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lessons he promised to give her or he was going to be in for a couple of hellacious months. Glancing at the odometer on the digital display, he checked his distance just as it clicked over mile number ten and brought himself down to a walk for a short cool down.
    Distance. That was it. He needed to keep his distance when teaching her how to be the new her. Maybe he’d take a professorial lecturing approach next time. He could stand across the room and she could sit on the couch and take notes. Reid laughed out loud as he pictured the ridiculous scenario. Until the Lucie in said ridiculous scenario was suddenly wearing the Britney Spears version of a school uniform and asking for a hands-on lesson in Seduction 101.
    “Fuck!”
    Reid punched the STOP button and hopped off the machine. Breathing fast and heavy, he let his head fall back on his shoulders and squeezed his eyes shut, but decided better of it when the haunting image returned. Looked like it was going to be a cold shower before he turned in for the night. And starting tomorrow, all lessons were going to be purely hands- off and at least arm’s length for good measure.

Chapter Five
     
    “Absolutely not.”
    Reid chuckled from his seat on the couch outside the department-store dressing room where Lucie was currently balking at the fifth outfit in a row. After their morning therapy session and his lame-as-hell one-armed workout, they’d gone out for lunch. Watching her act in public had been torture. She reacted to life rather than participated, or even instigated. When spoken to, she responded. When given something, she accepted. But when the world wasn’t interacting with her, it was like she was in a bubble. She didn’t even look at the people around the restaurant.
    For whatever reason, Lucie acted as though it was her place not to create any more ripples in life’s pool than necessary. As for Reid? He preferred the cannonball approach, but he knew that wasn’t for everyone. If she wanted that asshat of a doctor to notice her, though, she needed to at least make a small splash. To do that, he’d start with changes on the outside and work his way in.
    As they finished their lunch he’d told her of his plan to take her shopping for new clothes. She had of course told him under no circumstance was she clothes shopping with him, but when he threatened to burn every last boring stitch in her wardrobe she reluctantly had a change of heart.
    He’d been surprised to find not one flattering piece in her closet. It was clear she had issues with her body, though for the life of him he couldn’t understand why. She was slender and fit. Her breasts were on the small side which he supposed could make a girl self-conscious if she thought every man alive wanted a couple of Dolly Partons to play with. But she was a highly intelligent woman, so she would know that was ridiculous. Wouldn’t she?
    “Come on, Lucie. Let’s see it.” The lady assisting them had picked outfits that hugged Lucie’s body rather than hid it. He’d approved of everything she’d tried on. From low-rise jeans to summer shorts, fitted button-downs to slimline tanks, she’d looked great in everything she tried on.
    “No. This is too much, Reid. I’m taking it off.”
    Since their assistant was off helping someone else, he’d have to assume this must be the “little black dress” she insisted was a necessity in every woman’s wardrobe. “Either you come out, or I’m coming in. Doesn’t matter to me either way.”
    A sigh of exasperation preceded grumbling of what sounded like his name in mixed company with some very unfavorable threats against his manhood. And yet he smiled. He couldn’t help it; she was adorable when ornery.
    At last she opened the door from the dressing room and strode the few feet to stand in front of him, hands on her hips and glaring at him for all she was worth. “It’s immodest.”
    He gave her a slow once over and couldn’t see how it could be considered