One Night with the Army Doc

by Traci Douglass

  “Not so much now, but at first he had several cups a day.”

  Molly faced Jake again, her smile dazzling. “That’s it. This works by opening the lungs and increasing blood flow. If Bobby ingested this tea and then received an injection of epinephrine in the ER—”

  “It explains his cardiac arrest.” Awe and adrenaline rushed Jake’s system. “We can take the heart issues out of the equation.”

  “Yes.” Molly’s gaze narrowed. “And all the rest of his symptoms point to a long-term severe allergic reaction. Which was the original diagnosis.”

  “Cut!” Neal said, shutting off the mic. “Perfect, Mol. Nice delivery.”

  Jake shoved his hands in his pockets. He’d forgotten all about her film crew. Molly did that to him—made him forget about everything but her whenever she was around.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure they edit you out,” she said, her eyes never leaving his. “And I’ll text you. With the details of the whale cruise?”

  “Great.” Jake backed away, feeling oddly reluctant to leave.

  Molly bit her lower lip. “Goodnight.”

  “’Night.” As he walked away, Jake couldn’t remember ever craving a day off more.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  BRIGHT AND EARLY Tuesday morning, Molly bounced on the balls of her feet outside the local superstore, waiting to board the bus that would take her and Jake to the Kenai Fjords National Park and their day of whale-watching.

  “All right, folks,” the driver said from near the door. “Everyone have your vouchers handy and watch your step. Thank you.”

  The small crowd of about thirty people shuffled forward. Most of them looked to be retirees, though there were a few younger couples with kids and a small quadrant of teens.

  “Are you going to be warm enough?” Jake asked, eyeing her new candy-pink outerwear.

  The man at the sporting goods store had sworn the high-tech fabric was guaranteed to fifty below zero. She figured the coat, plus her new hat and gloves, would be enough to ward off the chill of any passing glaciers.

  Molly gave Jake a quick once-over as they neared the front of the line. He was decked out in sturdy hiking boots and thick plaid shirts doubled up over a taupe thermal Henley. He’d topped it all off with a brown canvas jacket and a black knit skull cap that made him look as if he’d walked straight off the set of Deadliest Catch. Despite his bundled-up appearance, he was still distractingly gorgeous.

  “I’ll be fine.”

  Molly handed her excursion ticket to the driver, then climbed up the steps into the bus. Jake followed close behind, once again placing his hand on her lower back to guide her toward a pair of open seats. Even through the extra layers his touch sent sizzles of awareness through her blood.

  “This work for you?” He pulled off his hat and shoved it in his pocket, then ran his hand through his disheveled brown curls.

  Molly swallowed hard and looked away. They weren’t even out of the parking lot and all she could think about was sliding her hands beneath those thick flannel shirts. “Yes, this is fine.”

  They sidled into their row and Jake raised the armrest in the middle to give them more room. Comfy as the seats were, Molly couldn’t help brushing against him each time she moved, ratcheting her pulse higher as the driver pulled out of the parking lot and their trip got underway.

  Exhaling, she focused out the window and struggled to get a grip. Bad enough she’d spent most of the night tossing and turning. After the way things had ended with Brian, Molly didn’t want to make the same mistakes with Jake. Nor did she want to go overboard yet, even though she was passionately drawn to him.

  “Welcome to Wild Frontier Whale-Watching Excursions,” their driver said over the PA system. “We’ll be out of Anchorage proper in a few minutes, folks, so settle in and prepare to see the most gorgeous scenery on earth. Have your cameras ready and have a wonderful day!”

  “This is probably old hat for you, huh?” Molly said, glancing over at Jake.

  “No, actually.” He shrugged. “Workaholic, remember? I don’t get out here often.”

  “Right.” She watched the urban landscape change to thick green forest. “I was afraid you’d be bored.”

  “I’m lots of things when I’m with you, Molly, but bored isn’t one of them.”

  His words ignited a fresh burst of excitement inside her.

  As they rode along Molly snapped photos of the passing scenery while Jake read the copy of the latest emergency medicine journal he’d brought. About an hour into their trip a tour helper came around with complimentary cups of coffee and pre-packaged pastries.

  “I’ll pay you back for this,” Jake said, unwrapping and devouring half his blueberry muffin in one bite.

  “No need.” Molly carefully removed her lemon Danish from the cellophane, then unfolded her paper napkin. “Breakfast is included.”

  “No, I mean the tour.” He eyed her neatly prepared area with amusement. “You’re tidy too, huh?”

  “Is that a problem?”

  “No, not a problem.”

  He gave her a slow appraisal, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes, now curled up inside her hiking boots. His gaze held an answering flicker of heat to match the growing inferno inside her. Her whole body seemed to tremble after his frank perusal.

  “But these tours are expensive. I’ll pay you back for my share, Molly.”

  “How about we call this payback for all my nonstop apologies last night?”

  Light broke through the hazy clouds gathered near the mountaintops and streamed through the spruce trees, highlighting more of the glorious late fall landscape. Rich scarlets and golds and deep, dark greens hugged the roadway.

  Jake chuckled. “Yeah, okay. We can do that.”

  Molly hazarded another glance at him. “I’m just glad I got you out of the hospital.”

  “And I’m glad I got you away from your crew for a couple of hours.”

  “It’s nice to have a break.”

  “It’s been so long I’ve forgotten what it’s like to just relax and enjoy a day off.” He gave her a sad little half-smile, his tone holding regret mixed with a hint of guilt. “After Kellie left I threw myself into my career, made a lot of sacrifices to get where I am today. Sometimes I wonder if they were worth it—wonder if I’m in control of my career or if it’s controlling me.”

  Without thinking, Molly took his hand. “I think about those things too. Especially when I see people my age getting married and having kids. My sister’s pregnancy hasn’t helped. Not that I’m not happy for Martha. I am. I just...” She sighed. “I always wanted children someday.”

  “Me too.” Jake stared down at their entwined fingers. “But we’ve got plenty of time.”

  “My mother’s fond of reminding how fertility drops off after age thirty.”

  “I just don’t get your family.” He frowned. “Both my parents are off traveling the US in their Winnebago, but they’re always my biggest supporters. Through school, the military, the end of my engagement to Kellie—everything. Your family doesn’t seem to be there for you at all.”

  “Like I said, I’m the oddball. I don’t think they have a clue how to support me, so they just pretend I’m not there.” Molly ate the last of her pastry. This was stepping into unknown territory. Brian had never liked to discuss anything unpleasant. “Tell me about your ex-fiancée.”

  “Kellie and I had known each other since high school. She was a cheerleader and I was on the football team, but we didn’t start dating until freshman year of college. She was always volunteering for stuff...trying to get everyone to like her. I pictured us having a white picket fence kind of future.”

  “Sounds perfect.” Molly’s heart pinched.

  “Obviously not perfect enough.” Jake stretched his long legs out in front of him. “Considering she chose
her career over me.”

  The driver’s voice crackled over the PA system again. “Folks, if you look toward the right side of the bus you’ll see some of the mudflats that make up the Turnagain Pass shoreline.”

  Molly took a couple more shots while Jake rested his head back against his seat and closed his eyes. She watched him through her lashes, hesitant. Talking about her abysmal break-up with Brian wasn’t her favorite topic, but he’d shared about his ex, so it seemed only fair.

  “I was seeing someone back in Chicago. His name was Brian.”

  Jake peeked one eye open and glanced at her, but didn’t say anything.

  “He was a stockbroker. Smart, educated, looked good on paper. In reality...? Not so much. At least not for me.” Molly stared out at Cook Inlet. “Guess I wasn’t the person he expected me to be. Story of my life.” Her eyes stung again. “He broke up with me. By text message.” She shook her head. “How pathetic does that make me?”

  Jake gave her fingers a reassuring squeeze. “He’s the pathetic one—not you.”

  “My family might say otherwise.”

  “The more I learn about your family, the more I’m starting to believe they’re a bunch of idiots.”

  The conviction in his tone, coupled with the spark of understanding in his eyes, had Molly wanting to melt into a puddle of goo at his feet.

  Jake smiled. “You’re just...different.”

  “And if that isn’t a nice way of saying weird, I don’t know what is.”

  “Hey, I happen to like weird.”

  “You do?”

  “Yeah...” He tugged her closer. “I do.”

  Molly snuggled into Jake’s side and he slipped his arm around her shoulders, guiding her head down to rest on his chest. She did her best not to swoon while he stroked her hair.

  “Tell me more about what it was like for you growing up,” he said, his voice rumbling comfortingly beneath her ear.

  “Being gifted isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.” Molly started to pull away, but Jake held her in place until she relaxed once more. “My parents meant well, I suppose—always pushing, always demanding more, always criticizing—but I felt incredible pressure to achieve, to earn their love and respect. In a lot of ways I still do.” She swallowed hard. “Sounds silly.”

  “Not silly at all. Justified.” Jake massaged the nape of her neck, his voice both firm and protective. “Like I said, Molly. You deserved better. You deserve better now.”

  Hearing him defend her so ardently rekindled that deep yearning inside her. Maybe getting closer to him, if only for a little while, wasn’t such an impossibility after all. “Okay...”

  “Okay.” He leaned past her to point toward the window. “Look. Sea lions.”

  Resisting the urge to close the tiny gap between them and kiss his cheek, Molly gazed out at the colony basking in the sun on the mudflats. “Cute!”

  “Yeah. Adorable...”

  Except Jake was looking at her, not the view.

  * * *

  “Welcome aboard the scenic wildlife cruise portion of your trip through the Kenai Fjords. My name’s Captain Fred and this is my assistant Joe. We’ll be here to point out interesting sights and to answer any questions you may have. Enjoy your day!”

  The gruff-looking older man headed back into the ship’s cabin to steer them out into the open waters.

  Jake leaned against the rail beside Molly, feeling lighter than he had in years. He didn’t share his past with many people, but with her it had felt right. He gripped the railing, his hands itching to touch her, stroke her, gather her close and hold her tight.

  He stared out at the placid blue water, releasing the stress of the past few days. He’d had precious little respect for Roger Flynn before that dinner party, and after hearing Molly talk about her painful childhood he liked the guy even less. Her father might be brilliant in his chosen field, but his life outside of trauma surgery left a lot to be desired.

  The irony wasn’t lost on Jake.

  If he wasn’t careful he could end up heading down that same lonely path.

  Several tourists nearby gasped as two dorsal fins slipped through the water about two hundred feet away—orcas, most likely. Jake pointed them out to Molly, but he much preferred to look at her. The wind had flushed her cheeks a delightful shade of pink. Her lips were parted. He wondered what would happen if he leaned in and kissed her again. Would she want more or push him away?

  Jake cleared his throat and battled the erotic images flooding his mind, croaking out the first dumb thing that popped into his head. “Whales.”

  “Yes. Whales.” Molly stared at the giant creatures as if in a daze, her voice drenched in awe. “Sea lions, puffins, Dall’s porpoises, American black bear, snowshoe hares—and mountain goats too. They’re all native species to this area.”

  “Thanks for another zoology lesson, Bolt.”

  She gave him a side-glance at his sarcastic tone and he grinned.

  “Kidding. It’s pretty here.”

  “It’s beautiful.”

  Molly closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. All Jake could think of at that moment was her beneath him, arching, panting, crying out as she came undone in his arms.

  “Almost makes me sad to leave.”

  Her words stirred something inside him. Deep down, his instincts told him he could find happiness with her and urged him to take a chance. Told him that despite their differences, and all the reasons why they shouldn’t be together, things between them felt sort of...perfect.

  “I’m sure Chicago’s nice.”

  He gazed into the distance as Captain Fred moved them into the larger fjords. A noisy flock of squawking seagulls filled the air and the crisp scent of sea water stung his nose. Hazy clouds had blown in with the stiff breeze off the glaciers, frosty and bleak.

  Jake hunkered down in his jacket and shoved his hands into his pockets. “There’s got to be more things to do in the big city than what we have here.”

  “Oh, it’s fine. If you like those sorts of things.”

  “And you don’t?”

  “I like the museums and the theaters, and walking down by the lakeshore in the summer. But I’m not really much of a party girl.”

  “No?” he said, his tone dripping with mock horror.

  “Yes.” Her lilting giggle shivered through him like chimes. “I know it’s hard to believe.”

  “What do you do on all those long Chicago nights, then?” He shouldn’t have asked, but he couldn’t seem to help himself. “Besides curing the incurable.”

  “I read. A lot. And I work.”

  “Sounds like a rollercoaster of thrills.”

  She chuckled. “You’re one to talk.”

  The wind whipped her pale hair around her face beneath that impractical flouncy hat. No way Molly wasn’t cold in that jacket, no matter how much it had cost her—which was too much, based on the fancy designer logo stitched on the front. Besides, Jake could think of much better ways to keep her warm—like with his arms, his body, his mouth and hands.

  “From what I’ve heard, all you do is hang around the hospital and pick up extra shifts,” Molly said. “You even admitted on the bus you’re a shameless workaholic.”

  “Hmm...” Jake looked at her again. She was lovely. Lovely and infinitely touchable.

  Her smile widened as weak sunlight filtered through the overcast skies. “Thanks for sharing about your past.”

  “Thanks for listening.”

  Jake jammed the toe of his hiking boot against the deck of the ship. Now wasn’t the time to let his libido take charge. They were just getting familiar with each other, exploring this connection between them, figuring out if they wanted to take things further, deeper. He found himself trusting her more and more each day.

  “And thanks for talking about your childhood with me.”


  “You’re welcome.”

  “Your secrets are safe with me, Bolt.”

  “As are yours with me. My lips are sealed.”

  She made a little twisting motion with her fingers in front of her mouth, like turning a key then tossing it away, and his stubborn thoughts zoomed right back to other things she might do with those fingers, with that mouth...

  “Ladies and gentlemen, in the distance you’ll see a group of humpback whales bubble-netting,” Captain Fred announced.

  Jake moved in beside Molly again, his arm resting comfortably against hers.

  “Bubble-netting is a cooperative effort by a pod of whales. They work together to encircle prey fish such as herring into a ball with bubbles. Then they swim up through it and trap the fish in their mouths, expelling the sea water as they breach the surface.”

  On cue, two of the humongous whales arched over the surface of the inlet and spouted enormous plumes of water high into the air. The mist drifted on the breeze to drizzle down on the passengers.

  Molly gasped along with the rest of the tourists, then clapped with delight, snapping photos with her phone before pointing excitedly. “Did you see that?”

  “I did.”

  But Jake was having as much fun watching Molly’s reactions as he was the whales. In fact if there hadn’t been so many people around he would’ve revisited that passionate kiss they’d shared in the gym, maybe taken things a bit farther—removed that ridiculous hat and plunged his hands into her hair, slipping his fingers beneath her coat and...

  “How about I take a picture of the two of you together?” asked Joe, the captain’s assistant.

  “Uh...” Jake looked over at Molly, who nodded. “Okay. Sure.”

  “Great.” Joe motioned for them to move closer. “Put your arm around her waist.”

  Jake did as he was instructed, pulling Molly into his side as she slipped her hand beneath his coat to hook her finger through the belt loops on his jeans. His whole nervous system jolted from her touch.