Part 15 (1/2)

The doctor stepped into his path. ”Her X rays showed no sign of a concussion. Ms. Brockway is fine. But you won't be if that arm starts bleeding again.”

”I want to see her.” He started past her again, but she grabbed his good arm.

”If you want to see your Ms. Brockway, get in the chair.”

He hesitated.

”I can get you to her faster in the chair because I know where she is. You don't.”

He looked at her, almost amused. ”You have a lousy bedside manner.”

”Yeah.” She grinned at him at he settled himself in the chair. ”But my patients do what I tell them because I figure out their weak spots. And yours is Ms. Brockway. You're crazy in love with her.”

Zach said nothing as she wheeled him down the short hallway. He didn't even speak to Sam when they rolled past him at the nurse's station. All he could think of was that he couldn't be in love with Chelsea. Attraction was one thing-but love? Fear bubbled up. No. It was impossible.

”I'll bet you even smell flowers when there's none around,” Dr. Tong said.

”How did you...?”

”I'm a very good doctor.”

Zach scanned the waiting room. It took him a moment to spot Chelsea because she was surrounded by men. In some part of his mind he recognized Ramn standing behind her and he registered that two of the others wore green scrubs. But his attention was riveted on the man kneeling on the floor with his head up her skirt! Zach was out of the wheelchair and across the waiting room in two quick strides.

”There,” the headless man began. ”I think that should-”

Zach grabbed the front of the man's s.h.i.+rt and jerked.

”Zach!” Chelsea blocked his raised fist at the same time that Sam wrapped his arms around his waist from behind.

He was about to shake both of them off when the red mist in front of his eyes cleared enough for him to recognize Daryl and to see that Chelsea had moved in front of her roommate.

”Peace.” Daryl plucked a white handkerchief out of his pocket and waved it around Chelsea's shoulder. ”I was just doing some damage control with the skirt.”

”To h.e.l.l with the skirt. I wish I'd never seen it,” Zach said, then winced as he tried to wrap his bad arm around Chelsea. ”You're all right?”

”I'm fine. But your arm's not.” She turned to the doctor. ”Is it?”

”It should be fine if he can control his impulse to punch people out,” Dr. Tong said with a smile. Then she signaled for the two men in scrubs to follow her.

Keeping his good arm around Chelsea, Zach turned to Sam. ”Have you learned anything more about the man who knifed me?”

Sam glanced at Daryl and Ramn.

”You can talk in front of them,” Zach said.

”The knifer's done it before. One of the detectives on the case thinks he may have been hired.”

”That settles it.” Zach turned to Chelsea. ”We're going back to my apartment and you're going to take off that skirt for good.”

”I can't. I'm wearing it to your aunt's ball tonight.”

”You're not going.”

”Of course, I'm going. You're the one who should stay home.”

Zach drew in a deep breath. He wasn't going to win this argument by shouting. ”I can't protect you. I thought I could, but I can't.” Even as he spoke, he thought of that moment when he'd seen the blood staining the ice and thought it was Chelsea's. Shoving down the panic that was bubbling up all over again, he said, ”I won't allow you-the magazine can't allow you to put your life in danger for the sake of a foolish article.”

Chelsea stepped back from him. The hurt and anger he saw in her eyes sliced through him, but he didn't reach for her. The only thing he could allow himself to think of was keeping her safe.

”It's my life and my foolish article,” she said. ”I'm not the one who was knifed.”

But you could have been. It was the image that had been flas.h.i.+ng through his mind since they'd left the ice rink. He hadn't been able to stop it.

”The skirt articles are over. Metropolitan won't be running the last two.”

Chelsea's chin shot up. ”Fine.”

”You'll stay at my apartment tonight. Sam will be able to protect you there.”

”No,” Chelsea said, taking another step back from him. ”I won't be staying at your apartment.”

”Chels-” But when he reached for her, she stepped even further away.

”The super got in touch with Daryl and Ramn. The apartment door's been fixed and a security system has been installed. I'm going with them.”

When she turned to walk away, Zach managed to keep from reaching out to her. Instead, he said to Sam. ”Take care of her.”

”My pleasure.”

He grabbed Sam's arm as the man moved past him. ”She's mine.”

Sam grinned. ”Yeah. I can tell. You're acting like a total jerk. That's a sure sign you're crazy about her.”

12.

FANTASY. GLITZ. GLAMOUR. It was everywhere that Chelsea looked. Miranda had worked a miracle, transforming the top floor of the Miramar Hotel into a true Christmas wonderland. Twinkling lights cascaded from the ceiling, and flowers were everywhere, banking the food and drink stations and lining the walls of windows that offered breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline. It was a treat for the senses-the scent of food mingling with flowers, candlelight gleaming off crystal and silver, violin music mixing with the sound of laughter.

And Chelsea was absolutely miserable. Zach was furious with her. He hadn't spoken to her once since she'd arrived at the ball with Daryl as her date.

Even now, he was seated across from her at Miranda's table just as far away as he could get.

Of course, he'd been talking to board members. She'd been busy, too. Her feet hurt from dancing with all the men Miranda had introduced her to. She'd even managed a dance with Sam Romano. He'd a.s.sured her that every possible precaution was being taken to protect Zach. But not even his rea.s.surance had melted the tight fist of fear that had settled in her stomach ever since she'd seen Zach's blood on the ice. If the knifer's aim had been just a bit more accurate...

No, she wasn't going to dwell on that. But did Zach think that while his life was in danger, she was just going to sit at his apartment and wait? Not b.l.o.o.d.y likely! Not when she could keep an eye on him herself.

When she realized she was looking at Zach again, she tried to look away and couldn't. Thousands of little champagne bubbles b.u.mped against her heart. He was so reserved, so aloof, so controlled. The complete opposite of her. She could probably stare at him all evening like some lovesick puppy and he wouldn't so much as glance her way. If she made the first move and approached him he might merely ignore her and walk away.