Читать книгу Doctor's Guide To Dating In The Jungle - Tina Beckett - Страница 11

Her on top? Matt pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to eradicate the image that sprang to mind.

‘Don’t worry, I’ll bunk with the crew,’ he said, his voice coming out as a croak.

She swung around, her green eyes shining with relief. ‘But if their room is as small as this one …’

‘We’ll make do. I’ll hang a third set of hooks above theirs for my hammock.’

She eyed the beds. ‘That will put you almost flush against the ceiling. You’ll have no room to move.’

Yeah, almost like being inside a fabric coffin. His fingers massaged his neck muscles, trying to get rid of the ache that just wouldn’t quit. ‘Whatever it takes.’

‘You are aware that hot air rises, right? I’m already dripping with sweat, and I’m on the floor.’ Her eyes went to the ceiling. ‘It’ll be like being in a slow roaster up there.’

Exasperation washed over him, and he dropped his hand, allowing it to slap against his thigh. ‘Thanks for pointing out all the positive aspects of our situation.’

‘No problem.’ She licked her lips and paused. ‘Listen, we’re both adults, and it’s not like you’ll be able to see … anything once I’m in bed. I can wear gym shorts and a T-shirt rather than my PJs. If we leave the door open at night and restrict our dressing and undressing to the bathroom, we should be fine.’

Good suggestion—except that Matt didn’t normally wear anything to bed. And he wasn’t sure how he felt about looking up at night, knowing those sweet curves were lying just over his head, close enough so that all he had to do was reach up and …

‘Give me a couple hours to think it over.’ He backed out of the room and into the hallway.

She shrugged as if he were the one with the problem, not her. ‘Suit yourself. Don’t say I didn’t offer.’

It would almost be better if she’d wiggled her hips and implied that the offer went beyond mere sleeping arrangements. Then he could ship her butt back to Manaus with a clean conscience. The last thing anyone needed was a messy two-week fling. And a long-term relationship was out of the question. Vickie had been it for him. Now that she was gone …

He had no doubt Stefani would be going home at the end of those two weeks, if not before. Even if she didn’t turn tail and run, he’d already asked Tracy to keep looking for a replacement. Surely Stefani could understand his concerns now that she’d seen the conditions. It wasn’t just him, he had the crew to think about—and some of the tribes were bound to have a problem with him bringing in an unattached female. If the vessel were bigger, having team members of the opposite sex might be more feasible. Or if he and Stephani were married …

Who was he kidding? Even the thought of marriage made his stomach tighten with dread.

‘How about showing me the rest of the facilities?’ she said, forcing his mind back to the situation at hand.

‘Sure. Let me tell the men to get under way first.’ He paused. ‘Unless you’d like to go back to the airport now that you’ve seen the boat?’

Her shoulders straightened. ‘I knew what I was signing on for.’

‘That would normally be my cue to argue and give you one more chance to change your mind, but we’re already behind schedule. And, as Tracy continually reminds me, I really could use the help. I’ll be right back.’

Once he asked Nilson to cast off, he gave Stefani the tour, stopping by the restrooms first. He suppressed a smile when her nose wrinkled at the mention of river water being pumped in for showers. ‘We do run it through a filter, so you won’t find anything crawling through your hair when you’re done.’

‘Ugh. It’s better not to put images like that in my head.’

When they arrived at the examination room, her eyes widened. ‘This is amazing.’ She glanced up at him. ‘I have to admit, you had me worried for a while.’

He peered at the room, trying to see the space through her eyes. ‘How so?’

‘When I saw the outside of the boat and the … er, restroom … Let’s just say I wondered what I might find in here. But it’s spotless.’ She touched the gleaming chrome handle of the scrub sink. ‘Does this water come from the river as well?’

‘Yes, but it goes through a steam process, then stored in a sterile tank prior to use.’

‘It seems you’ve thought of everything. How are the instruments sterilized?’

‘Same method. Afterwards, they’re shrink-wrapped into kits. It’s time-consuming, but we don’t do many surgeries.’

She tucked a stray wisp of hair behind her ear, drawing his attention to her high cheekbones and long dark lashes. There was a china-doll delicacy to her that made him wonder what crazy impulse had led her to sign up for a tour down the Amazon. Was she trying to prove something to herself? To someone else?

Wandering to the center of the room, she paused between the twin stainless-steel exam tables. ‘These are top of the line. This set up must have cost a small fortune.’

‘Yes. Which is why the rest of the boat looks a little worse for wear.’ It was a half-truth, and he wasn’t sure why he felt the need to defend the ship’s condition, but now that the words were out, he stubbornly expanded on them. ‘We put as much money as possible into caring for our patients. As long as the ship is solid and in good mechanical order, I figure the doctors and crew can afford to scrimp on the little things.’

She laughed. ‘Like real beds.’

‘Actually, no. Hammocks are more practical. No risk of bedbug infestations or other creepy crawlies that can hide inside a mattress. And they’re cooler than traditional beds. I think you’ll be surprised at how comfortable they are.’

He omitted the fact that the beds swung gently with every movement, whether that movement came from the boat or from other, more sensual, activities.

She tilted her head and looked up at him as if she could read his thoughts. ‘I’ll have to re-evaluate some of my opinions.’

Time to put some space between them and the subject of beds. ‘Anyway, as far as this particular room goes, we need to keep the risk of contamination to a minimum. Which means access is limited to doctors and patients.’

‘Understood. Do you ever keep patients overnight?’

‘On occasion. If we’ve had to operate, for example. Or if …’ he forced air into his lungs ‘… one of the team becomes ill and we have to transport them to a major city.’

She paused, her eyes sliding across his face. Her pupils dilated, and compassion flared within their depths. ‘You’ve had to do that, haven’t you? Transport a team member.’

He couldn’t go down this road. Not today. Trying to head off any further questions, he checked his watch, relieved to find it was almost noon. ‘Let’s go see what Tiago has come up with for lunch.’

Lunch turned out to be a one-pot meal called carurú do Pará, featuring dried shrimp and okra. It was unlike anything she’d ever tasted, but delicious just the same.

‘Do you like it?’ Matt asked, forking a piece of shrimp into his mouth.

‘It’s wonderful. I’ve never had okra in anything but jambalaya.’

Tiago, who she’d found out was the team’s cook, nodded. ‘Good, yes?’

Reverting to Portuguese, she asked what other kinds of dishes were popular in the region. Smiling, he rattled off several names, but the words were unfamiliar. It was amazing how two languages could be the same and yet so very different.

Matt must have noticed her confusion as well. Keeping the conversation going in Portuguese, he asked, ‘Your accent is different. Where did you learn the language?’

‘I lived in Portugal for seven years as a child. My father worked at the American Embassy.’

‘That explains it.’

His furrowed brow made her sit a bit taller. ‘Is there something wrong with the way I speak?’

‘Not at all. But you’ll find sentence construction is a little different here.’

‘I’ve noticed.’

Tiago spoke up. ‘I think your accent is very nice, Miss Stefani.’

She smiled her thanks. ‘Stefani is my formal name, but all my friends call me Stevie. Won’t you do the same?’

‘Sh-tée-vee?’ He struggled to get the name out, and she noticed Nilson—busy manning the helm, his plate balanced on the control panel—mouthed the word as well.

‘Perfect,’ she said.

Matt just shook his head. ‘From Stefan, to Stefani, to Stevie. No wonder I was confused about your gender.’

‘And now? Are you still confused?’

‘Confused?’ His lips tilted in a sardonic smile. ‘More than ever.’

With that cryptic statement he stood and walked to the sink, carrying his plate. Since Tiago and Nilson followed his lead, she shoveled one last mouthful of the delicious meal into her mouth and stood as well. ‘Thank you so much for lunch. It was wonderful.’

‘I’m glad you liked it.’ After Matt ducked through the door, Tiago leaned in a bit closer and whispered, ‘I think you will be good for Mateus. He misses his wife very much.’

Wife? Matt was married? Oh, Lordy, and she’d practically insisted on playing share-sies with his bedroom. What was she thinking?

‘Where is she? His wife, I mean.’ The words were out before she could stop them. But she wanted to know. Because other arrangements definitely had to be made. No wonder he’d offered to sleep with the crew. Her face flamed. She’d told him not to worry about her throwing herself at him and yet she’d offered to sleep right above the man’s head. Surely he didn’t think—

‘His wife is … she’s …’ Tiago bowed his head and pointed skyward.

‘What? I don’t understand.’ Her eyes widened as she realized what he was trying to say. ‘Oh. I’m so sorry.’

He waved his hands in front of him. ‘Please don’t speak of it with him. He might not like that I told you.’

‘Of course not.’ She glanced at the empty doorway, hoping Matt wasn’t lurking outside. She wanted to ask some additional questions, like when and how his wife had died, but she didn’t want to get Tiago in trouble. She also didn’t feel right indulging in gossip behind Matt’s back. If he wanted her to know, he’d tell her.

Although why would he? He’d made it pretty obvious he didn’t want her here, and he certainly didn’t expect her to last very long.

She hurried to catch up with him and found him on deck staring out at the dark waters of the Rio Preto. ‘When do we reach our first stop?’

‘Some time tomorrow afternoon.’ He turned toward her, propping a hip against the rail and crossing his arms over his chest. ‘Do you mind if I ask you something?’

Thinking of the personal information she’d just learned about his wife, she hesitated, wondering if he was going to ask about her last job—or whether she was involved with someone. ‘I suppose not.’

‘Why did you choose Brazil?’

Relief washed over her. That was easy. ‘I knew the language.’ She crinkled her nose. ‘Well, kind of.’

His lips curved, and she caught a quick flash of teeth. ‘There is that. But that’s not exactly what I mean. As a vascular surgeon you could have gone to any hospital in the world. But this …’ his hand swept to the side, indicating the river ‘… is a little outside your specialty, don’t you think?’

She shrugged, forcing herself to smile back. ‘Maybe I wanted to expand my horizons.’

‘Surely there were other ways you could have done that.’

Her options had been rather limited when she’d called Tracy and inquired about the position, but she was loath to tell him that. At least at the moment. ‘Possibly. Why does it matter?’

His eyes slid over her face, pausing at her lips before coming back up to meet her gaze. ‘Just curious.’

‘What about you? Why did you come here?’ If he could pose the question, then it seemed only fair she should get a chance to do the same. Besides, it would move him away from this particular subject. And a part of her hoped he’d tell her about his wife, and get it out in the open.

‘It was something I’ve wanted to do ever since med school.’

She nodded. ‘Did you specialize?’

‘Nope. Although, looking back, maybe I should have.’

‘I imagine you’ve learned more here than some doctors learn in a lifetime.’

A muscle worked in his jaw. ‘Maybe more than I wanted to.’

Something about those words made her heart clench. Was he talking about his wife’s death? Now was probably not the time to ask.

‘So we reach our first stop tomorrow.’

‘Yep. We’ll need to figure out how to introduce you to the villagers, if there are any questions about your presence.’

‘What do you mean?’

He shrugged. ‘Let’s just say some of the tribes are more conservative than others.’

‘They don’t think women should be doctors?’

‘Some of the chiefs might have trouble with us traveling together.’ He studied her. ‘You don’t happen to have a husband stowed in your luggage, do you?’

A shaft of pain went through her, and it took her a second or two to respond. ‘Nope, sorry. You’ve never brought a woman with you?’

‘Not a female doctor, no.’ He uncrossed his arms and straightened. ‘But we can talk more about it later. You must be tired.’

‘A little, but I’m okay. Is there something you want me to do?’

‘Not at the moment. Tiago and Nilson are pretty proprietary about the day-to-day boat chores. If you try to pitch in, they’ll be offended. Let me think …’

He smiled suddenly, his eyes crinkling as he motioned toward one of her bare arms. ‘You could always lie on deck and work on your tan. Try to blend in a little more.’

She laughed, the tension between them defusing. ‘Nice try, Tarzan. With three guys roaming the place? Hardly. Besides, as you can tell by my vampire-like skin tones, the sun and I are sworn enemies. Even if I could tan, baking in this heat doesn’t really appeal to me.’

‘There’s a wall-mounted fan in our … in the bedroom. You can read, then, or relax. Unpack.’

‘What are you going to do?’

‘Go over the navigational charts with Nilson.’ He tugged at a chain around his neck and retrieved two keys from beneath his shirt. Unhooking one of them, he held it out. ‘This is to the exam room. You’ll need to put it somewhere safe. The door and medicine cabinets are keyed alike, so it works on both. The crew members can be trusted but, because of the drugs we keep on hand, it’s better not to put temptation in anyone’s way. So you and I will have the only copies.’

Her fingers brushed over his palm as she took the key from him, shivering as she noted the metal was still warm from resting against his skin. When he allowed his own key to slide back beneath his polo shirt, the image of steel pressed against a hard wall of flesh caused her to take a quick step back.

‘Do you have a chain to hang it from?’ Matt’s gaze slid to her chest, and then jerked back to her face.

Had he just pictured the key nestled between her breasts? That would actually be a relief considering her response a few seconds ago. How humiliating would it be for her to nearly swoon over the stupid heat of a key and not have him notice her at all?

She glanced at his face, looking for confirmation.

Nothing. There wasn’t a hint of interest behind those cool blue eyes.

The pendulum swung back toward humiliation. What kind of woman broke off her engagement and immediately started checking out every guy in town? Well, technically she was only checking out one guy in this particular area, but still.

She curled her fingers into her palms, allowing her nails to dig into her skin. ‘I have something in one of my bags. I’ll use that.’

‘I’ll leave you to it, then,’ he said.

At her nod, he turned and walked away, and she couldn’t help but notice the loose-limbed gait, which spoke of easy confidence, or the way his muscles flexed as he gripped the top of the door-jamb and ducked beneath as he headed down the hall.

As soon as the dark recesses of the boat swallowed him completely, she sagged against the railing and held the key to her chest.

What on earth was wrong with her?

Once they reached the first village, she’d be far too busy to think of anything but her patients. At least she hoped so.

Her mouth twisted. She’d forgotten to ask where Matt and the crew lived between trips down the Amazon. Surely they didn’t stay on the ship year round.

And if they did? Could she live aboard this boat … in the same room with Matt … for the next two years?

Oh, boy. She didn’t think so.

Because if she thought he was attractive now, when her instincts were on high alert, what would happen if she let her guard down even a little?

I don’t run.

The words she’d thrown at him swirled around her, calling her a liar. Because if she couldn’t get her silly libido under control, that’s exactly what she was going to do.

Run.