She was no blushing virgin—she and Brian had lived together, after all—but the difference between him and Jake was like sun and shadow. Brian had never been one to take the lead—or to take his time. Jake had no problem being an alpha male—in the sack or out. And yet he’d taken all the time in the world to make Molly feel exquisite. The things they’d done to each other had been hot and sexy and...well...sweet.
Memories of him came: his dark curls sweaty and his cheeks flushed, his muscles shaking from tension and release as he collapsed beside her and murmured endearments into her hair. Her insides fluttered just from thinking about it.
Then her phone buzzed from the nightstand and her bubble of sublime happiness burst.
Yesterday, out in the wilderness, it had been easy to forget about reality. But now the world seemed determined to crash in at every turn, chipping away at the tiny utopia they’d created.
Molly rubbed her eyes and groaned. Coffee. She needed liquid energy before she could face the world again.
Carefully she slipped out from between the sheets and used the bathroom before tugging on her clothes and then fumbling her way down the unfamiliar hall. There were only a few hints of the coming dawn in the sky, so it must still be super-early. She stumbled into his kitchen and clicked on the lights, squinting into the brightness as she searched for the necessary supplies to make a pot.
Once finished, Molly tiptoed back into the bedroom to grab her phone and charger, then returned to the kitchen, where she scrolled through what appeared to be a gazillion messages from her crew, asking her to call in immediately. Man, a girl takes one day off and everything goes nuts.
After a resigned sigh, Molly dialed Rob’s number. “Hey, it’s me.”
“Have you seen the announcement?” her cameraman asked, his voice a tad panicked.
“What announcement?”
“Promise me you won’t look until you get here.”
“Seriously?” Molly sighed heavily, leaning her hip against the island and tapping her stockinged toes against the chilly hardwood floor. “Is Neal there?”
“He can’t come to the phone.”
“Why not?”
“He’s on a conference call with Les Montgomery and—”
“The head of the MedStar Network?” Molly straightened, her pulse kicking a notch higher. “About what?”
“Hang on.” Murmured voices echoed through the line before Rob returned. “Just get to the hospital as fast as you can—okay?”
He hung up before she could respond.
Crap.
Molly walked into the living room to tug on her boots and clicked on the lights there too. Rob tended to be a bit of a drama queen when it came to network gossip, so she wasn’t going to freak out quite yet about his urgent request for her to get to Anchorage Mercy stat, but she did want to return soon anyway, to check on Bobby.
After tugging on her footwear, she spotted a group of photos on one wall, near the windows. The first showed a young Jake—maybe four or five—with a man and woman she guessed were his parents. The man had the same dark hair and gray eyes and the woman shared her son’s devilish grin.
Next was the same group shot, but all of them were older, in front of a large RV. This time Jake held a gorgeous brunette in his arms. From the besotted expression on his face and the way his lips were pressed to the girl’s cheek, Molly guessed this had to be the infamous Kellie.
The third picture showed Jake again, handsome and serious in his dress uniform. And was that the President, pinning a gold medal on his chest? He’d briefly mentioned receiving an award for his service in the Army but nothing like this.
Molly moved on to the last photo. This one had to be his beloved regiment—a group of about twenty men and women. Jake and Bobby were near the middle of the back row, easily the tallest guys in the group. Jake’s eyes sparkled with mischief and one side of his mouth was curved in that sweet smile she was quickly coming to know.
To know and love...
Pulse thudding, Molly raised a shaky hand to her face. She liked Jake—much more than was probably wise. They were compatible in many ways, but had she fallen for him?
The sound of footsteps echoed behind her and she turned to find Jake leaning against the doorframe. His broad chest was distractingly bare above a pair of worn sweatpants that hinted at far more than they concealed.
“What’s going on?” he asked, his voice sleepy and deliciously rough.
Her phone buzzed again and Molly squinted down at a text from Neal.
Get in here. Now.
Right. Work. She thumbed in a quick response.
On my way.
“Is it Bobby?” Jake moved closer, rubbing his eyes before glancing down at her screen.
“No. My crew. Something’s going on with the network.” Molly shut the device off, doing her best not to stare at Jake’s amazing torso on full display. At the muscles she’d love to stroke and kiss and nuzzle all over again.
Get your head back in the game, Flynn.
She exhaled and looked away. “I need to get back to the hospital.”
“That’s too bad,” Jake said. “I was hoping we could spend time together this morning.”
Me too...
A “ding” issued from the coffeemaker and the rich smell of fresh-brewed coffee filled the air. They walked into the kitchen and Jake poured them each a large mug. Toes curled and eyes lowered, Molly sipped her brew and struggled to express how much last night had meant.
With Brian, she’d always gone to work early, maybe leaving a small note on the nightstand, asking him to pick something up for dinner. Quick exits made for fewer awkward conversations about things neither of them wanted to discuss.
But with Jake Molly wanted to talk about all sorts of things—birthdays, favorite colors, favorite foods, if he rooted for the Cubs or the White Sox. Go Cubbies. With Jake she cared—much more than she was ready to admit. Of course it didn’t help when he stood there, rumpled and perfect and nice and naughty all rolled into one.
Jake watched her over the rim of his coffee cup, his gaze far too perceptive.
Beneath his scrutiny Molly’s analytical mind kicked in again, blaring with all too familiar warning bells.
Slow down, step back, assess and strategize.
While her heart demanded the opposite.
Cuddle. Snuggle. Ravish. Repeat.
Flustered, Molly set her half-finished coffee on the counter and inched toward the hallway. “I...um...should get going.”
Not the most eloquent parting words, but considering the war going on inside her she’d been lucky to say anything coherent.
“Right.” Jake put his mug aside as well, following her. “About last night...”
Uh-oh. That statement was never good.
Molly held her breath, not sure she’d survive if Jake said what she feared he might say—that what they’d shared had been a mistake instead of the best, most emotionally moving experience of her life.
The realization of her true feelings for Jake sent shockwaves through Molly’s system. She’d promised to stay safe, stay unattached, stay un-entangled, and here she was in—
Nope. Not saying that word.
Nope. Nope. Nope.
But her rebel thoughts refused to cooperate, flooding her mind with fresh images of them in his bed, touching, tasting, lost in each other in the darkest hours before dawn.
Adrenaline mixed with the ache in her chest and Molly stumbled backward, darting a glance at Jake and then instantly regretting her decision. His firm lips were quirked into that sexy little half-grin as he crowded into her personal space with one dark brow arched.
“No need to panic, Bolt. I only bite when asked.”
Stunned into silence, Molly watched as he placed one hand on either side of her on the doorframe, his chest brushing against h
er with blatant seduction. She bit her lip and stared at his tanned throat. If she rose on tiptoes she could nuzzle that spot below his ear...the one she’d discovered made him shiver.
Her phone was buzzing, buzzing, buzzing and her mind was distracted. Her anxiety skyrocketed. She blinked hard, unwanted facts clogging her mind before they tumbled out in a torrent of embarrassment.
Cue awkward rambling in three...two...one...
“Contrary to popular belief, penguins do not live at the North Pole, or anywhere in the northern hemisphere, including Alaska. Also, Magellanic penguins are monogamous and have the same mates for life.”
Jake’s gaze flew to hers and Molly’s heart raced like a hamster on a wheel.
Please don’t make fun of me. Please don’t make me feel like an outsider. Please.
“Um...wow. Okay.” His eyes narrowed. “Are you telling me you enjoyed last night?”
“I...uh...” Feeling totally exposed, Molly rushed to the living room to gather her things before barreling for the front door. She paused halfway out on the porch. “I’ll see you at the hospital.”
She left before Jake could respond.
It would’ve been a movie-perfect departure too—except she’d forgotten he’d driven last night and her Rover was still back in the supercenter parking lot.
Fabulous.
Breath frosting in the early-morning air, Molly trudged back to the front door and found Jake waiting, arms crossed and smile patient. “Can you give me a ride to my car?”
“Be with you in five minutes, Bolt.” His tone was laced with mirth.
The wait, at least, gave Molly time to gulp down the rest of her coffee and sort through her emails.
Jake joined her in his living room with ninety seconds to spare, having showered and pulled on fresh jeans and a black crewneck sweater. As he bent to shove his feet into his boots she couldn’t help staring one last time at his marvelous physique. The man was gorgeous and wonderful, and the fact she’d spent the whole night with him still seemed a bit unreal.
“Ready?” Jake asked, slipping on his coat.
“Ready.” Molly nodded, doing her best to regain her mental equilibrium.
She was back on duty. Time to think of Bobby and her career. Time to put her needs and wants second.
They walked out to his truck, which was covered in the thin layer of frost that had formed during the wee hours. Jake cranked the engine while Molly grabbed a scraper to brush off his windshield. Soon they were on their way, rumbling down the road as the heater struggled to warm them.
This early, it seemed wildlife was everywhere. She’d not paid much attention the night before, but Jake’s property abutted the Chugach National Forest. Trees towered overhead and a large hawk swooped amongst the boughs, hunting for a meal. She even spotted a fox with kits darting through the foliage.
“This place is amazing,” she said, pulling out her phone to snap a few shots.
“I love it.” Jake smiled. “Alaska’s home. Can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
Molly suppressed a pang of sadness. Yet another reason she should check her feelings at the door and just enjoy last night for what it had been. A one-time occurrence. A fling. She had a career in Chicago. Jake had deep roots here in Anchorage. Long-distance relationships never worked. And hadn’t Brian complained he never got to see her as it was?
She was still mulling this over as they pulled into the supercenter lot and Jake parked beside her Range Rover.
Molly unfastened her seat belt and grabbed the metal door handle, feeling its icy chill through her gloves as she hesitated, unsure what to say. “Um... I had a wonderful time.”
Jake nodded, staring at the shopping center beyond. Only a few determined bargain-hunters were heading out this early in the morning.
“Maybe we can have lunch together later? To talk?”
His rough, deep voice made her knees go weak again.
Yes. “Maybe. Depends on my schedule. Text me and I’ll let you know.”
Molly started to climb out—only to be pulled back into the truck and against Jake’s chest. His soft lips found hers and he kissed her deeply, leaving them both breathless. He smelled of soap and shampoo from his recent shower, and when he lifted his head, his pupils were dilated, nearly obscuring his stormy gray irises.
Molly bit her lip and Jake tracked the tiny movement, frown lines forming between his dark brows. She pressed her palms against his chest and forced herself to move away, before she ended up surrendering to temptation.
“See you later.”
“Yeah,” he said, his voice husky. “See you later, Bolt.”
Jake waited until she’d gotten the Range Rover started, and was still waiting when Molly pulled out of the lot and headed toward her hotel. His image grew smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror as her uncertainty grew and grew. She should turn around. She should go back. She should call her crew and tell them she’d be there when she was ready.
Molly kept driving. Her career and her patient were waiting at the hospital. She needed to shower and change and then get back to work. Lives depended on her skills, her genius.
Last night had been a singular fantasy, a brilliant one-time dream.
The sooner Molly remembered that, the better.
* * *
Jake sat for a long while after Molly left, just thinking. He wasn’t due back at the ER for several hours and his thoughts, along with his heart, seemed jumbled.
Last evening he’d allowed himself to let go with Molly, to feel more, both physically and emotionally. By trusting her, he’d allowed himself to be vulnerable. He’d never imagined he’d get to that point again after what had happened with Kellie, but he had—a hell of a lot faster than he’d expected too. The time he and Molly had spent together these past few weeks had allowed him to see past her hard candy shell and vice versa. He’d glimpsed the real woman beneath her professional persona—a woman with wants and needs, a past and a future. A woman who was smart and interesting and well-spoken.
And, yeah, a bit quirky too. Loveably quirky.
He chuckled at the memory of her penguin outburst. Funny thing was, Jake had taken an online test once, in a college freshman Psych course, to find out what animal best fit his personality. Turned out he was indeed a penguin—witty, meticulous, intelligent, inscrutable.
Yep. That about summed him up.
After starting the engine, Jake headed back toward his house again—only to step on his brakes as a family of Canadian geese waddled across the main roadway. While he waited for the feathered pedestrians to move past, Molly’s remark about penguins mating for life swirled in his brain. Why had she chosen that fact to spout? Was she interested in forever with him?
He sighed and accelerated once the geese had passed—only to stop at a red light.
Nah. Molly couldn’t want a future with him. She had her TV show, a busy career. The last thing she’d want was to live out here on the wild frontier.
Besides, last night was a one-time deal. He’d gone into this knowing full well what he was getting into. To wish for anything more would just be courting disaster, no matter how spectacular those hours with Molly in his arms had been. No matter how scorching the sex or how funny and smart and fascinating she was. That was no reason to go off the deep end and get his heart broken again when she left.
Right?
Jake passed a slower moving car before signaling back into his lane, feeling that ache of indecision returning. Dammit. He’d hoped to sit down with Molly and talk this morning before heading into work, maybe figure out how to handle this thing between them—have a chance to make sure that they were on the same page, that he wasn’t missing something important like it felt he was.
As he turned down the road leading to his house once again Jake decided to let it rest. He’d text her for lunch later, just as he’d sai
d. Then they’d meet in the cafeteria and discuss things rationally, objectively. Hearts and emotions uninvolved.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
BY THE TIME Molly reached the hospital the churning unease in her gut was threatening to boil over. The fact that there were multiple emergency vehicles blocking the front entrance didn’t help either.
She pulled over to the curb and got the attention of one of the police officers to let her through. “What’s going on?”
“Grizzly cub slipped through the automatic doors. Momma followed her baby inside, causing a ruckus,” the officer said, tipping his hat when she flashed her physician’s badge. “No worries, Doc. No one was hurt, and the conservation officers have the bears tranquilized and caged. We’ll be airlifting them to a safer location away from the city soon.”
Molly shook her head. “Never had that happen back in Chicago.”
“I should hope not.” The cop grinned and waved her through toward the physicians’ parking area. “Have a good day, Doc.”
“Thanks.”
Molly pulled around the building and into a spot, then hurried to the fourth floor. The elevator doors opened to reveal Neal and Rob, looking nervous.
“All right—what’s going on?” she asked as they all headed for her office. “If the network’s canceling my show, please tell me. I can handle it. This was the last episode on my current contract anyway.”
“No, Mol.” Neal closed the door behind them. “They’re not cancelling your show. You want the bad news or the worse news first?”
“Bad.”
“Okay. They’re giving your father a show of his own.”
“What?” The world seemed to tilt on its axis and Molly slumped into her chair, coat half-off. All those years of work to escape him, and now he was taking over her territory. “His own show? On my network?”
“Yep.” Rob looked pained. “And there’s more.”
“More?” Shock had made Molly into a parrot.
“They’re giving him the prime spot right after Diagnosis Critical.”
“I’ll be my father’s lead-in?”
“Don’t think of it like that, Mol.” Neal winced. “You’re already established and you have a loyal, if small, audience base. Nothing’s going to change.”
One Night with the Army Doc Page 13
