The Billionaire Playboy

by Christina Tetreault

  Jake managed to get Jessica and her grandmother into rocking chairs on the farmer's porch. His ridiculous statement about the car earned him half a smile. “That tree had some nerve falling on the car like that.” The sound of tires going over rocks told him the ambulance had arrived.

  Jake kept up as steady stream of chatter and used his body to block Jessica's view of her grandfather as the EMTs secured him to a stretcher. It appeared as if he still had not regained consciousness, and, by the way the responders had moved him from the ground to the stretcher, he assumed they were worried about possible neck and back injuries too. In a young person either of those injuries could be difficult to heal from, but in a person his age they could be life altering.

  “I'm riding to the hospital with them,” Charlie called over as they wheeled the stretcher toward the ambulance.

  Jake almost suggested that Jessica or her grandmother ride in the ambulance instead, but changed his mind at the last minute. The women weren't exactly calm and they might get in the way. Besides, an extra set of experienced hands might be useful on the way to the hospital. “We'll meet you there.” If the tables were reversed he'd want to be at the hospital and the pancake of a car in the driveway wasn't going anywhere.

  Charlie threw him a thumbs-up and pulled the ambulance doors closed behind her.

  ***

  Jake grabbed the box of tissues from a table in the hospital waiting room and brought it over to Jessica and her grandmother. They had been there for almost two hours and already the two women had gone through five of the tiny boxes of tissues the hospital left out for patients.

  “Here are some more.” Jake handed Jessica the box and then took the seat next to her again. Like everything else in the room it was cheap but functional. “Can I get you anything? Some water?” His eyes darted across the room to the vending machines in the corner. The row of colorful machines provided the only color in the stark white room. “A snack?”

  Jessica pulled out a few tissues before handing the box to her grandmother. “No, thanks. I'm fine,” she said between sniffles. “This is my fault. I should have gone up the ladder.” Her voice cracked as she spoke. “Or made him wait till someone else could come by.”

  The anguish and guilt he heard in Jessica's voice had him putting his arm around her shoulder. “It wasn't anyone's fault. It just happened.” What else could he say?

  “He's right Jess. Your grandpa wouldn't have listened anyway. You know how stubborn he is.” It was the first time Mrs. Quinn had spoken since they'd left the house.

  “I just wish we knew something. What is taking so long?”

  “Dr. O’Brien is with him. As soon as she knows something, she'll tell you.” As if by magic the minute he spoke her name, Charlie walked through a door marked “Hospital Employees Only”. When she saw the three of them sitting together she paused briefly before continuing toward them. From her expression he couldn't determine what kind of update she was about to deliver. Unlike the women sitting next to him, Charlie seemed remarkably able to control her emotions. Perhaps one had to in order to be a doctor. He had never thought about it before.

  “You can come and see him now. It might still be awhile before he is moved to his own room, but you can both sit with him until then.”

  Neither Jessica nor her grandmother waited to hear another word. Both came to their feet and started toward the door leading back to the patient examining rooms. He expected Charlie to follow right behind them, but she didn't.

  “Thank you for bringing them over.”

  He could see the surprise in her hazel eyes but didn't understand it. Had she thought he would leave the two women back at their house with no way to get here? He had told her he would meet her here. Or was she surprised to find him still in the waiting room with the Quinns? While sitting in a hospital emergency room was rather low on his list of fun things to do, he couldn't in good conscience just drop them off and leave.

  “Not a problem.”

  Chapter 3

  It had been four days since Charlie walked into the emergency waiting room to get Jessica Quinn and her grandmother and found Jake with his arm around Jessica's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. She'd expected Jake to drop Jessica and her grandmother off and then leave. She'd been even more surprised to find him still sitting there an hour later when she'd been ready to leave.

  That afternoon she started to re-assess her opinion of him. From everything she'd seen he was nothing like the man they portrayed in the media. He came across as a caring and compassionate person who wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty, someone she could easily she herself dating if he lived in town. But he didn't. After this crisis passed he would move on to another one and probably forget about this little town. Not that she would blame him. North Salem wasn't the most interesting place in the world, especially compared to the places he could travel to whenever he got the urge.

  You haven't exactly lived in a bubble. Charlie poured cream into her coffee and then mixed in sugar. Thanks to the Navy she'd been to parts of the world she never would've seen otherwise. While many of the places weren't vacation hot spots, she'd still gotten away from Massachusetts, unlike her mother and brother. Both of them had spent their whole lives on the East Coast. Had her mom been any further south than Virginia? She'd never stopped to think about it before now, but she didn't think so.

  What places had Jake been to? She'd just started to make a mental list of all the places their billionaire guest had probably been when he walked into the dining room.

  “Good morning. Please tell me there is more coffee.”

  Charlie didn't bother to stifle her laugh. It seemed as if she and Jake had a least one thing in common. They were both addicted to coffee. “You're as bad as me. Ma just made some more.” She pointed to the coffee urn on the sideboard. “She made some muffins too.”

  She knew it was rude to stare, but that didn't stop her from following Jake with her eyes as he walked across the room. His dark blond hair was still damp from his shower and tiny droplets of water trickled down his neck. Her fingers itched to walk up behind him and wipe the water away. Balling her hands into tight fists, Charlie waited for the irrational thought to disappear.

  After he poured himself some coffee and picked out a muffin Jake took the seat across from her. “I'm glad you're here. After I meet with the engineers working on the dam problem, I'm heading over to visit Mr. Quinn. I thought you might like to join me”

  As feared Mr. Quinn broke both his hip and left arm in the fall. On the bright side however, he hadn't done any damage to his back or neck.

  “When I stopped in to see him yesterday he asked about you, Doc.”

  Charlie knew Jake had stopped in to see Mr. Quinn every day since the accident. Jessica had told her when she called the day before. But she hadn't visited him yet herself.

  “I'll be down at the high school. Pick me up before you head over.” She'd volunteered to help keep an eye on the town's children so that their parents could start salvaging what they could from their homes and take stock of the damage, two tasks that would be nearly impossible with children in tow.

  Jake stood and grabbed another muffin from the basket. “Your mom should open her own bakery. Her baking is incredible.”

  “I've told her that, but she doesn't believe me. Maybe you should tell her.”

  “Next time I see her I will.” Jake put his empty coffee cup down on the table. “I'm heading out now, but I will see you this afternoon probably sometime after lunch.” Without waiting for a response, he disappeared out the door.

  Charlie sat staring at the door long after it closed. Images of him standing there in his well-worn jeans and dark blue polo shirt filled her mind. No matter what the guy wore he seemed to look incredible. He was the kind of person who could throw on a potato sack and still look ridiculously sexy. Without intending to she started to imagine just what he looked like without his clothes on. His shoulders were broad and his arms well-defined and tanned. Thoug
h she didn't have any proof, she envisioned him with powerful pecs and a sculpted six-pack. Propping her head up against her hand she mentally sighed at the vision in her head.

  “Thought you were heading over to the school for nine?” Her mom's voice cut through Charlie's daydream and her vision of Jake naked evaporated. “What?” she asked whipping her head around.

  “A little distracted this morning? Everything okay?” Concern laced her mother's voice.

  “Just zoned out for a minute. I have a lot on my mind. Yeah, I am going to the high school. I want to grab some coffee first.”

  Her mom pointed to the freshly baked muffins. “Take one with you. Who knows when you'll get lunch.”

  Charlie didn't argue. Her mom was right and besides her mom's banana nut muffins were to die for. The only person who made muffins nearly as good was her friend and roommate Beth. Jake hadn't lied. Her mom should open her own bakery. “I'll see you later.” Charlie started towards the door, but then stopped. “Call me if you need anything.”

  “Don't worry. Your brother is here.”

  The comment was innocent enough but it still felt like a tiny knife to her heart. Her mom never needed her. As long as she had Sean around, her mom was fine. How different things might have been if her father hadn't walked out on them and forced Sean to become the man of the house. Would this invisible gap exist between them? There was no way to know for certain but Charlie didn't think so. After all it had only developed after her father left and her mom started to depend more and more on Sean.

  “Love you, Ma.” The words flew out of her mouth before her brain realized it. She didn't say it often but it was true.

  “I know. I love you too Charlie.” Maureen put down the dirty dishes she held and wrapped her arms around her daughter. “I'm glad you’re home.”

  ***

  Jake entered the high school just before one o'clock. The meeting with his engineers had gone well. The river's water level was receding; and the engineers had completed their assessment and were developing a plan for rebuilding the dam. The head of the highway department had also called him to set up a meeting about repairing the parts of the roads that had buckled from the onslaught of water.

  Yet his good mood wasn't purely due to the progress that was being made. A big part of it was due to the unusual sense of anticipation that coursed through his body. It'd been with him since his run-in with the good doctor that morning. Most people, especially women, jumped at the chance to be with him in the hopes of gaining some of his fame or fortune. Captain Charlotte O’Brien was not one of these women. She was making him work for her respect. While she'd thawed toward him, she hadn't tried to get to know him. And for reasons that were not entirely clear to him, he wanted to get to know her better. True friends were hard to come by and he got the impression that with some work she could be one.

  Or maybe something more, his body suggested when he walked into the school's auditorium. About ten children of various ages were running around playing an indoor version of tag while another ten or so were listening to a story on the stage. Charlie sat in the middle, dressed in a pair of loose-fitting well-worn jeans and a tank top. Typically he didn't find anything attractive about the tomboy look. He'd always preferred a more sophisticated look on women. Yet on the good doctor it looked natural and he found it to be a real turn-on.

  When no one noticed his entrance, Jake leaned against the wall and watched Charlie as she interacted with the children gathered around her. Her voice was strong and confident as she read from the picture book she held. The children around her hung on her every word, captivated as much by the story as by her voice. Jake found himself content to just stand there and listen.

  It wasn't until she read the last page and closed the book that she noticed him. A small tentative smile spread across her face as she waved in his direction and immediately Jake felt his body respond.

  What the hell? She smiled at you. She didn't get naked. Jake mentally shook his head in amazement. Since when did a simple smile turn him on? Maybe it was true what they said about there being a first time for everything.

  “All set to go, Doc?” Jake kept his gaze focused on Charlie, determined to ignore the glances the other two women in the room were throwing his way.

  Charlie nodded as she stood. “Just let me tell Lizzie I'm going.”

  Jake couldn't tear his eyes away from Charlie's long legs eating up the stage as she crossed it and headed down the stairs. After a few words with a petite woman with jet black hair who he guessed was Lizzie, she joined him.

  She leaned close to him and her arm brushed against his. “I owe you one for rescuing me,” she said, her voice a whisper.

  Unable to stop himself he laughed at the sincerity in her voice. “Daycare not your thing, Doc?” He pushed open an auditorium door that led into the parking lot.

  “Call me Charlie. Everyone does. No it's not my thing. One or two at a time is fine but that was worse than Officer Development School.”

  He'd been calling her Doc for the past four days. Not once during that time had she corrected him till today, and damn if he wasn't pleased because of it. After opening the passenger door, he waited for her to climb in. “You looked pretty comfortable up there. The kids couldn't take their eyes off you.” Not that I blame them. He closed the door and walked around to the driver's side of the SUV.

  Taking a water bottle out of her backpack, she took a drink before answering. “I read four or five books today. Before that we did arts and crafts. Even when I was a kid, I hated that stuff.”

  Jake smiled at the exasperation in her voice. “Guess it's a good thing you didn't go into teaching like my sister Callie. She spends every day surrounded by twenty or so kids. Honestly, I don't know how she does it, but she insists that she loves it.”

  “She's the one marrying Dylan Talbot, right?”

  He didn't know if she was asking to make polite conversation or because she really didn't know which sister he was talking about. Jake didn't think that was possible, not after last year when everyone including Callie learned that Warren Sherbrooke was her father.

  “Yes. Their wedding is in a couple weeks.”

  Charlie looked as if she was putting together the pieces of a puzzle in her head. “And Dylan's your half-brother?”

  Jake nodded prepared to give the explanation to yet another person. “Dylan and I have the same mom, but different fathers. Callie and I have the same dad and different mothers so, yes, I am related to both of them but Callie and Dylan are not related.” He couldn't understand why people found the whole thing so confusing.

  “You have to admit it's a little odd. It's not something that happens every day.”

  He agreed with her on that point. Still it wasn't that difficult to understand.

  “She's not still teaching though, is she?”

  He noticed how the tone of Charlie's voice changed from inquiry to amazement.

  Pulling into a parking space in the hospital lot, Jake turned off the ignition. “Why wouldn't she be? She's been doing it since college.”

  Charlie's eyebrows shot up. “Her father is the President of the United States, and her soon-to-be-husband is a billionaire. It's not like she has to. She could spend her day doing anything she wants.”

  It wasn't the first time the news that his half-sister continued to teach shocked someone, and he knew that Charlie wouldn't be the last.

  Jake got out of the truck and walked around so he could open her door, but he wasn't quick enough. So instead he held out a hand to help her down. Surprise crossed her face again, but she accepted his hand and stepped down.

  “Would you stop being a doctor if you didn't have to work?” he asked without releasing her hand. While he waited for her answer his eyes zeroed in on her pale pink lips. His mind suddenly wouldn't let him think about anything but how they would feel against his. As if drawn by an invisible cord he took a step closer.

  Charlie ran her tongue over her lips and Jake followed its p
ath with his eyes, his desire to kiss her growing like a wild fire out of control.

  “No, of course not. I guess I can't imagine enjoying being surrounded by that many children every day,” she answered, her voice not sounding as confident as usual to him.

  Without stopping to think, Jake began to lower his head toward her. “I agree with you there,” he whispered inches from her lips.

  Charlie didn't stop to think about what was happening or where she was as she felt Jake's lips come down on hers. One of his hands still held hers while the other settled on the curve of her shoulder. The skin on his hand was rough and callused, more proof that he was more than just the face of the foundation. His lips were firm as he slowly kissed her. Unable to stop herself, Charlie took a step closer eliminating the space between them. Then she wrapped her free arm around his lean waist. The additional contact of their bodies seemed to throw a switch in both of them. Jake moved them backward until Charlie leaned back against the SUV. At the same time she teased his lips open with her tongue. Freeing her hand from his, she buried her fingers in his short thick blond hair. Incredible warmth raced through her body as the kiss continued and everything but the man next to her faded from reality.

  Only when Charlie heard the sirens of an approaching ambulance did the haze of desire start to clear from her brain and she pulled away. Oh, god! They were in a parking lot making out like a couple of teenagers, in front of a hospital of all places.

  Though they stopped kissing, Jake's hand remained on her shoulder and Charlie found herself trapped between wanting to run from him as fast as she could and wanting to pull his head back down toward hers for another kiss.

  “We should go inside.” She didn't recognize her own breathless voice as she let her hands fall back to her sides.

  Jake trailed a finger down her cheek. “Yeah,” he drawled, not moving away.

  Charlie's eyes fluttered closed at his gentle caress and in a heartbeat she knew that if she wasn't careful she could fall for this man in a way she'd never fallen before. When it came to the opposite sex she picked only those men she knew she wouldn't get emotionally attached to. There was no way she was going to let a man hurt her the way her dad had hurt her mom when he walked out. To this day she could remember how depressed and withdrawn her mom had become after her dad left. It’d been as if her mom had been replaced by a different person. Her mom hadn't been the only one to change. Sean matured virtually overnight, going from regular high school football player to the man of the house. She'd changed too.