Ruby met his gaze, a twinkle of mischief shimmering in her eyes. ‘Well, I have noticed you do have a bossy way about you that I suspect you also had as a child.’
‘I do?’
‘Mmm.’ She nodded. ‘You’re something of an acquired taste, Mr MacKinley.’
Not able to resist the challenge in her gaze, Kern murmured, ‘Am I really?’
As though realising the danger her honesty had placed her in, Ruby returned her attention to the trunk. ‘Perhaps we should see what else is in here?’
‘Trouble, I suspect.’
Those brown eyes came back to him. ‘Sorry?’
‘Nothing,’ he said, reaching for another newspaper cutting and purposely brushing the back of her hand with his fingers. This woman was far too tempting to ignore. ‘Just talking to myself.’
CHAPTER FIVE
RUBY WAITED UNTIL Kern’s full attention was focused again on the papers and photos before examining the strange buoyancy in her chest. She’d tried to ignore its presence while they talked, had determinedly fought it when his long fingers had accidentally touched the back of her hand, but now she had no choice but to acknowledge and investigate the strange, frothy fluttering in both her stomach and her chest.
It reminded her of the times when her mother had twirled her around in a circle and her stomach had rocked and swirled throughout. She’d hated and loved it at the same time. Half scared and half excited by the unfamiliar sensation. It was exactly the same feeling as the one caused by the man crouched next to her.
Was this what people called attraction? A stupid physical reaction that didn’t deserve anything more than a quick acknowledgement before she forgot about it again?
Why did Kern affect her so strangely? Was it because she had seen him without many clothes on, or because he was one of the few people who treated her as a normal person? He didn’t seem to see her make-up and clothes the same way others did.
It was a strange feeling to be regarded as ordinary. But since she’d come to Dorset it was slowly becoming her new normal. Kern and everyone at the practice acted as if she was just a regular person. They were not put off by the way she dressed.
But deep down she knew she couldn’t risk trusting them, or falling for the niceness of their words and actions. Too soon the disappointment would follow, and with it would come the pain. There was always the dreaded pain. Better to protect herself from it—even if it did mean missing out on this wonderful lightness in her heart.
Attraction wasn’t for her. In the past she’d purposely avoided such emotion, preferring to keep acquaintances—male and female—in the friend zone. At first because she’d feared her past would become known, but eventually because it was easier just to place everyone in the same group and leave them there. Anyway, between studying and working, what little spare time she’d had left had tended to go on sleeping and eating.
Besides, she wasn’t even sure she liked Kern MacKinley very much. The way he sneered every time he opened a box or unearthed a piece of furniture was a clear indication that he saw this afternoon’s work as nothing but a chore.
For a moment, though, when he’d studied that old newspaper cutting, she could have sworn she saw something like regret in his expression. She’d probably imagined it. Thought she’d seen something in him just because she wanted to believe that, despite his odd behaviour at times, he was a decent person.
‘You okay, Ruby?’ Kern asked.
Startled from her musings, Ruby glanced up to find him regarding her.
‘You appear to be off in a private dream world.’
No, not dreaming—just reinstating some common sense. Attraction to anyone was a weakness which led to mistakes. She didn’t want to repeat the hurt of misplacing her trust. She’d survived it once—better not to test her resolve a second time.
He reached out and touched her chin. His long fingers were warm against her skin.
‘Hey, where’s your smile gone?’
She tilted her head thoughtfully. ‘Smile?’
‘That pretty one you showed me last night,’ he said softly. His thumb slid along the curve of her jaw before he let it fall away.
She returned her gaze to the box and frowned down at the contents. ‘I did not smile at you.’
‘Yes, you did. Almost stopped my heart, it was so unexpected.’
‘Shh,’ she hushed, embarrassed by his words and the idea that she had done such a thing. She never smiled. She wasn’t the smiling type. Never had been. ‘Don’t you know Goths never smile?’
‘You did,’ he argued, and leaned closer to whisper in her ear, his breath hot and ticklish against her skin. ‘Maybe you’re not a real Goth. Perhaps there’s another woman inside you who wants to smile, but your strict Goth rules are suppressing her.’
She sniffed and wrinkled her nose. ‘The same way there’s a normal man inside you, I suppose?’
‘Oh, Ruby,’ Kern said, placing a hand to his chest. ‘Are you being sarcastic and mean just because I know you have a secret smile?’
‘Just making an observation,’ she insisted, reaching for a large black photo album.
She flicked over several pages, waiting for his reply. Her neck was still tingling even though he was no longer close.
‘Oh, no. I know sarcasm when I hear it,’ he argued. ‘And your words were thick with it.’
She flicked over another page. ‘Maybe you need to test your hearing, Mr MacKinley. Unless, of course, your problem is age-related—then there’s really no hope. Though I did recently read that hearing aids have improved. Perhaps you should check them out.’
‘Why, you...’
Before she could see the danger, Kern stood up, scooped her up off the pine box, threw her over his shoulder and headed to the entrance.
‘What are you doing?’ Ruby yelped as they headed outside into the sunshine.
‘I think I’ll take your advice and see if my ears need cleaning. A good, thorough wash will do the job perfectly.’
‘Put me down!’ Ruby cried. Whatever he was planning, she guessed she wasn’t going to like it. ‘Dog, help me!’
Her traitor of a pet leapt around beside them, barking with excitement. Instead of saving her, he just wanted to enter their game.
Kern laughed. ‘I think he plans on joining us in our dip.’
‘Dip?’
The swine laughed again, wickedly. ‘Brace yourself, Ruby. Because it’s going to be cold.’
Freezing water engulfed them both within seconds, covering them completely as they sank to the river’s depths and then rose back up again. Splashing and barking nearby let Ruby know that Dog had joined them in their dunking.
Spluttering, and filled with thoughts of revenge, Ruby splashed out for the man who’d caused this impromptu wash. ‘I’m going to get you, MacKinley!’
Kern laughed and stumbled back out of reach. His dark hair was plastered to his head and his shirt clung to his body.
Flicking more water in her direction, he chanted, ‘Look at you...all dirty. Let me help clean you off.’
‘Keep away,’ she growled, wiping water from her eyes. ‘I can’t believe you did that.’
Shrugging, Kern playfully splashed more water at her. ‘I only wanted to cool down that hot, cruel tongue of yours.’
‘Oh, I’m going to make you pay,’ she threatened, moving towards him. ‘You’re going to suffer, second by second.’
‘Come on, then,’ he teased.
She charged towards him, but her soaked trainers sank into the river’s muddy bottom and made hard work of it. Before she had a chance to reach Kern he dodged out of her way for a second time, causing her to spin and fall back into the water.
‘Missed!’ he taunted, laughing. ‘Try again, Miss Wet Vet.’
She did. And failed once more. The man moved like a fish, not at all hindered b
y his wet clothes.
‘Ah, come on, Ruby,’ he mocked. ‘You can do better than that.’
‘I’m going to get you back,’ she swore, already imagining the vengeful retaliation she would inflict upon him once they were back on dry land.
He chuckled and shook his head. Waddling over to her, he grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the bank. ‘Come on, Ruby. Let’s go to your place and dry off.’
She seethed, glaring at his back as he tugged her through the water and up onto the grass. ‘I don’t recall inviting you.’
‘Surely you don’t begrudge me a towel to dry off?’
‘Actually,’ she mused darkly, ‘I think I do.’
He turned back to her and pouted. ‘But I could get a chill...’
She bit her lip to stop herself from grinning at his fake pathetic expression. This man was just too adorable. That cute boyish face he worked weakened her resistance and anger.
He could have a towel—but he could use it outside on the grass. The last thing she wanted was Kern inside her home, dripping, teasing, and utterly far too charming.
‘This is nice,’ Kern said, looking around her caravan with obvious curiosity.
Every now and then he would pick something up, study it for a moment, and then return it to its place.
‘Thank you,’ Ruby said, self-conscious of how small the space was with the two of them and Dog inside the kitchen area.
Her attempt to keep Kern outside had failed dismally when he had dived through the door before she could prevent him, and now he stood in the centre of the kitchen, surrounded by pale pink cushions and mint-green-painted kitchen cupboards, trying not to bang his head on the dangling crystals of her mini chandelier.
Opening the cupboard where she kept her clean linen, she reached for the top towel, smirking as she turned and handed it to him. ‘Use this before you drip water all over the floor. Why you couldn’t stay outside as I suggested—’
‘Because then I wouldn’t be in here and seeing another side to you,’ he murmured. He glanced down at the towel, then back up at her before taking it.
She glared at him and tried to hustle him towards the door. He had a towel, so now there was no reason for him to stay inside. Besides, her own clothes were sticking to her, and probably revealing too much of her body.
‘I get the feeling you want me to leave,’ he said.
‘You threw me in the river and pushed your way into my home. You’re not exactly my favourite person right now.’
He nodded to the dog stretched out at his feet, looking up at him adoringly. ‘Dog’s happy I’m here—and besides, I’m still looking around your home.’
She folded her arms. ‘It’s just a caravan. Nothing much to see.’
‘It’s more than that, Ruby,’ he dismissed. ‘It’s your home and there’s everything to see.’
He wiped the towel over the side of his face, leaving a trail of tiny pink threads where he’d rubbed against his stubble, while reaching out for an old postcard stuck on a board near the kettle. It showed a picture of a famous race course. One she suspected he would recognise.
Kern pulled it off the board. ‘Cheltenham. Nice course. Have you been there?’
‘Yes, years ago.’
She moved away and picked up the fluffy lilac throw she liked to snuggle into while reading at night. Folding it in half, she turned away from him and the questions she sensed brewed in his too-clever mind.
She should have thrown the stupid postcard away years ago. She regretted not doing so now.
‘I never took you for a racing girl. Show jumping, maybe, but not National Hunt.’
‘You hardly know me,’ she reminded him curtly.
She was uncomfortable with how close he was to the truth. What would the man say if she listed the number of other racetracks she had visited as a child, or the less public names of well-known people involved in the sport? Names only people deeply immersed in the scene would recognise.
‘True.’
She glanced at the card, fighting the urge to snatch it from his fingers. ‘I was taken there a few times as a child by my parents. It’s just a silly souvenir. Nothing more.’
‘They like horse racing, then?’ he asked. ‘Your parents, I mean.’
‘They used to,’ Ruby said with a shrug. ‘They’re both dead now.’
Kern placed his towel on a seat and sat down on top of it. Twisting the card in his fingers, his expression serious, he stared at it. ‘Sorry to hear that.’
‘It happened a long time ago,’ she said.
Sensing he planned to grill her further, Ruby pointed towards her bedroom door, judging avoidance and escape to be the best idea. ‘I’ll just go and change. I won’t be long.’
* * *
Kern glanced again at the postcard, his eyes narrowing. Nothing was written on the back, and yet it added another thread of mystery to Ruby Day.
He’d tried to ignore her, but every time they were together it was as though they had known each other for longer than a few days. Time with her felt comfortable and easy. He’d forgotten how relaxing being with another person—a woman—could be. His marriage hadn’t felt that way for years.
Yes, Ruby was a riddle. Her reaction to the card told him there was more to it than just a few fun days watching the gee-gees with her parents. This postcard meant something to her—something important and not something she intended to share with him.
Why? What was it about this card or the place on it that she didn’t want to talk about? Was it simply that the card caused her to remember happier times with her parents, who were no longer around?
Well, they all had secrets and past experiences they wanted to keep hidden, but for some strange reason he was curious about Ruby’s.
Why had she been so secretive about her background the other day? She clammed up every time he asked something personal. Why hadn’t she mentioned her parents had died when they’d been discussing his own, earlier in the barn? And how had she got that scar on her neck?
Their dunk in the river had removed some of her make-up and exposed jagged pink flesh. Was the story behind the wound what she wanted to keep quiet? Or was she just shy and wouldn’t feel comfortable opening up to him?
MacKinley, stop letting your imagination play just because the woman doesn’t want to share her life story with you. It’s not as if you’re sharing your own, is it?
God, no, he didn’t want to scare the woman off with his tales of marital woe.
Hang on—what the heck was he thinking? He didn’t want to do anything where Ruby Day or any other woman was concerned full stop. He’d learnt that lesson for life.
He’d returned to Dorset because he had nowhere else to go and he wanted to take some time to work out his next move. For the past few months he’d dealt with the fallout of everything Corinne had instigated and, despite what his aunt thought, he wasn’t sure horse racing was how he wanted to spend the rest of his days.
Perhaps this was fate’s prod to rethink and change course? Maybe there was something else for him? Though winning races hadn’t been a complete waste of his time...
Kern looked at the postcard once more and frowned. He’d never won the Gold Cup, though. Cheltenham’s coveted top trophy had never sat in his collection.
A collection he no longer owned.
He stood and tossed the card down on to the tabletop. With a final glance round at the warm and cosy caravan, he strolled to the door.
Getting mixed up with a woman, no matter how cute and tempting, was not for him. Women caused nothing but strife and heartache. It would be easy to want to get to know Ruby better, to try and uncover her riddles and study her secrets, peel away the coverings around her heart, but he refused to hurt another woman again. Or, just as importantly, to allow one to hurt him in return. Better to leave now than risk battering their fragil
e hearts.
CHAPTER SIX
‘YOU DO REALISE barbecued food has the potential to kill, or at the very least cause sickness and diarrhoea?’ said Alex Morsi.
Ruby almost laughed at her boss as his wife threateningly swiped the air between them with a spatula. Over the last week the couple had often provided entertainment during work hours, but this afternoon they were all attending the practice’s annual barbecue in the rear car park, and Kiki had been left in charge of cooking the meat.
‘I haven’t killed you yet.’ Kiki smiled not so sweetly at her husband. ‘Though if you add any further unhelpful scraps of culinary doom I’m likely to warm to the idea.’
Alex grinned down at his wife, losing his normal serious expression. ‘I’m just informing Miss Day of the risks.’
‘Don’t,’ Kiki snapped. ‘I’m a very good cook.’
‘You are,’ Alex agreed, moving nearer to his wife and slipping an arm around her waist. ‘I just thought I would tell Miss Day—’
The spatula made another swipe, just missing Alex’s nose. ‘Don’t, Alex! You know what happens when you “just” something.’
With a final warning glare at her husband, Kiki turned to Ruby with a bright friendly smile. ‘Can I interest you in a beef sausage?’
Ruby glanced down at the tasty-looking food on the hot grill, but Alex’s remarks still rang in her ears. Edging backwards, in case Kiki decided to turn the cooking utensil on her, she shook her head. ‘I think I’ll grab a veggie roll from the buffet table. I’m not much of a meat-eater, to be honest.’
Kiki growled at the man at her side and began a torrent of threats that made Ruby wince. Backing farther away, she moved in the direction of the practice and safety, in case Kiki decided to act on any of them. Dog stayed where he was, in front of the barbecue, ever hopeful of snatching something or conning a sausage from the cook.
‘Friends of yours?’ asked a deep familiar voice from behind her.
Startled, Ruby turned to find Kern, dressed in faded jeans and a dark blue T-shirt. A silly thrill of pleasure ran through her, but she quickly dismissed it. So what if the man was here? It didn’t mean anything. Or at least, it shouldn’t...
Awakening His Shy Vet Page 7
