Читать книгу Maitland Maternity: Triplets, Quads and Quints - Kasey Michaels - Страница 9

Hunter sat holding a warm, trembling female, unsure what to do next. He didn’t mind holding her. In fact, sitting as they were, things were getting interesting. But she might object, since she’d already been leery of him.

“I know I should get down,” she muttered against his neck, sending tingling sensations through his body, “but I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I have a phobia about rats.”

“A phobia?”

“Yes, an unreasonable fear of something.”

He chuckled. “I’m a doctor, remember? I know what a phobia is.”

“Well, mine is rats. I was okay as long as I could convince myself they wouldn’t really show up here, but—but is it a rat in the trap?”

“Looks like it to me,” he said, staring over her shoulder. “I can’t be sure until I go over there.”

She squeezed him tighter. “No! No, don’t go over there! He might bite you.”

“How did you get a phobia about rats?” He cuddled her a little closer, liking the feel of her, her scent. “Were you raised in a slum?”

“No, not at all! We had a very nice house, but I saw a movie about a little boy and the rats—terrorized him. I screamed every night for weeks. My brothers laughed at me. Finally my father let me keep a cat in my room all night so I’d be protected.”

Her voice trembled, and Hunter had an immediate picture of that little girl, wildly afraid of rats, pleading for protection. He held her more tightly against him. “It’s all right. You’re safe, Briana. I won’t let the rats get you.”

“Are you laughing at me?” she asked, her voice small.

“No. I’m not laughing. I’m understanding.”

“Oh. Thank you. But we can’t—I mean, we can’t—this isn’t seemly.”

Ah. He knew what was causing her concern. “Look, Bri,” he said, shortening her name, “men react to stimuli without any, uh, intent. It’s not something they can control. I promise I won’t take advantage.”

“But it must be uncomfortable.”

“If I were wearing jeans, it would be. They don’t allow much wiggle room, uh, I mean, extra space.” He was discovering any extra space he had was disappearing rapidly. He said, “Maybe I should go over and look. Maybe it’s just a really big mouse. Would that be better?”

“I don’t think you should go over there,” she said, the trembling starting again.

“I won’t get close, I promise,” he said gently and placed his hands on her arms, deadlocked around his neck.

“Come on, Bri, turn loose. I’ll come right back, I promise.”

“And I can stay on the stool?”

“Of course. You can even have another Twinkie.”

“No. Treats never help. Dad tried that.”

“I bet he did,” Hunter muttered. Slowly he got her to lower her arms. Putting his hands on her waist, he slipped off the stool and swung her on top of it.

As he turned away, she reached out for him. “Hunter, be careful.”

“I will, Bri, I promise.”

He walked over to the corner and stared at the dead animal. It was definitely a rat, a large one. Could he get away with telling Bri it was a big mouse? He was afraid she’d realize he was lying. He’d never been good at lying.

He came back to the stool.

She held out her arms, as if ready to resume her position in his lap. He shook his head. “I’m going to walk around for a while, to stretch my legs.”

“And what was it?”

He hung his head. He hated to tell her. “It was a rat. But it’s definitely dead.”

She reached for him, her hold probably leaving bruises on his skin. “You’d better get back up here with me. We’ll be safe here.”

He wasn’t going to discuss the safety of the stool. If he took that refuge away from her, she’d go to pieces. “Nope, I’ll be safe enough out here in the open.”

He began to pace, but thought of a question he’d wanted to ask. “You know, when you’ve talked about your childhood, you never mention your mother. Where was she?”

“She died when we were born.”

“Why?”

“She bled to death. That’s why Dad—uh, it was sad for my father, but we didn’t know the difference.”

“Didn’t he ever remarry?”

She shook her head, but she kept her gaze fastened to the trap in the corner.

“But your dad took care of the three of you?” Somehow, he wanted to know she’d been okay.

She shrugged. “He hired someone.”

Hunter was surprised by the anger mixed with sorrow he felt. “He hired someone? He didn’t take care of you himself?”

“He was busy. And he doesn’t seem to care for babies. Once we got old enough to talk, to understand, he began to take a little interest in us.”

“Hence the cat?”

Briana shot him a rueful smile. “That was the first time he listened to me. And then only because I was disrupting his peace. But I believed it was because he loved me. More than my brothers. It satisfied me for several years. I’d tell myself the cat was there because he loved me, even if he couldn’t spend time with me.”

“How did your brothers react?”

“They hated the cat. And teased it a couple of times when they caught it. But then it scratched them and they backed off.”

He’d taken a lot of psychology classes and was fascinated with children’s coping mechanisms. “And when did you demand more attention?”

“How do you know I did?” She wouldn’t look at him and he grinned, stepped closer and slid his arms around her waist. He liked holding her close.

“Just a hunch,” he said with a grin. Her memories seemed to relax her, and that was a good thing.

“Actually, my brothers took action first. They became little hellions. Again, my father’s peace was cut up. He demanded Grace make them behave. Grace and her husband, Douglas, took care of us. Grace looked him in the eye and told him if he didn’t participate in his children’s lives, there wasn’t anything she could do.”

“Wise woman.”

“Yes, and brave. Dad wasn’t an easy man to face down. He’d been grieving about our mother’s death and paying attention to business. It was easier to leave us to someone else. But to his credit, that’s when he changed. We’d started school, and he’d discovered we had minds.”

Hunter lifted one hand and cupped her soft, warm cheek. “So then your father loved you?”

She shrugged again. “That’s when he played a part in our lives. By the time we graduated from college, I think he loved us. We’ve been a family the last few years.”

He pulled her against him and rubbed her back. “What about you? Did you have the perfect childhood?”

“I suppose I did. My dad was a doctor, had a small practice in the country, handled all kinds of emergencies. My mom was always there for me and my brother. Not that we realized we had anything special. Now I do.”

She pushed away from him. “And I suppose that’s the kind of woman you’ll marry for your future kids. So they’ll have the same life.”

There was a bitterness in her voice that made him raise his eyebrows. “Wouldn’t everyone want the same thing? Wouldn’t you have preferred to have a mother?”

“Of course I would!” she snapped.

“Whoa, there, lady. What did I say wrong?”

“Nothing. What time is it?”

“Almost three. Are you exhausted?” He’d give her her change of subject. Things were stressful enough for her as it was.

“Yes. I didn’t get much sleep during the conference. I didn’t want to miss anything,” she said, rubbing one temple.

“Did your headache ever go away?” he asked, taking her pulse at her neck.

“Yes, mostly.”

“Look, why don’t you—I can hold you and let you sleep a little. That’s probably the only thing that will give you any relief, and it will make the time pass faster. Before you know it, it will be morning and your nightmare will be over.”

“That’s not fair to you,” she said doubtfully, staring at him. “And it’s—you know what happened last time.”

“I explained it’s something a man can’t control. But nothing happened, remember?” He was glad she couldn’t read his mind. Holding her again was becoming an obsession for him.

Finally, she slid off the stool, standing next to it. “If you’re sure you don’t mind. I’d give a lot to get a few minutes of sleep.”

“I don’t mind.” He climbed onto the stool and held out his arms. Slowly, unlike the last time, she responded to his invitation. She settled in his lap, but she seemed unsure where to put her hands.

“Wrap your arms around me,” he suggested, “and lay your head on my chest.”

She did so, and he held her in place, feeling a surprising peace settle in him. He had her safe in his arms. Softly rubbing her back, he whispered, “You’re safe now. Just relax.”

After several minutes, her body began to relax and grow heavy against him. She was asleep.

AS BRIANA settled into Hunter’s embrace, she knew she was being weak. But she’d reached her limit, and she didn’t mind admitting it.

And she’d never met such a strong man, physically and mentally. He’d been calm and protective. It seemed all her life she’d been competing with her brothers. She loved them dearly, but being one of triplets, and the only female, made life difficult.

So, just once in her life, she was going to accept her weakness and give in to the protection this man offered. Besides, it felt so good to be in his arms. As she laid her head against his chest, his heart beat a steady rhythm that lulled her in to relaxation, and she closed her eyes.

SATISFACTION filled Hunter as he realized Briana was getting the rest she so desperately needed. Apparently she’d been a lot more intense about the conference than him. He’d attended a few before. Besides, as a doctor, he’d pulled a few long nights as he came through medical school.

He checked his watch. They only had a couple more hours if the morning guy came in at six o’clock. His arms tightened around Briana as she rested against him. He’d love to be able to return to his comfortable bed in the hotel, but he wouldn’t want to turn Briana loose anyway.

That thought brought him up short. What was he thinking? They’d part as soon as morning came, of course. She was from Texas. He was from Chicago. Maybe they’d see each other at future conventions and laugh about their adventure in a New York deli.

He thought again of Briana as a little girl, frightened by a movie. She’d sounded so alone as she’d told him about her phobia. She must’ve been adorable as a child. How could her father have ignored her?

Of course, he’d eventually responded to her fears and allowed her to keep a cat in her room. He supposed that showed the man’s humanity.

But he’d want more than humanity for his children. He intended to love them and be there for them. He looked down at the brunette beauty in his arms. They’d make beautiful babies together, he decided. “Should that ever come up in the future,” he quickly amended with a rumble of laughter.

She stirred in his arms, her eyes fluttering open. “Everything okay?” she muttered.

He kissed her forehead and drew her closer. “Everything’s fine. You’re safe. Go back to sleep,” he whispered. Almost before he finished speaking, she dropped off to sleep again.

His body was responding, as it had earlier, to her closeness, but it was to be expected. He shifted a little, hoping his movement wouldn’t awaken her.

He wished they’d talked longer. He’d like to know about her situation, what job she held, her personal life. Hell, he didn’t even know if she had a boyfriend.

She must. She was too pretty, too dynamic, to be alone. Unless all the men in Texas were dummies, and that’s not what he’d heard.

He didn’t like the idea that someone else would hold her. A ridiculous thought, but he felt possessive about her. He’d saved her from the rats. She was his to protect.

He decided that kind of thinking was dangerous, so he tried to concentrate on a new theory introduced at the conference about treating at-risk pregnancies. Anything to take his mind off the woman in his arms.

AN HOUR later, Hunter eased off the stool. He had to stand before his rear became permanently attached to the hard surface of the stool. His arms slid beneath Briana’s bottom. He was glad he worked out regularly, or he wouldn’t be able to stand and hold her, too. Slowly, he maneuvered his way around the storeroom. Still another hour or two before the morning guy would arrive. He looked at the stool, not sure he could sit again.

But he wasn’t sure either that he could stand with Briana in his arms until someone came. And he didn’t want to wake her up.

“My choices are limited,” he muttered. Finally, he pushed the stool toward the thick door. When he got the stool directly in front of the door, he shoved it a little to one side. Then he settled back onto the stool, managing to arrange Briana’s sleeping form in a more comfortable position.

He’d have to give her credit. When she slept, she really slept. She hadn’t shown any signs of waking up the entire time he moved around.

After she was settled, he slowly leaned his back against the door and felt relief at the support. Then he let his head rest there, too. Could he sleep at all and maintain his balance? He was kind of wedged up between the door and the edge of the shelving.

He’d just doze.

It would be all right.

SOMETHING was bothering her.

Briana shook her head, irritated by the noise that was disrupting her sleep. Then it stopped. She settled back against the mattress, the comforting throb soothing her again. This was a great bed, she decided. It held her close.

Even at the thought, arms tightened around her.

Arms? Mattresses don’t have arms, do they? Briana wasn’t ready to wake up, but that strange question forced her to open her eyes.

The first thing she realized was that she was upright, leaning against—a man. Suddenly she remembered where she was and what had happened. Hunter. She was leaning against Hunter.

He’d fallen asleep leaning against the door. She checked her watch. It was five after seven. “Hunter?” she whispered.

He hugged her against him, as if he thought she was asking him to keep her safe. It did feel good, but that wasn’t the point.

“Hunter, there should be someone here now,” she whispered. “Shouldn’t we shout or something?”

He sat upright suddenly, shifting Briana. “What?”

“It’s after seven.”

“After seven? Haven’t you heard anyone outside?”

“I don’t know. Something woke me.”

He stood abruptly, and Briana found herself held in his arms.

“You—you can put me down,” she insisted.

He let her slide down his body, an interesting trip to say the least, and suddenly she was standing on her feet.

“Can you stand?” he asked, still holding on to her. “Of course. Can you, after I’ve used you for a bed all night?”

He smiled, but Briana noticed the strain around his eyes and the weariness. “I think so. I’m just a little stiff.” He moved the stool away from the door and beat on it as he yelled.

They both heard a startled exclamation. Hunter grinned at Briana like a caveman who had found meat for his family.

“Who’s in there?”

Whoever asked that question sounded more afraid of them than she was of the rats. “We’re customers who got locked in last night. Please let us out.”

“Oh! Yes. Yes, I will!”

When the door opened, they discovered an elderly woman wearing an apron, a look of horror on her face. “Who locked you in?” she wanted to know.

Hunter took over. “The clerk who was working last night. He robbed us of what cash we had and put us in here before he left. He also cleaned out your cash register.”

“So, it wasn’t a thief?”

“No, it wasn’t. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’d like to get back to our hotel,” he said, gently moving the woman to one side. Then he reached out for Briana’s hand.

She gladly gave him her hand. It made her feel under his protection, as she’d been all night. He pulled her toward the door.

“Aren’t we going to stay and talk to the police?” she asked him in a low voice.

“Do you believe it will help them catch the guy?” he asked.

“No, of course not.”

“Then what’s the point? If we stay, we won’t catch our planes, and I have to be back in Chicago for a special surgery in the morning.”

He had a point. “Okay, we’ll leave our names and addresses and they can contact us if they need to.” They each wrote their information down and gave it to the owner.

They emerged into a busy world. There were car fumes, noisy taxis, people everywhere, which seemed strange after there having only been the two of them for the past few hours.

It was half a block to the conference hotel. When they reached the entrance, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “They’re going to think we’ve been out partying all night,” he muttered. “Hope we don’t see anyone from the conference or the rumors will fly.”

She hadn’t thought of that. She certainly didn’t want rumors of her pulling an all-nighter with a handsome doctor. She was working too hard to prove herself. She ducked her head and both of them walked fast.

They managed to snag an elevator at once and when the doors closed, leaving them alone, they both breathed a sigh of relief.

“Glad to be alone again?” he asked with a weary smile.

“Surprisingly, yes. This would’ve been awkward to explain.”

“Awkward? It would’ve been impossible. Is there a husband around who is going to read you the riot act?”

It was a little late to be asking that question, but Hunter had been a perfect gentleman from the beginning. She shook her head. “No husband.”

He looped his arms around her, pulling her closer to rest against his body. “I’m glad.”

“Any wife?”

“Nope, not even a girlfriend.” He put a finger under her chin, and, before she realized what was going on, he kissed her.