~*~
Present Day—1999
Two weeks.
Jesse stared at the building from her car. They had exactly two weeks to turn this building into a working clinic. And not just any clinic. It was a pilot program that had to succeed. It had to.
When Brian called her and asked her if she was still happy working for Doctors for the World, he caught her at the right time. She was ready to come home.
She had been away from Brighton for four long years. The pain of her divorce had faded enough that she no longer fell apart at the thought of seeing Wayne. Then, the news last month that her mother had a stroke had just underscored the need to come home.
Home.
She sighed. Well, at least she would be working in a place that could make a difference; not that she wasn’t making a difference with Doctors for the World. She had loved the work. But she had worried that transitioning into regular medicine would leave her bored and dissatisfied.
Not a chance of that with Brian’s pet project. When he told her it was a clinic that served the poorest section of the city—for free, absolutely, totally free, well—she was in.
She remembered how he would go on and on in medical school about how the wealthy would give back, that they wanted to give back, if they had a chance. Now he was funding his clinic on donations and fundraisers alone.
The building looked pretty good, actually. She got out of the car warily, looking around. This was not a neighborhood that you let your guard down in and she gripped her pepper spray in one hand.
There were only a few cars in the parking lot, which was odd considering Brian had scheduled a staff meeting tonight. Jesse yawned as jetlag hit her. She had come straight from the airport hoping to catch that meeting and get a look at the clinic.
Frowning, she looked at her watch and quickly moved to the front entrance, a jolt of excitement hitting her system at the thought of seeing Brian’s dream.
Security checked her in without saying a word, just a nod at her signature. When she asked where Brian’s office was she got a blank stare, so she shrugged and started walking.
The clinic was wonderful. She almost twirled in excitement. Oh Brian, she thought. You’ve done it. You’ve made your dream come true. She had been hired because her friend and brilliant doctor that he was believed that she could help him help others. Jesse only hoped that she could live up to his belief in her.
Jesse continued to explore the clinic, marveling at how clean and new everything was. The walls had fresh paint on them, the floors were buffed to a high gleam, and all of the supplies looked brand spanking new. Brian’s ability to fundraise and get donations was legendary and the clinic reflected it. Gradually, Jesse felt exhaustion setting in and her footsteps slowed.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing in here?”
The voice echoed along the dark hospital corridor and made Jesse jump, kicking her adrenaline into overdrive. She forced herself to turn slowly towards the angry voice. Careful she told herself, the man facing her looked dangerous. He was way too close for comfort and seemed to be towering over her. Hell, he was towering over her. The man had to be over six feet tall. His face was in the shadows, but his muscular frame and the way he held himself made her think of a street fighter.
“I eh, I ...” Jesse desperately fought to keep the nervousness out of her voice. Suddenly she realized how empty the hospital corridor was.
“If I don’t get an explanation pretty quick, I’m calling security.” His words were calm and he sounded educated.
She felt a rush of relief. Still cautious, she stepped back from him and reevaluated. He was in street clothes, faded jeans and a black t-shirt that molded his tightly muscular frame. But he looked clean and seemed respectable. Not friendly, but respectable. She peered up at him trying to get a clear look at his face; what she saw had her stepping back in stunned surprise. He had a scar slashed across his cheek.
He continued to look at her with hard eyes as he waited for her response.
In as steady as a voice as she could muster she said, “I’m Dr. Jesse Holbrook. I work here.” No, this man standing before her couldn’t be the boy from that night. The night of perfect memories, of a dance, a kiss and longing so intense she swore she could still feel it. The boy that disappeared from her life before she even had a chance to know him.
“Well Dr. Jesse Holbrook, since I work here and I’m familiar with the all the staff, and you’re not ringing any bells, you better come up with a better story than that for hovering around our med supply room.”
Jesse glanced at the door he indicated, and she felt her temper rise as his meaning cut through her tired brain. He thought she was trying to steal drugs! Why, for God’s sake...her thoughts trailed as she realized the sight she must be. Straggly hair hurriedly piled on her head; no makeup, and a baggy sundress with hiking sandals. She knew she didn’t look her best, but a drug addict? Sighing, she realized her looks might have reached a new low.
Suddenly his words penetrated her hazy thinking...and you’re not ringing any bells...and she knew. She heard another voice from years ago—Yeah princess, bingo, you got it. I work here and since you aren’t ringing any bells, I’m guessing you don’t work here.
Her knees went weak. It was him.
Nick Armstrong.
Oh God, in all her fantasies she had never imagined he would be in Brighton working as a doctor? Was he a doctor? Or support staff for the clinic?
What did it matter? He was real and he was finally standing in front of her. All those years of thinking she had glimpsed him in a crowd, of looking for him, until finally she had given up and a few months later Wayne had swept into her life.
How could one night have meant so much to her? She had always wondered if he had felt the same.
Probably not.
He had been a wild boy who more than likely had a dozen girls falling into his arms and kissing him. The fact that her parents had whisked her on their cruise with them all those years ago to keep her from him was an indicator of just how romantically dangerous he had looked back then. They had somehow known how she felt about him. Looking back, she wasn’t surprised. She had a face like an open book, or so she was told.
She worked at masking her thoughts as she struggled to come back the present. Okay, so a boy that had kissed her, her first kiss, had morphed into an equally romantically dangerous looking man—all man, from the looks of it.
It didn’t matter. She hadn’t mattered, she reminded herself. When she had hunted him down after the cruise, he had disappeared. From his job and from the town.
Gone—taking half of her bucket list with him.
Right now, that same man was looking at her as if she were something nasty that had gotten stuck on his shoe.
She had been on planes for a total of 24 hours and was exhausted. Blinking gritty, tired eyes she strove to keep her patience.
“Nevertheless,” she said as pleasantly as she could muster, “I am indeed a doctor on staff; I can explain I assure you.”
“You’ll explain to security,” clearly not satisfied with her slow response he grabbed her elbow and began to propel her towards the door. His strength was considerable as he managed to get her halfway there before she had a chance to react.
Her temper snapped. Angrily she pulled herself out of his grasp, noting her elbow was more than likely going to sport a bruise of epic proportions.
“Security let me in, you jerk,” she said through gritted teeth satisfied at the look of surprise on his face. “And don’t lay your hands on me again!” She was jabbing his chest with her finger speaking in a furious voice. “Just one minute and you would have your explanation; but no, you have to resort to manhandling me.” Jesse’s face was hot with temper.
Suddenly Jesse realized how close they were in proximity. In fact, she practically had him backed up against the door. A physical awareness snaked up her spine. She could see his scar standing out in stark relief against his skin. It trail
ed to an end near his lips. Strong firm lips. Inanely, she thought to herself, that scar should take away from his looks, but somehow it makes him look almost savage, but in a good way.
She found herself searching for her breath and realized she had been holding it. She let it out quietly.
They were standing so close she could feel the heat of his body. He was looking at her with an odd look in his blue eyes as if he sensed where her thoughts had gone. For a moment their eyes locked and neither moved, and then she watched fascinated as his eyes seemed to widen in shock; but it was gone in an instant, replaced by an unreadable expression. Had he finally recognized her? Carefully he placed his hand firmly over hers on his chest, effectively linking her to his body.
“Manhandling? Hardly. Believe me if I wanted to manhandle you, you wouldn’t escape so easily.” The statement was delivered softly, but with a hint of steel beneath his tone. Raking his eyes up and down her rumpled clothes he said, “Now we’ve established your outrage Dr. Holbrook, care to explain what you’re doing at a clinic that isn’t even open to the public yet? And on a Sunday night?”
Her name was delivered in a furious tone that was designed to mock her. His eyes roved lazily up and down her body and she felt a surge of heat between her legs. Mortified at her reaction she glared up at him. He wouldn’t release her hand and she was tethered to his chest.
The air became thick with awareness sparking between them. For a brief flash she looked down and saw his arousal. Stunned, she realized they were almost pressed together, heat to heat. Her eyes scrambled down his carved thighs then back up to his smiling lips. Finally she just stared into his eyes, feeling a languid heat cascading over her.
Slowly, slowly he moved towards her, as if she were a skittish horse needing to be dealt with gently. He murmured, “Now, I wonder what’s going on here?”
She grew still, trying to process the meaning of his words. She wondered wildly if he had drugged her as she seemed incapable of thought or action. Then his lips twisted in a satisfied smile as he swooped down on her and captured her mouth, effectively banishing all thoughts from her head.
His tongue felt hot and wonderful as it plunged and she felt the heat turn into dampness between her legs. His hands moved downward, sliding over her waist and hips before slipping around to grab her ass.
Oh God, it felt the same. The years unraveled and she was that girl being devoured by Nick’s hot lips. He was the same—solid and warm with hands that moved with lightening speed and a tongue that promised heaven. Dear Lord, she was on fire.
“My God, you are so tiny,” he muttered. His hands tightened as he lifted her to grind against her. She gasped with shock as she felt his steel-hard length. She felt as if she were melting into the wall. She sensed the whip-cord strength of him as he lifted her slightly to accommodate his height. “More, doctor?”
“Yes ...” She could hardly speak through the haze of heat he was blinding her with. Then, the mocking tone as he said the word “doctor” penetrated the haze. He didn’t believe her! Did he still think she was some street whore looking for a fix? Frantically she pushed against him, but he only looked down at her with a reckless gleam in his eye.
“I heard yes, quite clearly.” His hand cupped her breast and she arched into him. He chuckled as he impatiently slipped his hand into her dress, pressing into the warm skin of her breast. He groaned as his fingers played with her nipple.
She felt fire shoot from her nipple to the dampness between her legs and she gritted her teeth against the sensation. She could not let this go on. He was going to be inside her in the next few seconds if she didn’t stop him. The dark thrill of excitement that coursed through her at that thought slapped her into reality. He was virtually a stranger!
She struggled helplessly, feeling like a butterfly pinned to a foam board. In desperation she bit down on his lip as hard as she could, drawing blood.
He hissed an oath as he released her. Backing away from her, she watched in a daze as he wiped blood from his lips. His eyes narrowed as he looked at her carefully. She felt the blush creep into her face as his eyes took in her swollen, engorged breasts. She realized that her breath was coming in quick pants and if she was going to be honest with herself, she could see where he might think she had been a willing participant.
With a control she was far from feeling, she patted her hair and clothes in a fruitless effort to look more presentable. She hadn’t spent the past four years working in hell holes across the globe to be reduced to a hormonal teenager.
“My name is Dr. Jesse Holbrook, as I said before,” she spoke through gritted teeth. “I’m the new neurosurgeon Dr. Brian Mann hired. I am not a whore, a drug addict, or a crazy person. Although after that...eh ...”
“Kiss?” He supplied the word helpfully, a touch of amusement in his intense eyes.
“No! Not kiss, for God’s sake, it was a misunderstanding...yes, misunderstanding...that’s what it is...was...we can just forget that happened and start over.”
“Speak for yourself. I’m not about to forget that happened. I’ve been waiting a long time for that. And you know me all right,” he grinned with the same reckless gleam in his eyes she had seen earlier. “Let’s just say, I’m claiming what’s mine.”
“Yours?” His words made no sense. “What’s yours?”
“You.” He leaned against the wall in the hallway, watching her reaction.
“Me?” She whispered, her heart beginning to pound.
“Hello princess. Long time no see.” He had an expression on his face that was impossible to read.
Her eyes narrowed, if he knew who she was, their reunion wasn’t exactly going how she had imagined it for all those years. In fact, he looked as if he was holding himself in tight control, and although his face gave nothing away, his eyes were hard and there was nothing relaxed about the way he was holding himself.
“Hello Nick. Please note that I didn’t call you waiter, so I’d appreciate you calling me Jesse.”
One brow lifted. “Not Jessica?”
She shook her head. “No, Jesse.”
He shrugged, and continued to just look at her. He seemed so cold and distant and she felt a stab of pain shoot through her. Why was he so detached? How could he be?
She was being silly, she reminded herself. They had shared one kiss years ago. If anyone was acting strange it was her. One kiss, one dance, big deal. Apparently he thought that one kiss as a teenager entitled him to kiss her anytime he wanted to now. And if she didn’t get a grip, he was going to keep thinking that.
He kept watching her. Since there seemed nothing else to add to the conversation she carefully stepped away from him, heading towards the exit. She was so out of there.
“Eh, listen...so sorry about the confusion, Brian emailed me that there was a staff meeting tonight before we started work tomorrow on getting ready for opening the clinic. I suppose I should have figured out that the meeting had been cancelled by the empty parking lot.” Her voice was polite as she struggled to put a professional tone into her voice.
“Rescheduled. Tomorrow at 7:00 a.m.” His words were terse, and she watched his brows snap together, “Oh for God’s sake, you don’t have to run away.” He shifted slightly on his feet frowning. “Let’s start over.” He suddenly smiled; a real smile that reached his eyes and made his face stunningly handsome.
He stuck his hand out and solemnly introduced himself. “Fellow surgeon and coworker, Nick Armstrong. Of course you know my name.” His voice was relaxed and smooth. “My specialty is gunshot wounds, knife wounds, broken bones, and anything else you want to throw at me...and ...I didn’t realize Brian had hired you.”
His air of danger had vanished. It was replaced by an air of authority and strength. It exuded off of him in waves. He seemed almost charming. She sensed the power beneath the civilized demeanor. Silence stretched between them.
“You said you flew in from somewhere.”
She started at his interruption. “Yes. The
Middle East--I’ve been on and off planes for two days. I’ve just finished four years with the organization called “Doctors for the World” and then I came straight here.”
“We don’t need another surgeon.” His face was now back to unreadable as he waited for her reaction to his words.
“You’ll have to take that up with Brian,” she spoke matter-of-factly refusing to take the bait.
Suddenly he seemed to lose interest in the conversation and switched topics. “Well, I hope you aren’t too disappointed with your choice of positions. This is basically a street clinic. Brian’s vision doesn’t include more than that.” His eyebrows were raised in a cynical gesture.
She gave him a thin smile. “It’s exactly what I’m looking for. After the conditions I’ve been working in this seems luxurious, and I’m looking forward to it.” She resisted telling him how excited she was to be working at the street level, in an area where doctors could make a difference.
“I’ll walk you to your car.” Ending their conversation abruptly, he started moving towards the exit assuming she would follow.
“There’s no need for that, I can handle walking to my car.” Jesse was furious with herself for actually following him. She must be more exhausted than she realized.
She could have sworn he muttered an oath before he swung around to her.
“Are you always this difficult? Do I have to point out that it’s past midnight and you’re a woman alone in a dangerous part of town?” A muscle twitched along his jaw and he seemed to be holding himself in tight control.
Their eyes locked again and the seconds ticked by. Again she saw something flicker in his eyes and she felt herself getting lost in them. Blue, she thought numbly, midnight blue, full of fire. This is crazy, a part of Jesse’s mind insisted.
He moved closer. What was it about the close proximity to this man that seemed to produce heat? The closer he got, the thicker and hotter the air became. Chemistry? Her pulse quickened. As she looked through her lashes up at him she saw his eyes darken and knew he felt the heat as well.
She couldn’t resist arguing in her defense. “Actually the really dangerous part of town is a couple of blocks south ...” Jesse’s words trailed and she licked dry lips as she watched the heat flare in his eyes and wondered if she was totally wrong about the dangerous part of town. Right now it felt like the hallway she was standing in was a minefield. Her body tensed. She wasn’t sure if it was in anticipation or fear.
Quickly he took a step back. His eyes stayed locked on hers briefly, and then he broke the spell. A grim expression settled on his face as he moved away.
“Follow me,” he ordered curtly. And she did, quelling an odd disappointment flowing through her. The man’s eyes were deadly. She had to avoid looking into them at all costs. At least until she got a solid ten hours of sleep. The minute she looked into them all coherent thought seemed to flee. Too long without a man, she told herself, plain and simple.
“Thank you,” she said stiffly as she prepared to leave.
“Are you attending the fundraiser next weekend?” His question took her by surprise.
“Yes, Brian asked that I go. Why?”
“Just wondering,” he said idly.
“Well then, I will see you tomorrow morning,” she said politely. He nodded.
She felt him watch her walk to her car. When she looked back, his muscular frame was etched dark against the exit door. She felt an aching in the back of her throat. Something about his stark silhouette called to her; she had an urge to rush back and...what? Let him finish what he started? No. Clearly she had been a joke to him. An inexperienced girl that was just one on a very long list of girls.
She shivered, remembering his eyes. She gunned the engine and tore out of the parking lot, swearing she saw a smirk on the Nick’s face.