Harlequin Medical Romance July 2015 - Box Set 2 of 2: Her Playboy's SecretTaming Her Navy DocHer Family for Keeps

by Tina Beckett

  “Every bit helps, remember? And stop putting yourself down. You’re a highly skilled, if unconventional nurse, and I’m very pleased to be working with you.” Herm patted her on the back.

  “Me, too,” Gina said, and the other staff nodded. A flush of warmth rose in Rebel’s chest at their words and their obvious sincerity. This was what she needed and craved. This was the kind of place she’d been looking for but had had little hope of finding. Could she take the plunge and actually stay put? Stay in Albuquerque and build a life for herself here, instead of running the way Alejandro ran and ran and ran? She didn’t know, but it was getting harder to be on the road all the time. Slowing down and resting her head on the same pillow suddenly became very appealing but very frightening, too. Change. She knew it was change that scared people the most.

  “We’re going out for drinks afterward. Maybe you want to come along this time.” Gina nodded as she spoke. “We all can use it.”

  “Maybe,” she said, unwilling to commit to anything yet. Was this an opportunity to make a few friends staring her right in the face, and she’d been blind to it previously?

  Finally, the shift ended, about an hour late. Her feet ached, her back hurt, and she had a headache. Gina was right. The elevation took some getting used to.

  “Ready? We’re going to meet at Roscoe’s. It’s a dive, but we like it.” Gina nodded toward the door. “Come on, Rebel. You deserve a break as much as the rest of us.”

  Rebel bit her lip in indecision, but as she watched the staff walking out the door, a bubble of excitement made her stomach squirm. Just like the firefighters, the nurses and other staff were like family. She’d noticed it the first day when she’d met Herm and his fatherly way.

  “Okay.” She nodded, eagerness bursting inside her, giving renewed energy. “I’d like to come if I won’t be intruding.”

  “Intruding? Where’d you get that idea?” Gina gave a snort. “You’re one of us, kid.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  NERVOUS, BUT EXCITED to be inducted into the group of friends, Rebel followed Gina to the parking lot and then to the little restaurant. It was a low, adobe-style building with twinkling lights in the windows and festive chili-shaped lights hanging from the ceiling.

  Everyone straggled in and gathered around a central wooden table that wobbled on its uneven legs. Pitchers of drink were ordered and the servers placed baskets of handmade tortilla chips and bowls of salsa on the table. She was coming to realize this was a staple in all New Mexican restaurants. Chips and salsa. The staff devoured them as if they hadn’t seen a meal in a week. People kept plopping into the chairs and then her pulse raced when Duncan took the one beside her that magically opened up. Jokes and stories were told as more people contributed to the conversation. Then something happened to Rebel that hadn’t happened in a long time.

  She relaxed. And she laughed. And she enjoyed herself. And she began to let go of the tight coil holding herself together. Life was messy, but when you had friends to help clean up, it was okay.

  She leaned back in her chair, a smile on her face as she sipped a margarita and watched these people interact. In the past she would have been alienated by such a tightly knit group.

  Could she really have relationships like the ones she’d seen in the firefighters? Covertly, she watched Duncan, casual and comfortable, despite the grueling day they’d had.

  “Rebel? How about it?” Herm patted her arm.

  “What? Did I miss something?” Apparently.

  “Yes. Gina asked what your most interesting assignment has been.” He snagged another chip and signaled the server for more. There was never enough.

  “Oh, sorry.” She paused and tucked her hair behind her left ear, remembering how Duncan had done that just a few hours ago and a flush warmed her insides. Or was that the margarita? “Every assignment has its perks, but I have to say Hawaii was the prettiest place I’ve been.”

  “I’ve heard it’s really amazing.”

  “It is. I worked on Maui and when you drive around, the whole place smells like pineapples.” She smiled with a fond memory of the islands.

  “Well, stick around here long enough and there will be plenty of stuff here to get hooked on. There’s skiing in the winter, all kinds of outdoor stuff to do year-round, loads of great food, too.”

  “Sounds great. I’m here for two more months, then I guess I will have to decide where to go from here.” But in her heart she knew there was going to be no other assignment like this one. She didn’t want to go, but she didn’t know if she had the courage to stay.

  “We always have a need for nurses with your skills, so you can stay another three months before deciding.” Herm patted her arm. “I already know you want to stay.”

  Only Rebel saw the small nod he made in Duncan’s direction. She leaned closer to Herm. “Please don’t say anything about what you think you know.” She glanced at Duncan, who was listening intently to another staff member. “I hate to ask you to keep my secret, but I am.” Her lip trembled. “I don’t even think it’s real.”

  “No worries, Rebel. I’ll keep your confidence.” He lowered his voice. “Just know that he’s a good man. He doesn’t hook up with women the way you might think.” He patted her on her shoulder in a comforting gesture. “Listen to your instincts and do whatever you think is right.”

  “I appreciate that.” The burn of tears flashed in her eyes at his kindness. “You don’t know how much.” She had no father or older brothers she could go to for comfort or to help explain men to her. She’d not had the best of experiences in love. Muddling through things had been too difficult and so she’d given up on love, just focusing on her career. At least until now. Until coming to Albuquerque had completely upset her goals, and her beliefs about love, life and family. Until Duncan.

  Now she didn’t know what to think. The one person she wanted to go to for comfort, for love, for friendship and understanding was the person most likely to hurt her. Trust and vulnerability were so hard for her. The universe seemed to enjoy taking people from her.

  “I don’t know what’s been going on between the two of you, but I know neither of you have looked happy these last couple of weeks.” He shrugged. “I have three daughters of my own, and I recognize the signs of heartache.”

  “It’s complicated.”

  Herm laughed. “Every great love story has complications. Have you ever heard of one that was easy?” He shook his head. “No, my young friend, there are always issues, no matter who you are or how long you’re in a relationship.” He downed the rest of his drink. “Trust me on that one. If you find someone you can laugh with and love with, there’s no better relationship than that. The rest, you work out.” He patted her hand again. “I’m going to challenge you to think about what it would take to get through the complication. I don’t need to know what it is, but you need to think of solutions, not stay stuck on the problem.”

  No matter what happened things would be okay. How had she forgotten that? As her family had disappeared one by one, it had become harder and harder to remember. Then, instead of trying to remember, she’d tried to forget. The guilt of surviving hung around her shoulders every day. What should have driven her closer to her mother, had only driven her further away.

  “Hey, you okay?” Gina tossed a wadded-up napkin at her and struck her in the chest.

  “What?” She blinked and realized where she was. “Oh, sorry. Guess I’m tired or something.” Or something.

  “You looked like you were out there somewhere.”

  “Yeah. Somebody said something that made me think of something. You know how it goes when your brain takes off on you and leaves your body behind.”

  “No kidding. Just don’t do it when you’re driving, okay?” Gina interjected with an understanding nod.

  Rebel shifted her position in the chair, then yawned and stretched. “This was great, but I’m going to call it a night.” She stood. The day had been long and intense. Fortunately she was off
for a few days.

  “I think we’re all ready to call it a night.” Herm stood and waited for her to extricate herself. “You take care, Rebel.”

  “You, too.”

  Herm surprised her by putting a friendly arm around her shoulders and pulling her against his side. “I don’t know what’s going on between you two, Rebel, but you won’t find a better man than Duncan.”

  Breathlessness overcame Rebel, and she placed a hand over her chest, nodded at Herm and left via the back door. She didn’t know what was wrong with her, but she definitely needed some fresh air. Too many things were getting to her all at once, and a sense of panic churned in her gut.

  Herm’s words, her memories, the day’s fatigue, the crowded restaurant all seemed to close in on her. Something was wrong, something was changing. Everything she had known and accepted for so many years was changing. Could she have been wrong about her entire life? Her livelihood and the lives of countless people depended on her making the right decisions in an instant. What if she’d been making the wrong decision in her life over and over and over—

  “Rebel?” Duncan’s voice made her jump.

  “Duncan! What are you doing?”

  “You’re in an alley alone, at night, in a town you don’t know. I’m not going to just let you walk alone.” He emerged from the shadows. Lines of fatigue looked as if someone had drawn on him with a marker. These last few weeks had been very difficult.

  “I appreciate it. I hadn’t thought of it, because I do so many things by myself.” Maybe she’d done too many things by herself.

  “No problem.”

  Tension filled the air between them. She didn’t know what to say as she led the way to her car a few blocks down the street.

  “How are you?”

  “I’ve missed you.”

  They spoke at the same time, and she turned to face him instead of opening her car door, as she should have. Some part of her wanted to reach out to him, but she’d trained herself for so many years not to touch, not to want, not to need. Just survive. That’s all she needed. At least that’s all she’d needed until Duncan had blazed his way into her life and set fire to her beliefs.

  Without another word, he cupped his hands around her face. He hesitated a second with his mouth just an inch from hers, looked deeply into her eyes and kissed her.

  Surprise and the shock of his action shot overwhelming desire all the way from her lips to her feminine core. Oh, the man could kiss. His hot lips opened over hers, and she stroked his tongue with hers, unable to hold back her response.

  He pressed her back against the car and his hips pressed into hers. She felt the strength of his body and his erection through the scrubs and wanted him with everything she had in her. Breathless, she pulled away, thankful she was supported by the car. Desire nearly swamped her resolve to stay away from him evaporated.

  “Will you stay with me tonight?” His breath came in quick little pants, his desire for her seeping out everywhere.

  “What?”

  “Will you stay with me tonight?” He was serious. “Come home with me. Stay with me. I need you, Rebel. I don’t want to let you go.”

  “I don’t know what to say.” She gave a nervous laugh. “My body says one thing, but my mind says another.”

  He stepped back from her, and shook himself a little, creating the distance she needed. “When you figure it out, let me know. I’m heading to Hatch in the morning. Sounds like you’re off for a few days. If you want to come with me, you can.”

  “Rafael’s okay, isn’t he?”

  “He’s fine. I’m the one who needs you.” He took another step back. “I’ll be gone for a week.”

  I need you. I just don’t want to need you.

  “Okay. Well. Goodnight, then.” Fumbling with the door and her keys, she finally got into the car and started it. She watched Duncan walk away through blurred vision. It was better this way. If he wasn’t going to save himself, she would do it for him.

  The night had to be the longest on record. She sweated despite the cool air in the apartment. Her heart raced despite doing thirty minutes of yoga breathing. Desire filled her body despite her best efforts to channel it elsewhere.

  Once she’d had a dose of Duncan McFee, he was in her blood, and she didn’t know how to get him out. Finally, after a restless and unfulfilling night, she slept for about four hours, awakening to a bright day full of promise.

  And five days off with nothing to do but feel sorry for herself. Her schedule had been arranged by Herm and with a couple of staffing changes she’d agreed to she now had five entire days off. Alone.

  Normally she would be excited about exploring the area, hiking the foothills outside town, taking in museums or movies, but now all of that sounded incredibly boring and dull without Duncan to share it with. She’d never shared anything with a man and now that she’d had a taste of Duncan, she wanted to share everything with him. But how could she when her life was a ticking time bomb?

  Had she blown the best part of her life by being alone? Was Duncan right? She didn’t want to think so, but some part of her knew it was the truth. She’d turned into an old woman well before her time. Tears pricked her eyes. She was such an idiot, unable to see outside her own pain.

  When her phone rang she jumped for it, hoping it was Duncan, but it was work. Maybe she wasn’t going to have five days off after all.

  “Rebel, this is Herm.”

  “Hi. Do you need me to come in?” She hoped not, but it might keep her mind off of Duncan.

  “No. I want to tell you not to come in.”

  She laughed. “Why is that?”

  “It’s Duncan.”

  It only took a nanosecond for her to imagine the worst-case scenario, and she gripped the phone tightly. “What happened? Has he been in a car accident? God, he didn’t crash his plane, did he?” She bombarded him with questions.

  “No. He’s okay, physically.” She heard the concern in his voice, but there was no panic as if something bad had happened.

  “Then what’s going on?”

  “He’s gone.”

  “Yeah, he went to Hatch for a few days.” Whew, what a relief.

  “He came in, was very serious and the way he did things, said things made me think he’s not coming back.”

  “What? He loves the ER! Why would he resign?”

  “I don’t know, but he came in this morning, said goodbye to everyone and left.” Herm paused. “Maybe this thing between you two is more serious than you know.”

  “I’m dumbfounded that he would do that, but why are you calling me?” Seriously. What was she going to do?

  “You’re the only one who can talk him into staying. We need him here and, frankly, Rebel, we need you here, too. For good.” He sighed. “Truly good ER docs are hard to come by, and Duncan is just about the best.”

  “I don’t know what I can do. He’ll never listen to me if his mind is made up. That Scottish blood of his is as stubborn as any Irish I’ve ever met.”

  “If there’s anyone he will listen to, it will be you.”

  “Herm, what am I supposed to do?” She knew he was going to the family ranch in Hatch today, but that’s all she knew. After her refusal of him last night, he might not want to see her. Ever.

  “He’s always taken a week off during the height of the chili harvest, so I’m sure that’s where he will be.”

  “He told me last night that’s where he was going.”

  “I know it’s none of my business, but can’t you give the man a chance?”

  “It’s not just about him or me. It’s—”

  “Yes, it’s complicated. But when isn’t life complicated? Don’t you want to have someone to hold your hand through those tough times? A shoulder to lean on, and cry on, when you need it?”

  Rebel paused, a pulse of regret warming her chest. “I never thought of it that way.”

  “Well, it’s time you did. I’ve seen your résumé, Rebel, and it’s appalling.”
<
br />   “What? It is not. I have an excellent résumé.” It clearly outlined all her travel experiences and her references were flawless.

  “Clinically it’s perfect, but there are no gaps where you took time off for vacation or to climb a mountain or anything like that. That’s just wrong.”

  “I see.” She thought about it a second, and he was right. She’d gone from assignment to assignment over the last six years without any pause. “How did you get to be so smart?”

  “I’m old with a lot of miles under the hood. Now write this down. I’m going to give you directions to get to Hatch, and you can find the ranch from there.”

  Rebel wrote down the directions and signed off with Herm. How in the world was she going to talk Duncan into returning to work?

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  AFTER GETTING AN early start, Rebel drove to Hatch, hoping she could find the ranch. Having been there only one time, only by air, she faced uncertainty. Herm’s directions were great, but they only led her so far. There was a whole lot of nothing out here for her to get lost in. She knew people died in the desert all the time, and she didn’t want to be one of them. In preparation for the trip, she’d tossed a case of water and some snacks into the car, so hopefully she would survive the day.

  Then she smiled, her heart a little lighter. All she had to do was ask a local where the best green chili in all of New Mexico was grown, and she was sure they would send her right to Rafael.

  The drive was beautiful, following the river south, the massive cottonwoods green and white against the dark shadows beneath and the red clay below.

  The scenery, the air rushing in the window brought the scent, a fragrance of things new, fresh and exciting. A memory bubbled up within her that began in her gut and flooded upward, surprising her with the intensity, the passion. She gasped as pain made her heart pause, then race in reaction.

  Tears she’d buried, emotions she’d forced down for years unhinged in her. Braking hard, she pulled to the side of the road, raising a cloud of dust.