So Many Men... Read online

  Inexplicable heat suffused him. His pulse raced. He stared at her, caught in the beauty of her smile until he belatedly grabbed her hand and pumped with more exuberance than necessary.

  Pink rose in her cheeks. “I was at the Dade County Women’s Club luncheon for your talk the other day.”

  “Yes, of course, I remember you.”

  Why was she here? He willed his pulse to calm and stuffed his hands into his pockets to prevent further spastic behavior. At twenty-nine he’d somehow become an awkward teen again.

  “I hope you don’t mind that I tracked you down. Cassie Aikens gave me your office number, and when I called, your receptionist told me I could find you here.”

  Muffled musical notes sounded from inside her purse. She dug a cell phone from it. “Excuse me a moment.”

  Turning aside she spoke in quiet tones to the caller. “Hi, Evan… I’m not sure… I’ll be back later this afternoon… Ramon has dinner covered… I have to go… Okay, bye.” She stowed the phone back in her purse. “I’m sorry about that.”

  “No problem. So, Tess, I assume you want to hear more about the project.”

  Up close, she was even more compelling than she’d been from a distance. Not exactly pretty—though the blue of her eyes was stunning—she was entrancing in an uncommon way. When was the last time he’d been this excited, this pleased, to see a woman—and one he didn’t even know at that?

  She smiled, revealing a small dimple in her left cheek, as she nodded. “I wanted to see for myself what it was all about.” She pulled on her fingers—her ringless fingers. “I didn’t want to disturb you, but I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation.”

  “Rafe has had a difficult time, like so many of these kids. They each have a story—some born addicted to crack, some who’ve lost a parent to an overdose, some with HIV-infected parents, more times than not from needles they found in the trash.” He shook his head. “It’s hard to believe they don’t know better. It’s a pity to see people unable to care, especially with kids like Rafe counting on them.”

  “I can’t even imagine.”

  Memories of his own childhood flashed through Mason’s mind: the morning his mother took off without saying goodbye; his father drinking himself to death shortly afterward; being passed from uncle to uncle until he emancipated himself at sixteen. “Well, I never had it as hard as Rafe, but I can imagine.”

  Her gaze softened, and for a moment warmth seemed to flow from her, blanketing him in a sense of well-being. Unbidden, his feet moved him a step closer to her.

  “So, you arrange activities for these kids to keep them off the streets?”

  “That’s part of it. We have regular workshops to educate them on drug abuse, HIV and other issues that affect them. Try to counsel them on school and careers and help them get jobs in the interim.”

  “Are most of them teens like that guy?” A breeze swept up behind her, bringing a whiff of her perfume.

  His gaze fell to the fullness of her lips. Her scent teased him and he struggled to focus on their conversation. “We get them in all shapes and sizes. The teens are the ones we worry about the most, though. They’re the most damaged. You can see it in the way they’re closed off, distrustful of everything and everybody. Usually they’re so close to falling off the edge, we’re lucky to get any response from them.”

  “That’s so…sad.”

  Something in her eyes pulled him in, held him spellbound for a moment, until he blinked and detached himself, inhaling a deep breath to clear his head. “Occasionally we get some of the more fortunate ones, latchkey kids being raised by single parents struggling with poverty and stressful lives. That’s all part of the problem.

  “Right now we’re tapping all our resources to help the kids, but then we send them home to their parents, who are still saddled with all their issues. They can undo our efforts in the space of a day. If we can get this center going, we’re hoping to start some new programs for parents and families as well.”

  Again she nodded, her forehead furrowed in thought. “And you think one big fund-raiser will be enough?”

  “To be totally honest, I’d like this one event to help get us up and running. Then we’ll need something similar at least annually to keep the center operating.”

  Her cell phone chimed again and she excused herself to answer it. “Josh, I’m so sorry I missed you… Can we do Sunday?… Great… Okay, I’m with someone, I have to go… See you then.” After putting her phone away, she smiled at Mason. “I’m so sorry. Have you looked into getting grants and foundation money?”

  “We’re working on that, and hopefully our efforts will pay off. It’s not a quick process, though.”

  “I’m sure.” She remained silent a long moment and he waited as she paced around the area in front of the fountain.

  Indulging himself, he drank his fill of the sight of her while she lost herself in thought. She was of medium height and weight, not too busty, not too flat. Hips that flared nicely and a decent ass. An average description for an extraordinary woman. What was it about her that made her so…appealing? It was more her presence—no, her essence—that drew him.

  Just when he thought he could stand the silence no more, she stopped in front of him. “So,” he couldn’t keep from asking, “will you help us—help me?”

  Her blue gaze locked with his and time seemed to suspend as something—a soul-deep recognition—settled over him. “Yes, Mason, I will rally the DCWC to help you. If they fail me, then I’ll call on my own resources and do it myself.”

  A mixture of relief and excitement filled him. He pressed her hands in his. “Thank you, Tess. This means so much to me. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your support.”

  “I’m happy to help.”

  Tess cocked her head. Until this moment she hadn’t been sure she was ready for another lover so soon—had thought she needed a little break—but she couldn’t deny the proof standing before her. She could feel all that he felt, his gratitude, his excitement and, below that, growing stronger with their hands joined, the same heat sweeping through her. Something was different—she couldn’t put her finger on exactly what. Certainly it was much more intense this time.

  Still, this was how it always began.

  This empathic rush was nothing new. She always knew what her guys felt. Not until recently, when Aunt Sophie had told her and her sisters about their gift, had Tess understood that her ability to feel others’ emotions was part and parcel of her family heritage. Where Nikki had been able to tune into anyone around her, Tess’s empathic nature worked only with her men.

  Desire flowed off Mason in waves. There was no use in fighting it. His need, his pain, already called to her, buried deep inside him. She could no more turn away from him than she could stop breathing. She was a healer.

  She would help him in so many more ways than he realized. First, though, she needed time with him, time to get to know him and gauge what troubles he harbored. She let her gaze travel up his arms and chest, over his strong features to his compelling eyes. Had she at first thought him nondescript?

  No, this man had eyes that saw into the depths of her soul. A shiver passed through her. What could she deny him when he looked at her that way?

  “So, how do you feel about coffee?” he asked. “I have some time before my afternoon appointments. Unless you need to be somewhere?”

  “No, the nursery’s covered. Coffee sounds great, though I can’t stay too long. I like to be there when the shipment comes.” She turned with him to head across the park to a nearby coffee shop.

  “You work at a nursery?”

  “Actually, I own it. I always liked plants and I have a green thumb. It made sense to buy the nursery when one of my great-aunts left me a small inheritance.”

  “Do you sell anything besides trees and flowers?” His lips curved into a smile.

  She was going to enjoy kissing him.

  “I have a nice assortment of stone statuary. And my sister i
s an interior designer so I am always special-ordering her something. Believe me, I can get you practically anything you want.”

  His eyebrows arched. His gaze dropped to her mouth and the desire simmering in him flared. “Anything?”

  “That’s right.” She stopped walking and faced him. “Anything.”

  Heat arced between them. The intensity in his eyes held her breathless. She leaned toward him as he moved forward. A bird cawed overhead and suddenly he pulled away.

  “You don’t say?” he said, falling back into step. “I’ll have to come by and see what you have. I’ve been meaning to do something with my front entrance, but haven’t gotten around to it.”

  “I’m sure we can find something.” She frowned as they crossed a small stretch of parking lot. Evidently, the man needed a little coaxing. “Maybe I should come see your front entrance sometime, so I can have a better idea of what you might need.”

  “Sure.” He smiled again, and his pleasure, though guarded, reached out to her. “I think I’d like to have you over.”

  She threaded her arm through his and they entered the shop. The aroma of strong coffee drifted in the air. “It smells heavenly in here.”

  They ordered their drinks and Tess pulled her wallet from her bag. Mason raised his hand in protest. “I invited you. This is my treat.”

  “Thank you, but you’ll have to let me treat the next time.”

  He pursed his lips as he held a chair for her. “We’ll have to see about that. I believe a gentleman should always take care of a lady.”

  “You’re kidding.” She slipped into the seat and stared at him as he settled opposite her. “I didn’t know they still made them like you.”

  “They probably don’t. I was raised kind of old school.”

  Once more, her cell phone summoned her. With a shake of her head, she pulled it again from her bag. “It’s Max. I’ll call him back.”

  She sipped her coffee, then smiled at Mason. “So, a man of convention.”

  He stared out the window overlooking the park. “I like the old values. If you could see half the trouble I’ve seen in some of the kids of today…” He shook his head and rolled his cup between his hands. “Just makes you wonder if the new ways of parenting are doing any good.”

  “I think it’s hard to make generalizations.”

  “Perhaps.”

  His mood darkened and a short silence fell. She again sipped the rich brew. She’d have to ease him into meeting her family…or maybe avoid it altogether. “So I told you about my nursery. How about you? What sort of doctor are you?”

  “I’m an internist. I specialize in the internal organs.”

  “You have a regular practice as well as the free clinic you mentioned?”

  “That’s right. We have a volunteer staff and we rotate the schedule, so I work only one day a week downtown and I’m on call for the free clinic one night. We have a couple of great general practitioners on staff, but the rest of us tend to specialize in one area or another. It means we consult back and forth a lot, so that adds in more hours. We’re fortunate to have such a variety in our staff. It definitely strengthens the clinic.”

  “And you’re able to juggle that with Project Mentor and your regular patients?”

  “I have a couple of partners with my practice, who pick up my slack when I need them to. Of course, I’ve talked one of them into volunteering at the clinic and I’m working on the other. As far as the project goes, well, I try to make that a priority and fit it in as best I can.”

  “Sounds like you’re always working.”

  “Seems that way sometimes. With my regular practice and the clinic I’m practically always on call, but I manage. Time with the kids isn’t like work. We have some fun.” He grinned. “Besides, I take long lunch breaks.”

  She leaned toward him. “Still, doesn’t seem to leave much time for a personal life.”

  His gaze grew warm, his pupils dilating. “There hasn’t been much going on there lately.”

  “Really? I heard you and April had a thing. That you two split up recently and that’s why the cold reception at the DCWC.” Cassie had filled Tess in on April’s history with Mason as a way of explaining the club’s refusal.

  He straightened, his eyes widening. “You like to lay all the cards on the table, don’t you?”

  “I think it’s important to keep the air clear. Should I extend my condolences?” Tess smiled inwardly. The air around him shimmered with surprise and a little regret, but no heartache. Whatever ailed him, it wasn’t April.

  He took a moment to sip his coffee. “Don’t get me wrong, April is a wonderful woman and I had hoped for a while that we could have more in our relationship. It took me some time to figure out that that just wasn’t going to happen. It wouldn’t have been fair to either one of us to keep things going. We had let it linger for way too long as it was.”

  Tess reached across the table to touch his arm. The connection was strong, sending warm tingles over her. “I’m sorry.”

  “Nothing to be sorry about. People leave each other. Life goes on.”

  She shivered. Something dark and painful moved through him. Was that Mason’s trouble? Had someone left him? “Mason—”

  A beeper sounded from his side of the table. He blew out a long breath as he pulled a pager from his pocket. “Ah, here we go. Time to get back to work. I’m so sorry to have to cut this short.”

  She rose with him. “No problem. I need to get back myself.”

  They moved toward the door and he touched her elbow. “Thank you, Tess, for everything—the coffee, the company, offering your help. I just know good things will come of this.”

  They stepped through the door, then out into the parking lot. “Oh, definitely. Why don’t I make a few calls to get the ball rolling? Then I’ll be in touch to arrange a meeting so we can start organizing everything.”

  He smiled with genuine pleasure. “That sounds really great. Here, let me give you my contact info.” He pulled a card from his wallet. “Have you got a pen?”

  “Sure.” She found a pen bearing her nursery’s logo. “Here, keep this and you’ll know where to find me most days.”

  “Great.” His brows arched. “No home number?”

  “My cell’s on there, but anyone at the shop can get me if I’m not around.”

  He scrawled some more numbers across the back of his business card, then handed it to her. “That’s my home phone, cell phone and pager. So now you have every means of reaching me. If you can’t get me on one of those, I’m probably with a patient. Leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”

  “So many numbers. I feel important.”

  “You are.” The heat returned to his eyes. “I want you to be able to reach me whenever you need me, even if it’s after hours.”

  She cocked her head, smiling. Was the good doctor actually flirting with her? That was definitely a good sign. “Trust me, I’ll be in touch.”

  He squeezed her hand and nodded. “I’m really looking forward to it.”

  His pager sounded again and she shooed him away. “Go. We’ll talk soon.”

  Nodding, he moved off, his cell phone already to his ear. The sun shone down on him, picking out vibrant streaks of auburn in his dark hair. She smiled as he turned to wave. Even across the parking lot, his excitement called to her. Maybe the good doctor wouldn’t need so much coaxing, after all.

  3

  “BUT, CASSIE, HOW COULD you not want to do this?” Tess bit the inside of her lip. She knew she shouldn’t push too hard, or she might lose any possible support from the woman. And if Tess was going to make it into the DCWC, she needed an ally on the inside. At least Cassie had been open to her stopping by her home when Tess had called to say she had something important to discuss.

  Surely that was a good sign.

  “It isn’t that I don’t agree that Project Mentor is a worthwhile project.” Cassie’s eyes took on a dreamy quality. “Anything Mason Davies is inv
olved with is bound to be a huge success….”

  “But? I definitely hear a but after that.”

  “But…April really won’t like it. She’s a good friend and we go way back.” Cassie paused as if considering her next words. “There was more to it than I said before. They were engaged.”

  “April and Mason?” Though she’d suspected their relationship wasn’t casual, hearing it confirmed was a bit of a kick to the gut.

  “It was a long, drawn-out thing. Four years. How could anyone be engaged that long and not set a date? I always thought there was something wrong there, but April never seemed to mind—always made excuses. I think finally even she got tired of waiting and put her foot down. That’s when he dumped her.”

  “He called it off?”

  “Well, she says it was mutual, but if that’s the case, why is she so mad at him? Seems otherwise she’d just go on with her life and be glad it was over with. Don’t you think?”

  “When did all this happen?”

  “Early last week. I called him Friday to see if he was still coming to the luncheon—he’d been on the agenda for months. I really thought that he would back out under the circumstances.” She shook her head. “But not Mason. You have to admire him for that. It was kind of like facing a firing squad.”

  “Did April know he would be there Sunday?”

  “I told her. She said he wouldn’t show. That he would know better.”

  “But he did show.”

  “And she shot him down.”

  “Yes, she did.”

  Cassie leaned toward Tess. “But that wasn’t really April. She’s just not herself right now. If you go ahead with this plan to help him, you’ll risk making an enemy of her and possibly some of the other women in the club. She has a very loyal following.”

  “Even though she’s holding a personal grudge and he’s supporting a cause that’s transforming the lives of children?”

  “She’s not so bad, you know. I can only imagine what she’s going through, losing a man like Mason. She’s put her heart and soul into this organization and she’s good at what she does. She really does care about the community.” She frowned. “I’ve never seen her let a personal issue cloud her judgment like this.”