Free Almost Twilight by Teresa McCarthy

rose in inquiry, and he swallowed hard.
    “I
think you’re awfully nice to take care of me, considering...” Her eyes drifted
closed, and her lips curved into a sensuous smile as she dropped her hand.
    He
stared at her, baffled. “Considering what?”
    She
blinked, her hand skimming his wrist. “Considering you’re a doctor.”
    A
doctor? What the hell did that mean?
    Rafe
sank into his seat and groaned. Her touch was oddly comforting and stirring at
the same time.
    He
grimaced, as he stared at the sweet woman sleeping next to him.
    That
did it, he thought. When he returned to Colorado, he was going to break that stupid
mountain stick over his father’s head!
     

Chapter
Five
     
    It
was evening when Tanner returned home from his business trip. He sat in his
study, reclining in his leather chair, sipping on a cold beer when his cell
phone rang. He looked at the number and answered. “Hey, Rafe. How’s it going?”
    “You’re
kidding, right?”
    “I thought
you were stretching that muscled body on the beach, drinking Margarita’s, and
checking out the enchiladas.” He laughed. “If you know what I mean.”
    “I’m
playing babysitter to Nurse Richards, if you know what I mean! Now get Dad on
the phone. Pronto!”
    Stunned,
Tanner spilled a large amount of beer on his white dress shirt. “Nurse Richards?”
    “Yes,
the very same Nurse Richards who was staying at your house. The very same Nurse
Richards who I was accused of pushing into a janitor’s closet. And I didn’t
push her, I steered her, but that’s beside the point. Now, are you going to get
Dad on the phone, or do I have to keep calling home until someone answers? Because
Dad is obviously not answering his cell phone!”
    Tanner
gave a snort of amusement. “He’s at it again.” 
    “Shut
up, and get your father on the phone, because after this, I’m going to
disown him.”
    “You
can’t disown your own flesh in blood,” Tanner said, swallowing another laugh.
    “Try
me.”
    “Okay,
settle down. Tell me what happened.”
    “ Your father sent Nurse Richards here, on my vacation, and has her staying
at my cottage. Now, do you get the picture?”
    Tanner
lifted a narrowed gaze toward Fritz who had suddenly appeared in the doorway.
    “That
Rafe on the phone?” Fritz asked.
    Tanner’s
lips slanted upward and he nodded.
    “Tell
him I went out with Lorraine.”
    “Get
him on the phone, Tan! You owe it to me! If you don’t get him on the phone,
I’ll...” Rafe continued to curse into the phone while Tanner held it away from
his ear.
    “You
better talk to him, Dad,” Tanner said, pointing his cell phone toward his
father. “He sounds hostile, and I’m more afraid for Candy than his ego.”
    Fritz
scowled and stomped across the room, his walking stick thumping beside him. “If
that boy hurts one little hair on that filly’s head, I’ll have Max hogtie him
to that bed post.” 
    “I
don’t think it’ll go that far, but it’s between you and him, and believe me,
Rafe is not a happy camper.”
    Fritz
shooed Tanner out of the chair and dropped his mountain cane across Tanner’s
massive desk. “Hey there, Rafe! Enjoying your vacation? 
     
    Rafe
gritted his teeth, trying to hold back his anger. His father was driving him
crazy. “Vacation?” he ripped out.
    “Nice
and sunny there, eh? Of course, it’s nighttime...”
    Rafe
readjusted his earphone and glared at the back of his cottage where a host of
orange flowers hung like ornate jewelry around the edge of the windows. Trying
to calm his nerves, he stuffed his hands in the back of his low hanging shorts
and shifted his gaze toward the ocean as his father chattered on.
    Sand
squished between Rafe’s toes while beautiful turquoise water rippled in tiny
waves, glinting against the moonlight. This vacation was supposed to be a
retreat from his hectic and crazy life in Colorado, but it wasn’t, not with
Nurse Richards out cold in his only available condo.
    The
extra condo next