Army Ranger with Benefits_the Men of At-Ease Ranch

by Donna Michaels

  “No.” He laughed and released her hand.

  She found the act of breathing a little easier, which was odd, since it was Stephan who usually affected her pulse. For this to happen with Vince, too, caught her completely off guard.

  Had to be a fluke.

  She eyed the man sitting across from her, smile dimpling his face, gaze warm and open, and her breath caught again.

  Shoot. What was wrong with her?

  Nothing, her mind reasoned. Vince was a lean, handsome, sexy man, and it was only natural her body would take notice.

  Whoa. Hold on. Since when had her body gotten involved? It was just her pulse. Her body was not taking part in this pretense. There would be no notice-taking allowed.

  “I figured to make it look real, we need to act as if it is,” he said. “So, we need to say and do things any normal man and woman would do if they were interested in each other.”

  Made sense.

  She nodded. “And we’ll need to know a few basic things about each other as well.”

  “A few basic things. Let’s see…” He tapped his finger on his stubble-ridden chin that she took no notice to at all, since it wasn’t allowed. “I’m from New Jersey. My parents still live there. I’m the oldest of two sons. A Libra. Like to take long walks on the beach at night under the moonlight. Don’t smoke. Will have an occasional beer with the guys. Would do anything for my family and friends. I’m at peace in the kitchen, and I make a mean cannoli.” He grinned. “Your turn.”

  His friendly nature immediately put her at ease.

  She smiled. “Okay. I’m from right here in Columbus. The only child of a widow. My mom moved to Florida to be with her sister who recently started chemo. I’m a Pisces. Love to lay out under the stars. Don’t smoke. Will also have an occasional beer with the guys, but prefer a wine cooler. Would do just about anything for chocolate. Make a mean peach pie. And I’m at peace reading on my porch swing.”

  He grabbed a napkin, pulled out a pen, and started writing things down.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Making a note about the stars. Oh, and that chocolate thing, too.”

  She laughed and smacked his arm. “You’re a nut.”

  He smiled. “Guilty.”

  The guy was such a contrast to his brother’s more serious demeanor. It was a surprise, and admittedly refreshing.

  “So, I take it your outlook on life is ‘glass half full’?”

  His smile widened. “More like three-quarters full.”

  “Never would’ve guessed.”

  “How about you?” he asked, digging into his lunch.

  “Me?” She’d never given it much thought. But no one had ever accused her of being pessimistic. “Half full.”

  “Well, we’ll have to work on getting that up to three-quarters,” he teased. “There may be some chocolate involved.”

  Narrowing her eyes, she pointed her fork at him. “Oh, I see what you’re doing there.”

  “What’s that?” His innocent gaze didn’t fool her for a second.

  And darn it, it was cute.

  “You’re speaking my language,” she replied.

  He immediately picked up the pen and wrote on his napkin again.

  Smiling, she shook her head. “Yep, you definitely got all the sense of humor in your family.”

  “Dom has a sense of humor. It’s just covered in layers of sarcasm,” he said, his gaze turning serious. “I have to admit, I’m just a little curious as to why you and my brother never hooked up.”

  “Me and Dom?” She raised a brow. The guy was gorgeous, but there weren’t any sparks. “Never crossed my mind. For one, he’s military, and my track record there sucks. And for another, he’s too…”

  “Intense,” Vince supplied with a grin.

  “Yeah. That.” She nodded. “It’s going to take a strong woman to handle your brother.”

  Admiration lit his eyes. “You’re strong, and you handled him just fine last night. I quite enjoyed watching him concede to you.”

  Now that was funny. She laughed. “Dom knows I won’t put up with any of his bull. He also thinks of me as family. His whole unit does. They treat me like a kid sister. My chances of getting a date plummet to negative two thousand when they’re around.”

  “Warn everyone off, do they?” His lips twitched, while understanding warmed his gaze.

  She sighed. “Yeah, despite my protests.”

  “I’m guessing they approve of your doctor, otherwise Dom wouldn’t suggest I help you.”

  “True.” She reached across the table to touch Vince’s hand. “And I really appreciate your help.”

  Awareness immediately shot up her arm and fluttered her pulse. Again. Funny, the few times she’d come in contact with Stephan had never mainlined a zing to her chest. Then again, she’d never touched him outright.

  Vince’s gaze narrowed, and his body stilled as if he felt it, too. Apparently, it wasn’t just all the humor this Acardi brother possessed. No. The handsome Jersey boy turned Texan held all the sparks, too.

  Not good.

  She drew her hand back and cleared her throat. “So, what’s our game plan?”

  Other questions—personal ones—resounded in her head, but she refused to ask them. He was not her real boyfriend. Heck, he wasn’t even a candidate. He was an out-of-towner. A visitor. A military man. The guy was a pawn, a tool to help her finally land on Stephan’s radar.

  “Depends.”

  Her heart skipped a beat. “On what?”

  “On what your doctor likes to do.”

  “His name is Stephan,” she corrected, tired of everyone referring to the guy as “her doctor” when it wasn’t true. Yet. “And…I don’t know what he likes to do. I only see him at work, although, I’ve bumped into him once or twice at Antonio’s.”

  The first time she’d seen him at the Italian restaurant, he’d been with his former girlfriend back when he’d just arrived, and the second time he was with a buddy sitting at the bar surrounded by a bevy of beauties.

  “Ah…Antonio’s.” Vince grinned. “It’s still open?”

  She nodded. “I take it you’ve been there?”

  “Once or twice,” he replied. “Do you remember what day of the week he was there?”

  “No. Why?”

  Vince shrugged. “Just wondered if he had a pattern we could use to show up there.”

  “Oh.” She shook her head. “Sorry. I don’t remember the exact day.”

  “It’s all right. How about hobbies? Sports? Art? Charities? Anything he attends regularly.”

  Again, she shook her head. “I honestly don’t know. I mean, I’m sure he has them, I just don’t know what they are.” Which, come to think of it, was odd. Why didn’t she know any of that? “He discussed college football with one of the other doctors once, but I don’t remember what team.”

  A frown creased Vince’s brow.

  “I’m sorry.” She sighed. “For someone interested in the guy, you’d think I’d know more about him. It’s just that he doesn’t really talk about those things at work, and I don’t socialize with him outside of it.”

  His frown remained. “Can I ask you a question?”

  Uh-oh… “S-sure.”

  “Why are you interested in him? Specifically. Why him?”

  It was a simple, easy question. So why was she suddenly at a loss for words? That wouldn’t do. She lifted her chin and gave it some thought. “He’s smart. Compassionate. Funny. Good-looking…a-a-and he makes my heart flutter.” That last part sent heat rushing into her face again. It was too weird discussing another man with a man who fell under the exact same description.

  Vince held her gaze for a moment, then nodded. “Okay. Good enough. Then there’s only one thing to do.”

  There went her heart rocking in her chest again. “What’s that?”

  “I need to see him.”

  She stilled. “See him? What do you mean?”

  “He’s a doctor, isn�
��t he?” Vince lifted a shoulder. “Get me an appointment to see him.”

  Emma raised both brows and blinked. “I…are you sure?”

  “Yes. Of course,” he said. “It’s a no-brainer.”

  And above and beyond.

  “I don’t know what to say.” No one had ever done anything like that for her before. To willingly see a proctologist just to get information for her was more than she’d ever ask of him. “You really don’t need t—”

  “Ah.” He waved a hand at her. “No big deal. This way I can drill the doc while he’s examining me.”

  Emma’s big mistake was sipping her soda. She choked as carbonation shot down the wrong tube. He was too much. She coughed into her napkin. “You and your sense of humor.”

  “What?” He half frowned, half grinned.

  He was messing with her again. Using the word “drill” when he talked about a proctologist exam. The man was too funny.

  “I’m not sure what I did to put that smile on your face, but I like it. You should always smile,” he said, pulling his buzzing phone from his pocket.

  Because she didn’t know how to respond to the compliment, or even if she should, Emma decided to ignore it. She jabbed a thumb toward his phone, instead. “Is that the master beckoning?”

  His lips twitched as he answered the text. “Yeah. The Earl of Happiness is done with therapy early and demands my presence.”

  “I have to get back to work anyway.” She rose with him, and together they emptied their trays, then set them on a stack near the trash can.

  That’s when one of her friends approached. “Hi, Emma.”

  Quick on the uptake, Vince stepped close and slipped an arm around her waist.

  “Oh, hi, Kelly.” She made a hasty introduction, and repeated it several times to various friends before she and Vince finally made it out the door and to the elevator.

  He removed his hand from her waist, only to grab her hand and bring her knuckles to his lips.

  She swallowed past her suddenly dried throat. “W-what’s that for? No one’s here.”

  His warm, firm lips continued to brush her knuckles and steal her breath. “True, but there are several women watching us down the hall.”

  “Ah.” Now she heard the snickers and sighs, and did some sighing of her own once they entered the vacant elevator and the doors closed. Gently tugging her hand free, she moved a few feet away and found the act of breathing much easier. “Well, that should get the gossip mill going. Thanks.”

  He leaned against the far wall, arms folded across his chest. Sexy grin dimpling his face. “My pleasure.”

  Hers, too.

  No. She lifted her chin and exhaled slowly. She could handle it. Her stupid deprived body was just thirsty for the attention. No big deal.

  It would just have to wait for Stephan.

  Then her mom would be happy. She would be happy. Everyone would be freaking happy. Because the alternative wasn’t an option. She wouldn’t even consider it.

  The elevator stopped on her floor.

  “Don’t forget to make that appointment for me,” Vince said, pushing away from the wall to step to her side. “We don’t have a big timeline.”

  She nodded. “I’ll stop by tonight to let you know how I made out.”

  Normally, it was tough to get one on short notice, but she was friends with all the girls in the office. Hopefully there would be a cancellation and they could pencil him in that week.

  “Why don’t you come over for dinner?” His grin was easy and light, nothing suggestive at all about it.

  But still, she shook her head. “Sorry. I’m already doing something with Macy,” she lied and stepped off the elevator.

  He was too nice. Too handsome. Too kind.

  No. Overexposure to the sweet man was dangerous with a capital D. He confused her. Muddled her brain. Her survival sense kicked in. He was prior military, which was a big negatory. She needed to stay the course and keep her distance whenever possible.

  Chapter Six

  The sun was slicing through the blinds in the guest room as Vince got Dom out of bed the next morning. After only a few minutes, he tuned out his brother’s bellyaching about not being able to dress himself and thought instead about Emma.

  The woman confused him.

  Late last night, she’d stopped by just long enough for a glass of iced tea and to tell him about a last-minute cancellation that’d allowed her to get him an appointment first thing this morning. Her gaze had lingered on him, and what appeared to be regret flashed through her eyes.

  What the hell was all that about?

  And then there was yesterday’s lunch. He was still trying to figure out what had happened during that time. They were holding a nice conversation, having a little fun, because, damn, the woman was easy to talk to, and then she touched his arm, and bam…a strange current had surged through his body.

  He’d only ever felt a connection like that once before. Decades ago. A lifetime ago.

  With his soul mate.

  Each other’s firsts, they’d been inseparable all through high school. Everything was planned. She wanted to see the world beyond New Jersey, and was supportive when he’d joined the Army in the spring of their senior year. After basic, scheduled for that summer, he’d planned to propose.

  He never got the chance.

  Connie was everything good in the world—she was his world—until a car accident took her from him.

  Ever since, Vince had closed that part of himself off and never had a deep connection with another woman. Never allowed himself to get that close.

  To feel a similar zapping with Emma threw him off balance. His first instinct was to run. Get as far away from the woman as possible. But he was a Ranger. He didn’t run. Hell, maybe it wasn’t even real. It could’ve just been his stupid mind playing tricks on him because he’d gotten on so well with her.

  He nodded. That had to be it.

  “Good. Then let’s go,” his brother said, bringing his mind back to the present.

  “Go where?”

  Dom frowned. “What the hell do you mean, go where? To Kelley’s for a drink. You just nodded you’d take me.”

  “What? No way.” He shook his head. “First of all, you’re not going to a bar at eight in the morning. And definitely not while taking medication. Second, I never agreed. And third,” he said, waving at the floor, “where the hell is your other sock?”

  “On the bed where you left it,” Dom replied, narrowing his gaze. “I’ve got a better question. Where the hell are your thoughts?”

  Mumbling, he grabbed the sock and carefully put it on his brother’s foot.

  “Did your check in with Leo not go so well last night?” Dom asked. “Is everything okay at the ranch? Because if it’s not—”

  “Everything’s fine,” Vince said, cutting him off. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily. You’ll have to go through a lot more PT—and not skip out on your sessions early—before I’m satisfied enough with your progress to even consider leaving.”

  Dom grumbled as Vince finished helping him get dressed. “Has Leo gotten through to anyone about my friend?”

  “Yes,” he replied. “He called me late last night to tell me he finally got word to his contact.”

  His brother blew out a breath. “So now we wait.”

  “Yeah. He’ll call the minute he hears anything.” He watched Dom grip the dresser and slowly pull himself to his feet.

  Knowing better than to try and help, Vince stood back, ready to assist if necessary. The macho idiot preferred to do it himself, claiming it gave his muscles a workout, but Vince knew it was just Dom being pigheaded. With pain erasing the color from his brother’s face, it was obvious the muscle relaxant remained in the bottle that morning.

  “So much for keeping your word to Emma.” He shook his head.

  Dom frowned. “What are you talking about?”

  “You take your muscle relaxant, and I pretend to casually date Emma for a f
ew weeks,” he reminded. “Since it’s as obvious as the pain on your face that you didn’t take any today, does that mean I don’t have to date Emma?”

  A muffled oath mixed with a grunt as Dom lumbered near to stare him straight in the eye. “I won’t take that poison more than once a day and prefer to take it after PT. So, no, asshole, you still have to play Emma’s boy toy.” His smug expression turned pensive, and he cocked his head. “Why? I thought you two got on well together.”

  “We do.” Too well, he thought, motioning for his brother to move out of the room, but the idiot didn’t budge. “I just wanted an answer about the medication.”

  Mostly true. Vince did want to know that, but also wasn’t opposed to having a reason to back out; although, in truth, he wouldn’t. Not after giving Emma his word. He’d never leave her in the lurch.

  Dom set a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Sorry. Deal still stands. Just promise me you won’t hurt her. Emma’s a gem.”

  He frowned. “Of course I’m not going to hurt her. I think you know me better than that.”

  Expelling a breath, Dom released him and shook his head. “Look, I know you don’t go around hurting women. It’s just that Emma is like a kid sister to me, and I don’t want to see her upset.”

  “She’ll be fine.”

  “And I’m not blind,” Dom said. “I know she’s beautiful, so just promise me you won’t get carried away and sleep with her.”

  He reeled back. “Jesus, Dom. I’m not really dating her, so there will be no need for me to be anywhere near her bedroom.” He rubbed his suddenly throbbing temple. “Besides, for me to be able to hurt her, she’d have to have feelings for me, and we both know all her feelings are tied up with Stephan.”

  Dom nodded. “Fair enough. And despite what you think, I don’t want to see you get hurt, either.”

  His brows shot up. First his brother throws him under the bus, then in the next breath, he was worried about him. Vince held back a snort. Typical Dom. Never predictable. “Again, it’s fake. We’re just friends. And it’s only a little more than two weeks.”

  Dom hesitated. “So, what are your plans to help her today?”

  “I had her get me an appointment with the guy,” he said. “This way I can extract information from her doctor without stalking.”