by Cindy Kirk
Her back was to the counter and she began to squirm as they continued to kiss, chest rising and falling. His hand slid up her side to cup her breast, his thumb teasing her nipple to a point through the thin fabric of her shirt.
He cursed the fabric separating them. He wanted to feel her warm flesh beneath the palm of his hand, taste the sweetness against his tongue. Pushing her shirt up, he shoved the tiny scrap of fabric covering her breasts aside, intent on replacing his fingers with his mouth.
Before that could happen she grabbed his hair, pulled his head up.
“Stop,” she said with eyes wide, cheeks flushed. “You have to stop.”
He longed to ignore the request, but he’d never forced a woman and he wasn’t about to start now.
With Herculean effort, he stepped back, bent over and rested his hands on his thighs, ignoring the aching in his groin as he fought for control.
“What the hell just happened?” he muttered with a laugh that held little humor.
“Flash point.” She raked a trembling hand through her hair. “I guess it wasn’t me after all.”
Something in her tone cut through the fog.
“What are you talking about?”
“When I kissed Winn last night I felt nothing.” She was chattering, he realized, almost as if she was as off-balanced as he. “But you. Well, I thought that had been a fluke. That it hadn’t been good, but it had. You’ve got great moves.”
The last of the fog disappeared, swept away by a gust of irritation. “Is that what this was?” He gestured between them. “An experiment?”
She didn’t appear to notice the edge to his voice. “I had to know.”
“So you go out in public with your fancy business executive then invite me to breakfast when you want to go slumming?”
“What?” Her brows pulled together as if he was speaking a language she didn’t understand. “No. What are you saying? Of course not. Like I said, I—”
“I heard very clearly what you said.” His tone was ice and he didn’t bother to civilize it. Keenan fixed his gaze on hers and held.
“I grew up feeling second best, like I wasn’t good enough.” He gave a harsh laugh. “It took me a lot of years and a whole bunch of growing up to realize that I play second string to no one. If you want someone to heat up your sheets in secret, Doctor Sanchez, look somewhere else.”
Without looking back, he called over his shoulder. “I’m going to work. Do me a favor and stay out of my way.”
On Sunday afternoon, Mitzi spilled just the basics of her story to Kate while they shopped. By her friend’s lack of response, she assumed she’d shocked her BFF silent.
But when Kate began to giggle, Mitzi raised an indignant brow. “What’s so funny?”
“The image of you feeding Keenan, then jumping him...” Kate dissolved into laughter.
“I don’t see what’s so funny,” Mitzi said, even as her own lips curved.
“Seduction over huevos rancheros,” Kate intoned, her eyes sparkling. “Wouldn’t that make a fabulous title? I’d love to read that one for book club. Especially the love scene.”
“Shut up, Kate,” Mitzi said mildly.
“It’s such a guy thing,” her friend drawled. “Ply a woman with good food then jump her bones.”
“I didn’t jump Keenan.” Mitzi’s voice had started to rise. When the clerk glanced her way, she lowered it and pretended to be studying the rack of clothes. “I kissed him. And I told you the reason. You weren’t listening.”
“I was listening all right.” Kate smothered a smile. “But c’mon, Mitzi. You can’t actually expect me to believe the only reason you jumped, er, kissed, Keenan was to test your sexual urges.”
This time it was Kate who spoke too loud. The last two words had not only the clerk but a bright-eyed customer glancing in their direction.
Mitzi grabbed her friend’s arm, smiled grimly as she hauled Kate from the store and into the sunshine. “If we’re going to talk sexual urges, we’re going to do it outside where we can’t be overheard.”
Amusement tugged at the corners of Kate’s lips. “I do believe you’re embarrassed, Dr. Sanchez.”
With more than a little exasperation, Mitzi pushed back her hair as the two women strode down the sidewalk, heels clicking smartly.
Mitzi glanced around to make sure no one was close enough to overhear. “You can’t tell anyone what I’m about to tell you, not even Joel.”
Just as Mitzi anticipated, Kate hesitated. She and her husband didn’t keep secrets. Not since a secret Kate had withheld had almost derailed their relationship.
“I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important, Kate,” Mitzi said, her voice earnest. “But Keenan works for Joel and this is...personal.”
Mitzi could see her friend looking back almost a dozen years, to when Kate had given birth over summer break and kept it a secret from her medical school classmates. Only Mitzi had known. She’d never breathed a word.
“Tell me.” Kate focused her hazel eyes on Mitzi. “I won’t say a word to anyone.”
Having the reassurance she sought, she took Kate’s arm and directed her into a small park enclosed in a gleaming black wrought iron fence tipped with gold.
“I come here sometimes during the week to eat my lunch,” Mitzi said in response to Kate’s raised eyebrow. “I try to time it when there aren’t a lot of kids here.”
“I bet that’s difficult,” Kate said with a wry smile. “Considering it’s a park.”
A park where, even now, toddlers and preschool-age children climbed brightly colored slides and swung high into the air emitting shrieks of laughter.
Mitzi kept walking until they reached a bench as far as possible from the children’s play area. Here, manicured bushes in the shape of animals stood tall on both sides of them, muting the noise.
Once Kate had taken a seat beside her, Mitzi swiveled to face her. “You know what it was like for me growing up.”
“I’ve always admired your determination to rise above such humble beginnings.”
“I got out, stayed out and succeeded in life because I’ve stuck to my plan.” Mitzi blew out a breath. “That’s why focusing on Winn made such sense.”
Kate smiled encouragingly.
“Keenan isn’t on my list. He isn’t settled. He’s still in that having-fun stage. Did I tell you he took me windsurfing at Lake Jackson?” Mitzi confessed with all the seriousness of saying he’d robbed a bank.
“Life isn’t all serious, Mitzi. Joel and I have lots of fun—” Kate stopped speaking when her friend abruptly stood and began to pace.
“I’ve already told you some of what happened that morning, but not all.” Mitzi flung out her hands, her emotions as muddied as her thoughts. Beneath the anger that flashed in Keenan’s eyes, she’d seen pain. Pain she’d caused. Her heart twisted. “He thinks I don’t want to be seen with him, Kate.”
Confusion furrowed Kate’s brow. “Why would he think that?”
For Kate to understand, Mitzi had to hold nothing back. The confession came out in a torrent of words. Her voice faltered when she spoke of the look she’d seen in Keenan’s eyes when he’d accused her of being ashamed of him.
“As you can see, my actions were calculating and—” Mitzi swallowed hard past the sudden lump in her throat “—heartless.”
Kate placed a hand on Mitzi’s arm, her eyes filled with sympathy. “A bit calculating, I’ll grant you. But not heartless.”
“I could never be ashamed of Keenan,” Mitzi said, her voice cracking. “He’s a great guy. He’s handsome, smart and incredibly kind. Keenan risked his own life to save Itty Bitty.”
Mitzi took a moment to fill Kate in on Keenan’s heart-stopping rescue of the gray kitten.
“That’s amazing. Bitty is a very lucky cat.”
“I love her,” Mitzi said simply.
“I wondered where you and Keenan went when you left the house.” Kate’s lips tipped in a smile. “I’d never have guessed there.”
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“Keenan has to watch his pennies until he gets back on his feet,” Mitzi said. “Eating samples on Tuesday night is one way to stretch a paycheck.”
“That was nice of you,” Kate murmured, eying her. “And so helpful.”
“He’d do the same for me. He’s that way.”
“A good guy, you said.”
“Great guy,” Mitzi clarified. “None better.”
Kate nodded, but remained silent. It was as if she knew there was more Mitzi still hadn’t shared.
“When I realized I’d hurt him...” Mitzi blew out a breath, spread her hands and let them drop. She was stunned to feel tears sting her eyes. She blinked them back before Kate could notice.
All light had left Kate’s face. She stroked Mitzi’s arm, her eyes dark and filled with concern. In the distance a baby cried and a toddler’s high-pitched giggle drifted on the breeze.
“Before now I never gave any of the men I dated a second thought.” Mitzi gave a strangled laugh. “I don’t know what’s gotten into me. The funny thing is, I’m not even dating Keenan, not really.”
“He’s more than just a date,” Kate ventured. “He’s a friend.”
“He was...” Mitzi’s voice trailed off as a wave of sadness washed over her.
“You know what you need to do.” Though Kate spoke softly, Mitzi heard clearly.
“Apologize.” Mitzi sighed. “Yes, I know.”
“You’ll both feel better when you do.”
There was only one problem. She met Kate’s gaze. “I’ve never apologized to a man before.”
Surprise skittered across Kate’s face. “Never?”
“Never.”
Kate looped an arm around Mitzi’s shoulders, gave a squeeze. “There’s a first time for everything.”
With her emotions still in turmoil, bright and early Monday morning, Mitzi headed to the private airstrip, prepared for another long day. She’d filled in once or twice at the satellite orthopedic clinics the group did in small towns across Wyoming and knew what to expect. A quick plane ride. A day of seeing patients. Then back to Jackson Hole before dark.
She’d left home before any of the workmen had arrived. When she turned out of her housing area and onto the highway, she was embarrassed to admit, she’d breathed a sigh of relief. Though Mitzi knew it was cowardly, she didn’t feel up to seeing Keenan this morning.
She would set things right between them. She would apologize. But not today. Her earlier awkward attempt told her it was best she take time to formulate and refine exactly what she wanted to say. If she didn’t, she might make things worse. Though it was hard to imagine how it could be any worse.
Mitzi hadn’t heard from Keenan since he’d left her house Saturday. Bitty missed him. And so did she.
After parking her car in the gravel lot, Mitzi made a beeline for Hangar 4. It wasn’t that she was eager to fly. She simply wanted the day over so she could be alone with her thoughts. Perhaps she’d make a list of things to include in her apology. She smiled, feeling better now that she had a plan.
The five-seater parked outside the hangar looked incredibly small, which made her doubly grateful for the clear skies overhead.
Mitzi loved to fly.
Just not in bad weather.
Especially not in small planes.
The pilot cut a fine sight. At least, she assumed the man bent over performing the last-minute checks to the aircraft was who’d be taking her to Delano today. His well-worn jeans encased long legs and the chambray shirt stretched across broad shoulders.
“Good morning.” She spoke in a voice loud enough to be heard over the planes landing and taking off nearby.
The man straightened and turned. For a split second Mitzi forgot how to breathe.
“Hi, Mitzi.” Keenan’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’ll be your pilot today.”
Mitzi stared. Was this a joke? Then she remembered him telling her he’d gotten his license.
“Dr. Sanchez.” Steve Kowalksi hurried up, a big smile on his face. “I see you’ve met Keenan.”
“I have.” Mitzi cleared her throat. “I thought Ben said Tom Rex would be taking me to Delano today.”
“Tommy called in sick this morning.” Steve offered a look of apology. “His kids had the flu last week. Now he’s got it.”
“Oh,” was all Mitzi said.
Picking up on the tension, Steve glanced between Mitzi and Keenan. “Mr. McGregor is a competent pilot, Dr. Sanchez. But I can understand if you don’t want to fly with someone new.”
Though Keenan stood rigid and his expression gave nothing away, a tiny muscle twitched in his jaw. Mitzi knew what this chance meant to him.
But they would be alone in the plane, with too much time to talk about an incident she wasn’t sure she was ready to discuss.
Would it really be so wrong to reschedule?
Chapter Twelve
Though a hard knot had formed in the pit of his stomach, Keenan forced a calm expression. When Steve had called this morning and asked if he could help out, Keenan hadn’t hesitated. This was the chance he’d been waiting for, an opportunity to show he could do the job, a chance to get back in the air and be paid for doing something he loved.
The fact that the day had been bright and sunny appeared a good omen. Then he’d gotten the paperwork and saw Spring Gulch Orthopedics on the list. His heart had sunk but he’d reassured himself that Mitzi wasn’t the only orthopedic surgeon in the practice.
Though Keenan recalled Ben mentioning that Mitzi would be doing more of these rural clinics, what were the odds she’d be on this flight?
Now, here she stood, hair pulled back in some kind of twist, looking coolly professional in dark pants and a crisp white shirt, staring at him with an inscrutable expression and holding his fate in her hands. While that might seem a bit melodramatic, Steve Kowalski was a businessman. If he got the slightest whiff that patrons of his charter service might not accept Keenan as their pilot, he’d be out.
But he’d be damned if he’d grovel or beg. Keenan met that inscrutable gaze with a challenging one of his own.
“Of course there’s no problem.” Mitzi flashed a bright smile. “I was simply surprised. There’s no one I’d trust more with my life than Mr. McGregor.”
A look of relief skittered across Steve’s face. When he spoke, his booming voice was hearty. “That’s what we like to hear.”
Steve slapped Keenan on the back. “Have a good flight.”
He walked off, leaving Keenan alone with Mitzi.
Keenan automatically held out a hand. “Let me stow your bag.”
Mitzi pulled the bag close to her chest as if it were a shield. “I can handle it.”
Yes, she could handle the bag and whatever got tossed her way. She was tough. It was only one of her many characteristics he admired.
The question was could he handle it? Keenan had done a good job of putting the incident in the kitchen out of his head. Up to this point, he thought he’d been equally efficient in banishing her from his heart.
But now, having her gaze at him with those cool blue eyes, feeling the familiar heat that surged whenever she was near, made him realize he’d been fooling himself. He hadn’t forgotten anything. It was all there, bubbling like a pot of stew, ready to spill over.
But Keenan refused to let his personal life encroach on his workday.
Today was business. All business.
Mitzi obviously understood that, too, because she’d told Steve flying with him wasn’t an issue. He would never admit that at her words, the air had left his lungs and his knees had wobbled at her declaration. His immediate future rode on Steve believing he could keep the clients happy.
That’s why he would bury any irritation and make sure this was a good trip for her. He finished checking out the aircraft then helped Mitzi inside the small plane. After making sure she was settled in and ready, they headed down the runway.
The simple act of rising into the air was such a thril
l that Keenan forgot everything else and simply reveled in the moment. This was what he was born to do. Flying was the ultimate freedom. When he was high above the earth, it was as if the world stretched out before him. His for the taking.
“Will it take long to reach Delano?” Mitzi spoke loudly over the engine noise.
“We should be there in forty-five.” More relaxed now, and fully in control of his emotions, Keenan ventured a sideways glance. “Do you have many patients to see?”
“From the list they gave me of appointments, it looks like a full schedule.” She settled back against the leather seat and her hands unclenched. “Makes the trip worth the time.”
The fact that there wasn’t the slightest hint of snippiness in her tone told him she wouldn’t make the trip miserable simply because they’d had a falling out.
“Who are these patients you’ll be seeing?”
“They’ve all been evaluated by their family doc, and some kind of orthopedic surgery is being considered. I’ll examine them, review their records then decide if I believe surgery is indicated.” She met his gaze. “A lot of patients think that because I’m a surgeon, I’ll push to cut. That’s not the case.”
“How did you decide on your specialty?” he asked politely. She was the client, and friendly conversation was part of the service.
“Bones and joints always interested me.” She shrugged. “Not a very girly thing, but I love it.”
“You followed your dream,” he said. “You should be proud of yourself.”
“Keenan.”
His stomach clenched at the tremor in her voice. He tightened his fingers on the yoke. “Yes?”
“I’m sorry about what happened the other day.”
Shock held him silent for a second. When he started to speak, she talked over him.
“I know how it appeared.” Her words came out in a rush. “I know what I said, what you thought, but it’s not true.”
Keenan didn’t want to discuss her foolishness in focusing on a man who didn’t have an adventurous bone in his body. Not only that, she’d practically come out and said the guy didn’t turn her on. And if she was thinking of heating up the sheets with him, Keenan had made it clear he wasn’t interested in playing secret lover. What more was there to say? “Let it drop.”