“You look very nice this evening.”
“I might be a country girl, but I know how to dress to the occasion. I told you I wouldn’t embarrass you.”
Her icy words worked better than any he could think up.
“Regina has a ton of magazine subscriptions. I may not look like a movie star, but I know what I like.”
Did the woman look in the mirror before she left? Sandi looked exactly like a movie star, only better. Then he realized she was fishing. That’s what women did. She was getting no more compliments from him. If he gave her the ammunition, she’d use it against him. He was already in deep shit.
~ ~ ~
The last time Sandi had the opportunity to wear something so provocative, she’d been in college. Back in her young and stupid days. She’d learned quite a bit about men since then.
When Doug held out his hand for their dance, butterflies skipped a war dance in her stomach. She’d been fighting her nerves ever since the heated look he’d given her when he picked her up at the house.
Blue, her favorite color, looked good with her complexion and brought out the color of her eyes. So she’d chosen a radiant, royal-blue dress and stood before the mirror. She’d admired her full-length gown, hoping it would have Doug’s arrogant tongue hanging out. It had been the perfect choice. The cut enhanced her full breasts, leaving plenty of cleavage, and hugged her narrow waist, showing off her hour glass figure. She remembered thinking, if that image didn’t thaw out Dr. Cool, nothing would.
Not that she wanted his admiration, of course.
But when he showed up, his gaze had trailed over her body like a lover’s caress. The same way it had the night he’d made love to her. Then his jaw tightened and it hadn’t loosened up since. Until he placed his hand on her naked back. A flash of hunger glinted, then disappeared as quickly as it had arrived.
It was hard to recall their argument with his hands on her body. And he smelled so good. Like a hypnotic drug, his cologne enveloped her in a haze of desire. She wanted to lick him, rub up against him like a cat. Purr and crawl all over him as she had that night. He slid his hand to the middle of her back, his thumb just above the material of her dress, sending a powerful wave of heat surging to her tummy. She trembled. Drowning in a fantasy of desire, she remembered the passion he’d poured into their kiss. The area between her legs clenched in delight.
Embarrassed, she tried to pull away, looking away from him, but his grip tightened, jolting her gaze to his.
“If you don’t want me touching you, then be a little less provocative.”
Her mouth fell open in surprise. It was times like these when she hated her inability to speak and come up with a clever remark of her own. The edge to his voice chilled her. He placed his finger under her chin and gently forced her mouth closed.
“It’s difficult to resist you when you look stunning, smell so good, and dance like you know what you’re doing.”
Was he mocking her? And here she had foolishly hoped to see desire. What had she expected? After all, they’d agreed to end things after the charity. A real charmer. He’d flattered her and crushed her in the same breath.
“May I cut in?”
Only because Doug held her, she felt the stiffening of his body. She had no idea who had spoken, but Doug recognized him.
“Of course,” Doug said, stepping back.
“Sandi, may I introduce you to Hugh Fitzpatrick. One of our prestigious contributors.” Doug had mentioned a lot of wealthy people would be attending, and this man certainly dressed the part. She could only imagine what he’d paid for his tux, not to mention the sparkling ring and shiny watch he wore.
“Are you enjoying yourself this evening?” Hugh asked, with all the confidence of a tiger.
“Yes, I am, Mr. Fitzpatrick,” she said. He took her hand and led her through the dance steps with ease.
“Please, Sandi. Call me Hugh.” He smiled, showing lots of teeth, and she wondered if the older gentleman was a player.
“Hugh. Are you and your wife enjoying this evening?”
“Unfortunately, my wife could not come. Our daughter is expecting and she is near her time.”
Okay, her perception had been way off.
“How wonderful, Mr. Fi—I mean, Hugh. Is this your first grandchild?”
He beamed. “Yes. My wife and I are very excited. She is our only daughter, you see. We are looking forward to our first grandchild.”
She relaxed considerably. “I hear there is nothing like being a grandparent.”
“I’ve heard the same thing. Our daughter has already warned us about spoiling the baby,” he said, then grunted. “She didn’t have a problem with it when I was spoiling her.”
Sandi laughed. His cute nose had scrunched up, and he looked so offended, she couldn’t help herself. Then he laughed too, drawing the speculation of the other dancers.
“You’ll just have to remind her.”
“Believe me, I will.” Then he winked. The man was delightful.
At the end of the dance, Hugh lifted her hand, placing a chaste kiss on the back. He promised to keep in touch, said he’d like her to meet his wife, and of course he would take lots of pictures of the grandbaby. When Mr. Fitzpatrick delivered her back to their table, Doug’s expression nearly stopped her in her tracks. But Hugh’s delight was infectious, and she would not allow her pretend boyfriend to ruin her evening.
“Who do we have here?” A very attractive man, tall with jet-black hair, ran his eyes down the length of her body, taking his time before returning his gaze to her face. Doug’s jaw hardened.
“Sandi, this is my friend and former colleague, Dr. Nathan Chambers. Nathan, Sandi Jones.”
“Hello, Sandi,” Nathan said, taking her hand and lifting it to his lips for a kiss. His lips brushed her skin, sending tingles along the same route as his heated gaze. “I had no idea there’d be angels at this hospital charity ball.” His voice was as smooth as his pick-up line. She’d need to watch out for this one.
“It’s nice to meet you, Nathan,” she said sweetly.
“Doug, why don’t you go mingle while this lovely lady and I get to know each other?” Nathan’s eyes never left her face as he spoke. Charming, but with an overconfident ego. Still, she liked Nathan. He ignored Doug’s indignant expression and spoke to Sandi as if his friend were no longer there.
Doug’s brow creased in a frown. In her experience, his mood swings were a normal thing. Where only moments ago he’d held her in his arms, giving her a false sense of contentment, now he wore the scowl she’d grown used to. The tender moments in his arms were a facade for the people in the room. She’d been a fool to think his gentle touch meant more.
An image of them making love surged into her mind. She’d relished his passionate kisses and hungry caresses. Was it only lust for him? Her face heated, and the emptiness in her chest threatened to choke her. Pretend. She’d forgotten this romantic interlude was nothing more than a ruse.
A slight throb pounded at her temple. No. She refused to worry herself into a headache. She’d had enough guessing, enough tension. What was the harm in enjoying the admiring attention of another man? A man who was not pretending. Even if he only wanted one thing—”
“I think they’re playing our song,” Nathan’s deep voice lured her from her dismal thoughts. He held out his hand, palm up in invitation.
“I’d love to.” She replied, pasting a large smile on her face.
He curled his fingers around hers. Then he placed his other hand on the small of her back and guided her to the center of the dance floor. Drawing her close, he kept a reasonable distance between them and stared at her with a smug grin.
“Are you going to stare at me the entire dance?”
“Can’t help myself. You’re beautiful,” Nathan sa
id, his voice deep and seductive.
“Thank you,” she said in a dull tone.
“You don’t believe me?”
“I believe you’re a man full of flattery. One who uses charm to seduce a woman.”
“Hmm. Something tells me you will not succumb easily.”
“Handsome and clever,” she said as an observation.
“You think I’m handsome?” he asked, a lilt of amusement echoed in his tone.
“As if you didn’t know it,” she said. He threw back his head and laughed out loud.
“I like you, Sandi Jones. You shoot straight from the hip.”
“You might remember that.”
“Dougie Boy has his hands full.”
“Excuse me?”
Smooth and sure of himself, Nathan whirled her about, then steadied her. “I’ve known Douglas a long time. I think you’re perfect for him.”
Where did that come from?
She thought Nathan was putting the moves on her. He just did the unexpected, shoving her into Doug’s arms with his blessing. She wrinkled her brow.
“Did I misunderstand that you and Doug are an item?” he asked.
Everyone else thought so. She didn’t know how to answer Nathan. She’d agreed to this farce because of that damn Sharon Talbert. Doug was not Sandi’s boyfriend. There was no future for them. Here was a man who might be interested in a real relationship with her. Nathan was charming, pretty darn hot, and she was single.
“We’re not engaged.”
“Would you like to be?” his low voice probed.
“We’re only dating.” Those dinners and this charity gala, none of them were real.
“So, you’re not . . . exclusive.”
Nathan was hitting on her. He was hot, and it would be so nice to have a real date. She’d at least like to go out with him before he suggested taking her to bed.
“Depends on why you’re asking,” she said, shooting him a glare.
“Whoa. I wasn’t coming on to you. I mean, I wasn’t propositioning you.”
Funny, his word choice. Did that blasted term get tossed around in everyday conversations in Pittsburg?
The song ended, and Nathan tucked her hand into the curve at his elbow.
“I’ll be in town for a few days, I thought I could take you to dinner.”
That’s more like it.
“Dinner would be nice.”
“Are you trying to take my girlfriend away from me, Nathan?” a hard voice spoke over her shoulder. She whirled at the anger she heard in Doug’s voice and saw his enraged expression. There was no need to behave like a jealous boyfriend who’d just found his girl cheating. Doug was taking their play-acting a little too far.
“You’re not exactly engaged, are you?” Nathan asked with haughty satisfaction.
“Not yet. But, I’d still appreciate you taking your hands off my girl.”
Was he for real?
While Doug glared, Nathan seemed more perplexed, then Nathan gave her a quizzical frown. She had no idea what to say. Nathan saved her. He lifted her hand to his mouth, and once again she felt his lips.
“Thank you for the dance, my lovely angel. Until we meet again.” He’d barely disappeared when Doug snatched her arm and forced her to sway with the music.
“What the hell did you think you were doing, making a date with Nathan?” He growled in a voice hot enough to melt steel.
Her back stiffened. The audacity! How dare he treat her like she’d done something wrong! “I see no harm in Nathan taking me to dinner.”
“I’m not good enough for you, is that it?” he hissed.
“Are you forgetting something?” she spat. “This is a charade. I’m your pretend girlfriend.'”
“Which you agreed to.” His hold tightened, and she felt the tension coiled in his muscles.
Shit. He was really angry.
“Know what, sweetheart? Fitzpatrick is higher up on the ladder. You should have gone after him. Or maybe you did. I saw you laughing. Flirting. He turn you down? You didn’t waste any time going after your next victim. Let me tell you something about Nathan. He’s no fool.”
What the hell was Doug babbling about?
“And I’m not done with you.”
Done with me? She was not his property. A red haze crowded her vision.
“Oh? When will you be done with me?” Her words precise, she delivered them in a cold, daring tone.
His head snapped back and bewilderment filled his gaze. “That’s not what I meant.”
She’d put up with his mood swings long enough.
“You don’t own me, Doug.”
“We made a bargain,” he hissed. “Although, I assumed you would know without me having to spell it out, you were not to take other lovers while you were with me.”
Lovers?
He continued. “I should have known being among all these prestigious doctors, you wouldn’t be able to resist a healthier bank account.”
Tears pricked her eyes, but she’d never let him see them. Fury was a wonderful source from which to draw strength. She stopped moving, her feet glued to the floor. “You never once believed I was not after your money, did you?”
“I almost let myself believe.” He leaned close, as if he might kiss her. “But tonight opened my eyes.”
For the first time Sandi noticed a slight glaze in his eyes. Was he drunk? She thought back over the past weeks. No. This was Doug being his typical asshole self.
“Let me open them further. I’m done with you.” She whirled on her toe and stomped off, as much as her four-inch heels would allow without breaking her neck. Her dress was so tight, she didn’t get two steps away from him before Doug caught her arm.
“You think just because you’ve met a man with a bigger bank account, you can walk away from me?”
“Watch me.” She didn’t care if they created a scene. These were his important friends, not hers. She was not about to listen to any more of his hateful disparagement.
“You’re reneging on our bargain!” he hissed, his face carved in bitterness. He really had no clue how much he’d hurt her.
“I’ve not received any payment from you. You said our bargain would end after the charity. Consider it ended.”
She jerked her arm free. And ran.
Chapter 20
Doug stood there for several minutes, having no idea what to do. Jealously had struck him like a tidal wave. He’d acted the part of a possessive boyfriend, but the resentment had been all too real. Jealous? Not for a money-hungry drama queen who wanted to land a doctor and take a chunk out of his hide.
“I’m glad I saw that with my own eyes, or I would never have believed it.” Nathan’s irritating chuckle smacked Doug’s nerves. “I knew she’d give you a run for your money.”
Doug cringed at the expression. Even though the words had merit, he didn’t like it. He’d wanted to believe Sandi was different. Not like the other women who craved his money. Cherry had taught him a harsh lesson. But damn, if he didn’t want Sandi with a passion beyond imagining.
Nathan slapped him on the back. “Don’t look so glum, buddy. She’ll be back.”
God, he hoped so.
“Wait. What?”
“Do you doubt your own magnetism? What happened to the jock from Pittsburgh? A different woman every night?”
“Those days are long over. Besides, all they wanted was the hot doctor’s bank account.”
Nathan made a sound as if he’d been punched in the gut. “Do I detect a note of self-pity?”
“Stay away from her, Nathan.” Doug marched to the exit, setting his champagne glass on a table on his way out.
Cool air hit him in the face as he stepped outside. He stood on
the sidewalk, welcoming the fresh, brisk breeze. Realizing he’d drunk a lot more than he thought, he took several gulps of air, hoping to clear his head.
“You’re not planning to drive, are you?”
“What do you care?”
Nathan gave him his no-nonsense look. “We need to talk. Let’s go to my suite and get some coffee.”
Feeling guilty, Doug realized he should not have spoken to Nathan like that. After all, they were good friends once. Nathan had done nothing to deserve Doug’s anger.
“I’ve had very little to drink,” Nathan told him. “My car is over there.” He shot Doug a look, daring him to refuse.
He followed Nathan to his car, feeling like an ass. He raked his hand through his hair, walking slowly, focusing on his steps.
Beep-beep.
The sound of a car remote beeped, then a click as the doors unlocked. A Porsche. What else would a prestigious doctor with his resources have?
Nathan reached for the passenger door handle.
“I can open my own door.”
Nathan shrugged and strode around to the driver’s side. Silence stretched between them on the ride to his hotel. The same silence deafened him in the elevator. No other sound was made until the elevator dinged, and the suite door opened. Nathan walked inside, expecting Doug to follow. He did. Then he dropped onto the couch and leaned his head back, calling himself every kind of a fool.
It felt like only a moment had passed when he smelled the aroma of fresh coffee. Nathan brought them each a cup, placing his on a low table.
“Still like it black?”
“Is there any other way?”
“Not in my book.” Nathan slumped in a chair. “All right. It’s just you and me. What is going on with you?”
“Nothing that a little charity gala can’t fix.”
“Rubbing elbows with the elite once again.”
The Doctor's Bargain Page 16
