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“Psss,” the toddler said.
“Close enough,” Tina said with a laugh.
Bridget stared at her sister in jeans and a T-shirt and sometimes had to shake her head at the sight of her. “I’m just not used to seeing you quite so domesticated.”
“I’ve been living here for more than two years now.”
“Do you mind it? The work?” she asked. “At the palace, you could have had several nannies at your beck and call.”
“I have Hildie the housekeeper, who may as well be Katiana’s grandmother, and Zach. I like the simplicity of this life. Before I met Zach, I always felt like I was juggling a dozen priorities. Now between him and Katiana, the choice is easy.”
“Must be nice,” Bridget muttered as Hildie, Zach’s longtime housekeeper, strode through the door carrying a bag of groceries.
“Well, hello, all Your Highlinesses. We’ve got a roomful of royalty today. Miss Tina, did you offer your sister some of that strawberry bread? Looks like you’re having a late breakfast. Although that should come as no surprise considering when she got here last night,” Hildie said, lifting her eyebrow.
Bridget wasn’t quite certain how to take the stern-looking gray-haired woman. Tina insisted the woman had a heart of gold, but she seemed to rule the house with an iron hand. “Good morning, Miss—”
“Call me Hildie, and it’s afternoon. Do you feel like some pancakes or a turkey sandwich? You looked pretty rough when you got in last night,” Hildie said as she began to put away groceries.
“She was taking care of twin babies,” Tina said, clearly still amazed.
Hildie’s jaw dropped. “Twin babies,” she said. “You?”
Bridget grimaced. “I know it’s totally improbable. Hopefully I won’t be put in that type of situation again.”
“She was helping a doctor who had become a guardian to his brother’s two babies because the brother and sister-in-law were killed in an accident.”
Hildie shook her head, her brow furrowing in deep sympathy. “That’s terrible, just terrible. You did the right thing,” she said to Bridget. “Let me fix you a pie. I’ll fix you any kind you want.”
Surprised, Bridget felt a rush of discomfort mixed with pleasure. “Oh, I don’t need a pie. You’re delightful to suggest it, but—”
“I insist,” Hildie said.
Tina lifted her shoulders helplessly. “You’re going to get a pie whether you like it or not. You may as well pick what you like, and I guarantee it will be the best pie you’ve eaten.”
“Well, if you must, I would like the most decadent chocolate pie you can bake.”
Hildie cackled with laughter. “Chocolate. You can tell the two of you are sisters. And you may try to hide it, but you have that fix-it compulsion just like your sister.”
“I don’t have that compulsion,” Bridget insisted. “It’s temporary. Like a virus. As soon as I take my long break in Italy, I’ll be cured.”
Hildie laughed again and shot her a look of sympathy. “Don’t worry, Your Highliness. It may take a while, but you’ll figure it out.”
Bridget frowned because it seemed that Hildie knew something she didn’t. Hmm. The prospect didn’t please her, but the chocolate would help.
Chapter Three
Three nights later, Ryder met Bridget at an exclusive Mediterranean restaurant in Dallas. He remembered she’d said she preferred Mediterranean and Italian food. With the Dallas skyline outside the window beside them, he couldn’t look anywhere but at her. Her blue eyes sparkled with a combination of sensuality and warmth. Her black dress—yet another one—dipped into a V that cupped her beautiful breasts and her lips were, again, red.
“Thank you for joining me,” he said after they’d placed their order.
“Thank you for inviting me. Who’s watching the twins?” she asked.
“A neighbor and her daughter. I’m paying double. Amazing how easy it was for them to commit when I said that,” he said.
She laughed. “They’re adorable but exhausting. How was the new nanny?”
“Scary efficient. This was her first day and she’s already whipping all of us into shape,” he said, amazed at how good he felt just to be with Bridget.
“Good. Next step is to get a backup,” she said and took a sip of wine. “In the meantime, about Chantaine’s medical program …”
He stifled a groan. “Do we have to discuss business?”
“Briefly,” she said and lifted an eyebrow. “Remember that we held our discussion while the twins were screaming after I had cared for them during your meeting and—”
“Okay, okay,” he said. “Do you want me to be blunt?”
“I would love it,” she said, leaning forward and propping her chin on her hands.
“The truth is, there’s no true professional advantage for the residents to go to Chantaine after they graduate. There’s no extra education, association with an expert, or certification.”
“So money is not enough,” she said.
“No,” he said.
“Hmm.” She tilted her head. “So the whole game would change if Chantaine could offer exposure to a noted expert in a particular field?”
He nodded.
She took another sip of her wine. “Thank you.”
He could tell her brain was already racing. “You’re plotting and planning,” he said.
She smiled, her sexy red lips lifting upward, sending a sensual heat through his veins. “Yes, I am. I’ll figure something out. It’s the Devereaux way.”
“I did an internet search on you,” he admitted. “You’ve mostly stayed out of trouble. How did you manage that?”
“I’m flattered. Of course, I did research on you right after the cocktail party. How did I stay out of trouble?” she asked. “It’s all relative. My sisters did me a huge favor. I wouldn’t wish it on her, but Ericka went to rehab, and then after that, Tina got pregnant. What a scandal. So my little tumbles—”
“Like the time you got smashed at the nightclub in Chantaine and made a scene—”
“That was Stefan’s fault. Eve was with me and he couldn’t stand the fact that she wasn’t with him.” She waved her hand. “But I won’t fault him too much. He’d just discovered he had a baby from an earlier affair and was trying to work out his relationship with Eve.”
“I remember reading an article about some sort of incident. A gang. She was hurt.”
He stopped when he saw her gaze darken with emotion.
“She saved my life and nearly lost her own,” Bridget said quietly as she ran her finger around the top of her glass. “It all happened so fast. I wish I had responded differently. She was hurt. She almost died.” She lifted her glass and took a quick sip. “It was wrong. Her life shouldn’t have been put in jeopardy for my sake.”
He was shocked at the stark guilt he saw on her face. “These things happen. Decisions are made in microseconds. She’s a Texas girl. She acted on instinct.”
She bit her lip. “Maybe I need to learn some of those Texas-girl instincts,” she muttered.
“Your instincts are pretty damn good. You took care of the twins when we were in a jam,” he said.
“That’s different,” she said.
“Not as far as I can see. I won’t lie to you. I can’t make any promises about sending doctors to Chantaine. On the other hand, I’ve thought about having you in my bed way too much. I wish I could say it’s just because you’ve got a killer body and I’ve done without, but the truth is, there’s something else about you that gets me going.”
Her lips parted in startled disbelief. “I—” She broke off and shook her head. “I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know,” he said.
She met his gaze and he could tell she was undecided. He saw want and hesitation, and he understood it, but he was driven to find a way to get her to meet him halfway.
After a delicious dinner, Ryder drove Bridget to her hotel and insisted on walking her to her room. “You know security is watching me,” she said as they stood outside her door.
“Do you want to step inside your room?”
An illicit thrill raced through her. Her guard would report to Stefan and he would fuss. She would dodge his calls the same way she had after spending the night at Ryder’s house. What a hassle. “For just a moment,” she said and slid her key card into the lock.
Ryder pushed open the door. Seconds later, she felt her back against the door and his mouth on hers.
“Do you know what your red mouth does to me?”
he muttered and plundered her lips. He slid his tongue into her mouth, tasting her, taking her.
Her heart slammed against her ribs. She couldn’t resist the urge to lift her fingers to his hair and scalp.
He groaned in approval and rocked his hips against hers.
Bridget gasped, her breath locking somewhere between her lungs and throat. Somehow, someway, she craved his warmth and strength. His passion and need struck her at her core.
“I want you,” he said. “You want me. Let me stay for a while.”
A terrible wicked temptation rolled through her. If he stayed, he would fill her and take her away from her uncertainty and emptiness. She knew he could take care of her, if only for a little while.
He French-kissed her, sending her around the world at least a couple of times.
“You want me to stay?” he asked, sliding his mouth down over her ear.
She inhaled, grasping for sanity. Closing her eyes, she tried to concentrate. “Yesandno,” she said, running the words together. She dipped her head so that her forehead rested against his chin. “This is a little fast.”
He gave a heavy, unsatisfied sigh. “Yeah, it is. But it’s strong.”
She nodded. “Sorry,” she whispered.
“It’s okay,” he said cradling the back of her head. “It wouldn’t work out anyway.”
“Why is that?” she asked, leaning back to look at him.
“I’m a doctor. You’re a princess,” he said.
“So?” she asked.
“The two don’t mix,” he said. “And never will. Sweet dreams, Your Highness.”
He left and Bridget stared at the door, frowning. Why couldn’t they mix? Not that she wanted them to mix. And the sweet dreams thing really grated on her. That was what Eve had often said. It had seemed so sweet when she’d said it. Not so with Ryder. Bridget snarled. He was gone. Good riddance.
Ryder heard a knocking sound and shook his head as he glanced up during the meeting he was in to discuss the performance of the residents.
Dr. Wayne Hutt, Ryder’s nemesis, knocked on the table again. “Dr. McCall?” he said. “Anyone home?”
“Pardon me,” Ryder said in a crisp voice. “I was studying my notes.”
“Apology accepted,” Hutt said. “Drs. Robinson and Graham are having attendance issues.”
“Dr. Robinson is concerned about the welfare of his family in rural Virginia and Dr. Graham’s wife has just gotten pregnant,” Ryder said. “They just need a little time to refocus. It won’t be a problem.”
“How can you be sure?” Hutt challenged.
Ryder fought his antipathy for his associate. “I’m sure,” he said. “Just as Dr. Gordon Walters would be sure,” he said, pulling rank because everyone knew Dr. Walters trusted Ryder over anyone else.
Hutt gave an odd combination of a frown and grimace.
Dr. James Williams, chief of everything, nodded.
“We’ll give these two interns two weeks to make adjustments. Dr. McCall, you’ll speak to them?”
“Yes, sir.”
Seven minutes later, the meeting ended, thank God. He returned to his office and sent emails to Drs. Robinson and Graham to set up appointments. He answered another fifty emails and stood to make late rounds with his patients.
A knock sounded outside his door and Dr. Hutt walked inside. “Hey, Ryder. Late night. I’m surprised you can do this with the twins.”
Ryder resisted the urge to grind his teeth. “I’ve hired a new nanny and am getting new backup. Thanks for your concern. I need to do late rounds.”
“Just a minute,” Hutt said. “How’s Dr. Walters doing? No one’s talking.”
“He’s working through his recovery. These things take time,” Ryder hedged.
“That’s pretty vague,” Hutt said.
“You know I can’t discuss the confidential status of patients,” he said.
“But Walters isn’t really your patient,” Hutt continued.
“He’s my mentor and friend, the closest thing I’ve had to a father since my own father died when I was a kid. I’m not discussing his condition,” Ryder said.
