Mills and Boon's Online Read

27/06/2011 LA Secrets - Chapter 1

25/05/2012 12:56:06

LA, Summer 2009

If Nancy Dagarro knew anything, she knew that men were simple creatures. It didn`t take much to make them believe they were the victim, and, eventually, the victim always talks.

Jimmy Hart was no exception.

`Your wife`s away so much,` she sympathised. `It`s no wonder you get lonely.`

`Hey,` he teased as they arrived at the Bel Air mansion he shared with Kate diLaurentis, `keep it down or my neighbours`ll want a piece of you next.`

The thrill was totally part of it. You could tell.

`Don`t worry,` she replied, `I`m careful.` He thought she was drunk. She wasn`t. In the past, at the beginning, she`d tried it; nervous, then, about securing what she needed and frightened at the cost at which it came. Over time, she`d learned to be strong. It had always been in her, a strength born long ago, and now she was learning to use it.

Inside, the place was as Nancy had expected. She`d read about it - Kate and her Perfect Hollywood Pad. Perfect except for a husband who was sleeping around.

`Want a drink?` he asked, fixing her one anyway. He was swaying on the spot, just a bit but enough for her to know the sex would be mercifully quick. This was the worst part: the waiting, the not knowing how much he`d take, what kind of a lover he was, the extent of his private desires. But Jimmy Hart was worth the risk: her scoop would be, at last, the evidence that broke him. He used women; it was about time a woman used him back.

How far would she have to go?

You`ve already crossed the line. On this side, there were no boundaries.

No doubt Jimmy had hit the bars in celebration of his wife`s absence. By the time Nancy had tracked him down in a joint on Venice, unshaven in a baseball cap, liquor in hand and a perky brunette bobbing on his knee, it was clear he intended to make the most of it. The club wasn`t a typical celebrity haunt - he`d been clever to source it, she cleverer to find him out. Within minutes, the invitation came. What do you say we get out of here. It was never a question. The brunette scowled at her: in all ways Nancy was superior, like a photograph sharpened into focus.

Like a lot of movie stars, he was unexceptional to look at, extremely photogenic but in real life quite ordinary. Not like her. At twenty-five, Nancy Dagarro was exotic in her beauty, with inky black eyes and hair the colour of grit-thick coffee. Sure, he preferred blondes, but the hair did it for all guys. Her trademark: a dark, untamed lash, quicker than the wind.

`Should we take this upstairs?` she purred now, touching her lips to the drink. It was potent. She wasn`t about to get wrecked - not when there was a job to do. In this kind of game, focus was everything.

Jimmy slipped his hands round her waist, squeezed her ass too hard. `That`s a little conventional for an unconventional girl.`

She hated it when they made judgements about her. They knew shit about her life, the road that had brought her here.

`What did you have in mind?` she challenged.

Roughly, he kissed her. He tasted of whisky, sweet and strong. Immediately she was aware of his hard-on - how could she miss it? She`d heard about Jimmy`s size, no wonder he imagined there was more than enough to go around.

A*****e.

They stumbled through to the kitchen, his hands buried in her hair and his tongue buried in her mouth, where he thrust her back against the breakfast bar. Things were moving quickly - just the way she liked it. The sooner this was over, the sooner they could get down to business.

Slowly, with purpose, she placed her purse on the side.

Jimmy tore her clothes, sucking and biting like a man possessed. He was tough, wanted to push her to her limits and only retreat when she called his name, told him he was too hot, too big, too much. Part of it.

`Suck me off,` he commanded, dropping his pants. His c**k sprang forth, a colossus.

Blow jobs were strictly out of bounds. Nancy had her own reasons. She found herself unable to look at it, this weapon he brandished, fierce and stiff and ready to make her gag.

`I want you in me,` she breathed, reclining and parting her legs. A decoy, and he was too thick, too overcome with desire, to notice. She stroked herself - the only act that had ever brought her pleasure, if truth were told - and watched his face slacken with wanting.

It was all the encouragement he needed. As Jimmy pounded enthusiastically into her, Nancy turned her head and blankly observed the crystal fruit bowl on Kate diLaurentis`s breakfast bar. Through quivering frames it was impossible to tell if the fruit was real or some high-priced fakery the woman had sourced from a downtown boutique. Real or fake, fake or real. Was there a difference? Did it matter?

She had underestimated him. Jimmy was an animal, his stamina undeadened by alcohol. Flipping her round, he took her from behind, slapping her ass and pulling her hair. In the window she saw his bucking reflection cut out against the night - he did too. He was raising one arm, admiring it, flexing it; now both, f***ing her and himself at the same time.

Nancy thought of the bigger picture. Always think of the bigger picture.

She was here for a reason, and that reason was to get dirt on this bastard.

Thanks to her, Star Confidential would be the only rag in town with the story. They`d keep the evidence, wait it out till the moment was right - Jimmy`s new movie, Kate`s new fashion venture, an issue over the kids - before unleashing the goods. Everybody knew Kate diLaurentis paid through the balls to keep these things quiet.

Because, of course, everybody knew that Jimmy was at it 24/7 with a string of women - girls, mostly - who weren`t his wife. Until now, there`d been nothing to back it up: Hollywood was rife with slander but it was proof that counted. Nancy was about to get it.

At last, he came. Deflating against her, he heaved and panted like he`d run for hours.

`That was incredible,` he groaned. `Was it good for you?`

Nancy suspected he couldn`t give a crap if it was good for her or not - and it hadn`t been.

`Amazing,` she lied.

Satisfied, he withdrew, expertly slipping off the condom, tying it and tossing it in the trash. He kicked the can towards the door, a reminder to take it out.

`Let me go freshen up.` Nancy threw him a coquettish glance. She pulled on her jeans. `Where`s the bathroom?`

Naked, Jimmy opened the refrigerator door. He stood surveying its contents, eventually selecting a carton of yoghurt. She prayed he was only intent on eating it.

`Hmm?`

`The bathroom,` she repeated, smoothly collecting her purse.

He must have caught on a barb in her tone, a change from the girl he`d brought home. He frowned. `Down the hall, second left, third door on the right.`

There, at the sink, Nancy washed her hands, scrubbing them thoroughly. She did the same to the rest of her body and tied back her hair. From her bag she took a toothbrush, slathered it generously in paste and brushed her teeth.

Next, the voice recorder. Concealed in the lining of her purse, it was invisible to a target - even if the worst were to happen and he went through her belongings. Listening for Jimmy, satisfied he must still be in the kitchen, she extracted it and turned the volume right down.

Rewind. Click.

The sounds of Jimmy pummelling into her, his grunts and shouts interspersed with her own muffled gasps. With some men she was forced to ask them to say her name, pretend it was a turn-on, but with Jimmy there was no need, he did it anyway. Staking his claim.

She forwarded, set the tape to begin recording once more. Detached, matter-of-fact, it was the way to get s*** achieved. Nancy met her own image in the mirror and stared down her demons: the voices that questioned her integrity.

At first, she`d paid other women to do it, hookers in need of a buck, all too happy to take the equipment and give it their best shot. Only that became too much of a risk. Some recordings got scratched; some didn`t take at all; some acted so jumpy they messed the whole thing up.

And so, six months back, she had made the decision to do it herself.

Her editor could never find out - no one could. She was a reporter, a professional.

A professional liar.

They`d never understand. Sex was no big deal. It was one of her strengths, her body an asset she was prepared to employ to secure the things she wanted. Nancy neither enjoyed nor disliked it; all it had ever been was a means to an end. She was good, she played the part, knew what to do to make them come quickly and when they came it was over. What she didn`t like was when they insisted on pleasuring her, because she found no pleasure in it.

How could she . . . after the commune? After she had learned what it meant to close her body off at the sound of approaching footsteps. After she had discovered that flesh and soul were two different things. Separate. They could take her body but that was as far as it went.

Not all leads were interested in getting her undressed. Back at the Hollywood homes they shared with their wives and kids, they wanted her to dance. They wanted to get loaded. They wanted to touch her hair. They wanted her to listen, for the one thing stars had in common was that they talked about themselves. Sometimes, they wept because riches couldn`t buy happiness. Sometimes, she held them and murmured empty assurances. Most wanting action wanted head, but not once had she obliged. Never that.

Nancy achieved results. Her position was growing at the paper; her reputation was soaring. In the thirty months she had worked for Star Confidential, she had brought to their door sensational exposés of the likes they had never seen. How had she done it? The only logical way, she told them: by going straight to the source. That was all they needed to know.

Replacing the machine, Nancy slung her bag over her shoulder and exited the bathroom.

Jimmy was in the lounge, sprawled across the couch, a tumbler of dark liquid in his hand. He was still exposed, his d*** half-hard, and she hoped he wasn`t going to want another go. She had stage one locked down - now she had to hear him seal his own fate.

`Come here,` he instructed, patting the seat next to him. His eyes were swimming now, an hour, maybe, from passing out.

She obliged, holding her bag in her lap, contained - prim, even - after their liaison. Her apparent shyness made him reach for her. Tonight she was Rachel, one of her invented girls, her fictitious backgrounds - Rachel had the picket-fence upbringing - because she sensed Jimmy Hart was a man who liked a good girl. For other men she would adapt: some liked her wild, or sad, or broken. In reality she was all of these things.

`Want me to f*** you a different way?` he growled, taking her hand and leading it to his d***. For men like Jimmy, it was about ego. Touching her body was one thing; having her touch his, an assurance he still had the magic, was entirely another.

`I want you again,` he declared. `Get on your knees.`

`Do you like all the girls as much as me?` Nancy asked, playing the innocent, the insecure. She hated the ring of obsequiousness but used it as an excuse to withdraw her hand.

Jimmy grinned - he was accustomed to women demanding his undivided attention.

`Just you,` he replied, reclaiming her fingers.

`Am I the best?` she breathed. `Tell me I`m better than the others.`

`You`re the best,` he choked.

`Am I better than your wife?`

His eyes were screwed tight, his face reddening, slipping and sliding in her grasp. He`d tell her anything right now. Who cared if it was the truth?

`Better than Kate,` he panted. `Better than anyone.`

`Do you want to see me again, Jimmy?`

`Yeah. Every f***ing day.`

`What about when your wife`s home?`

`I`ll find a way. I`ll find a—`

`You promise?`

`I promise I`ll— F**!`

He came fiercely. Nancy pulled her palm away in time and a jet of it spurted across the room and slashed across a photo of him and Kate on their wedding day.

She smiled. `That`s all I wanted to know.`

Jimmy collapsed back against the cushions, exhausted. His arm dropped down by his side and knocked over the tumbler of brandy. Promptly, he began to snore.

Back in the kitchen, before she left, Nancy helped herself to a drink from the refrigerator. She stood by the window, looking out at the black night, until she felt better.

Kate`s fruit bowl caught her eye. She reached for an apple, lifted it and saw it was made of glass. The fragility made her want to smash it.

Instead she ran her thumb across its blood-red surface before, carefully, putting it back.

There was no need to see him again. Nancy supplied the tape and her report to Star Confidential the very next morning. She had a new lead to pursue, another A-list powerhouse doing the dirty on his girl. There was work to be done.

Even if Jimmy wanted to find her, he`d never be able to. Hers was a different name, a separate identity: he`d be chasing a shadow.

It might be months; it might be years. But when the time came, Nancy Dagarro would pass the newsstand and see her article and feel that, in some small way, justice had been done.

She wasn`t afraid of Jimmy Hart. She wasn`t afraid of any man.

Revenge.

A private smile, and she would dissolve into the crowds, lonely as a ghost.

Enjoy? Let me know what you thought of it at vfoxwrites@gmail.com - I`d love to hear from you.

25/05/2012 One Perfect Night - Chapter 16

25/05/2012 12:56:06

Chapter Sixteen

Ben could have been the hapless hero in a romantic farce and the only dialogue that came to mind was It's not what you think.

Fortunately, he didn't say that out loud, because Julie would tell him he had no idea what she was thinking, even though it was written all over her. One look at her expressive face and he could see she was shocked and hurt.

"Hi, Jules." He glanced at the woman beside him and lifted the infant carrier. "Julie Carnes, this is Penny Manning and her son, Caleb."

"Hi."

Penny nodded. "It's nice to meet you."

"You're obviously busy," Julie said to Ben. "This is a bad time."

He couldn't argue with her in front of the desk where his assistant could hear every word. "Penny was just leaving, Jules. What's up?"

"An issue with Dr. Christopher. It can wait." Wariness and doubt were twin shadows in her eyes. She glanced down at the infant boy, sound asleep and blissfully unaware of the awkward scene unfolding around him. "He's a beautiful baby."

"I think so." Penny's smile was proud but ragged around the edges. She looked tired. "But there's no way to prepare for the responsibility of a precious little life like this."

"I can imagine." Her expression said she was imagining all kinds of things and none of them good.

Penny eyed Julie's scrubs and white lab coat. "You're a nurse?"

"Actually, I'm the nurse manager for the hospital's intensive care unit."

"She takes care of budget, staffing and patient progress until they leave the unit," Ben explained.

"And I thought I had a lot of responsibility with Caleb. That really is life-and-death."

"What do you do, Penny?" Julie dropped her gaze to the baby again.

"I work at The Pub in the Monte Carlo Hotel. But I'm on maternity leave right now."

"You must meet interesting people there."

"The public is always an adventure." Penny's expression said she didn't miss the awkwardness of the situation. "But I've taken enough of Ben's time. You two have things to discuss."

"Like I said…" Julie's body language screamed that she wanted to escape. "My issue can wait."

"Not on my account." Penny's fingers brushed Ben's when she reached for the carrier handle. "I have to go. The baby's going to wake up hungry soon."

"I've got him for you." Ben looked at Julie, wishing he could explain, but knowing they had to be alone for that. "Wait here. Please?"

"I have to get back to work." And for the first time, Ben couldn't read Julie's feelings.

"Wait, this will just take a minute. I'm going to carry him to her car."

"It's okay." Julie headed for the exit. "Catch you later."

"I'll call you," he said, just as the door closed.

Now that he'd heard about her past, Ben knew that those words were the ones least likely to reassure her.

23/05/2012 One Perfect Night - Chapter 15

25/05/2012 12:56:06

Chapter Fifteen

Julie walked into the hallway and saw Katie talking with Dr. Scott Christopher. The brilliant neurologist had set up a stroke clinic here at Mercy Medical Center and was working on one for the other hospital campus, Mercy West. He must have grabbed her friend after she'd left Julie's office. From the expression on Katie's face, the conversation wasn't going well.

She moved toward them and heard enough of what he said to know what the problem was. When she stopped beside them, Katie slid her an I-owe-you-big look.

Julie smiled. "Hi, Dr. Christopher. You're not happy with the quality of the EEGs on your patients?"

"I left strict instructions that no one but Barb was authorized to do the tests."

"If you'd care to have a seat in my office, I'd be happy to discuss this with you." She gave him her sweetest smile.

"No." He was tall, handsome and square-jawed, with an arrogant twist to his mouth. His icy blue stare could freeze water on a Las Vegas sidewalk in the middle of July.

They had to move aside as a patient with an IV and portable respirator was wheeled by, bed and all.

"Okay, then we can talk here. See you later," she said to her friend, who nodded and walked away. "The EEGs are handled by a different department here in the hospital, and the nurses in ICU don't have anything to say about it."

"But they know that Barbara Rayburn is the only tech I want working on my patients."

"I'm sure your request is honored as long as she's available, not on overtime, or there's no union issue involved."

"That's not my problem. I need the clearest test possible for diagnostic purposes, to evaluate a patient's cognitive ability and physical function. Life-and-death." He settled his stethoscope around his neck. "I bring over ten million dollars a year into this facility. In my opinion, requesting a technician isn't too much to ask."

In his less than charming way, he had a point. "I'm on my way to see Ben Carson." Just saying his name made her glow and confirmed that she was in love. Even crabby Dr. Christopher couldn't puncture her bliss balloon. "He has the authority to get you whatever you want. Why don't I bring this up with him?"

"That would save me a trip. Thanks." He smiled for the first time and changed from handsome to flat-out gorgeous. "I appreciate it."

"Happy to help."

Julie turned toward the double doors to the ICU waiting area, then went around the corner to the elevator and pushed the down button. A little over four weeks ago she'd put a lot of energy into avoiding Ben and now she couldn't wait to see him, tell him how she felt. No more wasting time. Unfortunately it took forever to get to the first floor and move through the lobby.

A few minutes later she walked into the administrative wing and stopped at the desk, smiling at Ben's fiftyish brunette assistant. "I'm here to see Ben. Does he have a minute?"

"He's with someone—" She glanced over at his closed door, which opened at that moment. "You're in luck. He's free now."

Julie wasn't sure about either when he came out of his office with an infant carrier in his hand and a beautiful blonde who must be the new mother beside him.

21/05/2012 One Perfect Night - Chapter 14

25/05/2012 12:56:06

Chapter Fourteen

"Gotta go, Jules." Ben's phone voice had been deep and sexy, but now turned brisk and businesslike. "My assistant says there's someone here to see me. Call you later?"

"Okay. Talk to you then."

Julie set down the office phone and smiled. Her ICU work space was a converted storage area with a Formica counter on one side that served as her desk. Two computer monitors sat next to each other and there were shelves above with protocol and procedure manuals. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Katie Barrett, her best friend since nursing school, standing in the doorway.

The pretty green-eyed brunette was wearing scrubs as usual—these ones were green pants and a floral top. She looked thoughtful. "Hi."

This woman knew her better than anyone and had listened patiently about everything that had happened with Ben, especially the bad and the ugly. But Julie was afraid talking about the good stuff would somehow jinx it. "Hey, what's up?"

"You tell me," Katie said.

"Not much."

"Who was on the phone?"

"Why?" Julie watched her friend's expression soften.

"Because you look happy."

"I'm always happy."

"Not giddy, I'm-grinning-so-hard-my-face-hurts happy. This is different."

It was different, Julie thought. Different from anything she'd ever felt before. In the four weeks since the Mardi Gras ball she'd seen or talked to Ben every day. Movies, dinner, at his place or hers. Fantastic sex at his place or hers. It was too perfect; she didn't trust perfect.

"Have I really changed that much?"

Katie sat in the other desk chair. "You've changed in a good way, and no one deserves happiness more than you."

"You do," Julie said. "But I have to admit, if everyone on the planet was as happy as me there really would be world peace."

"I was that happy once upon a time." Katie smiled a little sadly. "And if every girl could find herself a Ben Carson, relationships would be easy."

"Do you still miss Steve?"

"Yes." He'd been her high school sweetheart and the love of her life until he died. "But that's in the past and we're not talking about me."

"Because you never will."

"Nothing more to say." Katie forced a smile. "We're talking about you. Has Ben redeemed himself yet for the way he handled that who's-your-baby-daddy problem?"

"Redeem is the wrong word, Kate." She tapped her pen on the counter beside a stack of paperwork. "That implies he did something wrong, but he made a judgment call that was about protecting me from something potentially messy. Now, he calls or texts every day, multiple times. He does what he says he's going to, but…"

"You're afraid."

"Yeah." Doubt was a constant cloud on the horizon of her new joy.

"To find happiness you have to keep your heart open so love can find its way in." Her friend's eyes darkened with emotion. "Or maybe it already has?"

That was probably true, but she wasn't ready to admit it. "I'm not in love."

"Your face is saying just the opposite." Katie stood. "And it wouldn't be a bad thing to let him know how you feel. He's showing you in every way but with words. Take it from me. Time is precious. Don't waste it. Trust me, the words are important. Now I gotta go."

Julie stared at the empty doorway and thought about how right her friend was. It was time to tell Ben what was on her mind and in her heart. How fortunate that he worked just downstairs.

With a little luck, he was finished with whoever had arrived to see him and interrupted their phone call.

20/05/2012 One Perfect Night - Chapter 13

25/05/2012 12:56:06

Chapter Thirteen

Julie watched Ben loosen his tie—not a clip-on, but an actual silk one that he'd tied. It was pretty impressive, but he was an impressive guy, which made this so darn hard. The sheer masculinity of the gesture made her want to throw herself against him. She ached for him to kiss her and erase the pain of being without him, but that was also what she feared the most. He'd obviously noticed her nerves and was waiting for an answer.

"I don't suppose you'd believe me if I said nothing's wrong, would you?" She looked up hopefully, but he shook his head.

"Be honest. If I scared you off tonight with my talk about family, you can tell me."

"It's not that." She criss-crossed her shawl over her chest and held her purse against it like a shield. "But it did get me thinking. I didn't have the best childhood, either."

"Tell me about it."

Obviously she wasn't a good enough actress to fool him so the truth was her only choice.

"I never knew my father and was raised by a single mom. She did the best she could and I know it wasn't easy for her. She was lonely."

"She had you."

Julie heard the bitterness in her laugh. "I wasn't enough. She was always looking for Mr. Right and ended up settling for Mr. Right Now. Then he would drop her off and tell her he'd call. Mostly the men she dated never did and she wasted a lot of her life waiting by the phone for a call that never came. I won't be like her."

"She sounds like a strong, independent woman to me."

"That's not what I saw."

"Maybe an objective outsider can put a different perspective on it." He cupped her cheek in his palm. "She had to be strong to raise such an independent, fearless woman as you."

"I'm not fearless," she said, lifting her shoulder a little to savor the feel of his hand on her face. "And that's what's wrong. I'm afraid you'll kiss me and we'll end up inside, in my bedroom, just like the last time."

"Would that be so bad?" His voice was gentle with understanding, a stark contrast to the tension tightening his jaw.

"No." She met his gaze. "Yes. I'm afraid if we go down that road we'll end up in the same place, where you call a time-out and I try not to hope and wait by the phone." She expected him to laugh, but there was no trace of amusement in his eyes.

"Then let's write an alternate beginning." There was a passionate intensity in his expression that was new and different. He lowered his mouth to hers in a soft, sweet, chaste kiss, then almost instantly he broke it off. As if contact that went on too long could shred his willpower. "Good night, Jules. I will call you. Count on it."

She watched him walk down the path to his car and wondered how to stop herself from waiting by the phone.

18/05/2012 One Perfect Night - Chapter 12

25/05/2012 12:56:06

Chapter Twelve

At twelve midnight Ben stopped the car at the curb in front of Julie's house. The evening had gone perfectly. Donations had been better this year, the program had moved along like a finely tuned machine, and his speech had been well received. People had laughed in the right places and applauded when they were supposed to. The auction had been a huge success and getting a big-name Hollywood star to handle the bidding had been a real game-changer. The guy could squeeze money out of a rock and make it beg to give more. When the numbers were tallied, he felt sure the bottom line would be better than it had been in several years.

But the highlight of the evening by a very wide margin had been dancing with his date. It had been bliss to hold Julie in his arms. Along with not having her support through his personal hell of waiting for the DNA test, Ben had hated not being near her. He'd been determined to be a father first if it had turned out that way, but he'd never stopped missing Julie. If there was any silver lining to the whole mess, it was that he knew for sure what he wanted now.

"Your pumpkin is right on time, Cinderella."

She gave him a tight smile. "Okay, then. Good night."

The engine was barely turned off before her door was open and she was struggling to get out of the low-slung car with her purse, rose, shawl and the long hem of her dress. All of this while wearing those sexy high heels.

"Hold on," he said, "I'm coming around."

"That's all right. I've got it. You must be tired. God knows I am. It's late…"

He frowned. "I didn't think you were working tomorrow. Actually, today."

"I'm not. But it's been a busy, stressful week."

Ben wasn't sure what her problem was, but knew there was one. He got out of the car and hurried around it, then held out his hand.

Without accepting his help, she gathered everything in one hand and lifted the hem of her dress with the other. "I've got this."

The car hadn't transformed into a pumpkin, but Cinderella had certainly changed. Gone was the glowing woman who'd made him feel lucky and proud that she'd agreed to be his date tonight. In her place was a nervous nurse who seemed anxious to get away without being touched.

Forget that. Ben took her elbow and steadied her on the sidewalk whether she wanted his help or not.

She didn't meet his gaze when she said, "Thanks for tonight, Ben. I'm glad I finally got to go to the ball."

If she had sneakers on instead of heels, he fully expected she'd hike up her dress and set a new Olympic record sprinting to the front door. But a gentleman saw a lady home and that meant escorting her into the house. He wasn't sure what was bugging her, but leaving wasn't an option until he found out and eased her worries. Maybe he had scared her with talk of children and family.

On the porch, in the glow from her front door light, he asked, "What's wrong, Jules?"

16/05/2012 One Perfect Night - Chapter 11

25/05/2012 12:56:06

Chapter Eleven

Julie hadn't meant to ask, or to bring up the baby at all, but the words were out before she'd thought them through. "Forget I said that. It's none of my business."

"You're wrong." Ben's hand dropped to her bare shoulder, warm and reassuring. "You can ask me anything. Anytime."

"Okay." She considered what she wanted to say and how she wanted to say it.

"I know you're not just responsible for the Mercy Medical hospitals here in Las Vegas, but the whole southwestern region. That also includes ancillary services like Respiratory Therapy, Cardiology, Lab and a whole lot of other things for a whole lot of people." The weight of all that wasn't easy to carry, let alone do it with his easygoing and fair management style. "But tonight everyone in this room could see the genuine emotion behind your words, and that's all about the kids. So it made me wonder."

"I'd be surprised if you didn't. And the answer is no. I'm not sorry the baby wasn't mine."

"Okay." She was way too happy he felt that way.

He half turned toward her and their knees bumped. "I had a crappy childhood. My mother got pregnant and that's the only reason my father married her. It had nothing to do with love. I was nothing more than an inconvenience and there were a lot of fights because both of them tried to push me off on the other. Neither wanted me."

"That's sad. Their loss." Her heart went out to him. She'd had her own challenges growing up, but at least she never doubted that she was loved.

"They're the exact opposite of what I want, what I've been searching for all my life." There was a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Sounds corny, I guess."

"Not to me." It sounded perfect, especially since she'd been raised by a single mother always waiting for a man.

"I want children very much," he continued. "I can't imagine my life without kids in it. If that baby was mine, I'd have tried to be the best father possible, but not being married to my child's mother isn't how I'd want it to go."

"How do you want it to go?"

"I'd find an interesting woman who gets my sense of humor."

"Does she have to be pretty?"

His gaze lingered on her face as if he liked what he saw. "Chemistry is also important. A solid-foundation, to-the-core relationship is the best to build on. I want to bring children into a family with a father and mother, an environment that will last."

"Wow."

"Am I starting to scare you?"

"Of course not."

That was a lie, but not for the reason he thought. Ben Carson had just described everything she wanted. He seemed to be a good man, a solid one that a woman could count on. She could fall for him easily—in fact, she might already be a little in love.

Which was foolish. At her house, they'd teased about being Cinderella and Prince Charming—a fairy tale. But their only other date had seemed perfect, too, and she'd found out quickly that that wasn't the case. The last thing she wanted was to go back to that painful place again.

All she had to do to remain unscathed this time was get through the part of the evening where he took her back to her place.

Only, if he kissed her again, she wasn't sure she could resist going down the same path where she'd already lost him once.

15/05/2012 One Perfect Night - Chapter 10

25/05/2012 12:56:06

Chapter Ten

Julie looked around the ballroom while she and Ben lingered over after-dinner coffee. His responsibilities for the evening were fulfilled and they were relaxing. Most of the more than five hundred people in this room had more money than they knew what to do with, which was why they'd scored an invitation. And she was with the guy who'd charmed them into making very generous donations.

Although the setting had probably helped, too. Sconces on the walls and overhead chandeliers shimmered like diamonds and cast a surreal glow over the room. Floral arrangements of star lilies, baby's breath and red roses smelled heavenly and looked stunning on the center of each table.

She toyed with the stem of her white rose, resting on her silver purse. "This is a very impressive venue for a date."

"I'm glad you think so, but I preferred our last date."

"Why is that?" A shiver trembled through her when his thigh brushed against hers. They were sitting very close and the spicy scent of his skin mingled with the sweet fragrance of the flowers. The combination was intoxicating. "The only thing that would make this place better is if it were in Paris. Or Rome. Possibly Greece overlooking the Mediterranean."

"The restaurant I took you to may not have been in Rome, but it did have Italian food. And I liked that it was smaller. More intimate." His gaze met hers and held for several moments. "And not every man in the place was checking out my date."

"Oh, please." She scanned the room again. Their table for eight was empty now except for the two of them. Some people had gone home. Others were on the dance floor enjoying the four-piece band playing a waltz. Still others stood in small groups chatting. "No one's looking at me."

"I am." He rested his arm across the back of her chair, his fingers close enough to touch her shoulder. "I can't take my eyes off you. And neither can most of the guys in this room."

"So not true. I'm nobody."

"Not to me."

"Who would even notice me? I didn't make a speech or introduce anyone who did. Thank goodness."

"Public speaking isn't your thing?"

"I'd rather walk barefoot on burning coals." She shuddered. "But your remarks were great. Funny. Charming. And poignant. Especially with the big screen behind the podium showing slides of the sick kids. The before and after pictures were a great way of showing the difference Mercy Medical Center made in getting the kids well."

"There's always a need," he said. "And programs to keep kids healthy are as important as medical intervention when they get sick. Vaccinations. Medical and dental check-ups. Even shoes and coats if they can't afford them."

There was a passionate sincerity in his voice that jumped out at her. "It sounds as if you really like children. That this isn't just doing your job."

"I do. Very much."

"I'm guessing you'd like some of your own."

"You'd guess right."

"Are you sorry the baby wasn't yours?"

13/05/2012 One Perfect Night - Chapter 9

25/05/2012 12:56:06

Chapter Nine

Julie faced the cherrywood beveled mirror above the matching dresser as Ben came to stand behind her. The heat in his eyes blistered every nerve ending and set her body on fire.

His warm fingers skimmed her bare skin as he pulled up the zipper, stealing the breath from her lungs. Slowly, he secured the hook and eye.

He looked up and their gazes locked in the mirror's reflection for several long moments. He lowered his head slightly, moving his mouth toward her neck. But then he backed away.

"Mission accomplished." His voice seemed deeper, a little hoarse. Or was that wishful thinking? "I'll wait for you in the other room."

When he left she finally took a breath. That had been really…something…but right now she didn't have time to figure out exactly what.

She put on her faux-diamond chandelier earrings, grabbed her silver clutch purse and slid her feet into the matching strappy high-heeled sandals. After grabbing the silver-threaded shawl from the bed, she walked out where Ben's broad back was to her.

"I'm all set."

He turned and took in the sight of her, letting his gaze caress her from head to toe. "I'm sorry. I think I just swallowed my tongue."

She grinned. "Now you're talking. Much better than 'fetching.'"

"I liked the robe, but—" He shook his head, at a loss for words. "You look amazing."

"Thank you." Now the mission was accomplished. "Can I get a do-over?"

"For what?"

"I was wrong. You don't look nice. You look pretty darn amazing, too."

The corners of his mouth curved up as he held out a single white rosebud. "Your corsage."

"It's beautiful." All the thorns had been removed from the long stem. It was the same kind of flower he'd brought last time, her favorite, and that was… "Perfect."

"Shall we go?" He held out his arm and she put her hand in the crook of his elbow.

"I feel like Cinderella going to the ball."

"Then that would make me Prince Charming. Your pumpkin is waiting at the curb. Just hang on to your shoes until midnight because I don't think my Mercedes would look quite as impressive in orange."

"I'll do my best. Sitting on slimy pulp and seeds would not be good for this dress."

"Then may the only spell tonight be the one you put on me."

He wasn't the only one under a spell. Tonight, everything felt like magic. She couldn't wait to see what else the night would bring.

11/05/2012 One Perfect Night - Chapter 8

25/05/2012 12:56:06

Chapter Eight

Julie took a minute to admire Ben. Her heart was beating too fast—a recurring symptom when she was close to this man. But tonight was different.

He was different.

She'd never seen him in a tuxedo before. She told herself it was just another suit, but that was like saying the Grand Canyon was just another rock formation.

"You look nice."

"That's the best you can do?" One dark eyebrow rose. "Nice?"

"What should I say?"

He shrugged. "I was hoping for something along the lines of…hot."

Definitely he was that. It scared her how much she wanted to get him out of that tux. But she'd only agreed to be his date because she'd wanted to go to the Mardi Gras ball. His promise about not disappearing afterward hadn't changed her mind about anything.

Keep cool, she warned herself. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

"So, beholder, what do you think?"

"Besides the fact that you're fishing for compliments?" she teased. "I expected you to say, 'the name's Bond—James Bond.'"

"I'll take that as a good thing."

His grin made her knees go weak, another recurring symptom of close proximity to him. She'd been attracted to Ben the first time she'd seen him talking to one of the surgeons in the ICU waiting room at Mercy Medical Center. Her reaction to him had always been strong, but it was more intense now. Either because she knew now that being with him was so much better than being without him, or his instinct to protect her had melted her heart more than she'd realized.

"Maybe you don't need to hassle with the dress," he teased her, knowing she was dying to wear it. "The satin robe is a very fetching look."

"'Fetching'? Really? Who even says that in a regular conversation? Next you'll be calling me 'wench.'"

"I can truthfully say that never crossed my mind."

"What a relief. But I do have to put my dress on. I'm ready except for that." Turning, she lifted the skirt of her robe. Tripping on it as she left the room would be beyond embarrassing, and she was going for sophisticated and confident.

"Let me know if you need a hand…or two."

His words were wrapped in seduction and made tingles dance down her spine, but there was no time for a distraction. Even if she wanted to go there.

In her bedroom she pulled the protective bag containing her gown from the closet and unzipped it. She unbelted her robe, then stepped into the silver beaded strapless dress. The bodice was so tight no bra was necessary, but she'd had assistance from a saleswoman with the zipper when she bought it.

She tried tugging up the zipper, but the front fell forward, making it impossible to pull the sides closed in the back. Turning it backwards, she yanked the closure up as far as she could then slid it around, but she still couldn't seal the deal. Her arms weren't flexible enough and her fingers didn't have the strength. This was a fine mess.

And the solution to her dilemma was waiting in the other room.

If she'd been alone, she wasn't sure she'd have managed. But tonight she wasn't alone.

"Ben?"

Moments later he stood in the doorway to her bedroom.

Her back was to him as she held the top of the dress to her bare breasts. "I think I need your hand, after all."

10/05/2012 One Perfect Night - Chapter 7

25/05/2012 12:56:06

Chapter Seven

Ben arrived at Julie's house early to pick her up for the Mardi Gras ball. He wasn't going to give her any reason to be mad at him, and punctuality was something he could control. Her agreement to be his date tonight could just be proof that she'd do anything to go to the event, but he'd take what he could get. It might be his only shot, and it was more than he'd had any right to hope for.

But that wasn't the only reason he was parked by her curb twenty minutes before their agreed-upon time. He just couldn't wait to see her. Brief glimpses of her in the hospital cafeteria or the hall just weren't enough anymore. She was like a ray of sunshine after a week of rain. She brightened his world.

Glancing at the watch on his wrist, he realized only a minute had passed since he'd stopped his Mercedes at the curb. He decided to try his luck with Julie. If she wasn't quite ready, he would wait patiently in her living room. His goal wasn't to hurry her along, just to be there with her. He picked up the single flower from the seat beside him.

A corsage had seemed appropriate for the formal occasion. But that had begged the question, wrist or pin on? What if she had a strapless dress and thought he was making a move? He hadn't made himself this crazy even when he'd been a geeky teenager going to his first dance. Finally he'd decided on a single white rose, her favorite, and as pure and beautiful as she was. The choice felt right, and he hadn't achieved his level of career success by going against his gut. If she drew parallels between this and their first date, that was okay, too.

The front of her small Henderson home was landscaped in typical desert style—multicolored, various-size rocks interspersed with drought-resistant plants. It was functional, artistic, practical.

Ben walked up the sidewalk and to the front door before straightening his white cuffs and black silk bow tie, and brushing a hand over his hair. If she didn't like what she saw, he'd have to rely on personality and wit. Somewhere he'd heard that on a top-ten list of things that attracted a woman to a man, number one was sense of humor.

"I can be funny, damn it," he muttered just before knocking on the door.

After several moments, the inside deadbolt scraped and Julie stood in the entryway wearing a long blue satin robe belted at the waist. "Hi. You're early."

"I can leave," he offered. "Drive around the block several hundred times."

She laughed. "Don't be silly. That's a waste of gas and will just pollute the environment, starting with my neighborhood."

The porch light and lamps in the room behind her showed that her make-up was done. At work she wore mascara and lip gloss, but tonight he could see a difference. She looked like a movie star. Her blond hair was loosely pulled back from her face, almost as if someone had dragged their fingers through it then secured the mass just behind her right ear. Golden wisps teased her cheeks in the sexiest way he could imagine.

"I'm almost ready. Just have to slip into my dress."

"I'll wait right here. No rush," he assured her.

"I'm glad, because this could take some time. The dress appears deceptively simple, but I swear it was designed by an engineer. And I don't have a stylist or team of professionals to get me into it."

"I'm a professional, and I also took an engineering class in college. If you need help, just say the word."

Please.

08/05/2012 One Perfect Night - Chapter 6

25/05/2012 12:56:06

Chapter Six

Julie hadn't known about his childhood, that his parents got married because they'd had to, then ignored him. That's something he probably would have revealed if they'd had a chance to spend more time together. Now he was asking for that chance.

The way her legs were shaking, it was tempting to sit, but that would look like an invitation for him to stay. Now that she'd heard him out she wasn't sure what to do. The longer he was here, the more she wanted to say yes to anything and everything he asked. But that would risk being hurt again. And yet, what if her instincts from that one perfect night had been right?

She reminded herself of the last time he was here. She'd said yes to him without words. A kiss was all it had taken, and he'd swept her away, literally. He'd lifted her in his arms and carried her into the bedroom. Granted, it wasn't far, not up the staircase like in Gone With the Wind, but she'd fallen for him, for the romance. Then she'd crashed back to reality with a thud when he pushed the eject button on their relationship.

She lifted her chin a notch. "Thanks, but I don't think there's anything you could ask that I'd say yes to."

A smile curved up the corners of his mouth. "That's because you haven't heard the question yet." He cleared his throat the way he always did before beginning his remarks at hospital meetings. "Every year Mercy Medical Center holds a fundraising event to benefit medical services for children."

She knew before he said it. "The Mardi Gras ball."

It was a major social event in Las Vegas. Anyone who was anyone—including the governor, state politicians and hospital bigwigs—attended. The cost was somewhere in the neighborhood of a bazillion dollars a plate.

"Yes," he confirmed. "You told me that last year you won a ticket to the ball through an employee raffle."

It had been her Cinderella moment. She'd bought a fabulous dress and shoes, and had marked off the days on her calendar. Then she got the flu. And not the kind she could've taken decongestants and cough meds for. Fate was cruel that way. Her flu had been the stomach kind, and there was no way she was going to have her fairy-tale night.

"I wasn't able to attend," she said.

"So you mentioned." The grin he slid in her direction said he knew how disappointed she'd been at not being able to wear the dress and see all the other dresses, shoes and jewelry, and what it would mean to her to get another chance to go. "As the hospital's VP, I've been given two tickets to attend. The thing is, it's formal. Ball gowns."

"For the men," she teased.

"Great idea. People would pay a lot to see the senate majority leader in sequins and silk."

She laughed then forced a neutral tone. "I've heard it's quite the shindig."

He met her gaze and his own was serious. "I'd be honored if you'd let me escort you. It could be your second chance at a happy ending. Our second chance."

This was like being on a diet and working above a donut shop where just breathing added density to your thighs. It was too much of a temptation to resist. Apparently she had far too much of her mother's DNA to tell him no.

But this didn't count as waiting around for a man. This was about a second chance for the dress and shoes. To feel like a princess. It was a girl thing.

"I happen to have something to wear. I'd love to go to the ball." Though she didn't add the words with you.

"Thanks, Jules, for giving me a chance to show you we can have a perfect date and I won't disappear."

06/05/2012 One Perfect Night - Chapter 5

25/05/2012 12:56:06

Chapter Five

Julie was torn between a warm, fuzzy feeling that he'd protected her from a messy part of his past and irritation that he hadn't believed she would be up to the challenge.

"Why did you feel you couldn't lean on me?" she asked.

"It was too much to ask." His eyes blazed with intensity and something else, something primitive and honest. "I was an afterthought to my parents—they were never there for me. It's a lousy way to grow up, and I vowed if I ever had a child, I'd give one hundred percent of myself to him. And that meant I didn't have much to give to you."

"So, you decided for me what I couldn't handle?"

"I didn't want to hurt you."

"And yet you did."

There was honest regret in his eyes. "It seemed like the best decision at the time. Now I realize I was a jerk. But I'm asking for a chance to prove I'm not a total jerk. That I can make things right."

If there was someone on the planet who claimed they'd never been stupid about a relationship, she'd bet they were lying. Maybe she was being stupid, but she believed Ben was being truthful.

He looked so completely miserable and sincere that her resolve to keep him at arm's length weakened. "I appreciate what you're doing, Ben, but—"

"Don't say it." He held up his hand to stop her. "I hate the word but. I'll cop to an error in judgment, but my only intention was to protect you, Jules. I didn't want the feelings on either side to go too far before I knew one way or the other if I was going to be a father."

"Very noble."

"I wasn't going for noble, just trying to do right by you and a child that might have been mine."

"Would you have married her if it turned out you were the baby's father?" The words popped out before she thought them through, but somehow it was important for her to know.

"I'd have taken responsibility and been there for him, but I don't love my ex and marriage would have been a mistake. The same kind my parents made." He stared at her long and hard. "Besides, I'd have been thinking about another woman."

"I see."

"That makes one of us. I was so sure I had everything figured out, and I was wrong. What I didn't count on was missing your support through the whole mess."

The thought of him being all alone in a crisis bothered her more that she wanted. "Was anyone there for you? Your parents?"

"No. They never have been, and there was no reason to think that would change now." He met her gaze while dark memories swirled in his own. "And now I'm asking for the opportunity to make things up to you."

"That's not necessary." She put her hand on the door and started to open it. "We should probably say good-night now."

"Not yet. There's something I'm going to ask you."

"Yes, I've forgiven you."

"No, you haven't, but that's not it. Before I ask, though, you should be aware that I'm not leaving until you agree."

05/05/2012 One Perfect Night - Chapter 4

25/05/2012 12:56:06

Chapter Four

The day after he'd had the most perfect date with Julie, Ben's ex-girlfriend had told him she was pregnant. And that the baby could be his.

He couldn't ask Julie to deal with his baggage from another relationship, not when theirs was so new. It had ripped his heart out to put things on hold, but he had to be fair to her. He hadn't told Julie more than the basics then. It was time to give her the whole story. "I knew things weren't working with my ex and it needed to end. Then I found her with another guy, and I broke it off with her for good."

"Until she told you she was pregnant and you might be the father of her baby."

"Yeah, but it was unlikely I was the father." He willed her to believe him.

"I see."

"No, you don't. She was eight months pregnant when she dropped the bombshell." He heard the bitter ring in his voice, and knew he was angry because Julie had been collateral damage of the hell his ex had put him through.

"Took her time, didn't she?"

Ben figured Penny had never intended to tell him at all. Her plan was to live happily ever after with the guy who'd replaced him. But the jerk hadn't lived up to her expectations and she'd gone to Plan B, the old boyfriend.

"For her health and the baby's, DNA tests to prove paternity had to wait until he was born."

"She had a boy?"

He nodded. "And I'm not his father. Julie, I called a time-out with you so I could clear everything up before we went forward. I refused to let my ex's games taint the beginning of what you and I have."

"Had," she corrected.

"Past tense?"

"I've moved on, Ben."

"That's not what I see."

He loved that Julie didn't hide her feelings. As he studied the expression in her big blue eyes, he could tell that the hurt still lingered. If she'd really moved on he'd be reading indifference. The fact that he didn't gave him hope.

"I'm not sure what you think you see," she said, "but it doesn't change anything. You didn't have enough faith in me. You didn't trust that I could handle it."

Again she was using past tense, and that wasn't going to fly with him. No one said getting a second chance with her would be easy, but Ben wasn't about to give up. He was fighting for his future. Their future.

03/05/2012 One Perfect Night - Chapter 3

25/05/2012 12:56:06

Chapter Three

Julie heard a knock on her door and tensed.

Somehow she was sure it was Ben. After peeking out the peephole, her guess was confirmed.

She'd been thinking about him all day, her emotions swinging between flattery and anger that he was trying to get closer to her again. Well not physically closer, at least not yet. But if she opened the door…

There was another knock. She knew he wasn't going away so it would be best to get this over with. If only she wasn't wearing baggy sweatpants, an oversize sweatshirt and scruffy old slippers.

Not that it mattered. Even though he clearly hadn't been discouraged when she'd turned him down earlier, it would be a big mistake to allow his determined pursuit to make her glow inside.

She finally answered and stood in the doorway. "Ben."

"Please don't shut the door in my face." Obviously he'd noticed the lack of warmth in her greeting.

"I wouldn't do that. It would have been easier not to answer at all."

"I'm glad you did." He looked at her expectantly for several moments, then asked, "May I come in?"

"Not a good idea."

"I disagree."

The last time he'd had something to tell her, he'd broken her heart. But it didn't appear he was going to leave without saying his piece. Hopefully she wouldn't regret listening. "Okay. Just for a few minutes."

"Thanks."

She remembered their perfect evening from what felt like a lifetime ago. Then, as now, this big and masculine man had made her small, girly house seem even more girly, but it hadn't diminished his masculinity. He was in the same dark suit she'd seen earlier at work, but the top button of his white dress shirt was undone and his red tie was loosened. There were lines of stress and fatigue on his face and he'd passed a five o'clock shadow several hours ago. There was something so manly and endearing about him, and the look tugged at her heart. Already she was beginning to regret letting him in.

"So—" He slid his hands into his pockets. "Are you going to close the door?"

"You don't want the neighbors to hear what you have to say?"

"Only if it would help."

"That depends on what your goal is," she said.

"Like I said today at the hospital, I want another chance with you."

Julie had never had the same instant connection to a guy as she had with Ben, but he had hurt her. Giving him an opportunity to do it again wasn't especially smart. But oh, how she missed him.

How could it hurt for him to say whatever it was before she asked him to leave? It was unlikely he could tell her anything that would make a difference.

"Tell me why I should—in twenty-five words or less."

He nodded and took a deep breath. "The baby isn't mine."

Those were the only four words in the dictionary that could have made Julie shut the door and listen to what he had to say.

02/05/2012 One Perfect Night - Chapter 2

25/05/2012 12:56:06

Chapter Two

"If you asked for a second chance, I'd have to say no."

Ben Carson wasn't used to hearing no from anyone. He was the regional vice president of Mercy Medical Center and his word on most things was final. Personally, though…not so much. Otherwise he wouldn't have found his ex-girlfriend, Penny, in bed with another guy. He'd sworn off women after that. Until he met Julie. When he was with her, he felt like he was basking in the light of a summer day.

But the timing of their first date couldn't have been worse. He'd had to break things off the next day to protect her from a bad situation. Julie was sunshine and happiness—he couldn't let her be hurt or upset by anything. Not because of him.

Now that situation had been resolved and he had a green light to move forward with her. He was a man of action. This limbo with Julie had driven him nuts because he'd never stopped wanting to be with this woman.

But by trying to protect her he might just have blown his one shot. He looked down at the petite, blue-eyed blonde with the husky, contagious laugh. She wasn't laughing now. "Why would you have to tell me no?"

"There's no reason for you and I to go down that road again. We tried… Things didn't work out."

They hadn't tried, not really. When he'd first started working at the hospital, he'd fought his attraction to her. But they kept running into each other and talking after meetings longer than necessary. Then he'd found excuses to go to the ICU just to see her. Conversations turned from flirty to intimate. He'd weighed the personal risks, and they were heavy, but finally he couldn't fight the attraction anymore.

He'd asked her out and it was the best night of his life—one perfect night. Just dinner. They'd talked for hours and he'd left a generous tip for tying up the table so long. Then he took her home. He hadn't planned to sleep with her, but when he kissed her good-night he'd gone up in flames, in the best possible way. He was sure she'd felt the same. He just had to get her to remember….

"I think things worked out pretty well that night."

Her cheeks flushed a charming pink, telling him he'd been right, she'd gone up in flames, too.

One of the things he liked best about her was the way she didn't hide her feelings or play games. Completely different from the last woman he'd been involved with, the one who might have cost him Julie.

"You're right. That night was…memorable. But then the next day you said we couldn't see each other for a while." There was hurt in her eyes when she looked up at him now. "You fed me some line about your ex-girlfriend being pregnant. Wouldn't it have been simpler to say there was no chemistry between us?"

"That would have been a lie."

There was chemistry all right. A wanting that had only grown more intense after their night together. But the worst part was missing her so much it hurt.

"Oh, please," she scoffed. "It was easy for you to walk away."

"You're wrong. Waiting to find out if I was that baby's father, being apart from you, was one of the hardest things I've ever done."

"That's not how it felt. You simply didn't trust me to deal with the hard stuff. Without trust, there's not much to go on." She took a step back. "I have to go, my ICU nurses need to take their lunch break."

"Wait—" He dragged his hand through his hair because of how badly he wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her until she believed him. "Give me a minute. Let me explain why—"

"No. I really have to get back to the unit."

"I'm going to call you later."

She shrugged and turned to leave. "That doesn't mean I'll pick up."

Before he could stop her again, she was gone.

She was right about a phone call, she could ignore it. The only way to make her hear him out was to show up in person.

And that was exactly what he'd do.

01/05/2012 One Perfect Night - Chapter 1

25/05/2012 12:56:06

Chapter One

Business meetings with the boss had been so much easier before she'd seen him naked.

Julie Carnes sat quietly at the conference table while Ben Carson, the regional vice president of Mercy Medical Center in Las Vegas, was wrapping up his remarks. Ben was hands-down the best-looking man she'd ever seen, including Ryan Reynolds, the actor he resembled so much. Six feet two inches of handsome man with light brown hair and sincere, dark brown eyes. He was also smart and fair. There was no one working in this hospital who wouldn't go to hell and back if he asked, and she was no exception. She'd already been there because of him, in fact. He hadn't suggested she go to hell, exactly, but what he'd said after their relationship had gotten complicated was just as effective. They had been over before they'd even really started.

"I want to thank all of you," he said. "Everyone is doing more with less, and your hard work doesn't go unnoticed."

He looked around the table at the men and women who managed and directed different departments in the hospital. Julie was in charge of the Intensive Care Unit, and her responsibilities included budget and staffing, as well as monitoring the quality and continuity of care for each patient. The job was demanding, but recently, having to be around Ben made it even harder. Every time she saw him, it reminded her of how stupid she'd been to let him in—she'd really cared for him and he hadn't cared for her, at least not enough to trust her.

Since he first started working at the hospital six months before, she'd been instantly attracted to Ben. They talked after meetings, had spontaneous lunches in the cafeteria, joked and laughed together. She liked making him laugh, sensing he didn't do it easily. After so many months idling in that pattern, she thought he would never ask her out, but he finally did.

The perfect date was just dinner—nothing grander than a nice little Italian place in Henderson, not far from the hospital. They had both worn jeans, but his battered brown leather jacket made him look like a rugged, swashbuckling hero. He brought her a single white rose, her favorite flower. He opened the car door, the restaurant door, held her chair, made her feel special. It wasn't a put on, just natural—a part of who he was.

On a first date she usually dreaded the awkward good-night kiss, the what-does-he-expect-now part. But it was different when Ben took her home that night.

"I had a great time," he said.

"Me, too."

His eyes held hers and her heart pounded like crazy when he cupped her cheek in his big palm, then leaned down to kiss her. Before that touch she'd planned to follow the minimum three-dates-before-sex rule. But when his mouth met hers—sweet, soft and sexy—desire that had simmered for six months exploded into a tide of passion that pulled her in and swept her away. It could have been seconds or hours that they stood there kissing. She'd never know.

Finally he came up for air and said, "I have to go before I can't leave at all."

"Then…don't go."

"I want everything to be perfect. It's our first date."

"Doesn't feel that way. We've known each other for six months, but it seems like forever."

"Julie, I don't want to ruin the best thing to happen to me in a long time. Are you sure about this?"

"Very." She was fully aware of what would happen if he came inside, and she wanted it more than her next breath.

When they made love, it was as if their bodies and souls had been together in another lifetime. He seemed to know just where to touch her, just how to hold her. He refused to spend the night because he didn't want the neighbors to talk. Not yet. But he promised to phone the next day.

But he didn't. And when he finally called, she wished he hadn't.

Now she wished that this meeting was over already. Suddenly, the words Mardi Gras ball penetrated the buzzing in her head. It'd been a dream of hers to attend the exclusive fundraising event ever since she started at the hospital. The dresses, the shoes, the glamorous location… Not that she'd get the chance this year—only bigwigs and rich benefactors got tickets.

But Ben must have been wrapping up, because everyone stood. That was her cue to slip out quietly. Being the last one in the room meant she'd have to talk to Ben, something she'd managed to avoid since he'd broken things off so abruptly. Always good to shoot for a perfect record.

She made it out the door and turned right, heading toward the hospital lobby and the elevators beyond it, but she heard footsteps behind her, quickly closing the distance.

"Julie?"

Ben's voice made her heart pound. This moment was why personal relationships were better outside the workplace. She wanted so badly to pretend she hadn't heard him and keep going, to be able to enclose herself in the sanctuary of the elevator while it took her to the second floor, where running the unit and taking care of the patients would ensure she was too busy to think about what had gone wrong between them. The problem was, they still had to work together—and he was her boss. If he had something to say she pretty much had to listen.

She stopped and turned. "Was there something else?"

"Yes." He looked around at the people in the hallway talking in groups, their voices echoing off the tile floor. "Come with me."

She wanted to say no. Not again. Once was enough. But that was personal. This was business. "Okay."

He gently took her elbow, as if he thought she might try to escape, and led her back the way they'd come. A door to the administrative offices was on the right and he opened it, letting her precede him, then stopped her just inside. The hall was narrow, and cushy hunter-green carpet covered the floor. No echoing here. Their voices wouldn't carry, so no one would overhear what he had to say. That got her warning signals flashing in a big way.

"Is this about work?"

Intensity made his dark eyes almost black. "No. It's about us."

"There is no us."

"And that's my fault. I realize that I handled things badly…but I just got some good news."

"If it's not related to work, I don't need to know. And I have to get back to the unit."

"Can I call you later?"

To her nerves, those words were like a high-pitched squeal from a public address system. She'd been raised by a single mom desperate to find "the one." Her mother had wasted her life waiting by the phone for calls that never came. Julie wanted nothing to do with a call-waiting relationship.

"There's no point, Ben. There isn't a thing you can say that I want to hear."

"What if I say give me another chance?"