“U-um, okay.” She breathed deeply. “I guess we should work on that then.”

Smoldering warmth radiating from his gaze, he leaned down. “Yeah. We should. And we will. Goodnight, cowgirl.”

Stella bit her lip, wondering what he’d do next. Would he kiss her goodnight? Turn and walk away, leaving her cold and alone on her doorstep?

“Goodnight, Mr. Ransom.” She smiled as he took a step forward, backing her against the door.

“Not yet. But it will be. Soon.” A light kiss on the cheek followed by a shiver-inducing breath against her skin surprised her, sending her heart into an out of rhythm frenzy.

He was rough. He was gentle. He was angry. He was kind.

He was everything.

Everything she wanted, needed, and probably shouldn’t have.

And soon, he would be hers.

“Transcribe them in order, noting all of the date and time information in the file first.”

Stella nodded as a pretty blond therapist handed her a stack of files and a small removable drive.

“Anything else?”

The woman paused thoughtfully and then nodded. “Yes, actually.” She lowered her voice as a nurse passed by. “The contents of these files are extremely privileged, as I’m sure you can imagine. As soon as you’ve documented the pertinent information for the files, proceed to the next one. And make sure this drive stays in your possession until you return it to me. As you know, we have a great deal of high-profile clients that value their privacy.”

Stella nodded again. “Yes, ma’am. Of course. I’ll get this done immediately.”

The woman’s crystal-clear blue eyes widened. “Dear God. Please don’t call me ma’am.”

Stella laughed. “Sorry. Habit.”

“Miranda. Feel free to call me Miranda.”

Stella promised that she would. The doctor thanked her and they parted ways. Just as Stella was exiting the office, pulling the door closed behind her, she accidentally shoulder-checked the man coming in. A familiar thrill ran through her.

“We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” Van said low, nearly in her ear.

Her entire body flushed from the unexpected contact. She hadn’t seen him since he’d left her alone and aching the night before.

“Um, yeah. You’re right. Excuse me, Mr. Walker.” She met his stare, and heat flared in his eyes.

“I don’t know what turns me on more. You saying that I’m right or calling me Mr. Walker.”

Stella glanced around to make sure no one else was in hearing distance. Day one and he was already blowing their cover. She did her best to keep her voice even, nonchalant.

“I could call you Mr. Ransom if you’d prefer.”

“I can think of lots of things I’d like you to call me, cowgirl. But we’ll get to that.”

The confidence in his expression turned her on and pissed her off. So she’d admitted she wanted him. But his writing her off as a foregone conclusion and being so brash about it ruffled her nerves a bit.

“Okay, then. Have a nice day,” she said, stepping quickly around him.

“It’s much nicer now,” he told her with a wink that effectively evaporated her annoyance with him.

Forcing herself not to grin like a giddy schoolgirl, she shook her head and walked away, tossing him a small warning glance with a smile over her shoulder. But the sweltering heat from his gaze on her backside made it difficult to focus for the rest of the day.

After hours of transcribing electronic files to paper ones for Dr. McLendon, Stella was eager to get down to the barn. She wasn’t sure if Van would be helping her that evening, but she damn sure hoped so.

Using her fingerprint to clock out, she wished a good evening to Celeste at the front desk and turned to leave. But what she saw coming their way—blowing toward them in the way a hurricane would—stopped her short.

A wild-looking woman with white-blond hair streaked through with black and deep violet strode purposefully forward on black spike-heeled boots that would’ve caused Stella to break her neck. Her fishnets encased shapely legs that seemed to be a mile long under a black leather miniskirt.

Stella suspected that this exotic creature was checking in. Probably a supermodel or musician. Cursive words Stella couldn’t make out inked up the woman’s slender arms. A diamond stud gleamed from the side of her nose. Her piercing blue eyes were soulful, as if she carried the world’s secrets in them.

Stella couldn’t have explained it if her life depended on it, but something about this woman had her feeling uneasy inside. As if somehow they were linked and didn’t know it. But that was impossible. Stella had never seen this woman before in her life.

“I’m looking for a patient here,” the woman barked at Celeste when she reached the desk. “Van Ransom. He may have checked in as John Walker.”

Jesus. Stella’s world pitched and rolled, the ground suddenly turning to liquid. She held the edge of the desk where she stood.

“Today isn’t a visiting day, I’m afraid,” Celeste informed her, allowing some of the air that had fled from Stella’s lungs to return. “But I can get a message to him that you’ve—”

“I’m his fiancée, and it’s actually urgent that I speak with him.”

Every single word hit Stella with the same force that a punch from him would’ve.

Fiancée? The main lobby spun around her as she forced a smile at both women. She couldn’t stick around and wait to find out if this woman got to see Van. She had no idea how much longer her thin grip on composure would hold.

But as she walked away, Celeste asked the creature what her name was. When the woman answered, Stella stopped in her tracks.

“Vanessa Reeves.”

Van’s voice echoed the name in her head. She was the same person he’d had removed from his list of family contacts. She knew because she’d removed her immediately upon his request.

“Celeste? Can I borrow you for just a second?” Stella called out while jerking her head to the side.

“One moment, Miss Reeves,” Celeste told Van’s unwelcome visitor. Once she’d stepped over to Stella, Stella nodded in the woman’s direction.

“He had her removed from his list of approved visitors. I don’t know who she is or if she’s really his fiancée, but I do know for a fact that he had her removed.”

“Great.” Celeste rolled her caramel-colored eyes and blew auburn bangs out of them. “She looks like the type that will take that news extremely well.”

Stella grimaced in sympathy. “I know. I’m sorry. Want me to page Dr. Ramirez and let him break the news to her?”

Celeste glanced over her shoulder to where Vanessa Reeves stood looking angry and impatient.

“Um, do you mind? I know you just clocked out and I hate to ask—”

“I don’t mind at all.” She told herself it was concern for respecting client wishes that was motivating her actions, but deep down she felt the strange new stir of jealousy that accompanied other women saying his name in that territorial tone.

After she’d used the phone on the front desk to page Dr. Ramirez to the front desk, she aimed what she hoped was a warm smile in Vanessa’s direction. “Our director will be here shortly to speak with you.”

Stella felt as if it were probably time for her to move along now. But Celeste stood so close their shoulders were practically touching, which led her to suspect that the younger girl needed her for moral support. Providing a united front and all that. Vanessa Reeves did have a glare on her face that made her wonder if the woman was considering procuring the sharpest object in reaching distance and stabbing her way through the two of them.

Thankfully Dr. Ramirez appeared before she made a move to act on the thoughts likely brewing behind murderous eyes.

“Yes, ma’am. How can I help you this evening?” he greeted her, nodding at Stella and Celeste as he approached.

“She’s asking to see John Walker,” Celeste informed him.