by Gina Wilkins
She glanced at the tables again before answering him. “I don’t see anything particularly filling here, but I can recommend the strawberries. The one I had was delicious.”
He reached past her to pluck one of the chocolate-dipped berries from a serving platter. His arm almost, but not quite, brushed against her with the movement. Close enough to make her pulse trip a bit, in a very pleasant way. She couldn’t help watching as he took a bite of the fruit, and she found herself moistening her own lips with the tip of her tongue.
Goodness, but this was one fine-looking man.
“You’re right,” he told her, his voice low and intimate, as if they were the only ones present in this crowded room. “This is good. Want a bite?”
The blatant entendre earned him a look of reprimand, and then a smile she made no effort to repress. “Thanks, but I’ve already had one.”
“A woman of great willpower, I see.”
Cecilia gave him a look from beneath her eyelashes. “When I choose to be.”
His left eyebrow rose. “So…”
“Geoff. Hey, Geoff, good to see you.” A balding man whose suit hung loosely on his bony physique peered over the tops of half glasses as he spoke, seemingly unaware of Cecilia’s presence.
Recognizing the newcomer as a prominent local business owner, and guessing Geoff was there specifically to mingle with potential investors in Mari’s planned biomedical research center, Cecilia tactfully slipped away. She was still smiling when she joined a group of her co-workers in another corner of the room.
“Was that Geoff Bingham you were flirting with over there?” Vanessa Harris, a registered nurse, instructor, and Cecilia’s closest friend in the clinic, asked.
“Unless you know some other rich, movie-star-gorgeous guy that might have made an appearance here today,” Cecilia quipped in return.
“Well, did you slip him your phone number?”
“Gee, I would have, but you know my policy. I never date men who are prettier than I am.”
Vanessa laughed, and, after a moment, Cecilia joined in. As much as she had dreaded this reception, it was surprisingly enjoyable. Amazing what a few minutes of flirting with a handsome man and laughing with a friend could do to turn around a trying day.
“Have you met the new PR director yet?” Vanessa asked in a low voice.
Cecilia stopped casting what she hoped were discreet looks toward the man still standing near the food tables and turned back to her friend. “No. Have you?”
Vanessa’s nod made her trademark large hoop earrings sway against her cheeks. “This afternoon.”
Tall and lushly rounded, Vanessa was a striking woman who would stand out in any crowd, even if it weren’t for her penchant for brightly colored clothing. She wore her black hair cropped close to her head. Her nearly black eyes glittered with a sharp wit and avid interest in her surroundings, and her flawless, chocolate-toned skin was taut and smooth. Having noted the faintest hint of developing laugh lines around her own brown eyes and full mouth, Cecilia could only hope she would look as good when she was forty-five.
Vanessa’s attractiveness wasn’t all Cecilia envied. Her friend was also the mother of four delightful children—two boys and twin girls, all under twelve. Vanessa was even lucky enough to have found one of those rare men who was deeply committed to his family and would probably stay with them through thick and thin, unlike so many of the men Cecilia had encountered.
“What did you think of Lillith Cunningham?” she asked, trying to put her growing obsession with children and motherhood out of her mind for the remainder of the evening—or at least until she got home.
“She’s interesting,” Vanessa replied. “Kind of artsy looking, you know? Flowing clothes in bright colors, jingling jewelry. No doubt she comes from money, but she’s got a nice smile, so maybe the wealth hasn’t gone to her head.”
“Mari wouldn’t hire a snob to promote the clinic,” Cecilia said, confident that she was right. Dr. Mari Bingham certainly fit the description of a woman who had been raised in wealth and privilege, but she still knew how to work hard and mingle comfortably with people of all circumstances. Anyone who wanted to adequately represent the Foster Midwifery Clinic, with its huge diversity of patients and associates, would have to possess the same qualities.
“You’re probably right. Mari’s a good judge of character—most of the time,” Vanessa added in a mutter.
Their conversation was interrupted when Milla Johnson, a young midwifery student, greeted them quietly. Pretty and competent, Milla was one of the shining stars of the midwifery school, and Cecilia had grown quite fond of her. She couldn’t help noticing that Milla looked a bit tired this evening, despite what appeared to be a fresh application of blusher and lipstick.
Milla was definitely showing the effects of the strain of her demanding job, in addition to the worry of a malpractice lawsuit that Cecilia considered little more than an unfair nuisance by a couple determined to blame their own shortcomings on someone else. Milla, in this case.
“Have you had anything to eat lately?” she asked the younger woman in rather maternal concern. “You look a little pale.”
“I’m fine,” Milla replied, trying to smile. “It’s just been a long day.”
“Tell me about it,” Cecilia agreed with a crooked grin, pressing a hand to her back to indicate her own weariness. “We’re well into a Merlyn County baby boom, aren’t we?”
Milla chuckled wearily. “I think the population of Binghamton almost doubled in the past week alone.”
“We’ve sure got a boatload of Binghams represented here tonight,” Vanessa murmured in a bit of a non sequitur as she surveyed the crowded room. “There’s dear Miss Myrtle and Mr. Ron. And Mari and Geoff. You know this event’s a big deal if they brought him home for it. Then there’s Hannah, of course, I suppose she counts as a Bingham. Don’t she and your brother look happy, Cecilia?”
Cecilia smiled mistily across the room to where her handsome and utterly adored younger brother, Eric, stood attentively next to a lovely, and very pregnant, Hannah. The couple were so visibly in love—and so excited about the child they would soon welcome into their lives.
Eric was another exception to Cecilia’s general theory that most men weren’t interested in long-term family obligations. There was no question in her mind that Eric’s commitment to Hannah and her baby would last a lifetime.
And as happy as she was for her brother, she couldn’t help envying…
“Oops. Almost missed a Bingham,” Vanessa added cheerily. “Dr. Kyle is posed broodingly on the other side of the atrium, looking like he stepped off a GQ cover. He is one fine-looking young man, isn’t he?”
Cecilia’s smile deepened. “If you happen to appreciate blond hair, blue eyes, a pretty face and a perfect body. And who doesn’t, right, Milla?”
Her formerly pale face now bright pink, Milla murmured an answer, then made an excuse to move away. Something about seeing someone she needed to speak to.
With a slight frown, Cecilia watched Milla hurry away. Like others who worked closely with them, she hadn’t missed the sparks between the young nurse and Dr. Kyle Bingham. But something other than a possibly complicated attraction seemed to be haunting Milla, and, worrier that she was, it concerned her. “Does it seem to you that Milla’s been acting oddly lately, Van?”
“Who wouldn’t be, with that stupid lawsuit hanging over her? But she’ll be okay, don’t you worry. Mari and the legal staff will take good care of her.”
“I’m sure you’re right.” Telling herself to let the experts worry about Milla’s problems, Cecilia glanced discreetly at her functional, easily readable stainless steel watch. “Wonder how soon before we can make an escape? I’m ready to get home and crash.”
“I’ll try not to take that as a comment on my sparkling companionship.”
Smiling, Cecilia shook her head. “Like Milla, I’m just tired. It really has been a long day.”
“I’m about ready to h
ead home, myself. George is supposed to have the kids fed and homework supervised, but you know how it goes. I’ll probably have to check to make sure it all got done. And I want to read Damien his bedtime story tonight.”
Vanessa couldn’t have known, of course, that her lighthearted words would go straight to Cecilia’s heart. Though Vanessa knew Cecilia wanted children of her own, she had no idea just how strong that longing had become.
It was with some relief that Cecilia was able to change the subject of the conversation. “I think someone wants to speak to you,” she said, nodding toward a young nursing student who was trying to get Vanessa’s attention. “Looks like a lively discussion is going on over there.”
Vanessa sighed. “I’m sure there is. That group is always getting into a debate about something—and I always seem to get called in as referee.”
“Mama Vanessa,” Cecilia teased. “Go take care of your chicks. I’m going to try to score another chocolate-dipped strawberry.”
“Okay. Catch you later.” Vanessa moved to the group of nursing students and was soon engaged in an animated conversation with them.
Cecilia worked her way slowly across the crowded atrium, pausing several times to chat with co-workers. She made sure she spoke to enough people to leave no doubt that she had attended the gathering—standard office politics. On the other side of the room, her brother and his fiancée were surrounded by well-wishers. She managed to swap smiles and waves with them, but she made no effort to join them. As a rising young executive in the Bingham corporation, Eric had his own politics to practice this evening.
And, speaking of Binghams…
She smiled when Geoff stepped in front of her again. “Still looking for a cheeseburger, Mr. Bingham?”
He chuckled. “Actually, I’m hungry enough now for a thick slab of steak and a huge baked potato. These little finger foods aren’t going to hold me any longer.”
“I know what you mean. I haven’t had time to eat since breakfast this morning.”
“So, how about it? Want to go find a steak?”
She blinked. “Um…now?”
“Of course. We’re both hungry. We’ve dutifully made our appearances at this official reception thing, and there’s no reason for either of us to stay any longer. So, if you have no plans for the remainder of the evening, I would be honored if you would join me for dinner.”
She could hardly believe that Geoff Bingham was impulsively asking her out within a few minutes of meeting her. Heck, she couldn’t even say they had met, officially. She was quite sure she hadn’t even told him her name. “We haven’t even been introduced.”
His grin deepened, pushing intriguing creases into his lean cheeks. “We haven’t, have we? Of course you already know I’m Geoff Bingham, and I know you’re Eric Mendoza’s sister, Cecilia. You’re a valuable member of the midwifery team here and highly respected by everyone who mentions you. I’d like to get a chance to know you myself.”
So he did know who she was. Maybe, she decided, he just didn’t like eating alone. Maybe he was using her as an excuse to get out of this reception—being the gentleman by feeding a hungry guest, being a good executive by getting to know one of the subordinates in the organization, getting better acquainted with the sister of the man who was marrying one of his cousins. All sorts of rationales could apply. The question was, did she want to accept?
Rather surprisingly, considering her earlier weariness and eagerness to get home, the answer was yes.
Maybe she was simply trying to postpone going home alone—again—to contemplate her life and her future. Maybe watching Eric and Hannah from across the room made her aware again of her own depressing lack of a social life, if she discounted a few disastrous blind dates—which she did. Or maybe she simply liked the idea of spending a couple of hours with an attractive, charming and interesting man.
Deciding she had no reason at all to turn him down, she smiled. “Would you mind if I order chicken instead of steak?”
Satisfaction gleamed in his clear hazel eyes. “That can definitely be arranged.”
Chapter Two
If he had known when he’d dressed for the evening that he would end up dining with a beautiful brunette, he wouldn’t have been so reluctant to attend the reception, Geoff mused as he studied Cecilia Mendoza across a cozy table a short time later. Melinda’s was busy this evening, as it was most weekends, but a combination of clever table arrangement and discreet lighting gave them a sense of privacy as they studied the menus by candlelight.
At Cecilia’s suggestion, they had left the reception separately, driving their own cars to the restaurant. He had assumed the suggestion was based at least partly on discretion, since the gossip lines in the clinic were as active as in any tight-knit work environment. He had to admit it had been clever of her.
Geoff had had the foresight to call ahead as he’d left the hospital so that a table had been waiting for them, avoiding the usual lengthy wait for seating. He didn’t often wield his influence as a member of one of the wealthiest and most prominent local families, but this had been one of the rare occasions when it had been irresistible to do so. If Cecilia had been impressed, she hadn’t let it show, which was something else he liked about her.
“I think I’ll have the trout,” she said, laying her menu aside.
“Change your mind about the chicken?”
Her smile brought out tiny dimples at the corners of her mouth. Geoff couldn’t keep from staring at them as she replied, “Actually, everything looks so good it’s hard to decide. It’s been quite a while since I’ve had the chance to dine here.”
He dragged his gaze back up to her eyes. “Then I’m glad you were free to join me tonight.”
Located in an old firehouse, Melinda’s was a steak and seafood restaurant with a menu and a wine list that compared favorably to anything in the state, as far as Geoff was concerned. He liked the history of the place, the redbrick walls decorated with framed black-and-white vintage photographs from Merlyn County’s colorful past, the polished brass pole left over from the old fire station, the huge carved oak bar that made up the entire back wall of the popular lounge downstairs.
Geoff’s family had always come here for special occasions, such as birthdays and anniversaries, and the management had always given them preferential treatment. During the past few years, he had dined in some of the most renowned restaurants in the world, but Melinda’s would always feel like home to him.
Having placed their orders with the server who had been hovering discreetly nearby, Geoff focused on his companion again. “I’m told the clinic has been very busy lately.”
Her smile turned wry. “You’re told correctly. We’ve decided there’s a major baby boom going on in Merlyn County. And there’s more and more demand for midwifery services, partially due to the shortage of obstetricians in the county.”
“How are the new students performing? Is the school doing its job properly?”
“Absolutely. I would put our school up against any in the country.”
Pleased by her unmistakable loyalty to the company, Geoff nodded. “Enough about business—let’s talk about you.”
She gave him a look that warned him she wouldn’t fall easily for the usual trite lines, but he hadn’t really been feeding her one. He was interested in finding out about her. Something about the contrast between her politely restrained manner and her sexy flame-red dress intrigued him as much as her lovely face and curvy figure attracted him.
It had been much too long since he’d had time to spend an evening with an intriguing woman, he concluded. He had been so busy being the dutiful son and employee during the past ten years that he had almost forgotten how to be spontaneous and impulsive. He had tried so hard to be like his hardworking and upstanding father and not like his wild and irresponsible uncle that he had almost forgotten how to be himself. He had begun to suspect that there was a little of both his father and his uncle inside him.
It was the latter side t
hat he called upon when he leaned slightly forward and gave Cecilia his most winning smile. “What do you like to do when you’re not delivering babies?”
“I’m an avid reader and gardener. I enjoy hiking and bird-watching in the mountains.”
“How do you feel about football?”
She lifted her wineglass to her lips and studied him over the rim. “I am positively passionate about football. Especially when it comes to University of Kentucky football.”
His interest went up a couple more notches. “A woman after my own heart.”
“I’m not after anyone’s heart, Mr. Bingham,” she said, setting her glass on the table. “Hearts are very high-maintenance organs, and I barely have time to take care of myself.”
He laughed. Now that was a sentiment he could agree with. With each passing moment he was becoming more pleased that he had followed his impulses and asked Cecilia Mendoza to join him for dinner.
Cecilia had always believed that the nicest pleasures were unexpected ones. Dining with Geoff Bingham definitely fell into that category. He was very good company—articulate, funny, attentive when she spoke. All skills picked up during the course of his job, she was sure, making him an ideal companion for a leisurely meal.
She couldn’t help chuckling as she compared this outing to the last time she had gone out on a dinner date. At Vanessa’s urging, she had reluctantly agreed to a blind date set up over the Internet. After all, there were so few available men Cecilia’s age in this area, and with her long hours at the clinic, she didn’t have many opportunities to meet other singles.
The date had been a dismal failure, a total waste of time on both sides. He hadn’t been at all interested in hearing about her work—just the opposite, actually, since he freely admitted that the idea of childbirth “grossed him out.” And his description of midnight frog gigging—his favorite sport, apparently—had done the same for her.
