Priceless

“So you only tolerate me hanging around for Tony’s sake?”

“Yes,” she said.

His skeptical gaze caught hers and held until she flushed under the intensity. Only when he was apparently satisfied that he’d rattled her and proved his point did he finally glance away.

Relieved to be out from under that disconcerting gaze, Beth drew in a shaky breath. No man had ever unnerved her the way Mack Carlton did. For the life of her, she couldn’t figure out why that was. Sure, he had the kind of body that would look great on a beefcake calendar. Sure, he even showed evidence of being kind and sensitive, two traits she admired in a man. He had a killer smile, an agile brain and a charming personality. With all of that added together, the question shouldn’t have been why he unnerved her, but why she hadn’t thrown herself straight into his arms.

That she could answer. Mack Carlton was a rich, ex-jock playboy, who didn’t take anything seriously. His affairs were played out publicly, and she was a very private woman with a reputation to protect. So even if that glimmer of heat she thought she saw in his eyes from time to time was real, even if these brief hospital encounters implied a certain fascination on his part, she couldn’t allow any of it to lead anywhere—assuming he even wanted to pursue it himself beyond the occasional cup of coffee or idle conversation at the end of the day.

Too bad, she thought, barely containing a sigh. Because something told her that Mack had the kind of moves that could make a woman not only forget every last bit of common sense she possessed, but could send her right up into flames.

* * *

A couple of days after his fascinating cafeteria dinner with Beth, Mack was sitting in the hospital waiting room while the doctors examined Tony when he looked up to see Richard striding toward him.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, standing to give his brother a hug. He glanced pointedly around the empty room. “No prospective voters in here to impress.”

“Very funny. Actually I was in the neighborhood, and Destiny told me you might be here,” Richard said. “What’s going on? What are you doing hanging out in a hospital waiting room?”

Mack shrugged. “There’s a sick kid I’ve been coming to see,” he said as if it were no big deal.

Richard studied him intently. “You’re here every day from what I hear. You getting too emotionally involved with this boy?”

“This isn’t about me,” Mack said defensively. “The boy doesn’t have a dad to hang out with. He likes football. The least I can do is come by for an hour or so.”

“I admire you for taking an interest, but is it really all about the kid?”

Mack stared at him, instantly suspicious. “What exactly did Destiny say to you?”

Richard’s serious expression finally cracked. A grin spread across his face. “She mentioned that the boy’s doctor is a very pretty woman with a brilliant scientific mind. Which hooked you, bro? Her body or her mind?”

“I am not hooked on anybody,” Mack retorted defensively. “That’s ridiculous. Next time you talk to her, tell Destiny to mind her own damn business.”

“Ha,” Richard said. “What are the odds of that ever happening?”

Mack scowled at his brother. “So the real reason you dropped by is to gloat. You think I’m about to get reeled smack into the middle of one of Destiny’s schemes.”

“That’s what I’m thinking,” Richard agreed unrepentantly. “If so, I want to be around to witness every second of your downfall.”

“Destiny claims she doesn’t even know Beth Browning,” Mack said. “Beth said the same thing.”

“Ever heard of the little white lie?” Richard asked. “What kind of manipulator would our aunt be if she didn’t make liberal use of whatever tactic serves her purposes? She wasn’t entirely honest with me or Melanie, either. She sucked us both right in and never suffered a moment’s remorse because of it.”

“Well, there’s nothing like that going on here,” Mack insisted. “I’m not the doc’s type. She’s not my type, either. If Destiny really is behind all of this, she got it wrong this time.”

“We’ll see,” Richard said. “Any chance the doctor will be by anytime soon? I’d like to get a good look at her. Melanie will have questions.”

“Too bad. I’m pretty sure Dr. Browning is at a medical conference on the other side of the universe today,” Mack said just in time to see the very woman in question strolling their way. He sighed heavily. “On the other hand, she could be back.”

Richard’s eyes widened with appreciation and he let out a very soft whistle. “Not your type, huh? Maybe you should get your eyes checked.”

Mack took another look at Beth and tried to see what his brother saw. She was pretty enough in a natural, wholesome way, but compared to the beauties he usually dated, she was fairly unimpressive. Her hair was straight and cut in a severe, simple style that clearly required little fuss. Her simple, tailored clothes did nothing to flatter a figure he’d already assessed as too thin. Her low-heeled shoes, a necessity for a woman on the run all day long, did nothing to enhance her legs. Mack was really, really partial to women in strappy spike heels that made their legs look endless. He simply didn’t get whatever it was Richard obviously saw.

Eventually his gaze made its way to Beth’s eyes, which were regarding him with a perplexed expression. He blinked and looked away guiltily.

“I thought you’d want to know that it’s okay to go back in to see Tony now,” she said.

“Thanks.”

Richard looked from Beth to Mack and back again, then shrugged. “Dr. Browning, I’m Mack’s brother Richard. He seems to have lost his tongue. It happens sometimes. I can understand it in your case. I imagine you render him speechless a lot.”

Beth gave Richard a startled look and a blush tinted her cheeks. “Not that I’ve noticed.”

Richard grinned at Mack. “Then it must be something I said.”

Before Richard could explain that remark and further embarrass him, Mack clapped his brother on the back a little more forcefully than necessary. “Thanks for stopping by to pass on the message,” he said. “I know how busy you are, though, so feel free to take off. Give Melanie a kiss for me. Go win over a few voters or raise a few million for your campaign. You’re going to need it, since I intend to vote for whoever runs against you.”

Richard barely managed to contain a laugh at the brush-off. “If it comes down to one vote costing me the election, I didn’t deserve to win in the first place,” his brother said, unperturbed. “And I’m in no hurry. I can hang here awhile.”

“No you can’t,” Mack said, his voice a little tighter. “I’ll walk you out.”

He spun Richard around and aimed him toward the door. As they were leaving, he called back to Beth. “Let Tony know I’ll be back in a minute.”

“Sure,” she said, staring after them with a puzzled expression.

Not until they were in the elevator did Mack face his brother, staring him down with a look meant to intimidate. “Don’t get any ideas, big brother. None, you hear me?”

Richard returned his glare with a look of pure innocence. “I can’t imagine what you’re talking about. I just wanted to get to know your new friend.”

“You say that as if you’d caught me on the playground with some girl in pigtails,” Mack grumbled.

“Believe me, I am well aware that you’re past being infatuated with a kid. Those are definitely grown-up sparks flying between you and the doc.”

“You’re crazy.”

“I don’t think so,” Richard said. “Maybe I’ll have Melanie give her a call and set up dinner.”

“You do and you’re a dead man,” Mack said fiercely. He didn’t want his brother, his aunt or anyone else messing with Beth’s head—or his, for that matter. “Leave it alone. This is not like that. Beth and I chat from time to time. We have coffee. It’s no big deal, and I don’t want to turn it into one.”

Richard’s gaze narrowed. “You really mean that, don’t you?”

“What was your first clue?” Mack retorted.

To his consternation, Richard burst out laughing. “I’ll be damned,” he said. “Destiny’s done it again.”

“Destiny hasn’t done a thing,” Mack shouted after him as Richard strolled off.

Unfortunately, it was evident that his protest hadn’t done a thing to convince his brother. Heck, he wasn’t so sure he was buying it himself anymore.