“A Dr. Amelia Courson. She says she’s here to make a house call. Do you still want me to send her away?”
Dak stood and placed his glass of bourbon down with a thump, trying to ignore the sexual hunger that sprang to life inside him. Amelia was here? Why hadn’t she followed the instructions on the invitation he’d sent. He would send a private car to pick her up and take her to the airport where he and his jet would be waiting for her Saturday morning in Charlottesville. No part of his invitation had indicated she should show up here. Hadn’t he just explained to Jennifer yesterday that his estate was off limits?
“Mr. Navarro, do you want me to send her away?”
He had half a mind to tell Dusty to do just that. But he wouldn’t. He would have a talk with Amelia and explain that, in the future, he would expect her to follow directions. In the meantime, he’d make arrangements for her to stay at a hotel in town. “No, Dusty. By all means let the doctor make her house call. Please have one of your men escort her here.”
“Yes, sir.”
When he clicked off the intercom, anticipation thickened the very air he was breathing, whether he liked it to or not. How had she found out where he lived? He was certain Stonewall hadn’t given her his address. He was about to leave the entertainment room and go upstairs, so that he’d be there when the door opened, but then thought better of it. She had come uninvited, and he refused to greet her at the door as if he’d been expecting her.
If Dr. Amelia Courson had the nerve to enter his private territory, then this room was where his security man would bring her.
“REMAIN RIGHT HERE, MISS…I mean, doctor,” the security man who identified himself as Silas said.
“Sure thing,” Mellie said, pulling her luggage behind her as she entered the foyer of Dak’s home…or maybe she should say, his mansion. She could fit four of her houses right here in his foyer. From what she could see of his living room from here, it was four times as large as the foyer. Then she saw the double staircases.
She shook her head. Stonewall had told her and Granny Kay how huge Dak’s house was. What would a man, living alone, need with such a huge place? And she’d bet the portraits hanging on the walls were all originals. There was a huge painted portrait of a Hispanic man in a cop’s uniform who looked to be in his late thirties. She knew, without being told, that he was Dak’s father—the man who’d given a lost little boy a chance to have a good life. And, looking around, Mellie had to admit that Dak had made the most of it.
“Mr. Navarro is in his entertainment room. He asked that I bring you to him,” Silas said.
Mellie smiled at him. Although he was a large man who didn’t seem to smile much, he seemed rather nice. “Please lead the way.”
Deciding to leave her luggage where it was, she followed Silas, glancing around as she went. Okay, not only was the house enormous, it was also gorgeous. She remembered him telling her Saturday night that he didn’t spend as much time here as he’d have liked. Well, she had news for him. If she lived in a place like this, she’d probably never leave. Granted, it was night and most of the lights were dimmed or turned off, but given the beauty of what she was seeing, she could only imagine how incredible the place was in the light of day.
They walked through a corridor off the kitchen. Since the lights were on, she could see inside it. Wow. This kitchen could easily be featured on a magazine cover. She recalled Stonewall telling her that Dak loved to cook. He also liked growing his own herbs and vegetables in his garden on his estate. There was a lot about him she didn’t know, but she’d find out over the next week or so. Although he hadn’t specified a time frame in his invitation, she figured it would likely be the same as invitations he’d issued to other women. Seven days was the max.
Silas paused at a set of double doors, and when he opened them, she blinked. An extravagant looking staircase that matched the two off the living room led down to Dak’s entertainment room. That was definitely too fancy for her taste. “You first, doctor.”
She moved in front of Silas and could hear the sound of soft music as she got closer to the bottom. Then she saw Dak. This was the first time she’d ever seen him wearing anything other than a tux, a business suit, or dress slacks and a shirt. But here, in the comfort of his own home, he had on jeans and a pullover shirt. And he was leaning over a huge pool table, lining up a shot.
Why couldn’t she take her eyes off him, his stance, his perfect physique and the way he looked in casual clothes? Her entire body instantly heated. Maybe showing up unannounced hadn’t been such a good idea after all.
“Doctor Courson is here, Mr. Navarro,” Silas said from behind her.
That’s when Dak’s head shifted in her direction and a pair of dark, smoldering eyes met hers.
Smiling, she said, “Hello, Dak.”
• • •
Instead of returning her greeting, Dak shifted his gaze from Amelia to Silas. “That will be all,” he said to the man.
“Yes, sir.”
When his security guy left, Dak shifted his gaze back to Amelia, trying to regain his equilibrium. He’d momentarily lost it when she’d flashed him a dimpled smile. “What are you doing here, Amelia?”
She came down the last two stairs and he tried not to show any reaction to what she was wearing. Like him, she was dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a crisp white blouse. His mouth watered. If he’d thought she was curvy before, those stretch jeans showed him the real deal. And her blouse clearly emphasized what a nice pair of breasts she had.
She crossed her arms over her chest, which made them even more attractive. “Excuse me? Did you not invite me here?”
Placing his cue-stick aside, he leaned against the pool table. “No, I didn’t. I invited you to share my world. Had you followed the instructions in my invitation, you would have called the number I provided to you. Then I would have told you that my jet would be picking you up Saturday morning at your airport in Charlottesville. At that time, I would have also given you the itinerary so you’d know where we would be going so you would know what to pack.”
She nodded. “Okay. But did you honestly think I would have boarded a jet with you and flown heaven knows where, without us first spending time together on the ground?”
He frowned, thinking of the number of other women who already had. “I don’t see why not.”
“Well, I do. The longest period of time we’ve spent together was Saturday at the reception, and afterward at that nightclub for drinks. I need to get a feel for what sort of guy you are before I fly off anywhere with you.”
Dak released a frustrated breath. She was just being difficult. That was how it worked—no other woman had ever complained. In fact, she even had an advantage. Her brother was a friend of his. So, she’d know he was a solid guy. And he’d love to show her just how solid…
He pushed those thoughts from his mind, trying to stay on point. “That’s not how the invitation works, Amelia.”
“Sorry, but that’s how my tentative acceptance works.”
Her tentative acceptance? Drawing in a deep breath, Dak looked away from her, trying to regain control. Picking up his cue stick again, he returned to his game of pool. It was either that or walk across the room and kiss her. Their one and only kiss hadn’t left his mind. In fact, even after several days, he’d swear he could still taste her.