Spanish Eyes_Texas Heat Read online

  Angelina buried her face against his throat, harsh breaths bringing her chest into sweet contact with his time and time again. Could this be real? Could this man want her? When she could speak, she whispered against his skin, “Why do you call me Spanish Eyes when that’s the only thing about me that betrays my Caucasian mother?”

  “You’ve never heard the song Spanish Eyes? It’s one of my favorites, the moment I saw you that’s what I thought of.”

  “Sing it for me?” she asked. Angelina laughed with joy when Drew blushed. “Please?”

  “All right, hold on.” He stepped to a closet and took a guitar down from a shelf. Returning to her, he sat down in a chair across from her and began to sing about a beautiful Spanish girl with sad eyes. “Promise me, that you and your Spanish eyes will wait for me.”

  Angelina pressed a hand to her chest. “You have a beautiful voice, Drew.”

  He shook his head. “Just passable.”

  “I love it.” She could see he didn’t enjoy compliments. “My eyes may be blue, but I’m not sad. Not right now.”

  “Good, I’m glad.” He couldn’t wait, he had to ask, “So, you’ll stay for a few more days? At least until Rafe comes home. Okay?”

  “Okay, as long as you let me help out around here, I don’t want to be a charity case.” She also wanted to see where this thing with Drew was going. The idea that he could be attracted to her was too tantalizing to resist.

  “What about if I put you in charge of Newton? Would you like that?”

  Angelina giggled. “I most certainly would. I’d also like to contact Aliyah if you’d give me her number.”

  “I will, I think she’d like that. I’m sure Cooper would love to see you too.”

  “I think our cocoa is cold.” She glanced at her cup.

  “As long as it’s chocolate, the temperature doesn’t matter.”

  As they sipped their drink and ate their pudding, Angelina was happier than she’d ever been.

  ...Later that night, Angelina stared out the window into the darkness. The hour was late, but she kept reviewing every moment of the time she’d spent with Drew. He’d kissed her. Placing her fingers to her lips, she smiled. The evening had ended too abruptly for her taste, he’d been called to the clinic to perform an emergency appendectomy. “This is how it would be,” she mused, “a doctor’s wife would have to get used to being left alone as her husband drove off into the night to help a patient.”

  With a sigh, she stepped away from her fantasy. Seeing the phone Drew had given her lying on the bed, she picked it up to call her brother. The time difference would make it early morning in Yemen, maybe she’d catch him before he started his day.

  “Alejandro.”

  His gruff voice made Angelina laugh. “Why are you grumpy? Did your camel spit on you?”

  “Angelina! How good to hear your voice? How are you feeling?”

  “Better. Hopeful. I’ve done some research and I think I can cope now.”

  “Excellent. Did Dr. Drew give you my message?”

  “Yes, he said you might be coming home soon. Your mission was successful.”

  “Yes, we have taken out one enemy. Unfortunately, many remain. The conflict is never ending.”

  “If peace prevailed everywhere, you’d be out of a job,” she teased.

  “I guess you’re right,” Rafe conceded. “I have more news. The women taken with you have all been released to go to their homes.”

  “How wonderful. I’m so relieved. This could have turned out so much worse.”

  “Yes, for you too. I suppose Drew told you that I feel there is no present danger for you. I’ll be coming back to the states in a few days. Will you be in East Texas or San Antonio?”

  “I’m not sure.” Not wanting to reveal the real reason for her delay, she clutched onto another explanation. “I want to see Aliyah before I leave. I feel stronger now, and I’m hoping she does too. I can’t go home without thanking her, Rafe.”

  “I know Drew wants you to stay a little longer, Angelina. He told me that he’d do anything to help you, he wants to see you well again.”

  While Rafe’s relating of Drew’s wishes sounded good, something about it bothered her. He’d do anything to help you…

  “Oh, one more thing, Angelina, Jagger tells me their sister owns a daycare in San Antonio, not far from your house. She has pretty high turnover, if you want to do something totally different, that might be an option.”

  “Working at a daycare? Me?” Even as she scoffed, she thought how carefree and fun it could be. “I’ll think about it. I know I can’t take advantage of Dr. Haley’s kindness indefinitely.” Even if she wanted to.

  “I don’t think he feels that way, Angelina. You underestimate your appeal.”

  “You’re my brother, you’re prejudice.”

  “True.”

  After she’d ended the phone call, she couldn’t get Drew off her mind. As she got ready for bed, Angelina admitted that, like a starry-eyed teenager, she had a crush on her handsome champion. Their circumstances were far from normal. If she could roll back time and meet him in that bar instead of her captors – what would have happened? Would he have noticed her? Would he have asked her to dance? Somehow, she didn’t think he would have. Angelina knew she was nothing special. Drew was a magnetic, sexy man. He could have his pick of perfect women. No, if they’d met under different circumstances, their eyes would have met and he would’ve walked on.

  Angelina’s internal debate left her depressed. She went to bed determined to keep a level head. Her sexual responses might be defective, but she could still evaluate facts and make informed decisions. Her situation called for caution and prudence, not a headlong plunge into fantasy.

  Still…deep in the night, a dream born of her heartfelt desire was born. She imagined herself in Drew’s arms, his lips on hers, his hands giving her pleasure. Angelina awoke riding her own hand, frantically swirling her fingers over her clit. Her body bowed as she sought release. Yet, when it seemed within her grasp, relief slipped through her grasp and she fell back, exhausted, unable to assuage the desperate craving. In shame, she tiptoed down to the kitchen and filled a plastic bag with ice. What would Drew do if she went to him and asked for help now? Would he still reject her? Returning to her room, she ran a bath and soaked in the frigid water, all in an attempt to combat the tremors of agonizing need. Only after she was near frozen and shaking like a leaf, did she feel sufficiently exhausted enough to sleep.

  When Drew knocked on her door early the next morning, Angelina was almost dressed. Her bout with sleeplessness had left her drowsy. “Hold on!” she called, pulling a lace camisole over her head. Twisting her hair into a knot, she threw it over her shoulder as she hurried to let him in.

  “Good morning.” Leaning against the door facing, he gave her a smile and a slip of paper. “This is Aliyah’s number.”

  “Oh, thank you. I’ll call her today.”

  When she glanced up, he handed Angelina a bunch of daisies. The sight of them made her gasp with pleasure. “You’re spoiling me. This is becoming a habit, thank you.”

  “A good habit.” He moved a step closer, filling the doorway. “I couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss last night, Spanish Eyes. I think you’re beautiful.”

  “Please don’t say things like that,” she begged him. Not unless you mean them, she added mentally.

  “I love touching you.” He demonstrated by running one finger down the length of her arm, ending by enveloping her hand in his.

  “You’re teasing me.” She closed her eyes, luxuriating in the tactile heaven of his skin on hers. “You know how this makes me feel. It isn’t fair.”

  “Who said I was teasing?” Drew was torn. He wanted her and wanted her to want him, not just what he could do for her. God, what was he thinking? He didn’t know what to do. “What are your plans for the day?” He tried to diffuse the situation.

  She held up the paper. “And maybe go see the horses?”

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nbsp; “Sure, make yourself at home.” And he meant it.

  …On Drew’s way to work, he got a call from Frank. “What’s up? Have you recovered from our crazy adventure?”

  “Yea, I didn’t really enjoy the grilling Homeland Security gave me.”

  “Sorry about that, Rafe got a few of us excused, I guess. Did they give you a hard time?”

  “Not really. In fact, I’m afraid they’ll call the next time they need a front man to infiltrate some oil Sheik’s stronghold.”

  “I’m hoping that will be our last stronghold to storm. I don’t care if I ever go any further east than Nashville again.”

  “Don’t be so sure, Drew. I have some news for you. Khalid called me and he’s taking the reins of Aswad Oil. He’s offering you a better deal than his father did.”

  “Okay.” Drew wanted to weigh his options. “I’ll think about it.”

  “Well, don’t think long. He’s proven himself to us and he’s giving us top dollar. If you sign this contract, you’ll be a very rich man.”

  To anyone else, the prospect of great wealth might have brought elation. Drew wasn’t that kind of guy. Material things didn’t really mean a great deal to him. The one true benefit he could see was what he could do with the money. He could build a bigger clinic, maybe even a rehab center for substance abuse and name it after his father. Matthew’s problems had never been a secret, Redlands was a small town, everybody knew everything. He recalled Angelina asking for something to help her and Drew wondered if he’d been selfish, forcing his own views on her when she really needed help.

  When he reached the clinic, it seemed as if fate was trying to tell him something. Drew’s first patient was Terry Gibbs, a middle-aged man who was confined to a wheelchair. Over the years, his condition had deteriorated. Now, he was unable to talk, he just sat and drooled, his eyes darting from one side of the room to the other. Matthew had delivered Terry and treated him as he grew, so Drew was very aware of his patient’s history. When all the other babies born in 1970 had received their inoculations, so had Terry. Unfortunately, Terry exhibited unexpected symptoms. Matthew determined that he’d had a rare and serious allergic reaction to a childhood vaccination. While this man’s life was irrevocably destroyed, Drew couldn’t get on the bandwagon to do away with them altogether, vaccinations saved countless lives. He gave Terry his checkup and wished to God that he could do more for him than that. “I’ll see you next time, Terry. You take care.” He wished everything could be black and white, right or wrong, good or bad – but the world was a place of color, full of shadows and light. Making the right decision, especially when someone else placed their life in his hands was a responsibility that weighed heavily on his soul.

  …After Drew left, Angelina picked up the phone to call Aliyah and promptly chickened out. What could she say to a woman who had sacrificed herself so Angelina could go free? She understood the whys, the risks, the bigger picture, but the end result was the same. Instead, she called Cooper and told Cooper that she’d like to meet Aliyah. “Oh, she’ll be thrilled. I’ve enjoyed getting to know Aliyah. She’s not nearly as scary as you’d think.”

  “Well, that’s a comforting thought. I keep thinking of Ziva on NCIS and imagining sharing girl-talk with her and it’s a little difficult.”

  “Oh, she’s great. Tyler is so besotted with her that he follows her around like a puppy. The woman has a great sense of humor and if someone bothers us when we go out on the town, she can twist him in a knot and feed him his balls.”

  Angelina laughed. “Sounds perfect. You check with her, see when she’s free and give me a call back later.”

  “If she’s available, would you like us to come over today?”

  “Sure! Anytime is great with me. Drew and Hattie have given me the run of the place. Just say the word and I’ll throw together a tea party or something.”

  After ending the call, she made her way downstairs to see if Hattie needed anything. Angelina found her on the sunporch with a big dishpan full of purple hull peas in her lap.

  “That looks like fun.”

  “If you like fingers that look like this, it is.” She held up two purple thumbs.

  “They match my top.” She tugged on the eggplant colored material. “Where’s another pan?”

  “Under the sink and there’s an overnight letter for you on the counter too.”

  Angelina found the pan and an envelope containing her driver’s license. “Good deal,” she murmured, stuffing the piece of plastic in her back pocket. Upon returning to Hattie, she noticed a book propped up on the far side of the pan. “Are you reading while you shell?”

  “I am.” Hattie nodded. “It’s a great talent.” She grinned and turned a page. “I push the peas up to it to hold the book open. The only problem is that when I get to a good part, I forget the peas.”

  “I’ll have to try that. Do you think it would work with a kindle?”

  Hattie considered Angelina’s idea. “I don’t know, the juice from the peas might monkey with the electronics on the kindle. It’d be worth a try.”

  After filling her pan with peas, Angelina settled in to a rhythm. “What was Drew like as little boy?”

  Hattie gave her a sideways glance. “Mischievous. Smart. Cute as a button.” She threw a handful of empty shells into a paper bag between them. “Being raised without a mother, he had a hard time. When his father started drinking, Drew acted out a few times. If it hadn’t been for those Landon twins and their parents, he might’ve ended up in juvenile hall. I helped when I could, taking care of this place when Matthew was alive was a whole different story. In the days before the clinic, he saw all his patients here. I even helped with some emergency operations and child births. Can you believe that?”

  Angelina was fascinated. “Was Drew happy?” She couldn’t stand the thought of a motherless little boy feeling lonely and lost.

  “Yes, he could find happiness in most anything. He loved animals. I’ll swear I thought he would’ve been a veterinarian instead of a medical doctor.”

  “I can relate. My dad died when I was very small. My memories of him are so faded. Mother married Rafe’s dad and after that, she really didn’t have much time for me. Rafe could see how thrown away I felt, he did his best to make it up to me.” She stopped and shelled a handful of peas before continuing. “I got bullied a lot in school. I was overweight and timid. Too smart for my grade. If he beat up one guy for me, he took on a dozen. Things didn’t really straighten up for me until I was pulled out of regular class and put it a gifted program. After that, I focused entirely on my studies. And after I graduated, I got a job and my work became my life.” She lowered her voice. “I’ve never even been on a date.”

  “No!” Hattie was horrified. “That’s a travesty!”

  “I’m a nerd.” She indicated Hattie’s book with a nod of her head. “I can read the words on that page from here. He pulled her up against him until her breasts pressed against the hard planes of his chest.” Her reading was so like the intimate moment she’d shared with Drew the night before that frissons broke out over her skin.

  Hattie flipped her book over, giggling like a school girl. “I like romance, okay? I know I’m an old broad but I’m not dead yet.”

  “Oh, I know,” Angelina grinned, “my point was, that my eyesight is excellent but I still wear glasses to hide behind. I’d have them on now, but I lost them in Yemen and I haven’t replaced them yet.”

  Hattie sobered. “You have no reason to hide, Angelina. You are a beautiful woman. What you need to do is make up your mind to live. You’ve buried yourself in your work for too long.” She waved her hand in a circle in the air. “Maybe, that’s what all of this is about. Sometimes great good comes from great tragedy. You experienced a life-altering event and your life is going to change. How it changes, is up to you.”

  Angelina didn’t say anything, she just listened. It had been a long time since she had someone to talk to, to listen to, to feel mothered by.

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bsp; “When Matthew died, I was afraid Drew would just fold in on himself. He was at a crossroads, so disgusted by his father’s weakness and so devastated by his death. When he walked away from the cemetery, I didn’t know if he’d start a practice or climb on this old Harley he had and ride over the hill.” She took a deep breath. “We all have choices in our life.” Hattie grew sad. “I chose to work for a man I loved and raise his child, even though he never saw me as anything other than a friend or an employee.”

  “Oh, Hattie, I’m so sorry.” Angelina finally saw the big picture.

  “Don’t be sorry for me, girl.” She refilled her pea pan. “I got to watch Drew grow up and he’s treated me like family. Without him, I’d be alone. Sure, I could’ve walked away early on, when I realized Matthew would never see me as a woman. But I’m one of those rare women who only love once in their life. After I gave my heart to Matthew Haley, living on the fringe of his life was better than nothing.”

  Angelina shelled peas automatically, considering what she’d been told. “I know I need to make some changes. I won’t go into the things I’ve been going through, they’re too ugly, but this has forced me out of hiding in the shadows and into the broad-open light of day.”

  “Good,” Hattie declared. “I can’t wait to see what you do with this second chance.” She leaned forward and whispered, “Just don’t make the one critical mistake I did.”

  “What was that?” Angelina felt like she was being given the keys to the kingdom.

  “Tell him how you feel. Times have changed, women don’t have to just wait and hope the man she has her eye on will wake up from his trance and notice her. Men wear blinders most of the time. You have so much to offer, don’t waste this chance, Angelina. I’ve seen how you and Drew look at one another, I’m not blind.”

  “No, you don’t understand, Hattie.”