you like to change clothes?” he asked abruptly, vastly afraid that he had no control over this situation at all.
“If you’re offering a paper gown, the answer is no.”
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