by BJ Wane
“I don’t want to discuss him, or Liana.”
Mitchell was diverted from answering when Ed, one of the cooks, called out, “Order up!” Gertie plucked the plate off the shelf and set it in front of him without a word before shuffling down the counter to another customer.
Cutting into his meat, he nodded, saying, “Good enough, but you should talk to someone.” She opened her mouth to retort it was none of his business but he cut her off with a piercing look. “Eat before it gets cold.”
“I see you’re as bossy as you were at the cabin.” Nonetheless, she was hungry and turned her attention back to her food.
“It comes with being responsible for people’s health.”
Thanks to Nan telling her about their private club, Lillian knew that wasn’t the whole of it. That bossy dominance extended past his patients’ wellbeing. Wasn’t it bad enough her imagination had run rampant the past few days with picturing this man at a kink club dishing out erotic torment on trussed up women? Must she suffer his close presence and those narrow-eyed, probing looks that stirred her in odd, new ways again? She supposed if she was going to stick around Willow Springs for another few weeks she should get used to running into the well-liked doctor. With the town population just over seven thousand, there would be no avoiding him unless she planned to stay holed up in the motel room. After visiting all the local shops, meeting the friendly, welcoming townsfolk and sharing afternoon tea with Nan the last four days, the thought of keeping to herself held no appeal.
“That might be part of it, Doc, but not all. I’m not your patient now,” she said before diving into the creamy mound of potatoes. If she kept eating in the diner every night, she was going to have to buy a whole new wardrobe soon.
“Yes, you are. In fact, since you intend to stay longer, why don’t you come to the clinic on Monday? I’d like to confirm my diagnosis by getting x-rays of your ribs. Are you still at the motel?”
“Yes, but I suppose it would be cheaper to find a short-term rental until I make some decisions. And I’m fine,” she insisted. “I don’t need x-rays.”
What I don’t need is his hands on me again. So far, she couldn’t forget that one hour and the multiple orgasms he wrung from her, or the surprising stimulation of those butt slaps and nipple pinches. That wasn’t like her. There’d never been a man she couldn’t walk away from, or a sexual encounter she couldn’t easily forget once it was over. That he was the first man to leave a lasting impression made her uneasy since he was so far removed from the type she was usually drawn to.
“I’ll make you a deal.” Don’t do it. Mitchell’s inner warning voice had him pausing, but only for a second. Lillian still winced when she moved, and that worried him, but admitted that was no reason to offer her the apartment above his garage while she was in town. So why was he opening his mouth to do just that? “I have a small studio apartment above my garage. You’re free to use it in exchange for coming by next week and getting those x-rays. What do you say?”
He held his breath as she looked at him with suspicion. “You couldn’t wait to get me out of your cabin.”
“That was my private retreat during some much-needed alone time. The garage is separate from the house. You won’t have to see me except for one visit to the clinic.” He shrugged with a sigh, as much in wonder at himself for the offer as to convey it was no big deal to ease her mind. “It’ll save you some money and maybe make it easier to take your time deciding where you want to go from here. But, I’ll hold you to coming by for a checkup.”
Lillian toyed with her green beans, took a drink of water and then finally nodded her head. “Okay, it’s a deal.”
Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out a note pad and jotted down his address and the easy directions to his place from the motel. He handed the paper and a key to her. “I’ll be gone until early afternoon tomorrow, so if you come on over after one, I’ll help you upstairs with your things.”
“This is nice of you. Thank you.”
He could tell she was as unsure about accepting the offer as he was about making it. Maybe that was why he found it easier to justify his uncharacteristic gesture. Or maybe it was time he quit letting his grief keep him from putting himself out for others.
“You can thank me by getting those x-rays.” Mitchell was sure he could put Lillian and the need she didn’t know was reflected on her face every time her sister or the ass that abused her was mentioned out of his mind once he confirmed her physical well-being.
Chapter 6
Nan’s eyes widened in surprise as she handed Lillian the steaming teacup and then settled on the chair across the table from her. “Are you honestly going to sit there and continue to insist there’s nothing between you and Mitchell?”
“I think she is,” Avery answered when Lillian shook her head. “Deny it all you want, Lillian, but for a man who doesn’t get involved on a personal level with anyone, an offer to stay in his apartment from our sexy doctor is huge.”
“It’s only for a short time, and the apartment is above his detached garage. I haven’t seen him all week, so it’s not like we’re bumping into each other all the time.” Lillian sipped the cinnamon flavored black tea, enjoying the flavor more than her new friend’s inquisitiveness. She winced as she realized she hadn’t kept her side of their bargain yet by making an appointment with Mitchell for a checkup.
Last Sunday, she had moved into the apartment without waiting for his help. Not only did it go against her independent nature to idly sit back at his insistence when there was no need, but every time she was around the man, her libido took over her common sense and threw her emotions and her body into turmoil. Didn’t she have enough on her mind with coming to terms with the loss of her twin and the degradation of sharing Brad’s bed after his abuse to keep Liana safe from his threats? It still baffled her how she could have responded without hesitation to Mitchell’s touch so soon after walking away from that jerk. Still, she would have to find time to stop in at the clinic and keep her promise to get those x-rays.
“Just the invitation to stay on his property is enough to tweak our curiosity. He’s friendly and all, but so far he’s kept himself at arm’s length from the members at the club he’s scened with, and hasn’t accepted any invitations to socialize outside of the club,” Nan said.
Uncomfortable with the way her stomach knotted at the mention of Mitchell with those other women, Lillian shifted on the seat and toyed with the dainty teacup handle as she replied, “Sorry to burst your bubble yet again, but we’re just friendly acquaintances.”
Avery and Nan exchanged a look and Avery shrugged, saying, “That’s too bad. We were hoping you might be the one to help him get over losing his wife.”
Lillian sat back, releasing her breath on a sigh. That was a turn in the conversation she could relate to and felt the need to defend Mitchell. “Having just lost my twin sister and only relative, I can tell you it’s not easy to move on. I can’t imagine losing a spouse, but you two should understand how he might feel.”
Both girls paled slightly. “You’re right, Lillian. Dan and I were friends and occasional lovers for five years, but now that we’re in love, being without him is unimaginable,” Nan admitted.
“Yeah, what Nan said. Other than the social worker who would take me in whenever my mom went back to drinking and couldn’t take care of me, I was alone in the world until I came here and met Grayson and then everyone else. I’m sorry for your loss, Lillian. Losing a twin must be awful.” Avery reached over and squeezed her arm and Lillian blinked back the tears that could still form and blur her vision with little provocation. “Okay, let’s talk about something else. If you’re not busy a week from tomorrow night, our friend, Sydney said to invite you for chili at their ranch. It’s just us and Tamara and Connor.”
The invitation spread a pleasant glow through Lillian, who was touched at being included. It would be nice not to spend an evening alone, missing Liana so much she ached and coping with the loss of t
he only close, special relationship she’d ever had. She hurried to accept before the lifestyle they shared in common and she knew little about and had no interest in gave her pause.
“Thank you, if you’re sure your friend doesn’t mind. I could pick up a bottle of wine. Oh, sorry, Avery. I assume you’re not drinking for the next few months,” she said, remembering her pregnancy.
Nan spoke up before Avery could answer. “She’s not, and neither are Sydney and Tamara, but I am and I say, yes please.”
Avery gave her a mock glare. “You just wait. We have plans to get even.” Turning to Lillian, she said, “She’s rubbed it in at every girl’s night since Sydney and Tamara got pregnant eight months ago.”
Nan didn’t look worried as she bit into a sugar cookie. “I’m betting Kelsey beats me to it, after all, sharing a bed with two men offers twice the opportunities to plant that seed.”
The bell above the teashop door chimed as two women entered and took a seat. Nan rose to wait on the newcomers, a twinkle in her eyes as she smiled at Lillian. “If you get a chance to meet both her guys and don’t envy Kelsey, there’s something seriously wrong with you. You can ride out to the Dunbar’s with me when I close up here and stay overnight at our place afterward, if you want. Just let me know next week.”
She wasn’t a prude, but the images popping into Lillian’s head flushed her face with heat as Nan walked away and she turned toward Avery. “Two?”
“Oh, yeah.” Avery fanned herself with an impish grin.
Lillian returned her smile and then asked, “What else can I bring that you and your friends can have?”
“Nothing, we’re good.” Avery rose with her. “Sydney was a chef at a fancy restaurant before moving here, and now she cooks for all the hands on the Dunbar ranch. She’d be offended if you brought something, even a bottle of wine, and trust me, anything she makes is great.”
“Then I look forward to it, and to meeting your friends. Thank you for inviting me.” She waved to Nan before walking out with Avery.
“I have to put in a few hours at the IT office in Billings this afternoon. What are your plans?” Avery asked, fishing her keys out of her purse.
“Painting. I’m behind and there are a few shows I want to attend this spring and summer.”
Avery’s eyes brightened with interest. “Don’t leave town before I get a chance to see your work.”
The afternoon sun warmed her face as Lillian opened her car door, lifting her hand in agreement. “Come by any time.”
With a wave, Avery pulled out and Lillian drove in the opposite direction toward Mitchell’s street, unsettled by the pang she experienced when Avery mentioned her leaving. She’d hung around Willow Springs for two weeks and the welcome she received from everyone she’d met had put a crack in the ice surrounding her heart that left her so cold following Liana’s death. The way Nan and Avery had pulled her into a quick friendship even though she was just passing through had prompted her to linger in the small pleasant town, and then she’d seen Mitchell again.
As she parked in front of his garage and her thoughts switched to her temporary landlord, she wondered how much he had played into her staying so long. Other than last Sunday evening when he’d come up to ask if there was anything she needed, she’d only seen him from the upstairs window as he left for work each morning. His face had been stamped with disapproval when he’d chided her for not waiting for his help to haul her things up the stairs, but then he’d let her be, just as she had him. That hadn’t kept her dreams from continuing to relive that one hour in his cabin when his hard hands had delivered the most powerful orgasms of her experience.
“I might have to move on just to forget that night, and that damn man,” she muttered, entering the cozy apartment and shucking her coat. A Murphy bed was folded up against the wall and a small sofa faced a television mounted on the opposite wall. The compact kitchenette with apartment-size appliances took up the third wall space with the bathroom and a closet located off a short hallway. The one large window offered a wide view of the open fields behind the street and a glimpse of the side driveway. The piles of snow from the blizzard two weeks ago were already melted down to small mounds here and there with peeks of dried grass showing. White swirls of snow decorated the far-off mountain peaks and she could only imagine the stunning view come summer.
Turning away from the vista and the thought of so far in the future, Lillian settled behind her easel set up in front of the window and got back to work. If anything could keep her from fantasizing about another scene with the country doctor, losing herself in her art could.
That evening, Lillian started a new painting off a picture she’d taken of Mitchell’s cabin, and was still immersed in putting that scene on canvas late the next day, Friday afternoon. Something about the rustic abode with its backdrop of ice crystal-draped trees and plume of smoke traveling up into the gray sky appealed to her. Before getting stranded there with him, the closest she’d gotten to roughing it was when she and Liana spent a week at a Colorado ski resort, complete with their own private hot tub and an indoor pool. She was quite proud of herself for handling the tight, drafty quarters, limited hot water and basic meals so well, not to mention her autocratic but considerate rescuer. Those off the charts orgasms likely lessened the memory of how uncomfortable those few days were.
The heavy clomp of feet tromping up the side staircase reached her ears as she noticed the time. It ceased surprising her how fast the hours flew by unnoticed when she couldn’t pull herself away from her work.
Mitchell’s irritated voice followed a sharp rap on the door. “Lillian, I need to talk to you.”
Even annoyed his deep baritone could deliver that warm rush she had never experienced with another man, and that irked her. Striding to the door, she flung it open with a glare. A shiver went through her, but whether from the cold air or the swirling emotion turning his hazel eyes more brown than green, she wasn’t sure. Reminding herself this was his place and she was staying here for free, Lillian lightened her frown and stepped back to let him in.
“What’s up? Did I disobey some unspoken rule of tenancy?”
Mitchell brushed by her, his sheepskin coat flapping open to reveal he was still dressed in slacks and a button up shirt, the attire she’d seen him wearing every morning as he left for the clinic. The fact she couldn’t help glancing out the window at exactly 7:30 a.m. every day this past week was another deviation from her character that puzzled her.
He turned to face her as she closed the door, fisting his hands on his hips. “No, you reneged on our bargain.”
Puzzled, Lillian searched her memory and then recalled the appointment she was supposed to make at his clinic, realizing he was right. Oops. She shrugged and offered him a self-deprecating smile. “Not on purpose. I meant to, but I started a new painting and completely forgot.” Instead of forgiving her, Mitchell narrowed his eyes, his reply amusing her even as it sent a small thrill trickling through her veins.
“Someone should have taken you in hand years ago.”
With her hair pulled up in a scraggly ponytail, a smudge of white paint on her face, a pinched frown between her eyes and her cute bare feet showing below her long skirt, Mitchell’s first glimpse of Lillian all week struck him like a sucker punch to the stomach. The paint-spattered, loose flannel shirt she wore untucked from the denim skirt was a sloppy deviation from the winter wool slacks and dressy sweaters he’d seen her in before. And yet, his quicksilver response was the same.
All week he’d checked his schedule and watched the clinic’s doors for her to keep the appointment she’d promised him. More than concern for a patient had prodded him into obsessing over her continued absence, and he’d fought against confronting her until closing today. Giving up the battle, he figured she would argue she didn’t need the x-rays or checkup, thus giving him a good reason to put her out of his mind once and for all.
Instead, she shook him with that small taunting smile and admitted her faul
t. Why couldn’t she act in a predictable manner and make dealing with her easier? Like at the cabin, one minute she would berate him for being bossy and the next, start a playful snowball fight without warning. He sure as hell wasn’t prepared for the gleam that entered her eyes and tilt of her head as she smirked with a comeback that rattled his control.
“Gee, Doc, do you want to spank me?”
Mitchell could tell she didn’t take that comment seriously, but he did. His palm still tingled whenever he recalled the warmth of her soft buttocks after he’d delivered those light smacks at the cabin and it itched now for a repeat. He needed to turn the tables on her fast and delegate her to the status of every other woman he’d scened with since losing his beloved Abbie. That of a submissive acquaintance.
Taking a step forward, he cupped her chin and held her head up, keeping her eyes on him as he replied, “In the worst way, pet. I enjoyed playing with your ass before and wouldn’t mind another chance, especially if it leads to you keeping your end of our bargain and getting those x-rays.”
Surprise and a flare of heat entered her direct gaze, but he could see her fighting against remembering the arousal his touch had produced. She jerked against his grip and he released her. The rapid fluttering of her pulse in her neck was enough to prove how much he’d affected her.
Her slim brows dipped into another frown. “It was an honest memory lapse, not a deliberate attempt to go back on my word. I’m not one of those women who wants to kneel at your feet and let you dictate to me.”
