Northern Rebel Daring in the Dark - By Jennifer Labrecque Page 0,35
been attracted to him, had she given him some signal, as if they were looking for something she did to encourage or excuse him. It had been insulting and demoralizing, and had just heaped insult on injury. However, Lars had immediately believed her and his hazarded guess was on target.
She ran her fingertip over the ridge of the upholstery. “I went in the next morning prepared to give my two-months’ notice and not ever mention what had happened to anyone. He was two steps ahead of me.” She shook her head at her naïveté, her stupidity. “He called me into his office and his wife was in there with him. He’d told her I’d propositioned him and when he turned me down, I’d threatened to make trouble. He fired me on the spot. His wife took care of blackballing me with all the other doctors’ wives. The few offers I did get, afterwards, included more than a job.”
“Son of a bitch.”
“I agree. I’ve called him and the rest of them that and more. The good old boy network is still alive and well in the Doctors’ Club. They all have one another’s back.” She glanced out the window at the proud bird, fierce and beautiful, on the branch, etched against a sky bearing streaks of pink and orange. “And you know, from their perspective it made perfect sense. Doctors are considered quite a catch by a lot of women, by a lot of nurses, in fact. He’s a handsome, fit man so why wouldn’t they believe I’d make a play for him? What I’ve never figured out is why he’d do something like that. I thought they were a happy couple. I admired that they were a happy couple. And even if he wanted to stray, he could pretty much have any woman he desired. So why me? I don’t get it.”
“I get it,” Lars said softly. “There’s something about you.”
She turned to face him, trying to understand. “There is? What?”
“I don’t know how to explain it to you.”
And it was there in his eyes—not just lust, but something that said that she stood out from other women. His words and his look acknowledged her uniqueness. She felt a warmth inside her she wasn’t sure she’d ever felt before.
“I didn’t lead him on. I didn’t flirt with him. I never thought of him that way. He was married, and married is married in my book.”
“And that might’ve been just the problem—you didn’t see him that way. That sucks. I can see why Good Riddance appealed to you. I also understand now why you just wanted to be left alone.”
She could’ve kissed him for his attitude, his understanding. Actually, she could also kiss him simply because she liked kissing him and because she wanted to. In fact, she thought she’d do just that.
He opened his mouth to speak and she cut him off. The man could definitely talk. “Come here, Marine.”
“I’m right here, Blondie.” He was a devilish tease.
“Scared?” she said.
“Why would I be afraid of an itty-bitty little thing like you?”
“You tell me. All I know is I invited you to kiss me and you’re still over there and I’m over here.”
He leaned in closer and inhaled her scent, his breath warm. The energy of his skin mingled against hers, although they didn’t touch. She felt drunk from his nearness, the smell of him. He murmured into her ear, “I didn’t realize that was the mission.”
She felt like a temptress. “Are you up to the assignment?” she whispered, brushing her cheek against the faint beard shadowing his jaw. A tremor ran through her at the slight, yet intimate contact.
“There’s only one way to find out. First order of any mission is intel and recon.” He nuzzled along her neck and jaw, a leisurely exploration that left her breathless and hungry for more.
His mouth found hers but instead of the kiss she so eagerly anticipated, he continued his reconnaissance. He focused on her lower lip. Nipping, licking, sucking, sending her spiraling into a vortex of desire. His mouth was warm, his stubble a delicious abrasion. He was driving her mad. She tried to lure him into an actual kiss. He chuckled against her as he evaded her. It was sensual play rather than rejection. “I’m leading this mission, Blondie.”
He lazily traced the line of her upper lip with the tip of his tongue and she shuddered. She wrapped her hands around his biceps, holding on, feeling the play and bunching of