Snodgrass, Catherine

by Another Chance AnotherTime (lit)

  She was nearly mid-way through the garden when she saw Alec just ahead, almost unrecognizable in a pair of tan Dockers with a pullover golf shirt to match. Her gaze lingered overly long on his backside and the way the cut of his trousers accentuated the...asset. Realizing the direction of her thoughts, Dani felt a blush warm her cheeks and concentrated on the man.

  Alec stood before an expanse of roses-red, pinks, yellows, and whites- and stared with such intensity, Dani didn't know whether he was daydreaming or trying to memorize each individual flower. On impulse he pulled a knife from his pocket, cut one perfectly shaped red bud and then drew it to his nose to inhale the scent. His fingers caressed the velvet petals, and Dani could swear she felt it, too.

  Slowly his gaze turned her way, stealing her breath, rooting her in place. Never had she wanted a man more. Never had she wanted to run away more. A terrible contradiction, and there was nothing she could do about either feeling. All she could manage was to keep her eyes focused on his as he walked toward her.

  "Here I was trying to find a way to apologize to you, and you appear. It must be magic."

  Dani swallowed to moisten a mouth gone dry. "At least that."

  He extended the rose to her. "I don't have an excuse. I behaved like a buffoon up there. Would you accept exhaustion and possibly find it in your heart to forgive me?"

  She wrapped her fingers around the stem and drew the blossom closer to inhale its scent. He dropped his hand slowly. Reluctantly?

  "I do, but I doubt T.J. Costas will."

  "I couldn't care less what T.J. Costas thinks. Every time I think of that pasty-faced geek looking down-"

  "Yes, you made that quite clear." Dani looked up in time to see him blush.

  "Let's drop the subject, shall we? I'd just as soon forget it."

  "Of course." The whole incident had forever altered her relationship with her student. She would never be able to forget it. Every time she tutored T.J. or answered one of his many questions, she would always wonder if his quest was for knowledge or a cheap turn-on.

  He craned his neck and looked over her head and around. "Are you here alone?"

  "No...you're here."

  A chuckle rumbled in his chest. Dani bit back a smile and brushed the rose against her cheek.

  "I meant Kevin and Renee."

  "Kevin chased all my visitors away, then made sure they went by showing them to the door. With Renee's help, of course."

  "Of course." He curled his fingers around her upper arm and gently kneaded. "Kevin can be trusted."

  That presence Dani had felt earlier crept around her. "I would sincerely hope so, since he's marrying my best friend." Despite her attempt to make the words lighthearted, the tremor in her voice came through.

  He caught her other arm, lifting her into the center of the vortex. "Dani."

  The whisper made her skin tremble. "What do you want from me, Alec?" she asked in a rush of breath.

  "Nothing...everything. I just want you, Dani. Just you."

  She closed her eyes and felt the warmth of his mouth as he dipped nearer. Renee's shout shattered the moment.

  Simultaneously they stepped away. Renee called out again.

  "Over here." Dani's voice was barely audible. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Here, Renee."

  Alec pointed to the rose. "Be careful of those thorns. They can hurt you when you least expect it."

  Away from him now, Dani's fog cleared. "That goes for a lot of things."

  He squared his shoulders and drew himself to his full height. "I'll see you sometime tomorrow."

  Before she could say good-bye, he was gone, and Renee rushed to fill the spot he had vacated.

  "There you are. You scared me half to death. Don't you ever do anything like that again."

  Dani rolled her eyes to the ceiling. The last thing she needed was a nonsensical lecture. "I was only going for a walk. Calm down."

  Tears flooded Renee's eyes. "Oh, Dani, didn't Alec tell you? Someone's trying to kill you!"

  * * *

  Chapter Nine

  "Are you all right? Dani? Say something."

  What could she say? Someone was trying to kill her. Why? Who? What could she have possibly done to warrant such action?

  Dazed by the revelation, Dani let Renee lead her back to her room. Kevin met them halfway and took a position on one side.

  "I'm not going to faint." She managed to squeeze the words out, but they were choked, difficult to understand.

  As the shock bore into her gut, her legs wobbled from the effort to keep her upright. Kevin snagged a wheelchair and pressed her into it. Dani didn't bother to argue.

  Elsie's conversation stopped mid-stream when he wheeled Dani into their room. Dani longed to reassure her. This time the words refused to come.

  "Do you need some help getting into bed?" Kevin asked.

  She gave a quick shake of her head and crawled up. Elsie peeled back her own sheets to help.

  Kevin waved her back down. "She just over-extended herself. She'll be all right."

  He closed the curtain between the two beds, shutting the old woman out. That simple act, a courtesy to Dani, an insult to Elsie, rattled Dani back to her senses. Reaching up, she pulled the curtain open.

  "It's okay." As an added reassurance, she put in a tiny smile. Once Elsie settled back down, Dani let the façade drop.

  "Why, Kevin? Who? And why didn't Alec tell me?"

  "It was a random act of violence. We're investigating it. And I believe Alec was merely interested in protecting you and your recovery."

  He steered the wheelchair out the door and ended further conversation. Renee followed. Elsie picked up her conversation with her friends. And Dani was left to the privacy of her thoughts.

  Alec's business card stared at her from its place on the stand beside her bed. Dani picked it up, fingering the edges. He had lied to her, out and out lied. Dani didn't care if his reasoning was to protect her. It was a lie. And it was enough to prove her point. It didn't matter how great a doctor Alec might be, as a man she couldn't trust him.

  Now all she had to do was remember that the next time she was near him. And there would be a next time-Alec had made that quite clear.

  A shiver quaked through her body. He wanted her, and if she didn't do something soon to prevent it, he was going to have her.

  So, where's the harm in it? Her conscience demanded to know. How could she want something and not want it at the same time? Fear was integrated in the desire.

  Dani closed her eyes and fell back against her pillows. Snatches of conversation droned on in the background, Elsie with her friends, Renee and Kevin from the hallway, but all Dani could think about was that moment in the garden.

  She didn't need Alec to kiss her to know how it would feel. His lips would be soft yet demanding. And if she allowed her thoughts to wander further, an image of their bodies naked and pressed together in passion filled her head as if they had already been lovers.

  What harm could there be in indulging? Plenty as far as she could tell. They would be good together, and then one day he would be gone and she would be left behind to pick up the pieces of her shattered heart and life. It didn't matter that she had never been in that situation before. This was different. Every ounce of her being warned her to take care.

  He lied once. He will lie again. Again he had lied.

  Sucking in her breath, Dani forced the unbidden thought away and opened her eyes. Two days ago she was on the threshold of seeing a life-long dream fulfilled. Now everything was in turmoil-her life, her emotions, and now an attempt on her life. What in the world had she done to deserve this?

  One thing was certain: Dani was not going to sit by and allow events to weave webs around her. Alec was about to discover that...and a few other things as well.

  She twirled Alec's card through his fingers. All she needed was a little time alone to confront him, and seize control once more.

  * * *

  Alec turned off the hot
water faucet and let stinging needles of ice pierce his skin. The cold shower did little to diminish the rampaging need Dani's closeness had wrought. Only one thing could quench that craving, and if he didn't watch his step, he was doomed to a life of cold showers.

  The move was stupid, yet he couldn't control himself. That wasn't exactly true. He had controlled himself and the instinct to press her down on one of those concrete benches, strip those silky pajama bottoms off her, and slam himself full tilt into her. The scenario alarmed Alec with its intensity. He had wanted women before and had had them, but not with this complete lack of decorum that assaulted him.

  Each moment he spent in Dani's presence diminished his sensibilities more, making him forget he was a gentleman, her doctor no less. He wanted her, had to have her, would have her. And underlying all of that-lust-was the panicked feeling that he was running out of time.

  That much might be true. Dani was healing rapidly and at this rate he couldn't keep her in the hospital more than another day. Once gone, he could only hope to see her a final time to remove her stitches. If he didn't make a move soon...

  Alec smacked his fist against the shower wall. Some move. He didn't know whether to damn himself for telling Dani exactly how he felt, or Renee for interrupting him. And what about Dani? She hadn't struggled to be free. If anything, she seemed to fall into that...that whirlpool that surrounded him.

  Dani now knew exactly how he felt. But did she realize that he was also laying claim to her, and damn any man, or boy, who tried to take that from him.

  Insanity. Pure insanity.

  Alec flicked the drain closed with his foot and let the tub fill with cold water. When the depth crept toward his shins he turned the shower off and sank down. It was the only solution he could think of for the moment. He had to gain control, get his perspective back. There was still the issue of the psychopathic nurse to deal with. He had to get his emotions under control before confronting Walt.

  The reminder that their hospital now harbored an in-house fugitive took care of his pulsing libido. That was where his focus needed to remain-on finding a potential killer before she struck again.

  As for Dani, he didn't know what to do. In some respects, he had just lobbed the ball into her court. He wished he could retrieve it and start over.

  He groaned and leaned back. Nothing had changed. Nothing would change until he confronted Walt, and then tried to square things with Dani. And he had to do so soon or sleep would be elusive. That was hardly fair to the other patients waiting for him to be alert and efficient tomorrow morning or to the career and respect he had worked so hard to achieve.

  Alec hauled himself from the tub, slinging water in all directions.

  Thirty minutes later he was maneuvering down the narrow, winding residential street toward the Rushmore home. Cars parked before the houses this lazy Sunday afternoon made the drive more like a test through an obstacle course. Trees lined up in perfect precision, shading the lane and casting shadows in inviting patterns across the lawns. Alec was watchful of children playing, the pets that joined from the sidelines, and the knot of teenagers clustered at each corner.

  Then the atmosphere shifted from old neighborhood to new. Sunlight chased away the coziness. Here each house was set apart from the others, back from the street. Yet no trees dared take root on the pristine front lawns. To do so would defeat the whole purpose of ownership-to say, "See me. See how successful I am."

  Alec turned into the Rushmore cul-de-sac-a title he had assigned to it because the sprawling Rushmore home was nestled at the head of the curve. Like the others, the grass spread before it, a green-carpeted welcome mat. The only other landscaping was the line of gardenias tucked against the cream-colored siding.

  The driveway looked as if it had never seen a car. He eased to a stop in front to keep from destroying the illusion. As he switched off the engine, the front door swung open.

  Walt braced himself against the doorjamb. "I was wondering how long it was going to take you to show up."

  Alec tossed his keys in the air and caught them in one hand. "You could have saved me the trouble and stayed at the hospital."

  "No need." He hiked a shoulder. "I had something to take care of and I knew you'd find me." He waved Alec inside. "Let's go to my den. Andrea will be here shortly and I'm sure you'd like to avoid her. Her temper has been a bit foul lately."

  Her temper was always foul. She ran to her mother at the least provocation, so naturally his rejection would have her beating that well-worn path to Mommy. They would ensconce themselves in the rear sunroom, Andrea weeping, Barbara coddling. With any luck, Alec would be gone before she got here.

  Deep cream carpeting muffled their walk to the rear of the house where Walt's sanctuary was tucked. Still, it wasn't quiet enough to escape his wife. Barbara turned a corner from the kitchen in a cloud of flowing blue silk. The outfit was simple, cool, a design that looked like nothing more than giant handkerchiefs sewn together. Barbara could wear anything and look graceful, delicate. She had a style about her that Andrea didn't inherit, and an obsession with plastic surgery that could rival the most vain of models.

  On instinct Alec scanned her hairline for signs of her latest face-lift, courtesy of his own scalpel. Everything was healing nicely. However, instead of pulling her platinum hair close to her face as most women did after surgery, she pulled hers back. Alec wasn't sure if it was to show off her new adjustment or to thumb her nose at convention.

  "Alec, how wonderful to see you." She clapped her slender hands together. "May I offer you something? Lemonade, perhaps? Andrea will be here any moment. This would be a perfect opportunity for the two of you to patch things up."

  "I'm sorry, Barbara, but that just isn't going to be possible. I came here to speak with Walt. I won't be long."

  Her lips twitched in an effort to retain a smile. He turned with Walt to continue their trek to the den.

  "May I ask why it's not possible?" she called to their backs.

  Alec swore he saw Walt sigh. Still, they turned as one to face her.

  Walt held out his palms to her, pleading. "Barbara, please-"

  "It's a simple question. A mother has a right to know."

  This time Walt's sigh was unmistakable, earning him a glare from his wife.

  Alec could spend hours detailing his reasons, but it just wasn't information parents needed to know about a daughter. "It's simple," he finally told her. "We aren't compatible."

  She lifted her nose much in the same way he had seen Andrea do. "Yet you continued to share a bed."

  Now that was where Alec was definitely going to set the record straight. Andrea could explain to them why she had lied. "Once. It was a mistake. And if she tried to pull that 'I'm pregnant' crap, she needn't bother. I was careful. I always am. Now, if you'll excuse us, I have business to discuss with your husband."

  He led the way to the rear of the house like he owned the place. Let Walt deal with Barbara's sputtering.

  Walt chose to ignore it. He cut ahead of Alec and shoved open the door to his own private haven. Once inside, he closed them in. The scent of old leather and books surrounded them. A male oasis in a sea of femininity.

  Simultaneously, they sank into dark green recliners-the only two chairs in the room. The cushions cradled them in comfort.

  "I'm sorry, Alec. Barbara is very protective of Andrea. She always has been."

  "And I'm very protective of my patient." Alec leaned forward, resting forearms on knees as he laced his fingers together. "You had no right to approach her."

  "I'm the chief of staff. I had every right," he calmly replied.

  "Not without me being there. Your presence and your questions upset her. Her welfare and recovery are my concerns and I should think they would be yours as well."

  "They are. That's why I was anxious to get to the bottom of this. Understand my position, Alec. I have a nurse going through the hospital trying to kill the patients. I can't let a second pass without trying to find t
he underlying cause of this. I regret having upset Miss Morgan, and I'm sorry I overstepped your rights as her doctor. But my primary responsibility is to all our patients, not just one."

  Alec would give him that. "Then let the police handle this."

  Walt avoided looking at Alec.

  "My God, you didn't call them, did you?" Alec gasped.

  "Naturally, the police should be notified."

  "You didn't call the police."

  "I had to be sure of what we were dealing with."

  "My word wasn't good enough?"

  Walt fanned the air. "I'll take care of it. Miss Morgan might be able to recognize the nurse. We could bring in every nurse in the hospital until we find the one we're looking for."

  "That's going to put her in even greater danger." Where was his head? "We can post security outside Dani Morgan's door until this woman is caught."

  "But that's not going to do much to protect anyone else." Walt's shoulders sagged. "I had hoped to keep this quiet, but I don't see any way to do so. I'll contact the Public Relations Department first. Once the news media gets wind of this, I'm screwed."

  Walt did not intend to call the police. Alec eased back to hide his shock. What had happened to the hospital? This sudden self-interest was uncharacteristic of Walt. The hospital had weathered other storms just as bad, all of which Walt handled with his normal unflappable good charm.

  The older man must have realized his lapse. He glanced up at Alec, his mouth moving to find the right words to redeem himself. Fortunately, Alec's beeper covered the awkward moment.

  He snatched the device from his belt. One peek at the number raised fears Alec thought he had under control. "It's Dani Morgan's hospital room. Mind if I use your phone?"

  Alec didn't bother to wait for an answer. The phone was within easy reach, perched on a cherry-wood table between the two chairs. His hands were steady as he punched in the number, but it had to be by sheer will because alarm knotted his insides.

  Dani's voice reached him halfway through the first ring and relief flooded his senses.

  "I believe you beeped me." A calm enough statement when all he wanted to do was shout down the walls that she had scared him half to death.