Instant Gratification by Jill Shalvis Page A

over his bruised skin, and he had an immediate reaction. So did she, given the way she dropped her hands as if he was a hot potato. “You have no business being on that bike, bouncing along on that rough terrain.”
    Well, actually, he did, but he didn’t want to rile her up anymore than absolutely necessary in case she was packing a shot of antibiotics in that bag.
    “Rest, elevate, and ice, I told you. Why does no one listen?”
    “I’ve elevated,” he said. Hell, they were standing at 6,300 feet. That had to count.
    “The other day, we flew a group of clients up to the Trinity Ice Flats,” Nick interjected helpfully. “We climbed the ice dams and sat up there for a couple of hours. Stone was hurting so he lay down. On the ice.”
    Emma stared at Nick as if he’d sprouted horns. Without a word she turned on Stone, narrowing her eyes as she swept an angry gaze over him, lingering at his forehead and the stitches she’d put there herself. “You did end up on the climb?”
    “Only a little.”
    “Do you have a death wish?”
    “Only a little.”
    She tossed up her hands. “I give up.” But instead of walking back to her truck, she headed toward the steps to the main lodge.
    He exchanged a look with Nick, who shrugged. “Uh…can I help you?” Stone asked her.
    “I’m picking up a guest you had last night.” She didn’t slow or look back. “Spencer Jenks. He’s with me.”
    Stone had ridden earlier that morning with their New York guest. The polite doctor had been an outdoor enthusiast, but more importantly, outgoing, friendly, and adventurous. In other words, Dr. Emma’s virtual opposite. “Spencer’s with you?”
    “That’s right.”
    He watched her stride up the steps, her heels clicking with forceful purpose on the stone, his gut sinking.
    “Is that the one who saw you naked?” Nick whispered.
    Dr. Spencer Jenks was hers. “Yeah.”
    “I don’t think you impressed her much.”
    When Emma got to the top step, TJ opened the door from the inside and he smiled at her. “Doc Sinclair.”
    She smiled back sweetly. “TJ.”
    “Did you come to check on my idiot brother?”
    Still next to Stone, Nick snickered.
    “Actually,” Emma told him. “I came to pick up my friend Spencer.”
    “Oh. Here I thought maybe you came to kick Stone’s ass for kayaking yesterday. With a cracked rib and all.”
    Emma turned and sent a slow, long, easily decipherable look in Stone’s direction.
    “Did you bring him another shot?” he heard TJ ask hopefully as he directed her inside.
    The lodge door shut before Emma answered, and Stone looked at Nick. “You both suck, you know that?”
    “Ah, don’t be like that.” Nick slung his arm over Stone’s shoulder. “I think she likes you best.”
    Stone shoved him away and Nick laughed. “Hey, if you’re worried about what happened in her office, you can always tell her you’d been swimming in some damn cold water before she made you take your pants off. Then she’d at least understand.”
    Ignoring him, Stone made his way up the stairs to the lodge.
    “Don’t do it, man,” Nick called after him. “That one’s Heartbreak City.”
    Like he didn’t know, but when it came to Emma, apparently he was a glutton for punishment.
     
    Stone found Emma sitting at the kitchen table with Dr. Spencer Jenks, both being served breakfast by Annie.
    Spencer had an arm around Emma’s shoulders and was grinning at her affectionately as Chuck wound around theirankles, mewing softly, waiting for crumbs to fall. “I’ll get you on a mountain bike yet, babe.”
    “Too dangerous.” She flung his arm off, but her body language was easy and comfortable, telling Stone that these two had a history. A long one.
    Fine. She was taken. He should have assumed that. So she smelled good enough to eat and had eyes that saw beneath his bullshit, which had been a nice change. So he’d been momentarily distracted by her sharp wit and sweet curves. It didn’t matter, because she