The Hotshot Read online

  “Yeah, and maybe there really is a Santa Claus, Virginia. I think he’s ticked off about the persistent mob in the parking lot.”

  Gage took her hand. “No point speculating. Let’s go find out.”

  They found Peter lounging in his leather chair. He gave them a tight smile when they walked through the door. He motioned them to two chairs positioned in front of his desk.

  “Have a seat.”

  They sat.

  “I think it’s wonderful that you two have found love with each other,” Peter said. “But I hope your relationship isn’t going to cause a problem for the clinic, or that you’ll have any problems working as a team.”

  “No, sir,” Janet said. “Our relationship won’t affect our work.”

  Gage knew fibbing to Peter was killing her. Letting her father believe they were engaged was one thing, but perpetuating the masquerade with their boss was taking its toll. He understood her conflict. On the one hand Janet was a scrupulously honest woman with the highest moral standards, but she was still a little girl, willing to do anything possible to gain her father’s love and attention, even if it mean violating her own values.

  “That’s good to hear.” Dr. Jackson steepled his fingers and leaned forward. “However, I’m afraid the media chaos is already creating a disturbance. Our patients are finding it difficult getting past those reporters.”

  “The media circus is entirely my fault,” Gage apologized. “If it wasn’t for my past celebrity, they wouldn’t be the least bit interested in my marriage plans.”

  Marriage plans.

  It felt weird to think of himself as a groom again. Except he wasn’t getting married. He was simply helping a friend in need.

  Like Pauline?

  No, not like Pauline, this was different.

  How was it different?

  This was Janet.

  And?

  You ’re not really marrying her.

  “I think you two should take a few days off until this blows over,” Dr. Jackson said.

  “What?” Janet’s voice rose and her brow furrowed.

  “For the good of our patients.”

  “But what about our practice?” Gage asked.

  Dr. Jackson waved a hand. “Not to worry. Phil and I will take calls for you this weekend. He pulled a key from his drawer and tossed it across the desk to Gage. “I have a houseboat on Lake Travis. It’s at your disposal. Take the rest of the week off starting now. Consider it an early wedding present.”

  “Sir, this is far too generous; we can’t accept.” Gage pushed the key back to his boss, not because he didn’t relish the thought of spending a long weekend alone on the lake with Janet, but because he did.

  “My reasons are purely selfish.” Peter nudged the key back in his direction. “Getting you two out of town is in the best interest of the clinic. I won’t take no for an answer. The houseboat is being stocked with food and supplies as I speak. Have a good time.”

  Gage took a deep breath. Here it was all over again. Running from the media, playing silly hide-and-seek games. All the things he thought he’d escaped. It wasn’t fair to put Janet under this kind of pressure. She didn’t deserve to be hounded away from the one thing she loved above all else—her job.

  He glanced over at her. Her knuckles were bone-white from gripping the chair arms. Obviously, she didn’t want to do this either.

  “Really, Dr. Jackson, we can’t accept,” Gage said.

  “I’m sorry, Gage, Janet,” their boss replied. “I’m not able to give you the option. To protect the clinic and your careers, you’ve got to get out of town until things cool off. I really must insist.”

  13

  We’re gonna be alone with Gagey-pooh for three entire days and nights, impish voice sang to the tune of some boppy oldies number as Janet packed for the weekend.

  Will you knock it off? You’re giving me a headache, rational voice grumbled.

  Janet felt as if she were being pulled in opposite directions. Her old self on one side of a giant fault line, this new unexpected self on the other. What was happening to her?

  CeeCee stuck her head in the bedroom. She and Lacy had dropped by to ask nosy questions about her trip. “This is so great, you and Doctor Handsome going away for the weekend.”

  Janet loved her friends, but sometimes they were annoying.

  “Do you think he could be the One?” Lacy asked, coming to stand beside CeeCee.

  “How many times do I have to tell you, Lacy, that I don’t believe in all that thunderbolt nonsense,” Janet sighed, exasperated.

  “Don’t believe or won’t believe?” Lacy nodded knowingly.

  “What’s the difference?” She shrugged.

  “You’ll find out.”

  “Look, I didn’t get struck by a bolt of lightning or cursed by a gypsy or succumbed to an astrologer’s prediction or anything like that. Gage is a nice guy. End of story.”

  “And you’re going to be spending three days alone with him.” CeeCee plopped down on the bed.

  “If Gage isn’t special, then why are you acting so weird?” Lacy asked.

  “I’m not acting weird,” Janet denied.

  “Oh yes, you are,” CeeCee and Lacy cried in unison.

  She looked at them as if they’d lost their minds. “In what way?”

  “Humming love songs under your breath,” Lacy said.

  “I don’t do that!” Janet snorted.

  “Oh no? I could have sworn you were in here singing ‘Can’t Help Myself.’”

  “Nope,” Janet lied.

  “And…” CeeCee pointed out. “You’ve started wearing more makeup.”

  “And sexier clothes,” Lacy chimed in.

  They were enjoying teasing her, Janet realized, and secretly, she admitted the truth. Lately, despite the craziness of the paparazzi surrounding their “engagement,” she was feeling lighter, freer...happier.

  But it wasn’t because of Gage, she assured herself. It was because she had gained her father’s approval at long last.

  CeeCee leaned over and rifled through Janet’s suitcase. “Let’s see. Bathing suit, check. Shorts, check. Skimpy tops, check. Oh, yeah. You’ve changed.”

  “Get out of there.” Janet tried to close the suitcase.

  “Wait! What’s this?” CeeCee shrieked gleefully and pulled out a pair of thong panties Janet had purchased that afternoon. The damn things had been an impulse buy. She’d never worn a thong in her life—they weren’t her style—and she couldn’t explain why she had picked them up, except impish voice had possessed her.

  “Omigosh, you in a thong.” CeeCee hooted. “Who’d have thunk it? That’s so great.”

  “Gimme those.” Janet snatched the scarlet underwear from CeeCee’s hand and stuffed them back into the suitcase.

  CeeCee struggled to keep a straight face. “I trust you’re packing condoms along with that thong. Gage gets one look at you in that thing and you’re done for.”

  Janet’s face flamed. Dammit, she did not blush.

  “Janet’s gonna have sex.” CeeCee giggled.

  She wasn’t planning on having sex with Gage. Not at all. The thought had never entered her head. Liar, liar, thong on a four-alarm fire. Okay, the thought had entered her head, but she’d squelched it.

  “Go home,” she told CeeCee and Lacy.

  It was bad enough having impish voice in her head echoing CeeCee’s sentiments without having her best friends in on the conspiracy.

  “We’ll see you when you get back,” Lacy said, tugging CeeCee off the bed. “Have a great time and don’t do anything we wouldn’t do.”

  Heaven forbid.

  She walked her friends to the door, feeling oddly disconcerted, then went back to her packing.

  Maybe you should pick up some condoms, impish voice whispered. Just in case.

  Janet glanced at her watch. Gage would be down to pick her up in less than thirty minutes. She didn’t have much time to make it to the drugstore and back. She stepped to
the dresser and picked up her car keys.

  As she turned and headed for the door, Janet heard rational voice’s whine in despair. What in the world has come over you?

  Gage had a single goal in mind.

  Show Janet a good time. The woman worked too hard and she desperately needed a little R&R. If he could just get her to relax, as she had last Sunday, he knew they would find a satisfactory solution to their dilemma.

  Fact of the matter? He liked the thought of Janet as his fiancée. Probably too much. Also, he very much wanted to take her to bed.

  Definitely, he liked that idea too much. Having sex with her was all he could think about. Sharing an office with her had become downright painful. How did he expect to survive this extended weekend with just the two of them?

  All alone.

  How? By keeping a rigorous schedule and showing her a good time. He’d already made the reservations. They would go jet-skiing and swimming and kayaking. They would hike nature trails and fish and build a campfire. After dark, they would lie on their backs in the cool grass and gaze up at the stars.

  Busy, busy, busy. Anything to keep his mind off the sensuous feel of her soft skin, the delightful taste of her tender lips, the melodic sound of her sweet laughter.

  On Saturday night, they’d drive into town, go two-stepping at a local country music nightclub. He would show her a great time, by gum, or die trying.

  But all his plans came to naught.

  The rain started the moment they pulled up to the dock beside Peter’s houseboat on Thursday evening. It took them only twenty minutes to unpack and explore the craft.

  They quickly discovered there was no television, which left them with nothing to do but gaze into each other’s eyes.

  A bad, bad thing.

  Because gazing into those incredible indigo depths made Gage ached to take her to bed on the spot.

  Janet seemed as nervous as he felt, circling the houseboat repeatedly. She snapped on the staticky radio, then turned it right back off again. She drummed her fingernails on the kitchen cabinet, then inhaled deeply and glanced over at him.

  “Well, here we are.”

  “Yeah.”

  She peered out the picture window that would have given a beautiful view of the lake if not for the downpour. “It’s raining harder.”

  “Yes.”

  “Let’s hope it lets up by tomorrow,” she said.

  “I’m sure it will.”

  He was so aware of her. The delicious scent of her cologne filled his nostrils. The way she threaded her fingers through her hair drove spikes of desire clean through him. The manner in which she kept slanting him furtive glances made him yearn to take her into his arms and satisfy the lurking question in her eyes.

  He stepped across the kitchen toward her.

  She hovered in the doorway, an uncertain expression on her face. “Gage, I...”

  He was standing so close he could smell her shampoo. “Yes?” He hadn’t meant to growl in a low, sexy tone; it just came out that way.

  The next thing he knew, she forcefully took his face in both her hands and kissed him.

  Oh, how she kissed him. As if she wanted so much more than kisses.

  After a moment, he pulled back, gasping raggedly and gaping at her in disbelief. “Janet, I don’t want you to think that just because we’re isolated here together for three days that this has to lead to anything.”

  “Shut up,” she said, “and kiss me.”

  So kiss her he did. He was not one to refuse a lady’s heartfelt request.

  Janet was like a woman possessed. She wanted him. Had to have him. And she had no idea where this unbridled passion sprang come from.

  Oh, this...this loss of control was what she’d feared from the moment she had learned they would share an office together.

  Lust, lust, lust, lust, lust, impish voice cried. What a wonderful force of nature it is.

  Her entire body tingled with shivery awareness. Her mind was numb as all blood supply was being used to support her sweating palms and her pounding heart and her heavy loins.

  Is this smart? Is this prudent? rational voice protested.

  Ignore her. Surrender to the moment.

  Gage pulled back again. “Janet,” he croaked, “what are you doing?”

  “What does it feel like I’m doing?”

  “Are you sure?” He looked both startled and pleased.

  “Gage, I want you and I think you want me. No big deal, right?”

  “Honey, I do want you. So badly I can taste it, but this is an enormous deal for me.”

  “Really?” She blinked. She was kind of surprised. She figured Gage had had lots of sexual encounters and she’d just supposed he took them rather lightly.

  “Really.”

  Lightning flashed. Thunder rolled. Now was the time to back out.

  Helplessly, she traced a finger down his jaw. He had done so much for her. He’d helped her to lighten up, to take herself and life less seriously. She wanted to be near him. She wanted him to stroke her hair, to kiss her lips again.

  Who was she kidding? She wanted him to do a lot more than that. Did such blatant desires make her weak?

  Surreptitiously, she watched him. His face was tense, worried even. Not at all his usual confident, carefree self. She’d misjudged him from the start, thinking him superficial, but she’d discovered he was a man who cared deeply about people. And he cared enough about her to pretend to be her fiancé, even when he’d known the complications that would ensue.

  Her heart swelled to bursting. No man had ever made such sacrifices for her.

  Doubt clouded her thinking. Was he simply Dudley Do-Right, determined to untie Nell from the railroad tracks and thwart Snidely Whiplash? After they made love would he flash Nell a glistening white smile, climb aboard his trusty steed, and gallop away into the mountains? Was that why he wanted her to be sure? Or would he swing Nell into his arms and kiss her within an inch of her life and tell her just how special she was to him? Honestly, which scenario was the most frightening?

  Frankly, happily ever after scared her much more than a three-night stand.

  Stop thinking, impish voice said. Stop thinking and just go with the flow. Feel.

  Feel. Ah, yes. Luxuriate in the sensation of Gage’s tongue strumming ribbons of pleasure throughout her body. Every touch was magical, sparking fires of awareness deep inside her soul.

  “I’m so hungry for you,” she whimpered when he stopped kissing her for a moment to catch his breath. Her fingers fiddled with the buttons on his shirt.

  “Babe, I’m starved for you. Famished, malnourished, underfed.” He threaded his fingers through her hair, cupping the back of her head in his palm. His brown eyes glistened with a searing heat so powerful, Janet gasped and placed a hand to her stomach.

  “More,” she whimpered. “More.”

  He eagerly complied.

  Flesh fused with flesh. Tongues danced. Strong hands skimmed down the curve of her spine, setting her neuro sensors ablaze as his fingers burned a trail to her waist, then lower still to knead her buttocks gently.

  She could feel his erection throbbing through the denim of his white shorts, straining hard against the zipper.

  He groaned. She moaned.

  They never made it to the bedroom.

  When impish voice broke through and shouted right out loud, “Make love to me, Gage, right here,” he lowered her to the floor, and they clung together in a mad frenzy of need.

  Clothing flew across the room. Shoes bounced off the wall. Thunder shook the houseboat, but they were oblivious. They took no notice of anything except each other.

  His finger skipped down her skin, from her shoulder, past her bare breasts, to the curve of her belly and beyond.

  “What do you know?” He hooked one finger around the strap of her red lace thong. “You do wear sexy undies.”

  “What did you think I wore? Prison warden underpants?”

  “Yeah.” He grinned. “Kinda
.”

  “Oh, you!” She tickled him lightly in the ribs.

  The next thing she knew, Gage was wearing her panties on his head. They were laughing and gasping and kissing and nuzzling.

  “Janet,” he murmured, his eyes glazed as he stared at her body, mesmerized. “You’re incredible.”

  “So are you,” she said and meant every word. He was everything she’d never dared dream of. Everything and so much more. Nothing had ever felt so great.

  And things quickly got a lot better.

  She emitted a low cry of pleasure when Gage lowered his head and touched his hot, wet tongue to her moist, feminine heat. He suckled, tasted, feasted, then drove her madly, wildly into a soul-screaming orgasm.

  Limply, she panted and crooned his name like a mantra. Methodically, he kissed his way back up her belly, not missing a single spot on his journey to her nipples.

  Once there, he laved the tender flesh with the tip of his raspy tongue, abrading her gently with a steady pressure that had her crying out once more and grabbing fistfuls of his hair in her hands.

  She quivered and a fresh heat coiled in the pit of her belly. The coil built and grew until she wound as tight as a new watch, her entire body thrumming with energy.

  She wanted him inside her. Filling her up.

  And she told him so.

  “Wait,” he panted. “We can’t.”

  “Why not?” Startled and aching with a sharp need, she rose up on her elbows.

  “No condom.”

  “Check the pocket of my pants.”

  He grinned. “You sly vixen, you.”

  They made love on the kitchen floor. Below her, the tile pressed cool against her naked back. Above her, Gage’s hard muscled flesh sizzled hot against her naked front.

  From the kitchen they moved to the living room, changing positions and doing outstanding things in a chair that made Janet yell with unbridled enjoyment.

  Couch pillows flew. Gage pulled her into his lap and lowered her onto his burgeoning erection.

  Ride ’em, cowgirl.

  The houseboat swayed in its moorings. The thick ropes holding the boat in place creaked.