Strictly Professional (10 page)

Breathe, Savannah, breathe. He didn’t mean date, really.

A small ripple of disappoint zipped down her back.

“I guess it would be okay. I mean, it’s not like it would be a real date and I am kind of hungry.”

“What? The complimentary nuts not enough?”

She almost choked on her saliva and the dimple peeked out of his cheek when he laughed. She fought the urge to sigh.

“There’s a great steak place on West End. Do you like red meat?”

“I was raised on a cattle ranch. What do you think?”

“Cattle ranch, huh? I didn’t know that.”

“Yep.”

“You ride?”

“Not much now, but yeah, I used to.”

“Rodeo?”

“Some.” She looked back across the cab when he pulled next to the curb and put it in park. “You ride, too?”

“Yeah.” He climbed out and walked around to open her door. “How would you like to go with me one weekend?”

“Maybe.”

He held up his hands. “I only asked. Don’t feel obligated or anything.”

Damn it!

They didn’t talk again until they were seated at an intimate booth in a low lit restaurant with their menus in front of them. The smell of seared steak met her nose and she sighed. She’d heard of Ruth’s Chris Steak House, but she’d never been there. The prices were a little out of her reach, but she would pay for her own food, no matter what Brandon said.

The soft leather of the seat enveloped her in a cushion of softness. She looked across the table at the man who had escorted her here and watched the lamplight bounce off the soft curls on top of his head. He’d removed his hat, but the strands of hair fought the comb he had obviously run through it before he left.

Oh yeah, he had said something about taking a shower before he came to get me.

Images of water running over the muscles of his chest and arms had her squirming. Her pussy throbbed against the soft cotton between her thighs and her clit swelled with need.

Damn it!

“Have you been here before?” he asked once the waitress disappeared with their drink order.

“No. This isn’t exactly in my price range. Remember. I’m still a resident.”

He sipped his water before he smile again. “I haven’t been here either, but I’ve heard they are really good.”

“Mmm...I’ve heard that too.”

“Well, then, let’s just enjoy it, shall we?”

Her gaze returned to the menu in her hand and she picked out the cheapest meal she could find when the waitress returned to take their order.

“So, have you checked on Molly?”

“Yes. She’s off the vent and doing wonderfully. They did end up removing her spleen. She had a bleed.” He cocked an eyebrow. “Good catch, by the way.”

“I’m glad she’s doing better.”

He traced the water droplet on his glass before he looked at her again. “How close were you and her father? I mean, you said you went to high school together, but there seemed to be a little familiarity between you.”

She took a deep breath before she said, “Tony and I were supposed to get married.”

Chapter Five

“Married?”

“Yes.” He waited for her to explain. She could tell by the look in his eyes. The waitress arrived with their meal and Savannah focused on the food on her plate so she wouldn’t have to see the question on his face.

He cleared his throat and said, “Sorry. None of my business.”

She laid her napkin on her lap before she raised her gaze to his. “Tony and I dated in high school. I was in love with him—or thought so, anyway. When he found out I had been accepted here for medical school, he wanted me to give up my dream and live in Houston with him.”

Brandon frowned. “And how did he plan to support you?”

“He didn’t.”

“Excuse me?”

“He didn’t plan on supporting me. He wanted to play football and let my parents support us until he could go pro.” She shrugged and peered at the tablecloth for a moment. With a small self-discriminating laugh, she added, “Of course, I understand he plays for the Tennessee Titans. I should have known he’d be around here somewhere, but I really wasn’t prepared to run into him like that.”

“But you didn’t know it then. It might have been a very long time—if ever.”

“I realize that. I told him forget it and left that fall to come here.”

Brandon reached across the table and laced their fingers together. “I’m glad you did. Somehow I can’t see you letting any man take advantage of you.”

She pulled her hand out of his grasp. “No. I won’t.”

* * * *

When they pulled into the driveway at his house, she whispered, “Wow! You live here?”

He chuckled softly. “Yeah.”

“Alone?”

“Yes, Savannah, alone.” He walked around and opened her door. “Would you like to come in for a minute?”

She chewed her bottom lip.

“I don’t bite.” He bent toward her ear and whispered, “Not hard, anyway.”

Her heart slammed against her ribs when her gaze met his and he smiled. He took her hand in his warm grasp and headed toward the front door. “You have property behind the house?”

“Twenty acres. I needed somewhere to keep my horse.”

She knew she was babbling, but she couldn’t seem to help it. The feelings he stirred with a simple touch or look had her body in overdrive. “You have horses?”

He slipped the key into the front door and pushed it open. “There are five back there to be exact.”

“Do you ride a lot?”

He tossed the keys on the table near the door. “All the time if I could, but I usually don’t have that much time. I try to go at least once a week.”

When he flipped on the lights, she stood in awe at the expansive entry way with its marble tile floor and wrought iron accents. “This is beautiful, Brandon.”

“Thanks. I paid someone to decorate it. I’m terrible at matching colors and things like that.” He pulled her into the living room and turned on a light next to the couch. “How about something to drink?”

“Mmm...water, milk, whatever is good,” she said, taking a seat on the suede couch. “This is really soft.”

The kitchen sat off to her right with a large granite island, sparkling stainless steel appliances, and cherry wood cabinets. She could see him opening the refrigerator and taking out a pitcher before he grabbed a couple of glasses out of the cupboard to his left.

“I know. I love that couch. You could sink into the cushions and never come out,” he answered from the kitchen.

A couple of minutes later, he stood next to her and handed her a glass of sweet tea.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” He took a seat in chair across from her and watched her over the rim of the glass. “If it wasn’t already dark, I’d take you out back and show you my place. Being raised on a cattle ranch, I’m sure you can appreciate it.”

One shoulder lifted in a shrug. “It’s fine. I try not to have anything to do with cattle, horses, or cowboys if I don’t have to.” She caught her lip between her teeth and her eyes widened when she caught his surprised gaze across the room.

“You have a thing against cowboys?”

Her focus dropped to the carpet at their feet for a second before it returned to his. “Sorry. Nothing against you. I just haven’t had much luck with them.”

“Fair enough.”

“So where did you grow up? I don’t know anything about you at all and here I am sitting on your couch, sipping tea.”

The corners of his mouth lifted in a smile and one dimple peeked out, tempting her like nothing else could. Her heart fluttered in her chest and it felt like a million butterflies were beating against the inside of her stomach, trying to get out.

“Let’s see. I grew up in Montana. Billings to be exact, or should I say outside of Billings. My parents owned a place there.”

She took a drink from her glass and studied him a moment.

“I have one brother and two sisters. Like you, I’m the oldest.”

“Where did you go to school?”

“I did my pre-med at Montana State then went to New York University Mount Sinai.”

“Mount Sinai? Wow! That’s one of the best schools in the country.”

“Vanderbilt is pretty prestigious, too. You did well to get in here.”

Heat crept up her neck to splash across her cheeks. “Yeah, well...”

It helps to have connections and parents with money.

“How did you end up in Tennessee then?”

“Centennial Medical Center offered me a nice contract to work the emergency room here.”

A frown pulled down the corners of her mouth. “So how did you end up at Vandy?”

“Once I got here, things weren’t the way they stated them in the contract. I did my stint and then Vanderbilt offered me a position, so I took it.”

“You’ve been in Tennessee a while, then.”

“Yeah, about a year.”

“Do you like it here?”

“I love it. I plan on staying for a long time. I’d say forever, but you never know what might happen in the future.”

“What about your siblings? Where are they?”

“My brother Aaron lives in Montana still and works the home place with my dad. He’s twenty-eight. My sister Beth just got married last year and lives in Washington State with her husband. She’s thirty-two and my baby sister Alyssa is in college in California.”

“No grandkids yet for your parents either?”

“Nope. That’s why I had to laugh when you mentioned your parents pressuring you and your sisters about grandchildren. Every time I’m home, I get the same lecture.”

“You have no idea,” she mumbled as she stared into the bottom of her now-empty glass.

“What? I didn’t hear you.”

“Nothing.” She stood and moved toward the fireplace against the wall. Brandon had several pictures of what she assumed to be his family lined up in individual frames. “Are these your parents?” She picked up one silver frame with an older man and woman smiling brightly on the front porch of a house.

His voice came from right behind her and she jumped. “Yeah. This one was taken a few years ago right before their anniversary. That’s the front porch of the family place.”

“Looks nice.”

He set the picture back down on the mantle. “I like it. They don’t have a huge place, but it’s plenty big enough I guess you could say.”

“Do they raise horses?”

“Horses and cattle. You know the typical Montana cattle ranch.”

She picked up another photo of one of his sisters, noticing the resemblance between his features and hers. “How many acres do they own out there?”