So Many Men... (3 page)

“We’re working on that, and hopefully our efforts will pay off. It’s not a quick process, though.”

“I’m sure.” She remained silent a long moment and he waited as she paced around the area in front of the fountain.

Indulging himself, he drank his fill of the sight of her while she lost herself in thought. She was of medium height and weight, not too busty, not too flat. Hips that flared nicely and a decent ass. An average description for an extraordinary woman. What was it about her that
made her so…appealing? It was more her presence—no, her essence—that drew him.

Just when he thought he could stand the silence no more, she stopped in front of him. “So,” he couldn’t keep from asking, “will you help us—help me?”

Her blue gaze locked with his and time seemed to suspend as something—a soul-deep recognition—settled over him. “Yes, Mason, I will rally the DCWC to help you. If they fail me, then I’ll call on my own resources and do it myself.”

A mixture of relief and excitement filled him. He pressed her hands in his. “Thank you, Tess. This means so much to me. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your support.”

“I’m happy to help.”

Tess cocked her head. Until this moment she hadn’t been sure she was ready for another lover so soon—had thought she needed a little break—but she couldn’t deny the proof standing before her. She could feel all that he felt, his gratitude, his excitement and, below that, growing stronger with their hands joined, the same heat sweeping through her. Something was different—she couldn’t put her finger on exactly what. Certainly it was much more intense this time.

Still, this was how it always began.

This empathic rush was nothing new. She always knew what her guys felt. Not until recently, when Aunt Sophie had told her and her sisters about their gift, had Tess understood that her ability to feel others’ emotions was part and parcel of her family heritage. Where Nikki had been able to tune into anyone around her, Tess’s empathic nature worked only with her men.

Desire flowed off Mason in waves. There was no use in fighting it. His need, his pain, already called to her, buried deep inside him. She could no more turn away from him than she could stop breathing. She was a healer.

She would help him in so many more ways than he realized. First, though, she needed time with him, time to get to know him and gauge what troubles he harbored. She let her gaze travel up his arms and chest, over his strong features to his compelling eyes. Had she at first thought him nondescript?

No, this man had eyes that saw into the depths of her soul. A shiver passed through her. What could she deny him when he looked at her that way?

“So, how do you feel about coffee?” he asked. “I have some time before my afternoon appointments. Unless you need to be somewhere?”

“No, the nursery’s covered. Coffee sounds great, though I can’t stay too long. I like to be there when the shipment comes.” She turned with him to head across the park to a nearby coffee shop.

“You work at a nursery?”

“Actually, I own it. I always liked plants and I have a green thumb. It made sense to buy the nursery when one of my great-aunts left me a small inheritance.”

“Do you sell anything besides trees and flowers?” His lips curved into a smile.

She was going to enjoy kissing him.

“I have a nice assortment of stone statuary. And my sister is an interior designer so I am always special-ordering her something. Believe me, I can get you practically anything you want.”

His eyebrows arched. His gaze dropped to her mouth and the desire simmering in him flared. “Anything?”

“That’s right.” She stopped walking and faced him.
“Anything.”

Heat arced between them. The intensity in his eyes held her breathless. She leaned toward him as he moved forward. A bird cawed overhead and suddenly he pulled away.

“You don’t say?” he said, falling back into step. “I’ll have to come by and see what you have. I’ve been meaning to do something with my front entrance, but haven’t gotten around to it.”

“I’m sure we can find something.” She frowned as they crossed a small stretch of parking lot. Evidently, the man needed a little coaxing. “Maybe I should come see your front entrance sometime, so I can have a better idea of what you might need.”

“Sure.” He smiled again, and his pleasure, though guarded, reached out to her. “I think I’d like to have you over.”

She threaded her arm through his and they entered the shop. The aroma of strong coffee drifted in the air. “It smells heavenly in here.”

They ordered their drinks and Tess pulled her wallet from her bag. Mason raised his hand in protest. “I invited you. This is my treat.”

“Thank you, but you’ll have to let me treat the next time.”

He pursed his lips as he held a chair for her. “We’ll have to see about that. I believe a gentleman should always take care of a lady.”

“You’re kidding.” She slipped into the seat and stared
at him as he settled opposite her. “I didn’t know they still made them like you.”

“They probably don’t. I was raised kind of old school.”

Once more, her cell phone summoned her. With a shake of her head, she pulled it again from her bag. “It’s Max. I’ll call him back.”

She sipped her coffee, then smiled at Mason. “So, a man of convention.”

He stared out the window overlooking the park. “I like the old values. If you could see half the trouble I’ve seen in some of the kids of today…” He shook his head and rolled his cup between his hands. “Just makes you wonder if the new ways of parenting are doing any good.”

“I think it’s hard to make generalizations.”

“Perhaps.”

His mood darkened and a short silence fell. She again sipped the rich brew. She’d have to ease him into meeting her family…or maybe avoid it altogether. “So I told you about my nursery. How about you? What sort of doctor are you?”

“I’m an internist. I specialize in the internal organs.”

“You have a regular practice as well as the free clinic you mentioned?”

“That’s right. We have a volunteer staff and we rotate the schedule, so I work only one day a week downtown and I’m on call for the free clinic one night. We have a couple of great general practitioners on staff, but the rest of us tend to specialize in one area or another. It means we consult back and forth a lot, so that adds in more hours. We’re fortunate to have such a variety in our staff. It definitely strengthens the clinic.”

“And you’re able to juggle that with Project Mentor and your regular patients?”

“I have a couple of partners with my practice, who pick up my slack when I need them to. Of course, I’ve talked one of them into volunteering at the clinic and I’m working on the other. As far as the project goes, well, I try to make that a priority and fit it in as best I can.”

“Sounds like you’re always working.”

“Seems that way sometimes. With my regular practice and the clinic I’m practically always on call, but I manage. Time with the kids isn’t like work. We have some fun.” He grinned. “Besides, I take long lunch breaks.”

She leaned toward him. “Still, doesn’t seem to leave much time for a personal life.”

His gaze grew warm, his pupils dilating. “There hasn’t been much going on there lately.”

“Really? I heard you and April had a thing. That you two split up recently and that’s why the cold reception at the DCWC.” Cassie had filled Tess in on April’s history with Mason as a way of explaining the club’s refusal.

He straightened, his eyes widening. “You like to lay all the cards on the table, don’t you?”

“I think it’s important to keep the air clear. Should I extend my condolences?” Tess smiled inwardly. The air around him shimmered with surprise and a little regret, but no heartache. Whatever ailed him, it wasn’t April.

He took a moment to sip his coffee. “Don’t get me wrong, April is a wonderful woman and I had hoped for a while that we could have more in our relationship. It took me some time to figure out that that just wasn’t
going to happen. It wouldn’t have been fair to either one of us to keep things going. We had let it linger for way too long as it was.”

Tess reached across the table to touch his arm. The connection was strong, sending warm tingles over her. “I’m sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about. People leave each other. Life goes on.”

She shivered. Something dark and painful moved through him. Was that Mason’s trouble? Had someone left him? “Mason—”

A beeper sounded from his side of the table. He blew out a long breath as he pulled a pager from his pocket. “Ah, here we go. Time to get back to work. I’m so sorry to have to cut this short.”

She rose with him. “No problem. I need to get back myself.”

They moved toward the door and he touched her elbow. “Thank you, Tess, for everything—the coffee, the company, offering your help. I just know good things will come of this.”

They stepped through the door, then out into the parking lot. “Oh, definitely. Why don’t I make a few calls to get the ball rolling? Then I’ll be in touch to arrange a meeting so we can start organizing everything.”

He smiled with genuine pleasure. “That sounds really great. Here, let me give you my contact info.” He pulled a card from his wallet. “Have you got a pen?”

“Sure.” She found a pen bearing her nursery’s logo. “Here, keep this and you’ll know where to find me most days.”

“Great.” His brows arched. “No home number?”

“My cell’s on there, but anyone at the shop can get me if I’m not around.”

He scrawled some more numbers across the back of his business card, then handed it to her. “That’s my home phone, cell phone and pager. So now you have every means of reaching me. If you can’t get me on one of those, I’m probably with a patient. Leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”

“So many numbers. I feel important.”

“You are.” The heat returned to his eyes. “I want you to be able to reach me whenever you need me, even if it’s after hours.”

She cocked her head, smiling. Was the good doctor actually flirting with her? That was definitely a good sign. “Trust me, I’ll be in touch.”

He squeezed her hand and nodded. “I’m really looking forward to it.”

His pager sounded again and she shooed him away. “Go. We’ll talk soon.”

Nodding, he moved off, his cell phone already to his ear. The sun shone down on him, picking out vibrant streaks of auburn in his dark hair. She smiled as he turned to wave. Even across the parking lot, his excitement called to her. Maybe the good doctor wouldn’t need so much coaxing, after all.

“B
UT
, C
ASSIE
,
HOW COULD
you
not
want to do this?” Tess bit the inside of her lip. She knew she shouldn’t push too hard, or she might lose any possible support from the woman. And if Tess was going to make it into the DCWC, she needed an ally on the inside. At least Cassie had been open to her stopping by her home when Tess had called to say she had something important to discuss.

Surely that was a good sign.

“It isn’t that I don’t agree that Project Mentor is a worthwhile project.” Cassie’s eyes took on a dreamy quality. “Anything Mason Davies is involved with is bound to be a huge success….”

“But? I definitely hear a
but
after that.”

“But…April really won’t like it. She’s a good friend and we go way back.” Cassie paused as if considering her next words. “There was more to it than I said before. They were engaged.”

“April and Mason?” Though she’d suspected their relationship wasn’t casual, hearing it confirmed was a bit of a kick to the gut.

“It was a long, drawn-out thing. Four years. How could anyone be engaged that long and not set a date?
I always thought there was something wrong there, but April never seemed to mind—always made excuses. I think finally even she got tired of waiting and put her foot down. That’s when he dumped her.”

“
He
called it off?”

“Well, she says it was mutual, but if that’s the case, why is she so mad at him? Seems otherwise she’d just go on with her life and be glad it was over with. Don’t you think?”

“When did all this happen?”

“Early last week. I called him Friday to see if he was still coming to the luncheon—he’d been on the agenda for months. I really thought that he would back out under the circumstances.” She shook her head. “But not Mason. You have to admire him for that. It was kind of like facing a firing squad.”

“Did April know he would be there Sunday?”

“I told her. She said he wouldn’t show. That he would know better.”

“But he did show.”

“And she shot him down.”

“Yes, she did.”

Cassie leaned toward Tess. “But that wasn’t really April. She’s just not herself right now. If you go ahead with this plan to help him, you’ll risk making an enemy of her and possibly some of the other women in the club. She has a very loyal following.”

“Even though she’s holding a personal grudge and he’s supporting a cause that’s transforming the lives of children?”

“She’s not so bad, you know. I can only imagine what she’s going through, losing a man like Mason.
She’s put her heart and soul into this organization and she’s good at what she does. She really does care about the community.” She frowned. “I’ve never seen her let a personal issue cloud her judgment like this.”

“I don’t have to do this with the DCWC. I understand that Mason likes the clout the group can give him and the project’s success is practically guaranteed with it, but I have plenty of resources of my own.” Her ex-lovers certainly gave new meaning to the term
manpower.

“You do?”

Tess nodded. “I can’t explain it, but I really want to be part of this club. I know if I join, then take on this project, I may be making more enemies than friends. But if I can make just
one
new friend in the process, it’ll be worthwhile. And if not…well, I’ll know I did the right thing by trying.” She shrugged. “Besides, Project Mentor needs our help more than I need new friends.”

“Oh, that’s really sweet.” Cassie’s eyes narrowed and she chewed her bottom lip as though thinking about Tess’s plan. “You would have a hard time pulling this off on your own.”

Tess held her breath and waited.

“We’ve always followed April because she usually makes the best decisions, but in this case…” Cassie’s gaze held Tess’s. Excitement sparkled in her eyes. “Tell you what, let’s go see Terry to get you on board as an official member. Then what would you say to you and I paying April a visit?”

“I’d say that’s a plan.”

“I’
LL HAVE THE ROAST BEEF
on whole wheat, hold the mayo, no pickle and a small house salad, ranch dress
ing on the side.” Mason handed the waitress his menu that Friday afternoon, then turned to Tess, who sat across from him, flanked by Cassie and a man named Josh—a friend of Tess’s.

The man hovered over Tess in an annoyingly territorial manner. Try as he might, Mason couldn’t stem the irrational jealousy he felt as Josh draped his arm across the back of her seat. Mason frowned. Good God, he
had
turned into a hormonal teenager.

Tess smiled, her eyes shining as she glanced over the menu, seeming to take great pleasure in the simple act of ordering her meal. “I’ll have some of that shaved blackened chicken on pumpernickel rye—” her gaze flicked to Mason “—load on the mayo, lettuce, tomato and pickles…lots of pickles. I’ll have that with onion rings and the Caesar with the shrimp and…a loaded baked potato.”

While their waitress took Josh’s order, Mason stared in wonder. “You can’t possibly eat all of that.”

“I’ll put a good dent in it. Josh gave me a good workout this morning. I’m starved.”

Ha.
Just as he’d suspected. Mason eyed Tess’s
friend
as his jealousy stepped up a notch. Some friend.

The man was groomed to the max, from his perfectly styled hair to his buffed nails. He was built like a line-backer, with straight, honest features. April would have jumped him in a minute. A picture of Tess’s
workout
flashed through Mason’s mind and he stifled the image, frustrated that he should even care about this woman’s romantic liaisons.

Tess McClellan was a sensual woman, and he couldn’t deny a definite attraction. Her sex life was
none of his business, though, even if fantasies of her had haunted him since their meeting at the park earlier in the week. After his disaster with April, the last thing Mason needed—or wanted—was to rush into another relationship.

Not that Tess was remotely his type.

Her cell phone rang and Mason did his best not to eavesdrop as she murmured consoling words to some guy named Kyle. She’d put her hair up into a kind of twist, but loose curls had escaped to fall around her face and the nape of her neck, giving her a wild, untamed look. Mason fisted his hand against the surprising urge to touch one of those curls, to pull the clip free and run his hands through those glorious red waves.

He gave himself a mental shake. What was wrong with him? Normally he went for a more…conventional type of woman. Tess McClellan certainly didn’t fit that bill.

“Mason, what time does it start?” Josh’s question pulled him from his reverie.

Mason turned to him and blinked. “I’m sorry, what time does what start?”

A knowing smile broke across the man’s face. “You know, you can’t fight it, bro.”

“Excuse me?”

Josh cocked his head in Tess’s direction. “She’s like magic—”

“Oh, look. Here’s our food. That was quick. Thank goodness. I’m famished.” Tess beamed as their waitress approached, her arms laden with dishes. Another server trailed after her, his arms also full.

The dark-haired server peered around their waitress as she bent to place the dishes on the table. “Tess?” he
asked, his eyebrows arched in enthusiasm. “Hi, sweetheart. I didn’t know you were coming in today. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Mark, it’s so good to see you.” She raised her cheek as he placed a quick kiss there. “Since when do you work at this location? I thought you were in Hallandale.”

“They had a staffing crisis. I’m filling in for a few days.” He glanced around the table at the notepads and pens. “You having some kind of meeting?”

“We’re working on a fund-raiser.”

“Let me know if you need any help.” He turned to Josh as he handed the dishes to their waitress. “How’s it hanging, Josh? Haven’t seen you in quite a while. Heard I just missed you at the apartment the other night when I stopped by to see our girl. You know how it is. I get the Tess jones on—”

“Mark, this is Cassie Aikens, with the Dade County Women’s Club, and Dr. Mason Davies, with Project Mentor. We’re trying to help Mason’s group build a special youth center,” Tess interrupted him.

Mark’s eyes lit with understanding. “Right. Travis was telling me about that.”

“Travis is back?” Tess and Josh asked in unison.

“He called the other night while you were busy with Jack. Kyle mentioned it to him.”

Travis? Jack? Kyle? And all those calls. Who were all these men? And what were they to her?

Before Mason could form a coherent comment she waved her hand as if brushing aside his unspoken questions. “More friends.”

Mark bade her goodbye, with the promise to catch up with her later. After he’d left she turned back to
Mason. “We were talking about the beach cleanup next Saturday. What time does it start?”

“Are you
all
coming?” he asked, squelching the image of Tess surrounded by a flock of men.

Josh leaned forward. “I’ve already got a full schedule that day.” He winked at Tess. “But Tess can round up—”

“I’m sure they have plenty of volunteers.” Tess smiled stiffly.

Mason settled back in his seat. “Oh, we can always use more volunteers.”

Josh opened his mouth, but Tess cut him off. “Cassie and I thought we’d lend a hand…if you need us and we won’t be in the way.”

“I would be more than happy to help,” Cassie said. “Maybe we can round up a few of the others from the DCWC.”

“Sure. We’re glad to have you. We’ll be at North Beach at nine-thirty.”

“Tess?” A bearded stranger approached their table.

“Hi, Hugh.” Her eyes widened, but she smiled and rose to exchange an enthusiastic, if brief, hug with this new man. “How are you?”

Cassie turned to Mason. “She certainly has a lot of
friends.
”

“That she does.” Mason glanced questioningly across the table at Josh.

He shrugged. “She’s
very
special.”

“When did you get back into town?” Tess asked the latest arrival.

“Just this morning. I was passing by and saw you through the window. I was going to stop by the nursery, but looks like you won’t be there.”

“I’ve hired another full-time person. It’s great. I can get away a little more often now. I’d love to hear about your trip some time, but we’re in the middle of a meeting.” She made introductions, then explained briefly about the fund-raiser.

“Hey, I can hook you up with an orchestra if you’d like,” Hugh offered.

After Tess assured him she’d let him know, he gave her a quick kiss, then left, much to Mason’s relief. Mason hated to admit it even to himself, but he might have to protest if one more man dropped by with a friendly hug or kiss for her. He shook his head, irritated with himself. He’d only just met the woman.

Why should he care?

He squelched the memory of the heated moments they’d shared in the park and over coffee. It wasn’t as though anything had actually happened between them. He would
not
fall under whatever seductive spell she seemed to weave over the male population. That was the last thing he needed.

Though Tess’s cell phone rang a few times, apparently with calls from more of her
friends,
they managed to make it through the rest of the meeting. From time to time Tess tossed in more names as resources for various aspects of the project. Whatever the need, be it advertising to catering, her connections seemed endless and all of them male.

“I’ll go ahead and put these names and numbers in my database.” Cassie scribbled a few more notes. “We’ll see who can work us the best deals between our usual people and your…ah…friends, Tess.”

Tess nodded, her mouth set in a firm line. “So, we
have our to-do lists. We’ve assigned tasks and set our priorities. Cassie, you’re going to check on ballrooms and get back to us, so we can pinpoint locations and maybe a date.” She paused, but no one added anything. “Should we set our next meeting time?”

They agreed to meet the following week. Josh offered to help Cassie carry out a file case she’d brought that held information from previous fund-raising events she’d helped coordinate for the DCWC. She and Josh moved off ahead of Tess and Mason, absorbed in conversation as Tess scooped up her large to-go container.

Mason glanced at her as they headed toward the door. His arm brushed hers and the heat she seemed to invoke in him rose. He cleared his throat and forced his gaze from the curve of her breasts. “Thanks for coming and rounding up the troops. This thing is sure to be a hit with the DCWC backing it. I don’t see how we can miss with their expertise and your connections.”

“It’ll be great. You’ll have your youth center.”

“Tess!” Someone called to her from a table near the door.

Pink tinged her cheeks as she turned to greet what appeared to be yet another male admirer. Mason hung back as the man granted her the customary kiss and embrace. Something about the interaction spoke of an intimacy he refused to contemplate.

Exactly what sort of woman was he getting involved with? Not that they were
involved,
really.
If
he were looking for another relationship, it would be with a woman of a more…innocent nature.

“Another friend,” she explained when she returned to his side.

“Tess, I hope you don’t mind, but I just have to ask…” He held the restaurant door for her and Miami’s heat blew over them.

She stepped past him into the bright sunlight, turning to him as they cleared the threshold. The breeze brushed over her, conforming the thin fabric of her dress to her curves. “Sure, ask me anything.”

He focused on her eyes. “How
do
you know all those men?”

“You mean, are they really all just friends?”

“Yes.”

“The answer is yes. They really are all just friends…now.”

“Now?”

Her gaze locked with his. The same breeze stirred her curls. One shining wisp clung to her lip. “At one time—each in his own time—they were all my lovers.”

“Oh.” A buzzing sounded in his ears. His blood warmed and his body swayed toward her.