The Doctor's Bargain Read online

  “Don’t start talking about sports,” Regina quickly interjected. “We’ll never get a word in edgewise.”

  “All right. What do you want to talk about?”

  “Well, not sports.” Regina glanced over, but Sandi quickly dropped her gaze to her plate. She knew what Regina was trying to do, and Sandi just wished she’d give up. The dinner was already a disaster.

  “Doug comes from a very prestigious hospital,” Regina tried again.

  Sandi noticed the lines around Doug’s mouth tighten. Either he didn’t want to talk about the hospital, or he wanted to keep his private life, well, private.

  “Regina. You have got to give me the recipe for this fish. It is amazing.” Sandi felt the heat of Doug’s gaze and refused to look up.

  “But, this is your recipe,” Regina stuttered.

  Great.

  Sandi took a gulp of her wine and mistakenly darted a glance in Doug’s direction, seeing the smirk on his face over the rim of her goblet, his brown eyes mocking. She concentrated on the berry flavor and emptied her glass.

  “I’ll get more wine,” Sheldon said and moved to get up.

  “No thank you, Sheldon. I believe I’ll have water. Would you excuse me while I get more ice?” With poise, she rose from her seat and stepped into the kitchen, feeling everyone’s eyes on her back. Regina came in two seconds behind her.

  “What’s going on?” she asked.

  “You’re asking me? This is your dinner.” Sandi braced her arms on the sink and took deep breaths.

  “I’ve never been so uncomfortable in my life.”

  “How do you think I feel?”

  “I don’t understand it.” Regina crossed her arms and leaned back against the marble island. “Doug is a great guy. He’s behaving weird. What did you say to him at the hospital?”

  “Nothing. He walked off.”

  “You were eating each other up when I saw you. I knew you’d hit it off. What happened after I left?”

  “I told you. He walked off with barely a word. He hates me.”

  “He doesn’t even know you.”

  “And I don’t want to know him,” Sandi said, flinging her hair out of her face. “Look. This is ridiculous. Obviously, he doesn’t like being set up. I’m leaving.”

  “You can’t,” Regina squealed.

  “This dinner is torture for all of us. I don’t know what I’ve done, maybe I remind him of someone, or maybe we just don’t click. But I’ve had enough.”

  “I’m sorry,” Regina said, stepping forward and raising her arms for a hug.

  “Don’t be,” Sandi said, returning the gesture. “Call me tomorrow.”

  Sandi sailed through the dining room, and Sheldon met her before she made it to the living room closet to get her coat.

  “You don’t have to leave. He’s gone.”

  Sandi turned, looking for Doug.

  “He left?” Regina asked. “Why?”

  “Don’t you think it’s obvious?”

  “Sheldon, I’m sorry,” Sandi said at a loss for words.

  “No need for you to apologize.”

  No there wasn’t. If anyone should be apologizing, it should be Dr. Baker. “I know he’s your friend—”

  “And so are you.” He put his arm around Regina. “I don’t know what was going on, but I’ll let you two ladies talk.” He kissed her temple, then spoke to Sandi. “See you later.”

  “Good night, Sheldon.”

  Regina clutched Sandi’s elbow leading her to the living room. “It makes no sense.”

  “Regina, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll be going.”

  “Why? He’s gone. You don’t have to leave.”

  “What did I do?”

  “Ah, honey. You didn’t do anything. I’ve never seen him like that. Maybe he has something on his mind. A problem or something.”

  “He has a problem, all right.”

  “You’ll feel like crap if you find out it’s his family, or someone is in trouble.”

  “Don’t make excuses for him. He treated you with kindness and respect. He was hostile to me.” Sandi stepped to the closet. “I’ll be fine. I’ve dealt with rude, unfavorable men before.” She flung on her coat and buttoned it up against the wind she could hear howling outside. “I know tonight didn’t work out like you planned, but it’s not the end of the world. He’s just a guy. There’s more out there.”

  “I’m just so surprised.” Regina shook her head.

  “It’s no big deal. Forget it. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  Sandi not only had to convince her friend, she tried convincing herself that the incident had been unimportant. But if she was honest, Doug’s slight against her had hurt.

  ~ ~ ~

  Doug stared at his computer screen and ignored the twinge from his conscience as he recalled his actions of the previous evening. After all, what did he really know about Sandi Jones? Other than she was beautiful, had a sexy body men would fight battles to possess, and a cold, calculating heart.

  Staring at her across the dinner table had been one trying ordeal. She tormented him with her soulful, glowering eyes and her full need-to-be-kissed lips. His dick stayed semi-hard throughout the meal, causing anything he put in his mouth to taste like sawdust.

  He needed to get a grip. Why the hell did women have to be such busybodies? This woman was trouble. She could take her avaricious intentions and target someone else. He was not falling for her little scheme, no matter how she lured him with her long silky eyelashes. Nor with the amount of cleavage exposed to his eager-seeking gaze.

  Of course, his body had responded. He was one hundred percent male. But he refused to put himself in the path of another fortune-hunting female on the prowl.

  So, stop thinking about her.

  A knock sounded on his door.

  “Enter.”

  Darlene stuck her head around the corner. “Your first appointment has arrived.”

  “Thanks.” Doug glanced at his watch. Right on time. He liked patients that valued punctuality.

  As he headed to the examining room, he heard laughter down the hall. He stopped to listen when he heard Harold William’s voice. The kind, older gentlemen flirted with the nurses at every visit. Even when he didn’t have an appointment, the man brought the girls gifts—donuts, chocolate. Doug wondered what Harold had brought today.

  “Are you keeping my nurses from doing their job?”

  “Hi there, Dr. Baker. Now you know these ladies do a right fine job. As a matter of fact, I’m thinking about stealing this little gal away from you. I might need her to take my blood pressure. I felt my heart increase when I came in the door and saw her bright smile.”

  “Harold. I can’t let you steal Molly. She’s our receptionist. We need her here to take care of patients like you who come in a whole hour early.”

  “Now, Doc. Don’t be criticizing me being timely. You ever hear the early bird catches the worm?”

  Molly might not like being paralleled to a worm, but when Doug glanced at the young woman, she smiled like the old man was the greatest thing in the world.

  “Hey, Doc. You like Taffy? My grand-daughter went to the beach and sent me five boxes of Taffy. She knows I like to bring goodies to my girlfriends.” Harold winked at Molly.

  “Girlfriends? How many girlfriends do you have?”

  “I’ll never tell. Here,” he said reaching for a brightly colored box. “Try a piece.”

  “I’m on my way to see a patient. I’ll have a piece when I see you.”

  “Okay, Doc. I’ll save ya one.” Harold went back to flirting and Doug strode down the hall.

  He removed a file folder from the cubicle box and read the notes written there, then opened the door.

/>   “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson.” He greeted the couple and shook their hands. “What can I do for you this morning?”

  “Well, Doc. The Missus is feeling right poorly.”

  “Don’t make a fuss, Lewis,” she gently scolded her husband. “I’ve got a tickle in my chest.”

  “A tickle?” Doug asked.

  “Well, I suppose it’s more like something heavy. I don’t know how to explain it.”

  “She wouldn’t tell you this,” Lewis butted in, “but she was up half the night, walking the floor.”

  Doug listened to his patient’s concerned husband with consideration and hoped he would be able to ease the man’s mind. The Andersons were an elderly couple, and it was obvious the two cared for each other a great deal.

  “Now, Lewis, the kind doctor doesn’t need to know all that.”

  “Yes ma’am,” Doug told her. “I do. I’d like for you to tell me everything and leave nothing out. It helps me to make a better diagnosis.”

  “She had her hand over her chest,” Lewis added. “When I asked her what was wrong, she told me to go back to sleep. I’m worried about her, Doc. Hope she wasn’t having a heart attack.”

  His patient looked too good to be in the middle of an attack. The woman would not have come in if it was indigestion. He hoped it was nothing more serious than her gallbladder.

  “No, I don’t think so, Mister Anderson, but I will run some tests.” He faced Norma. “How about I examine you, and then we’ll talk?”

  She nodded her head. “Okay.”

  He removed the stethoscope from his neck and went through his routine examination. When he finished, he stepped back and patted the woman’s shoulder.

  “Doctor. Is it serious?” Norma asked with worry, although she’d done a very good job of trying to hide it.

  “Your heart sounds fine. It could be anything from acid reflux to gall bladder to gas,” he said with a smile meant to comfort her. “Why don’t I schedule the tests, and we’ll find out?” He pulled a prescription pad from his pocket and clicked his pen. “For now, I’m going to prescribe these, and I’ll give you a list of foods to avoid for a while. At least until we get results from your tests.”

  “What kind of tests?” Lewis asked anxiously.

  “Nothing to worry about,” Doug assured him before turning back to Norma. “We’ll take some blood. I hope you’re not scared of a needle,” he said with a teasing grin.

  “I’m not afraid of needles.”

  “Good. I’ll schedule an upper GI series. Excuse me a moment.” He stepped to the doorway and called Darlene. After giving her a list of what he needed, he stepped back inside.

  “I’ve asked the nurse to give you a sheet of instructions and a pamphlet with information on your procedure. I’d like you to go home, read them over, and if you have any questions, feel free to call back to the office.” He turned to Lewis. “Don’t worry, Mr. Anderson. We’ll take care of her.”

  “What are the pills for?”

  “To ease the discomfort, and hopefully give you both a good night’s sleep. I’ll schedule the upper GI right away. The hospital will call you with the date and time.” He turned back to his patient. “Is that all right with you, Mrs. Anderson?” The elder woman’s lips lifted into a grateful smile.

  “Yes, Dr. Baker. Thank you.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Baker,” Mr. Anderson said as he shook Doug’s hand again.

  He wished all his patients were that easy to treat. The Andersons listened to his advice. Some patients didn’t even listen, and most did not follow his guidance. Then they wanted to complain.

  Darlene came in with the paperwork.

  “Take these home, and like I said, if you have any questions at all, feel free to call us.”

  “Such a dear man,” Norma muttered as she exited the room.

  Doug watched the couple as they tottered down the hallway, wondering what it would be like to have a woman like that, by his side, in his old age.

  “Cute, aren’t they?” Sheldon spoke from behind him.

  Damn. You couldn’t avoid a man when you worked with him on a daily basis.

  “Got a minute?”

  Doug turned facing Sheldon. Since they were the same height, their eyes locked right away. Might as well get this over with.

  “Sure.”

  Sheldon turned around, expecting Doug to follow. He did and closed the office door behind him.

  “Look. I owe you an apology,” Doug said, before Sheldon had a chance to speak.

  “What the hell was going on with you two last night? Did you sleep with her?”

  “God! No!” Doug dropped the folder he held on Sheldon’s desk and plopped into a chair. “I haven’t laid one finger on the woman.”

  “What else am I supposed to think? Your actions had all the evidence of a love affair gone bad.”

  “Bite your tongue. I wouldn’t mind the affair part so much if I didn’t have to worry about digging her claws out of my bank account.”

  Sheldon shook his head. “Sandi’s not like that. You’ve got to get over this fear that every woman is after your money. Cherry is gone.”

  “Good riddance.”

  “You’ve got to let her go.”

  “What do mean, I’ve got to let her go? I’d like to kick her ass from here to China and mine right along with it. Kick my ass, that is. Not the China part.”

  “I’ve never seen you be mean to a woman.”

  “I wasn’t mean.”

  “Rude, unpleasant, unkind, mean.”

  “All right. You’re right.” Doug hated someone pointing out his regrettable blunders.

  “I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.” Sheldon’s glower reprimanded him. Nope. He didn’t like it one bit.

  “I’ll apologize to Regina right away.”

  “I wasn’t talking about her and you know it.”

  “You don’t expect me to make an apology to Sandi?”

  “I expect you to, yes. This isn’t like you. Unless . . . you’re trying to push her away.”

  “Give the man a ribbon,” Doug muttered.

  “Why? She’s pretty, she’s smart.”

  “Exactly. She’s hot. Stunning. Sexy as hell. But the minute she found out I was a doctor, she fell all over herself trying to butter me up. It was Cherry all over again.”

  “Sandi is not Cherry. Not even close. Those two are as far apart as two people can get.”

  “Sorry to burst your favorable opinion of your fiancé’s friend, but you’re wrong. I saw her reaction with my own eyes.”

  “I don’t . . . I never would have thought . . . you’ve got to be wrong. Maybe you misunderstood. She’s one of the sweetest, strongest—”

  “Spare me,” Doug said holding up one hand, palm out. “You’ve got your girl. Don’t try to push one on me.”

  He’d behaved badly. In Sheldon’s home. At Regina’s dinner table. He should have his ass kicked for responding to the attraction, even though he knew the reason she fancied him was the “DR” in front of his name. Sandi was beautiful. She stirred his body, made him desire the potential pleasure she alluded to. But, he’d trusted a beautiful woman once before.

  It cost him more than he’d had to give.

  Chapter 4

  Doug rolled his shoulders, hoping to release some of the tension in his neck. It was flu season, and people filed through the office like a herd of cattle. Already he’d seen seven cases this morning, along with a broken arm, pink eye, and an overweight man with constipation. Now that he lived in a small town, he was seeing a whole different side of being a doctor.

  He glanced down at the chart of his next patient.

  Oh, hell no.

  Mrs. Talbert. The widow had been in
the office five times in the past three weeks. Someone who dressed the way she did, flashed her hands around, exhibiting diamonds on every finger, he couldn’t imagine what she wanted with the new doctor other than the obvious. The woman was on the prowl, and he was the prey.

  Five visits. If he had to listen to her fake cough one more time . . . Unconsciously, he brushed the sleeve of his shirt above his elbow where the woman had pressed her breast against his arm. It took everything in him not to flinch or acknowledge that he’d been aware of the widow’s suggestive indication. What if she did it again?

  He lifted his hand, and with one finger, tugged at the collar of his shirt, then marched straight to Sheldon’s office.

  “That barracuda is back again.”

  “Who?” Sheldon asked without mentioning how Doug had stormed in.

  “Mrs. Talbert. The woman cannot keep her hands to herself. Do you know she’s been here five times already?”

  Sheldon laughed. Laughed.

  Doug ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “This is not a laughing matter.”

  “I’ve never seen you so worked up. You’ve never had trouble dealing with a female.”

  Doug glared at his partner.

  “You’re single,” Sheldon said, as if that explained everything. “Half the town is in love with the new doctor.”

  “She’s . . . different,” he said, unable to think of an appropriate word. “I swear Sheldon, I will not be alone in the examination room with that alley cat.”

  Sheldon stood and gave him a reassuring slap on his back, which did not reassure him at all. So, he pointed to Sheldon saying, “You see her.”

  “No way. She’s your problem.”

  “This is your practice,” Doug said, grasping at straws. “She was your patient first.”

  “You are now a full partner, so that reasoning won’t hold water. Now,” Sheldon gave him another slap on the back, “if you had a woman in your life—”

  Doug groaned, he knew what was coming next.

  “What have you got against Sandi?”