The Tycoon's Proposition

Normally he worked with a shirt on, but she guessed it must have made him feel more macho to take it off. That would explain the bronzelike tan built up over months of exposure under a hot sun.

He made another muffled sound. She watched him lift his left hand from the sheet.

For a man who’d always been so restless both within and without, his suffering had to be extreme. She leaned forward and gently patted his lower leg draped by the sheet.

“The doctor said you’re going to be fine. He thinks any scarring will be so slight, you might not even have to undergo minor plastic surgery. That’s a blessing. You always were a heartthrob.”

She watched his legs stir beneath the sheet. No doubt he was in unbearable pain.

It was bad enough that they hadn’t lived together for at least a year and a half. But to have to meet her former husband under these precarious circumstances made their meeting even more difficult. What did she say to the man who was a virtual stranger to her at this point?

“Dr. Dominguez told me you called out my name several times to the fisherman who saved you. I have to admit it surprised me to learn that you’d listed me as your spouse on your work application.

“I can’t imagine why you did that when we’re divorced. I happen to know you wanted it as much as I did. But I’m not sorry to be here. You shouldn’t be alone at a time like this. My family sends their best wishes. They want you to get well as soon as possible, too.”

He lifted his left arm once more and brushed it against her arm before lowering it again. Perhaps it was his way of thanking her for coming. She didn’t really know.

“As soon as the Herrick Corporation notified me, I took emergency leave from the chamber of commerce to fly here. Ray told me not to worry about anything. He said he hoped you’d have a swift recovery.”

While she tried to think of things to say, her heart went out to him for his helpless state.

“I didn’t realize you’d taken a job in South America. Judging by your tan, it looks like you’ve been here quite a while. According to the doctor, you’ll be able to talk in a few days. Then you can tell me what you need.

“If there are friends you want me to contact, a woman you’ve been seeing, I’ll do whatever I can to help you get in touch with them.”

He made another sound in his throat and tried to lift his head. If anything, she felt as if her presence were disturbing him rather than bringing him a measure of peace.

Afraid to do something wrong that might delay his recovery, she got to her feet.

“You need to rest, Richard. I’m going to go now, but I promise I’ll be back in the morning. I’m staying at the Ecuador Inn and will leave my room number in case the hospital needs to get in touch with me about you before tomorrow.”

At that moment he moaned more distinctly than before. Worried over his reaction, she hurried from the room and rushed down the hall to the nursing station.

A minute passed before she saw the doctor come out of one of another patient’s room. He headed in her direction.

“Leaving so soon?”

“Richard seemed to be more unsettled with me there. He kept trying to talk.”

“It is the excitement of seeing his beautiful wife again.”

Hardly. If that were the case, there would never have been a divorce.

“Knowing you are here will hasten his recovery,” the other man continued.

She shook her head. “Dr. Dominguez? You don’t understand. I’m not his wife.” It was best he know the truth.

The announcement brought him up short.

“We were divorced eleven months ago,” she went on to explain. “Since then I’ve had no contact with him. I didn’t know anything of his whereabouts until the Herrick Corporation got in touch with me.

“Frankly I have no idea why he claimed to be married on his work application. When he’s recovered enough to talk, I’m sure he’ll explain. What’s important to me is that he gets well. But he keeps trying to say something to me, which couldn’t be good for his throat.

“I told him I’d be back in the morning. I’m staying at the Ecuador Inn, room 137. You can reach me there, no matter the hour.”

“Very good,” he murmured, clearly puzzled by the news.

“Doctor? Is he getting enough pain relief?”

“As much as he can tolerate. Perhaps his increased restlessness has been brought on because your presence is a reminder of your broken marriage. Maybe he regrets the divorce and that is the reason why he still claims to be married.

“Sometimes it takes losing something of great value for a man to realize what is really important after all. Have you considered this might be an opportunity for a reconciliation?”

Terri could see where the doctor was going with this, but he would be wrong about the whole situation. Richard wasn’t having second thoughts. There was an entirely different reason why he’d claimed to still be married when he’d accepted a job down here.

As for Terri, she couldn’t resurrect feelings that had been burned out of her. “Dr. Dominguez? Our marriage was over a long time ago. However I still care for him and want him to recover as soon as possible.”

“I want that, too.”

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She left the floor and took the elevator to the foyer where she asked the receptionist to summon a taxi.

Once back in her hotel room, she rang for room service and ordered dinner. When it arrived, she changed into her nightgown and ate in bed while she talked to her mother and Beth, updating them on Richard’s condition.

Beth suggested Richard might have lied because it was the only way he could get the job. Maybe the Herrick Corporation had a rule about their employees being married if they wanted to work outside the U.S.

It was a possibility Terri hadn’t thought of. Tomorrow she would visit Richard again, then go to the Herrick office and ask more questions. Right now what she craved was a good night’s sleep so she’d be better prepared to deal with the situation in the morning.

But even though she was exhausted, it was hard to settle down. She turned on the television and watched several news programs in Spanish. With the help of her high school Spanish, she was able to figure out some of it. Then she switched to a movie dubbed in Spanish she’d already seen in English, and promptly fell asleep. The television was still on when she awakened at nine the next morning.

Once she’d eaten breakfast in her room, she showered and dressed in another blouse and skirt. After she was ready, she left the hotel and climbed into one of the many taxis waiting out front.

To her delight the temperature outside the hotel wasn’t as high as she would have supposed for July. In fact it felt much better here than in Atlanta where she’d changed planes.

On her way to the hospital, she looked around to get better oriented. Guayaquil was a large South American port city. Its proximity to the ocean, plus the masses of dark haired people speaking Spanish made it a fascinating place to be. With so many beautiful women, she imagined Richard had been enjoying himself here. How sad to think he’d met with an accident that had almost cost him his life.

She knew he liked to fish. Maybe he’d been out in a small boat with his spinning rod when it had happened. Had he gone alone? Was anyone else hurt?

Terri was impatient for answers. But she would have to wait until his throat was healed enough to supply her with details.

Hoping they’d given him something to help him sleep so he’d had a restful night, she hurried down the hospital corridor to his room. The door was ajar. When she peeked inside, she saw a younger doctor standing at the side of the bed unraveling the bandage that was wrapped around Richard’s forehead.

He flashed her a broad smile. “Come in, Señora Jeppson. I’m Dr. Fortuna. We have been expecting you.”

She did his bidding. Evidently Dr. Dominguez hadn’t informed the staff about Richard’s divorced status yet. “If your husband could talk, I’m sure he would tell you he is glad you are here. I have been checking his stitches. The cut under his chin shows no infection.”

At that news, Terri was relieved. She sank down in the chair to watch. The bed had been raised so Richard was sitting up. His oxygen mask had been removed.