this late of notice?”
Shit. He hadn’t bothered booking a flight. “I-I’ll figure it out.”
“Walt?”
“Uhm . . .”
“You seriously haven’t booked your flight yet, have you?”
He stood and started toward his office with the phone to his ear. “I was hoping for an outbreak of the pig flu.”