Falling at the Surgeon's Feet

by Lucy Ryder

  Squirming with embarrassment, she gasped out a horrified “What are you doing?” drawing his hooded gaze.

  “You planning on bailing again?”

  Darn it. She’d wondered when he’d bring that up again. “No,” she squeaked, feeling her entire body blush. “I, um…I need the bathroom. Really, really badly.”

  Holding her gaze, he bent his head and nipped the curve of her butt. Her muscles quivered. “If you’re not out in three minutes I’m coming to get you.”

  “What? But…but I’ve got to…um…go. I’ve got an…um, thing.”

  “You’ve got the day off,” he pointed out. “Heck, you’ve got the next three days off and so do I.” He let that news sink in before saying, “I want to you spend them with me,” in a voice that washed a heady eroticism over her. But it was his expression that had Holly stilling. He was preparing for her to say no.

  “You…do?”

  His gaze locked with hers, his thumb brushing the curve where her bottom joined her thigh. “Yes,” he said seriously. “I do.”

  Over the long line of her naked back Holly searched his expression then nodded. She had to swallow the huge lump lodged in her throat before she said breathlessly, “Okay, but I have to attend my father’s birthday dinner tonight and I still haven’t got him a gift.”

  “We’ll go together.”

  Surprise had her blinking. “Shopping? Or dinner?”

  “Both,” he said, before abruptly stilling. After a few beats he lifted his gaze from where he’d been watching his hand rub her bottom, his expression carefully neutral. Her pulse fluttered. “Unless you don’t want me to meet your family.” His hand slid away and he sat up, looking all hot and naked and pissy. “Unless you already have a date.”

  “No!” She turned, wondering what that was all about. But she had other things to consider. Like how she would introduce him to her family. Her mother would be over the moon that Holly had a date and would start reading all sorts of things into it, but Paige…? Unless…

  Her belly quivered and she racked her brains, trying to remember if her mother had said anything about Paige being off displaying her expensive body for the camera somewhere.

  The last she’d heard, her sister was in Fiji with her current lover. Holly hoped she stayed there.

  In fact, taking Gabe to dinner would solve a lot of problems, the most urgent one being her mother. Delia kept throwing men at Holly like confetti, hoping she would find one acceptable, marry and give her more grandkids to dote on.

  “No,” she said again, this time more calmly as she mulled the idea over in her head. Not only would it keep her mother off her back but she wouldn’t feel like a permanent fifth wheel. Or that awkward nerdy kid dragged to every social engagement against her will.

  A smile grew. “I think that’s a great idea.” She paused and frowned as she thought about what it would be like for him. “Are you sure you want to be bored…? I mean, it’s just family.”

  Gabriel’s expression darkened. “You don’t think I’ll fit in?”

  She rolled her eyes and huffed out a laugh. “God, no.” Then, seeing his face, she hurried to explain. “That’s a good thing, believe me.”

  “It is?”

  “Heck, most of the time I don’t fit in. Especially if my sister’s there and if mother’s invited all their friends.” She made a face. “Believe me, boredom is nothing to what you’re likely to experience with a bunch of dry attorneys and judges discussing the law.” She shuddered. “If it wasn’t my father’s birthday, I’d invent something serious and cry off.”

  After a long moment during which his blue-green eyes searched hers Gabriel nodded, a small smile lifting one corner of his mouth. “Okay, then,” he murmured softly, reaching out to snag her hand. He yanked her down and rolled her beneath him, his eyes hot and heavy. “What should we do in the meantime?”

  If Gabe had forgotten exactly where Holly had come from, her childhood home reminded him. Set in the town of Stony Brook, Long Island, it screamed old money. Surrounded by expansive lawns and trees heavy with autumn foliage it was everything he would have had if not for Caspar Alexander.

  Pulling the rental to stop in the sweeping drive, he shook off his odd mood and ignored the fact that he might be nervous. He wasn’t. He had nothing to be nervous about. He might enjoy spending time with Holly Buchanan—in and out of bed—but he knew from experience that he wasn’t in any danger of falling for her. At least, not the forever kind. Beside him she drew in a deep breath before flashing him a brave smile. “You ready?”

  She’s nervous, he thought, exiting the luxury vehicle and rounding the hood to open the passenger door. She nibbled on her bottom lip, looking uncertain, which prompted him to ask, “The question is, are you?”

  “Me?” She shrugged, looking stunning in a dark blue silky sheath the color of her eyes. “They’re my family.” She drew in a deep breath, expelling it in a long whoosh when he grabbed her hand and drew her from the vehicle. “They can just be a little overwhelming…and protective,” she warned. “My mother especially. She’ll probably hug you and maybe flirt a little.”

  “That’s okay, Holly.” He smiled, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. “I’m good with that, especially if she’s as beautiful as you.”

  “Oh, I’m nothing like my mother,” she said with a laugh, and turned to gather up her purse and her father’s expertly wrapped gift. “She’s beautiful and loves people—really loves having them around. She doesn’t look a day over forty and people often mistake her for Paige’s older sister. My mother loves it but Paige?” She gave a short laugh. “Well, Paige’s another matter altogether.”

  Before they’d taken a dozen steps a tall, slender blonde burst out of the house and swept down the stairs to gather Holly into a fierce hug. “Oh, my darling, I’m so glad you’re here.”

  With such evident emotion shining in her beautiful face, there was no doubt that Delia Buchanan loved her daughter. Gabe felt his chest tighten and lifted a hand to rub the ache that settled next to his heart. He hadn’t realized until this moment just how much he missed his mother and wondered if Holly knew how lucky she was.

  Delia moved back to plant a kiss on each of Holly’s cheeks. “Your father’s going to be thrilled. It’s been an age since you were home,” she said chidingly.

  “Hi, Mom,” Holly said, kissing her mother’s cheek. “Missed you too.”

  “Oh, let me look at you,” she murmured, drawing back to study Holly’s face. Her eyes, so much like Holly’s, widened. “Oh, darling, you’re…glowing. And since you left word with Rosa that you’re bringing someone I guess I owe him for that.”

  She turned toward Gabriel and he got his first good look at the ex-beauty queen. She was indeed stunning and so much like Holly that he could understand people mistaking the two of them for sisters, as they had very similar bone structure and the same eyes.

  She squirmed. “We just spent the day on Staten Island and the ferry…and, well, stuff. Gabriel’s a…a surgeon.”

  He arched his brow at her a little challengingly but she sent him a desperate look that begged him to back her up.

  “Don’t be silly, darling. If anyone can get you out of that hospital and into the glorious fall air then I’m over the moon with gratitude.” Still clutching her daughter’s hand, she smiled at Gabe. It lit her entire face from within, exactly the way Holly’s did. “And he’s so handsome too, darling. Where did you find him?”

  Holly blushed and elbowed her mother. “Mom, jeez. He’s standing right there.”

  “I know,” Delia said, sounding thrilled. “Isn’t it wonderful? Oh, don’t mind me.” She laughed, taking Gabe’s face in her hands and reaching up to kiss his cheek. “It’s simply been an age since Holly was home, let alone brought a date.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Buchanan. I hope I’m not intruding on your family occasion.”

  “It’s Delia, and don’t be silly.” She tucked her hand into the crook of his elbo
w and led him up the stairs to the front door, leaving Holly to follow. “It’s just family and a few close friends. Bryant and Richard are here so you won’t feel like you’re the only young man among all the stodgy old men.”

  “It’s been a long time since a beautiful woman called me a young man,” Gabe said, smiling over his shoulder at Holly, who rolled her eyes and bumped the front door closed with her hip. “I can see where Holly gets her sweet nature.”

  There was a short silence and then both Holly and her mother burst out laughing. Delia grinned at him, gave him a fierce hug. “Oh, you’re sweet. I think we’ll keep you.” She turned to Holly. “Darling, why don’t you two go on into the salon? I’m just seeing to some lastminute food emergencies and your father’s sitting around like a king waiting for his adoring subjects. And if he’s smoking those awful cigars, remind him about what the doctor said.”

  Once Delia disappeared, Gabe drew in a deep breath and turned to Holly with a look of confusion. “I did warn you.”

  “No, I’m confused by the laughter.”

  “Oh, that.” She shrugged. “No one’s ever called me sweet before. Believe me,” she added, when he arched his brow, “I was a really difficult kid. I was skinny as a pole, wore glasses and braces and I was forever walking into things and tripping over my feet. I used to hide when it was time to attend social functions.”

  Gabe’s mouth curled up at one side and he let his gaze slide over her, from the intricate twist she’d managed to coax her long dark hair into, over her face and breasts to the slender, curvy body and dark blue strappy heels that made her legs look incredibly long.

  “Well…maybe you’re still a little accident-prone but no one could call you a pole and…” he leaned forward to add into her ear “…I know exactly how sweet you are. All over. Especially that spot…”

  “Now, this,” a coolly amused voice came from somewhere over Holly’s shoulder, “is the true meaning of sweet.” Feeling Holly stiffen, he flicked a curious look over her shoulder. In the middle of the stairs leading to the upper floors—and illuminated as though she stood in a spotlight for maximum effect—was a woman Gabe couldn’t help but recognize. He’d have to be living in Outer Mongolia not to recognize supermodel Paige. And suddenly those weird flashes of familiarity made sense. Not to mention he’d also done a host of cosmetic procedures on the woman a couple of years ago.

  Conscious of the odd tension pulsing off Holly, he straightened, watching as Paige Buchanan swept down the stairs in something long and floaty, trailing her hand on the banister as she descended. “Ms. Buchanan.”

  “Oh, Gabriel,” she sighed with a pout as she floated closer, reaching up to pat his cheek. “There’s really no need for all the formality. Besides, you’ve seen me naked and had your hands on my breasts…and…well, everywhere else.” She blushed prettily and fluttered her lashes, before looking up at him in a move he remembered as being a tad overdone. It was as if she was constantly playing to an invisible camera. Her hand touched his arm. “And now here you are, with…Holly? That is surprising.” She finally turned to her sister and did the air-kiss thing as Holly stood looking suddenly remote and cool. “Oh, sis,” Paige crooned. “I’d love to hear how you two met. I’ll bet it’s an…interesting story.”

  “Not so interesting,” Holly said smoothly, sending Gabe a hooded glance that he found difficult to read when before she’d been an open book. He narrowed his eyes on her, wondering at the undercurrents suddenly swirling around him like a thick fog, as well as the white-knuckled grip she had on the gift she clutched. “Gabriel’s taken the opening in Plastic and Reconstruction.”

  Paige’s smile widened. “Well, now, that’s an amazing coincidence as I’m thinking about having a few things done.”

  Out the corner of his eye Gabe caught Holly’s eye-roll. “I don’t do cosmetics anymore,” he told the model. “Dr. Syu at West Manhattan is an excellent cosmetic surgeon. Besides, you’re beautiful enough without resorting to surgery. I told you that before.”

  “I don’t want Lin Syu,” she said, gazing up at him imploringly. “I want the best.” She sent Holly a quick look under her lashes. “I want you.” And for some odd reason Gabe got the impression she was talking about something else entirely. “Besides, it’s just a few minor tweaks. Anyway…” She suddenly tugged playfully at his arm and drew him toward the double wooden doors to Gabe’s left. “Do you have a drink? I can’t believe Holly hasn’t offered you a drink yet.”

  “We only just arrived,” he said coolly, casting a look over his shoulder in time to see Holly’s expression go carefully blank as if all the vitality had been sucked out of her. “In fact, we were on our way to see your father.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about that. Holly will handle it and you can meet Daddy later. Besides, I’m parched and I’ll just bet you are too.”

  Gabe was startled by the barely concealed hostility. “No. I—”

  “It’s fine,” Holly said without expression. “You go ahead. I’ll just…She gestured to her right before turning and hurrying down a short passage.

  Gabe resisted Paige’s attempts to pull him through the doors. Carefully removing her hand from his arm, he turned and narrowed his eyes at her.

  “What was that all about, Ms. Buchanan?”

  She looked startled. “I…I don’t know what you mean.”

  “That little show you put on for Holly.”

  A secret little smile tugged at her famous mouth and she snuggled close, pressing her equally famous breasts—that he’d provided—against his arm. “Oh, relax. It’s just a little game we play. We bring dates home and the other tries to lure them away. She does it all the time.”

  Gabe sincerely doubted that. His skepticism must have shown because Paige laughed, looking incredibly beautiful but to his discerning eye there was something off with her. A hardness in her eyes, a brittleness to her laugh.

  “Oh, come on,” she wheedled. “Let’s have a drink. I’m in a party mood. Besides, Holly will be presenting Daddy with her incredibly thoughtful gift and hoping for a little paternal attention.” She rolled her eyes. “You don’t want to see that, believe me. It’s nauseating in its desperation. And,” she drawled lightly, “I’ve resolved never to gag before dinner.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  HOLLY FOUND HER father in his den with a couple of his closest friends, puffing on cigars and talking shop. Her breath caught in her throat, just as it used to when she was little and couldn’t believe that such a handsome man was her father. Just as it did whenever she approached his den, wondering if he would even remember her name.

  He was laughing as he turned and caught sight of her hovering in the doorway. “Holly,” he said, discarding the cigar and dropping a brief kiss on her cheek when she stepped into the room.

  “Happy birthday, Dad,” she murmured, handing him his gift.

  “I bet old Bergen wishes he was half as beautiful as you,” her father’s oldest friend said when he hugged Holly. “It might sweeten his disposition.” He turned to the room. “Isn’t she just like her mother?”

  “The spitting image.”

  Holly rolled her eyes. It was a ritual everyone in the room had played since she’d been a shy, withdrawn teenager.

  “When can I make an appointment?” her father’s senior partner said, rising to greet her. “My foot is bothering me again. I need a second opinion.”

  Laughing, she hugged the old man. “If you’re thinking about a facial reconstruction, Uncle Franklin, I’m your girl. But if you want to improve your fasciitis, you’ll have to stop drinking red wine and smoking those cigars. Oh, and you might want to cut back on the red meat.”

  “You’re as bad as Dr. Bergen,” Franklin said in disgust, but his eyes twinkled, making Holly laugh.

  “The girl’s right, Frank,” another partner added cheerfully. “Maybe a facial reconstruction will help. God knows, Sophie would probably approve. She might even agree to that second honeymoon you’ve been talking about.”


  With laughter filling the room, Holly left them to shop-talk. She headed for the salon and found Gabriel with her brother, Bryant, while Holly’s sister-in-law chatted to the other guests. He looked perfectly content with Paige cleaved to his side like a surgical skin graft. But, then, why wouldn’t he? Paige drew men like flies to a cadaver. She was beautiful, fun and exciting. According to a top men’s magazine she’d also been voted as one of the ten sexiest women in the world. What man would want to look at—be with—her when Paige was around?

  He looked up and smiled when he saw her but Paige pulled on his arm to get his attention. With her eyes on Holly, she leaned into him and reached up to brush some non-existent lint from his lapel before smoothing her palm down his abdomen to the waistband of his pants.

  It was a game her sister had played since they’d been teenagers and suddenly her head was pounding like she’d spent the day drinking mojitos. She knew exactly how hard and touchable Gabriel’s abs were and hated…really, really hated seeing her sister slide her hands over him as if she had the right, all the while silently challenging Holly with her eyes.

  “Go over there and get your man,” Delia murmured, slipping her arm around Holly’s waist.

  “He’s not my man, Mom,” she said wearily, and lifted shaking fingers to rub at the pain blossoming behind her eyes. “We’re just colleagues.”

  “Oh, honey, I saw the way he looked at you and—”

  “Yeah,” she interrupted, turning away from the concern in her mother’s gaze. “He’s wondering how to ditch me so he can have Paige.”

  “Oh, my sweet girl. No, don’t you look at me like that, Holly Noël Buchanan,” Delia snapped. “You are sweet. I know we joke about it but you are, even when you’re being an idiot.”

  Holly sent her mother a half-smile. “You have to say that, Mom, you’re my mother. But I can’t compete with Paige. I never could, and you know it. No, Mom, don’t,” she said wearily, when her mother looked like she was about to object, vehemently. “Let’s be honest here, not many women can compete with someone on the top ten sexiest women list.”