Spanish Eyes: Texas Heat

by Sable Hunter

  Helping her from the truck, Drew escorted her in the back way so they’d have more privacy. “Virginia won’t be here today, of course. After we go over the test results, we can contact her if you agree.”

  “How old is Virginia?”

  “Hmmm,” Drew seemed to think. “About my age, I guess. She lives about fifteen miles north. I envy the woman’s energy,” he mused as he prepped the MRI machine, “she has a thriving practice and a family. She and Jack have four kids, all boys. I call them the demolition squad. She brought them to the clinic one day and before they left, they’d dismantled the water fountain, wrapped my waiting room in toilet paper, and made a fort out of tongue depressors.”

  Angelina felt her heart soar. Virginia was married.

  Of course, that didn’t negate the fact that he was still anxious to rid himself of her. Oh well, she hadn’t exactly been a model patient.

  “Okay, let me help you.” He took her good hand, the one without the port, and eased her onto the table. “Now lie down and we’ll slide you into this tin can.”

  Angelina wasn’t anxious to get into the MRI and once she did, it was hard to get used to. She had to fight back a few moments of panic once she was settled. The tight enclosed place made her anxiety spike, it reminded her of the tiny cell Moshe had kept her in for the duration of her captivity.

  Drew pressed the intercom button from the other side of the glass. “It’s okay Angelina. You’re going to be just fine. I’m here watching out for you. Just relax and breathe.”

  Angelina calmed herself. The MRI was loud and the bleating in her ears helped take her mind away from the claustrophobic fear she felt. When it was over, Drew came and assisted her to her feet. “Come here. I want to show you something.”

  Angelina adjusted her clothing and followed him inside the booth to look at the monitor. Drew tapped the printout. “See, is that what I think it is?”

  “Oh, God, look at that.” Angelina’s heart sank. “The chemical has attached itself to the receptors in my brain cells exactly like an opioid would.”

  “They must have added something to the drug to get it to act that way. I feel inadequate, this isn’t my field of expertise.”

  “If you’ll let me use your equipment and have access to my lab results, I could possibly make some headway. If I can analyze the factors of this drug, perhaps I can identify it. The question really is, how long will the chemical be viable in my system.” A part of her felt better looking at something familiar, maybe work like this would be something she could do in the future.

  Drew pulled her to him, wrapping a protective arm around her. “Yes, of course, you can use my office and I’ll get all the data for you.”

  She stared at the image some more. “I guess I should test myself every few weeks to see if there is any change. And try to stay out of situations that would trigger an intolerable neural itch.” Like seeing Drew unclothed and sexy. Even standing near him in this clinical setting, she could feel the drug/urge/lust rushing through her system.

  For some reason, Drew felt uncomfortable. “Angelina, this will require further study, but I know we can figure it out.”

  She nodded. “I just wish there was something I could take that would make this easier.”

  Drew bowed his head. “My father came back from the war with an injury, the kind that left him able to function, yet caused him terrible pain. First, he turned to drink. When that didn’t give him the escape he needed, he started taking heroin. He died right after I got my medical license, right after he gave me his leather case. Dr. Matthew Haley, the best physician I’ve ever known, drove himself off Pendleton Bridge, into the deep waters of Toledo Bend. I don’t know if it was an accident due to his being under the influence or if it was on purpose because he couldn’t stand the chokehold the drugs had on him anymore.”

  “Oh, Drew, I didn’t know.” Angelina forgot her own pain and went to him. “I’m so sorry. I understand how you feel. I won’t take anything, I’ll tough it out.” For you. “Just try not to be so sexy and irresistible. Okay?”

  Drew barked out a light laugh. Somehow the tables had turned, now it was Angelina comforting him. “I’ll work on that, at least until Virginia takes your case. Okay?”

  “Okay.” Although, Angelina didn’t really understand the connection.

  “Let’s get out of here.”

  “Okay.” Angelina would have agreed to anything to erase the sorrow on his face.

  As they were leaving the clinic, Drew placed a protective palm on her lower back. The touch was so light, she couldn’t even be sure she felt it, but the warmth of his touch spread over her entire body like a wave. Glancing up, she saw two women watching their departure. If she wasn’t mistaken, she saw envy in their eyes. Angelina pondered the meaning of that look all the way to the location of Drew’s house call.

  “You want to come in with me, or stay out here?” Drew had driven up a long driveway and stopped in front of a small white clapboard house behind a white picket fence.

  “I guess I’ll stay here.”

  “Dr. Drew! Dr. Drew! I’m so glad to see you!”

  A little girl came bounding off the front porch and ran toward the truck like a small tornado. Her pigtails swung from side to side at her shoulders. She couldn’t have been more than five and she looked more like a Valentine cherub than anyone Angelina had ever seen. Her face was round and her cheeks were chubby and rosy.

  “Hey, Bailey.” Drew scooped her up in his arms and the little girl gave him a kiss on the cheek. “How’s your grandma?”

  “She’s still resting. Who’s that lady in your car?”

  They both looked in at Angelina. “That’s my friend Angelina. She came with me, but she isn’t feeling good.”

  “Do you want to come in and play with me, Ms. Angelina?” Bailey asked with a wave.

  Drew only looked at her through the windshield. She wondered if he was embarrassed by what happened earlier.

  Angelina unstrapped her belt and got out. “How could I say no to a little girl as cute as you?”

  Drew set her down and Bailey took Angelina by the hand. “Let’s go.”

  “I fell down yesterday, scratched my knee.” She held out her leg for them to see.

  “Oh, no.” Drew knelt in front of her. “I’ll put some salve on that for you.”

  “Okay.” She held up her finger. “And an ant stung me here.”

  “Oh, let me see.”

  Angelina felt her heart lurch in her chest as Drew kissed the invisible sting.

  “My cat had kittens last week, you probably should look at them.”

  “I’ll do it.”

  Bailey’s voice dropped to a whisper. “And Mama spanked me on my bottom.”

  “Why?” Drew was concerned. “Did you do something wrong?”

  “I got in the chocolate cake when I wasn’t supposed to.”

  “Oh, well, did you say you were sorry?”

  “I did.” As they moved toward the house, Bailey clasped Drew’s hand, then grabbed Angelina's. After Bailey proudly showed Angelina all her dolls and a batch of brand new kittens, she joined Drew in the front bedroom where a harried looking woman stood next to a hospital bed. In the bed was an older lady, her face slack, her eyes unfocused. “She’s doing about as best as can be expected,” Drew spoke to a woman that Angelina assumed was Bailey’s mother. “Has there been any other changes in her condition, Paula?”

  “No. She only said that one word when Bailey caught that dishrag on fire. Mama called my name clear as a bell. I came running and was able to put the fire out. How do you explain that, doctor?”

  Drew shook his head. “I don’t. Maybe the blood clot in her brain slipped due to the adrenaline of seeing her grandbaby in danger. I could do more tests, but strokes like these are a terrible thing. There’s really no coming back from one so massive.”

  Paula nodded her head.

  “Dr. Drew. Guess what?”

  Bailey came close as he listened to the gra
ndmother’s heart. “What is it, Bailey?”

  Bailey regaled the good doctor with a tale of her finding a frog on the porch. Drew kept his focus on the tests he was running, but he never failed to make the little girl feel like she was being listened to, dropping in a “Wow” and a “No way” at just the right time.

  Angelina watched with a smile. She thought it impossible for Drew to get any more perfect, but here he was, proving her theory wrong.

  “That Bailey is sure full of spunk,” Angelina commented when they were back at Drew’s place. “Was the berry pie your fee payment?”

  Drew was behind her in the kitchen, checking her injuries and applying the needed remedies. “Yes, a pie this week, probably a chicken next week.” Angelina still cringed when he touched her burn marks and he could see pulling her shirt up wasn’t her favorite thing to do. “Paula promised her mother years ago that she’d never put her in the nursing home. They can’t afford to pay me, but I go check on her regularly.”

  “I didn’t know men like you still existed, Drew Haley.”

  Drew blushed. “Hey, do you want to go for a walk? I’ll take you down to see the horses. You’ve been here for a week already and I haven’t showed you around properly. What kind of a host am I?”

  Angelina dropped her shirt when he was done, thankful that part was over. Even though the feeling of his hands on her was amazing, she hated he had to look after her like this.

  “I’d love to. Could I change first?” She was still wearing Cooper’s clothes. As soon as she got a replacement credit card in the mail, she planned on buying something of her own.

  “Sure. I’ll go let Hattie know we’re stepping out for a bit before dinner.”

  The reprieve away from him was a welcome one for Angelina. Being with Drew on his house call and seeing how good he was with Bailey and her grandmother had brought the nagging ache back to her body. Something was different now, though. Angelina couldn’t put a finger on it. She wanted to think she might be getting better, that the drugs were losing their hold on her body. After changing into a pair of jeans and a bright red shirt, she went to meet Drew’s extended family.

  “There you are!” He was waiting for her downstairs. “I love you in red, you look like a beautiful hibiscus bloom.”

  Angelina blushed. “Thank you.”

  “They are so pretty,” Angelina cooed when they arrived at the fence. A pair of horses ran around the open pen, nipping and playing with each other, while another brooded by the fence. “What’s your name, fella?” She extended her hand to the black equine.

  Drew reached out and stopped her hand from moving another inch. “Careful with that one. Onyx just got here about a month ago and he hasn’t adjusted fully yet.”

  “These are all rescue animals?”

  “That’s right. Onyx is still a bit skittish. This wild stallion was brought here from government land. He was marked to be destroyed. I know he doesn’t know that, but we saved him. So far, he likes to show his gratitude by biting and kicking. We’re giving him his space for now, but he’ll eventually come around. I just know it.”

  Angelina admired his optimism. Onyx was such a beautiful creature. He looked normal on the outside, but Angelina could see something in his eyes when she looked closer. She recognized the expression, she’d seen it in the mirror when she first returned from Yemen. He’d lost faith.

  “The white one is Snow.”

  “Yes, I saw him the other day when we pulled up.”

  “That’s right, you did. The other one is Sarge. He loves to go for runs. He’s a retired police horse. He’s been with us for a little over a year. He wasn’t really a rescue animal per se, but the police didn’t know what to do with him, so I said I’d take him. He’s been good with the other rescues. He’s friendly, but ol’ Sarge doesn’t take crap from any of the other horses. He keeps them in line.” Raising his hand, he pointed to another horse making her way toward the fence. “That beauty is Luna. When she got here, she was pregnant. She gave birth while I was away in Yemen.”

  The mention of the foreign country cast a sudden dark cloud over the situation.

  “Do you want to go see the baby?”

  Angelina’s smile grew a mile wide. “Please.”

  Drew led her into the barn, Luna dogging their every step. “This should be exciting.” He looked at the names on the doors. “Here we are. Newton.”

  When the door opened, Angelina was met by a precious sight. She didn’t know what was cuter, the tiny colt lying on the straw or little Bailey listing her complaints. While they watched, Newton opened his sleeping eyes and attempted to rise, his long, spindly legs spreading out in all different directions.

  “Can I go in with him?” Angelina asked.

  “Of course.” Drew pulled an apple from a feed bag hanging on the wall. “Here give this to Luna so she’ll be satisfied.”

  Angelina fed the mother, giving her a kiss on her velvety nose. While the mare chewed the fruit contentedly, she turned her attention to the colt. “Hello, baby.” The colt came to Angelina and pushed on her leg. She stroked his velvety coat. “Oh, my god. You’re so lucky! I want one.”

  Drew crossed his arms and let Angelina play. Her smile was incredible to see. This was why he took the horses in, not only to help them, but to see the miracle of the way they could help others. He’d watched Angelina struggling with the trauma she had suffered, watched her emotions play havoc with her peace of mind and seen the toll the drug had taken on her body. But in this moment, those concerns weren’t a factor. Standing next to this little creature, all was forgotten, Angelina was just a human being in awe at the wonder of life and the majesty of a beautiful animal.

  The skinny colt stood on wobbly legs, eating up the attention he was being given. “Here.” He held out a curry comb to Angelina. “Give him a little grooming.”

  “Okay!” She moved the comb along the colt’s side while Drew supervised. When Newton tried to dance away, he placed his hand over hers. “Go slow. Too fast and they get antsy.” He moved her hand down the horse’s flank with his own. “That’s right. Just like that.”

  Drew couldn’t help it, he closed his hand tight on top of Angelina’s and she looked up at him. “You’re so beautiful, Angelina.” His other hand rose and pushed her hair back from her face.

  Angelina felt the first pang of desire sweep in on her. She should be pulling away, but when his palm brushed her cheek, she drew closer to his body. The overwhelming arousal clicked into full swing when his thumb moved down across her neck. Her knees snapped shut, the desire rising too high, too fast.

  “No. Drew, I can’t.”

  Pushing back from him, she dropped the comb and ran to the house.

  “Angelina! Wait.” He started to run after her, but knew he’d rushed her. “Dammit!” He hoped he hadn’t scared her. Picking up the curry comb he slammed it against the fence.

  At the house, Angelina came barreling through the kitchen door, almost knocking Hattie down in the process. “Isn’t that little Newton just the cutest?” she asked.

  Angelina couldn’t even think clearly enough to answer the woman’s simple question. The worst part about the damn drug in her system wasn’t just the feeling, it was also the embarrassment the normally reserved Angelina felt when she was in the throes of it. The effects manifested on her for anyone to see and she fought them back, striving to appear normal. “Could I have dinner in my room tonight, Hattie?”

  The smile dropped from the housekeeper’s face. “Of course, dear.”

  “Thank you.” Moving up the stairs as quickly as possible, Angelina closed her door and threw herself on the bed. Her whole world had just tilted on its axis.

  She wanted Drew Haley more than she wanted her next breath and now she knew he wanted her too.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Angelina voiced a quick thank you for warm Texas days. Mesmerized, she stared out the kitchen window watching a shirtless Drew Haley work with Onyx. The proud black stallion danced on
the end of a rope as he loped around the corral. While the beauty of the horse was obvious, her attention was fully on the way Drew’s muscles worked as he maintained control of the large animal. She could imagine running her hands over his chest, kissing a path down that happy trail of tantalizing hair that led to…

  “Angelina!”

  “What?” She jumped, whirling around, feeling guilty for being caught fantasizing in the broad daylight.

  If Hattie noticed, she pretended not to. “I thought your last name was Montoya.” A look of suspicion crossed her face. “A courier from the bank just delivered a package to Dr. Alejandro. Are you married?”

  “No, Hattie, I’m not married,” Angelina assured her. “My father died when I was small and my mother remarried. I was adopted by her new husband, but when I came of age, I chose to honor my father by hyphenating my last name in many cases. Legally, my name is Alejandro.”

  “Oh.” She looked relieved. “I understand. Drew’s father, Matthew, was adopted by the Haley’s. Someone just left him on the steps of a local church. He never did learn anything about his birth parents.”

  “What are you two talking about?”

  Drew joined them, holding one of his hands behind his back. He’d pulled on a shirt, but it was unbuttoned and Angelina could see tiny beads of sweat glistening on his pecs. She licked her lips, wondering how his skin would taste.

  “I was interrogating our guest.” Hattie handed Angelina her package. “The name on the package threw me. Angelina was explaining how she was adopted and I was telling her about your daddy.”

  “What are you hiding behind your back?” Hattie gave him the eye. “It better not be a dang garter snake. I’m too old for you to chase me around the house dangling that thing in front of you. I’d have a heart attack.”

  “You brought a snake in the house?” Angelina’s mouth gaped open and she backed up a little.

  “No, no.” He brought a bouquet from behind his back. “I picked flowers for you.”

  “I think I hear the phone ringing.” Hattie made a hasty exit, leaving them alone. “Breakfast is on the buffet, help yourselves.”