Her indigo eyes meet mine, the unique color screaming she isn’t a Prescott but a Dare. Paul Dare is her biological father via sperm donation, something the Prescott kids learned when Paul needed a kidney and he’d needed the children to get tested. Now that the truth is out, it is a shock nobody had realized the truth sooner based on eye color alone.
“I’m just glad I had you there tonight.” Her gaze never leaves mine.
I grip her wrists tighter, leaning forward as if pulled by an invisible string, reeling me in, closer and closer to the woman and her tempting shimmering lips. Pulse pounding, I wait for her to stop me. For all the reasons I recounted earlier, I almost wish she will. Because nothing but her saying no is going to prevent me from kissing her.
But her eyes gleam with anticipation, and she leans in until our mouths meet and my world explodes. I taste mint and Bri, a heady combination. One that surpasses anything I’ve experienced before. My tongue slides against hers, and desire rips through me, fast and furious, making me question how I can feel this much with just one kiss.
A soft moan escapes the back of her throat, and I swallow the sound, nipping at her bottom lip. Her legs wrap around my waist, ankles crossing. It is my dream come true except we are both fully dressed.
The kiss goes on, hungry and full of desire until a sudden knock sounds on the door.
“I hear you rescued a damsel in distress.” Before we can react, the door swings open and Braden steps inside, his astute gaze sweeps the room and lands on first me, then Bri.
And I have no doubt we both look guilty as hell.
Chapter Two
Hudson
“What the hell did I just walk in on?” Braden’s glare flickers over Bri, settling directly on me.
“What does it look like?” Bri asks. “And before you go all big brother on me, I’m an adult, and I can kiss whoever I want.”
She obviously isn’t about to let her twin push her around, and I admire her spunk.
“You’re in a public place,” Braden says, still sounding pissed off.
“We’re behind closed doors, and you didn’t knock.” I step forward and put myself front and center. “Lay off your sister, Braden. We didn’t do a damn thing wrong,” I say, folding my arms across my chest. Braden may be my best friend, but I’m not about to let him harass Bri over something that is none of his business.
Braden raises both hands in defeat. “Fine. I’ll back off. You just took me by surprise. I don’t want to see my sister lip locked with anyone, let alone my best friend.” His frown epitomizes every brother’s reaction to walking in the way he had.
Bri walks over and places her hand on Braden’s shoulder. “Don’t walk in when a door’s shut and you won’t see anything that might make you want to scrub your eyeballs.”
His gaze falls to her hands, his eyes opening wide, obviously noticing her bandages for the first time. “What the hell happened? Are you okay?”
“I’m glad you realized what’s important.” She laughs and nods. “I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
“Jimmy asked her for money, and when she opened her purse, he went to grab it,” I say.
“I pulled back and fell. Just a little road rash.” She waves her hands in the air. “I’ll live.”
“The man’s a hazard,” Braden mutters.
“He didn’t mean to hurt her, and you know it. We’ve treated him enough to know that his intentions are always good. That said, we should put installing cameras outside on our list of to-do things when we get the money to renovate this place.”
“What kind of renovations?” Bri glances from her brother to me. Our eyes meet, and sizzling awareness flashes between us, that kiss still very much on my mind and obviously on hers.
“Hudson and I have plans for this clinic if we can raise the funds we need. I’m going to talk to Uncle Paul this weekend.” Braden’s pseudo uncle–father is wealthy enough to fund his half of our plan.
My grandfather had left me a trust fund, but my father, Martin, is the trustee, and the chances of him giving me the money without strings are slim to none. Hence my upcoming trip to New York this coming weekend. Ever since Evan’s death, my father’s notion of continuing the family lineage with a grandchild has fallen on me, and it is suffocating enough to prevent me from going home to New York after I left Doctors Without Borders. Now that I need something from the man, I am sure my parent will make me pay one way or another to get what he wants.
“Well, you know I want details, but I’m too tired to focus on them now.” Bri glances at her hands. “Something tells me I’m going to have a tough few days getting any work done.”
“You don’t need to keep the gauze on. Just for a day or two. If you come back, I can rewrap it for you. Or if it’s easier, I’ll stop by,” I offer.
“Ooh, making house calls, Dr. Northfield?” She deliberately bats her eyelashes at me, and I grin.
I like that she can keep her sense of humor in the face of pain and problems. I like that she can tease me even more.
