by Francis Ray
“Since I was sitting across from her, I was able to watch her.” Traci folded her arms. “Her face alternated between smug and hateful when she was talking about being pregnant by you. She wanted to hurt you.”
Ryan’s mouth tightened. “She said she’d make me sorry.”
Unfolding her arms, Traci leaned back against the granite-topped island. “She tripped herself up when she couldn’t describe your apartment she claimed to have been in, and said she liked your hairy chest.”
“My chest isn’t hairy,” he said as if insulted by the prospect.
“I know, but apparently Elisa doesn’t, which proves she’s never seen you with your shirt off,” Traci finished, feeling a bit flushed at the thought of Ryan with his shirt off.
Ryan’s gaze narrowed. “The first time we met, I’d come over here to swim. You were outside at the pool with Mother. You left soon afterward.”
Hot and bothered, if she remembered. “I had business.”
“So you said.”
Traci didn’t fidget under his hot stare, but it was difficult.
“When Traci asked about your apartment, she said she thought it looked like my house,” Maureen said. “Your place is sleek and modern, not filled with a mixture of antiques, the way mine is.”
“She tripped herself up by that lie.” Traci was thankful Maureen had gotten the conversation going again. “My guess is that she’s fixated on you. I don’t think it just started either.”
Clearly anxious, his mother placed her hand on his arm. “Is that true, Ryan?” His hard glare cut to Traci, then went back to his mother. “Ryan, I want to know.”
He shoved a hand over his head, then told them everything. “She’s starting to show up more and more frequently. Last night when I finished rounds she was in the parking garage, waiting. Luckily, I was with two other people and she didn’t approach me.”
“Do you think she’s dangerous?” Maureen asked.
Ryan hugged his mother to him. “She’s not the woman from Fatal Attraction.”
“How do you plan to stop her from bothering you?” Maureen asked.
“I’ll think of something,” Ryan answered.
Maureen wasn’t satisfied with his response. “Traci, could you help?”
“No,” Ryan said before Traci could answer. “I can take care of this myself.”
Traci thought of pointing out what a piss-poor job he’d done in the past, but since she was well aware of men’s fragile egos, she took a diplomatic approach. “What are your plans?”
“I’m still working on them,” he said.
In other words, he didn’t know what to do. Traci didn’t need Maureen’s imploring gaze to offer help. Traci felt sorry for Ryan. Women had tried to pull that scam too many times on men. “You had better speed up your timetable. The media salivates over this type of news. It certainly wouldn’t help with the fund-raising efforts for your clinic patients or your private practice, for that matter.”
“Oh, Ryan, that would be horrible,” Maureen said.
“It won’t come to that,” he said, but for the first time worry replaced the anger in his face.
Since Traci knew Ryan was still ticked at her for not believing him immediately, she knew he wasn’t going to ask for help, so she did something she’d promised herself she’d never do: offer unsolicited advice. “Talk with her father, tell him what’s going on. If he can’t get her to stop bothering you, get a restraining order. In the meantime, I’ll check her past. More than likely, you’re not the first man she’s fixated on. For now, let’s go eat.”
“I’ll get out of your way,” Ryan started from the kitchen.
Traci stepped in front of him. “You too.”
“I’m not hungry,” he said.
“Then you can watch us eat.” She took his arm, trying not to be moved by the hard muscles beneath her fingertips. “You can drive.”
“No.”
“Ryan, I’d feel better if you came with us.” Maureen caught his other arm. “I’d worry that she would get tired of waiting for you at her apartment and go to your condo.”
His anger came back in a heated rush. “Let her.”
“Be as smart as I know you are,” Traci said. “The woman is unstable. Give her an opportunity to slam your butt in jail on an assault charge, and she will. She wants you, but if she can’t have you she’ll make your life hell. If that happens, guess who will be in hell with you?”
His gaze lowered to his mother, softened. “She makes me so angry.”
“Maybe we should ask Sim—Lieutenant Dunlap for—”
“No,” Ryan cut his mother off. “I don’t want anyone else involved.”
There went that fragile-as-a-snowflake ego again. “Have it your way for now. Let’s go eat and try to put this incident out of our minds. Ryan, you drive,” Traci ordered. Without giving him a chance to protest again, Traci started toward the front door.
How could Traci have believed that lie even for a second?
Almost two hours later, Ryan was still having a difficult time accepting that Traci had believed he was the kind of man who impregnated a woman, then ran out on her. Did she think he was that low?
Of course she did.
And she wasn’t going to let him prove differently. No one had to tell him that, if it weren’t for his mother, she would have let him spin in the wind. Unable to help himself, he sneaked a look at her as they strolled along the pier. She looked beautiful today in a lime green linen suit, her shoulder-length hair swirling around her shoulders. He would have liked to brush it from her face.
She didn’t want his touch. Didn’t want him.
As they had been doing since they’d gotten in his car, Traci and Maureen were chatting, laughing, trying to draw him into the conversation. He didn’t feel like talking. In fact, he would have left long ago if he hadn’t been driving.
“The brunch was wonderful, wasn’t it, Ryan?”
“Yes.” At his mother’s insistence he’d ordered, then picked at the food on his plate. He’d considered asking his waiter to put vodka in his orange juice instead of champagne. He hadn’t because he’d seen too many people ruin their lives with alcohol and barbiturates.
“Isn’t it a beautiful day, Ryan?” his mother asked. “You can see the lighthouse on Sullivan Island. Remember when your father and I climbed to the top?”
“Yes.” He’d been sixteen and raced ahead of them, trying to impress a girl at the time. He’d almost fallen. The girl had laughed harder than anyone.
“I’ve only been there once,” Traci said from beside him. “When they dedicated the monument to the slaves arriving from Africa.”
“We were there as well. It was a moving experience.” Maureen stopped and leaned on the rail. “To think our paths could have crossed then, but didn’t.”
Traci laughed. “I couldn’t have afforded to buy the house I’m in then.”
“You work hard.” Maureen brushed her hair out of her face.
“No more than you do.” Traci turned to Ryan. “How are the plans coming for the fund-raising?”
“All right.” He stared out to sea, his mind on Elisa, wondering if she’d be waiting for him at his place, if he’d have to move. Thank goodness she hadn’t been able to get his unlisted phone number.
“The Sisterhood will help,” Maureen said.
He nodded absently. How could trying to help a woman lead to such disastrous consequences?
“Will you have to make rounds today at the hospital?” Traci inquired.
“Yes.” How could she act as if nothing had happened when she’d cut him to the quick? He knew she had trust issues, but he still couldn’t get over her believing Elisa over him. Anger rolled through him again. “Let’s go.”
“It’s such a beautiful day, I thought we’d stay a little longer.” Maureen glanced at Traci.
“We could take one of the tour boats out,” Traci suggested.
Ryan shook his head. Elisa could be driving to his place now. �
�Not today.”
“We would be back in a couple of hours,” Traci told him.
He tried not to think of all the things an obsessed woman like Elisa could do. The scene from Fatal Attraction—the boiling pot—popped into his mind. “Let’s go.”
Traci resisted the tug on her arm. She’d had enough. Ryan had moped the entire time. “Will you stop sulking?”
“I’m thinking.”
“Sulking,” she repeated. “You haven’t said five words together since we left the house.”
He stared down at her face. “I’m a deep thinker.”
“I’ll give you something to think about.” Impulsively, she grabbed a fistful of his polo shirt and pulled him to her. She laughed at the startled expression on his face. The laughter died as she became aware of the hard body pressed to hers. The world narrowed to the two of them. Her gaze somehow wandered to his lips. Heat and desire rolled through her.
“I—”
His mouth settled firmly over hers, cutting off what she’d been about to say. Pleasure swept through her as his tongue danced with hers.
He lifted his head, his smoldering gaze holding hers. Air rushed in and out of her lungs. Realizing she still held him, her fingers uncurled. She swallowed, swallowed again. “I-I guess I shocked you out of sulking.”
“You certainly did,” Ryan said, grinning down at her.
Embarrassed, she stepped away from him completely. “Good, because it won’t happen again. I’m ready to go home.” Not waiting, Traci started for Ryan’s car parked on the street, ignoring Maureen’s pleased expression and Ryan’s smile.
Please, no personal summers. Please, no personal summers.
Maureen repeated the silent litany to herself over and over as she walked with Simon down the pier of the marina to the Proud Mary. The luxury boat was a sleek thirty-footer that rode gently on the waves
She welcomed the cool breeze off the Ashley River and couldn’t wait to be on the water, especially since Ryan and Traci had finally stopped circling each other. She couldn’t be more pleased or happy for them. “I’m sorry your brother and his fiancée couldn’t join us.”
Simon threw her a mischievous look. “I’m not.”
Maureen couldn’t control the blush or the pleasure that spread through her. Neither was she.
“I was afraid this day would never happen.” Taking her arm, Simon helped Maureen step onto the deck of the boat.
“I wondered myself.” Smiling, she watched him hunker down and untie the boat. “Do you need any help?”
“Got it.” Standing, he went to the helm and started the motor. “I thought we’d go where the spirit leads.”
“That sounds like a wonderful idea.” She was unable to keep from noticing his strong hands, his muscular thighs in shorts, his long, narrow feet. Out of nowhere popped the old adage about the size of a man’s feet correlating with another part of his anatomy.
Heat flushed her face. She groaned.
Simon glanced over his shoulder. A frown creased his brow. “Are you all right?”
She smiled despite her embarrassment. “Yes.”
He didn’t appear convinced. “You’re sure? We can put this off.”
She went to stand beside him. “No more cancellations for us.”
“Right.” He opened the throttle of the boat. The craft cut through the water.
Sighing in pleasure as the breeze wafted over her, Maureen closed her eyes. “I’d forgotten how good this felt.”
“I’m glad I’m able to share it with you.”
“So am I,” she told him, enjoying the feel of his body pressed against hers. She glanced around and their gaze caught, clung. His lips touched hers gently, then they were gone, leaving her wanting more.
“If I kiss you the way I want to I might not be able to concentrate on what I’m doing,” he confessed. “But later …”
Maureen licked her lips, watched his eyes narrow, felt his body harden. Later.
Less than thirty minutes later Simon anchored near a cove and pulled Maureen into his arms.
With a trembling sigh, she came to him, her body aligned with his, her mouth sweet and seductive. He relished the slow building of heat, the way her slender body fit in his arms. She was perfect in every way.
“I don’t think I could have waited another second,” he breathed against her mouth.
“Me neither.”
“Maureen.” He kissed her again, he couldn’t help it, didn’t want to, and from the way she was clinging to him she felt the same way. He was indeed a lucky man.
C h a p t e r
10
Ryan was putting an end to Elisa stalking him today.
As soon as he arrived at his office Monday morning, he had his secretary contact Elisa’s father for an appointment as soon as possible. He was taking Traci’s advice. Just thinking about her made him grin as he strode down the hall of the administrative offices in the hospital.
She was as passionate as he’d guessed. Her fire and passion had been hidden behind that wall she’d built around her. No more. Ryan had finally broken through, and he planned on keeping the door opened.
Entering Dr. Thomas’s outer office later that day, Ryan spoke to the secretary, who greeted him before she waved him on. Dr. Thomas was a top-notch administrator who was fair and conscientious. Ryan hoped he could continue to say the same thing once he left. He rapped on the door.
“Come in.”
Ryan opened the door and saw Dr. Thomas in a white lab coat sitting behind a massive desk covered with several piles of manila folders. “Good afternoon, Dr. Thomas. Thanks for seeing me.”
“I always have time for my doctors. Have a seat.” Smiling broadly, Dr. Thomas swung away from his computer monitor and laced his long-fingered hands on top of his polished desk. “Especially after Elisa’s call last night.”
Ryan took the side chair and fought to keep his expression calm. “What did she say?”
“Just that you were dating and having some problems,” he answered jovially. “You want me to put in a good word for you, I suppose?”
“No. I want you to tell Elisa to stop stalking me.” Ryan watched the smile slide from the doctor’s face.
“What?” Dr. Thomas shouted, his broad shoulders pressing against the back of the leather chair.
“I’m sorry to be so blunt, but there is no delicate way to put this,” Ryan said.
The older man planted his hands firmly on his desk and came to his full height of six-three. “My daughter would never do such a thing.”
Ryan came to his feet as well. “She would and has for the past four weeks. I made the mistake of taking her home from a party we both attended because her date had too much to drink. It was a simple favor but she latched on to me.”
“How dare you insult Elisa that way,” he said. “She’s attractive, successful, and sought after professionally and personally. She doesn’t need to chase after any man.”
“That’s what she’s done.” Ryan wasn’t backing down. “Yesterday she showed up at my mother’s house, claiming she was pregnant.”
“You bastard.” Enraged, Dr. Thomas started around the desk.
“I’ve never been intimate with her.” Ryan didn’t want to deck the chief-of-staff. “She tripped herself up when she was asked to describe where I live and other things.”
Dr. Thomas stopped inches from Ryan, his fists clenched. “Elisa wouldn’t lie about that.”
“She has.” Ryan raked his hand over his head. “She’s called my office repeatedly, asking to speak to me. She changes her name, but my staff recognizes her voice.”
“You can’t be sure it’s Elisa.”
“I trust my staff. Can you trust your daughter?”
Dr. Thomas looked uncertain for just a moment. “She’s a brilliant doctor.”
“We both know one has nothing to do with the other,” Ryan said. “This is going to stop, or I’m getting a restraining order and considering pursuing legal action for defamation o
f character.”
“That would ruin her reputation and career,” Dr. Thomas raged. “You can’t do that.”
“She hasn’t left me with any other choice,” Ryan told him. “She’ll damage my reputation and career if she spreads the lie about carrying my baby. It’s her or me. There’s nothing in my past that I’m ashamed of. I’m betting that that’s not the case with Elisa. Talk to her, or I’ll talk to my lawyer.”
“No. No,” Dr. Thomas said hastily, fear in his eyes. “There is no need for that. I’ll talk to her.”
“Then I’ll leave it in your hands.” Ryan went to the door. “If there had been another way to keep you out of it, I would have taken it.”
Dr. Thomas sat heavily in his seat. “This stays between us.”
Ryan felt sorry for the man he respected. “I don’t want this getting out any more than you do.”
The older man glanced away. “Good-bye.”
“Good-bye.” Feeling as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, Ryan left the chief-of-staff’s office. He knew just whom to thank.
Traci had just checked the pot roast in the Crock-Pot when the doorbell rang.
She frowned and glanced at the clock. Seven thirteen. She wasn’t expecting anyone. She and Maureen had talked earlier. Both were in for the night.
The chime rang again. Going to the front door, she pressed her eye to the peephole. Her heart knocked. Ryan. He had a large bouquet of fresh cut flowers and he was smiling. She’d always thought she’d be a sucker for flowers, since she’d never received any. She already knew she was a sucker for Ryan’s smile, just like she had been for his kiss that tied her in knots and made her want more.
Telling herself to be cautious, to remain professional, that the flowers didn’t mean anything, she opened the door. “Hello, Ryan. You look happy.”
He came inside and closed the door behind him. “Euphoric would be a better word, and I owe it all to you.” He handed her the flowers. “I feel like celebrating.”
She smiled in spite of herself. “I can see that.”
“You were dead on about speaking with Dr. Thomas. He’s going to talk to Elisa, and I have my life back.”
