by Tia Fanning
“No, Jack,” she said. “Jordan, I’m fine, really. I just—”
Noting his brother’s concern, Jordan immediately pulled out of Jon’s grasp and went to the bedside. “Let me see.”
“No, it’s fine—”
“Let me see,” he reiterated sternly.
With a roll of her eyes, she clutched the blanket to her chest and leaned forward.
He was not prepared for the sight. His throat tightened as she fell back on the pillow. “You must be in a great deal of pain.”
“It looks worse than it really is. Promise.”
He placed the back of one hand on her cheek. Her skin was not clammy or moist, nor was she overly warm or feverish, and her eyes were clear. He then placed his index and middle finger on her neck, lightly palpating the carotid artery, checking her pulse against his watch. All seemed normal.
Jordan looked over his shoulder. “I want to check her abdomen for signs of internal hemorrhaging. I’ll only need a minute or two.” Catching the hint, his two brothers turned and headed for the door. As they left, Jordan called out, “Please get my medical bag and bring it with you when you return.”
He looked back to Oriana, who was smiling and shaking her head. “I’m fine. I’m not coughing up blood, I have no problem breathing, I have no fever, or any signs of setting infection or shock.”
“I believe you, but there is no harm in getting a second opinion.” He rolled the sheet down to her pelvic bone. With gentle, yet firm pressure, he pressed on her stomach and circled around her abdomen, feeling for any signs of swelling or hardness. He found none.
“See? I’m fine. Really. I just need some rest.”
He pulled the sheet back up. “I think you need to go to the hospital and get X-rays done.” Sadly, you might not be staying long after all.
“I hate doctors, especially people ones. And I wouldn’t go to a hospital now, even if there was one located next door. Rest and hydration is all I need. Trust me, I’m a doctor.”
“Really?” Jordan was surprised to hear this. “What field?”
“Animal,” Jack offered, entering the room with the med kit in hand. He laid the bag on the bed. “She’s a vet, or at least she was one.”
“How did you know? —Oh, wait, that’s right...computer hackers.”
Jordan slid a glance at his brother as he pulled out a stethoscope and the sphygmomanometer to measure her blood pressure. A veterinarian. How intriguing.
“Where’s your other brother?” she asked.
Jack shrugged. “He said something about making pancakes.”
After taking her vitals, and checking over her once more to be sure he hadn’t missed anything, Jordan looked over to Jack. “I think she’ll be okay.”
Nodding, Jack left.
“Is he always so stoic?” Oriana asked.
Jordan sighed. “If I had to categorize him by one of the Hellenistic schools of thought, then yes, he’d be a Stoic.”
She burst into laughter.
Her audible merriment did strange things to him. He could easily, and happily, sit there and listen to her express herself in such a way all day. Hmm...maybe he should check into that. Perhaps he had developed some kind of psychological disorder.
Oriana wiped moisture from her eyes. “And what about you, Jordan? What would you be?”
“As in what philosophy would I have followed had I been born in the ancient world?”
She nodded.
“Due to my skeptical nature, I assume I would have been a Pyrrhonist.”
Holding her stomach, she asked, “And Jonathan?”
“Oh, definitely an Epicurean.
“God, please stop making me laugh like this—it hurts.”
“Laughter is the best medicine, so the saying goes.”
“Not in my case. My muscles are too sore.”
Jordan was about to explain that some Gelotology research studies showed that laughter benefited the body in many ways, healing included, but Jon appeared at the door.
“Breakfast is served,” he said as he crossed the room, then placed the breakfast tray on her lap. “Chocolate chip pancakes as ordered.”
“Wow, thank you,” she beamed, studying the pancakes and the glass of apple juice. Unrolling the napkin, she retrieved her fork. “They smell wonderful.”
Jordan watched her dissect a piece of the fried batter and bring it to her slightly parted lips. She closed her mouth upon the fork, then slowly slid the utensil from the compressed seam.
Oriana moaned in culinary appreciation. “This is amazing. The best pancakes I’ve ever had. You should be a chef.”
“A chef is required to know how to prepare more than one dish,” Jordan explained. “That is the only dish he knows how to prepare.”
“Oh.” She picked up her glass and took a long drink, obviously trying to hide her smile.
Jordan didn’t bother hiding his.
Jon sat down on the opposite side of her. “Please ignore my highly intelligent, but socially inept brother. He doesn’t understand that jealousy is unbecoming.” Jon sighed dramatically and shook his head in feigned sadness. “Jordan is the praised cook in our family, but he’s never received a complimentary moan from a gorgeous woman for one of his meals.”
Oriana kept sipping.
Jon leaned in close to her and whispered, “Between you and me, I doubt he’s ever made a woman moan at all.”
She choked into her glass.
A low growl escaped Jordan’s throat.
“See, there’s that social ineptness again,” Jon continued, gently patting Oriana’s back as she quietly coughed into her napkin. “Jordan doesn’t understand that growling in front a guest is rude. Our dear mother, God rest her soul, tried to teach him manners, but—”
“She never found the time to impart a proper lesson because she was far too busy trying to teach Jon how to keep his mouth shut.” Jordan rewarded his brother a tight smile. “As you can see, Jon never did learn. However, I maintain hope that he will one day overcome this flaw, and I do what I can to help him. I believe one is obligated to support their siblings and should encourage them to better themselves. Matter of fact, I think I will encourage Jon here very soon.”
“You guys are too cute,” she said, placing her glass down. “But I’m sorry to hear about your mother. May I ask how she passed?”
“Our parents died a couple of years ago in a car accident,” Jordan explained. “It happened back home in Colorado. There was an unexpected winter storm, and the roads were slick…”
“I’m sorry,” she repeated. “It must be very hard. I lost my dad to cancer a year and a half ago, and I still haven’t fully recovered from it. Do you still have family in Colorado?”
Jon smiled sadly. “Yes. Our grandparents, a couple of aunts and uncles, and a few cousins. It’s not a large family, but they’re all there.”
“So I guess your, um…work brought you to Alaska?”
Jon shifted his gaze to Jordan in query, who in turn shrugged. “Jack’s already told her some of what we do.”
“He didn’t really tell me, per se,” Oriana offered. “He just hinted, because I prompted. I was having a problem getting your phones to work, so I began searching your desks for a manual.” She cringed slightly. “Or a password to your computer terminals,” she added. “But not because I wanted to pry into your work or anything, I just thought I could access the internet and send an e-mail out for help.
“Well, anyway,” she continued in a rush, “Two of the desks were locked. Jonathan, you left your desk open. While I was going through your drawers, I noticed many of the folders had those, um, red clearance stamps indicating classified government material—but I swear I didn’t look in any of the files…at length. It was just a cursory glance, searching for a phone manual or your computer passwords. God, I know that sounds really bad, but I promise I didn’t really read anything in depth, and I remember nothing of what I saw. Honest.”
Jordan noted how her cheeks had flushed
red. Between that and her rambling explanation, he guessed she was embarrassed by her admission.
“Oh, and I wasn’t asking any of you about your work, or why you’re here—like here in this bunker, as I’m sure you couldn’t tell me anyway because you work for the government. I assume. I’m just asking if work brought you to Alaska, and if you had plans on staying for a while and… I’m just glad you’re not criminals. Or at least I don’t think you are. But if you are, please don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.”
Shaking his head at his brother, Jordan clucked his disappointment. “You left your desk unsecured? You’d better hope Jack doesn’t find out.”
Jon rolled his eyes then patted Oriana’s hand, offering her a benign smile. “It’s fine. We understand why you went in our office, and we’re not upset.”
Exhaling in relief, she seemed to relax some. “Oh, good.”
“I just ask that you don’t tell Jack what you told us.”
She furrowed her brows. “Why?”
“Because,” Jack drawled from behind them, “he knows how upset I would be at the news.”
They all turned their heads to where he leaned against the doorjamb.
“Oriana needs her rest,” Jack continued. “Jordan, take her tray to the kitchen and clean up. Jon, I need to speak with you in the office.” On that, he left.
“Hell,” Jon muttered under his breath.
Jordan chuckled. “You brought it on yourself. How many times do you need to be reminded?”
“What’s happening,” Oriana asked.
“Oh, nothing big. Jon’s going to get another ass reaming, I’m going to clean up the catastrophe I’m sure he left in the kitchen when he made you breakfast, and you’re going to relax and recover.”
She turned a sympathetic gaze to Jon. “I’m sorry I got you in trouble.”
“No worries. It’ll be fine.”
“I’m guessing Jack’s the boss?”
“Yeah, among other things.” Jon reluctantly rose to his feet and headed for the exit. “I’ll come back later and visit. Maybe around lunchtime.”
Oriana gave a small smile. “Okay, that’ll be great.”
Jordan got up as well and collected her tray. “Is there something you’d like me to make you for lunch?”
“Whatever you all are having will be fine with me.”
He nodded and headed for the door.
“Jordan?”
The way her soft voice carried, the vulnerability lacing it perhaps, caused him to pause. He looked over his shoulder, raising his brow in query.
“What are you all going to do about me?”
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“Um, like what are you going to do about me now that I know about you all and this place? I mean, Jack implied I was allowed to leave once my plane was fixed, so I assume that I’m not being kept prisoner in your secret lair... I’m not a prisoner, right?”
Guilt twisted his stomach. He and Jon had only thought of tricking Jack into letting Oriana stay, never once stopping to consider that she might actually want to leave. “No, you’re not a prisoner.”
“Not that I thought you all would keep me against my will, or kill me, to protect your…” she trailed off.
Placing the tray on the dresser, he returned to the bed and sat down beside her. “While your presence does pose a security threat to our operation, we will not harm you to ensure its protection. You are free to leave and return to your life at will, though we would appreciate your discretion if you do. We ask that you do not mention us, what you saw while you were here, or our location to anyone.”
She nodded. “I promise to keep quiet.”
The guilt that had knotted his stomach turned into a stabbing pain in his chest. She didn’t want to stay. Jordan didn’t understand why that realization had such negative impact on him. He didn’t know her, and it should not matter much whether she chose to stay or go. Yet, why did he suddenly feel so disappointed, and sad, and betrayed, and angry?
His intellect tried to assuage his turbulent emotions with a biological explanation, that what he was feeling was merely a reaction caused by more primitive instincts. Human’s were subject to the same primal reproductive urges as every other animal on the planet, and Oriana was the first female of breeding quality that he’d had any real interaction with in a long while. So of course her rejection would be felt more poignantly. It was a natural selection issue.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t been selected.
He moved to rise, but her fingers gently grasped his arm, the slight pressure keeping him in place.
“So what do you want me to do?” she asked.
“What are you referring to?”
Oriana gave him a patient smile and released his hold. “Should I call for help since you can’t take me back to Kodiak, or do you want me to stay here with you all until you find the keys to the helicopter, or do I stay until you fix my plane, or what?”
He didn’t dare to hope. “What do you want to do?”
“I, ah… Well, that depends. If you don’t want me to stay here, I would like to call for help before I have to return to my plane. I have no desire to wander around the wilderness any longer than I have to. However, I worry that my being rescued might draw attention, as people will ask how I was able to call for help. Of course I will lie, as payment for your kindness, but while I have no intention of divulging your secret location to anyone—not that I exactly know where this location is anyway, I wonder if others will accidently stumble upon your bunker as I have when they come to rescue me.”
“What if we don’t mind that you stay?”
Her gaze fell to her lap. “I’d like that.”
“Why?”
Oriana’s eyes lifted in surprise, as if his question caught her off guard. Truth be told, his question came as a surprise to him as well. What did it matter as long as she stayed?
His heart disagreed. It did matter. He wanted her to want to stay.
“I don’t know. I just do. I…” Then her expression changed. Sadness, longing, hope? She looked away, looking everywhere but at him. “I don’t have any real friends, no family, no one to go back to. You all seem nice, fun, and you make me laugh. I would like to stay and hang out with you guys for a couple of days longer, if that’s okay. If not, it’s cool. I understand.”
Dumbfounded by her emotional honesty, his tongue suddenly went limp in his mouth. He couldn’t think up one decent reply that didn’t seem trite. He refrained from giving into the absurd urge to gather her in his arms and assure her that he’d always be there for her. This sudden desire to protect and comfort—to love, honor and cherish—was nonsensical, illogical, irrational. Jordan couldn’t fathom what was wrong with him.
Had Jon been right all along?
Did love at first sight really exist?
Preposterous.
While he did no more than quietly observe her vulnerability, Oriana’s body language indicated her growing discomfort with the silence. She waved him off, her face flushing.
“I’m sorry, Jordan. I’m being silly. I don’t know why I asked. Please forget I mentioned it.” She choked out a laugh. “I’m sure you have your own lives to live, and girlfriends who wouldn’t appreciate some strange woman trying to shack up with you all.”
“No, no girlfriends,” he managed, thankful to have overcome his temporary speech impediment. “Are you embarrassed about asking to stay?”
“Thoroughly,” she admitted.
“Don’t be.”
“I should be ashamed. It’s rude to invite yourself into someone’s home.”
“You are welcome to stay here for as long as you want to stay.”
“You shouldn’t say things like that. I might stay forever,” she teased.
“That would be okay, too.”
“Your brothers might feel differently.”
“Jon will feel as I do, and Jack… It doesn’t matter,” he replied quietly.
Her eyes widened. “I do not
want to cause a rift between you three. You’re brothers. I’d rather you just forgot my request.”
“You won’t, and I won’t,” he assured her, rising from the bed. “As I said, you’re welcome to stay. As for Jack, I don’t know how he will feel about my issuing the invitation, but there’s nothing he can do to make you leave at this time, short of calling in a rescue party. Unless you ask otherwise, I know he’d prefer not to go that route.”
Once again, Jordan collected the breakfast tray, telling himself that he wasn’t lying to her so much as he was to Jack. She wanted to stay. And Jack couldn’t make her leave as long as he didn’t know that the plane worked.
“Jordan, can I ask a favor?”
“What can I do for you?”
“I need to cancel all my upcoming client appointments. I don’t have that many, but I don’t want my clients to think I’ve just ditched them. My schedule and customer contact information is on my computer at home—and my computer is on. Um, I know computers can be remotely accessed… I don’t know how to do that and was, um, wondering if you could help me retrieve that information.”
“Sure. I’ll get right on it.”
“Thanks.”
He nodded and headed for the door.
“Don’t you need my password and stuff first?”
He chuckled. “Beautiful, and a sense of humor.”
Chapter Six
It had been three days and Oriana still hadn’t seen Jack, not since the morning his brothers had stumbled upon them sleeping in bed together. Her body tingled at the memory of that special bath, and her core throbbed with need, wanting nothing more than to feel his touch again.
But he hadn’t come to visit her as his two brothers had.
That kind of hurt.
Annoyed that her thoughts had strayed to Jack again, Oriana closed the laptop and slid it under her pillows, just in case hell decided to freeze over and Jack actually stopped in to check in on her.
Jordan and Jonathan had smuggled the portable computer into her room two days earlier so she could send e-mails out to her customers and cancel all her appointments. The guys had allowed her to keep the laptop, even after she had finished clearing her schedule, but cautioned her to not let Jack see it.
