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Ignoring her levity, he cleaned up the mess, replaced his instruments, and labeled the tubes of blood. “How many times a year do you give blood?” he asked.
“As often as they’ll let me. Every few months.”
“Why?” He was genuinely puzzled.
She nibbled her lower lip, glancing up at him through lowered lashes. “I have a rare blood type,” she said simply. “It’s important.”
And just like that, any last qualms he had about his decision disappeared. Any woman who was tough enough to face down a daunting fear in order to do the right thing deserved his help. Her spunk and “spit-in-the-wind” courage disarmed him as completely as her stunning beauty unmanned him.
He would agree to her proposition. But his emotions wouldn’t become involved. He wouldn’t allow it. Ariel Dane was his patient. And she was far too young for him. Eight years might as well be twenty. Her delicate spirit needed protection, and he was the man to shield her from the world both physically and emotionally.
Only one other woman in his life had drawn from him such an urgent need to play the white knight. And though she had been the light of his world, Jacob had failed her. By the time Diane’s diagnosis was confirmed, restoring her health had been impossible. All Jacob had been able to do for her was offer his love and support through weeks of painful treatments and then hold her hand when she breathed her last breath.
Never would he put himself in that position again. It was far too painful. This time, he was prepared for his role. Doctor, protector, friend. This time, the outcome would be different.
Four
Ariel watched Jacob Wolff carefully. Early in life she had learned to study people … their habits, their idiosyncrasies. The dishy doctor fascinated her. Power and control emanated from him with invisible but potent force. She wanted to fling herself against his calm and see if she could ruffle the waters. Flirting came naturally to her, and though it was perhaps unfair to Jacob, already she acknowledged in herself an urge to see if she could crack the invisible wall he erected to keep people at a distance.
Jacob finished his task and eyed her warily. “I was serious about changing clothes,” he said. She slid off the table, but had to reach out a hand when the room spun in dizzying circles. Unfortunately, the closest unyielding surface was the doc’s chest. It was broad and firm, with sleek muscles that flexed beneath his starched white shirt.
He put an arm around her, which only served to make her dizzier. His cheek lowered to hers. “Are you okay?”
They were close enough that she felt a brief brush from his slightly stubbled chin. She made herself slide from his loose hold. “Never better,” she croaked. “But yes, I’d love to put on some other clothes. This dress looks a little too much like one I wore in a slasher movie a few years back.”
Jacob ushered her out into the hall. “Shall I get your bag out of the car?”
She nodded, her feet glued to the floor by an unnerving bout of shyness. “I would appreciate it. The suitcase is in the trunk. The doors aren’t locked.”
As he stepped outside, she ducked into his office and retrieved her purse. When he returned, she managed a cheery smile. “You’re acting awfully nice for someone who has a reputation for being antisocial.”
He hesitated, looking abashed. “Not really antisocial. Merely focused on my work.”
“I see.” Another challenge.
She followed him into the living room. Acres of onyx carpet cushioned their feet, not a single dust bunny or speck of lint evident anywhere. White leather furniture looked comfy, but cold. All in all, Jacob’s decorating scheme was modern and sleek. With the careful addition of well-placed colorful accents here and there, it might even be considered charmingly sophisticated.
They crossed the room to a hallway on the far side. Bedrooms opened off a long corridor.
Jacob entered the nearest open door, placing her generic black suitcase on the floor beside the bed. “Feel free to use the bathroom,” he said. “I’ll wait for you in the living room.”
“I don’t have any hotel reservations,” Ariel said bluntly.
He cocked his head. “I can’t decide if you’re disingenuous or calculating.”
“Wow.” She winced. “Can I pick answer number three?”
“And that would be?”
“Focused. On my work.”
He actually laughed, and she felt as if she had won the lottery. “Touché.” His expression changed. “Why do you want to stay here, Ariel?”
“My flight is not until tomorrow. The closest hotels are well over an hour away. I don’t want to take a chance of people recognizing me and wondering why I’m in the area.”
He nodded briefly as if validating her reasoning. “Get changed. We’ll hash out a plan when you’re ready.” He closed the door behind him, leaving Ariel alone in a huge room decked out in shades of ivory and taupe. The furnishings were feminine, and she wondered if he entertained female guests here. If so, they probably slept in Jacob’s bed.
The pinch of jealousy was foreign.
Though she would have loved a shower after the long flight and the subsequent drive, she wasted no time in stripping off the dress and rummaging in her case for comfy jeans and a light cotton pullover. Silver leather flats completed her Ariel-out-of-the-limelight ensemble.
She left the suitcase behind when she went to find Jacob, hoping he was going to let her stay. When she found him, he was sprawled on the sofa in front of the TV looking relaxed and masculine with his sock-clad feet propped up on a black lacquer coffee table.
He stood immediately when she entered. “That was fast.” His gaze went to her bra-less breasts for a split second.
“I’m low maintenance.”
“That remains to be seen.”
The note of sarcasm in his voice flustered her. In defense, she trained her gaze on the television screen. “I guess you’ve got satellite way up here.”
He waved at an adjacent sofa. “Do you really want to talk about my electronics? Sit down, Ariel.”
The intimacy of the living room lent a different dynamic than she had experienced in the clinic. Now she and Jacob seemed more like man and woman than doctor and patient. She curled into the embrace of the soft leather with her feet beneath her. Leaning an arm on the side, she propped her head on her hand. “What do you do for fun?” she asked, really wanting to know.
“Fun?” His face was blank as he settled back into his original seat.
“Leisure … recreation … hobbies … relaxation.”
“Oh.” For a simple question, it seemed to flummox him. “I read medical journals. And I hike the mountain with my brothers.”
“That’s it?”
He frowned. “What did you expect? I’m not the party type. Which is why you might want to reconsider asking me to portray your love interest.”
“Jeremy Vargas told me you made a perfect score on the SATs when you were fifteen. He said you have three completely different master’s degrees and you’re a medical doctor. Is all of that true?”
Her host, his arms outstretched, drummed his fingers on the back of the sofa. “Does it matter?” His gaze and his words were bland.
“You’re freakishly intelligent, aren’t you?” She stood up and deliberately joined him, leaving a mere three feet between them.
Jacob’s eyes narrowed. “What is this about, Ariel?”
“I’m rethinking my proposition.”
“Why?”
“I’m not sure what a guy like you will do all day long in Antigua.”
“Would I be allowed on the set?”
“If I say so.”
“You have that much clout?”
“For what it’s worth, yes.”
“I’m thinking you’re pretty smart, as well.”
His gentle smile did something odd to the pit of her stomach. “Not the same thing at all. You save lives.”
“I do research that helps other people save lives. It’s not glamorous. Repetition and record-keeping and hoping every day for a breakthrough.”
“What are you working on right now?” She inched a little closer, waiting to see if he would stop her. Her behavior was outrageous, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. He was gorgeous. And smart. And far more appealing than any man she’d met in years.
Jacob didn’t bat an eye at her not-so-subtle move. Was she making any impact on him at all? Or was he really immune to her femininity?
His even tone gave nothing away. “I’m not the only one, but I’m working to develop what one day may become a cancer vaccine.”
“Well, crap.” She pulled her knees to her chest and glared at him. Whether he meant to or not, he had shut her down.
“That’s a problem for you?”
“How am I supposed to lure you away when my selfishness could cost someone their life?”
“It’s rarely that time sensitive, Ariel. We’re talking research that takes months, years. And to get back to your original concern, you don’t have to worry about me. I’m a big boy. I make my own decisions, and I can entertain myself.”
“Do you work out?”
Again the flummoxed look. “Following your conversational gambits is like chasing a rabbit in the woods.”
“Sorry. My mind jumps. Can you answer the question?”
His eyes narrowed. “I swim laps at Gareth’s pool. I walk up and down the mountain when the mood hits me. I cut firewood for the winter. Have I passed?”
“Passed?”
“The test. I got the impression that you were looking for some specific answers.”
If nothing else, she had annoyed him. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m merely trying to establish what kind of man you are.”
“There are varieties?”
“Of course there are. I’ve nailed you as the selfless, driven, save-the-world type.”
He stood up. And from her vantage point, he looked really big. “Come here, Ariel.”
She obeyed, more out of curiosity than anything else. When they were standing toe to toe, he reached out and tucked her hair behind her ears. Shivering, she lifted her chin and met his gaze head-on. “What do you want?”
“I’m wondering how good an actress you are. If you want to make people believe that you and I are a couple, we’ll have to kiss at least once or twice, right?”
Her throat dried as she tried to swallow a lump the size of Texas. “Does that mean you’re considering my proposal?”
His gray eyes warmed to charcoal embers. “Answer my question first. Would we have to occasionally kiss?”
She nodded slowly, feeling completely out of her depth. Rarely did a man manage to throw her off kilter. But Jacob Wolff was giving it his best shot. “Yeeessss,” she drawled. “I’d say that would be necessary and appropriate.”
His quick, self-deprecating smile warmed her to her toes. “Well then, let’s give it a shot.”
Before she could agree or protest, or better yet shoot back with a smart-ass response, Jacob’s mouth moved across hers.
Ariel had kissed lots of men. Some tasted like cigarettes or salami. A few were pleasant but unremarkable. The guys who had something to prove usually bent her neck backward at an awkward angle. And occasionally there were one or two who were genuinely good at locking lips.
Jacob’s kiss defied description, mostly because she didn’t have the mental sharpness to analyze it. Her synapses were firing like random paintball gun explosions, making her knees rubbery and her head muzzy. Jacob’s arms encircled her firmly, bringing her close to his chest. He was determined and possessive, but not forceful. The caress of his lips on hers was toe-curlingly sensual, but with barely a hint of tongue.
For a first kiss, it was damned near perfect.
They broke apart in unison. Ariel stumbled backward, reaching behind her for a seat. Unfortunately, reaching for her habitual cheeky repartee was not so simple. She cleared her throat. “Not bad, Doc. Especially for a first take.”
He folded his arms across his chest. Was he breathing hard? She’d like to think so.
When he remained silent, she squirmed. “What’s going on in that computer brain of yours?”
“I’ll do it,” he said quietly.
“Because of the kiss?”
He shook his head. “No. Because as much as I hate to admit it, you have me pegged. I can’t let you go off on your own knowing you could fall ill at any moment.”
“You don’t look too happy about it. Was kissing me so awful?”
“Let’s get something straight, Ms. Ariel Dane. I’ll kiss you when the occasion demands it. And God help me, I’ll enjoy it. But that’s as far as it goes. You’re my patient.”
“Who said I wanted it to go any farther?” she pouted. “Do you think you’re irresistible?”
“I’m a man … and you’re an incredibly beautiful woman. Things happen.”
“What kind of things?” When he got on his high horse, it was fun to tease him.
“Lord, you’re a brat.” The words were exasperated, but his reluctant smile was laced with humor.
“You can keep telling yourself that I’m little more than a child, but it’s not true. I grew up a long time ago. Eyes wide open. Ideals shattered. Illusions dissolved. I’m no ingénue. And I’m in charge of my life. So while I will be eternally grateful for your help in this specific situation, I don’t need or want you to boss me around.”
“When it comes to your health, I’ll have the last word. Or the deal’s off.”
“I don’t understand.”
“If I tell you to nap, you nap. If I expect you to eat healthy meals, that’s what will happen. You’re hiring me to be your doctor. The boyfriend is only a front. He won’t make any demands, but Dr. Jacob Wolff will have plenty.”
