Harrier's Healer (12 page)

“Okay. I need to talk to you anyway.”

With another glance that afforded him a view of Alexis walking

back and forth in front of the large windows in the front room, he once

again turned his attention to his brother. “About what?”

Reeve also looked to make sure Alexis was preoccupied. Con-

tent that she was, he answered his older sibling. “About Marisol.”

The eldest Leighton brother froze at that name. Marisol Ander-

son was this area’s “bad girl.” Sure she was easy on the eyes, but she

could be the poster girl for the slogan, “Beauty is only skin deep.” If

anyone thought of any horrible word and were to look it up in the

dictionary, they would find a picture of Marisol right next to it.

Spite and a healthy dose of vindictiveness continually coursed

through her veins. For a long while, her sights had been set on one

Harrington Prescott Broderick Leighton, III, wanting desperately to

land a piece of the fortune that would be passed onto him.

Fortunately for Scott, he’d been dating a girl at the time and that

allowed him to see Marisol for who she really was. Evil. A doppelgan-

ger. Apparently, his warnings had gone unheeded by his brother.

Praying for the ability to be objective and not rant or rave, Scott calmly

asked, “What about Marisol?”

Reeve allowed himself another furtive glance ensuring the pri-

vacy of their conversation. “She called me today, which was who I was

on the phone with when you stopped by the beach house. Anyway, she

said she’s pregnant.” He paused for a second before adding the words

that Scott didn’t want to hear. “It’s mine.”

Jesus.
“Ahh, Reeve, what have you done?” Scott asked, setting

his large frame down on a stool.

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Anger flashed in those dark eyes. “She loves me, man. She told

me so. I was hoping you’d understand, but…” He shrugged.

“How do you know it’s yours and she’s not just playing you?”

Scott argued.

Reeve slammed his hand down on the counter. “I could ask you

the same thing, bringing
her
into the family.” His words were hissed.

“Be very careful with the next words out of your mouth, Reeve.”

Scott’s whole body had become tense and battle-ready.

“At least the woman I got pregnant is white and will be accepted

into the family fold.” Reeve hurled carelessly.

In less time than it took Reeve to blink, Scott had tossed him up

against the wall, momentarily stunning him. One large hand began to

close off the windpipe of the younger kinsman. “That woman who

claims you got her pregnant is a liar and a whore,” Scott ground out

between clenched teeth. “The only thing y’all probably shared is some

STD.” He lowered his face to his younger brother’s.

“Don’t you ever,
ever
, think about implying something racial like

this again. Especially not about Lex. She is more of a woman than

Marisol will ever be. She got her M.D. from Harvard and is the best

damn doctor I know.” The hand closed tighter. “If you feel the need to

keep those particular views on race, then do so without me in your life.”

Scott stepped away from his brother as if he no longer could stand to

touch him.

Gasping for air, Reeve rubbed his sore throat. Scott had never

done anything like that to him before, but he’d never been so angry,

either. He picked up the stool he’d knocked over and sat back down on

it.

Growing up, Scott would never let him or Godric, the youngest

brother, speak ill of another person because of the color of their skin.

But it seemed after he left for the Navy, Reeve had fallen into more of

the mindset of his family, which was an act that placed him in total

opposition to Scott’s beliefs.

Reeve held his hands out in silent plea. “I’m sorry, man. I al-

ways say things I don’t mean when I get defensive.” No expression

moved across Scott’s face. “I know she wanted you. Marisol, man…I’m

talking about Marisol.”

With a cautious step, Reeve approached the bar well aware Scott

regarded him with expressionless eyes. “She offered to leave if I paid

her. She said although she loves me, she didn’t want Mom and Dad to

disown me.”

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Aliyah Burke

“Of course not,” Scott stated. “If you get cut off then there will

be no more money for her.”

“I really screwed up, didn’t I?” Reeve muttered.

“You’re not a baby anymore, Reeve. You need to grow up and

act like an adult. You’re thirty-four. You are more than capable of

making something of yourself instead of living off the allowance that

Mom and Dad give you.”

“I’ll never measure up to your expectations, will I, Scott?”

“You don’t have to prove anything to me. It’s your life, not

mine.” There was not a single thread of sympathy in Scott’s voice.

The SEAL’s entire being softened his blue eyes saw Alexis in the

doorway. “Done with your call?” Scott asked, as one arm reached out

and beckoned her over to him.

Alexis nodded as she flowed in her easy gait towards his mus-

cled body. “I didn’t want to interrupt your conversation, but the food

needs to be put away.” Her dark hand reached out and caressed the

side of his cheek before dropping back to her side.

His arm slid around her waist. “Who called you?” Scott couldn’t

stop the question even if he wanted to, shocking himself a little; out of

all the women he’d been with, there had been none he’d acted posses-

sive about. Until now.

A radiant smile lit her dark loveliness. “Kieran. He wanted to

know where I was.”

Scott tried to pretend he was fine with that response, but ten

seconds later he prompted, “And?”

Alexis touched her finger to the end of his Romanesque nose

and grinned impishly. “I said I was on vacation with a man and we

were staying at his cabin by the beach. Kieran wanted to know where

and I said I was fine, wasn’t gonna tell him, and that you would keep

me perfectly safe.”

So long as there is breath in my body, I will keep you safe, healer of my

heart.
“Of course I will keep you safe.” He actually sounded offended.

“I know.” She stepped away from his lingering touch and began

to put things away.

Scott met briefly the now-amused gaze of his brother briefly be-

fore watching Alexis move comfortably around his kitchen. “Lex,” he

uttered.

“Yes?” Without turning around, she continued to put things

away.

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71

“Were you planning on telling me who Kieran is?” His fingers

began to drum along the top of the bar where he was sitting.

“Hadn’t planned on it, no.” She closed the fridge door and be-

gan to empty another bag.

The blond man got off his stool and stalked her. “Plan on it,” he

said on a low rumble.

“Kieran is my third-oldest brother.” Alexis squealed as he

picked her up and turned her toward him.

“Naughty little healer.”

She smiled and giggled. “You were jealous.”

“Always.” He brought her closer for a kiss.

Still holding Alexis, Scott turned and found that his brother

stood watching them with a mixture of clarity and longing on his face.

Maybe their previous conversation was getting though to him “Will

you be all right, Reeve?” he asked as he sat his lovely healer on a stool

and stood behind her, allowing their bodies to remain in constant

contact.

“I guess I don’t really have a choice,” Reeve sighed and occu-

pied a seat across from Alexis. He rested his dark gaze upon her more

golden one.

“I can leave if you all would like to talk in private,” she offered,

correctly reading the hesitation in Reeve’s eyes. Alexis didn’t wait for a

response before sliding off the barstool and walking out of the kitchen.

“It was nice to meet you, Reeve Leighton,” she commented over her

shoulder.

Walking down the path to the beach, Alexis was at peace. The

solar-charged lanterns with the soft amber covers illuminated her way

with their gentle glow. Her sandals were silent as she ambled over the

asphalt that made up the path.

The tranquil ocean breeze wrapped itself around her like a lov-

er’s caress. As she left the path and began to traipse across the sand, her

eyes landed on the sliver of the moon that was beginning to rise over

the ocean. Her serene gaze lingered on it before scanning the endless

sky, watching as star after star became visible.

This was the life.
Alexis glided along the water’s edge, taking off

her sandals and dangling them from her fingers. The surf lapped at her

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Aliyah Burke

toes and took away any tension left in her body. She walked until the

moon had risen above the horizon.

Turning around, her contented body took her back to where she

knew she’d entered the beach. As she was walking along, Alexis made

out a figure strolling towards her. Instinctively, her body tensed before

her brain processed that walk. Scott. Her body began to tremble for a

different reason and her insides got all fluttery.

“Are you okay?” were the first words out of his mouth as his

arms drew her into his chest.

She inhaled deeply, her body taking in the masculine smells that

made up Scott. “Of course. Why?”

“You’ve been gone well over an hour.”

That long?
“Wow. I guess time just slipped away from me. I was

just enjoying the night.”

Scott moved to her side and picked up her free hand to intert-

wine their fingers. “Was. Did you want to be alone?”

How in the hell am I supposed to think straight with him touching me?

“No, don’t leave. Stay with me.” Her hand tightened around his.

“Your wish is my command,” he responded in a voice that was

purely sexual.

“Where is your brother?” She tried to take deep breaths and

slow her rapidly beating heart.

“He went home. He has some serious thinking to do.”

“I don’t want to be the cause of problems between you and your

family,” she said as they headed back up the beach.

“Don’t worry about them. This is our time,” he purred into her

ear.

“Thank you. Thank you for sharing this place with me. It is so

beautiful here.” Her words were full of wonder as she gestured around

her with her other hand. “This is what I love about being in the Navy.

Standing on deck at night, looking out at all of this…this beauty.”

“I am the one who should be thanking you, for coming with me.

For trusting in me enough to come here.” Scott stopped walking and

faced them out to sea and put her body against the front of his. “Do you

want to go swimming?”

“I don’t have a swimsuit on.”

“Don’t tell me you have never gone skinny-dipping.” His breath

teased her ear.

“Not in a very long time, and never with a man.”

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73

Never with another man, if I have my way. And I usually do.
“Well,

there is a first time for everything. Come on,” he coaxed. “Let’s go

swimming.”

“Is it safe?” Her whole body shivered at the thought of going in

the water with him totally naked.

“I’d keep you safe.” His lips nibbled on her earlobe.

“So, that’s a no. Besides, with your gunshot wound I don’t think

you should be in the water.”

He chuckled. “When in doubt, fall back on being a doctor. Okay,

let’s go back to the house, and you can check my wound.”

“I am getting kind of tired.”

“It has been a long day.”

But something about the look in Scott’s eyes told Alexis it

wasn’t over yet.

C h a p t e r E l e v e n

It was after midnight when they shut the front door behind

them and were once again in his beautiful cabin. They had walked

slowly along the beach, holding hands and stargazing.

Scott made short work of locking up his house before he took

her hand and led her though the entrance to the large lighted kitchen,

where he whipped off his shirt easily to stand bare-chested before her.

Masculine arrogance filled his gaze as he watched Alexis stand there

and practically drool over his hard body before she remembered what

she was supposed to be doing.

“Raise your arm,” she ordered. “How does it feel? Any pain?

Tenderness?” The doctor rattled off questions until she was content that

he was mending well. Checking the condition of the stitches, she looked

up from her kneeling position at the man watching her. “You heal at an

amazing rate. A wound like this would disable most men.”

He gave a careless shoulder lift. “I have had worse.” Scott

wasn’t bragging, just stating the cold, hard facts.

“That is what scares me,” she whispered, not realizing he heard

her.

“Come here, Alexis,” he said softly as he lifted her and placed

her on the breakfast bar positioning himself between her legs. “Look at

me,” he ordered in that same hushed voice. “Is that why you keep

trying to avoid your feelings for me? Because of what I do, who I am?”

His fingers gripped her chin and forced her to look at him.