Chapter 3
THREE
LUCY
Settling on my bed, I try to keep my focus on the TV screen. It shouldn’t be hard. We’re watching Sleepless in Seattle , only one of the best movies ever made.
I know there are parts of it that are problematic. Like, if the roles were reversed and Tom Hanks flew across the country to spy on Meg Ryan, would we still think it was cute?
Actually, I probably would. As far as I’m concerned, when it comes to romantic comedies neither Tom Hanks nor Meg Ryan can do any wrong. And I will fight anyone on that.
Because this is one of my favorite movies—and I’ve watched it more times than I can count—I know we’re about to come up to one of my favorite parts. Every other time, I’ve watched it with bated breath. Waiting to swoon and sigh a little.
Not this time. This time, it’s taking every ounce of my energy to keep my attention on the screen. I’d blame it on the fact that there’s a bump roughly the size of Texas on the top of my head. It’s so big, it’s a wonder I didn’t break any bones or need stitches.
But it’s not the bump’s fault I’m finding it hard to get into one of Nora Ephron’s greatest masterpieces. I don’t think she’d blame me for being distracted when she saw the man watching along-side me.
Jude Knight, the lodge’s doctor in residence, has pulled up the chair I’d been using for dirty laundry. Though his arm rests casually on the nightstand between us, he’s close enough I can smell whatever cologne he’s wearing.
Closing my eyes, I take in a deep breath. There’s a hint of pine and fresh air. Okay, so that may just be how he smells and not a cologne. Dear God, that’s even sexier.
“You okay?”
My eyelids flutter open and I face him. He’s watching me closely, his brows knit together in concern.
“I’m fine.”
“Are you getting sleepy? Because it’s okay if you want to take a little nap.”
Now it’s my turn to frown. “I thought people with concussions weren’t supposed to sleep for twenty-four hours.”
“That’s been disproven.” When I continue to stare at him, he chuckles lightly. “Here, give me a second.”
He lifts up his hip, his jeans stretching over his well-defined thighs. I gulp, even as butterflies flutter in my belly.
Pulling out a phone, his thumbs fly over the screen. A moment later, he hands it over. I take it and read cautiously. Sure enough, the article from a well-respected medical university highlights a study done. Apparently, as long as a person who has had a concussion is capable of carrying on a conversation—and hasn’t developed other symptoms—they’re fine.
“I have a second and third article in the other tabs in case you wanted to fact check the fact check,” he says.
“That won’t be necessary.” I press my lips together and hand the phone back over to him. We fall back into watching the movie. I’m still not entirely capable of losing myself in the plot. But I am watching well enough for when Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan lock eyes across a road.
I sigh.
“Are you okay?” Jude asks.
“Are you going to keep asking that?”
He arches an eyebrow. “I’m a doctor. It’s my job to make sure you’re okay.”
“Touche.” I start to shake my head but remember at the last second that I’m wearing a brace that makes that difficult. “I was just responding to the movie.”
“Yeah, that’s one of my favorite parts.”
I let out an unladylike snort. “Come on.”
“Seriously.”
“You have watched this movie enough times to have a favorite part? Even though there aren’t any explosions or machine guns.”
He lifts a shoulder. “I have a mom and a little sister. We watched this movie probably a hundred times. Since we lived in Seattle, it was a favorite.”
“And you didn’t mind?”
“A good movie is a good movie. With or without machine guns.”
I settle back against the pillows. That’s actually pretty sweet.
“So, Dr. Jude, how did you end up in Alaska?”
“I came for the job.” He takes my silent stare correctly and continues. “One of my sisters moved up here a while back to help expand the lodge. They needed a doctor. I needed a break from the pressure at the hospital.”
“So Grey’s Anatomy is right, then? It is super dramatic and stressful working in a Seattle hospital?”
He shakes his head, chuckling. “Unfortunately, there isn’t as much romantic drama as you see in the show. But there is a lot of pressure. I like the outdoors. I wanted my own practice. I get that here.”
“And are you happy?”
He stares at a spot just over my head thoughtfully for a moment before nodding. “You know, I am. Last month I got to deliver my new niece. I get to spend time with my nephew. My mom and my other sister are up here all the time. It’s just a different way of life.”
“A snowy way of life.” I wrinkle my nose for a second. “But, I suppose the way you put it, it has some charm.”
“That it does.”
We both turn our attention back to the movie. Or, at least he does. I can’t seem to stop staring. It’s not just that Jude is one of the sexiest men I’ve ever seen. With more muscles than any doctor I’ve seen and a hint of five o’clock shadow, he makes all of the other mountain men here pale in comparison.
Seriously, I’ve never seen a doctor with biceps like those. No wonder he said he carried me to the clinic like it was no big deal. It really is too bad I was unconscious. That would’ve been something to see, I bet.
Plus, he’s kind. Like, you can tell he’s a good guy to the core. And even though I’m only here for a few days, I’d like to get to know him better.
JUDE
Moonlight shines in through the window when I wake with a start. The TV is rolling through a screensaver, casting a blue light throughout the room.
Yawning, I raise a hand to massage the sharp ache in my neck. My other arm tingles. Still more asleep than awake, I turn to discover the reason and freeze. We must have fallen asleep watching You’ve Got Mail. At some point in my sleep, I wrapped my arm around Lucy. And, at some point in her sleep, she rested her cheek against my shoulder. One of her hands is splayed over my abs.
My muscles clench at the sight of her fingers mere inches away from my cock. I take a deep breath through my nose and let it out slowly. I do it again, hoping it’ll ease the dull ache throbbing in my loins.
We were a few minutes into our third movie of the day when Lucy invited me to sit on the bed with her. I’d protested at first. After all, for all intents and purposes, she is my patient. Even if I technically discharged her. But when I hadn’t been able to come up with a better reason than that, Lucy had said I should get over myself and be more comfortable.
From the looks of that, I made myself more comfortable and then some.
Lucy wiggles in my arms, burying herself against me, snuggling closer. Warmth spreads through my chest. She really is gorgeous. And funny. Though she showed only a moment of self-pity earlier today, she’s otherwise been a pillar of strength.
I like that about her. Hell, there isn’t much I don’t like about her. Besides the fact that she doesn’t seem to like it much here in Alaska. Then again, she’s barely been here twenty-four hours. I’d like to help her see the beauty of this place. I’d like it to get under her skin and seep into her bones the way it has mine.
I can’t quite explain why I care so much. I only met this woman a few hours ago. But I do care. A lot.
Suddenly, Lucy shifts and bolts up. She knocks her head against my chin. I wince even as she grabs her crown.
“Shit,” she hisses loudly. “That really freaking hurt.”
“Are you okay?”
Her stare flickers to mine. “Just like the million other times you’ve asked today, I’m fine.”
I raise my hands, though one still tingles. “Hey, it was a valid question. You’d just hit your injured head.”
“I’ll survive.”
“Well, good then.” I start to ask how she’s feeling but clamp my mouth shut. I’m not about to have her bite my head off over a simple question. I go with something that feels safer. “Are you hungry?”
She opens her mouth, I imagine to protest. But her stomach answers first with a loud rumble.
She clamps her lips shut and covers her belly. I swallow hard and try not to imagine what it would be like if my hand was roving over her curves instead.
“I guess I am a bit hungry,” she admits.
“You don’t say.”
She nudges me. “Don’t be rude.”
“Come on.” I hop out of the bed and grab her hand. “Let’s go rustle up something to eat.”
She frowns at the clock on the nightstand. “But the restaurant is closed.”
“Luckily, you’re hanging out with a guy who happens to be on staff. I can get us into the kitchen.”
Grinning, Lucy takes my hand. The hairs stick up on the back of my arm as electricity shoots through me.
Keeping her hand gripped in mine, we head down the stairs. My jaw hardens as we pass the place where I saw her for the first time earlier today. A few couples are lingering over glasses of wine and beer in the lounge.
With a nod to my brother-in-law Noah, I bypass everyone else and head straight into the kitchen.
Flipping on the lights, I face Lucy. “So, what would you like to eat?”
“You know what sounds really good?”
“What’s that?”
“A cup of hot cocoa with a huge pile of whipped cream on top of it.”
“That doesn’t sound like a very healthy dinner.”
“I’m on vacation.” She grins. “But I promise to eat all my veggies first.”
I guide her to a stool at the counter and throw open the fridge. Just as I expected, Hank—the lodge’s cook and pilot—has kept back leftovers from tonight’s dinner. While I heat up a couple of plates of meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy and a side of carrots, I search out the hot cocoa fixings.
“It doesn’t look like there’s any whipped cream leftover,” I call over my shoulder.
“Oh, man. That’s the best part.”
I glance back at her. “Do you still want the cocoa?”
“I suppose.”
I hate to see her disappointed. But, fortunately, I can do something about that. “Have dinner with me tomorrow night.”
“Sorry?”
“Have dinner with me tomorrow night, and I’ll get you the biggest cup of whipped cream with a dash of hot cocoa.”
She grins again but suddenly sobers. “You know what tomorrow is, don’t you?”
“The fourteenth.”
“Right.” She narrows her eyes like she’s studying me closely looking for what, I don’t know. “And you know that’s Valentine’s Day. Right?”
“Oh.” Actually, I guess I hadn’t made that connection. “That’s fine by me if you’re all right with it.”
“I don’t have any plans. And based on how concerned my friends were about checking on me today, I don’t particularly care if they have plans for me either.”
Her face sinks a little at that remark. It bothers her that neither of her friends stopped by. Hell, it bothers me.
Just like it’s bothering me that she technically hasn’t said yes.
I shove my hands in my pockets. “Look, if you’re not comfortable with the doctor-patient thing I get it.”
“Didn’t we cover this already? You discharged me.”
She still hasn’t answer. Am I going to have to beg the woman? This is uncharted territory for me.
“Well, then?”
Her lips twitch with a suppressed smile. Oh, she’s enjoying herself and having the upper hand. I’ll have to find a way of getting back at her for that later.
A giggle bubbles out of her and her dark blue eyes dazzle. “Yes, I’ll have dinner with you tomorrow.”
I release a breath. There’s no point in not looking rattled. She earned it. “I’ll pick you up at five.”
“That’s pretty early for dinner, isn’t it?”
“It gets dark early around here.”
And I want us to have plenty of time for where I’m taking her.