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you.”
    He looked at her mouth.
    “For the glasses, and the …the …”
    “Orgasm?” The right side of his mouth kicked up. “Now that was my pleasure.”
    She matched his grin. “And mine.” She pondered how to tell him that she wanted more, that she wanted to do it again, maybe not right this moment, but soon. She put a hand on his chest. “Cary,” she said hesitantly.
    And he blurted, “Marry me.”
    Her gaze snapped up and locked onto his. He looked more surprised than she felt. In fact, he appeared floored that those words had come from his mouth. Or had they? “What did you say?”
    He actually flushed. Then he scowled. “You heard me.”
    “I’m not sure I did.”
    His shoulders bunched. He seemed annoyed with himself, and she could imagine why. Oh God, she’d burdened him with all her leftover dreams for marriage and children, and now he felt obligated.
    “I asked if you’d marry me.”
    Actually, he’d just sort of demanded it, and in fact he still seemed rather combative about the offering. “Cary, you don’t need to do that.”
    His frown sharpened, as did his annoyance. “That?”
    “Propose. I mean, I was just thinking that I like it like
    this.” “This?”
    Worse and worse. He’d barely squeezed that word out between his teeth. “Yes, with us as … lovers. No commitment, no responsibility.” She stroked his chest. “Just pleasure.”
    “You said you wanted marriage,” he accused, and his cheekbones were red, his green eyes incandescent with anger.
    “Yes, I know, but … not with you.”
    He bolted upright in the bed. “Not. With. Me?”
    Nora wanted to pull out her own tongue. How insulting that had sounded! “What I mean is—”
    A distant ringing sounded and they both paused, alert. Working in the medical field, a phone was never ignored.
    Cary cursed luridly. “Goddammit, that’s my cell phone. I left it on your patio.” Buck naked, he clambered out of her bed, out of her bedroom, and quite possibly right out of her life.
    Dolt. Idiot. How could she have said such a ridiculous, mean, nasty thing to him? She knew what she meant—that she was happy having him any way she could. That making love with him was a worthwhile trade-off for marriage. That she loved him enough, she’d take what he was comfortable offering—which plainly wasn’t marriage.
    Stewing in bed wouldn’t do her one bit of good. What if he left without even telling her good-bye? That galvanized her into action and Nora was out of the bed in a flash. She was stepping into panties when Cary stomped back in.
    He drew up short at the sight of her, with her underwear around her knees, her upper body still bare. His gaze darted here and there, lingering on her breasts and belly.
    He was fully dressed, darn it. Well, except for his boxers, which were wadded up and wet on her floor. Drawn back to her senses, Nora tugged her panties up the rest of the way and crossed her arms over her breasts.
    As if that broke the spell, Cary gave up his scrutiny of her body. He didn’t look at her face. He stayed busy tucking in his shirt, buckling his belt. “I have to go,” he said in one of the flattest tones she’d ever heard from him. “One of my patients is having trouble breathing. Probably bronchitis from the sounds of it. But she’s older and afraid of most doctors, so I’m going to meet her and her son at the emergency room.”
    He was such a remarkable, caring man and all she could do was stand there in nothing more than panties, wracking her brain for something to say. “Cary …”
    He shot her a quick, insincere smile. “We can talk later. Duty calls.” He hesitated, then took one long step toward her, put a perfunctory peck on her forehead, and rushed from the room.
    Nora sank to the edge of the bed. It was badly mussed, the pillows off on the floor, the sheets trailing over the side. The scent of their lovemaking still lingered in the air, and stupidly, tears prickled her eyes. She was a complete