Jake Lowell, he said. Nice to meet you, Brianne. He curled his large fingers around her smaller hand. Although she thought shed been prepared, the connection between them was strong and sure-heated in a distinctly physical way and warm in a purely seductive one.
Without warning, his words registered; Rina had mentioned her brothers name. Brianne took a shocked step back. Jake Lowell? You mean to tell me youre the one who needs therapy? He grinned, and the air left her lungs in a rush. Youre Rinas brother? she managed to ask.
Im Rinas brother, in the flesh. His grin grew wider.
Her gaze fell from his smile to the towel tucked in so that it looked about to fall open at the slightest provocation. She had no doubt that what lay beneath that towel was as incredible as the rest of him. She swallowed hard.
He wasnt Rinas boyfriend. He was Briannes fantasy man. And she was his very own physical therapist, for as long as it took to both convince him to accept her help and bring him to full recovery. Fainting sounded good about now.
And youre the surprise gift Rina said shed leave for me while she was gone.
Gone? Hed mentioned something about a limo earlier, and Briannes mouth grew dry.
To Europe for the summer.
You have got to be kidding.
He shook his head, looking more amused than shed have liked. More of his earlier words came back to her. You said shes gone and Im the surprise gift?
Apparently so.
What the hell do you mean Im a gift? Anger and betrayal oozed inside her, and seemed destined to grow. Physical therapy isnt a gift; its a necessity. And Rina had seemed to understand that.
Shed cared about her injured brother and wanted to speed his recovery despite his reticence, something Brianne could relate to. Her brother Marc had been a frail child, prone to illness and broken bones. Their parents hadnt appreciated having their extreme fun curtailed, and often had to hire a private physical therapist to rush his recovery.
Brianne had been fascinated by the seemingly magical healing powers the therapists had possessed, prompting her to follow in their footsteps. And though Marc had eventually outgrown his childhood weaknesses, Brianne had never forgotten. Hence her desire to work with kids at the Special Kid Ranch, a place where she could heal children while they remained with their families.
Family. The word brought her back to Rinas ploy. Fury settled inside Brianne, and she felt as if shed been punched in the stomach. She curled one arm around her waist for support. Why in the world would she play this kind of game? Brianne asked aloud, anger simmering.
Oh, I can venture a guess.
He gestured back and forth between the two of them, and Brianne slapped her hand against her thigh and whirled around, starting for the door. Then she turned back again, not one to leave without letting her feelings be known. Let me tell you something. I resent being taken advantage of. I take my job and my skills seriously. Im not interested in some sort of matchmaking scheme. At least, thats what her mind insisted. Her rapidly beating heart begged to differ.
Oh, I can venture a guess.
He gestured back and forth between the two of them, and Brianne slapped her hand against her thigh and whirled around, starting for the door. Then she turned back again, not one to leave without letting her feelings be known. Let me tell you something. I resent being taken advantage of. I take my job and my skills seriously. Im not interested in some sort of matchmaking scheme. At least, thats what her mind insisted. Her rapidly beating heart begged to differ.
Knowing Rina, it could very well be a scheme.
He stepped closer again, so close she felt his body heat.
I wish you would stop doing that.
How else can I prove you wrong? His hand touched the pulse point in her throat, and she knew he felt it beating rapidly.
Wrong about what? she asked.
You are interested. His voice dropped a seductive note.
Im about as interested as you are in need of therapy. She wondered briefly if he was involved in his sisters game, but his shock at seeing her here seemed so real, she dismissed the notion. She might not be able to blame him, but she was furious just the same.
Then, I guess we have something in common. He reached for the corner of the towel hanging over his neck.
What are you doing?
Making a point. See this? Before she could argue or stop him, he lifted the towel high enough to reveal fading bruises across his powerful chest. It was injured and my mobilitys limited he lifted his arm, squinting as he moved, stopping obviously because of pain and an inability to go farther, which means I am in need of physical therapy. So by your own admission, that means you, Brianne, are most definitely interested. In me.
She opened her mouth, then closed it again, her thoughts reeling, her heart pounding. Hed been injured, and she couldnt believe how knowing that affected her. She wanted to comfort him. To heal him. To make him all better.
She didnt want to pull her gaze from the faint bruising on his chest and shoulder, but dropped her eyes only to find herself focused on the towel barely covering his waist. Obviously he was serious, and Brianne forced her mind to the task at hand. She needed the money his sister had offered too much to walk away.
If she saw this job through to the end, she could afford to move west, even if she didnt get offered a job at the Ranch just yet. Working with Jake posed a challenge, but shed never been a quitter, not even at the roughest, most exhausting points in her life. So what if shed been manipulated into this job?
She pushed aside the hurt and anger and even managed to swallow some pride. He hadnt set her up; his sister had. But the benefits would be all hers in the long run, and thats all that mattered. Shed continue as planned, take this job, move into this apartment and rehabilitate this mans shoulder.
Oh Lord, what had she gotten herself into?
JAKE MET HER GAZE. Her eyes were wide, her lips parted. The desire to taste those lips had never been stronger. He didnt know what shocked him more-his sisters meddling or the woman shed handpicked as her parting gift. Amazing that she turned out to be a physical therapist.
No matter what Briannes occupation, Jake had no doubt Rina would have found a way to get them together. It just so happened that Brianne was the perfect woman to meet his current needs. And if she kept staring at the towel around his waist with blatant curiosity in her eyes, some of those needs were going to assert themselves, and soon.
Hed already gotten close enough to smell the lingering fragrance of strawberry in her hair. The scent was fresh and clean in a wholesome way, and yet it aroused a need so strong and intense, hed been blindsided. For a man with a bad marriage and nasty divorce behind him, who stuck to low-maintenance, no-strings, unemotional relationships, his interest in this woman was too much.
He sure as hell hadnt expected to walk out and find her here. His only consolation was that she was obviously just as surprised and a whole lot shaken up. Jake understood. There was no denying the chemistry between them. But attraction was easy; what sizzled between them was not. Something more was at work here than lust. In her heavy-lidded gaze, Jake saw a depth of emotion that made the pull between them much more than just physical.
He had a hunch she sensed it, too, because in those eyes hed also seen wariness. Hed thought Brianne-God, how he loved that name-would bolt given the chance. And he ought to let her, Jake thought. Having her here was a distraction he couldnt afford.
He needed his mind clear for the job at hand. Capturing Ramirez had to take precedence. He owed it to Frank and, more importantly, he owed it to Franks family. Jake could barely face his buddys wife and kids. Every time he answered to Uncle Jake, he felt like a goddamn fraud. He couldnt bring their father back, but he could make sure no one else lost someone they loved to a lowlife named Louis Ramirez. And he would do it himself, leaving no chance for someone else to screw up the bust again.
Ready to discuss your rehabilitation, or do you intend to give me as hard a time as youve been giving your sister? Brianne asked.
Her voice startled him back to reality. She seemed to shore up her defenses and her resolve. His sister had hired her to do a job, and from her squared shoulders and her determined expression it looked as if thats what she planned to do.
But rehabilitation was the last thing Jake wanted right now. Rina had obviously told Brianne that hed been resisting rehab, and that was the impression he wanted the outside world to have. Brianne included. Everyones safety-Franks familys, Rinas, hell, even Jakes, hinged on taking Ramirez by surprise. Until Jake brought Ramirez in, he needed everyone to think he was being an obstinate SOB. And he could be, given the right motive, he thought wryly.
With Ramirez out of the picture, Jake could then decide whether or not he wanted to return to the force. He couldnt allow Brianne Nelson, physical therapist and the object of his desire, to threaten his extended recovery. He couldnt have her reporting back to Rina with stories of his amazing improvement.
You know what? She cleared her throat. Before we discuss anything more, would you mind putting on some clothes?
A smile worked at his mouth. If you insist. Hed been too floored seeing her here to give a thought to what he was, or wasnt, wearing.
I have to insist.
He met her gaze and discovered that her eyes were a gorgeous shade of green that sparkled beneath the overhead, high-hat lighting.
It would help establish the therapist-client relationship, she explained.
So she wanted to keep things professional. Or maybe she just wanted him to believe she did. It didnt matter either way. He knew as well as she did that nothing between them could ever be purely professional. Around her, his heart beat harder, his adrenaline flowed faster, and he was more interested in her than hed been in anything other than Ramirez since the shooting. He needed the distance she was attempting to place between them too badly to allow their sizzling attraction to screw up his head or his case-something he figured could happen very easily. As long as she wanted to hide behind the illusion of safety, Jake would let her.