The Doctor's Bargain Read online

  “Nothing,” he said shaking his head. The last thing he needed was another lecture. Sheldon wanted to believe the best in people. Even he had been fooled by Cherry. Doug didn’t want to talk about either woman. “Maybe we should talk about something else?”

  “Why?” Sheldon asked. “You think Sandi will break your heart?”

  “I’m not prepared to chance it.”

  “Thought you wanted to settle down. You came here to get away from the life you used to live.”

  “And I found more of the same type of women.”

  “I hope you’re speaking of Mrs. Talbert.”

  Shit. He had been thinking of Sandi. She had the same reaction he’d seen a thousand times, but he figured he better not mention her now.

  “Don’t group Sandi in that category. I told you, she’s not like that.”

  “There’s a very good reason I don’t have a woman in my life. I like it that way!”

  Sheldon’s laugh followed him down the hall.

  Three nurses worked at the practice, along with a receptionist. At first, Doug wondered how the women got along. In his experience, a bunch of women who worked together often times did not play nice. To his surprise and delight, he’d found his first day that the office ran like a well-oiled machine. Part of the reason was Darlene. He guessed her age close to forty since she had children in high school. The woman was pleasant, knew her business, and had a way of speaking her mind. She plunked a file into the basket outside the examining room door. He quickly slipped up behind her and grasped her elbow.

  “Darlene. Don’t leave this room,” he said in a serious, beseeching tone.

  “Why gee, Dr. Baker. If I wasn’t already married, I’d think you were making a play for me.”

  He immediately stiffened. He never made a habit of touching any staff member. In fact, he always made a point not to. Now he’d not only overstepped his bounds, he’d given the mistaken impression that he was interested.

  Christ.

  “I apologize. I never meant . . . you misunderstood . . . please excuse—”

  “Don’t worry, Dr. Baker.” She shot him a cheeky grin. “I’ve got your back.”

  Thank God, she’d been teasing. With a sigh of relief, he followed her inside.

  A frustrating twenty minutes later, he escaped. He’d no sooner closed the door than he shot a prayer of thanks to the man upstairs. Thanks for Darlene. Thanks he’d escaped with his neck still intact. And a pleading request that he wouldn’t have to go through that again.

  True to her word, Darlene never left his side. No matter how many pretexts and fainting spells Ms. Talbert managed to create, Darlene was there to take charge. A buffer between him and his patient. The widow wasn’t at all happy about it.

  He’d never had a protector before. Biting back a grin, he retreated to his office. He’d just started deciphering his notes when someone knocked on the door.

  “Enter,” he said. Regina popped her head around the edge.

  “Molly told me to come on back, but Sheldon’s not in his office.” She held a bag that smelled tantalizingly like chocolate. “Have you had lunch?”

  On cue, his stomach rumbled. Regina let out a tinkling laugh and stepped through the doorway.

  “Sheldon often misses lunch, so I brought some brownies.”

  Doug’s nose had never let him down. His mouth salivated at the thought of chocolate.

  “They smell fresh. You bake them?” He stood in eagerness and had to caution himself not to grab the bag out of her hand.

  “Just took them out of the oven. I had an eye exam this morning, and I hate going to work after one of those, so I took the day off.”

  He bit into one, the taste exploded in his mouth and over his tongue. Almost as good as an orgasm. Which he hadn’t had in quite a while.

  “If Sheldon doesn’t marry you, I will,” he said with a wink. God, these were good.

  “Did I hear someone take my name in vain?” Sheldon’s voice called from the doorway.

  When Regina spotted him, her lips lifted in a smile of pure delight. Her eyes glowed with something Doug had never seen directed at him. Love. An adulation so raw it made Doug almost envious. And damn if Sheldon didn’t have the same adoring expression.

  “I brought fresh baked brownies,” she said as she swaggered toward him.

  “I followed the smell.” He glanced at the bag in Doug’s hands. “What are my brownies doing in Doug’s office?”

  “Don’t worry. I made plenty. Yours are on your desk,” she said and then gave him a kiss on his cheek.

  Sheldon reached out a long arm and filched one. Doug jerked the bag behind his back.

  “Hey. These are mine.”

  “I left a container out front for the nurses,” Regina said.

  “Great,” Sheldon said with his mouth full. “Everyone will be on a sugar high.”

  “At least it will get us through the rest of the day.” Doug reached into the bag and grabbed another sinful brownie. He groaned in delight as he sank his teeth into the soft cake.

  “See what you’re missing.” Sheldon gave Doug a cheerful glare, his insinuation quite clear.

  “Looks to me, I’m not missing out on anything. I have brownies.” He held the bag and shook it, demonstrating look-what-I’ve-got. “I can even get a home-cooked meal.” He grinned like a fat cat that had just swallowed the whole canary. Take that, Sheldon. With Regina giving him treats, why did he need a woman who could cook?

  “Speaking of which . . .” Regina turned a suspicious gaze on him.

  Every sense went on high alert.

  “Doug, I know you don’t get many home-cooked meals. Will you come for dinner tomorrow night?”

  A sudden thought occurred to him. Who else would be there?

  “You think I’m a good cook, you should taste Sandi’s caramel cake. Maybe if I ask her, she’ll bring one.”

  Dammit. After the bag of brownies, how could he say no to Regina? How could he say no to her cooking?

  Ah, hell. The brownies were a bribe.

  “You know what, Regina? Maybe Sandi could send that cake to the office.” Sheldon grabbed her elbow and turned her toward the hall.

  “Sheldon. What are you doing? Doug hasn’t answered yet.”

  Doug released a sigh, hoping he didn’t come off sounding like a jackass. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt Regina’s feelings. “Regina, I appreciate your concern, but you don’t need to worry about me and please don’t fix me up with anyone. After the barracuda patient, I’ve had my fill of clinging females.”

  “Barracuda? Clinging—”

  “Don’t ask,” Sheldon told her.

  “I don’t have to. I can guess the patient he’s speaking about. She chases anything in pants.”

  “We will not discuss the goings-on in this office.” Sheldon turned to Doug. “I’ll speak with you regarding Bar—, her later.”

  “Oh Sheldon, you’re silly if you think I don’t know . . .” Regina’s voice drifted down the hallway.

  Doug’s batting average sucked. He had two strikes with women today. First, he’d been stuck with the barracuda and just now he’d tried wiggling out of Regina’s invitation. If he ran into Sandi, he’d be struck out.

  ~ ~ ~

  Sandi had just returned to her desk when her phone chirped. She picked it up and saw three texts and two missed calls. She’d only gone to the lounge for coffee. What could be so urgent? She quickly called Regina back.

  “Hey. What’s the emergency?”

  “Where have you been?”

  “I do have a job, you know. I went to get a cup of coffee. What’s up?”

  “Come for dinner.”

  Since her parents’ death, Regina became Sandi’s protecto
r. Even more so since she broke off her engagement. She didn’t need Regina watching her every move, cossetting her. Sandi had taken care of everything when her mother was sick. And during her dad’s grief, she took on the responsibility of his welfare. Not that he’d wanted to be needy, but he lost interest. In everything. His shop, his hobby, even in life. He lost the will to live.

  After her father’s death, she’d gone through a bad spell. She’d been lonely. She still had her moments, but now she was in a better frame of mind. Back to her old self. She took care of the house, had a job she loved, and donated time at the church helping others as much as she could.

  Regina did not need to hover. Still, she often invited Sandi to dinner. Normally she would not hesitate, but Regina sounded a tad anxious. Not unusual, but that many calls and texts in five minutes, she was up to something.

  “Why?”

  “What do you mean why? Free food. You work long hours and you love my cooking.”

  “True. What else?”

  “Sheldon invited Doug.”

  “No, thank you.”

  “You’ve got to come.”

  After the cold shoulder Sandi received from Dr. Frigid the other day, she had no desire to be anywhere near the man.

  “Regina. This is not going to work.”

  “Tell me you didn’t think Doug was the most handsome guy you’ve ever seen. Tell me he wasn’t flirting with you before I walked up on you two. Tell me you didn’t have drool running down the side of your mouth.”

  “That was water. I’d just gotten a drink from the water fountain.”

  “Don’t you know those things are nasty? Everyone uses them.”

  “It’s in a hospital,” Sandi exaggerated.

  “Exactly my point.”

  “Hospitals are supposed to be sanitary,” she shot back.

  “Duh. Sick people go there.”

  She may as well give up. Regina had a comeback for everything.

  “All right. He’s gorgeous. Hot.”

  “Didn’t I tell you?”

  “Let me finish.” Sandi took a deep breath. “After you introduced us, something changed. I didn’t imagine it. His eyes got all cold and dark.”

  “He does have brown eyes. That’s part of his attraction, along with that magnificent blond hair. Lots of it. So thick. Can’t you imagine running your hands through that?”

  “Sheldon might like to hear this conversation.”

  “I’m showing you Doug’s good points. Sheldon knows there is no one else for me. He’s my man.”

  “You’re a mess.”

  “I’m so happy. I want the same thing for you.”

  “We’ll worry about me after your wedding. We still have to figure out who is going to make the cake.”

  “Lillian can help. I can show her the ropes.”

  “You are not going to bake your own cake.” Regina might be the best darn cake baker in the county, but damn if Sandi was going to let her bake when she had a million other things to do. Lillian worked part-time at the bakery. Surely, she could handle this.

  “But I like my own cakes.”

  “Not going to happen. Lillian has been with you for almost a year. I’m sure she’s learned a thing or two. Don’t you trust her?”

  “Of course. But this is my wedding cake.”

  “Regina. Let go. It’s time for the baby to walk on its own.”

  “I don’t mean to be controlling. Do you think I’m controlling?”

  “No. It’s your business. Baking is in your blood. But for your wedding, you need to relax. Pamper yourself. We’ll get manies and pedies and splurge on cucumbers and—”

  “Cucumbers?”

  “Okay, so only the big spas use cucumbers. We’ll have to buy our own and play at home.”

  Regina giggled.

  Good.

  “I know what you’re doing,” Regina said. “You’re trying to distract me.”

  “Is it working?”

  “Yes. But my wedding planning is not the only thing you’re trying to distract me from, is it? You’re coming and that’s final.”

  Chapter 5

  Sandi pulled into Sheldon’s driveway and breathed a sigh of relief; there was no other car here. At least she wouldn’t have to deal with Dr. Cool this evening.

  After a long day she should be tired, but thinking of the previous dinner at Regina’s and the arrogant doctor, Sandi was restless. She kept pondering the reason behind his coolness toward her. It wasn’t that long ago she’d had to deal with another man’s animosity.

  When she accepted Conrad’s proposal, she’d been lonely. Her mother’s bout with cancer had devastated her father. The pain of losing her mother and then agonizing over her father’s depression had taken every ounce of strength she possessed. When her father died, she’d had enough. The weight of the world had landed on her shoulders. She’d wished for someone else to make all the decisions, handle everything so she could run away and hide. Then Conrad had taken her hand and promised everything would be okay.

  She’d believed him. Allowed him to take over her life. She’d fallen into a pattern and became a puppet. Thank God she’d snapped out of her state of suppression. And thank God for her best friend, Regina. Her constant niggling had opened Sandi’s eyes.

  In any case, she took her life back, broke off her engagement and started living again. Her parents raised her to be strong. Even though so much had changed, she was the same person. She couldn’t sit back and let someone else direct her life. Conrad liked dictating. She supposed it made him feel important. He mistook her submission for adoration. Then when she came to her senses, he didn’t handle the rejection well. She went from apologizing to disbelief. Then anger that he actually believed she should remain in the background and be obedient.

  Hell with that.

  And now, here she was obsessing over another man who sparked her temper. Couldn’t she just enjoy her dinner and forget men for a few hours?

  Just as she was about to open her door, the roar of an engine caught her attention. A silver Lexus pulled in behind her, the headlights reflecting in her rear-view mirror.

  Lovely.

  A tall dark figure approached her door, and she sat there like a bump on a log. She wished he’d keep on going, but obviously, he’d seen her. Doug opened her driver’s door.

  “Good evening Miss Jones. I should have known you’d be here.”

  “Glad to know I’m not the only one surprised,” she said as she climbed from her car.

  “Surprised, you say.” He was taller than most with striking good looks not easily forgotten: blond hair, dark-brown eyes and a cool self-assurance. Or was it hardness?

  The clunk of the car door resounded as a slight breeze stirred spice and a hint of blueberry, an unusual scent of cologne. Just enough to tease and have her seeking its source. She brushed a wisp of hair from her cheek as she held her breath, waiting for his next words.

  “I figure you and your friend planned this infamy.”

  “I had nothing to do with it.”

  “Didn’t you?” He stood for a moment, looking down at her unsmilingly. As his eyes travelled slowly over her, Sandi shifted, a tad uncomfortable. She was a little put out, then remembered she didn’t want to be in this situation either.

  “If you don’t want to be here, then leave. I won’t stop you.” She turned, giving him her back, and strode up the sidewalk, her heels tapping on the cement. He followed.

  “It would be rude of me to be a no-show since Regina invited me. She prepared my favorite dish. I’m not giving that up for anyone—including you.”

  “I thought rude was your normal personality. Or do you save that trait just for me?”

  He released a heavy sigh. “It would be nice to enjoy
the evening without your barbs for a change.”

  “Maybe if you endeavored to present a better disposition?”

  “Why don’t you follow your own suggestion? You leave.”

  “You’re despicable.” She marched forward at a quicker pace. “I think I can get through a meal if I simply ignore you.”

  “You can’t ignore me, darling. That’s what’s got your panties all in a tither.”

  She stopped so fast she stumbled. He grabbed her arm and she shook it off. “You arrogant jackass.”

  “You rile easily, don’t you?”

  She continued to the door and knocked. “You know? Sheldon has a much sweeter nature than you. I can’t believe you’re his friend.”

  “If I am disagreeable, Miss Jones, it’s because you are extremely irritating.”

  “I think I lost my appetite.”

  “Good. More for me.”

  She faced him. “You made up your mind about me the day we met. I never had the chance to be irritating. And you . . . you’re overbearing. Do you talk down to your patients the way you do me?”

  “You’re a snob. I don’t like snobs.”

  “A snob—” she sputtered. He’d lowered himself to name-calling. She had a list for him—insolent, offensive, insulting, arrogant, pig-headed, supercilious, asshole—

  “What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?” One dark brow arched as he looked down on her. “Come on Sandi. You can give as good as you get.”

  “You’re deliberately trying to provoke me,” she hissed. His eyes glared with fire, shaking her to her core. Her insides quaked with arousal. “Mister Baker—”

  “Doctor,” he interrupted forcefully.

  She ground her teeth together in exasperation. She could stand here and argue with him all night, but her head was beginning to hurt from the effort of trying to hide her response to his nearness. She took a deep breath, then saw her mistake when his eyes lowered to her chest.

  Smells of their dinner drifted through the front door. She just needed to get through the evening. “I think we’ve gotten off track.”