Brandon stepped around her and hung a clean towel on the hook by the shower.

“Baylor med school, UT undergrad,” he said.

She turned around. The corner of her mouth curved up in the first hint of emotion he’d seen in hours. “Don’t tell me you interviewed him?”

He reached up and rested his hand on her shoulder. “I did, yeah.”

Her green eyes softened, and Brandon’s chest filled with some other feeling, something he couldn’t put a label on.

She went up on tiptoes and kissed him, just a soft brush of her mouth. He slid his arms around her, and she kissed him again. He wanted to take it easy. But then she nibbled his lip, and he pulled her in tight, licking into her warm mouth and drinking in that sweetly erotic taste he’d been craving. Her hands slid up around his neck. He held her against him, as tightly as he could without hurting her, while he kissed her with all the pent-up need and frustration that had been building for days.

Finally, she pulled back and gazed up at him, resting her fingers on his sternum.

“Shower with me,” she whispered. “I think you need to relax, too.”

*   *   *

Brandon awoke to a noise in the kitchen. He listened for a moment, then got out of bed and pulled on some jeans.

Leigh stood in the light of the open refrigerator, surveying the contents. She wore one of his black T-shirts that hit her at midthigh.

“Hungry?” he asked.

She jumped and whirled around.

“God, you scared me.”

He walked over and switched on the light above the microwave.

“I’m starving.” She closed the fridge. “How about you?”

His stomach growled as he opened the fridge again.

“I could eat. You like grilled cheese?”

“You don’t have any bread.”

“Hmm.” He opened the freezer. “Hot Pocket?”

She made a face.

“Ben and Jerry’s?”

“Oooh. Yes!”

He looked at her, surprised that her reaction to ice cream could turn him on. He grabbed the pint of Cherry Garcia and took a pair of spoons from a drawer.

“You want bowls?” he asked.

She scowled and plucked the carton from his hand. “Please. Bowls are for amateurs.”

She walked into the living room and sank onto the couch. He sat beside her and pulled her legs into his lap.

“I like your place.” She peeled the lid off the ice cream, and he handed her a spoon. “Did I tell you that before?”

“No.” He waited for her to take a bite and then scooped up a spoonful. “I think you were distracted.”

She smiled slightly as she pulled the spoon from her mouth. He was glad to see her smiling again, and it almost made it possible to ignore the bandage on her forehead.

Almost.

Brandon watched her in the dimness. Her sleep-mussed hair fell in waves around her shoulders. He rested his hand on her smooth thigh.