by Judi Nolan
This certainly wasn’t the man she had met in the garden with the dog and the sweet little boy. The darkly attractive, sinful pirate whose strong presence had appeared too often at the edges of her thoughts since she’d last seen him. For one thing his deep, attractive accent was less pronounced—irrationally something she missed—though the clean scent of his skin was a pulse-jumping reminder of their first encounter.
Kate looked away, feeling heat rising into her cheeks. This man was somebody completely different.
Almost unrecognizable. A senior medical practitioner well used to giving commands to junior doctors and having them obeyed, reminding her even more of her ex-fiancé than she cared to admit. Her heartbeat began to race, thumping painfully in her ears.
She drew a steadying breath and released it slowly. Spencer’s thick dark hair had been trimmed and tamed into rigid order. Gold, wire framed glasses sat securely on the strong thrust of his nose while the firm, square cast of his chin was now smooth and clean shaven.
The finely pressed fabric of his dark grey of his trousers contrasted well with his cream shirt and the subdued tones of his silk tie. Around his neck hung a stethoscope and his shirt pocket was home to a number of pens and other paraphernalia. He looked every inch the efficient and successful medical professional.
Kate swallowed tightly and wondered how she could have ever mistaken him for anything else. Someone more approachable and understanding. Her first morning, which had begun so well, now seemed doomed to failure.
"If I startled you, then please accept my apologies." Spencer disliked sensing the tension in her. He felt a quick surge of impatience. "I think we should start again. For a moment, Dr. Martin, you looked ready to bolt."
He watched the rich color in Kate Martin’s cheeks deepen with confusion. Why does she always look so scared? Like she was half expecting him to shout at her, or strike out at her slender body. Her slim shoulders were tensed as if anticipating a blow.
He expelled his breath sharply when she didn’t reply. Someone had done a number on her and the thought disturbed his sense of fair play. He felt the same reticence in her back in the garden when they first met.
It irritated him that she had seemed unaware of exactly who he was. He knew she didn’t want him or Jamie getting too close to her. Maybe, despite her protests, she really didn’t like children. A real problem if you’re a working as family doctor.
But there were no problems with her competency or compassion, he conceded. The reports that had been filtering to him throughout the morning were glowing and full of praise. The whole problem was with him, he was forced to acknowledge reluctantly.
In the last few days, since he’d first encountered Kate, his sleep had been disrupted. Remembered dreams had made it difficult to recapture oblivion. He’d finally given up and worked on his laptop instead. Writing complex medical articles for the journals usually did the trick.
But not this time.
He certainly didn’t have need any kind of romantic complication in his life; erotic dreams or slender, blue eyed reality. No matter how tempting. Besides, his taste in women had always been tall and long legged, full bodied and passionate.
Kate Martin stood barely as high as his shoulder. Almost too thin, she was still softly rounded in all the right places.
He remembered that troublesome blob of sunscreen; the softness of her cool pale skin against his fingers. Her unsteady breathing moving against his inner wrist.
He marshaled his thoughts, deeply annoyed. He had to admit, with her short crop of shining copper curls and smooth, lightly freckled complexion; she appeared hardly old enough to hold any sort of medical degree, let alone such an impressive list of past employment.
Edith had jumped at the chance to snap her up before some other practice got in first. She'd assured him of Kate’s complete suitability for the position. Pushed to find a suitable replacement for their last locum, he'd trusted his colleague’s judgment.
But Kate’s crisp white shirt and elegant black skirt only added to the illusion of slender youthfulness, underscored by her soft, breathy voice. He liked the way she talked, framing her words with an attractive accent that definitely intrigued him. The whole impression was one of warmth and attractiveness, except for the troubling gleam of caution in her blue eyes.
Spencer pulled in a long breath. He’d lived in Chicago for some months, several years ago on a medical exchange and he’d enjoyed working in the city. He began to wonder if somewhere he and Kate had met before. Maybe that was why she looked as if she didn’t enjoy seeing him again. As if he’d already let her down in some way.
Her clear, vivid blue eyes were regarding him with an odd mixture of wariness and lurking censure, as if he disappointed her. How, he had no idea. If they had some kind of history, surely he would remember. She didn’t seem inclined to share her thoughts and he didn’t know how to tell her what he saw.
Her close likeness to someone else he’d once cared for was uncanny. He couldn't get past it.
He lifted a denying shoulder. He fully intended keeping his distance, so it didn’t matter what she thought of him. He compressed his mouth, shrugging inwardly as he folded his arms across his chest and waited for her to speak.
Talk to him! Kate inhaled, feeling trapped in his darkly critical gaze. Her heart thumped against the cage of her ribs. Stop being ridiculous. He was her boss, nothing more, and he was waiting impatiently for her reply.
"Good heavens, what a really strange thought." She managed a small, light laugh. "I’m not about to run away. You simply startled me." She extended her hand. "Good morning, Dr. Stelanos."
"Good morning." Spencer watched her square her slim shoulders as he enclosed her slender hand within his own.
The satiny softness of her skin he did remember—too well. And the erratic beating of her pulse, leaping like a startled bird beneath his questing fingers. His thumb-pad moved absently against her warm flesh.
Kate sucked in a sharp breath before managing to remark brightly, "I’m glad we finally get the chance to meet. I’m only sorry we haven’t had a more formal meeting before this."
Before the incident in his garden, her cool tone implied.
He saw the brisk professionalism swamp the panic in her eyes. She had drawn a curtain, masking everything she was thinking and feeling. Gone was the wary, winsome woman he’d glimpsed in his garden.
So be it.
He felt a fleeting moment of regret at the necessary change. But he also needed to keep their relationship confined to the strictly professional. After all he and Jamie had been through in the last couple of years, it was for the best. Involvement with any woman was not on his agenda.
Kate noticed his gathering frown even as his long fingers tightened around hers, like he would never let her go. His idly caressing thumb was doing strange things to her pulse rate. Her heart went swooping through her chest, leaving her feeling strangely breathless.
Don’t be silly. He’s a married man with a young child and large responsibilities. She would do well to remember that fact. Besides he seemed far too arrogant and very sure of himself, very male and almost overwhelming.
She felt a renewed desire to pull back and escape. Before his gaze met hers and he could see the warmth of his touch was affecting her as it had back in the garden.
"Well, Dr. Martin." He matched her cool, brisk tone. "Welcome to Mountaindale. I trust you’ll find everything in order here. If there’s anything you need, you only have to ask."
"Thank you, I will." She knew he must feel the rapid pace of the pulse in her wrist where his long hard fingers lingered.
She jumped, quickly retrieving her hand from his grasp, a deep shudder running through her. No man—not even Eric—had ever affected her in quite this way, confusing her ability to assemble coherent thought with a single long look and a warm, devastating touch.
The new sensation was unsettling, especially since she was going to be working with Spencer Stelanos on a daily basis. She
resolved to keep her distance from him as much as their working relationship would allow. She linked her fingers behind her back and waited.
Spencer grimaced and removed his glasses, folding them into the crowded pocket of his shirt. "So, now that we have that finally sorted out, I know I could use some caffeine. Are you coming for coffee?"
"I..." She snapped her attention back. "Yes, thank you. I was just heading that way. Coffee sounds wonderful."
"Good, then we’ll go together." He turned to walk with her, but keeping his distance. "I have a couple of questions I want to ask you."
"Of course." She felt grateful for the room to breathe.
She was starting to feel a little foolish. The coolly remote and enigmatic Dr. Stelanos was simply being polite. Attempting to put her at her ease.
The pirate man she’d met in the garden had been an illusion. He was obviously a very good doctor with a terrific bedside manner, successful in putting nervous people at their ease. The other man simply couldn’t—didn’t—exist. Well, not outside of her troubled imagination.
Her cheeks warmed beneath the intensity of his angled gaze. "Oh, please. Ask me anything you like. I make sure I keep my reading up to date."
"Excellent." He nodded, his face settling into deep thought.
Her breathing eased further. It was going to be all right. She could expect nothing less from this man than complete professionalism. It was almost a welcome relief. At least, then she knew where she stood. He may be her landlord, but that enforced relationship too, could be kept within strict bounds.
It was as if the episode in the garden hadn’t happened. She was grateful to forget that first meeting. She recaptured her shattered poise. Theirs would be a purely a business arrangement, something over which she would maintain firm control.
A deep sense of relief flooded through her. Having dinner with the man and his family was certainly not an option, of course. She must make that perfectly clear right now before—
"The offer still stands, you know." Spencer’s sudden comment cut across her musings.
Concentrating on her thoughts, she almost missed her step. "I’m sorry? I don’t understand." She looked up blankly.
"Baked beans and toast with Jamie." His narrowed gaze studied her expression. He didn’t sound too pleased to be re-issuing the invitation. "You remember, the boy and the dog? My son won’t let us forget you’re invited to our place for dinner. He was nagging me about it again just yesterday."
"Thank you, Dr. Stelanos." She pursed her lips.
How could he? She felt a stab of deep distaste. So her instincts had been right in the first place. It made her feel nauseous to realize this man was no better than Eric. Finding enjoyment in playing devious emotional games.
Well, she wasn’t about to play. Spencer Stelanos was a man too sure of himself and his own male attractions. Very much like her ex-fiancé in that respect. Sure that every female desired his masculine company.
Okay, he’s a very attractive man, she thought in a rush of brutal honesty. But he’s well and truly taken. Pure and simple.
"Thank you for the invitation, but I’m sure your wife wouldn’t approve of your inviting stray females to a meal without her consent," she told him repressively, staring pointedly to the wedding band on his left hand. "I think we should forget about dinner. In fact, I think it best if we forgot all about our first meeting. Our working relationship is the only thing we’ll have in common. I’d prefer to keep it that way. My renting the cottage from you is purely a business arrangement. But I will be moving out as soon as I find a place of my own."
She moved away from him. "I’m sure Jamie will understand that your invitation is an unfortunate misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding?" He lifted his shoulders, a frown drawing his dark brows together. "No, Kate, I don’t agree. I think you have misunderstood. It was a simple dinner invitation, nothing more."
Of all the arrogant...she bridled. "I don’t believe you."
His face hardened before he said in a clipped tone, "It’s not what you’re obviously thinking. I’ve been divorced for more than three years. During that time my ex-wife Katerina has preferred not to take any part in my son’s life. It’s better that way for both of us. Certainly since I gained full custody."
"Oh, I see." Kate swallowed tightly against the numbing sense she’d somehow seriously misjudged the man. "I’m sorry, I didn’t realize."
Heavens! Now she felt completely stupid. Fresh heat invaded her cheeks as her heart tightened over the cool remoteness of his voice as he spoke of his ex-wife.
Her chest tightened. She worried for Jamie, a little boy living without his mother. No wonder he’d been so keen to visit her. But she couldn’t allow herself to drift into the role of surrogate mother, however tempting it would be to create the very thing she’d once most wanted in the world.
The Stelanos men would be much better off without her. It wouldn’t be fair to let the little boy—obviously starved of a mother’s love — to become too closely attached to her. She would hate to break his small heart.
"Why should you be sorry?" Spencer asked tersely. "It’s old history; an unfortunate mistake on my part. But I won’t allow my son to suffer for it."
There was a taut moment of silence. Kate finally said, "If that’s the case, then why do you still wear your wedding ring?"
She froze, dragging in a deep embarrassed breath. What folly prompted her to ask such an intimate question? She didn’t wish to get close to this man. What is wrong with me this morning?
Spencer raised one dark eyebrow. "Let's just say I've never found a good enough reason to take it off," he replied cryptically, turning away to hold the door of the kitchen open for her to pass through before him. "It has its uses."
Kate slipped past him, her eyes averted. "I'm sorry, that was unforgivably rude. It's certainly none of my business what you do in your own life."
Knowing the man was free and acting on that knowledge were two very different things. It still didn't change her resolve to have as little as possible to do with him and his small son. However tempting they might be.
Professionally she would get by. She could handle the working side of things. The fact she was his tenant was making her feel acutely uncomfortable. Perhaps it would be best if she looked for a new place to live as soon as possible. But the old cottage was charming, and she didn't want to leave it so quickly after arriving. Besides, it was the only house on the market within her price range, without using her savings ear-marked for buying a place of her own.
"It's ancient history." Spencer's deep voice startled her from her thoughts as he followed her into the room.
The door swung shut behind him. The kitchen was unoccupied, so they were alone. She turned and looked up. His narrowed gaze traveled over her face, testing each of her features. Time seemed to stall.
"Ending any relationship is never easy," she finally replied, in a tight voice.
His dark head slanted in question. "You make it sound almost as if you're speaking from personal experience."
"No!" she gasped, then moderated her sharp tone and said, "No, Dr. Stelanos, just personal observation. I've seen the inevitable consequences many times in the course of my work."
She looked away, forcing herself to relax. His private life was none of her concern. And she wasn't about to discuss hers. Not now, not ever. It was certainly none of his business.
Spencer watched her for the space of several heartbeats. "Well, the coffee's hot. Help yourself." As he spoke, he made a deliberate point of moving away and finally saw her rigid shoulders begin to relax, the frowning wariness receding slowly from her eyes. He drew a deep breath and debated his next move.
But how could he tell Kate Martin what he saw? That her close facial likeness to his ex-wife was extraordinary? She'd just begun to lose her odd look of wariness and he couldn't afford to risk that.
Right now some things were better left unsaid.
But he was grateful that J
amie hadn't seen anything of his mother in Kate's face. The boy had been too young when Katerina left, and he hadn't seen her since. His ex-wife seemed more than happy to forget her only child's existence. She was more intent on getting back into her old social life, free of maternal cares.
He realized in that same moment that he didn't know Kate from Chicago. It was his own past that had fooled him into thinking there could have been a history there. But the thought didn't make him feel any less wary of her. She ruffled his composure and he didn't need that right now.
He pushed aside his brooding introspection. "Would you like some cake?" Surely he couldn't get into any more trouble offering her food.
"Thank you, but no." Kate held up a hand. "Just coffee will be fine." She poured herself a mug of coffee before looking up. "How do you like yours?"
He was in the middle of devouring a large slice of the carrot cake. He swallowed his mouthful with a soft groan. "Black, one sugar, thanks. You should try the cake. It's excellent." He nudged the plate towards her. "Here, have a piece."
"I'm really not very hungry." Kate slowly closed the distance between them to cast a worried look over the plate, hunting for the smallest slice. She thought fleetingly of the calories she was going to consume if she continued to eat like this every day.
"It won't bite," Spencer encouraged, reaching for a second wedge. "I can always pound out an extra K or two tonight."
She lifted her eyes from watching the deft movements of his strong dark hands. "Do you run?"
The unwise question slipped past her guard. Damn! She didn't want to know anything more about him. Biting her lip, she busied herself with pushing her piece of cake around her plate. Her appetite had fled.
The need to put distance between them was almost overwhelming. But then if she bolted Spencer Stelanos would know she was a coward.
So she remained still, praying he move away and leave her in peace. It would be the most sensible, civilized thing she could hope for, because given the sudden, increased tenor of her breathing and the racing pace of her pulse, she was no longer feeling at all sensible.