Snowbound with Dr Delectable

What?

“He said he was a doctor and he’d take care of her.”

He was a doctor? She’d figured since he hadn’t introduced himself with the title of MD that he must be the clinic manager or a physical therapist. That didn’t matter. It didn’t mean he knew how to handle the kind of injuries that occurred on the mountain.

Heat filled her from head to toe. Her jaw tightened. She couldn’t respond as she wanted to over the radio. She’d straighten out protocol when she was done with the patient. Working to keep her voice even, Baylie replied, “Thanks. I’ll meet him there. Please patrol the beginner slope while we’re at the clinic.”

“Ten-four.”

Baylie was going to see to it that this guy knew his place. She made the decisions on this mountain. The care of the skiers was her responsibility. It could be a liability issue if someone was further injured by one of the patrol.

She’d hardly been deposited off the lift before she was releasing her bindings and stalking into the clinic. All the way up she reminded herself that the patient came first. The last time she’d been this irate had been when she’d woken up in a hospital bed and they wouldn’t tell her what had happened to the rest of the men.

Taking a calming breath, she walked through the tiny lobby of the patrol office. A deep voice and the shy giggle of a small child came from the direction of the exam room. As Baylie went through the door she found Kyle leaning over a little girl of about six years old with a cherubic face and flaxen curls. He was checking her eyes with a small penlight and at the head of the bed stood another longtime patrol member. Baylie fixed him with a piercing look. His lips went into a thin line and he shrugged before he said, “He insisted.”

“I did,” came the deep voice of the man examining the girl.

She spoke to the patrolman. “Please find her parents.”

The man didn’t dither when he left.

“Tell me what happened.”

Kyle glanced at her before turning his attention back to rubbing the child’s head with the tips of his fingers. Despite her anger, she had to admit he did have a gentle way about him. But he wasn’t the qualified medical staff here. She was. He’d had no business removing the child from the slope without her permission.

“Cassie was a little late getting off the lift and it caught her in the back of the head.” He continued examining the girl, looking down at her and smiling. The girl gave him a shy grin.

The man could charm a snake out of a basket. Baylie was afraid she’d have a hard time not responding to that smile if he ever turned it on her.

“The lift seat knocked her down. Mostly scared her,” Kyle finished, still not looking at Baylie.

She stepped to the table. “You can go back to the slope now. I’ll handle it from here,” she stated in her best no-nonsense voice.

Kyle’s mouth tightened and he moved away, but she sensed his presence not far behind her. He wasn’t leaving. Having no intention of having an ugly discussion in front of a patient, especially a frightened child, she said no more. There would be time later to clarify the rules on this mountain.

“Hi, I’m Baylie,” she said to the child, smiling reassuringly. “Cassie, can you tell me where it hurts?”

The girl put her hand to the back of her head.

“I found a goose egg in the back on the left side,” Kyle said from behind her.

Moving her fingers along the girl’s scalp, Baylie located a knot. “It’ll be sore for a few days,” Baylie told the girl. “Do you mind if I listen to your heart and check a few more things?”

“I’ve already done that, and she checks out fine,” Kyle said, moving to the other side of the bed.

He wasn’t going to leave this alone.

“Do you mind if I do it again?” she asked the girl.

The girl nodded her head in agreement.

“Good. Your mother and father should be here soon.”

“Father. My mother doesn’t live with us anymore.” Sadness filled the girl’s eyes.

“Well, how about we get you all fixed up before your father gets here?” Baylie smiled at her and pulled out her stethoscope. She began to examine the girl and was just finishing when a man’s fearful voice called, “Cassie?”

With quick steps Kyle moved out into the lobby area.

“You must be Cassie’s father.” Kyle’s rusty-timbred voice carried into where Baylie and Cassie waited. “She’s fine. Just a little bump on the head. Come this way.”

The men continued to talk. The man’s voice lowered. Kyle had effectively calmed the father, she grudgingly admitted. Seconds later the men entered the room.

The father rushed to the girl’s side. “Honey, are you all right?”

“Uh-huh. But I hit my head.”

“Hi, I’m Baylie Walker, the courtesy-patrol leader on the mountain.”

The man glanced at her before returning his attention to his daughter.

“Cassie’s going to be just fine. You’ll want to keep some ice on the bump until the swelling goes down,” Baylie continued as she squeezed the girl’s hand.

“That was just what Dr. Campbell was telling me.”

The father had effectively dismissed Baylie. She pursed her lips and looked at Kyle. He raised a shoulder and let it fall.

“I’ve given Cassie a thorough exam. Other than the knock on her head she seems fine. You’re welcome to take her with you but I suggest you watch her closely. You’re also welcome to the disposable ice pack. If you need anything, just let me know.” She stepped over to the counter, retrieved a card and handed it to the father. “You can reach me twenty-four hours a day.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that,” the father said, giving Cassie a hug.

“I bet a cup of hot chocolate would make that head feel better,” Kyle said with a grin that did something to her insides she wasn’t entirely comfortable with. His mouth could be a weapon against her if he chose to use it.

“Uh-huh.” Cassie looked at her father. “Can I have a hot chocolate, Daddy?”

Her father picked her up in his arms. “Sure, honey.”

Okay, Kyle officially had a great bedside manner. He might have some other grating personality issues but he’d dealt well with Cassie and her scared father. Baylie had seen none do better. Still, he had no business being so high-handed about making decisions that should have been hers.

“The best on the mountain is over at Snow Mountain Café,” Baylie suggested. “You know where that is?”

“Sure do. Thank you again.” The father smiled at her and offered his hand to Kyle. “Thanks, Dr. Campbell, for taking care of my little girl.”

“You’re welcome.” Kyle ruffled Cassie’s hair. “See you on the slope.”

She grinned.

When the outside door to the clinic closed behind them, Baylie turned to Kyle. “You didn’t tell me you were a doctor.”

“Does it matter?”

“Yes. I would’ve made it clear that you make no decisions regarding injuries without my approval.”

“So this is a territorial thing?”

Baylie’s hands went to her hips. “That has nothing to do with it.”

“Then what’s the problem? I saw the girl being hit and went to help. It wasn’t more than I am qualified to handle by the American Medical Association.”

“I’m sure it wasn’t, but at this resort I make those calls. If an injured person isn’t cared for in the proper way there could be problems.”

“I understand. My apologies,” he said in a flat tone.

Did he think she was overreacting? “The resort can be liable. Now you should understand why I was so concerned about you going through an orientation.”

“Again, I agree.” This time he sounded as if he meant it.

She’d give him the benefit of the doubt. “You’re going to need to fill out a report as you were the one who brought Cassie in. I’ll log it in the book.”

Kyle moaned. “You mean even at a ski resort there’s still paperwork?”

“’Fraid so.” Baylie took perverse pleasure in him getting what he deserved for being so high-handed. She stepped over to a desk and turned on the computer. “Better now than later. You won’t like doing it at closing time.”

“If you insist.”

“I do.” Baylie logged onto the computer and pulled up the page he needed. She stood, letting him have the chair.

Even in heavy ski boots there was a grace, an athleticism in his movements, where others moved like bad renditions of an ostrich. It was as if he was at ease. His square jaw was already showing a midmorning shadow. Some men grew beards against the cold, but it would be a shame to cover up that strong chin or surround his expressive mouth with hair.

What had got into her? She wasn’t some snow bunny out for an après-ski fling. In fact, she couldn’t face another relationship. Losing Ben had been far too hard. She wasn’t ready to be involved with another man—not that this one was offering. The memory of Ben was still too sharp. Hurt too much. she wouldn’t give her heart again so easily.

She and Ben had been in the same company. He had been the captain, she the medic. They had known they could be in big trouble for fraternizing, but neither had seemed to let that matter. The patrol had been routine as they had been in a friendly section of Iraq. But the words “routine” and “friendly” had different meanings for her now. It had happened so fast. An IED had hit them. She had been thrown out of the vehicle, the hot burn from shrapnel in her side, and Ben had been dying beside her. She bit her lip to keep a moan of agony from escaping.

“Done,” Kyle said, rolling back in the chair after clicking a key with a flourish. “I hate paperwork.” The wheel of his chair hit the leg of the empty steel surgery stand and it went down with a bang and clash.

Baylie jumped, screamed and went into the brace position. Her heart shifted into overdrive and sweat beaded along her upper lip.

Kyle chuckled in embarrassment and quickly stood. He moved toward the fallen stand but jerked to a stop when he saw her. “Baylie, what’s wrong?” His eyes scanned the area. “Are you hurt?”

She straightened but didn’t meet his eyes. Brushing past him, she righted the table.

The loud shushing of static on both their radios brought an ocean of relief when it asked, “Baylie, is someone assigned to watch the slope while I get a bite to eat?”

Mustering control over her voice she’d never imagined she possessed, Baylie pushed the button and replied, “I’m on my way.” She clipped the radio on her hip. Still avoiding Kyle’s gaze, she said, “We’d better get back to work.”

She glanced at him and found him still studying her. Baylie hauled on her jacket as quickly as possible. If she hurried maybe he wouldn’t ask any more questions. Tugging on her knit cap, she pushed open the door to the outside. Kyle was right behind her.

As if he knew not to question what had just happened, he asked instead, “So what kind of medical training do you have to have to run the courtesy patrol?”

“I’m an emergency medical technician.”

“Really? That’s all?”

Was that a snarl of contempt in his voice?

“Yes, really.”

“I would’ve expected the leadership position to require at least a doctor’s degree at a resort this large.”

Maybe it should, but management had hired her, and she had received positive feedback for her efforts so far. Her hand stopped in midair as she reached for her skis. Through narrowed eyes she pierced him with a look that she hoped screamed that he’d gone to the bottom of the garbage can in her estimation. “I also have advanced training in mountain rescue. I assure you, I’m more than qualified.”

Still that too familiar sick feeling lingered. She’d known what to do when Ben had been hurt, she just hadn’t been able to reach him. No matter how good her training, it hadn’t been enough. She’d let him down—but she intended to honor his memory.

“I’ll make my own judgment.”

Baylie took a step forward, her eyes darkening. “Are you always this rude and self-righteous when you meet people or have you just picked me out as someone special?” She inhaled sharply and let it out in a huff. “You know, I don’t care. I don’t have to prove myself to a pompous MD. I don’t have time for this conversation.” She snatched her skis from the rack. “John’s waiting for you so he can have lunch,” she said, and stalked off.

Of all the arrogant, opinionated men she’d ever met Dr. Kyle Campbell was the worst. And that was saying something. She’d worked with doctors in the army, had been out on patrol with adrenaline junkies in Iraq and she wasn’t impressed. She’d had all she could take of “I’m the man” and “I’m the best” in the military. But this doctor beat them all. Even the cold air didn’t dampen the fire of ire burning through her. When this guy’s two days were up she was going to send him on his way and say good riddance.

She slipped off the lip of a double-diamond trail and made quick, sharp S-turns down the slope. The wind burned her face as she rapidly crossed the trail. Her skis hit an icy spot and she had to concentrate to correct herself. The man had annoyed her enough that she was skiing recklessly. Digging in the edge of her ski, she pulled to a jarring stop on the side of the slope.

Panting miniature clouds of steam, with her heart racing, she looked out over the white run and up to the snow-kissed trees against the sapphire sky. The sun had pushed the gray clouds away. She lifted her face to the warmth and inhaled the crisp air. The mountains of West Virginia never failed to soothe her spirit. That was why she’d returned. To hide, and to survive.

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