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The Most Eligible Doctor
Karen Rose Smith
SHE WAS IN LOVE WITH HER SEXY, MUCH OLDER BOSS…He was tall, dark and a hunk–typical reasons why Jed Sawyer was the talk of the town. And Nurse Brianne Barrington was the latest victim of his lethal charm. But while Brianne had a bad case of "my-Mr. Right syndrome," the jaded older man was suffering from "can't commit-itis."Jed knew better than to take what Brianne was offering. Besides, he'd vowed never to let anyone unshackle the chains around his heart. So how had a woman who believed in church weddings, white gowns and forever made mincemeat of his grand plan to keep things between them strictly professional?
“That was a mistake that won’t happen again.”
Brianne’s cheeks were flushed, and she looked embarrassed and vulnerable from their kiss.
“We have to work together.” Then, as if he needed more reasons to keep his distance, he continued, “And I’m much older than you are. I’m not looking for an involvement.”
“I see,” she murmured, studying her hands rather than him.
Finally her gaze met his. When he looked into her eyes, he remembered the kiss and saw she was remembering, too. He’d been an idiot to give in to the moment. He wouldn’t be giving in to the moment again.
As he turned away from Brianne, he tried to shut off everything their kiss had stirred up inside of him. But as he left her staring after him, he felt as if a locked door had been opened.
An open door he might never be able to lock again…
Dear Reader,
October is bringing big changes in the Silhouette and Mills & Boon worlds. To strengthen the terrific lineup of stories we offer, Silhouette Romance will be moving to four fabulous titles each month.
Don’t miss the newest story in this six-book series—MARRYING THE BOSS’S DAUGHTER. In this second title, Her Pregnant Agenda (#1690) by Linda Goodnight, Emily Winters is up to her old matchmaking tricks. This time she has a bachelor lawyer and his alluring secretary—a single mom-to-be—on her matrimonial short list.
Valerie Parv launches her newest three-book miniseries, THE CARRAMER TRUST, with The Viscount & the Virgin (#1691). In it, an arrogant royal learns a thing or two about love from his secret son’s sassy aunt. This is the third continuation of Parv’s beloved Carramer saga.
An ornery M.D. is in danger of losing his heart to a sweet young nurse, in The Most Eligible Doctor (#1692) by reader favorite Karen Rose Smith. And is it possible to love a two-in-one cowboy? Meet the feisty teacher who does, in Doris Rangel’s magical Marlie’s Mystery Man (#1693), our latest SOULMATES title.
I encourage you to sample all four of these heartwarming romantic titles from Silhouette Romance this month.
Enjoy!
Mavis C. Allen
Associate Senior Editor, Silhouette Romance
The Most Eligible Doctor
Karen Rose Smith
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Books by Karen Rose Smith
Silhouette Romance
* (#litres_trial_promo)Adam’s Vow #1075
* (#litres_trial_promo)Always Daddy #1102
* (#litres_trial_promo)Shane’s Bride #1128
†(#litres_trial_promo)Cowboy at the Wedding #1171
†(#litres_trial_promo)Most Eligible Dad #1174
†(#litres_trial_promo)A Groom and a Promise #1181
The Dad Who Saved Christmas #1267
‡ (#litres_trial_promo)Wealth, Power and a Proper Wife #1320
‡ (#litres_trial_promo)Love, Honor and a Pregnant Bride #1326
‡ (#litres_trial_promo)Promises, Pumpkins and Prince Charming #1332
The Night Before Baby #1348
‡ (#litres_trial_promo)Wishes, Waltzes and a Storybook Wedding #1407
Just the Man She Needed #1434
Just the Husband She Chose #1455
Her Honor-Bound Lawman #1480
Be My Bride? #1492
Tall, Dark & True #1506
Her Tycoon Boss #1523
Doctor in Demand #1536
A Husband in Her Eyes #1577
The Marriage Clause #1591
Searching for Her Prince #1612
With One Touch #1638
The Most Eligible Doctor #1692
Silhouette Special Edition
Abigail and Mistletoe #930
The Sheriff’s Proposal #1074
His Little Girl’s Laughter #1426
Expecting the CEO’s Baby #1535
Silhouette Books
The Fortunes of Texas
Marry in Haste…
Previously published under the pseudonym Kari Sutherland
Silhouette Romance
Heartfire, Homefire #973
Silhouette Special Edition
Wish on the Moon #741
KAREN ROSE SMITH,
award-winning author of over forty published novels, loves to write. She began putting pen to paper in high school when she discovered poetry as a creative outlet. Also writing for her high school newspaper, intending to teach someday, she never suspected crafting emotional and romantic stories would become her life’s work! Married for thirty-two years, she and her husband reside in Pennsylvania with their two cats, Ebbie and London. Readers can e-mail Karen through her Web site at www.karenrosesmith.com (http://www.karenrosesmith.com) or write to her at P.O. Box 1545, Hanover, PA 17331.
Contents
Chapter One (#u08080bb4-6cb3-5c56-b647-04ce413c7335)
Chapter Two (#u5a176a90-e6d8-5a9f-9d82-03d64a2ebf9e)
Chapter Three (#uefacec01-8917-5257-9ad3-133e471b19ff)
Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One
Of all days to be late.
Brianne Barrington pulled open the glass door to the Beechwood Family Practice, out of breath, nervous and in a near panic. Brushing her auburn curls from her cold cheek—early January in Wisconsin could be frigid—she wondered if Dr. Jed Sawyer could fire her for tardiness. It was his first day…and maybe her last. She’d only been working at Beechwood for six months, her first position since graduating from nursing school.
Even in her present state of rushed anxiety, the thought of missing her graduation ceremony and the reason why still brought quick tears. Blinking them away, she hurried into the building.
The waiting room, decorated in soothing tones of blue and green, was already crowded as Brianne raced through one of the two doors leading to examination rooms and offices.
Lily Garrison, her blond hair tied in a low ponytail today, stepped out of an exam room and asked, “What happened?”
“I set my alarm for p.m. instead of a.m.” Most mornings, Lily and her daughter, Megan—Brianne’s housemates—were getting ready for their day at the same time she was. But this morning, Lily had a progress-report conference with her five-year-old’s teacher.
“Dr. Sawyer’s not too happy,” Lily warned. “I’ve been preparing his patients as well as Dr. Olsen’s.”
After Dr. Olsen had hired Brianne, she’d worked with him, assisting Lily, as well as helping with any phone questions. She’d known that was temporary until the practice hired more doctors.
The thought of Dr. Sawyer’s disapproval sent a frisson of panic through her again. “I’m here now. I just have to stow my purse and put on my smock.”
The door to examination room 4 suddenly opened and a tall, raven-haired doctor with piercing green eyes stepped out. Brianne could hear a wailing child inside the exam room.
After his penetrating gaze brushed over Lily, it came to rest on Brianne. “Are you my nurse?”
For some mystifying reason, his use of the possessive “my” sent a thrill through her that she didn’t understand…and didn’t want to feel. Still, she politely extended her hand. “I’m Brianne Barrington. I’m sorry I’m late. Usually I’m a very punctual person, but—”
“Excuses don’t carry much weight with me, Miss Barrington. Now that you’re here, just do your job. I have a two-year-old in there who won’t let me get near her. Is there anything you can do about that?” His words were a direct challenge to prove herself—right here, right now.
Brianne’s breeding demanded that she be ladylike, no matter what. “I can try, Dr. Sawyer.” She gazed directly into his very green eyes.
Seconds that seemed like eons ticked by as she felt the space between them fairly crackle with…something tingly that made her terrifically aware of his very broad shoulders, his angular jaw, his imposing male presence. His demeanor showed he wouldn’t give an inch. This man didn’t back down once he took a stand.
Breaking eye contact, she murmured to Lily, “Could you put this in the office?” and handed her friend her purse. The two nurses shared an office, though each doctor had one of his own.
“No problem,” Lily said with a quick glance at Dr. Sawyer.
Then Brianne went into the exam room, checked the chart on the counter for the child’s name, and smiled at the little girl, who was sitting on the exam table with her thumb in her mouth. Tears were running down her cheeks.
Brianne greeted their small patient in a soft, friendly voice. “Hi, Cindy.”
Warily, the little girl watched her approach.
When Dr. Sawyer stepped into the room once more, Cindy took one look at him and burst into tears again.
“I’m so sorry,” the mother exclaimed, putting her arm around her daughter and giving her a tender squeeze. “The last time we were here Dr. Olsen gave her a shot. Your white coat and all reminds her—”
Cindy let out an ear-splitting wail, and Brianne knew she had to do something fast to help both the baby and the doctor. At the counter, she picked up a pen and drew faces on her thumb and forefinger.
Crossing to the child, she wiggled her fingers and said in a high, lilting voice, “We’re the doctor’s special helpers. We want to make you smile today.”
As she moved her fingers, making them look like puppets, Cindy stopped crying.
Dr. Sawyer slipped out of his lab coat, revealing a white shirt and navy tie with gray dress slacks. But something about him—maybe it was the rugged lines of his face, the over-the-collar length of his hair, and his muscular shoulders—gave Brianne the impression he’d be more comfortable in a flannel shirt and jeans.
As Brianne wiggled her fingers at Cindy, making them talk, the little girl smiled. Then Brianne introduced Dr. Jed. “He’s going to check your eyes and ears and throat.” At each mention of the body parts, her puppets floated and danced around Cindy’s eyes and ears and neck. Then Brianne explained, “Dr. Jed’s just going to look for now. I promise.”
When Jed Sawyer approached Cindy, she watched him suspiciously, but tears didn’t flow this time. Doing her part, Brianne distracted the little girl, and he managed a full examination.
Afterward he said to the mother, “She has an ear infection.” Crouching down to Cindy’s eye level, he told her in a gentle voice, “Your mommy is going to get you some medicine. It’s pink and it tastes sweet. If you take that, your ears will stop hurting and you’ll feel a whole lot better.”
“Done?” asked the toddler, only concerned about what might come next.
Jed Sawyer smiled wryly. “Yes, we’re all done.”
Crossing to the cupboard, Brianne took out a canister and offered it to Cindy. Inside were miniature rubber dogs and cats and ducks and birds. “You can pick whichever one you want and take it with you.”
Cindy looked over at her mother. The woman nodded encouragingly, “Go ahead, honey.”
Dr. Sawyer’s little patient chose a yellow cat and held it up to her mom with a grin.
With a last look at Cindy, Jed picked up his lab coat and tossed it over his arm. “Hopefully, the antibiotic will do the trick. But if she isn’t better in three days, call us.” He patted Cindy on the head. “I’ll try to make these visits as painless as possible.”
Before he turned away from the child, Brianne saw a flash of something in his eyes—something sad and tearing and deep. Then it vanished. He exited the room, leaving her questioning whether she’d seen anything at all.
After the mother and child left, Brianne picked up charts for the next three patients and went to the waiting room to fetch the first one.
Throughout the morning, she thought she and Dr. Sawyer worked with amazing efficiency, considering they’d never worked together before. Nevertheless, far too often she caught herself staring at him. Her whole body set off warning bells whenever she got near him, and her reaction to Jed Sawyer bothered her. She wasn’t in the market for a high-voltage involvement. Being kept in the dark until she was fourteen about the fact that she was adopted, as well as having the people she loved leave her, had left her cautious in more ways than one.
It was midafternoon when the receptionist, Janie Dutton, passed Brianne in the hall. Stopping, she asked, “Are you being asked as many questions about Dr. Sawyer as I am? One woman wanted to know if he was married or eligible before she made her appointment!”
Brianne didn’t know whether to be annoyed or to laugh. “I’m getting questions, but since I don’t know anything about him, I don’t have answers.”
“What kind of answers do you need?” Jed asked as he stepped out of his office.
Brianne glanced at Janie, who was obviously as embarrassed as she was.
“I hear the phone ringing,” Janie remarked, and hurried off.
“Brianne?” the new doctor asked in a deep voice that told her he wanted an honest answer.
“Dr. Sawyer, I…”
“It’s Jed.”
“Jed,” she murmured. “We’re getting questions about you from patients.”
“Like…?” he prodded.
Taking a deep breath, she plunged in. “Whether you’re married, where you held your last position, how old you are….”
“That’s it?” he asked, amusement evident in his tone.
“For starters.”
At that he laughed, and the deep richness of it seemed to ripple through Brianne. Shaking his head, he responded, “Since I’m from Sawyer Springs, I know the grapevine is several miles long. So here are the basics. I’m almost forty and worked in Deep River, Alaska, for the past three years.” More seriously, he added, “And I’m divorced. If anyone needs to know more than that, tell them to ask me directly. Now I think we have a patient waiting in exam room 3.” He nodded toward the door.
Flustered by her reaction to him, Brianne headed for the room at the same time he did. Their shoulders bumped, and his arm went around her to steady her.
Her breath whooshed from her chest. His arm was strong, his woodsy cologne intoxicating. When she gazed up at him, time once again seemed to stand still. There were sparks in his eyes that caused a crazy, wild sensation in her tummy.
As he released her, she tried to regain her composure, warning herself to deny the attraction she felt. He’s too experienced, too masculine, too confident…too everything, her common sense told her.
Neither of them said a word as Jed stepped into the exam room and she followed.
At the end of the day, Jed told Dr. Olsen he would take the last patient, who was a walk-in, if Brianne didn’t mind staying. She didn’t mind. Besides, she wanted to show her new boss that her tardiness this morning wasn’t a sign of lack of dedication to her profession.
Around six-thirty, they’d finally finished with the patient, who’d cut his arm and needed stitches. Switching off the computer printer, Brianne watched the man’s wife lead him outside.
When Jed stepped into the front office, he was wearing his suit coat and looked distinguished and handsome. Brianne felt her stomach skitter again, and decided she was simply hungry.
She lifted her coat from a hook on the wall. “This has been a long first day for you.”
“I was sometimes on duty forty-eight hours at a time in Deep River.”
“You were short on staff?”
With a wry smile, he took her coat from her. “Staff consisted of me and a nurse. There were only ninety-nine residents in the village.”
As he held her coat for her, she slid her arms into the sleeves, then turned around. “Did you enjoy your work there?” she asked. They were mere inches apart. She could see the small lines around his eyes and mouth, the few strands of silver at his temples.
His gaze found hers and stayed for a few moments. “Practicing there was challenging.” He cleared his throat. “All the supplies had to be flown in.”
Realizing he’d evaded her question, she had the feeling he didn’t want to talk about anything personal. Even though he’d given her the basics earlier, he didn’t seem to want to divulge more than that. “I can see how practicing in a remote village would be challenging.”
The atmosphere in the office was thick with tension as they stood there. Brianne stepped away from him so she could think straight. She wanted to apologize once more for this morning. “I’m sorry about my lateness today. I don’t have a good excuse. I have a digital alarm and I mistakenly set it for p.m. instead of a.m. On top of that, I didn’t sleep well and I was late awakening. Lily and Megan usually make enough noise to—”
“Why didn’t you sleep well?” he interrupted.
Though he apparently didn’t like answering personal questions, he didn’t mind asking them. She might as well tell him the truth. “I was anxious about today. Working with a new doctor and all.”
“From your performance, I don’t see why you were anxious. You’re good with the patients and more than competent in the exam room.”
The compliment blindsided her and she felt her cheeks grow warm. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’m sorry I was gruff this morning. I didn’t sleep well, either, last night. My father has insomnia and rattles around in the kitchen at 2:00 a.m.”
“He should try chamomile tea,” she suggested impulsively.
Warm humor lit up Jed’s eyes. “He’s set in his ways and doesn’t take advice well. But I’ll mention the tea.” As she crossed to the doorway, he offered, “If you’re on the way out, I’ll walk you to your car.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary.”
“I feel responsible keeping you this late. I want to make sure you’re safely on your way home before I leave.”
In spite of safety alarms in her heart warning her to keep her distance from Jed Sawyer, she was disappointed there was nothing personal about his offer. She realized he was simply one of those men who was a protector.
She gathered up her purse. “I have to set the security system.”
Nodding, he let her precede him out of the office.
A few minutes later, when they stepped outside into the black, early January night, Brianne took in a huge breath of the cold air. “I guess Wisconsin weather is mild compared to Alaska’s.”
Jed walked beside her, his words coming out with white puffs of vapor. “Deep River was a whole different world. We had wind chill of fifty-eight below in December. Yet when the northern lights lit up the sky, none of the rest seemed to matter.”
She thought about Alaska and the aurora borealis…and Jed watching it. Then she motioned toward her car, the only one in the parking lot. “You walked?” she asked.
“I’m about six blocks away.” He was staring at her car. The parking lot lights flowed over the white foreign sports car as if spotlighting it.
“Would you like a ride?” she asked. “I can drop you off.”
“Thanks, but I enjoy walking.”
From what she could tell, Jed was extremely fit, and she wondered if he did more than walk. He was still eyeing her car.
She opened the driver’s door, and the smell of leather was noticeable.
He glanced inside, then focused once more on her.
They were standing very close. So close that Brianne found it hard to breathe again. He was a good seven inches taller than she was, and she felt fragile, small and out of her depth standing before him. She tipped her chin up a little, and she could have sworn he leaned a bit closer.
Neither of them spoke as the pines along the building swayed in a breeze and a truck rattled down the street. Her heart beat faster than it ever had.
Then Jed lifted his head and put a few inches between them. With his hand on the frame of the sports car, he said, “This is a beautiful car. You don’t find many of them in Wisconsin.”
She felt memories flood over her, and heat came to her cheeks despite the cold. “It was a graduation gift from my parents,” she said in a low voice.
“You must have very generous parents.”
Her parents. Irrevocably gone. Unbearably missed. Two days before her graduation, as they drove to her college, a tractor trailer had swerved into them.
Her voice caught as she managed to answer, “They were very generous. They’re gone now.”
Seeing the uncertainty on Jed’s face at her words, she decided to leave to take care of the awkwardness she’d created.
“I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a good night.” Sliding quickly into the bucket seat, she closed the door and switched on the ignition.
Dr. Jed Sawyer stepped away from her car.
Quickly, she backed up, veered to the right and out of the parking lot, trying to keep heartache at bay.
On Saturday morning, after Brianne had run a few errands, she returned to the Victorian house that had become her home. After her parents died, seven months ago, she’d been lost in their huge house. She’d taken the job at Beechwood Family Practice a month after graduation and had met Lily Garrison, a divorced mother who’d been looking for a housemate so she and Megan could more easily meet their bills each month. Lily and Megan had provided Brianne with a safe harbor, and they now felt like family.
The house’s wraparound porch with its yellow railing brought a smile to Brianne’s face, as it always did. After parking along the street—there was only a one-car detached garage in the back—Brianne picked up her dry cleaning from the seat beside her and ran up the three wooden steps.
As she stepped inside the living room with its shiny hardwood floor, colorful rag rugs and big-cushioned, overstuffed turquoise-and-red furniture, the smell of cinnamon wafted around her. Carefully hooking her dry cleaning over a closet door hinge, she headed for the kitchen and was surprised by the activity there.
“We’re having a party,” five-year-old Megan called as she pressed a cookie cutter into bread slices.
“A party?” Brianne asked. She had been up and out before Lily and Megan had awakened this morning. Lily hadn’t said anything about a party last evening.
Lily’s blond waves, loose around her face now, swished against her cheek as she looked up from her cutting board, where she was slicing celery. “Last night when Doug and I were talking, I mentioned Jed Sawyer.”
Doug was a computer technician Lily had been dating for months now. Despite her good intentions to leave thoughts of Jed Sawyer at Beechwood, Brianne was interested in anything Doug had had to say about the rugged doctor. Ever since that night almost a week ago when Jed had made the comment about her car, they’d worked efficiently together, but politely, with no personal conversations. He didn’t seem to engage in truly personal conversation with anyone.
“What did Doug say?” Brianne asked.
“The gist of it was that it must be difficult for Jed to come back home and live with his dad after all these years. So…I thought it would be nice to have an open house for him. Just a welcome home get-together. I remembered you said you didn’t have plans for tomorrow, so I invited Dr. Olsen and his wife, Sue and Janie and their husbands.”
Sue in billing helped Janie manage the practice’s office. It was just like Lily to want to help Jed feel comfortable being in Sawyer Springs again, and to impulsively throw a party.
“You didn’t make plans, did you?” Lily asked. “I told everyone to come around three.”
“I’m free.” Brianne’s heart fluttered as she thought about Jed, here, in a casual atmosphere. “Did you invite Dr. Sawyer?” she asked with a smile.
Lily made a face at her. “Yep. Called him this morning. He said he’ll stop in, though he can’t stay long. I think he’s just leaving himself an out in case he doesn’t want to stay.”
“What makes you say that?” Brianne asked, wandering over to snitch a carrot from the growing stack of vegetables.
“He’s a loner,” Lily said solemnly. “I can tell. Did you know he practiced as a plastic surgeon in Los Angeles before he took that position in Alaska?”
“How do you know that?”
Lily gave her a mysterious smile. “I have my ways.”
Brianne laughed.
Glancing at her housemate over her shoulder, Lily confided, “I’m not really Sherlock Holmes. I got a glimpse of Jed Sawyer’s résumé. Dr. Olsen happened to have it in his hand yesterday when he was talking to me.”
“Jed said he was divorced. I wonder how long he was married?” Brianne mused.
Lily tilted her head and cocked a brow. “You’re working for the man, maybe you could ask him.”
“He doesn’t talk about himself much.” Brianne suddenly knew she was sounding too interested.
“Do you wish he would?” Lily asked more gently.
“No. It’s better this way…that we keep a strictly professional relationship. After all, he’s my boss.” Besides that Jed Sawyer was obviously experienced. She was inexperienced. That was her choice. She’d had a lot of losses in her life and because of them she tried to protect her heart.
She’d felt totally adrift when, at fourteen, she’d found a private investigator’s report in the attic. It had stated that her biological mother had taken her to a church pew in Madison and died a few months later from pneumonia because she’d been homeless and living on the streets.
Since Brianne’s parents hadn’t told her about any of it, she’d felt betrayed. Since her birth mother had left her in the church, she’d felt abandoned. Brianne had depended heavily on her childhood friend, Bobby Spivak, during that confusing time. He’d been her best friend since kindergarten. But in their senior year, they were discussing getting engaged and going to the same college when Bobby had been diagnosed with leukemia. She’d lost him eighteen months later.
And seven months ago, she’d lost her parents, too. Over and over again she’d learned that love hurt in so many ways. Yet…she also knew it was life-giving. Bobby’s doctors had said he had six months to live. He’d lived a year past that, and Brianne’s heart told her that love had kept him with them.
Still, she was afraid of loving…and losing once more. Giving her heart away wasn’t in her plans anytime soon, if ever.
When Brianne thought of Jed Sawyer, she realized her relationship with Bobby had been the epitome of safety. Their love had been born of friendship and hadn’t yet developed into burning passion. Jed, on the other hand, was so intense that all she thought about amid the tingles she felt around him was passion. That spelled trouble with a capital T. She wouldn’t let a few unruly hormones run away with her good sense.
Ending the conversation and putting a lid on her thoughts, she asked Lily, “So what can I do to help get ready for tomorrow?”
If she stayed busy, tomorrow and seeing Jed again in a relaxed setting wouldn’t make her so jittery.
Mingling.
Jed had once known how to do it like a pro. Back in L.A., he and his partners had been invited to cocktail parties with movie stars, investment bankers, models. He’d been able to talk to anyone about anything. But then his life had fallen apart and talking had become too much of an effort. The position in Alaska had been a godsend, but because of it, he’d grown rusty at socializing.
Lily Garrison crossed to him, a tray balanced on her hand. “Try the crab quiches. I found the recipe on the Internet.”
Jed took one, bit into it and grinned. “Maybe you should go into catering as a sideline.”
“I think I have my hands full with work and Megan. But I’ll keep that in mind.”
Suddenly Jed’s attention was drawn to Brianne as she entered the living room. She stood by the built-in bookshelves for a moment, looking uncertain. Her auburn, shoulder-length curls bobbed around her face with the slightest movement of her head. Her aquamarine eyes were the wonderful color of the sea. Ever since that night by the car, he’d wanted to talk to her again about more than work, but the clinical atmosphere at Beechwood hadn’t seemed right to delve into the subject of her parents. And the stirrings of desire he’d felt whenever they were around each other had deterred him from seeking her out privately.
When Brianne’s gaze passed over the room as if she was deciding which conversation to enter, her eyes met his. She quickly looked away, turned around and retreated to the kitchen.
Finishing the miniature quiche in a quick bite, Jed said to Lily, “Excuse me, will you? There’s someone I need to talk to.”
Lily’s eyes twinkled. “I’ll catch you later.” Then she moved along to another group with her tray.
Jed strode through the dining room into the kitchen, where he found Brianne scooping coffee into a filter.
“You and Lily went to a lot of trouble today.”
Startled, she looked up, and her cheeks became a little rosier. “It wasn’t that much trouble. Are you enjoying yourself?”
“The truth is, I’m having to readjust to a party mode. I haven’t been to one for a few years.”
“Since you took the job in Alaska?”
“Yes.”
There was an awkward silence, and Jed knew he had to be the one to fill it. “I didn’t mean to upset you on Monday night. I shouldn’t have pried into your life. Living alone in a cabin wore off my civilized veneer. I’m sorry about your parents.” After she’d mentioned losing her parents, Jed had remembered his dad filling him in on some of the things that had happened in Sawyer Springs the past couple of years. Skyler Barrington had been a lawyer, her husband Edward a cardiologist. They had both come from money and their name was well known in the town. Brianne had inherited all of their wealth and could be considered an heiress. Jed was a bit puzzled why she was working as a nurse at Beechwood when she could be traveling the world, living anywhere she pleased.
Her gaze was vulnerable as she looked up at him. “Thank you. It’s been less than a year since their accident, and I—”
Brianne never got to finish because Megan came running in and threw her arms around Brianne’s waist. Her hair was lighter blond than her mother’s, and Lily had attached a barrette over each of her daughter’s temples. In the crook of her arm, Megan carried a rag doll dressed in blue-and-pink gingham, with red yarn hair.
Looking at the beautiful child made Jed’s heart clench. He wondered if he’d ever be able to be comfortable around children again. Trisha had been almost three when she’d drowned, and being around kids always made his memories more of a burden.
Megan stood on her tiptoes and crooked her finger at Brianne, glancing shyly at Jed. “Can I have another cookie?” she almost whispered. “Mommy said I could. There aren’t any more on the tray. So she said I should ask you.”
When Brianne smiled, her face lit up, as did her eyes and everything about her. Jed could tell this child meant a lot to her.
“We’ll have to do something about an empty cookie tray,” Brianne agreed. “Sure, you can have another one.”
“Can I take the lid off the cookie jar?” Megan asked eagerly.
“Maybe Dr. Sawyer can lift you up. I’ll hold Penelope for you.”
Brianne looked at Jed as if she was making an everyday request. He realized she was, and he shouldn’t make a big deal of it. He tried to keep his expression blank. “Where’s the cookie jar?” he asked gruffly.
Pulling a gingerbread boy jar from behind the coffeepot, Brianne nudged it near the edge of the counter with her elbow as she tucked the rag doll under her arm and filled the coffee carafe with water.
Megan ran over to Jed and held her arms up to him. His chest was so tight he could hardly breathe. Clasping her around the waist, he lifted her until she could reach the jar, telling himself not to feel…not to think…not to remember.
But Brianne had turned off the water now and was looking at him curiously. He realized something showed—something he didn’t want her to see.
After Megan lifted off the gingerbread boy’s head, Brianne took out about a dozen cookies to replenish the empty tray. The little girl replaced the lid very carefully, and Brianne handed her a cookie. Megan glanced over her shoulder at Jed. “You can put me down now.”
He gently settled her on the floor again.
When she looked up at him, her smile was as sparkling as her blue eyes. “Thank you. Do you want one?”
“No. Not now.”
She nodded as if she understood. “You have to eat your vegetables before you can eat cookies.” After Brianne handed Megan her doll, the little girl ran out of the kitchen, leaving them alone again.
“Dr. Sawyer, are you all right?”
“It’s Jed,” he brusquely reminded her.
With her concerned expression, her beautifully curved lips, her pretty heart-shaped face, he knew staying away from Brianne was his best course of action. Besides the fact that he was much too old for her—Dr. Olsen had mentioned she was twenty-three—he knew her background was probably a carbon copy of his ex-wife’s. After all, Brianne was a Barrington. Getting to know her outside of their working relationship was not a good idea.
“I’m fine,” he assured her now. “But I have to be going.”
“So soon? Have you even had any cake?” She pointed to the table holding a frosted cake with Welcome written on it.
“No, I haven’t. But everyone here can enjoy it. I really do appreciate you and Lily welcoming me back to Sawyer Springs. If I don’t see Lily on my way out, please tell her how grateful I am.” He knew his voice was flat. He knew he didn’t have a decent excuse to give for leaving. Yet none of that mattered. He wasn’t ready to be around mothers and children…or a woman who seemed to be thawing his frozen libido.
As he left the kitchen, Brianne called, “I’ll see you in the morning.” He lifted his hand in acknowledgment that he’d heard her. Then he headed for the door, deciding he should have stayed in Alaska.
Chapter Two
As Brianne filed patient charts late Monday afternoon, she quickly glanced out the window. Snow had been falling heavily since midmorning. Everyone else had left, and she was waiting for Jed to finish with his last chart. He’d been distant today, and she wondered again what had gone through his mind yesterday afternoon at the party—and why he’d left so abruptly. The only personal conversation they’d had was “good morning.” Everything else had had to do with work.
Still…Brianne found the man intriguing, in spite of herself. Working around him minute by minute, hour by hour, she found thoughts taking shape in her head she’d never had before. Thoughts of a man and woman kissing, touching…
With a blast of mid-January wind, the door in the reception area burst open and a burly figure stomped in. Brianne was used to walk-ins by now, but she was also a bit worried about how long another appointment would take, and driving home in the deepening snow.
The elderly man tracked slush from his black galoshes through the waiting room as he came to the receptionist’s window. He wore an orange hunter’s cap, and he pushed it high on his brow now as he gazed at her from beneath bushy gray brows. His face was lined, his square jaw beard-stubbled. The loose, red-plaid wool jacket he was wearing made him look bigger and burlier than he actually was, she noted.
Closing the sliding metal door of the files, Brianne crossed to the glass window and opened it. “Can I help you?”
His green eyes passed over her appraisingly. “Just point me in the direction of Jed Sawyer.”
She would never let an unverified patient into the exam area. “Do you have an appointment with Dr. Sawyer?”
“I don’t need an appointment. I’m his father.”
Brianne smiled at once. She could see the resemblance now in the high cheekbones and the broad brow. “Dr. Sawyer is finishing patient notes. I’ll get him.”
But before Brianne could step back from the window, Jed entered the office and spotted his father. “Dad. What are you doing out in this?”
His father shrugged. “I needed rock salt for the sidewalk if this ices up. Since you walked here, I thought you might appreciate a ride. You’d better buy yourself a four-wheel-drive truck like I’ve got if you intend to stay here.”
Jed frowned at his father’s words. “I’m used to walking in the snow. I have a few more—”
The shrill tone of the phone ringing broke the tension between the two men. Relieved, Brianne answered it. “Beechwood Family Practice.”
“It’s Lily,” her friend said quickly. “Are you leaving soon?”
“I’d better if I don’t want to spend the night.”
“That’s why I’m calling. A report came over the radio that the power is out on our side of town. So Megan and I are going to stay with Mom tonight.”
Bea Brinkman, Lily’s mother, was also her child care provider. She watched Megan whenever Lily had to work.
“Will the power be out all night?” Brianne asked.
“They don’t know. Do you want to come here and stay with us? Mom says you’re more than welcome.”
“I don’t know if my car can make it to the farm. Are the roads plowed?”
“Not yet. I could try to come get you.”
“No! I don’t want you to take that chance. I can stay here.”
Jed’s father gruffly but adamantly broke into their conversation. “Young lady, that’s a bad idea. A young woman like you alone in a deserted building at night? Why don’t you come have supper with us, and then we’ll take you wherever you have to go. My truck can get through anything.”
“Who was that?” Lily asked, apparently hearing bits and pieces of the conversation.
“It’s Dr. Sawyer’s father. He, uh, suggested I have dinner with them and then he’ll bring me to the farm.” Brianne looked over at Jed.
He wasn’t exactly frowning, but he didn’t look happy about the turn of events, either. Not hesitating, though, he agreed with his father. “You can’t stay here alone. Come over to the house with us. We’ve got plenty of room. If the roads are too difficult, you can stay the night.”
“I don’t want to put you to any trouble.”
“It won’t be any trouble,” he said gruffly. “Dad’s right. If the power is out, we probably should be going before this gets any worse.”
Brianne certainly didn’t want Lily driving in this snowstorm, or for that matter, Jed’s dad taking a chance driving out to the farm. She knew she’d be perfectly safe with the two men. It was an instinctive knowing.
After only a few more seconds of hesitation, she said to Lily, “I’ll be at Dr. Sawyer’s if you need me. If the snow stops and the roads are plowed, I’ll join you later.”
“Are you sure that’s what you want to do?” Lily asked, concern in her voice.
Looking at Jed again, Brianne felt the stirring of excitement that always happened whenever she was around him. Reminding herself that going to the Sawyers’ house was a practical solution, she assured her friend, “Yes, that’s what I want to do. Tell your mom thanks for the offer. I’ll get back to you later.”
When she hung up the phone, she said brightly, “I guess that’s settled, then. But you have to let me help you with dinner.”
“We won’t turn down that offer.” Jed’s dad gave her a sly smile and extended his hand to her. “Al Sawyer. And you’re…”
“Brianne Barrington.”
“Edward Barrington’s daughter?” Al asked with a lift of his bushy brows.
“Yes. Did you know him?”
Nodding, he explained, “I went to see him once…for my heart. Some kind of rhythm problem. He gave me medicine that fixed it right up. I liked him. He wasn’t one of those docs who spend two minutes with you and they’re on their way.”
“Dad was a good listener.”
“I couldn’t believe it when I heard about the accident. It’s a shame you’re an only child. Brothers or sisters help at a time like that.”
Shifting from one booted foot to the other, Al suddenly looked uncomfortable, as if he didn’t know what to say next.
Jed stepped in. “Dad, why don’t you get the truck heated up? We’ll be right out.”
The older man seemed grateful that his son had cut off the conversation. “Sure thing. I’ll probably have to clean off the windshield again, so take your time.”
After Al went through the door, Brianne asked Jed, “Are you sure you want me to come?”
“You grew up in Sawyer Springs, didn’t you?” he asked, instead of answering.
“Yes, I did.”
“Then you know that neighbor helps neighbor here.”
“Yes, I know that, but…”
“It’s one of the reasons I came back here, Brianne. Dad was the main reason. But I lived in L.A. before I went to Alaska, and it’s much different out there. Families are mobile units. Neighbors come and go. It’s not at all like here.”
“You came back because you like Sawyer Springs?”
“I came back because it was time.” His gaze passed over her again, and it was as if he was studying every light freckle on her nose. “I don’t want you out in this storm any more than Dad does. And this building is no place for you to be on a night like this. I’ll warn you, though—Dad’s a little rough around the edges and pretty blunt sometimes.”
“Unlike you?” she asked with a smile.
He shook his head and chuckled. “You got me there. I guess what you’re saying is, if you can put up with me, you can put up with him.”
“I enjoy working with you, Jed,” she said sincerely. “It’s not a hardship.”
Tilting his head, he asked, “Are you always this honest?”
“I try to be. Tactful, too, I hope,” she added teasingly.
“I see.” With amusement in his eyes, he took a step closer. “There’s honest and blunt, and honest and tactful. I’ll try to remember that.”
They were standing less than a foot apart. She could almost feel his intensity, sense his heat, see his defenses. For a moment she’d made him laugh.
Now he became serious again, his voice low. “Get your coat. I’ll make sure everything’s locked up.”
Five minutes later he held the truck door for her as she climbed in beside his father. The truck seat was roomy, but once Jed shut his door, his down jacket touched the sleeve of her camel wool coat. His trousered leg brushed against hers and Brianne’s breath caught. What was it about this man that excited her so? Although she might be intrigued by him, this excursion to his house could be a colossal mistake. Being impulsive wasn’t in her nature. Yet around him, she almost felt reckless. That was dangerous territory for a virgin who didn’t want to lose her heart.
“Here we go,” Al said, windshield wipers clearing the snow away while heat poured from the vents.
When he pulled onto the street through the six-inch-deep snow, Brianne rocked against Jed. He didn’t move and neither did she, and the heat between them seemed a lot more intense than what was coming out of the vents.
Was it purely her imagination? Certainly, he wasn’t affected by her the way she was affected by him. Yet when she glanced at his profile, she saw the nerve in his jaw twitch.
There was no one on the roads, and a short time later, Al pulled up in front of a one-and-a-half story house. It was painted blue and accented by black shutters. The porch light was glowing, so apparently the power lines in this part of town hadn’t been damaged.
Jed opened his door and climbed out, waiting for Brianne. The snow was getting deeper, and when she jumped from the truck, she discovered it was over the top of her leather boots. She wrinkled her nose at the cold sensation, realizing that by the time she walked to the house, her feet would be wet.
Jed sized up the situation promptly and swung her into his arms.
“What are you doing?” she gasped. He’d moved so quickly, she felt as if she were floating in midair. She wrapped her arms around his neck for security’s sake.
“You need a pair of real boots.”
“These are real boots. I’ve worn them all winter.”
“Real boots don’t make a fashion statement. They’re snug around the calves and go to your knees.”
He had a point. Although it snowed quite a bit, she wasn’t out in it very much. She liked to look feminine and stylish. She did own a pair of tie boots with lamb’s wool inside, but they would have looked hideous with her skirt.
Thoughts of boots vanished as Jed carried her to the front stoop. He was as solid as a granite cliff. Held against him as she was, she could feel the breadth of his shoulders and the strength of his arms. Under the overhang of the porch, there was only about an inch of snow. He set her down lightly, as if she were fragile enough to break. She felt so small beside him. So slight. So feminine. The green depths of his eyes mesmerized her as they stood close together.
He fingered a stray curl along her cheek, and she thought she’d melt right there on his porch. “Hats are a good idea in this kind of weather, too,” he advised huskily.
“I’ll remember that the next time it snows,” she murmured, knowing that coming here with Jed was a very big mistake.
Al suddenly came up behind them. “Want my key?”
Quickly Jed dug into his jacket pocket. “Nope. I’ve got mine.” He opened the door and let Brianne enter before him.
As she took a quick look around, Jed shrugged out of his coat and switched on a light. “It’s like stepping back into the fifties, isn’t it?”
Glancing around the interior of the house, she saw what he meant. There was warm wood flooring, but it didn’t have the finish modern floors had. The brick fireplace was simple, without a hearth, but with an alcove to store wood next to it. A gold-and-green flowered sofa sat against one wall, near a comfortable-looking tweed recliner that had seen years’ worth of use. Beyond the living room she could see the kitchen, with its linoleum floor, and yellow and white ceramic tiles behind the appliances and sink. The counters were gold swirl and the cabinets birch.
“There wasn’t anything wrong with the fifties,” Al mumbled.
After Brianne removed her coat, Jed took it and hung it in the closet beside his. “I’ll get a fire started. The house has always been drafty.”
Brianne heard Al harumph as he went into the kitchen and hung his jacket on a rack there.
When she crossed to the fireplace, she studied the pictures on the TV console next to it. “You have a brother and a sister?” she asked, looking at a family portrait, the only one in the room from what she could see.
As Jed touched a long match to the kindling, he answered, “Yes.”
“Older or younger?” She knew she was pushing, but she wanted to know more about this man.
“They’re both older.”
“Do they live around here?”
Crouching down, Jed placed two logs on the fire. “No. None of us could wait to escape small-town life in Sawyer Springs. Ellie is out in California producing documentaries, and Chris is a colonel in the army now.”
“You’re all successful. I’ll bet that makes your parents proud.”
With a last look at the dancing flames, Jed closed the mesh screen, stood and faced her. “Mom instilled the idea in us that we could rise above anything, be whatever we wanted to be. She died during my residency, but she knew we were all on our way.”
So Jed knew how it felt to lose a parent. Thinking about it, Brianne felt she’d lost hers twice—once when she’d found out she was adopted, because nothing had been the same after that, and then again after the accident. “I’ll bet your dad’s proud of what you’ve accomplished.”
Jed turned away and gazed into the fire for a few moments. “I’m not sure what Dad feels. And my idea of success has changed over the past few years.” A haunted shadow crossed his face again.
Wanting to be honest with him, she admitted, “I know you were a plastic surgeon in L.A. before you went to Alaska. Did something happen to—”
Al returned to the living room then, unaware that he was interrupting. With a broad smile, he addressed Brianne. “We’ve got leftover rotisserie chicken from the deli and a bag of potatoes. Anything you can cook up with that?” Al Sawyer apparently was the kind of man who assumed that all women knew how to cook.
“Dad, you can’t expect Brianne—”
“That sounds like the beginnings of a scalloped-potato-and-chicken casserole to me. What do you think about that?” she asked seriously.
Grinning, Al nodded. “Now you’re talkin’. I knew it was a good idea bringin’ you along home.”
Brianne laughed and Jed just shook his head. “You really know how to win a girl over, Dad.”
“Maybe you should try it sometime,” his father replied.
Jed’s face went still and the hint of a smile vanished. But his tone was even when he said, “Dad keeps a stash of frozen cakes in the downstairs freezer. I’ll get one of those for dessert before we all start peeling potatoes.”
Deciding to put her best foot forward—what trouble could she get into cooking supper?—Brianne smiled at Jed’s father. “Mr. Sawyer, why don’t you show me around your kitchen?”
As he jammed his hands into the pockets of his coveralls, he muttered, “It’s Al. Come on, and I’ll show you where everything is.”
After supper, washing dishes while Brianne dried, Jed tried to figure out why he felt turned inside out whenever he was around her. Her presence stirred up emotions he hadn’t felt in years. He told himself she was young and beautiful, and that’s all it was.
He was placing the last dish in the drainer when his father went to the back door and looked out. “The snow shows no sign of stopping anytime soon. I think I’ll go out and shovel the front walk.”
“I bought the snowblower so you don’t have to do that, Dad. I’ll take it out later for its first pass.”
“That thing runs away with me,” Al grumbled. “I prefer a shovel.”
“You should prefer the living room in front of the fire, and let me take care of it.”
His face reddening, Al demanded, “And just what happens if I let you take care of everything and then you leave and I’m stuck with it again? I’ll be out of shape and not used to countin’ on myself. If you’re so dad-blasted set on running the snowblower, I’ll go upstairs and work on that jigsaw puzzle in my room.”
“Mr. Sawyer?” Brianne said as he started toward the living room.
Al gave her a look that said she was supposed to call him by his first name.
“Al,” she amended. “I don’t want to disrupt your evening. If you want to watch TV—”
“You’re not disrupting anything. I’m almost finished with that puzzle and I want to see it all put together. Jed will find you anything you need for tonight. If I don’t see you before, I’ll see you in the morning.” He left the kitchen abruptly without saying good-night to his son.
Jed took the dish towel from Brianne’s hands. “Let the rest drip dry. Would you like a glass of brandy?”
The house was drafty, and the idea of a glass of brandy in front of the fire with Jed was appealing. “Sure.”
A few minutes later as he joined her on the sofa, he handed her a small snifter, took a sip of his, set it on the coffee table and ran his hand through his hair. She could tell the interchange with his father was still frustrating him.
“Your dad doesn’t take to change easily?”
“That’s an understatement. Every time I try to do something for him, there’s a battle.”
“It sounds as if he doesn’t think you’ll be staying here.”
Shifting toward her, Jed replied, “I’m not sure I will be. How about you? Where do you want your career to take you?”
Before she’d accepted the position at the Beechwood, she’d applied for a job with Project Voyage—a team of doctors and nurses who volunteered their time helping children in South America. But she hadn’t heard from them, and when the position at the family practice had opened, she’d decided it was just what she needed while she settled her parents’ estate and got her life in some kind of order. “I’m not sure where I want it to take me.”
“Why didn’t you go to med school and follow in your father’s footsteps?” Jed’s gaze was probing.
“I’m not sure how to explain.” She thought of Bobby and how she’d helped nurse him every day after school. “I like caring for patients, not just listening to their symptoms and prescribing medication. I saw my father’s life—how he wanted to give more time to each patient but couldn’t always, the kind of hours he kept, being called out in the middle of the night. If I ever have a family, I’d like to keep working. But I also want to be there for them. Do you know what I mean?”
Jed knew exactly what she meant. Caroline had accused him often of not being available, of his patients always coming first. He didn’t feel it was true. Especially after their daughter was born. Trisha had been the light of his life, and sometimes he’d thought Caroline was jealous of that. She’d been a pampered, spoiled rich girl, used to being the center of attention. Unfortunately, he hadn’t realized that until after he’d married her.
Brianne came from money, too. Nevertheless, he’d felt her compassion, could see what a caring nature she had. Maybe that’s why his desire for her was only part of what was going on. Her soft, bronze-colored sweater had a round neck that molded to her creamy throat. Her calf-length wool skirt draped enticingly over her slender hips and curvy legs. When he’d carried her earlier and her arms had gone around his neck, he’d realized he’d been alone for a long time now.
The flaming wood in the fireplace popped and crackled. The sip of brandy he’d taken made a burning path down his throat. Yet the heat inside him had nothing to do with the fire or the brandy.
Brianne was looking up at him with such complete absorption…
“Brianne,” he said huskily.
She didn’t move, just kept studying his face, his lips, as if she was as curious as he was about the chemistry brewing between them.
Bending his head, he savored the moment of wanting her…of needing her. He reveled in the feeling as his blood started racing faster and his hunger built. His lips hovered over hers and he heard her sigh, then catch her breath. But she didn’t move away.
I feel alive again, he thought as his lips touched hers.
Fascinated by the soft curls and their fiery color, Jed was unable to resist sliding his hand into Brianne’s hair. His tongue instinctively slipped between her lips, and when her hands went to his shoulders, he brought her closer. Breathing her in, he delved into her mouth, giving himself up to the kiss, to Brianne, the fire and the brandy.
Numb as he’d been to his physical needs for the past four years, Jed felt more aroused now than he’d ever been in his life. Brianne’s soft moan, her surrender to the desire between them, her sweet beauty, spun him into turmoil and excitement and hunger.
It was the hunger that stopped him—the soul-deep, aching hunger that he knew he could never satisfy. He couldn’t use Brianne as a Band-aid. He wouldn’t take advantage of her. He shouldn’t become involved at all.
Tearing away from her, controlling the mind-drugging sensations of holding her, tasting her and kissing her, he shifted until there was space between them.
He waited until he saw the sensual haze in her eyes dissipate a bit. “That was a mistake that won’t happen again.”
Her cheeks were flushed, and she looked embarrassed and vulnerable.
“We have to work together,” he added. Then, as if he needed more reasons to keep his distance, he continued, “And I’m much older than you are. I’m not looking for an involvement.”
“I see,” she murmured, studying her hands now, rather than him.
He stood. “I’d better see to that snowblower. Your room is the one at the top of the stairs. I put towels on the bed.”
Trying to act casual, she repositioned a sofa pillow. “Do you think we’ll be able to get out in the morning?”
“I’m hoping the plow will come through.”
Finally her gaze met his. When he looked into her eyes, he remembered the kiss and saw she was remembering, too. He’d been an idiot to give in to the moment. He wouldn’t do so again.
As he turned away from Brianne, he tried to shut off everything that kiss had stirred up inside him. But as he left her staring into the fire, took his jacket from the closet and went out into the swirling snow, he felt as if a locked door had been opened.
And he might never be able to lock it again.
The mattress was lumpy, but that wasn’t the reason Brianne couldn’t sleep in the simple pine bed. Her nose and hands and feet were cold. To distract herself, she thought back to the memory of Jed’s kiss. Why had she let it happen? Why hadn’t she backed away? He’d given her time. But she’d been overcome by curiosity, by a sense of adventure she’d never experienced before.
The howl of the wind sounded through the window, and she shivered.
There was a knock on the door to her room, then it opened. “Brianne?”
She recognized Jed’s voice immediately. “I’m awake.”
When he came into the room dressed in a white T-shirt with gray sweatpants, he was carrying a flashlight. “Now our power is out, too. The temperature in the house has dropped. Do you want to come down and sleep on the sofa by the fire?”
“What about your dad?”
“He’s sound asleep and snoring. I laid a down-filled quilt over him and that should do the trick. But we only have one of those.”
“What time is it?” she asked, unable to see her watch.
“It’s three. If you get warm, you could still catch a couple of hours of sleep before you have to get up.”
“All right.” Suddenly she realized the predicament she was in. “Can you turn around while I dress?” She’d crawled under the covers in her slip. Her sweater and skirt lay over the chair.
His gaze went to the clothes and then back to her. “I’d go on down, but you’re going to need the flashlight. Just tell me when you’re finished.” Then he turned and faced the door.
Brushing her tousled curls off her forehead, Brianne realized her hair was an absolute mess. But without her comb, brush and curling iron she really couldn’t do anything about that. Quickly, she got out of bed, slipped on her skirt and sweater. “Ready,” she told him, not feeling ready at all.
With a glance over his shoulder, he beamed the flashlight out in the hall. “I have an oil lamp lit downstairs, but I don’t want you to fall, so take your time. The steps are narrow.”
Jed waited for her at the top of the stairs and descended slowly. She almost bumped into him when he stopped at the bottom. As he turned, his face was very close to hers. “Do you need anything before we get settled?”
I need to be held in your arms, she thought illogically, then dismissed the irrational longing. Jed was her boss! And hadn’t she learned that getting close to anyone eventually hurt?
“No. I’m fine,” she managed to answer. She could see the muscles under his T-shirt. Black hair curled in the vee. Awareness zipped between them, and she swallowed hard.
He cleared his throat and motioned toward the living room. “You take the sofa. I’ll sleep in the recliner.”
A blanket had been tossed on the sofa, along with a pillow. But she couldn’t keep her eyes off of Jed as he sank into the recliner and raised the leg rest, stretching out his long limbs on top of it.
Wind blew against the house, causing the flames in the fireplace to crackle and leap. When Jed glanced at her, she made a point of pulling the blanket up and averting her gaze. The shadowed intimacy of the room made them more aware of each other instead of less. Brianne doubted if she was going to get any sleep, but at least she’d be warm.
“Would you rather work for Dr. Olsen?” Jed’s deep voice carried an edge of tension.
“Because of what happened?”
The mantel clock ticked.
“Yes. I never should have kissed you. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable. I can talk to Olsen about it—”
“No. I don’t want to work for another doctor. I like working with you,” she insisted quickly, in spite of her own misgivings. She liked the way Jed handled patients, and she was learning a lot from him.
The clock ticked loudly, marking off a few more seconds.
“You’re sure?”
“I’m very sure.” Her fingers played with the satin edge of the blanket and then she said, “Jed?”
“Yes?”
“Why did you leave a specialty practice to become a general practitioner?” It was the most tactful way she knew to pose the question. She wanted to know why he’d gone to Alaska…and why he’d come back here. She guessed something had driven him, and she needed to know what it was.
“My reasons don’t matter anymore. They’re in the past. I’m happy with what I’m doing now.”
It was a polite way of telling her to mind her own business. And she would…for tonight.
Chapter Three
Aware of the soft, restless sounds coming from the sofa, Jed shifted in the recliner, unable to let sleep overtake him. He was strung tighter than he’d ever been…ever since that kiss. Even running the snow-blower on the walks, letting the icy wind and the cold wrap around him, hadn’t diminished the effects from it. If he didn’t block the memory from his mind, it replayed over and over. He wanted to take Brianne in his arms, do things with her he hadn’t imagined since he’d had fantasies as a teenager.
With an effort, he pushed thoughts of her away and tried to replace them with pictures of an SUV he might buy. Unfortunately, he pictured Brianne in the SUV with him!
He blanked out the pictures the same way he did memories of Trisha, sealing them in a tight box he never willingly opened. But just as recollections of his daughter caught him unawares, just as a glance into a child’s eyes stirred up emotions he never intended to feel again, he knew the passion and innocence and surrender of Brianne’s kiss would gnaw at him until he acknowledged at least his physical need. Ever since the first moment he’d caught sight of her, his subconscious had let her slip into his dreams—her pretty face, the bouncy auburn curls shimmering like silk, that perfectly shaped mouth.
He reminded himself again that she was too young and he was too old…too old for that kind of involvement.
When he’d met his ex-wife, she’d seemed young and innocent, passionate and giving. It wasn’t until after they were married that he’d learned Caroline had had an agenda. She’d been protected and safeguarded by her parents all her life, but she’d learned to manipulate them and everyone else to get what she wanted whether it was a new car or a husband she could mold into her version of the ideal.
Hadn’t Brianne come from the same lifestyle? Had she been raised to believe her money and beauty could get her whatever she wanted? He’d been wrong about Caroline. Somehow she’d convinced him she was something she wasn’t. Was Brianne as sweet and compassionate as she seemed? Even if she was, he was too cynical to believe she’d stay that way.
In the deep silence of the storm, the absence of the hum of the furnace magnified each and every one of the old house’s sounds—the crackle of the fire, the rustle of Brianne’s covers. Suddenly, though, her movements became more than a restless turning. In the glow of the fire, Jed could see her shaking her head back and forth.
Her hands came up in front of her as if she were pushing something away. “No! No, you’re wrong,” she moaned. “It can’t be Mom and Dad. It can’t be.”
The anguish in her voice tore at him. Jumping from the recliner, he quickly crossed the room and crouched by the sofa. “Brianne, wake up.”
When she still seemed trapped by the nightmare, he said, “Brianne, it’s Jed. You’re safe. You’re in my house. Wake up.”
Finally, her eyes flew open. They were wide with sadness and wet with tears.
He’d been fooled by Caroline’s tears too many times to count, but he knew these were different. Nightmare tears were genuine.
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