Janet (7 page)

Dan smiled to himself. He had expected to
suffer through the ballet for the sake of proving his point, but
instead he was actually enjoying himself. The music wasn’t half
bad, though he did prefer songs with words. He liked to hum along,
and he liked to know what a man had on his mind when he wrote a
particular piece of music. Still, there was something grand about
Tchaikovsky’s music. He even admired the dancers. It took superb
physical fitness and not a little athletic prowess to do all that
leaping and spinning. He could have done without the tight silk
britches, though. He thought the male dancers looked silly.

Of course, being with Doc made all the
difference in the world. He could have enjoyed a tooth-pulling
exhibition with her. He guessed it was all that fire and passion
she tried to keep under wraps that intrigued him.

He looked at her as the curtain rang down for
intermission. She was still facing the stage, appearing as cool and
unapproachable as ever.

He took up the challenge.

“Tell me, Doc. Are you wearing black lace
under that elegant suit?”

Her eyes widened, and it took her a minute to
recover. Then, smiling, she leaned intimately close to him and
murmured, “Is that a pass, Coach?”

It was his turn to be taken aback. He’d come
to the ballet to take charge, not to be taken charge of. If she
kept saying things like that he’d have her in his brass bed before
the evening was over, and the devil take old-fashioned dream
women.

Under the guise of relaxing, he leaned back
in his chair far enough so that he wasn’t completely intoxicated by
the sight of her and the scent of jasmine in her hair.

“No. It was just curiosity.”

“Professional or personal?”

“Merely professional. You see, I’m doing this
study of doctors with burgundy-wine hair and copper-penny eyes and
rose-kissed skin.”

“Any results, yet?”

“So far I’ve learned that they can’t play
soccer worth a hoot... but they’re sexy as all get-out on a soccer
field.”

“Why, thank you, Coach.”

“Nothing personal, you understand.”

“Naturally. Anything else?”

“They claim to enjoy men cavorting in silk
britches, but that doesn’t keep them from lusting after coaches in
out-of-style suits.”

“Lusting!”

Three people standing in the aisle chatting
turned their heads to grin at Dan and Janet. Her cheeks got hot,
and she felt the urge to crown him with her program. Such
undisciplined urges were entirely new to her. Dan was more
dangerous than she had first thought. She’d have to tread
carefully.

His eyes twinkling, he leaned over and
whispered. “Do you think they’ll spread the word?”

“It’s hardly likely. I can’t imagine who in
Tupelo would be interested in our private affairs.”

“Affair? I like your choice of words,
Doc.”

“Do you always do this?”

“What?”

“Put one and one together and get six?”

“I’d rather get eight.”

“Eight?”

“Two parents, six kids. I plan to have a
large family.”

“So you’ve said,” Janet reminded him. “But
the size of your family is hardly any concern of mine.”

“Since I’m so unsuitable?”

“Precisely.”

“Ahh, Doc.” He surprised her by leaning back
in his seat and chuckling. Then he quirked one eyebrow at her and
drawled, “How can you resist all this class and culture?
Tchaikovsky, striped tie and red socks. What more can a woman
want?”

“Red socks?”

“I thought they matched rather well.” He
lifted one pant leg to reveal the bright red socks.

She had to laugh. Not at him, but with him.
As the house lights were dimming, they sat back in their seats and
chuckled.

Dan Albany had his moments. She’d have to
keep her guard up.

Janet Hall kept surprising him. He’d have
to plan a tight defense.

As the prima ballerina came onto the stage,
Janet sat back to enjoy the ballet. Thank goodness, Dan was
behaving himself. He was leaning back in his own seat, watching the
stage as if he really planned to pay attention to the dancers for a
change.

Her relief was short-lived. Five minutes into
the program she felt something fuzzy gliding up her leg. Not just
fuzzy, hard and fuzzy. Electric currents pulsed through her as she
realized what it was. She glanced down to confirm what she
instinctively knew. In the semidarkness Dan’s sock-clad foot was
inching its way over her calves.

The foot moved slowly, dragging back and
forth, up and down until she felt her legs turn to butter. She
stared straight ahead, pretending not to notice. Then the heat
started. It crept its way up her legs, climbing higher and higher
until it was almost to Virginia.

Passion had no common sense, at all, she
decided. Nor was it subject to scientific analysis. It just seemed
to happen, and no amount of rationale would make it go away.

Dan’s toes were now drawing erotic circles
behind her left knee. Except for the wicked smile on his face, he
appeared to be watching the ballet with a single-minded
fascination.

She leaned over and whispered, “Move your
foot.”

“Higher or lower?”

“Off.”

“Ahh, Doc.” He closed his eyes at the end of
a long sigh. “There’s no fun at all in that.” His foot kept up its
delicious massage.

Sleeping Beauty did a stunning jete that
wrung a collective gasp from the audience. Janet gasped, too. Not
at the dancer, but at the lazy intimacy of Dan’s massage. The
devilish gleam in his eyes was the only indication that he knew. He
slid his arm nonchalantly across the back of her seat, letting it
fall onto her shoulders. His index finger started a small, probing
massage on her upper arm. Her velvet sleeve was no protection at
all. Tongues of flame went licking across her chest.

Letting her neck go limp, she leaned back in
her seat and closed her eyes.

Dan bent close and whispered, “Tired? I’ll
take you home to bed.”

“Bed?” Her eyes flew open as she mouthed the
word. Seeing his wicked grin, she closed them again and added, “The
entertainment’s not over yet.”

“It certainly isn’t.” His fingers slid to the
underside of her arm and began to caress the side of her
breast.

She didn’t know what Sleeping Beauty was
doing now, nor did she care. She kept her eyes closed and her head
back as if she’d been overcome by the music or was resting from a
long and exhausting day at the hospital.

And Dan kept up his secret massages. By the
time the ballet was over she was in such a heated, languorous state
that she didn’t want to move.

The house lights came up, and she heard Dan
shuffling his feet around, trying to find his shoes.

“Lose something?” She opened her eyes and
grinned at him.

“On the contrary. I think I found
something.”

“Dare I ask what?”

Under the guise of reaching into her lap for
her program, he put his hand on her thigh and said softly, “I found
one warm and willing lady doctor.”

She had to take a deep breath before she
could reply. “I’m amazed that a man accustomed to game tactics
doesn’t know one when he sees it.”

“All that response was game tactics?”

“Of course.” It was only the second inning
and he was already winning the game. She had to do something to
wipe that triumphant, knowing grin off his face. She put her hand
on his upper arm in feigned sympathy. “Oh, Dan. My dear. Did you
think I found you irresistible?”

His amused chuckle told her that never was a
man in less need of sympathy than Dan Albany. He winked at her.
“Most women do, Doc.”

“As you’ve already discovered, I’m not
most women
.”

“No. Just all woman.” He stood up and
smoothly took her elbow. “Allow me.”

‘‘ I brought my own car.”

“It’s parked two rows back, is it? Waiting
for you?”

Her only reply was a dignified lifting of her
chin as she began to walk up the aisle. Dignity quickly went flying
out the door. In the press of the crowd she was forced into full
body contact with Dan. He took immediate advantage by sliding one
arm discreetly down her hips and pulling her backward so that she
was intimately aware of every stunning inch of him. His strong
thighs brushed against the back of her legs and his broad chest
fairly enveloped her back.

Her breathing became short. It was merely
physical, she told herself. The overreaction of an uptight, too
busy physician who had saved her Virginia for the man who would
give her love, marriage and a baby carriage, in that order.

She was relieved when they reached the double
doors at the back of the auditorium. Every time she was around this
man she lost control. At their next skirmish she would definitely
be in charge.

Already laying her battle plans, she turned
to him. “Goodbye, Dan. It was lovely seeing you at the ballet.”

Chuckling, he took her arm and escorted her
down the steps. “Where is your car parked?”

“Thank you, but I don’t need an escort to my
car.”

Paying her no mind, he guided her through the
doors and toward the parking lot. “I won’t have any trouble finding
it. That Corvette can’t be too hard to spot.”

“Is this male-dominance obsession of yours
typical of all coaches, or is it merely a personal quirk?”

“As you’ve probably discovered, I’m not
all coaches
.”

“Touche. I’ll concede the victory.” She
pointed into the darkness in the general direction of west. “I
think my car’s over there.”

“You think! Dr. Hall, have you any idea what
can happen to women alone in the dark?”

“Are you planning another demonstration?”

“Now that’s an idea worthy of consideration.”
Dan stopped in a deserted corner of the parking lot her aging red
Corvette and a metallic-blue Firebird. Putting one finger under
Janet’s chin, he lifted her face to his. Her quick intake of breath
pleased him. It seemed the doctor wasn’t immune to coaches after
all.

The moonlight was reflected in her diamond
hair clasp and shot silvery shafts across her skin. He felt an
intense urge to kiss her, but he didn’t want to carry his charade
that far. She might get the idea that he was actually falling for
her. And of course he was not.

But he was softening a little. That skin! He
skimmed his index finger across her cheek.

She held her breath. What was happening to
her control lately? Maybe she needed a break. One as far away from
Tupelo and Dan Albany as possible.

She steeled herself against his touch and
looked straight into his eyes. “Shall I pucker up, Coach?”

His smile crinkled his eyes at the corners.
“Not yet, Doc. I’m saving the big guns for later.”

“I suppose you’re waiting for me to ask what
the big guns are?”

“No. I plan to surprise you.”

“You know what they say about surprises,
Coach?”

“Tell me, Doc. What do they say?”

“Surprises can sometimes backfire.”

“That will never happen to me.”

“You’re immune to the caprices of life?”

“No. But I’m always prepared.”

Janet laughed. She was going to have the time
of her life proving just how unprepared he was.

“Well, Coach, since it seems you’re going to
deprive me of a good-night kiss, why don’t you open my car door
like an old-fashioned gentleman? I need to go home to bed.”

“Is that an invitation, Doc?” He leaned down
to open the car door.

She slid into the driver’s seat and put the
key into the ignition. The engine hummed to life. Smiling up at
him, she fired one last shot.

“Do you need one, Coach?”

She pulled her door shut before he had time
to reply. It was a grand exit, worthy of generals, kings, queens
and movie idols. She started chuckling as she backed out of the
parking space. Dan might have won the skirmish in the auditorium,
but she had vanquished him in the parking lot.

As she eased her car out of the lot, she
spared one last glance at Dan in the rearview mirror. He was
standing with his feet planted wide and his head thrown back,
laughing. He didn’t look like a defeated man. On the contrary, he
looked like a man who was thoroughly enjoying himself.

She tapped her fingernails on the steering
wheel and started whistling. Land, she hadn’t whistled since she
was twelve years old. Suddenly, she found herself thinking about
her mother’s homemade cookies and wondering whatever became of the
recipe.

When she got home, she raced to her computer
and emailed her friends.

From: Janet

To: Belinda, Bea, Clemmie, Catherine, Joanna,
Molly

Re: In a fix

I can’t believe this! I’m always the first
one to caution about
diseases
and remembering
who we
are.
But Dan Albany has me so confused, I’m thinking about
baking
cookies,
for God’s sake. And since I’m confessing,
I might as well go all the way. At the ballet tonight I sat there
like a drooling teenager and let him run his
sock feet
up
my leg! What’s more
I liked it!

Help! I’m coming undone!

Janet

From: Molly

To: Janet, Belinda, Bea, Clemmie, Catherine,
Joanna

Re: NOT in a fix

You’re not coming undone! You’re falling in
LOVE!!! I’m so excited!

Molly

From: Joanna

To: Janet, Belinda, Bea, Clemmie, Catherine,
Molly

Re: LOVE

OH MY!!! Molly’s right! YAY! If you’re
wondering how I would know, I get my best information from the
romance novels I read while the nuns aren’t looking.

Joanna

From: Belinda

To: Janet, Molly, Joanna, Clemmie, Bea,
Catherine

Re: Confirming

Coming undone is the first symptom. Reeve and
I will be home next week. Janet, let’s get together and talk about
love and marriage. I’ll tell you everything except the best
part.