The Real Thing

“Yes, he is definitely handsome. Most Westmoreland men are. And don’t worry about other women. He’s single, but now that he has agreed to pretend to be your boyfriend, he’s going to give you all his attention.”

Trinity sighed. In a way, that’s what she was afraid of. “Adrian doesn’t think Dr. Belvedere seeing us together once will do it.”

“Probably not, especially if the man is obsessed with having you. From what you’ve told me, it sounds like he is.”

Trinity didn’t say anything for a minute. “Well, I hope he gets the message because Adrian is serious about making sure the plan works.”

“Good. I think you’re in good hands.”

Trinity wasn’t so sure that was a positive thing, especially when she remembered the number of times last night she had thought about Adrian’s hands. He had beautiful fingers, long and lean. She had wondered more than once how those fingers would feel stroking her skin.

“Trinity?”

She blinked, realizing she had been daydreaming. “Yes?”

“You’re still keeping that journal, right?”

Tara had suggested she keep a record of each and every time Casey Belvedere made unwanted advances toward her. “Yes, I’m still keeping the journal.”

“Good. Don’t worry about anything. I wouldn’t have suggested Adrian if I didn’t believe he would be the right one to help handle your business.”

“I know. I know. But...”

“But what?”

Trinity breathed in deeply. “But nothing. I just hope your idea eventually works.”

“Me, too. And if it doesn’t we move to plan B.”

Trinity lifted a brow. “What’s plan B?”

“I haven’t thought of it yet.”

She couldn’t help but laugh. She loved her big sister and appreciated Tara being there for her right now. “Hopefully, there won’t have to be a plan B.”

“Let’s keep hoping. In the meantime, just enjoy Adrian. He’s a fun guy and you haven’t had any fun lately. I know how it is, going through residency. Been there. Done that. You can only take so much and do so much. We’re doctors, not miracle workers, Trinity. We have lives, too, and everybody needs downtime. Stress can kill—remember that.”

“I will.”

A few moments later she had ended her call with Tara and was about to head for the kitchen to put together a salad for dinner when her cell phone rang again. Trinity’s heartbeat quickened when she saw it was Adrian.

What was that shiver about, the one that had just passed through her whole body? She frowned, wondering what was wrong with her. Why was she reacting this way to his phone call? It wasn’t as if their affair was the real thing. Why did she feel the need to remind herself that it was only a sham for Dr. Belvedere’s benefit?

She clicked on her phone. “Hello?”

“Hello, this is Adrian. How did things go at work today?”

She wished he didn’t sound as good as he looked. Or that when he had arrived to pick her up for dinner last night, he’d not dressed as though he’d jumped right off the page of a men’s magazine.

She had been ready to walk out the moment his car had pulled into her driveway. So there had been no reason for him to get out of his car to meet her halfway down the walkway. But he had done so, showing impeccable manners by escorting her to his car and opening the door for her. However, it wasn’t his manners the woman in her had appreciated the most. He was so tall she had to look up at him, into a pair of eyes and a face that had almost taken her breath away.

She sighed softly now as the memory rushed through her mind. Only then did she recall the question he had asked her.

“Today was okay, probably because Dr. Belvedere is off for the next two days so I didn’t see him. I’m dreading Friday when he returns.”

“Hopefully things won’t be so bad. We’ll keep up our charade until he accepts the fact that you already have a man.”

A pretend man but, oh, what a man, she thought to herself. “Do you think after seeing us together last night he believes we’re an item?”

“Oh, I’m sure he probably believes it. But for him to accept it is a whole other story. It’s my guess that he won’t.”

Trinity nibbled on her bottom lip. “I hope you’re wrong.”

“I hope I’m wrong, as well. Enjoy tomorrow and we’ll see what happens on Friday. Just to be on the safe side, let’s plan a date for the weekend. How about a show Saturday night?”

“A show?”

“Yes, one of those live shows at the Dunning Theater. A real casual affair.”

She thought about what Tara had said, about Trinity getting out more and not working so hard. Besides, she and Adrian needed to be seen around town together as much as possible for Dr. Belvedere to get the message. “Do you think Belvedere will be attending the show, as well?”

He chuckled, and Trinity’s skin reacted to the sound. Goose bumps formed on her arm. “Not sure, but it doesn’t matter. The more we’re seen together by others, the more believable our story will be. So are you good for Saturday night?”

“Yes. It just so happens I’m off this weekend.”

“Good. I’ll pick you up around seven.”

Three

This is just a pretend date, so why am I getting all worked up over it? Trinity asked herself as she threw yet another outfit from her closet across her bed.

So far, just like all the other outfits she’d given the boot, it was either too dressy, not dressy enough or just plain boring. Frustrated, she ran her hands through her hair, wishing she had her sister’s gift for fashion. Whenever Tara and Thorn went out on the town they were decked out to the nines and always looked good together. But even before Tara had become Mrs. Thorn Westmoreland, people had said she looked more like a model than a pediatrician.

Trinity glanced at her watch. Only an hour before Adrian arrived and she had yet to find an outfit she liked. Who was she kidding? A part of her was hoping that whatever she liked he would like, as well. She seldom dated and now, thanks to Casey Belvedere, it was being forced upon her.

Maybe she should call Adrian and cancel. Immediately she dismissed the idea from her mind. So far the week had been going smoothly. Dr. Belvedere had been off, even on Friday. It seemed everyone had breathed a lot easier, able to be attentive but relaxed. No one had had to look over their shoulders, dreading the moment when Belvedere showed his face. She wasn’t the only one who thought he was a pain in the rear end.

Deciding she would take Tara’s advice and have fun for a change, Trinity settled on a pair of jeans and a green pullover sweater. Giving both a nod of approval, she placed them across the chair. It was the middle of March and back home in Florida people were strutting around in tank tops and blouses. But in Denver everyone was still wearing winter clothes.

Trinity doubted she would ever get used to this weather.

“Which is why getting through your residency is a must,” she mumbled to herself as she headed for the bathroom to take a shower. “Then you can leave and head back to Florida where you belong.”

A short while later she had finished her shower, dressed and placed light makeup on her face. She smiled as she looked at herself in the mirror, satisfied with what she saw. No telling how many dates Adrian was giving up by pretending to be her man. The least she could do was make sure she looked worth his time and effort in helping her out.

She glanced at her watch. She had twenty minutes, and the last thing she had to do was her hair. She was about to pull the curling iron from a drawer when her cell phone rang, and she saw it was Adrian. She wondered if he was calling to say something had come up and he couldn’t take her out after all.

“Hello?”

“Trinity?”

She ignored the sensations floating around her stomach and the thought of how good he sounded whenever he pronounced her name. “Yes?”

“I’m here.”

She lifted a brow. “Where?”

“At your front door.”

“Oh.” She swallowed. “You’re early.”

“Is that a problem?”

She glanced at herself in the mirror. “I haven’t done my hair yet.”

“I have three sisters, so I understand. I can wait...inside.”

Trinity swallowed again. Of course he would expect to wait inside. To have him wait outside in the car for her would be downright tacky. “Okay, I’m on my way to the door.”

Glad she was at least fully dressed, she left her bedroom and moved toward the door despising the tingle that continued to sweep through her body. “Get a grip, girl. It’s just Adrian. He’s almost family,” she told herself.

But when she opened the door the thought that quickly went through her mind was, Scratch the thought he’s almost family.

As her gaze swept across him from top to bottom, she willed herself not to react to what she saw and failed miserably. She was mesmerized. If she thought he’d looked good in his business suit days ago, tonight his manliness was showing to the nth degree. There was just something about a tall, handsome man in a pair of jeans, white shirt and dark brown corduroy blazer. The Stetson on his head only added to the eye-candy effect.

“Now I see what you mean, so please do something with your hair.”

His comment had her reaching for the thick strands that flowed past her shoulders. When she saw the teasing smile on his lips, she couldn’t help but smile back as she stepped aside to let him in. “That bad?”

“No. There’s nothing wrong with your hair. It looks great.”

She rolled her eyes as she led him to her living room. “There’re no curls in it.”

He chuckled. “Curls aren’t everything. Trust me, I know. Like I said, I have three sisters.”

And she knew his sisters and liked them immensely. “Would you like something to drink while you wait?”

“Um, what do you have?”

“Soda, beer, wine and lemonade.”

“I’ll take a soda.”

“One soda coming up,” she said, walking off, and although she was tempted to do so, she didn’t look back.

When she opened the refrigerator, the blast of cold air cooled her somewhat; she couldn’t believe she’d actually gotten hot just looking at him. Closing the refrigerator, she paused. Some sort of raw, erotic power had emanated off him and she inwardly admitted that Adrian Westmoreland was an astonishing specimen of masculinity. The kind that made her want to lick him all over.

“Nice place.”

She jerked around to find the object of her intense desire standing in the middle of her kitchen. For some reason he appeared taller, bigger than life and even sexier. “As you can see there’s not much to it. It was either get a bigger place and share it with someone or get this one, which I can afford on my own.”

He nodded. “It suits you.”

She handed him the drink and their hands touched slightly. She hoped he hadn’t noticed the tremble that passed through her with the exchange. “In what way?”

His gaze gave her body a timeless sweep and she felt her heartbeat quicken. His eyes returned to hers as he took his glass. “Nice. Tidy. Perfect coloring with everything blending together rather nicely.”

Was she imagining things or had Adrian’s eyes darkened to a deep, rich chocolate? And was his comparison of her to her home meant to be flirtatious? “Enjoy your soda while I work on my hair.”

“Need help?”

She smiled as she quickly headed out of the kitchen. She didn’t want to imagine how his hands would feel on her head. “No, thanks. I can manage.”

* * *

Adrian took a long sip of his drink as he watched Trinity leave her kitchen. Nice-looking backside, he thought, and then wished he hadn’t. Tara would skin him alive if he made a play for her sister. And if Tara told Thorn, there would be no hope for Adrian since everybody knew Thorn was a man not to toy with.

Then why did you flirt with Trinity just now? he asked himself, taking another sip. You’re only asking for trouble. Your job is to pretend the two of you are lovers and not lust after her like some horny ass. You’ve already crossed the line with that kiss—don’t make matters worse.

He took another sip of his soda. What could be worse than wanting a woman and not being able to have her? A smile touched his lips, thinking that Dr. Casey Belvedere would soon find out.

“I’m ready.”

He turned slightly and almost choked on the liquid he’d just sipped. She’d used one of those styling-irons to put curls in her hair at the ends. The style looked good on her. She looked good. All over. Top to bottom.

“You look nice.”

“Thanks. You look nice yourself. You didn’t say what show we’ll be seeing.”

“I didn’t? Then I guess it will be a surprise. I talked to Tara earlier today and asked her about your favorite dessert. She told me about your fascination with strawberry cheesecake, so I made arrangements for us to stop for cheesecake and coffee on our way back.”

“That’s thoughtful of you.”

“I’m a thoughtful person. You ready to go?”

“Yes.”

He placed the empty glass on the counter and crossed the room to link his arm with hers. “Then let’s go.”

* * *

“You’re driving a different car tonight,” Trinity noted when they reached the sleek and sassy vehicle parked in her driveway. The night he’d taken her to dinner he’d been driving a black Lexus sedan. Tonight he was in a sporty candy-apple-red Lexus two-seater convertible.

“And I own neither. A good friend owns a Lexus dealership in town and when I returned to Denver he sold me a Lexus SUV. But he figures as much as I’m seen around town with the ladies that he might as well let me use any car off his lot whenever I go out on a date. He’s convinced showcasing his cars around town is good publicity. And it has paid off. Several people have come into his dealership to buy his cars.”

“And I bet most were women.”

He chuckled as he opened the door for her. “Now why would you think that?”

“A hunch. Am I right?”

“Possibly.”

“Go ahead and admit it. It’s okay. I’ve heard all about your dating history,” she said, buckling her seat belt.

“Have you?” he asked, leaning against the open car door.

“Yes.”

“From who?”

“I’d rather not disclose my sources.”

“And you think they’re reliable?” he asked.

“I see no reason why they shouldn’t be.”

He shrugged before closing the door. She watched him sprint around the front to the driver’s side to get in. He buckled his own seat belt, but before pressing the key switch he glanced over at her. “There’s only one reliable source when it comes to me, Trinity.”

She lifted a brow. “And who might that be?”

He pointed a finger at his chest. “Me. Feel free to ask me anything you want...within reason.”

She smiled. “Then here’s my first question. More women have purchased cars from your friend than men, right?”

He returned her smile as he backed out of her driveway. “I’ll admit that they have.”

“I’m not surprised.”

“Why not?”

“Several reasons,” she said, noticing the smooth sound of the car’s engine as he drove down her street.

“State them.”

She glanced over at him. He had brought the car to a stop at a traffic light. “I can see where some women would find you persuasive and lap up anything you say as gospel.”

A smile she wouldn’t categorize as totally conceited touched his lips. “You think so? You believe I might have that much influence?”

“Yes, but mind you, I said some women.”

“What about you? Are you ready for a new car?”

She held his gaze. “Unless it’s free, I’m not interested. A car payment is the last thing I need right now. The car I presently drive is just fine. It gets me from point A to point B and if I sing to it real nice, it might even make it to point C. I can’t ask for anything more than that.”

“You can but you won’t.”

His comment was right on the money but she wondered how he’d figured that out. “Why do you say that?”

The car was moving again and he didn’t answer until when they reached another traffic light a few moments later. He looked over at her. “You’re not the only one with sources. I understand that beneath those curls on your head is a very independent mind.”

She shrugged as she broke away from his look to glance out the window. “I can’t handle my business any other way. My parents raised all of us to be independent thinkers.”

“Is that why you didn’t go along with Tara’s plan at first?”

She looked back at him. “You’ll have to admit it’s a little far-fetched.”

“I look at it as a means to an end.”

“I just hope it works.”

“It will.”

She was about to ask why he felt so certain when she noticed they had pulled up for valet parking. The building was beautiful and the architecture probably dated back to the eighteen hundreds. Freestanding, it stood as an immaculate building with a backdrop of mountains. “Nice.”

“Glad you like it. It was an old hotel. Now it’s been renovated, turned into a theater that has live shows. Pam’s group is working on a production that will be performed here.”

Trinity knew Dillon’s wife, Pam, used to be a movie star who now owned an acting school in town. “That’s wonderful.”

“I think so, too. Her group is working hard with rehearsals and all. It will be their first show.”

When they reached the ticket booth the clerk greeted Adrian by name. “Good evening, Mr. Westmoreland.”

“Hello, Paul. I believe you’re holding reserved tickets for me.”

“Yes sir,” the man said, handing Adrian an envelope. Adrian checked the contents before smiling at her. “We’re a little early so we might as well grab a drink. They serve refreshments while we wait.”

“Okay.”

When they entered the huge room, Trinity glanced around. This area of the building was nicely decorated, as well.

“What would you like?” Adrian asked her.

“What are you drinking?”

“Beer.”

“Then I’ll take one, as well.”

Adrian grabbed the attention of one of the waiters and gave him their order. It was then that a couple passed and Adrian said, “Roger? Is that you?”

A man who looked to be in his late thirties or early forties turned and gave Adrian a curious glance. “Yes, I’m Roger. But forgive me, I can’t remember where we’ve met.”

Adrian held out his hand. “Adrian Westmoreland. We’ve met through my brother Dillon,” he lied, knowing the man probably wouldn’t remember but would pretend that he did.

A huge smiled appeared on the man’s face as he accepted Adrian’s handshake. “Oh, yes, of course. I remember now. And this is my wife Kathy,” he said, introducing the woman with him.

Adrian shook her hand. He then turned to Trinity and smiled. “And this is a very special friend,” he said. “Roger and Kathy, I’d like you to meet Dr. Trinity Matthews.”

Trinity couldn’t help wondering what was going on in that mind of Adrian’s. She soon found out when he said, “Trinity, I’d like you to meet Roger and Kathy Belvedere.”

Trinity forced herself not to blink in surprise as she shook the couple’s hands. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Roger said, smiling. “And where do you practice, doctor? I’m familiar with a number of hospitals in the city. In fact,” he said, chuckling and then bragging, “my family is building a wing at Denver Memorial.”

“That’s where I work. I’m in pediatrics, so I’m familiar with the wing under construction. It’s much needed and will be nice when it’s finished,” Trinity said.

Roger’s smile widened. “Thanks. If you work at Denver Memorial then you must know my brother Casey. He’s a surgeon there. I’m sure you’ve heard of Dr. Casey Belvedere.”

Trinity fought to keep a straight face. “Yes, I know Dr. Belvedere.”

“Then I must mention to him that Kathy and I ran into the two of you.”

“Yes, you do that,” Adrian said, smiling.

After the couple walked off, the waiter approached with their beers. Trinity looked over at Adrian. “You knew he was going to be here tonight, didn’t you?”

He looked at her. “Yes. And there’s no doubt in my mind he’ll mention seeing us to his brother.”

Trinity nodded as she took a sip of her beer. Tonight was just another strategic move in Adrian’s game plan. Why was she surprised...and sort of disappointed?

At that moment someone on a speaker announced that seating for the next show would start in fifteen minutes. As they finished their beers, she decided that regardless of the reason Adrian had brought her here, tonight she intended to enjoy herself.

Four

As he’d planned, after the show Adrian took Trinity to Andrew’s, a place known in Denver for having the best desserts. While enjoying strawberry cheesecake topped with vanilla ice cream, Adrian decided he liked hearing the sound of Trinity’s voice.

She kept the conversation interesting by telling him about her family. Her father owned a medical practice and her mother worked as his nurse. Her two older brothers were doctors, as well, living in Bunnell.

She also talked about her college days and how she’d wanted to stick close to home, which was why she’d attended the local community college in Bunnell for two years before moving to Gainesville to attend the University of Florida. Although it was a college town, the city of Gainesville provided a small-town atmosphere. She’d enjoyed living there so much that she’d remained there for medical school.

She also told him how she preferred a small town to a big one, how she found Denver much too large and how she looked forward to finishing up her residency and moving back to Bunnell.

He leaned back in his chair after cleaning his plate, admitting the cake and ice cream had been delicious. “Aw, come on,” he joked to Trinity. “Why don’t you just come clean and admit that the real reason you want to hightail it back is because you have a guy waiting there for you.”

She made a face. The way she scrunched her nose and pouted her lips was utterly cute. “That is totally not true...especially after what Derrick did to Tara. The last thing I’d have is a boyfriend that I believed would wait for me.”

He had heard all about the Tara fiasco from one of his cousins, although he couldn’t remember which one. He couldn’t believe any man in his right mind would run off and leave someone as gorgeous as Tara Matthews Westmoreland standing in the middle of some church. What a fool.

“What happened to Tara has made you resentful and distrustful of giving your heart to a hometown guy?”

She shrugged her shoulders and unconsciously licked whipped cream off her fork. In an instant his stomach tightened. Sexual hunger stirred to life in his groin. He picked up his glass of water and almost drained it in one gulp.

“Worse than that. It taught me not to truly give my heart to any man, hometown or otherwise.”

He studied her, seeing the seriousness behind the beautiful pair of eyes staring back at him. “But things worked out fine for Tara in the end, didn’t they? She met Thorn.”

He saw the slow smile replace her frown. “Yes, she did, and I’m glad. He’s made her happy.”

Adrian nodded. “So there are happy endings sometimes.”

She finished off the last of her cake before saying, “Yes, sometimes, but not often enough for me to take a chance.”

“So you don’t ever intend to fall in love?”

“Not if I can help it. I told you what I want.”

He nodded again. “To return to Bunnell and work alongside your father and brothers in their medical business.”

“Yes.”

He took another sip of his water when she moistened the top of her lip with the tip of her tongue. “What about your happiness?” he asked her, shifting slightly in his chair.

She lifted a brow. “My happiness?”

“Yes. Don’t you want to have someone to grow old with?”

She turned the tables when she asked, “Don’t you?”

He thought about the question. “I intend to date and enjoy life for as long as I can. I’m aware at some point I’ll need to settle down, marry and have children, but at the moment there’re enough Westmorelands handling that without me. It seemed every time I came home for spring break, I would have a wedding to attend or a new niece, nephew or second cousin being born.”