by Leanne Banks
Adele felt a chill. “What did you do about it?”
“It was just a dream,” he told her, “but where Tyler was doing double checks on safety, I told him to start doing triple checks.”
She nodded and they began to walk forward again. “Have you and Tyler always gotten along well?”
“Mostly,” Jason said. “We had the usual sibling rivalries. Athletics, academics, cars…” He glanced at her. “But never girls. I married young.”
“But you’ve been single for some time,” she said.
“I hate to admit it, but I’m probably the reason Tyler won’t get married. He saw the pain my marriage caused and he just thinks love hurts too much. When it comes to women, Tyler is into volume.” He tossed her an assessing gaze. “What do you think of him?”
Surprised by the question, Adele blinked. “I don’t know him well. He seems nice, and conscientious about the construction of the hospital.”
“Would you say he’s attractive?”
“Of course,” Adele said, dodging some scraps of concrete. “But he’s not like you.”
Jason stopped, and she plowed into the back of him. “Oops. Excuse me”
His face was inches from hers, making her heart slam against her rib cage. “How is he not like me?”
She tried to get her brain out of neutral. “Uh, he, uh, he doesn’t have your eyes.”
“Eyes,” he murmured. “What color are his eyes?”
“I don’t know,” she said, feeling as if she could drown in his amber gaze. “They’re just different from yours.”
He smiled. “They’re gray,” he said. “Tyler’s eyes are gray.”
Adele took a quick step backward and inhaled deeply. “Thanks. I’ll remember that,” she said, and hoped there would never be a quiz. She blew a strand of hair out of her face and resolved to change the subject. She tried to call up some of the research she’d done before arriving in Pueblo. Diabetes, she remembered. “About the hospital, will you have specialists in diabetes?”
The humor left his face. “Yes.”
He turned around and walked ahead, leaving Adele to blink at his change in demeanor. She frowned, walking after him. “Excuse me,” she said to his broad back. “Did I just step on a land mine or something? I think the temperature dropped from a hundred degrees to subzero. If I said something wrong, I’d like to know what it was.”
He hesitated, but didn’t look at her. “My wife died of complications of diabetes soon after Lisa was born. By the time Lisa was born, there was irreversible damage to Cara’s kidneys.” He clenched his fist. “I couldn’t do anything.”
His last four words were full of masculine anguish. Adele’s heart softened. The protector had been unable to protect his wife. Jason was such a strong man with equally strong character. How unbearable that must have been for him. Adele couldn’t not reach out to him. She tentatively touched his arm. “I am very sorry,” she said.
He glanced at her, and the recognition of his pain seemed to vibrate between them. He wouldn’t quite accept her comfort, she could see it in his eyes. Adele, however, understood that, too. She couldn’t explain to herself or anyone else at the moment, but she hated that he bore this alone.
“You mentioned diabetes because you’ve done your homework,” he said, closing his hand briefly over hers before he removed it from his arm. “What other specialists do you think we’ll have?”
“Mental health and treatment of alcoholism?”
Jason nodded. “We plan a large mental health and prevention department, both inpatient and outpatient. Also diet and health education. We’ll coordinate with tribal medicine men and women and—”
“Ladies who pray,” she said, pulling out a tidbit of information she’d gathered on the Internet.
Jason smiled in approval. “Very good. What else do you know about the local reservation?”
“It’s the second largest in the United States.”
He nodded. “Did you know they lease some of the land to a casino?”
“You got me there.”
“Then you have a few things left to learn,” he said, his gaze a mix of masculine mystery and sensuality.
A lot left to learn, Adele mentally corrected as she tried to keep herself from emotionally sliding right into Jason’s arms and drowning in him.
Jason didn’t understand that for Adele he might very well be the most dangerous man in the world. He embodied all her abandoned wishes and dreams. Wishes and dreams she’d clung to, but abandoned for the sake of survival. He was a constant temptation and could easily become a constant craving.
Adele knew in the bottom of her heart that sex with Jason would never be just sex. She knew she would give more and open herself to more in a way she’d never experienced. She knew that loving him would irrevocably change her, and Adele wasn’t ready for that change.
In celebration of the ahead-of-schedule progress of the construction of the Fortune Memorial Children’s Hospital, the management sponsored a quickly organized picnic late Wednesday afternoon for everyone connected with the project. Picnic tables loaded with food lined a scenic area of Four Corners Park, a beautiful public park with bicycle and jogging paths, a field appropriate for soccer and baseball and a playground boasting a variety of equipment for children.
Although Adele had successfully avoided Jason during the last hour, she found her gaze drawn to him time and time again. Many employees sought him out, and he appeared to give each person his undivided attention. That was one more thing to admire about him, Adele thought, and she already had too many.
“Adele, darling,” said Kate Fortune. “How are you adjusting to Arizona?”
“The weather’s wonderful,” Adele said. “I can see why you and Sterling prefer to spend your winters here.”
“I do miss the green after a while,” the ageless wonder said. “Ah, there are Jason’s parents. Devlin, Jasmine, did you meet Adele at the cocktail party?”
Adele watched the handsome couple walk toward them and took in the curious expressions on faces that echoed some of Jason’s qualities. “Briefly,” Devlin said, “but we’ve heard much about her.”
Oh, goody, Adele thought wryly.
“From Jason, Tyler and Lisa,” Jasmine added with a tinge of sympathy. “I’m not sure Kate warned you that you would have your hands full dealing with my son. He’s a hard taskmaster and very thorough.”
“Adele is very thorough, too,” Kate assured Jasmine. “If anyone’s up to the job of handling Jason, she is. Right, Adele?”
Adele paused and decided to redirect. “The Children’s Hospital is a terrific project. I’m excited about setting up the parameters of operation for the hospital.” Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Lisa playing catch with an older child next to the bike trails. “Jason has done a wonderful job with her. Is she afraid of anything?”
“Unfortunately, no. She adds new gray hair weekly,” Jasmine said, but there was pride in her face. “She thinks she can do anything.”
“And she can,” Devlin pointed out.
Jasmine smiled at him. “I believe she inherited some of her grandfather’s confidence.”
“Lucky girl,” Adele said, the assessment popping out without forethought.
Devlin glanced at her thoughtfully in a way that vaguely reminded her of Jason’s intensity. There was such respect and love among them. For a brief moment she wondered what it would be like to belong to such a family. The thought rubbed at a vulnerable part of her, a part she kept secret. It almost hurt to open herself to the possibility, so she quickly pushed it aside. “I’m sure you’re proud of both your sons,” she said.
“Ah, yes. Tyler,” Kate said, and made a tsking sound. “What are you going to do about his single status?”
Jasmine and Devlin exchanged a look of determination. “Devlin and I have discussed this thoroughly, and we’re in agreement on how to handle the matter. We have everything under control,” Jasmine said firmly.
“Well,
if you need any help,” Kate offered.
Devlin’s lips twitched and he patted Kate’s hand. “We’ll let you know.”
Just then Tyler let out a loud whistle. “Attention, everyone! I want to thank everyone who is giving their best to this project and keeping us ahead of schedule. Give yourselves a round of applause.”
As everyone applauded, Adele caught sight of a blur in her peripheral vision. She glanced quickly to the side and saw a racing bike whizzing around the corner. Just ahead, Lisa stepped into the bike path to catch a ball. Adele called out her name, but Lisa couldn’t hear. Lisa’s dark, silky pony tail swung behind her as she watched for the ball with her father’s concentration in her gaze.
Adele’s heart leaped into her throat. Instinctively her feet took flight, and she pushed Lisa out of the way of the bike. She felt her hands on Lisa’s back and felt a rush of relief. The child was safe. She caught a flash of metal glinting in the sunlight just before the bike careened into her side. Pain shot through her, and she fell. Her head hit the ground, and everything went black.
Jason saw a crowd gathering near the bike trail. “What’s up?” he asked Tyler.
Tyler shook his head. “Beats me. I was getting ready to get in line for a burger.”
“She’s been hit,” a man called. “We might need an ambulance.”
Jason’s gut tightened. “Who’s been hit?”
He ran to the scene and wove through the crowd. He spotted his mother with her arms tightly clasped around Lisa. Where was his father? “Who?” he demanded.
“I dunno,” someone said, craning to see over the people. “Some redhead.”
There was only one redhead in the park. Adele. His stomach fell to his feet. He pushed through the rest of the way and saw Adele lying on the ground. His father was waving aside an apologetic teenager next to a bike.
Jason rushed to Adele’s side and bent down. She was pale, and her eyes were closed. “What happened?”
“She saved me!” Lisa said, her voice welling with tears. “He was gonna hit me, but she pushed me out of the way.”
“Are you okay, baby?”
Lisa nodded, but buried her face against his mother’s waist.
“She’s unconscious but breathing,” his father said. “I’m not sure anything is broken.”
He focused exclusively on Adele, taking in the scrapes on her legs and arms. Fighting a dozen wild emotions, Jason touched her face, and she let out a soft moan. “Wake up,” he urged, hating that she was hurt. “Please wake up.”
She turned her head from one side to the other and winced.
“Adele,” he said again.
Her eyelids fluttered. She looked at him and grimaced. “Ouch.”
A sliver of relief trickled through him. At least she was conscious. “Where does it hurt?”
She lifted her arm to cover her eyes. “Oh, God, where does it not hurt?” she whispered. She licked her lips. “My toes don’t hurt. My neck doesn’t hurt. My face—” She paused. “My face is too close to my head for me to know if it hurts or not. Is Lisa okay?”
Jason exchanged a look with his father. She was obviously in pain, yet she was concerned about Lisa’s safety. Moved, he took a careful breath. “We need to get you to the hospital.”
She rolled her head from side to side and winced. “No hospital,” she said, “just my bed.”
Jason frowned. “Don’t be ridiculous. We have to get you checked by doctor.”
“No. I’ll be okay,” she insisted, and struggled to sit up. “See? I can sit. I don’t need to go to the hospital.” She continued to gingerly hold her head while drops of blood fell from her elbow to the pavement. “I just feel like I got hit by something.” She blinked several times as she met his gaze. “A bike,” she said. “A very fast bike.”
“I’m taking you to the hospital,” Jason said grimly.
“I don’t like hospitals.”
“Is she always like this?” his father asked in a low voice.
“Just every minute she’s awake,” Jason muttered, and braced her for fear she would faint. “Adele, you work for a hospital.”
“That doesn’t mean I have to like them.” She narrowed her eyes and lifted one knee.
“What in hell are you doing?” he demanded, horrified.
“I’m getting up.” She looked him directly in the eye.
“No, you’re not,” he told her firmly.
“Yes, I am. If you’re not going to help, get out of my way.” She made a sound of exertion as she tried to push upward.
“Adele—” He broke off and swore. He slid his hand behind her back to support her. As soon as she made it to her feet, the crowd began to applaud.
She gave a weak grimace that passed for a smile. “I want to go home,” she told him in a low voice.
“Look after Lisa,” Jason said to his father.
“An unusual woman,” Devlin Fortune said for Jason’s ears only. “She has the heart of a lion.”
Jason only knew she had saved his daughter. He would protect her now.
Six
“You tricked me,” Adele said.
“I brought you home,” Jason responded, standing to get rid of some of his edginess. The memory of her lying on that concrete still shook him.
“But you also pulled in a favor and got a doctor to make a house call.” She shook her head. “I told you I was fine.”
“Fine doesn’t exactly cover it. Dr. Feore said your hip and shin are severely bruised, you have a mild concussion and numerous scrapes. Why do you fight being treated by a doctor?”
Adele shrugged. “It’s probably habit. At the children’s home where I grew up, we had spills all the time. Doctor’s visits were reserved for big things like broken bones, surgery and stitches. If we cried, someone would inevitably make fun. That tends to make you a little tougher.”
Her response bothered him. The whole situation bothered him. He wished she’d had a different growing-up experience, that someone had taken better care of her. She’d deserved that. Still unsettled that she’d been hurt, he sat next to her outstretched legs on the sofa. “I wish I’d seen the bike,” he said. “You shouldn’t have been hurt.”
Adele rolled her eyes, then crooked her finger in invitation. “Come here.”
Jason cautiously scooted closer. When she began to unbutton his shirt, he went completely still. The fleeting, teasing touch of her fingertips reminded him of how she’d felt when he’d kissed her. When she stopped, he felt like a yo-yo, swinging from one emotion to another.
Her hint of a grin was both sexy and gently wry. “I didn’t think I would find an undershirt with a big S for Superhero. You can’t be everywhere at once. I was just there at that particular moment. I saw what was happening. I didn’t do anything anyone else wouldn’t do.”
That was where Adele was wrong. “I haven’t met many women eager to run into the path of a racing bicycle to save my daughter.”
“I guess you just haven’t met many of us tough Irish broads, then.”
Amused by her description of herself, he gave a short chuckle. Her skin was porcelain-white with just a hint of sun on her nose, and her frame small but sturdy. Her hands too were small. He ran his fingers over the soft skin of one of her hands, then laced his fingers with hers. He liked the fit. “I guess I haven’t.” He met her gaze and lifted her hand to his lips. “Thank you.”
Her eyes darkened with the same emotion he felt echoing in his gut. She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Don’t look at me that way, as if I’m something special to you when I’m not.”
“What if you are?”
She opened her eyes. “It’s temporary. It will last as long as a sand castle during high tide, probably not even a full night.”
Irritated, he thought about arguing with her, but took another tack instead. “I didn’t know you were that fickle.”
She gave a double take. “Me? What do you mean me?”
“You said it would last as long as high tide.”
/>
“I was speaking of your interest in me.”
“Why would you presume to know that?” he asked. “You don’t know me well enough.”
Clearly disconcerted, she opened her mouth, but her doorbell rang. Jason went to the door and opened it to his mother and Lisa.
His mother lifted her shoulders helplessly. “Lisa was so worried about Adele that she insisted we check on her.”
Holding a foil-wrapped plate, Lisa squeezed past him and scurried to Adele. “I brought you a burger and chips and pickles, a gelatin dessert and a brownie.” She made a face. “Nana added some gross potato salad because she says adults like stuff like that. Did you break anything?” she asked, curiously looking over Adele’s arms and legs as she presented the plate of food.
“Not a bone,” Adele said with a smile. “How did you know I was starving for a burger, chips, pickles, gelatin, a brownie and potato salad? Did you read my mind?”
Jason saw a rare trace of shy pleasure cross his daughter’s face.
“I just guessed,” she said. “Thank you for saving me. I’m sorry you got hurt.”
Adele’s eyes softened, and she reached out to touch Lisa. “You are very welcome and very worth it. Besides I just got a few scrapes.” She pulled the foil off the plate. “You want some of these chips?” Adele asked as she and Lisa headed to the couch.
“She’s very good with Lisa,” his mother mused.
He heard the familiar speculation in her voice and shot her a warning glance. “Don’t read anything into it.”
“I may not be the one you need to worry about,” she said with a nod in the direction of the sofa.
Jason caught sight of Lisa sitting in Adele’s lap while they shared the meal. Ambiguous feelings pulled him in different directions. Seeing his daughter soak up the attention of a woman who could have been her mother reminded him of all that Lisa had missed. At the same time he wanted to save Lisa from the loss she might feel when Adele returned to Minneapolis. “I don’t want her to get too attached.”