respiratory centers of her brain literally shut down and left her woozy.
âSure you will, and youâll have fun. I promise.â
Looking into his twinkling eyes, Faith believed him. Being his girl, even for a weekend, would be fun. Only then sheâd have to pay the piper the price for that fun. And, dear Lord, could she please have some oxygen in her lungs please?
âDonât look now, but weâre being watched.â
She started turning toward the house, but Valeâs forehead lowered to rest against hers, and, grinning, he said, âMy mother and aunt are standing at the window and I told you not to look.â
âYes, but if this isnât a working weekend, youâre not my boss, are you?â she bit out, trying not to gasp for air.
He started to speak, but she rushed on.
âIâm not doing anything I donât want to do and you canât make me because I donât have to do as you say. Not away from work. And when I donât do as Your Highness commands, youâre not going to say a word to this lady who has her own mind and isnât afraid to use it.â She pulled away from him, shut her car door herself,then smiled as pretty as you please, only feeling slightly dizzy in the process, especially when he immediately recaptured her in his arms. âBecause youâre a gentlemen when it comes to the ladies, remember?â
CHAPTER FOUR
V ALE conceded that Faith had made a great point, wondering why he was suddenly as nervous as heâd been during his first stint in the operating room, wondering why he cared so much what Faith thought of his family, why it felt so right to have her in his arms when nothing could be further than the truth.
His gaze lowered to her all-too-kissable lips. âIâm always the boss, Faith. Always.â
Eyes wide, she swallowed. âYour family is originally from Philadelphia, arenât they?â
So she wanted to change the subject? Heâd let her, but he wasnât letting her go, even if she was squirming against him, trying to free herself. Actually, he should let her go because she was squirming against him and he was rapidly getting turned on. Talking about his family should cure that.
âYes, Philadelphia is their home base, but we spend more time together here.â With his arms still wrapped around her waist, he glanced toward the house his mother had thought theyâd needed a few years back. He missed the more traditional beach house sheâd had torn down to make room for its too-modern, too-big replacement. She hadnât been able to bear the original beach house after his father had died, though, and Valehad never contradicted her claims that theyâd needed more room.
âThese days,â he continued, âitâs rare for the entire family to be together, though. Holidays and special occasions. Thatâs about it.â
âYou worked through last Christmas,â she reminded him, no longer struggling to free herself and staring at him with her amazing eyes. Heâd swear he could look into her eyes for hours on end without getting bored. Not with the ever-changing gold flecks and the deep rings around her green irises.
âI flew to Philly for Christmas morning and spent the day with my family.â He pressed his palms into her low back, relishing how she molded to him, how his gut tightened with the desire to feel her naked beneath him.
âYou were back home that night, working,â she gulped, staring at him as if she could read his mind and wasnât sure what to think of this change in him. Hell, he didnât know what to think of these new reactions to her either.
âHow do you know I came back that night?â
She rolled her eyes. âBecause, no thought whatsoever to my holiday, you called, wanting me to assist on the Parkinsonâs article you were writing.â
Ah, now he remembered. Heâd been alone, digging through medical