Читать книгу Medical Romance September 2016 Books 1-6 - Tina Beckett - Страница 18
ОглавлениеTHEY WERE ABOUT to announce the winners.
Despite Maddy’s warnings about Kaleb not getting too close to her daughter, the little girl had somehow wound up perched on his shoulders. To be able to see the podium, he’d said.
In reality, seeing her up there melted a bigger hole in what was already a sizable chink in her armor. Kaleb held both of Chloe’s hands, and her small tennis shoes hit him midchest. Even when her daughter kicked her heels against him in excitement, the muscle mass didn’t move. There wasn’t an inch of flab beneath that black polo shirt. But there were dusty scuff marks from where her shoes were draped. Maddy’s heart clenched. Never once had Matthew held their child like this. And he’d never offered to be involved other than to make threats about taking Chloe away from her. That had come from a need to hurt her, though. Not from a need to forge a relationship with his daughter.
Yet a man who barely knew them had taken it on himself to help make her happy. First with the kite. And now with this whole day, which Maddy had to admit had been pretty darned magical. A better birthday, she couldn’t imagine. Maybe being alone wasn’t such a huge treat after all. But she’d already arranged that her sister would take Chloe for the night. So she was stuck with the consequences of her decisions.
Unless that dinner invitation Kaleb had mentioned earlier had been real. So far, he hadn’t mentioned it again.
The loudspeaker gave a loud squeal as everyone gathered back in the main assembly area; the kites that had survived the event were back on display alongside their prototypes. Several prizes were due to be awarded, some based on the creativity of design and other aspects. The grand prize, which included the tickets to the Space Needle and restaurant, was to be awarded to the judges’ overall favorite.
“The points from our judges have been tallied, and we’ll start with the honorable mention in design and move up from there.”
The names and prizes soon became a blur, punctuated by small bursts of applause. Fifteen minutes later neither Roxy’s nor Chloe’s kite had been named, and Maddy wondered if her daughter was going to be disappointed after all. Well, that was okay. She would have to learn that life didn’t always reward hard work. There was often an element of luck involved.
“And now for our grand prize.” From Maddy’s line of sight, the announcer shuffled pages back and forth, his brow furrowed before evidently finding what he was looking for. A smattering of nervous-sounding laughter swept through the room. “You thought I lost it, didn’t you? Yeah, me too. I could just see my spot going to someone else for next year’s festival.”
He cleared his throat. “Before I announce the winner, though, I want to call Dr. Druthers up to the podium and ask that you all look at the screen to your right.”
The crowd’s attention shifted to the white area where the monetary goal for the event was listed.
The hospital CEO trotted up the steps to the podium and moved to the microphones, straightening his tie. His eyes went to the blank screen.
“We’d hoped to raise fifty thousand dollars for our pediatric oncology department.” He smiled. “Well, folks, thanks to you, we surpassed it. You had those donations pouring in. Our total came to...one hundred and ten thousand, fifty-five dollars and twenty-one cents.”
Maddy’s eyes widened, especially when the screen flashed the amount along with several pieces of medical equipment that could be purchased with that figure. It was mind-boggling. Maybe it was nothing for Seattle, but for someplace like her hometown that would have been a fortune.
More applause came, this time the sound deafening. Dr. Druthers turned to the screen, adding his applause to the audience’s. The announcer waited for it to die down before moving back to the microphone and shaking the CEO’s hand. “That is great news for some very special patients.”
She glanced toward Kaleb to see if he was smiling as much as she was, but he wasn’t. In fact, there was a pale line of pain around his lips that made her wonder if Chloe was getting too heavy for him. Her own smile faded. She touched his arm. He turned toward her, the pain reflected in his eyes as well.
“Do you want me to take her?”
If anything, his expression turned even more haunted, but he shook his head, just as Chloe dug her fingers into his hair as if getting ready to hold on for dear life.
“No.” He swallowed. “She’s fine, as long as you’re okay with it.”
“Yes, but...”
Before she could say anything else, the loudspeaker came back to life. “Is everyone ready to hear who our overall winner is?”
“Yes!” The shout went up as one.
“All right, then.” The announcer held up his clipboard and peered at it for a minute. “The judges had a hard time picking just one winner, and if it had been based purely on looks and functionality, we might have had a three-or four-way tie. As it was, one entrant added an unusual element to the mix.”
Maddy’s heart rate picked up, beginning to pump hard in her temples. Surely that had to mean...
“Our winning entry tugged at the judges’ heartstrings and so the decision was unanimous.” The white-haired gentleman took a dramatic breath. “The prize of four tickets to the Seattle Space Needle goes to Maddy and Chloe Grimes and their high-flying, loud-purring cat, Jetta.”
Chloe screamed, leaning down and wrapping her arms around Kaleb’s forehead. He seemed to share her happiness, holding her as he turned around in two quick spins. His eyes then met Maddy’s. The somber look he’d had moments earlier faded, and he gave her a smile that turned her insides to liquid fire.
“Happy birthday, Maddy.” He leaned closer. “If you’ll give me your keys, I’ll load the stuff in your car in a few minutes. Meet me there after you say goodbye to Chloe and Roxy.”
“Okay.” She swallowed hard, doing her best not to hear any other motive in his words, and dug in her pocket for her keys, handing them over to him. He’d said nothing else about dinner.
“Come up and get your prize,” the announcer said.
Happy birthday, Maddy.
Had those low words held a hint of promise? She really hoped so, because that bubble bath was looking less and less like an attractive option, and more like a lonely sentence.
Her sister gave her a quick thumbs-up sign. But when Kaleb acted as if he was going to hand Chloe down to her, she made a quick decision, poking him with her elbow. “Oh, no. You’re going up there too. You designed that kite.”
Lifting his head, he peered up at her daughter. “What do you think? Do you want me to come with you?”
“Yes!”
Kaleb reached up and wrapped his forearm around Chloe’s waist and swept her off his shoulders with a flourish and propped her on his hip. Then they climbed the steps to the podium together. Maddy’s only hint of unease about making him accept the prize with them was when they were asked to pose together for a picture for the local paper. But she smiled, hoping no one got any strange ideas about why they were all together. Too late to worry about that now, though.
They were presented with the tickets for the Space Needle and a voucher for dinner reservations at a day and hour of their choosing. Maddy tried to hand them to him, but he shook his head. “You keep them. We’ll work out the details later.”
More flashes went off indicating pictures being taken. Then they descended the platform. Roxy met her at the bottom and hugged her. “Let me put my stuff in the car. I’ve got a little something out there for you.”
Maddy frowned. “You didn’t have to get me anything.”
“Are you kidding? Of course I did. You’re my baby sister.”
Roxy glanced at her watch and then at Kaleb. “Would you mind carrying Chloe out to my car for me? It’s later than I expected and I promised Little Miss Kite Winner that I would get us a movie and a pizza to celebrate.”
“Sure.”
Maddy helped gather the majority of their things, handing Chloe the winning kite—the prototypes for all the kites would go on display in the pediatric oncology ward of the hospital to help cheer its young patients. “Can you carry this for me, honey?”
“Yes.” Her daughter cradled the kite carefully against her chest, and Kaleb wound the tail around its body.
Once they had everything loaded in the car and got Chloe strapped into the car seat that Roxy kept in her vehicle, her sister handed her a gift bag out of the back with another hug. “Happy birthday, honey. Enjoy your night. And for what it’s worth, I’m really glad you’re here in Seattle.”
Moisture stung the backs of Maddy’s eyelids. She tried to laugh it off before anyone noticed. “You noodle head, there’s no place I would rather be.”
“Not even home? I know Mom asked you to move back. She told me.”
Maddy leaned back and shook her head. “I’m happy at my job, and I love everything about this city. I’m here to stay.”
* * *
Kaleb did his damnedest not to listen in on their conversation, but he couldn’t help but hear the last part of Maddy’s statement. She loved everything about this city. He didn’t know why, but he was glad that what had happened with her ex wasn’t going to drive her back to Nebraska. He realized he had no idea where in Nebraska that was, actually. It was one of a growing list of things he wanted to ask her, however.
Once the sisters had said their goodbyes, Maddy turned to him, her gift bag in hand, the lawn chairs propped against the box that contained her other items. “I know you said you’d put these in the car, but I think I can get it, if you need to get going.”
“I’m not in any hurry.” He picked up the box and then slung the straps to the chairs’ carry bags over his right shoulder. He nodded at Roxy’s present. “Don’t you want to open that?”
“Oh.” She glanced down. “It can wait. Roxy already told me what’s inside it. I can get the kite back from Chloe and give it back to you on Monday, if you want to keep it as a memento.”
“No. It’s hers. I want her to be able to fly it again.” He started walking in the direction of her car.
Once everything was tucked into Maddy’s vehicle, he leaned against the back bumper. “Let me take you out to dinner. It’s your birthday, and I don’t feel right sending you back to your apartment by yourself.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
He couldn’t tell if she didn’t want to go with him or if she was just trying to feel him out. He decided to make it as plain as possible. “You’ll find I rarely do anything that I don’t want to do.” He touched her cheek. “Go out with me. I want to buy you dinner.”
There was a few seconds’ pause before she nodded. “Thank you, then. I’d like that. It’s been a busy day, but I was actually kind of regretting promising Chloe she could go home with Roxy. I’d need to run home and check on Jetta and feed him first, though, if you don’t mind.”
“It’s on our way. We can drop off your car in the process, if that’s okay?”
“More than okay.”
When he followed her up to the elevator of her apartment building, his arms full, they found a box sitting in front of her door. And from the imprinted logo on the side along with the scent of ginger that lingered in the hallway, someone had already made dinner plans for Maddy. So much for taking her out. Maybe it was just as well. Because standing in her hallway reminded him of Maddy’s original plan of soaking in the tub.
She opened the door, pushing the box inside with her foot. Jetta met them almost immediately, meowing and winding around her in a way that made him smile. That was a lot of effort to garner sympathy. The cat had been working on that act for a while, from the looks of it.
“I take it he’s hungry.”
She laughed. “He’s always hungry.” Motioning to the stuff he was holding, she said, “You can just set that anywhere, and if you don’t mind putting the take-out box on the counter, I’d appreciate it. I’ll rustle up some food for Jetta. He’s earned it for inspiring the kite design. I guess this means we don’t have to go out for dinner after all.”
Hearing her say the words punched his gut in a way he didn’t like. Hadn’t he just been thinking that himself?
“I guess not. I’ll leave you to your meal, then.”
She turned around in a flash. “What? You’re going?”
“I assumed...” He nodded at the box. “I’m sure that’s a meal for one.”
“If I know Roxy, it’s enough for five or ten people.” She glanced down for a moment at the cat, who was still meowing up a storm, before looking back at him. “Please stay, Kaleb. I thought I wanted to be alone, but...”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I really am. And if there isn’t enough in that box—although I know there will be—we can call out for more to supplement it.”
Kaleb set the items he’d brought in next to a floral padded bench she had just inside her door. Then he picked up the box of food and set it on the counter as she’d asked him to do. “Where are your plates?” He peered into the box and saw several cardboard containers inside. There was indeed quite an assortment of food, from the looks of it.
“In the cabinet to the left of the sink.”
While she popped the top on a can of cat food and scooped the contents into a small silver bowl inside a walk-in pantry, he found plates, silverware and glasses and set the dining-room table.
By the time she came back in the room, he had the cartons unloaded from the box and the plates set on bamboo place mats. There were a couple of candles poking from a centerpiece, but he didn’t want to light them and risk her thinking he was pushing for things that he wasn’t.
Was he sure about that?
“Wow, thanks. I didn’t expect you to do all of that.”
She put the gift bag on the far end of the table.
“I didn’t know it was your birthday before today, or I would have gotten you something.”
“Why?”
Kaleb hadn’t expected the bald question, so he shifted for a second, trying to figure out a good answer for what had been an impulsive statement. “Because you work hard, and you deserve it. Just like Roxy thinks you do. You have a good sister, you know.”
“Oh, I know. She rescued me.” As if realizing that sounded a little weird, she continued. “Matthew was getting harder and harder to avoid in my little hometown. Gamble Point, Nebraska, actually. Roxy suggested I move to the city and make a clean break of it. I never expected him to follow me. If he’d hurt anyone, I never would have—”
“He didn’t, Maddy.”
“I know, but...” She shook her head as if trying to blot out that horrific image. “Anyway, sit down. And thanks for staying.”
“Thanks for asking me.”
Just then her cell phone rang. He nodded toward her purse. “Feel free.”
“I’ll just be a minute.” She got out her phone and glanced at the readout. “It’s my mom. I’ll try to make it quick.”
“Take your time.”
While Maddy talked to her mother, who had obviously called to wish her a happy birthday, Kaleb wandered around the living room, glancing at pictures of her and various family members on the mantelpiece. One of the shots was of a woman with the same curly hair as Maddy, threaded with a few strands of gray. That had to be her mother.
He peered closer. He could certainly see where Maddy and Roxy got their looks. A man in bib overalls had to be her father. She’d mentioned that he died in a tractor accident and the snapshot was older than the one of her mom. He didn’t see any other ones of the man. A twinge of pain cramped his lungs for a moment. His own parents were still very much alive. Still very much hoping for another grandchild, although Kaleb didn’t see that happening anytime soon, if ever. The genetic dice hadn’t rolled in his favor the first time, and he couldn’t guarantee the outcome would be any better a second time. He couldn’t see himself putting his heart—or a child’s life—at risk like that. Once had been more than enough.
Having Chloe propped on his shoulders had reawakened feelings that were better off left dead. And Maddy obviously felt the same way about Chloe getting attached to another man.
He picked up a picture of Maddy holding a bundle wrapped in a hospital blanket. She was smiling, but the curve of her lips seemed uncertain and more than a little sad. He studied the picture. Her hair was longer than it was now, but she still had the same expressive eyes. The same high cheekbones. The woman from the previous picture was also present, leaning down beside Maddy, her cheek pressed to her daughter’s. Matthew was not in the picture, although it was possible she had got rid of any reminders of what must have been a terribly unhappy and unstable marriage. He set the picture back down, a rumble starting up in his gut that wasn’t caused by hunger.
Something had happened, even back then. But it wasn’t his place to ask. Especially since the last thing he wanted to do was exchange confidences about their pasts. He didn’t want to talk about Grace. Or his own failed marriage. At least Maddy still had her child.
“Sorry about that. She wanted to wish me a happy birthday.”
He nodded at the picture he’d just held. “Is that her?”
Maddy glanced at it. “Yes. I’m trying to talk her into moving to Seattle, but she doesn’t want to leave Nebraska.”
“You have her eyes. Her smile.”
“Thank you. I love my mother’s smile. She’s a truly kind woman.”
“I can believe that, judging from the pictures. But then again, so are you.”
Something in the atmosphere changed slightly as Maddy’s eyes met his. “D-do you want to eat?”
Eat. Yes. That was the thing he should do.
Instead, he moved a step or two closer. “Happy birthday, again, Maddy. Has it been a good one?”
“It has. Especially now.”
He wasn’t sure exactly how it happened, but he cupped her face, meaning to give her a quick birthday kiss. But when his lips touched hers, they suddenly had a mind of their own and lingered a little longer than he’d meant them to. When Maddy didn’t move to break the contact, he slid an arm behind her back and edged her another step closer. Still no protest on her part.
To hell with it. They were both grown-ups. If they spent a night together, it was no big deal. She’d said herself she didn’t want to spend her birthday alone. Well, he didn’t want to spend the night alone either, and it had been forever since he’d been with anyone. She’d made it clear that she wanted no ties to a man. And he wanted no commitments to a woman.
It was the perfect marriage.
No. Not marriage. It was the perfect arrangement. An arrangement that would last a single night. Maybe not even that long.
But you’re in her house. Off your own turf.
It didn’t matter, because there was no question about where Maddy’s loyalties lay. With her daughter and no one else. He just needed to be certain they were on the same page. He eased back. Landed a few more kisses on her soft lips. “How hungry are you?”
Her hands went to the back of his neck. “Pretty hungry.”
His gut sank before coming back up. The way she’d said that... “Hungry. For dinner?”
“Do you need to ask?”
No, he didn’t, since she was holding on to him as tightly as he was holding her. This time when he kissed her, he did it without holding back, landing his mouth on hers and slanting over it. His fingers went underneath her tank top, finding the warm skin of her waist before sliding around to her bare back. She was impossibly silky and smooth, and he couldn’t stop one of his hands from running up her spine, feeling the bumps of her vertebrae beneath his seeking fingertips.
Wanting to touch more of her, he found the hem of her shirt and tugged it up, unlocking their lips long enough to haul it over her head before finding her mouth again. This time, his tongue slid in to find hers.
The woman tasted like mint with an edge of sweetness that was all Maddy. And he couldn’t get enough of her.
Her hands went to his chest, splaying over it as he pulled her closer. He found her bra clasp and the need to unhook it thrummed within him. But he wanted to enjoy this. Every second of it.
He hadn’t planned on coming back to her place and doing this, but, now that it had happened, he was going to make it last. If this was going to be the only time he had with her, he wasn’t going to punt a field goal when he could run the play all the way home.
Pulling free from her for a couple more seconds, he yanked his own shirt over his head, taking a moment to look at her. Clad in a lacy black bra, casual capri pants and her sandals, the woman was gorgeous. Her lips were pink from his kisses, her hair in glorious disarray from the breeze earlier. She looked like a modern-day Eve. A temptress who was holding out a very different kind of fruit. One he couldn’t wait to taste. To savor. Until he’d devoured every last bite.
“I’m glad I had Roxy take Chloe after all.”
“Are you?” He leaned in and nipped her bottom lip. “What about that bubble bath you were looking forward to?”
“I’m still looking forward to it.”
He frowned. Maybe he’d misunderstood her. But no. They were both standing there partially clothed.
Maddy hooked a finger in the waistband of his jeans. “The present Roxy gave me—it’s everything I need for a relaxing night in the tub. Bath salts, bubbles. A loofah.”
“A what?”
“It’s a... You’ll have to experience it to understand. But it’s heavenly.”
It couldn’t be any more heavenly than what he was looking at right now. “And you’re telling me this because?”
“Because the bathtub in this apartment is oversized.”
His body went on high alert. “Are you saying it’s more than enough for one person?”
“I’m saying it’s more than enough for two people. That tub was what sold me on the apartment. It seemed like the perfect place to unwind after a hard day.” She grinned. “Except, I think I’ve only gotten to use it once.”
“I’m sure it’s hard when you have a child pounding down the door.”
“Exactly. But there’s no child right now. And Jetta isn’t overly fond of water. So I’m pretty sure we’re safe.”
“Safe is a relative word.” One side of his mouth went up. “Are you inviting me into your tub, Dr. Grimes?”
“It depends on whether or not you’d accept the offer.”
“I don’t think there’s any question of that. It’s more of a question of how long it will take to fill that tub.”
“How about if I go in and get it started and then call you when I’m ready?”
* * *
Maddy scooted beneath a mountain of bubbles until only her head and neck were showing. The second thoughts that had churned to life the second she’d turned on the tap had now morphed into third and fourth thoughts. It was probably too late to back out now, though, especially since she was completely naked and was pretty sure Kaleb was waiting on the other side of that door. She could always send him away. But she didn’t want to.
So what was the problem?
The problem was she hadn’t done this in a very long time. And the last time had been when she was pregnant with Chloe, and it had been terrible. Matthew had barely been able to look at her back then. And now she had stretch marks and a little more meat on her hips than she’d had in her younger years. What if she saw the same look of disgust in Kaleb’s eyes that she’d witnessed in Matthew’s?
She should tell him to leave. Now. Before he had a chance to see her.
No. She was buried beneath the bubbles. It was one of the reasons she’d told him about Roxy’s gifts. It gave her an excuse to whip the water into a frothy mass that covered everything. He could feel her, and they could make love, but it wouldn’t be like lying naked on the bed, her every flaw exposed to his eyes.
Yes. She wanted to do this. Despite her fears, she had a feeling that Kaleb, despite all the flirting he did, would be a passionate but fair lover. He wouldn’t expect perfection. At least she hoped he wouldn’t.
She sank even lower, mounding more bubbles over her breasts.
“Everything okay in there?”
She’d turned the water off minutes ago, so he must be wondering what was taking so long. “Yes.”
“Well, may I come in?” There was a thread of amusement in his voice.
“Do you promise not to laugh?”
This time there was a prolonged pause. “Why would I laugh?”
Her face flamed to life. Did he want her to spell it out? “Because I’m not...I’m not... I don’t want you to laugh at me.”
“Maddy, the last thing I feel like doing right now is laughing.” The doorknob turned, but he didn’t shove the door open immediately. “I’m coming in. If you don’t want me to, you’d better tell me now.”
She bit her tongue to keep herself from shouting for him to stay out.
The door opened just enough for him to slide through. Maddy half expected him to burst into the room fully naked, ready for action. But the man was dressed exactly as she’d left him. His chest was bare, but he still had on his jeans, which were slung low around his lean hips. Even his shoes and socks were still in place.
He closed the door and leaned against it, studying her for several heart-pounding seconds. Long enough that she wondered if the bubbles had dissipated, allowing him to see her through the water. She forced herself to keep meeting his eyes, refusing to cower, even though she wanted nothing more than to leap from the tub, grab the nearest towel and cocoon herself in it.
Moving from his post, he sat on the very edge of the tub. “Why would I laugh?”
She swallowed. “I’ve had a child. My body isn’t... It isn’t like it used to be.”
“You’re beautiful. I don’t need to see you naked to know that.” He dipped a finger beneath the bubbles and scooped up a small amount, plopping it onto her nose. He smiled. “Still not laughing.”
“Thank you.” The simple words almost got stuck in her throat but she forced them out.
He leaned down and kissed her mouth. “Are you sure there’s room in there for me?”
“Oh, yes.”
With that, he stood up and toed off one shoe and then the other while she watched. He rolled off his socks, revealing strong feet, the slightest dusting of dark hair across the top giving them a decidedly masculine edge. Maddy’s mouth watered.
He was going to be in the tub in a few more seconds and those hands would touch her all over. Only this time there would be no clothes between them.
His wallet came out of his pocket. He opened it. Took out a condom from a little side section. Lord, she hoped that was something he always carried and not something he’d put in there just for this occasion.
Maybe he saw the uncertainty on her face because he stopped and traced a line down the length of her jaw. “I wasn’t scheming to get into your bed when I left my house this morning, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“Of course not.” But it was, and they both knew it.
Some woman was going to be very lucky to have him one day. For a second she wished it were her, before shutting down that line of thought completely. She had Chloe to think about. And there was no way she was going to set up her daughter to be hurt by a man. She hadn’t allowed Matthew to do that. And she wasn’t going to risk it with anyone else. Not right now. Maybe when Chloe was old enough to understand that relationships were never a certainty.
She shook that from her thoughts before she ruined everything.
Kaleb fished his keys from one of his front pockets and set them on the side of the sink. Then he smiled. “Do you have a dryer?”
“Yes, of course, but why do you—”
She hadn’t even got the words out of her mouth before Kaleb stepped into the bathtub, still clad in his jeans.
“What are you doing?” The words came out as a choked laugh.
“Showing you that there’s nothing wrong with a little laughter.” He grinned and slid his body into the water until he was facing her, the bottoms of his feet sliding up her calves, over her knees and working their way up her thighs. “As long as that laughter ends with me making love to you.”
