His gaze flicked over her features, his eyes drinking in her soft dark hair, her flawless complexion, her round indigo eyes and that perfectly shaped mouth.
Ripe. Pink. So kissable.
Here we go, Gregory. It’s Pauline all over again. Admit it. You just want to take care of her.
Belatedly, he realized he had been staring intently at Janet’s lips, ignoring both his meal and the elder Dr. Hunter, who had apparently asked him a question.
“Sir?” He blinked, feeling oddly groggy as if some magical spell had enchanted him. “I’m sorry, could you repeat that?”
“I was saying how much I respect your work and how I wish I had a son like you.”
“Thank you, I appreciate the compliment, but you’ve got a very accomplished daughter of your own,” Gage pointed out, tactfully restraining himself from wringing the man’s neck. Did he have any idea how cold and unfeeling his statement sounded? His heart broke for Janet and the child she’d once been.
“Ah, well, I suppose so.”
“Were you aware that in just her third week of practice Janet has single-handedly started a citywide preventative health program for underprivileged children?”
“Are you seriously comparing that to developing something as innovative as the Gregory method?”
“Niles,” Gracie spoke up. “That’s not fair.”
“I’ll get the dessert.” Janet leaped up, her face pale and drawn, and rushed from the room.
Gage glared at Niles Hunter and pushed back his chair. The man was as sensitive as a slug. “I’ll go see if she needs any help.”
9
Janet pushed through the swinging doors into the kitchen, anger, hurt, and disappointment shoving her blood through her veins, quickening her pulse, making it hard to breathe.
She braced her elbows against the counter, lowered her head, and took long cleansing breaths.
“Janet, sweetheart?” Gage slipped an arm around her shoulders. “Are you all right?”
She shrugged off his touch. She didn’t want his comfort.
“Excuse me for saying so, but your father is a real ass,” Gage said.
“Oh, like you aren’t?”
“What?” Looking stunned, Gage stepped back.
“You were acting so smug, so superior,” she said.
“Excuse me? Why are you so pissed off?
“It’s damned egotistical of you to think you can analyze my relationship with my father and try to fix it over a twenty-minute meal.” She kept her head down, staring at the stick of butter her mother had forgotten to put back into the fridge. It had melted, and the butter bulged against the sides of the wax paper wrapping.
“Egotistical? Me?”
“You bet your sweet butt.”
“I was only trying to help.” He sounded downright confused and a little hurt. “Isn’t that what you wanted me to do?”
Yes. No. I don’t know.
“The great Gage Gregory to the rescue,” she said sarcastically, even though she had no real reason to be mean to him. He’d helped her and now she was holding it against him. What was the poor guy supposed to think? What was the matter with her?
“Janet,” he said, his voice gone quiet. “I know you’re just lashing out at the one who’s handy. You’re displacing your anger toward your father onto me.”
“Gee, sounds like someone took Psych 101.”
“Look at me,” he commanded.
She didn’t want to.
But he wasn’t the kind of guy who easily accepted no for an answer. Gage leaned over, cupped her chin in his palm, and tilted her head up to meet his unwavering gaze.
She straightened.
Their eyes locked.
He looked sad and a little bewildered. In that moment, she knew she’d been wrong about him. He hadn’t been seeing himself as her savior. He had simply been feeling sorry for her. She didn’t know which was worse. His pity or his patronage.
Her mother had placed her in a precarious situation and her father had hurt her, yes, but the last thing she wanted was Gage’s sympathy.
The kitchen filled with tension and embarrassment. Silence stretched. No sounds came from the dining room. A drop of water from the faucet plunked into the sink.
Janet inhaled sharply.
She could tell he wanted to kiss her. He moved closer, his gaze never leaving hers, his fingers still curled around her chin. He wanted to kiss her and make it all better.
If only it were that easy.
Her heart did an involuntary somersault, her stomach contracted, and her toes curled in anticipation. Well, a kiss might not make everything better, but it couldn’t hurt.
Could it?
Apparently, she was about to find out.
Gage’s mouth closed over hers, but it wasn’t a demanding kiss. Nor was it hot and heavy. His lips were light, his touch gentle—calming, mild, pampering—a balm to her irritated nerves, a salve to her battered ego.
He didn’t use his tongue. He didn’t hurry. His lips performed all the magic—no pressure, no expectations, no agenda except to comfort. She sank against his chest and let him do what he wanted.
His touch eased her sorrow. His lips washed away her pain. His sweet caress dissolved her disappointment. He pressed his palm against her back and rubbed in a soothing circle.
Who cared if her father would rather have Gage for a son instead of her for a daughter? It wasn’t Gage’s fault that he was a brilliant, medically inventive, multimillionaire, ex-child actor with good looks and charms aplenty. He was on her side.
So it was okay for her to cling to his shoulders, right? It was okay if she enjoyed the taste of his mouth. Wasn’t it?
Heavens above, but the man could communicate so many emotions with those lips!
Sympathy, concern, compassion. Lust.
Suddenly, it was way too hot in that kitchen and what they were doing with her parents in the very next room was really stupid. Her eyes flew open.
His eyes were closed. Watching him was unbelievably romantic. Too darned romantic by half.
It isn’t a good idea to let him keep kissing you, no matter how good it feels, rational voice piped up. Remember, you’re starting a new career. You don’t have room in your life for this... this... whatever this is. Especially since Dad likes him
