that a cop’s concern?” Del squirmed. “Tell Dr. Sam everything.”
“What kind of doctor are you?” Del asked.
“I’m a behavioral scientist, actually. I just opened my practice. Which is how I found out about my brother. One of the girls who works in this ward is coming to work for me next month when I retire officially from the service. So, has Luc told you about the picnic this weekend?”
“He mentioned something about it,” Delilah hedged, but Samantha’s eyes were infused with cunning.
“Is that so?”
“Look, don’t go reading into anything, okay.”
“How did you guys meet?”
Del could see she didn’t have a chance of holding anything back from Dr. Samantha Larue. Luc’s Navy doctor sister had her matchmaking missiles locked onto Delilah.
“Dish,” she said.
“He was dressed as a mercenary when my partner and I responded to a robbery in progress. I had him in handcuffs until the clerk said he was the hero. He saved her life, apprehended the robber and made a fan, my partner.”
“That’s baby brother,” she grinned. “Always the hero.” She leaned forward. “So you know about his… job?”
“I didn’t know at first. Jed, my partner, thought he was a stunt double—”
“He’s done that, too,” Samantha said. “Go on.”
“And I thought he worked in security for the studio. But when I went by the studio and saw him in nothing but a kilt, sword and boots, he had to own up to the whole truth.”
“Oh, my God. I wish I’d been there.” Samantha sprawled in the winged chair, her smile a wide duplicate of Luc’s. Samantha sobered. “Much as I hate it, I must call the family and see if I can keep them from swooping.”
“Swooping?” Del frowned.
“Oh, yeah. The women in this family can descend on an event like a horde, thus our affectionate nickname.”
Chapter 18
L uc was just dragging his IV Pole back to the bed from the bathroom when Del opened the door to his room. Looking over his shoulder at her, he said, “I hope I’m flashing you.”
“You are,” she said and gave him a pinch on one firm cheek. “Need some help?”
His left shoulder had been immobilized with a sling so she took the pole from him while he settled onto the bed. “I knew you couldn’t resist copping a feel? Pun intended.”
“Hm. I think you’re going to live.”
Luc looked at her soberly. “Were you worried about me?”
She laid her hand across his cheek. “A little bit. Could we not do that again?”
“Allright by me.” He rubbed his forehead. “Do me a favor. See if you can find my pants.”
“Not thinking of leaving are you? ‘Cause you’ll have to fight me and Ridge and a few others if you try before the specialist gets here.”
“Ridge was here?”
“Last night. He said he needed to get home, Buffy was concerned and she wanted to know how you were doing before she left on business.” Delilah searched the room for his clothes.
“When I got out of the service, Buffy called me—”
“That’s not her real name is it?” She handed Luc his pants.
“Her grandfather named her that when she was little, and it stuck.” He dropped his pants squinting. “She’s like my third cousin but I can’t remember her real name. Far as I know the studio is listed under Ridge and Buffy Romano.”
“But you say she called you, not Ridge,” Del said.
“She’d gotten my name from someone, heard I was going to open a martial arts studio and wanted to know how open-minded I was. Would I be interested in supplementing my income by taking advantage of my physical conditioning? She needed “a few good men”. He laughed and then winced, rubbing his temple. He leaned back suddenly. “Whew.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m a little nauseated. It’ll pass.” He withdrew something from the pocket of his pants and held them out to her.
The door opened and his nurse entered with a bouquet of flowers. “How’s our favorite cover model doing today?”
He groaned and the
“What kind of doctor are you?” Del asked.
“I’m a behavioral scientist, actually. I just opened my practice. Which is how I found out about my brother. One of the girls who works in this ward is coming to work for me next month when I retire officially from the service. So, has Luc told you about the picnic this weekend?”
“He mentioned something about it,” Delilah hedged, but Samantha’s eyes were infused with cunning.
“Is that so?”
“Look, don’t go reading into anything, okay.”
“How did you guys meet?”
Del could see she didn’t have a chance of holding anything back from Dr. Samantha Larue. Luc’s Navy doctor sister had her matchmaking missiles locked onto Delilah.
“Dish,” she said.
“He was dressed as a mercenary when my partner and I responded to a robbery in progress. I had him in handcuffs until the clerk said he was the hero. He saved her life, apprehended the robber and made a fan, my partner.”
“That’s baby brother,” she grinned. “Always the hero.” She leaned forward. “So you know about his… job?”
“I didn’t know at first. Jed, my partner, thought he was a stunt double—”
“He’s done that, too,” Samantha said. “Go on.”
“And I thought he worked in security for the studio. But when I went by the studio and saw him in nothing but a kilt, sword and boots, he had to own up to the whole truth.”
“Oh, my God. I wish I’d been there.” Samantha sprawled in the winged chair, her smile a wide duplicate of Luc’s. Samantha sobered. “Much as I hate it, I must call the family and see if I can keep them from swooping.”
“Swooping?” Del frowned.
“Oh, yeah. The women in this family can descend on an event like a horde, thus our affectionate nickname.”
Chapter 18
L uc was just dragging his IV Pole back to the bed from the bathroom when Del opened the door to his room. Looking over his shoulder at her, he said, “I hope I’m flashing you.”
“You are,” she said and gave him a pinch on one firm cheek. “Need some help?”
His left shoulder had been immobilized with a sling so she took the pole from him while he settled onto the bed. “I knew you couldn’t resist copping a feel? Pun intended.”
“Hm. I think you’re going to live.”
Luc looked at her soberly. “Were you worried about me?”
She laid her hand across his cheek. “A little bit. Could we not do that again?”
“Allright by me.” He rubbed his forehead. “Do me a favor. See if you can find my pants.”
“Not thinking of leaving are you? ‘Cause you’ll have to fight me and Ridge and a few others if you try before the specialist gets here.”
“Ridge was here?”
“Last night. He said he needed to get home, Buffy was concerned and she wanted to know how you were doing before she left on business.” Delilah searched the room for his clothes.
“When I got out of the service, Buffy called me—”
“That’s not her real name is it?” She handed Luc his pants.
“Her grandfather named her that when she was little, and it stuck.” He dropped his pants squinting. “She’s like my third cousin but I can’t remember her real name. Far as I know the studio is listed under Ridge and Buffy Romano.”
“But you say she called you, not Ridge,” Del said.
“She’d gotten my name from someone, heard I was going to open a martial arts studio and wanted to know how open-minded I was. Would I be interested in supplementing my income by taking advantage of my physical conditioning? She needed “a few good men”. He laughed and then winced, rubbing his temple. He leaned back suddenly. “Whew.”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m a little nauseated. It’ll pass.” He withdrew something from the pocket of his pants and held them out to her.
The door opened and his nurse entered with a bouquet of flowers. “How’s our favorite cover model doing today?”
He groaned and the
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