by Gina Kincade
“I should think the answer is obvious,” he said, keeping his back to her. “You can stay here for the next few days—if I can stand your company.”
CHAPTER THREE
Nicola watched Dr. Connors’ movements as he worked. He should be named Dr. Grumpy. The man had the worst bedside manner she’d ever seen. No doubt due to his time spent tending to animals, instead of humans. His accent wasn’t as thick as McSeever’s, but the moment he opened his mouth, she knew he was an Aussie. Her eyes grazed over his long fingers as he wound up a ball of gauze. With his shirtsleeves rolled up, she could see the fine blonde hairs that dusted his golden, tanned skin. The muscles in his forearms flexed. His broad back stretched powerfully against his blue shirt. A loose pair of dungarees caressed the firm lines of his ass. Despite his gruff attitude, the doc was hot!
Her body responded to his maleness. Her nipples strained against her thin, white t-shirt. She quickly crossed her arms over her chest, but she moved too fast, jabbing her right hand with too much force. A sharp pain shot through her wrist, reminding her of the injury.
She bit her lip to keep from crying out. Instead, she channeled her pain into anger. “I can’t stay here,” she told him. “Not with all these…these dangerous animals.”
“Seems to me like you’re the dangerous one. You nearly got yourself and that koala killed.”
“How did you know about that?”
“McSeever told me. Plus I saw your chest. I know the mark of koala claws when I see ‘em.”
She didn’t want to think about him examining her chest. She wondered if he’d seen her see-through, lacy bra. “This makes no sense. I’m going to call a taxi. Or perhaps the hotel shuttle can come and get me.” His sardonic laugh only fueled her annoyance. She pulled her cell phone from her backpack and attempted to dial the number to her hotel. The No Service indicator flashed at the top of her screen.
Dammit!
“I demand you call a taxi for me right now. I will not stay here!”
He turned to face her. When he stalked toward her and stopped within one foot of her nose, her heart slammed against her ribcage. She stared into a pair of sinfully beautiful eyes. Were they aqua? Turquoise? She couldn’t pinpoint the color. She only knew they were doing a damned good job of melting her panties. The lashes that framed his eyes were full and lush, bordered by dark blonde eyebrows that reminded her of the wheat fields where she grew up in The Plains area of Texas. They had just the right amount of sculpt. Not too manscaped. Not too Grizzly Adams.
Her gaze followed the bridge of his long, aquiline nose to where it flared into broad nostrils. Pale stubble peppered his upper lip and chin. She’d always thought the five o’clock shadow was sexy, but this barely-there goatee was a turn-on, too. The only thing wrong was the set of full lips that dipped into a frown of disapproval.
“Woman, you’re mad as a cut snake.”
“I’m not familiar with that expression.”
He shook his head. “A crazy person.”
“I’m crazy for wanting to get back to my hotel?”
“You’re in the Outback. In the middle of nowhere. Off the grid. This is Far Northern Queensland, Australia. Over one hundred and seventy-six thousand square kilometers of land, carpeted with desert flowers and the occasional wallaby. There is no taxi coming out here. There is no hotel shuttle. We barely have running water. I just emptied the compost toilet this morning. I’ll show you how to do it if you like.”
She gasped. “You cannot be serious!”
A glint of challenge sparked in his eyes. “Oh, but I am.”
“I’m your patient, not your servant. I refuse to do chores while you keep me here against my will.”
“You expect me to be your doctor and your errand boy? Typical Yank.” Before she could retort, he grasped her uninjured hand and turned it over in his. “Looks like you’ve never done a hard day’s work in your life, sweet’art.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. What I do is extremely challenging. Millions of lives are in my hands.”
“Oh, are you a doctor as well?”
“No, I work for an airline.”
“Are you a pilot?”
“No.” She snatched her hand from his. Why did everyone always assume people who worked for an airline were pilots?
“Then, you must be a flight attendant.”
“No.”
“Ah, perhaps you’re an engineer. You work on the planes, making them safe for passengers.”
“No. I’m a Risk Assessment Manager.”
His eyes narrowed. “What the hell is that?”
“A statistician who determines potential hazards and outcomes.”
“I thought you said you save lives.”
“I said millions of lives are in my hands. I calculate risks and the probability of dying and flight patterns and all that stuff. You wouldn’t understand.” He chuckled. His laugh would have been nice if it weren’t so condescending. “You find that amusing?”
“You’re nothing but a wanna-be fortuneteller. No one can really calculate risk. It’s either gonna happen or it ain’t gonna happen. That’s a waste of salary to me. How much they pay you to do that anyway?”
“None of your business!”
“You say that a lot. Is it your mantra or something?”
“I don’t need a mantra. When it comes to you, I need a muzzle.”
“Careful, lady. You don’t want to tangle with a man who has enough tranquilizer to put a full-grown kangaroo down for a nap.”
She scowled. “You have the worst bedside manner of any doctor I’ve ever met.”
“And you’re the worst patient I’ve ever had.”
“Finally, we agree on something.”
A movement near the door caught her eye. Her heart lurched as two wild dogs filled the doorway. “Oh, God. Don’t look now, but we’re being attacked by vicious wolves.”
Leif glanced over his shoulder and howled with laughter. “Those aren’t wolves.” One of the sand-colored beasts approached and licked his hand. He petted its head, ruffling the fur behind the thing’s ears. “These are my pet dingoes, Bonnie and Clyde.”
She stiffened as the animals came near her.
“You don’t like dogs?”
“I told you, I don’t do wild beasts. Make them go away.”
He shook his head. “Can’t do that. This is their home, too. Now, c’mon, let’s get you something to eat. You must be starving.”
“I’m not going anywhere as long as those creatures are on the loose.”
“How do you plan to get from my examination room to my house?”
“I’ll stay here all night if I have to.”
The frown he gave her did nothing to distract from his handsomeness. “As tempted as I am to see if you’d actually carry out that threat, I’ve got patients to tend to.” He swept her into his arms and carried her toward the door. One of his arms cradled her back. The other arm wrapped protectively around the backs of her knees. The sudden contact of his warm flesh sent twinges of excitement through her.
“What are you doing?” she sputtered. “Let me go!”
“I don’t have time for this rubbish. If you insist on acting like a spoiled child, I’ll treat you like one.”
“Put me down!”
“If I put you down it’ll be to spank your bum. Is that what you want?”
Heat flooded her body as he gazed down at her. His lips were mere inches from hers. Her heart thundered in her chest. Erotic images of his palm slapping her bare ass sent a pool of liquid fire between her legs. She couldn’t believe she felt anything but outrage toward this overbearing brute. It had been five years since her last sexual encounter. Five years since her husband’s death. It wasn’t her fault her body was sex-deprived, but she’d be damned if she fell prey to an arrogant doctor with the manners of a hyena.
She stopped struggling.
“That’s better,” he said with a smug smile. Now, let’s figure out how you’re going to pay m
e for my medical services.”
CHAPTER FOUR
An hour later, Leif placed a plate laden with steak and a few slices of tomato in front of his new guest. They both sat at a table in his modest-sized kitchen. He’d always liked this room. Cooking was his second favorite thing to do, next to patching up animals.
“I never got your name.”
“Nicola Mills.”
“Nicola. Never heard that one before.”
“It’s Greek, from the word, Nikos, which means victor. You’re probably more familiar with the male version of the name, Nicholas.”
“Get that name from your father, did ya?”
“I never knew my real father. My mother married Ed, my stepdad, when I was four years old. She named me after a character in one of her favorite books.”
“A bookworm, huh?”
“I guess.”
He chewed a mouthful of steak, enjoying the flavor. He noticed she ate the tomatoes, but didn’t touch the meat. “I forgot you might need help cutting your steak, since your wrist is sprained.” He reached for the steak knife he’d set near her plate.
“I don’t eat meat.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t eat genetically modified foods. Most meat has GMOs, nitrates, hormones, and a host of other carcinogens.”
“No kidding? Well, I’ve got some leftover rice.”
“I don’t eat white foods, either. No sugar, flour, white rice, etcetera.”
“Coffee?”
“I prefer tea.”
He snorted. “Looks like the only thing you can put in your body is water.”
She shrugged. “As long as it’s filtered or bottled.”
“Jeez. Well, bon appétit on the tomatoes.”
“How do you get all your food and supplies?”
“They’re delivered once a week. In fact, the truck will be here day after tomorrow.”
“I can’t believe you don’t have a vehicle way or some way out of no man’s land.”
“I don’t have a need for a vehicle out here. It’s just me and my animals, and I’m fine with that.”
“You don’t see anyone else?”
“Yes, I see people. Park rangers or whoever has a pet that needs tending to.”
“How do you make a living?”
“It’s not always about money, Ms. Mills. Is it Ms. or Miss? Or Mrs?” He didn’t know why he needed to know; he just did.
“Ms.”
“It’s not always about money, Ms. Mills. It’s about helping people.”
“If you say so.”
“I do. Take a poo man, for instance. He makes heaps of quid, but that doesn’t mean he’s happy.”
“A what?”
“I believe in the States you call it a plumber.”
She nodded. “Plumbers make pretty good money, but you’re right; it’s a dirty job—unless you own the company and let others do the actual unstopping of toilets.”
“Wealth won’t buy happiness.” He knew. He’d been that route before, and his life ended up in shambles.
“It might not buy happiness, but it will rent it for a while.”
“Typical response, coming from an American, where capitalism is king. Is that what your mum and stepdad taught you? Go find yourself a nice, lucrative career, regardless of the consequences?”
She narrowed her eyes in his direction. “What did your parents teach you?” she asked. “Hide out from the world and let everyone else get rich while you criticize them?”
“My parents taught me to follow my heart.”
“Was that before or after they learned that you don’t have one?”
His jaw clenched. He had to give it to her. She might be physically injured, but her mind was in perfect shape. He offered her a grim smile, but an urgent pounding at his front door kept him from giving her the rebuttal she deserved.
“Excuse me,” he said, as he stood and left the room. When he opened the door, a familiar face with blue eyes almost identical to his stood on the other side. “Olivia, is everything okay?”
“Yes, I went to the clinic, but you weren’t there. Do you think you could take a look at Sarah? She’s been acting strange. I think she might be pregnant.”
“Sure. I was just finishing supper. You hungry?”
“Depends on what you’ve got.”
He grinned. His sister knew he enjoyed cooking. “Steak. I have plenty left over.”
“Sounds good.”
Before he could usher Olivia in, Nicola came hobbling toward the door. He could tell by the strained look on her face that the effort had zapped most of her energy. He scowled in her direction. “Nicola, you’re not supposed to be walking on that ankle.”
Ignoring him, she addressed Olivia. “Excuse me, ma’am. Can you give me a ride into town?”
“Sorry, love,” Olivia replied. “I don’t have a car.”
Nicola’s jaw dropped. “How did you get here?”
“Sarah. She’s not the most pleasant, but she gets me where I need to go.”
A loud braying noise echoed in the air, capturing Nicola’s attention. She stared out the open door to where Sarah, Olivia’s mammoth donkey, stood.
Leif laughed at the crestfallen look on Nicola’s face. The woman wore her emotions on her sleeve.
“I didn’t know you had a guest,” Olivia said.
“I’m not his guest,” Nicola interjected. “If not for my injuries, I wouldn’t be here.” She shot Leif an annoyed look before adding, “I’m sort of stranded.”
“This is Nicola Mills,” Leif told Olivia, “a temperamental Yank McSeever dropped off.”
Olivia extended her hand toward Nicola. “I’m Olivia, Leif’s sister. Nice to meet you.”
Nicola shook with her left hand. “Sorry I can’t shake properly. I sprained my ankle and my wrist.”
“Goodness! Thankfully, my brother was here to help out.”
“Yes, thankfully.”
Leif detected a note of sarcasm lacing her American accent. Olivia, for her part, was beaming like a proud mother bear over her cubs—ignoring the tension between him and Nicola.
At that moment, Nicola yawned. Her painkillers were probably kicking in. “You must be tired,” Olivia said. “Has Leif shown you to a guestroom?”
“No, but he did feed me.”
Olivia’s wide grin deepened. “Well, he gets points for that.”
“Finally, I get points for something,” Leif grumbled. “I was starting to run at a deficit. For a minute there I thought she was actually going to give me a demerit.”
The two ignored him, as Olivia helped Nicola down the hall. “You’ll have to excuse his lack of manners,” Leif heard his sister tell Nicola. “He’s used to dealing with animals all day, but he really is a nice guy.”
Nicola’s harrumph irritated him as much as Olivia’s feeble explanation for his behavior. He didn’t need anyone to defend him. Nicola was the one who should be apologizing for her rude behavior.
He strode outside, intent on examining Sarah. As he approached the donkey, a familiar Land Rover pulled up. The figure who climbed from the vehicle headed his way. Leif didn’t think it was possible, but his mood soured even more.
“What do you want, McSeever?”
“I came for the woman.”
“Piss off.” Leif tugged on Sarah’s reins, leading her toward the clinic.
McSeever followed, trotting after him. “What’s your problem, doc?”
“You’re my problem. You left an injured woman here with no concern for her well-being.”
“That’s a lie. I was concerned about her. That’s why I brought her here.”
Leif stopped in his tracks and turned to face him. “You were concerned only about your profits.”
“I had to get back to my guests! I returned them to the resort and came back here as quick as I could.”
Leif snorted. McSeever called that hole in the sand a resort? It was more like a house with beds in the middle of the desert. Everyone k
new McSeever operated a sub-rate place. Everyone but the unwitting tourists who booked rooms and tours there. Leif had a love/hate relationship with them—especially the backpackers who left their sticky gum on public benches, but no one deserved the McSeever Treatment.
“I heard all about the attention you give your guests, McSeever. You must be out of your mind if you think I’m letting you get close to Ms. Mills again.”
McSeever glowered at him. “What’s it any of your business if I try to get a piece of action on the side?”
“You made it my business when you abandoned her on my doorstep.”
“Don’t worry, mate. After I’m done with her, you can have a go at her.”
Leif fought the disgust that churned in his stomach. “The only place you’re going is off my property.”
“You’re not even going to give her a choice? You’re making the decision for her?”
“That’s right, you slimy piece of shit. You have five seconds to turn tail and leave.”
McSeever’s sun-weathered face turned beet red. “You can’t do this! You have no right to talk to me like that.”
“I just did. Now, get in your truck, and out of my face.” He opened his mouth to say something, but Leif cut him off. “If you say one more word, I’ll lay you flat on your arse.”
“Listen, mate—”
Without warning, Leif balled up his fists and marched toward McSeever. He’d warned the idiot. Now it was time to pay the price.
CHAPTER FIVE
Not even the charming guest room with yellow walls and a homemade quilt on the bed could improve Nicola’s mood. She tried to stifle the irritation she felt. Leif Connors was the most exasperating man she’d ever met. The nerve of him, belittling everything from her career to her choice of dietary items! He might be one helluva veterinarian, but his people skills were sorely lacking. For some reason, she’d rubbed him the wrong way, and she didn’t have a clue what she’d done to earn his disdain.
“If it weren’t for his good looks, the man wouldn’t have any positive traits at all.”
“Yeah, he can be pig-headed,” Olivia agreed, “but he’s actually a pretty good guy.”