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When he saw her come out of a patient room, a big smile on her face, he had his answer. When they did come together it was going to be explosive and all-consuming and something he’d want to repeat again and again.
He intercepted her path. Reaching her, he turned his back to the nurses’ station to somewhat shield them from any potential prying eyes. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything he could do about anyone who came up the hallway from the opposite direction short of dragging Madison into a patient room, and none of the nearby ones were empty.
“Dr. Fielding?” she said in a raspy, breathless voice.
“Have plans for tonight?” he asked nonchalantly, although the way her big green eyes shot to his and were now searching his made him feel anything but. What did she hope to see? “I’d like to cash in that rain-check and promise not to cancel via text, call, or in person.”
Madison’s lower lip half disappeared between her teeth as she gnawed it nervously. “Yes, I do.”
Levi didn’t bother trying to define the strong and vividly green emotion that gurgled through his gut. He didn’t have to. Jealousy. Just because he couldn’t recall the last time he’d felt the emotion, it didn’t mean he didn’t know exactly what it was.
Madison had plans. Who was he kidding? She probably always had plans with one man or another.
“Something you can break?” he kept his tone casual, cool, not as if her having other plans was any big deal.
“I can’t. Not tonight.” Lowering her gaze, she shook her head. “It’s not that I wouldn’t like to spend time with you, but I…” She hesitated, shifted her weight, looked more nervous than like a take-charge playgirl. “Well, I really do have other plans.” Her chest puffed out a little defensively, her brow arching with defiance. “You should have asked sooner.”
She was right. He should have. And maybe he would have if she hadn’t been avoiding him and his father hadn’t been driving him crazy. Who did she have plans with?
“Are you working tomorrow?” His dentist would have a fit at how his teeth gnashed against each other, but his old drama teacher would have been pleased at how he kept his expression unconcerned, kept a smile on his lips. Mr. Miller could have had a seat and let him teach the class if he’d been this proficient back in the day.
“I’m not on schedule for tomorrow.” Madison’s gaze dropped and her weight shifted, letting him know she wasn’t quite as in control as she wanted him to think. “Why?”
“Want to go fishing?” He wasn’t sure where that had come from. He’d thought he was going to invite her to dinner the following evening, not ask her to go fishing. Fishing was his way of staying sane, his few stolen hours of just relaxing, being at one with nature and enjoying life. No fuss, no muss, no stress. He didn’t take dates. That was his time and after the week he’d had he definitely needed “his time”.
“Fishing?” She blinked, clearly shocked by the invitation. Good, that made two of them. She stared up at him with eyes as wide as saucers and her lush pink lips parted in surprise.
“Yep,” he said, able to tell that she was trying to determine if he was serious. Although he shouldn’t like the idea of someone invading his R & R time, the thought of spending the morning with Madison wasn’t a bad one. If he was ever going to take a woman with him, he couldn’t think of anyone he’d rather it be. And wasn’t he trying to prove to her that a committed relationship between them could be good? “Fishing.”
“I don’t know how to fish.” She didn’t sound thrilled at the prospect of learning, either.
“Not a problem,” he assured her, chuckling at her wary expression and enjoying himself more than he would have thought possible just minutes ago. “I’ll teach you.”
“Well, if you’re sure…” her lips curved
upwards, power-kicking him in the solar plexus “…I’d like to go with you.”
Yeah, he would like that, too.
CHAPTER SIX
WAY too early the following morning, something tugged hard against Madison’s fishing pole and the line went tight, pulling in the opposite direction from her. Her pole snapped forward, bending from the pressure.
“Look!” She jumped up and down while firmly hanging onto her rod. “I’ve got something. Look!” Realizing that the pull was more than she’d anticipated, she took a few steps toward the bank. “Levi! Help me!”
“Hang on tight,” he said, laughing as he stood. Setting his slack pole down on the side of the bank overlooking the lake, Levi wrapped his arms around her, placed his hands over hers and guided her to the reel handle.
“You’ve got him hooked, babe, now reel him in,” he encouraged, demonstrating the correct motion.
Did he have any idea what his hand over hers was doing to her concentration? She’d completely lost interest in the fish and wanted to hook Levi and reel him in instead.
“Nice and easy, but not giving him any slack.” His hands went to her waist, steadying her, pressing against her belly, letting her test her newly acquired fishing skills.
How was she supposed to concentrate with him wrapped around her like Christmas paper? With his spicy aftershave wiping out every brain cell she had with the power of its potency?
“Stand your ground,” he ordered when she took a step forward. Away from him or toward the fish? She wasn’t sure but, leaning back against him again, she dug her feet in.
“Good girl.”
