“You look so different tonight.” She studied him like some unknown infectious disease under a microscope.
“I ruined a perfectly good pair of pants looking this good.” He glanced down at the cut-off pant leg he’d tucked into the top of his black brace.
“Totally worth it,” Ella said, smiling at him.
He hoped Bell thought so, too. He wanted to kiss her, hold her hand, and pull her close to his side so every man in the room knew the gorgeous woman belonged to him. She’d probably jab him in the gut if he tried. Not that he could pull it off smoothly with the crutches tucked under his arms, holding him up. The last thing he wanted was for her to knock him on his ass.
Not that she really would, but still, he didn’t want to give her a reason to push him away.
Gabe joined the group, holding two whiskeys on the rocks, with a glass of wine for Ella clasped tightly between his fingers. Gabe handed Dane one of the whiskeys.
Bell glared, her pretty mouth dipping into a disapproving frown.
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
“I haven’t had any pain meds in three days. My ribs are good. My leg is better. We covered this the other day at your office.”
“Did I say anything?”
“Yes. With just one look.”
That made her smile.
“Bell, your sister just arrived.” Ella pointed across the room to Katherine and Tony standing just inside the entrance.
“Excuse me. I’ll go say hello.”
“I’d hoped you’d make the rounds with me and speak to potential investors about the clinic,” Ella said.
“Of course. Just give me a few minutes.”
Dane shoved his drink into Gabe’s chest, giving him no choice but to take it back. He grabbed the crutches’ handles and went after Bell.
“Go get her,” Blake said behind him.
Damn right.
He caught up to her a few seconds after she reached her sister.
“Katherine, you look lovely,” Bell said, leaning in to give her sister a friendly hug.
“Bell, you look amazing. That dress is fantastic on you.”
“She’s the most beautiful woman in the room, but you’re a close second.” Dane complimented Katherine, who smiled even as her sister glared up at him.
“Why aren’t you with your family?” Bell asked him.
“I want to be with you.”
Tony coughed to cover a laugh. “Dane, man, good to see you up and around. How’s the leg?”
“Getting better every day, thanks to the doc.”
“So, you two are seeing each other?” Katherine asked.
“No,” Bell said. “Yes,” he said.
Bell glared at him.
“What? I saw you the other day, last week, tonight.”
“We are not dating.”
“Only because you refuse all my invitations to go out together. I’m left with making appointments with you at your office and calling you every night. Apparently in your book, that’s dating.”
“You talk every night?” Katherine asked, a soft smile on her face when she glanced at Bell. “That’s wonderful. I’m so glad you’ve put yourself out there.”
“We’re not seeing each other.”
“I’m seeing you. I’m just waiting for you to catch up.” Or give in.
“So, Bell, are you really going to give up your practice and work full-time at the clinic?”
“I’m not giving up my practice, I’ll just be moving it to Crystal Creek. I’d still have admitting privileges at the hospital.”
“You decided, then? You’re going to take the job?” Dane hoped so. Maybe then she’d have time to go on a proper date with him.
The surprise in Bell’s eyes told him even she hadn’t meant to say it quite that way. Maybe deep inside she’d decided, but she just hadn’t made the conscious decision to put her words into actions.
“I, ah, have been thinking about it. I like that I won’t have to commute to work so far, and I can practice medicine on a wider scale. Hip and knee replacements get tedious after a while.”
“Not enough busted-up cowboys coming into your office?” Tony asked.
“Some, but I’d like the challenge of working on a variety of cases.”
“With your smarts, you’d be great at it.”
Katherine’s compliment took Bell off guard. Her eyes went wide, and she opened her mouth to say something but closed it again.
Dane studied the two sisters. Even up close, he couldn’t find any resemblance between them.
“Are you a certified genius, too?” he asked Katherine.
She snorted out a laugh and cocked her head. “I’m no slouch in the brains department, but Bell hit the genetic lottery with her dark hair, blue eyes, and mega brains. She takes after our father in that way. He’s amazingly smart and accomplished, just like her.”
Katherine caught herself and looked away from Bell.
“Some things we inherit from our parents,” Dane said. “Others are just who we are. Like Bell’s kindness, strength, and generosity. She’s got amazing heart. She’d never turn her back on anyone. Look at the lengths she went to to save me.”
The tension between the two sisters became palpable. They barely looked at each other and stood an unnatural five feet apart. The silence grew deafening.
“How are the improvements on the house coming? Did you finish the spare bath?” Bell asked Katherine to break the silence.
“Just in time. I wanted to tell you in person. We’re expecting.” Katherine beamed with excitement. Tony wrapped his arm around her shoulders and hugged her to his side, smiling down at his wife.
“That’s fantastic,” Bell said, her eyes filled with joy. “There must be something in the water. Dane’s sister-in-law Gillian is pregnant as well. His brother Caleb and his wife, Summer, had a little girl in September.”
“Congratulations,” Dane said to Katherine. He shook Tony’s hand.
“An uncle,” Tony said. “Are you looking to finally tame your wild ways now, too?”
“Nope. Looking for someone who wants to be wild with me.” He pointedly looked at Bell.
She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “He’ll always be wild.”
“Amen to that,” he responded, making her smile again.
“If you want wild, Bell is not your girl. She’s steady and down to earth,” Katherine said.
“Boring, you mean.” Bell frowned.
“I think Bell just hasn’t had a chance to explore all the possibilities of who she is and what she wants. Yes, she’s a dedicated doctor, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have other interests. She loves the outdoors. She’s a food snob,” Dane pointed out.
Bell smacked him on the arm. “I am not.”
“Okay, she’s a food connoisseur.” He cocked up one side of his mouth and gave her an it’s-the-same-thing look. “She’s well read in a variety of subjects. If given a chance and an opportunity to try new things, I bet she’d do so with excitement and interest. She’s got this thing for the different regions and histories of Italy. A food tour of the country would probably be right up her alley.”
Bell laughed under her breath. “I’d actually love that.”
“You should do it,” he suggested, knowing she’d do it alone and probably enjoy herself because she was used to doing things alone. But he’d like to do it with her.
“When is the baby due?” Bell changed the subject back to the original topic.
“July seventh. We’ve got so much to do. I can’t wait to get started on the nursery.”
“Will you find out the sex of the baby, or do something neutral?” Bell asked.
“I’m such a planner, I need to know. I want everything to be perfect. Mom and Dad can’t wait for their first grandchild. Mom already bought a ton of toys and picked up a bunch of baby furniture magazines.”
Katherine caught herself and snapped her jaw shut. “Sorry, Bell.”
“Do
n’t be. It’s wonderful news. I’m sure your family is very excited.”
Your family. Not Bell’s. He’d always wanted to ask her if she had any contact with her father or mother. By the way the two sisters acted and spoke, no. Sad. Unfortunate. Katherine seemed close to her parents. Bell remained the outcast. More like a castaway, destined to spend her life isolated from the people who should have been her safety net.
“Bell, Ella is flagging us down. You promised to schmooze the moneymen.”
“Right. I’ll see you at dinner,” Bell said. “I believe we’re at table two.”
“Bell, I’m sorry,” Katherine said again.
“You didn’t do or say anything wrong. Stop apologizing for something that you didn’t do and can’t be changed. I’m happy for you. I can’t wait to meet my niece or nephew.”
“You mean that?” Katherine bit her lip, unsure.
“Absolutely. I’ll see you in a little while.” Bell gave her sister a warm smile, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. She spun on her toes and walked away.
Dane trailed after her.
“Thanks,” Bell said.
“Does it make you mad to hear her talk about her parents that way?” he asked.
“Why would it?”
“Because the father she’s talking about was never a father to you.”
“She lives her life, and I live mine. She thinks they intersect somehow and gets uncomfortable when she brings him up. The thing is, my life took a turn when I was born and never crossed theirs again. Does it hurt? Yes. Sometimes it does. But I try to remember that what happened to me has nothing to do with her.”
“Still, you’re jealous sometimes, even pissed off.”
“I’m entitled to my feelings, but she doesn’t deserve for me to take them out on her.”
“No way in hell I’d be generous enough not to spew my resentments at her.”
“I reserve them for the people who deserve them.”
“I call bullshit.”
She stopped in the middle of the room, people all around them staring at Dane, the champion bull rider and hometown celebrity, and turned to face him with narrowed eyes. “Excuse me.”
“Bullshit. You resent the hell out of her. That’s why in the last two years the two of you haven’t gotten any closer. I have enemies I talk to with more warmth than the two of you have with each other.”
“We have nothing in common.”
He bent and stared her right in the eye to call her out. “You choose to keep her at arm’s length. If she doesn’t know anything about you, she can’t report back to your father anything that will make him hate you more.”
Bull’s-eye. A flash of anger narrowed her eyes.
“Who asked you?”
“Just calling them like I see them. It’s nothing you don’t already know.”
“Dane! It’s so good to see you, you sexy man.” A blonde sidled up to him and wrapped her hand around his biceps, then leaned in close, her breast pressed to his arm, and kissed his cheek.
Unable to move without hitting the woman with his crutch, he stood immobile, watching Bell’s eyes flash with more resentment. She sighed, like this was an inevitability she’d been expecting. He had to admit that since he arrived, he’d run into several women he’d slept with and a dozen more who’d like to sleep with him. None of them appealed, and the one woman who did looked like she wanted to deck him.
It took him a minute to remember the woman’s name. “Claire.”
“Karen.”
“Sorry. It’s been a long time.” Not long enough in his book. If he remembered right, she’d been pushy and possessive after the couple of times they’d seen each other. “I’d like you to meet Dr. Bell. She’ll be the chief surgeon at the new clinic.”
“Is that right?” Karen kept hold of his arm. He gently removed her fingers and took a step back. She frowned, but he ignored it.
“Yes. She fixed me up in Vegas. She works at the hospital here in Bozeman.”
“That’s nice.”
Right. Karen didn’t want to hear anything about Bell. All she wanted was his attention. It pissed him off that both she and Bell ignored his feelings for Bell. He’d have to do a better job of showing everyone, and especially Bell, that she was the only woman he wanted.
“If you’ll excuse us. My sister is waiting to talk to Bell.”
“By all means, Dane, stay and talk to your friend.” Bell’s tone said she believed that’s where he wanted to be. He’d have to prove her wrong.
“I’m sticking with you, Bell.”
Karen eyed him and Bell, trying to figure out if they were together or not. He made it seem that way, but Bell kept her distance. Didn’t Bell know all she had to do was draw closer to him and he’d be at her mercy? No. Because Bell didn’t believe she held that kind of appeal to anyone, let alone a man.
“Karen, so nice to see you again.”
He pushed forward on his crutches to get Bell moving down the aisle again. They joined Ella, who expertly led Bell into conversation with several groups about the clinic and their plans. He got waylaid by several more women, but remained close to Bell’s group. He tried to be polite, make small talk, and generally give the impression he wasn’t interested in any of them. Bell’s sideways glares started to tick him off. Then he realized she wasn’t actually angry at him but jealous. Why would it bother her if he talked to other women otherwise?
Normally, he might have played it up, but with Bell that wouldn’t work. She’d take it to mean his feelings for her were superficial. They weren’t, so he began to use his crutches and her to block women from hugging and touching him. He remained politely dismissive when they tried to draw him away for a drink, or to talk privately. Ella and Gabe noticed. Bell must have, too, because she glared less and less and stood beside him, never actually touching him or making anyone believe they were a couple, but not so far away that anyone could stand between them. Progress.
Bell found herself grinding her teeth every time a new woman came up to Dane and flirted outrageously with him. Every touch to his arm, peck on the cheek, hug that lasted a bit too long made her gut tighten and sour with dread. The anger built with every woman’s eyes dipping to the huge championship belt buckle Dane wore and a suggestive “It’s so big,” said with high-pitched awe.
Over the last hour though, she began to notice something strange. Dane didn’t engage the women with any outward sign he was interested in them. He didn’t flirt back. One beautiful woman after another came by to speak to him, and not once did he stare at their overabundant cleavage, comment on how they looked, or anything to show he appreciated their charms.
He didn’t call a single one of them honey.
He caught her looking at him after the last woman left, and he cocked his head. She smiled for the first time since she arrived, genuinely happy to be with him. Why was she so critical of everything he did? Because she wanted to know if his interest in her was real and meant more than the satisfaction of yet another conquest. If a conquest was all he wanted, he’d had ample opportunity to take any one, or more, of the women he’d spoken to tonight to bed. Still, he remained by her side, talking to the people about what a great doctor she was, how she’d be a remarkable asset to the clinic, and how she’d be perfect to ensure the clinic ran efficiently and was fiscally responsible, while providing the best care possible for the patients. He truly admired her skill as a doctor and a potential administrator of the clinic. His praise made her insides flutter and made her feel important and accepted. He made her feel special.
The more she thought about the job, the more it appealed. She liked the possibilities of all if offered for her future. One of those possibilities was potentially seeing him.
Standing this close to the man made the flutters melt into a ball of heat that radiated out to every cold corner of her body. She’d never felt this kind of attraction and desire, but seeing him all dressed up, his wide shoulders a reminder of his strength and sculpted muscles, made
her want to draw even closer. His smile made her heart flutter. The way he talked about her gave her even more hope that this thing between them was growing and evolving into something worth taking a chance on.
“Dr. Bell, I’d like to introduce you to some of my friends,” Dane said, using her title with everyone. She appreciated that he kept things light and on business for now. When they were with his family or alone, he always called her Bell. It had been days since he’d slipped and called her honey. Some habits were hard to break, but he’d done so, if tonight’s encounters with other women were any indication. “These are the Kendrick brothers. Rory, Ford, and Colt. Their place is halfway between my place and Wolf Ranch.”
“Rory, Ford, so nice to see you again. Colt, how’s the arm?”
“Good as new, ma’am.” Colt pulled the sleeve up his arm to show off the long scar. “Barbwire snapped loose and sliced me open. Dr. Bell sewed me up.”
“She did the same and more for me. Mine involved power tools and screws,” Dane said, indicating his leg. The brothers laughed with him. The Bowden and Kendrick families went way back.
“It’s my heart that’s killing me now, Doc.” Colt put a hand to his chest. “You can’t look that good and still shoot me down. Let’s get a drink.”
Bell smiled, her cheeks flaming pink.
“Put me out of my misery and say yes this time,” Colt begged.
Dane frowned. So, Colt had asked her out before. Anger raced through his veins. He wanted to crack Colt over the head with his crutches.
“Watch it, little brother, you’re stepping on Dane’s toes. You’re about to end up on your ass,” Rory warned.
“No disrespect, Dane. I had no idea you were seeing the doc.”
“Now you do,” Dane staked his claim. No way he let a Kendrick steal his woman. Even he wasn’t blind to their good looks and appeal.
Bell’s mouth dropped open, but she didn’t tell any of them that she and Dane weren’t seeing each other.
“Well now, boys, don’t all fight over one woman. She’s a pretty one though. Sweet thing, you want to trade up from these yahoos, I’m all yours.” Grandpa Kendrick slammed his meaty hands down on Rory’s and Ford’s huge shoulders.
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