THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

gaze, her violet eyes shadowed, and Delano felt another lash to his conscience.
    “You’re right. No point worrying about it. My blood work has been fine so far, right? No abnormalities?”
    He nodded. “Definitely normal, and no post-transfusion reaction.”
    “I still can’t believe you typed and crossmatched me so quickly. If I’d gone to the ER, they’d have started me on O-neg while they were waiting for the lab.”
    He gestured to the equipment around him. “As you can see, there’s not much I don’t have at my disposal, and no competition for the resources. Not to mention lots of blood.”
    “And speaking of blood, isn’t it time for me to roll up my sleeve again?”
    He checked his watch. Two o’clock in the morning. Precious as those vials were for his research, he hadn’t planned on drawing any more until at least four.
    She rubbed the back of her neck. “I know it’s a little early, but I wouldn’t mind turning in for some rest, if we’re done here. I’m feeling a little wiped.”
    The last thing she needed was an iron deficiency, which wasn’t out of the question the way they’d been harvesting samples. By rights, he should postpone the next draw until she got up. But he had a solid four hours left in the lab tonight, if he had new samples to work with. And her hemoglobin was fine… “Sure, we can do that. I’ll just buzz Eli.”
    “Oh, don’t do that,” she protested. “He’s been on call pretty much around the clock since I came here, and he only just got to bed. Let the poor guy sleep.”
    “Very well.” He inclined his head. “We’ll take the next specimen tomorrow. I’ll ask Eli to wake you for it.”
    She laughed. “No, I didn’t mean postpone it. I meant you could do it. You did run the clinic by yourself before I came, right? Or you and Eli.”
    Good God! Draw her blood?
    In a flash, he saw himself tying off the tourniquet, swabbing that warm patch of skin on the inside of her elbow, probing the delicate blue veins, introducing the needle…
    Bad idea. Very bad idea. He cleared his throat.
    “Eli is paid very handsomely to do what I ask of him. He certainly won’t mind being roused for this. He’s as anxious as I am to find … to know that you’re going to be all right.”
     
    There! She wasn’t imagining it. Ainsley blew out an exasperated breath. For some reason, he was completely loath to touch her. She’d been here for days, under his direct care, and he’d yet to lay a finger on her. Well, apart from carrying her here that first night.
    What exactly was his problem?
    He sure as hell wasn’t a germaphobe — hell, he’d performed countless venipunctures on vampires. Creatures who were capable of visiting a blood-borne, gene-warping, physiology-altering pathogen on their victims, at will.
    So if it wasn’t disease or germs he feared, it had to be her.
    “Why are you afraid of me?”
    He snorted. “Afraid of you? Ms. Crawford, believe me when I say there’s very little in this world that frightens me.”
    His words rang with the authority of a man who dealt with deadly forces every day, but dark patches of color now rode his cheekbones.
    Interesting.
    She smiled. “I don’t doubt your ability to hold your own in this … underworld. But I was thinking … maybe it’s the fairer sex that scares you?”
    His forehead, which had been pleated in a fierce frown, relaxed, and he laughed. He actually laughed , dammit.
    “Ummm, how shall I put this? No. Women hold no terrors for me, Ms. Crawford. Not even women as smart, attractive and driven as you.”
    Her smile suddenly felt strained. Yes, she was smart. Yes, she was attractive, in a blond ambition kind of way. And damn right she was driven. But somehow when he put all those attributes together — all attributes she happily owned up to individually — the picture didn’t feel terribly flattering.
    Ignoring the stiffness in her face, she let her smile broaden. “Then you won’t mind drawing this little bit of blood.”
    A slight hesitation, long enough to make her rethink pushing the issue. What was she doing anyway, aggravating her new employer like this? The man had literally saved her life, then handed her a job that solved all her problems, and here she was baiting him. She really did need to learn when to keep her mouth shut.
    He shrugged, as if it were of no import. “Certainly. If that’s what you want.”
    Huh? What was he up to now, with the sudden acquiescence? Because despite the