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“Yep. The girls might have been exposed, but we quarantined the symptomatic ones from the rest. We prevented the children from getting Ebola. I figured if I made them look sick, I could save their lives from a horrible fate. The Boko Horam militants got scared, especially when I started shivering from fever. Not faked. Apparently, I had contracted it earlier. They left us in the middle of nowhere to die. The girls wanted to help me, but I told them to stay away. They did. The army came in and found us. Fortunately, the girls remained free of Ebola. I was flown to Bethesda, Maryland and kept in their containment center. I almost died. Once I was no longer contagious, Howard had a rich buddy of his fly me back on a private plane to Portland until I could get back on my feet.”
“That explains Dr. Becker’s absence,” he muttered.
“I didn’t know it at the time, but he’d actually flown to Africa after our rescue. The man who disappeared from my life after the divorce stayed at my side the entire time.”
“And your mother?”
“Mom and step-dad were killed in car crash a year ago.” Why am I telling this complete stranger my story? As if this handsome man oozed truth serum through my blood. To think she tried contacting Howard before the funeral. It was as though he’d disappeared from the face of the world. He’d only found out recently and had begged for forgiveness. On what she thought had been her deathbed, she forgave him for missing her mother’s funeral.
“Sorry.”
“My last home was with a boyfriend I broke up with five months ago, so I didn’t really have any other place to go.” She bit her lip. Why can’t I shut my mouth?
Lev frowned and pressed his thick thumb over her lower lip, then as quickly released it. “Will you make a full recovery?”
“My liver has improved, but now it’s just the fatigue. I lost twenty pounds. I’ve gained five back. I hope to return to normal soon.”
His voice grew stern. “I forbid you to go back.”
Rachel frowned. “Excuse me?” Maybe due to his limited understanding of the English language he confused the word “forbid” with “should not.” He didn’t mean to be bossy or did he?
“The risk is too great.”
“Not that it’s any of your concern, but I’m not allowed to anyway. I have a price on my head.”
He narrowed his eyes and stared into nothing as if angered that someone would want her dead. He turned to her. “Good, we agree. There are plenty of hospitals here that will hire you.”
“No, we don’t agree. To be honest, I’m not sure what my plans are, but I’m not working for some bureaucracy.” Who the hell does this macho dominant man think he was telling her what to do? And why did part of her feel compelled to obey him? Just because he was the hottest all-man hunk she’d ever met didn’t mean she should be so freakin’ submissive. And yet if he asked her to get on her knees and pleasure him, she’d obey.
Lev took her hand and gazed into her eyes with those feral gray-blue eyes. “You are a brave woman.” His warm lips gently kissed her cold hand, warming her heart and feminine parts kept dormant for much too long. Her panties shamelessly soaked from being in his pr
esence. Heck, even her nipples pressed against her layered clothing, tingling in anticipation of his lips licking, biting, sucking. Geez, Ebola must have damaged my brain.
Why did she want this enigmatic, much too dominant, strange man? Not her type. Sure, she fantasized about brawny guys with Greek god bodies, but for long term she favored older brainy guys. Equal outside and inside the bedroom. A man like him went after hot super models. No, most likely strippers. Yet, he moved to kiss her. Apparently, he didn’t care one least bit she had been an Ebola patient, or that she wore pajamas and looked gaunt. Not to mention her lack of makeup and displaying the mother of all bad hair days. Her thick blonde curls probably made her look like Goldilocks and Medusa’s love child.
Howard’s car pulled up just at the moment Lev’s mouth almost made contact with hers. Lev stood and backed away as if worried she might still be contagious, or that she was the farmer’s daughter and dad was coming in with a shotgun. He straightened his black leather coat. “Your father is here.”
Boy was he off about what Howard was like. “Umm. Good. I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you.” Howard had not been around to catch her making out on the couch as a teenager. Her stepfather had been there for that teen scene. He’d taken her first boyfriend, Steve to another room and had the treat-my-daughter-with-respect-or-else talk.
The door opened, and Howard glared at Lev. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Rachel had only seen her father look worried during her bout with Ebola. But never this pissed off. What was Howard thinking?
Her heart raced. Oh, shit. Had Lev been paid to bring her back to Africa? The militant who thought she would have died vowed to behead her on hearing she, and the girls had survived. No. Lev made her feel safe. She was being paranoid. And so was Howard. “Chill, he brought you a gift.”
Howard lowered his gaze as if Lev had some leverage over him. As if he was some freakin’ king who required obedience and respect. Yeah, I had felt that too. “You should have called first.”
“You are right, Dr. Becker. Apologies.”
Howard turned to her as she lay on the sofa with her head propped up by pillows. “You should not have come down.”
“I’m feeling much better.” She wanted to add, even turned on, but thought better of it.
Her father ignored her and checked her pulse. “Wait here. I’ll give you a thorough examination after I have a private conversation with my friend.”
Not former patient? Interesting. “Did you see what Lev brought you?” She pointed her chin toward the samovar.
Howard smiled. “Beautiful.”
