It's in His Touch (10 page)

“Must’ve been a patient from a long time ago.” He shook his head.

Gabriel sized him up like a prizefighter at a boxing match. He rarely let his shallow, selfish side show, but he wasn’t able to hide the territorial posture at the sight of Angelique with another man.

She hugged Blake close, putting her free hand on his chest. “Gabriel, I’d like you to meet Blake Holloway, Red River’s medical doctor.” Silence descended. Gabriel’s eyes darted between her and Blake, and Blake’s chest expanded a little in a protective posture.

“He’s my . . . boyfriend.” She coughed, choked, and clutched at her throat.

C
hapter
E
ight

Blake rubbed the space between Angelique’s shoulder blades, trying to make it look affectionate. No idea what she was up to, he decided to play along. He shouldn’t. He should let her wallow in whatever trouble she was obviously in with this guy. But that sex kitten kiss she’d just laid on him had taken him by surprise. Stiff as cardboard when she first threw herself at him, but then she’d softened and molded against him, deepened the kiss and seemed to get lost in it. A little sigh of pleasure had even slipped through her lips.

Until this joker interrupted what was quickly turning into a nice little morning fantasy on Blake’s part.

Gabriel Marone. Huh. They obviously had history if she felt comfortable using his last name as a cover. Not to mention, Sergeant Schnitzel’s tag said, “Love, G.”

“You okay, babe?” Blake kept rubbing her back, keeping up the charade.

Her gaze flew to his, and he gave her an innocent blink. She definitely had some explaining to do when he got her alone. Just twelve hours ago, she was running from his kiss. Now she was pretending to be his girlfriend and mauling him with her plump lips. Lips that tasted sweet like honey and shimmered like the silk panties Sarge had been good enough to share with him.

“Fine, thanks.” She cleared her throat again. “Just a little dust in the air.”

He glanced at the tall, sandy-haired guy she’d introduced as Gabriel Marone. He had a smooth, cool smile that didn’t match the detached look in his eyes. Blake already didn’t like the immaculately dressed asshole because he knew the type. Polished on the surface, not much underneath. And the possessive way he looked at Angelique made Blake want drop-kick the guy and his overpriced Rolex right out of town.

Still. This little game was like a gift from heaven. An opportunity Blake just couldn’t pass up because now she owed him. And he might be able to play this card during the legal battle with her client. His arm tightened around Angelique’s shoulder again, and she narrowed those ebony eyes at him. He flashed a cheeky smile and pulled her even closer.

Gabriel’s eyes flared with greed as they raked over Angelique, his pleasant smile as fake as his persona. “Well, I’m glad to see you’ve moved on, Angelique. Congratulations.”

Angelique leaned her temple against Blake’s shoulder with a miniscule hesitation that only Blake could detect because her soft body had just gone as rigid as granite against his side.

“Thank you.” She coughed again. “We’re very happy.”

Blake looked down at her, and the tip of her nose glowed scarlet. She refused to meet his gaze. Oh, heck yeah. This was the most fun he’d had teasing a girl since high school when Carla Jacobs dove into the pool at a swimming party and came up without her top. Flimsy bikini top strings were a thing of beauty for a sixteen-year-old boy.

Gabriel’s smile was thin and artificial as he scanned both of them with assessing eyes. “How long have you been together?” He wagged a finger between himself and Angelique. “It wasn’t that long ago that we were engaged.”

Blake’s entire body tensed. Ex-fiancé. Clearly why she needed a pretend boyfriend. Even better for her that Blake was a doctor. He didn’t have an ego about it, but by the look on the ex’s face, that fact came in handy right about now.

Angelique stammered without actually forming a complete sentence. Probably weighing her response carefully. He’d noticed that about her. He doubted she was the quiet type, unless she found herself on shaky ground or around strangers. Smart as she was, she was careful with her words and didn’t let strangers in easily. The impression he’d gotten in just the week he’d known her was that she vetted everyone through tactics second only to the CIA, Secret Service, and Homeland Security before letting them into her inner circle of trust. Smart girl. So how did this joker get past her bullshit radar and talk her into almost marrying him?

“Long enough to know I’m a lucky man.” Blake caressed down her arm. Angelique looked up at him, but instead of giving him a warning glare, her eyes said,
Thank you
. Then her gaze dropped to his lips like she could’ve kissed him again. Like she was thinking about it.

“What brings you to Red River?” Blake asked her ex. “You’re not dressed like a vacationer.”
And what do you want with Angelique, if you’re not together anymore?
Because his visit obviously had Angelique on edge.
Angelique
. The woman who could deflect flaming arrows with just a single glare.

“Business,” blurted Angelique. “Gabriel’s one of the partners from my firm.”

An office romance gone bad. That must’ve been awkward, especially with his name on the door. That meant Gabriel was the boss, and she was his employee.

Gabriel nodded. “I had some business matters to discuss with Angelique, and I wanted to see her in person.” His stare dropped to her chest. Studied her like something that might bite if he touched. “She gave me . . . us . . . the firm quite a scare with that brush with breast cancer.”

Angelique went rigid again, and Blake tightened his grip. His hunch had been right on target. Her aversion to pink ribbons made sense now because she’d been down that rabbit hole way too young. He loosened his grip and gently caressed her shoulder, keeping her flush against his side.

“You look good
now
, Ang,” Gabriel said.

Angelique’s already taut body went so brittle, Blake thought it might shatter against his touch. “Gee, thanks, Gabriel. That means so much coming from you.” Her words dripped with sarcasm, which seemed to go right over her ex’s head.

What an obtuse jerk. He’d just implied that she didn’t look good while she was ill, with no indication that he’d insulted her to the core. Blake wondered how Gabriel would feel if he’d had testicular cancer.

Angelique swallowed, but didn’t speak. Her face was like stone, completely lacking emotion. But a slight tremble coursed through her body, and Blake’s sympathetic physician’s heart knew she’d just been wounded. The human body was resilient, the human spirit even more so. But there was only so much a person could withstand without breaking, no matter how tough and solid they were.

A silent beat passed while Gabriel stared at her like a salivating dog who wanted another alpha dog’s bone. Blake’s hand lifted from her shoulder and stroked her hair.

“She looks better than good.” And she did. She was gorgeous, and Gabriel had obviously let her slip through his grasp. The tension in her shoulders released a bit, and the palm of her hand molded against his back. She squeezed gently, and Blake wasn’t sure if it was a warning or a thank-you. “The mountains agree with you, babe.” He leaned down and planted a quick kiss on her lips. Her black eyes flashed up at him as her lips parted, and he gave her a wicked smile.

She’s mine now
.

The words almost slipped from his mouth. He stilled against the thought, because for a moment he’d actually believed them. Slipping into the role of her boyfriend and lover felt right. Like she belonged right here in Red River. With him.

Only she didn’t.

Her soft palm against his back transformed into a pinch, and he suppressed a flinch. Uh-huh, that was definitely a warning. Maybe he was laying it on a little thick, but so what? He might as well milk this because he had the upper hand, and that probably wouldn’t last long.

“You were just leaving, right? It’s quite a drive back. You’d better get going.” Her entire demeanor changed when she turned back to Gabriel.

Gabriel’s feet shuffled in place, and he rubbed the back of his neck. “Think about what we discussed, Angelique.”

“Oh, I will. And you think about what I said.” Her tone was cautious.

“I’ll be in touch, Ang,” said Gabriel with a little too much familiarity. The guy obviously hadn’t let go of her. Was probably here in person instead of just picking up the phone because he was looking for a chance to reconcile. Someone really needed to explain the modern-day technology called phone calls and Skype.

“Don’t bother, Gabriel. Deal with the firm’s security breach.” She put her free hand against Blake’s chest and snuggled into him.

Nice.
Blake draped both arms around her, and Gabriel’s eyes clouded over.

“I’ve got everything under control here.” Angelique leaned her cheek against Blake’s chest, and her warm breath seeped through the cotton fabric of his red Henley.

Even better.

“You’re getting married soon. You’ll have your hands full with a pregnant wife half your age to keep happy, so let me handle things here. I’m doing just fine.” Her steely voice sent a rocket straight to her target’s heart.

Bull’s-eye. Gabriel flinched when her missile hit home.

“Have one of the partners keep me posted on the situation and any new developments. No need for you to worry about it with so much change going on in your life.”

Gabriel gave a reluctant nod, stepped off the curb, and walked to a slate-gray RS-7 that’d been waxed to such a high sheen it could blind a person if the sunlight hit it just right. A car like that cost an easy six figures. And just like its owner, it was slick.

Gabriel glanced over his shoulder before climbing in.

Angelique waved. So did Blake. Gabriel didn’t.

He slid into the driver’s seat. The roar of the racy engine was a strange sound in a town like Red River where most everyone drove pickup trucks or SUVs. As Gabriel pulled away from the curb, Blake took Angelique’s upper arm and guided her through his office door.

Angelique hesitated at the threshold of Blake’s office. Did she really want to fight this battle now? Her head was still spinning from Gabriel’s accusations and his backhanded compliments. Not to mention Dr. Tall, Dark, and Hot-some’s heroic gesture to participate in her charade. He’d played the part masterfully. So much so that her double-crossing body had responded to him, causing her brain to short-circuit and confuse reality with fantasy.

A warm palm against the small of her back guided her all the way in. At his touch, warmth spread over her like a campfire on a cool autumn night. No, she definitely didn’t want to explain her illness to him and all it entailed. But here she was at his mercy, and she did owe him some gratitude. She could at least thank the man who’d taunted her with her own panties, then swooped in like Superman and rescued her from more humiliation at Gabriel’s hands.

Well Superman
was
hot, so she really shouldn’t feel too guilty about her girly parts turning summersaults worthy of the Olympic trials while she snuggled against his chest.

Oy vey.

As the door thudded shut, she turned to face him. A chill prickled over her, replacing the warmth. Crossing his arms over a hard chest, he leaned back against the door and waited.

She fidgeted, looked around the waiting room, studied the handmade quilts hanging on the walls that gave the room an air of down-home hospitality. When he didn’t speak, but just stood there with a brow arched high, she hugged herself. Was it chilly in here? Okay, it was the weekend, but a little heat wouldn’t hurt. The lights were still off, the only source of sunlight streaming through the half window of the front door and the skylights overhead. A large plant in the corner cast an awkward shadow on the wall.

Hugging herself, she tried to regroup, tried to stop her world from spinning off its axis, but she wasn’t used to being the one on trial. Wearing an opponent down with cold, patient silence was
her
tactic! She locked gazes with him. He still waited, quiet and composed, as though he had all day. Frick, it was Saturday morning. He probably did have all day. Heat crept up her neck and settled in the tips of her ears. At least she wasn’t chilly anymore, and hell’s bells, he was almost as good at standoffs as she was. He should’ve gone to law school instead of becoming a doctor.

“What?”
She refused to give in first.

“Seeing as how I’m your boyfriend and all, I thought you could fill me in on what just happened out there.”

She sputtered. Fidgeted some more.
I owe you big
. “Okay.” She finally caved and rolled her eyes like a child who just got sent to the principal’s office. “I was engaged to Gabriel.”