Baby, Drive South (31 page)

“How is everything at the clinic?”

“Stable…and improving. Both men are sleeping. Several people have volunteered to take shifts monitoring the men through the night.”

“Good.”

She nodded, then looked as if she wanted to say something.

“Do you need anything?” Porter urged.

“I explained to Darren that men aren’t allowed to stay in the boardinghouse overnight.”

“Right,” Porter said in mock sympathy. “He can stay in the barracks.”

Nikki gave Porter a little smile. “Will you take him with you and see that he gets settled?”

For that smile, he would’ve done anything…especially if it meant keeping Rocha out of her bed. “Sure thing.” He turned to Darren. “It’s not too bad. Have you ever been in the military?”

“No,” the man said.

“Oh, okay.” Porter tried to think of an analogy the man could relate to. “It’s like…summer camp.”

Nikki gave Porter a withering look, but Porter just clapped Darren on the back. “Ready to call it a night?”

“Uh…I guess so.” He dropped a kiss on Nikki’s ear. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

She nodded, but Porter noticed she put her hand between them and broke eye contact first.

It was a small gesture, but his heart jumped with hope. Considerably cheered, he gave Rocha a ride to the long, narrow building that served as the men’s living quarters. It was utilitarian, but clean and orderly. Still, the man looked around as everyone else stripped down to their skivvies and balked.

“These beds don’t look very comfortable.”

“They’re not,” Porter confirmed. “No air-conditioning, either.” Then he had an idea. “Tell you what, friend. You can have my bed tonight.” He led him to a partitioned-off area where he and his brothers had their cots. “There you go,” he said, patting his mattress. “Much more comfortable, and it’s cooler in here.” It was a bald-face lie. He and his brothers insisted on sleeping in the same conditions as their men. They only slept in a separate area in case they needed to talk amongst themselves.

“But where will you sleep?” Rocha asked.

“I’ll make do,” Porter said with a self-sacrificing sigh.

Kendall, who was getting ready to lie down himself, shot Porter a sardonic look. Damn Kendall, he could always read his mind.

“Nighty-night,” Porter said to Rocha. “Don’t worry about the mosquitoes. You’ve had a malaria shot, haven’t you?”

The man paled. “No.”

“Oh. Well…it’s treatable.”

“Good
night,
Porter,” Kendall said, punching his pillow.

Porter leaned on a crutch and saluted, then made his way back through the common bunk area, and exited to the shower house. He cursed the cast on his leg for the umpteenth time, but managed to get himself clean. Then he redressed and headed for the four-wheeler. As he started the engine, he imagined Kendall lying there and hearing it, knowing what Porter was going to do.

He steered the ATV to the boardinghouse. Lights were still on in the great room and the kitchen, meaning some of the women were still up. But the front door was locked. He had a key, but he didn’t want to just let himself in. There was, after all, a good reason for the “no men after dark” rule—so the women would feel safe. He knocked, trying to think of a good reason for talking his way inside at this hour.

The door opened and Rachel stood there, holding a dish towel. “Porter…hi.”

“Uh…hi.” He squirmed. “I, uh…need to talk to the doctor.”

“Okay, I’ll get her.”

“Actually,” he said quickly, “if it’s okay, I thought I’d just go…up to her room and…knock.”

Rachel angled her head. “I wondered if you were going to stand by and let that rotten ex-fiancé of hers take her away from here.” She stepped to the side to allow him to pass.

He stopped long enough to drop a kiss on her cheek. “You’re a peach.”

“Yeah, right,” she said with a wave. “Get up there before anyone else sees you.”

Feeling like a young buck sneaking into a girls’ dormitory, Porter stole down the hallway and up the stairs on his crutches, then sped past the gauntlet of women’s room doors before he reached Nikki’s.

He knocked and waited, wondering what on earth he was going to say to her. He was a simple man, but realized this occasion called for some fancy words and smooth talking if he was going to convince her to stay in Sweetness…with him.

He heard a noise on the other side, then a light came on and the door opened. Backlit in a transparent nightgown, Nikki looked sleep-tousled and so sexy, his body surged.

“Porter.” She pushed her hair out of her face, her eyes concerned. “Does one of the men need me?”

His heart was pounding so hard, he was sure she could hear it. “Yes,” he said finally. “
I
do.”

32

N
ikki squinted, not sure what Porter meant. He needed her? She opened her mouth to ask for clarification, but suddenly he was kissing her.

And it felt so good.

Her body sprang to life as she opened her mouth to his. One crutch clattered to the floor as he wrapped his hand around the nape of her neck.

“I want to make love to you,” he said, backing her into the room.

“Men aren’t allowed in the boardinghouse overnight,” she murmured.

He kicked the door closed. “It’s okay—I own the place.”

She fell on her bed with him, waiting for a sense of apprehension or guilt to envelop her. When it didn’t, she threw all her inhibitions to the wind. She had longed for him to come to her. He must have felt her body pulling on his.

As frenzied and frantic as their lovemaking had been in Atlanta, this time it was slow and sweet, with thorough kisses and clasped hands. Through the screened window, cicadas serenaded them and the moon highlighted their naked bodies as they explored each other leisurely. When he finally rose above her to join their bodies, he was so heartbreakingly tender, Nikki felt herself falling into a depth of feeling she’d never experienced before.

She hung there, floating in a liquid mass of sensual impulses until their pendulous climax sent her crashing over an apex, leaving her weak and vulnerable. His heartbeat against hers drew her back to earth. He pulled her onto his chest and ran his fingers over the small of her back, humming his satisfaction.

Even as his breathing steadied and slowed, Nikki resisted sleep. She was falling in love with this man and she wanted to enjoy every delicious second of it. She memorized every sensation of his body against hers—the temperatures, textures and tastes…the facial expressions, musky scents and the guttural noises of fulfillment. She didn’t want to go to sleep because she felt as if she’d only just been awakened to the joys of life…

When she awoke, predawn light filtered through the window and Porter was snoring softly in her ear. She wanted more than anything to stay cocooned in his arms, but she knew she needed to check on her patients.

Nikki smiled. Her patients…her town.

She slid from the bed as quietly as she could to dress and brush her hair. She thought Porter was still sleeping, but as she crept by the bed, his hand snaked out to grab hers.

He smiled up at her. “Sneaking out?”

“Going to the clinic,” she whispered, wondering if her newly formed feelings for him showed all over her face. “I’ll be back soon.”

He squeezed her hand. “Nikki…please say you’ll stay.”

Her heart expanded. “I’ll stay,” she said happily.

He grinned. “I’ll have that contract ready for you to sign when you get back. Can’t have you changing your mind.”

She kissed him on the mouth, then slipped from her room. Nikki stared down at the lone crutch lying in front of her door. So much for being discreet. She wondered how quickly word had passed that Porter Armstrong had spent the night in her room.

Pretty quickly, she deduced from the sly smiles she got as she walked into the kitchen to retrieve a cup of coffee.

“Good morning,” Traci sang.

“Good morning,” Nikki murmured, her face warm.

“Well, for some of us,” Rachel said, and everyone burst out laughing.

Nikki was unable to hold back a smile, and felt a rush of affection for these women who had accepted her into their fold.

“Nothing makes your skin look as good as afterglow,” Traci said. “We want details.”

The women chorused agreement.

“I have to go check on my patients,” Nikki said. Groans echoed behind her as she left the room. She smiled into her coffee and gave into the little spring in her step.

She exited the boardinghouse, struck anew by the quiet beauty of this wild place. It was a dew-laden morning, already warm and steamy. The sky was streaked with pink and yellow ribbons. A bluebird flew by, and two dragonflies. A squirrel scampered ahead of her as she walked down the paved road the short distance to the clinic. She noticed the newly erected sign that had escaped her the previous evening.
Sweetness Family Medical Center
.

She liked the ring of it—family. It seemed to capture all that was to come in this town. And she wanted to be here for it.

To be with Porter.

She inhaled deeply, imbued with happiness. She loved him. She hadn’t known it could be like this, to feel as if someone was just so…necessary. She’d cared for Darren deeply, but she now realized the difference in loving someone and being in love. One was a choice and the other was…involuntary. As she struggled to define the giddiness she felt, her gaze landed on a dust-covered compact car parked near the entrance of the clinic. A young man sat slumped in the driver’s seat, asleep. His dark-rimmed glasses were askew.

Nikki walked over and knocked on the window. The man jumped, then he righted his glasses and rolled down the window.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

The man’s short dark hair stood up at all angles. His clothes were travel worn. “I hope so. I’m looking for Dr. Salinger.”

She hadn’t been expecting the British accent. “I’m Dr. Nikki Salinger.”

His shoulders fell. “Thank goodness. I’m Jay Cross. Dr. Hannah sent me.”

Nikki smiled widely. “Welcome, Dr. Cross. I see you found our clinic. When did you get here?”

“A couple of hours ago,” he said, fighting a yawn as he climbed out of the car.

To her surprise, he wasn’t much taller than she was, and from the looks of his prim suit, maybe he hadn’t been forewarned about the rugged conditions. Oh, well, he’d learn soon enough. “Come on in and we’ll find you some coffee.”

“Tea would be brilliant,” he said. “And I’m looking forward to a hot shower.”

She sipped her coffee, electing not to tell him how rare both of those things would be. “I have a couple of patients I need to check on if you’d like to join me.”

“Absolutely,” he said. “I’m eager to learn about mountain medicine.”

“Oh, then you’re going to love Doc Riley.”

“Is he another physician in your practice?”

“Not really,” she said, wondering how Riley Bates and the other men would react to this quirky-looking man with his precise speech.

She thanked the volunteers who had kept an eye on the men all night. To her relief, both patients were doing well and were in good spirits. She introduced Doc Riley to Dr. Cross and told him of the young man’s interest in learning about natural remedies.

Riley Bates eyed her warily. “I thought you didn’t cotton to my homemade concoctions, doc.”

Nikki considered the aged man in front of her, recognized the fear in his eyes that he was no longer useful. “I think there’s room for both of us on this mountain, Mr. Bates. In fact, I was wondering if you have more of that homemade licorice candy for my allergies.”

He grinned. “Does that mean you’re sticking around, doc?”

She smiled. “Yes, I’ve decided to stay in Sweetness.”

Riley Bates gave a little laugh. “Well, I gotta hand it to Porter. He told Marcus he’d get you to stay, and he did.”

She frowned, suddenly uneasy. “What do you mean?”

“Marcus was afraid if you left, all the women would go, too. So he told Porter to keep you here, no matter what it took.” Riley laughed. “Crippled your van on purpose, I heard.”

Her mouth went dry. She could’ve driven out of here long ago?

The old man laughed again, clearly amused. “They wanted you bad. Marcus sweetened the pot, told Porter if you stayed, he could have the family homestead.”

The homestead…the place Porter loved most on this mountain, Of course he would do anything to have it, even seduce the doctor into staying. Nikki thought she might be sick.

“So what did that scalawag do to get you to stay? Is he paying you a bundle?”

Nikki swallowed, then found her voice. “No…nothing like that.”

Dr. Cross squinted at her. “Are you okay, Dr. Salinger?”

“Yes,” she murmured. “I just need to get some air.”

“I’ll hold down the fort if you trust me,” the young man offered cheerfully.

“Actually,” she said, taking off her lab coat, “the clinic is all yours.”

Dr. Cross blinked. “Pardon me?”

She handed him her coat. “Good luck.” Her eyes filled with hot tears. She blindly made her way to the exit, replaying the most recent encounter with Porter.
I need you…sneaking out?…please tell me you’ll stay… I’ll have that contract ready for you to sign when you get back…can’t have you changing your mind.
There was no mention of love or commitment. She was an idiot.

Again.

She pushed open the door and strode outside, gulping, hoping the flower-scented breeze would cleanse her mind. Instead, the air was stifling and cloying to her lungs. She gasped and kept moving, walking quickly back to the boardinghouse, her mind in turmoil. How could she have been so stupid as to think that Porter Armstrong, a man who could have any woman he wanted, would fall in love with her?

Her skin burned with humiliation. He’d probably gotten a good laugh over how quickly she’d given in to him. She’d been an easy mark, the homely, inexperienced woman who’d just been dumped by her fiancé.

She closed her eyes briefly.
Darren
. How could she face him? Then she swallowed hard. She’d deal with him later. For the time being, at least he could get her out of here.