Her Family For Keeps

Now she snorted. “If you can call it that. The copier must have run out of toner at an inopportune time. I need a GPS to get through this hospital.”

“If you can navigate to the cafeteria I’ll buy you some lunch.” His stomach had been reminding him of his skimpy breakfast for some time now.

“You’re on.” She started toward the elevators, and he followed along behind, admiring the view. Puzzled, he frowned as he observed her gait and the way she moved her body.

“What do you do?” Now, more curious than ever, he began to ignore that finely tuned alarm system in his head. Pursuing her might be worth the pain.

She hit the elevator button. “Do about what?”

“For exercise. Working out.” He gave her a once-over glance and liked what he saw. “The way you walk and the way you carry yourself is different. I can usually pick out how a person stays fit by the way they move and their body shape. It’s a little game I play with myself. Swimmers look one way, runners look another way, cyclists another way, but you I can’t figure out.” The feel of her body beneath those scrubs had been firm, yet still very feminine. “You aren’t a body-builder either.” He frowned and tried not to ogle her in public. Administration wasn’t kidding about sexual harassment.

At that, a genuine grin covered her face. “Yoga.” She stood on one foot and clasped her hands together over her head with the paperwork flattened between her palms. “Like this.”

“Yoga?” He glanced over her again, dumbfounded. “Really? Just yoga? I thought you just sat in impossible situations and chanted to the universe for enlightenment.”

Rebel laughed. “That would be meditation. You should try yoga sometime. Strengthens the mind and spirit as well as the body.” She resumed her standing position without even a wobble. Show-off.

Duncan tried to mimic her pose and was able to get his hands over his head, but standing on one foot at the same time was not happening, and he almost crashed into the wall. Very uncool.

“I’m a more brute strength, linear kind of guy, like running, hiking, that sort of stuff. If I have to think about it too much, I won’t do it.” He laughed. “Just put me on a bike in a straight line, and I’m good.”

“So how do you get back, then, if you just go in a straight line?”

He laughed, liking her quick wit. “Eventually, I stop, turn around and go in another straight line until I’m back where I started.”

“You need to expand your horizons, Doctor.”

“I like skiing.”

“Skiing in the desert—really?” The bemused look on her face betrayed her skepticism at his statement.

“Yes. Ice hockey, too. You’d be surprised what kind of landscape the desert has to offer. We’re considered high desert since we’re higher in elevation than other desert areas of the southwest.”

“Oh, so not like Phoenix or Death Valley?”

“Right. Way too hot for me. Went there for a conference once and about cooked my brain.”

The elevator arrived, and they were off on the scavenger hunt. Rebel successfully negotiated her way to the blood bank, lab, central supply, and finally to the cafeteria.

Duncan sniffed appreciably. “I can smell the green chili from here.” He closed his eyes, savoring a fond memory. “I’m in the mood for green chili cheese fries, how about you?”

“What’s that?” Innocent curiosity showed in that gorgeous face of hers. Stunned, Duncan looked at her. She was serious.

“You’ve never heard of green chili cheese fries?”

“Nope. Or green chili anything.” Duncan’s jaw dropped, and he swore his heart skipped several important beats. He may have seen stars, but he wasn’t certain. “I think I may have a coronary right now.” He placed a hand over his chest. “Get the AED.”

“Why? What did I say?” Eyes wide with concern, she pressed her lips together. “Did I say something totally stupid?”

“I know you’re new in town, but green chili is the number one agricultural crop of the entire state and has been the foundation for my family’s holdings for the last two hundred years.” He took a breath and frowned. “My grandfather should never, ever, hear you don’t know what green chili is or it could start another highland war.”

“Oh, is that all?” She turned away.

“What?” Stunned, he froze in place.

“Kidding.” She gave a sly grin over her shoulder. “Got it. Important stuff around here.”

“And, besides that, it tastes really, really good.”

“Okay, can we get some, then?”

“Absolutely. Your orientation would not be complete without a sampling of green chili cheese fries.” Another sign of her adventurous spirit if she was willing to try an unknown food on his recommendation. That was very attractive to him. But he remembered his fiancée had also had an adventurous spirit and look where that had left them. Her dead. Him with a broken heart.

Minutes later, they had a pile of steaming French fries in front of them, topped with green chili sauce and shredded cheddar cheese. The consistency of gravy, the sauce was absolutely amazing, as far as Duncan was concerned, and he was an expert.

“If you don’t like this, I’m afraid your contract will have to be terminated.”

“Oh, give me a break, it will not.” She gave the first natural-sounding laugh he’d heard out of her since they’d met. That was a good sign. This was fun, showing her something she’d never seen or even heard of before. Gave him new appreciation of it, too, to experience it again through her eyes, and his heart lightened.

Duncan watched as Rebel took a fry, dripping in chili sauce and cheese, and put it in her mouth. She closed her eyes as she chewed. What was it about eating a meal with some people that was so erotic? He didn’t care as he took in how Rebel’s face changed and her eyes popped open, surprise filling those incredible green eyes of hers. His mouth began to water and it wasn’t for food but a taste of her. Even against his better judgment, the longer he spent with her, the more intrigued he became. Could he engage in a casual relationship with her, knowing she’d leave in a few months? Could they have a simple, sexual relationship and let the rest go? It was worth thinking about.

“That is spectacular. You’re gonna have to get your own, pal, ‘cos I’m not sharing.” She slid the plate closer to her.

“I’ll tell Herm you cheated.” He slid the plate in front of him.

“I did not.” The plate returned to Rebel.

“Who’s he gonna believe, you or me?” Duncan reached for the plate but Rebel narrowed her eyes and held on to it. “You are evil. And I believe that’s blackmail.”

“Then you have to share.” He slid the plate into the middle again. “And it’s actually extortion.” He shrugged at her look. “Got a cousin who’s a lawyer.”

“Fine. But you know what they say about payback.”

“I do. And it is.” He grinned and dug his fork into the bliss on the plate, deciding to shove away thoughts of a casual sexual relationship for the moment.

“So you have a hobby farm?”

Duncan tried not to choke at her description. “If you can call ten thousand acres a hobby farm.” That was in Hatch, New Mexico alone. Cousins in surrounding areas worked ranches half that size, but every acre produced quality chili in dozens of varieties.

“Shut. Up.” Disbelief covered her face.

“I will not. I’m highly offended at that.” Not.

“I mean, really?” She paused and looked at the chili on her fork. “Is this from your…ranch?”

“Probably. We ship all over the world.”

“I’d love to see this place.”