Do Opposites Attract? (5 page)

A tidal wave of nausea hit her, clawing at her stomach, and the air she sucked in came out in short, rasping breaths. She felt cold and clammy and rubbed absently at her arms, trying to warm herself, all the while her eyes fixed on the distressing sight in front of her.

‘Brianna!’

Through a fog of horror, Brianna heard Mitch’s harsh voice yelling at her. She blinked and slowly moved her head, as if coming out of trance. Dimly aware of him motioning for her to move away, she turned and took a few steps towards the truck. That was when her knees gave way. Quickly she crouched onto the ground and put her head between her legs, letting the blood rush back to her brain. Bugger, bugger, bugger, she’d been about to faint. Would have done if Mitch hadn’t called out. Just as he’d predicted she’d nearly added to his problems.

‘You okay, Missy?’ One of the men who’d been standing by the boy came up to her, speaking in halting English.

Weakly she smiled up at him. ‘Yes, thank you, sorry.’ Her eyes involuntarily flickered towards the scene, but this time Mitch’s large body obscured her view. Hastily she looked away. ‘Is he your son?’

The man shook his head. ‘My nephew. He in bad way.’

Brianna reached out and squeezed the man’s arm. ‘Yes, but he has good people looking after him. They will do everything they can.’

Together they sat and waited. Brianna found she was unable to resist looking over again, but this time she kept her eyes on Mitch. Whether it was because the initial shock had worn off, or because she was now focused on Mitch instead of the boy, she wasn’t sure but she no longer felt she might black out. Or heave.

‘He must have nerves of steel,’ she whispered out loud. The boy’s uncle clearly didn’t understand, but smiled as if he did.

The more she watched Mitch work, the more her admiration for him grew. There was nothing hesitant or unsure about his actions. Rather they were decisive, confident. If she’d been the mother she would have felt immensely reassured that this man was looking after her child. He had the air of a man who wouldn’t let anything beat him. It was wildly inappropriate, but she felt a stir of desire. There was something incredibly sexy about the sight of the calm, self-assured doctor at work.

Disgusted with the way her thoughts had turned, she forced her mind back to the reason they were there. ‘Do you know why your nephew came back here?’ she asked the man at her side, trying to take both their minds off what was happening.

‘I think he miss his things,’ he replied sadly. ‘He look for them.’

Brianna waited until they were putting the boy onto the stretcher before walking up to the ruins. She wondered if there was something in particular the boy had been searching for. Something important enough to him that he’d walked all the way from the camp to find it. There, under a sheet of corrugated iron, she caught sight of the furry ear of a toy rabbit. Lifting up the iron sheet, she tugged out the soft toy. It was dirty, but nothing a wash couldn’t solve.

Back at the medical tent Mitch and the team operated on the child while Brianna waited anxiously with his mother and father. It had been two hours now and they’d still not received any news. Restlessly she stood and started to pace. Putting her hands in her pockets, she felt the soft fur.

‘Here.’ She handed the cuddly toy to the mother. ‘I found this in the rubble. Maybe it was what your son was looking for?’

With trembling hands the mother reached for the rabbit, tears running softly down her face as she cuddled it to her. ‘Gracias, gracias.’

Brianna reached over to give her a hug. She had nothing else to offer.

Suddenly the tent door swished open and Mitch walked in. Dressed in green overalls, sweat beaded across his forehead and locks of sandy hair plastered to his face. He looked shattered. ‘He’s stable.’ He spoke the words softly in Spanish to the parents, but Brianna got the gist of what he was saying from the look of relief on his face, and delight on theirs.

The couple hugged each other tightly and then went to shake Mitch’s hand. ‘Doctor, you save his life, you are miracle worker,’ the father told him.

Mitch shook his head. ‘I’m afraid not. He still has a long way to go, but you can see him now.’

He took them off to see his young patient and Brianna collapsed back on one of the chairs. She felt exhausted too, though all she’d managed to do was get in the way. Leaning forward, she put her head in her hands and closed her eyes.

As Mitch left the parents with their son, he noticed the mother tuck a toy rabbit into the boy’s arms. It was the same rabbit he’d seen in Brianna’s hands as they’d left what had remained of the family’s home. For some inexplicable reason, it made him smile. Damned if she didn’t have a real thing about stuffed animals. He went in search of her and found her sitting where he’d left her, though now she was hunched over, head in her hands. Glorious chestnut hair straggled out of the confines of its band and escaped in ribbons over her face.

‘Tough afternoon.’

Brianna looked up with a start. Her face was so pale. Far too pale. ‘For you and his family, definitely,’ she replied softly.

Mitch looked at her through narrowed eyes. ‘For you too, I think.’

‘A bit.’ Squeezing her fingers together, she sat back in the chair, her face suddenly alive with a mixture of anger and disgust. ‘You were right, damn it. I shouldn’t have gone. You nearly had two casualties on your hands.’

Mitch went to sit next to her. ‘Don’t be so hard on yourself,’ he told her quietly. ‘Seeing a person so badly injured is incredibly traumatic. Even more so when that person is a child. It would knock anyone sideways.’

‘Which was why you didn’t want me to go.’

‘Yes,’ he agreed. ‘But you’re not used to doing as you’re told, are you?’

Her eyes flickered with a hint of amusement. ‘No, I guess not.’

He held her gaze. It was the first time he’d really looked into her eyes, at least when they weren’t spitting anger at him. They were beautiful. Clear and as green as a forest on a sunny day. He felt drawn to them and to her. Alarmed at the thought, he abruptly rose to his feet. ‘Go and get some rest,’ he told her roughly. ‘And this time, do as I damn well say.’

Brianna smiled, producing pretty grooves on either side of her mouth. Grooves he wanted to run his tongue over. She was one hot lady, but that was a big part of the problem. He was anything but a gentleman. ‘Yes, sir,’ she replied mockingly.

‘That’s more like it.’ He looked at her a moment too long and felt a kick of desire. Sharply he turned and retreated to the safety of his tent.

Mitch was catching up on his paperwork when Brianna strolled, unannounced, into his tent. Although he’d done the same to her the previous day, her cockiness rankled with him. This was his turf and he didn’t take kindly to people walking in and out as if they owned the place. Even people who looked as gorgeous as she did.

‘Dan asked me to invite you to come out with us tonight.’ She stood confidently in the middle of his tent, hands on hips, a disarming smile on her face.

He dragged his eyes away from her and back onto his notes. ‘Thank Dan for the invitation, but no, not tonight.’ A night out with Brianna was the last thing he needed. She irritated the hell out of him, but maddeningly at the same time he wanted her. It was an urge he had no intention of following up on.

‘God, are you always this boring?’ she asked in exasperation, green eyes mocking him.

He darted another glance at her. ‘Are you always this rude?’ he countered evenly.

She shrugged nonchalantly and his eyes were drawn to her slender shoulders and the glossy hair cascading over them. He imagined running his hands through that hair. Placing his hands on those shoulders and pulling her tightly against him. Shit. What in God’s name was he thinking? Clearly he’d been without a woman for too long.

‘You know the saying,’ she continued, thankfully oblivious to his train of thought. ‘All work and no play.’

Mitch turned away again and sighed. She was right of course. Hadn’t he told himself a few days ago he was getting too dull? When was the last time he’d been out for a drink with his colleagues? After the day he’d had, a night out would do him the world of good. As long as he kept away from Brianna. ‘Okay, okay, point taken. Give me five minutes and I’ll be there.’

With a nod of her head and a confident sway of her hips, she was gone. Mitch sat back in his chair and let his mind play out their conversation. Had he just been smoothly railroaded into going out tonight? Reluctantly he laughed, admiring her style. In fact, the more time he spent with her, the more he found to admire. She still had the arrogance of the fabulously wealthy, but even he had to acknowledge part of his resentment towards that came from knowing his own roots were very different. Wealth was only part of the picture. He’d never had the luxury of a proud heritage, something the Worthington name gave her. Even he, a fashion philistine, had heard of it. But he respected that she’d been prepared to rough it out here for a week and take an interest in the charity. On a baser level, he also admired the way her smooth rounded buttocks pulled on her canvas trousers. And the way her breasts jiggled invitingly under her T-shirt.

Desire washed through him once again and he growled in frustration. It was time to get his libido in check. He valued his job far too much to want to risk a quick tumble in the sheets with the patron’s daughter. No matter how sexy she might look.

Five minutes later Brianna found herself wedged in the back of the jeep between Mitch and the door. Jane was on the other side of him, with Dan and Toby up front. As they bounced over the rough terrain, Brianna was constantly thrown against a brick wall. At least that’s what Mitch’s body felt like. His expression was about as forgiving, too.

‘You know, for a man on his night off, sandwiched in the middle of two women, you’re not looking particularly happy.’

He grunted. ‘This is my happy face.’

‘Crikey. Don’t let your patients see your miserable one then. It will put their recovery back a week.’

She shot a quick grin at him, but there was no answering smile. No warmth in his eyes. Did anything make him happy? From what she’d seen so far, he rarely laughed, seldom even looked pleased. She’d have dismissed him as boring had there not been that edge to him, the sexy sense of danger.

‘You know most men on a night out with a couple of women would try and charm them. At the very least entertain them.’

She heard Jane snigger on his other side.

‘I’m not most men.’

She exhaled in exasperation at his curtness but couldn’t disagree with his statement. Certainly he was very different from the men she usually went out with. They liked to talk, normally about themselves. They also didn’t feel quite so … solid when she brushed against them. The jeep shuddered and once again she was jolted against his side. There was nothing soft about him there. Nothing soft about him anywhere, to her knowledge. Tough, hard and uncompromising were better adjectives. Which made it really hard to understand why her fingers itched to run through his shaggy hair and trace the lines of that strong jaw.

She sucked in a deep breath and looked away. God she wanted him, and the knowledge stunned her. Not only was the target of her desires so unlike anyone she’d ever dated before, but her thoughts were also totally inappropriate, given the circumstances. She was here to understand how the medical charity saved lives. Not get tangled up with the head doctor. On every level she could think of, that was just plain wrong. But it didn’t stop her wanting.

‘What are you drinking?’ Toby asked as they parked outside a little bar that stood on the corner of a muddy road.

‘Beer will be great, thanks,’ she replied, remembering her earlier faux pas over the herbal tea. Hopefully beer was a safe choice.

Walking behind her, Mitch raised his eyebrows. ‘What, no champagne?’

‘Only when I’m wearing my diamonds,’ she replied tartly, her eyes sweeping round the nearly deserted bar. It was a far cry from her usual drinking establishments: walls screamed out for a coat of fresh paint and worn chairs and rickety bar stools clustered around scratched wooden tables. She settled her gaze back on Mitch. ‘How much longer are you going to keep up the rich girl jibes?’

He visibly flinched. ‘Fair point,’ he conceded quietly. ‘I’ll try and rein them in from now on.’

‘Good. In that case why don’t we find somewhere to sit? I have a thought I want to throw by you.’

They found a table big enough for them all to sit at, but Brianna sat close to Mitch because she wanted to pick his brains. Watching the muscles of his arm bunch as he pulled out his chair, she had to admit his brains weren’t the only part of his body she wanted to grapple with, but they’d have to be enough. At least for now.

‘Okay, shoot.’

Mitch took a deep gulp of his beer and focused his steady brown eyes on her. As usual, they were cool and guarded. For a brief moment she wondered if they ever burned with desire, or warmed with joy. ‘Is it my imagination, or do Medic SOS receive more than their fair share of the difficult cases?’

Briefly he smiled and reached again for his beer. ‘It does seem to be that way these days. It wasn’t when we first started but now, when we’re supporting other medical agencies, they tend to ask us to handle the acute traumas.’ He shrugged. ‘I’m not complaining. It keeps life interesting.’

‘Why do you think that is?’

‘I guess because we’re good at it.’

‘Same question. Why?’

Mitch sighed. ‘I thought I was meant to be coming out tonight to play? This sounds like work to me.’

‘Humour me, just for a little while. Then you can play with me all you like.’ She grinned, fully aware of the suggestive nature of her comment. She was hoping for a teasing reply, something to suggest her attraction wasn’t all one sided.

He gave her a sharp look through lidded eyes. ‘Most of my medical experience is from serving in the army,’ he stated matter-of-factly, totally ignoring her attempt to flirt with him. ‘I’m used to operating under harsh conditions. When I came out of the army and went back into civilian medicine, I specialised in A & E, doing further acute trauma training. That was where I met Tessa. When the opportunity to work at Medic SOS came along, we both volunteered. I guess over the years we’ve shared that experience within our group and built up a solid skills base. Gradually the larger agencies have started to see what we’re capable of.’

Brianna rested back against her chair and gave voice to the idea that had been niggling at her. ‘I think Medic SOS should make more of that niche. From a marketing point of view, that is.’

Mitch raised an eyebrow, his interest snared. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Look, I don’t know anything about medicine, as you’ve already gathered, but I know a lot about money and a fair bit about marketing. If Medic SOS was branded as specialists in acute trauma, I believe it would secure a lot more funding than it does currently. People would be able to see how it offered something different from other medical agencies. I know it sounds harsh, but it would give the charity an edge. There are so many organisations competing for people’s money. It’s important to stand out from the rest.’

Mitch considered Brianna’s words. He had no concept of business, but it didn’t take a genius to see the merit in what she was saying. Besides, it was only mirroring what they were already doing in the field. Why shouldn’t they make more of that specialism when they promoted the charity to sponsors? Especially if it brought in more funding. ‘Sounds like you’re talking yourself into a job.’

She blinked and for a split second she looked speechless. Then her face lit up in a delighted smile. ‘Hey, maybe I am.’ Shaking her head, she reached for her drink. ‘I could do this, you know, I could really do it.’

He’d meant his comment as a joke. After all, why would a woman like her need a job? But she looked so impossibly chuffed he started to wonder if she was seriously considering it. ‘I have no doubt you could do it. You’re pushy and stubborn as hell. Just the right attributes for squeezing money out of big business.’

He’d been half afraid he’d gone too far, but she burst out laughing.

‘That was rude,’ she replied, playfully digging him in the ribs.

He felt a jolt of pleasure at her touch and had to focus on the wall ahead to steady himself. ‘So, when do you start?’

Again, he meant to provoke, but she didn’t hesitate. ‘As soon as I get back to London and persuade Margaret I’d be excellent in the role.’

‘I don’t expect you’ll find that too difficult,’ he replied wryly.

‘You mean because I’m the patron’s daughter?’

The amusement in her face faded and the cool haughty look came back in force. He definitely preferred the former. ‘No, I didn’t mean that,’ he countered with a touch of frustration. ‘I meant I’m sure you can be very persuasive when you want to be. You got me out tonight, didn’t you?’

She slipped him a sly look. ‘Umm, yes I did, didn’t I? So tell me, Dr Mitch McBride, what do you usually do on a night off?’

He shifted uneasily on his chair at the change in topic. This was exactly why he didn’t usually socialise. He was crap at talking about himself. Didn’t like it, didn’t want to do it. ‘On camp? Or at home?’ he asked, throwing the question back as if it were a ticking bomb.

Her lips twitched. ‘Let’s start with on camp.’

‘I catch up on my paperwork, go for a run, read a book.’ So what if he sounded boring? He wasn’t interested in appearing attractive to her. What else was there to do on a ruddy refugee camp, anyway?

‘And when you’re home?’

He regarded her suspiciously. Couldn’t she see he didn’t like this sort of small talk? Her eyes stared back with their all too innocent expression. Of course she knew. It was exactly why she was subjecting him to this torture. ‘At home I …’ What did he do when he was home? Other than the same lame things he’d already stated. He stood up. ‘Who’s for another drink?’ Buying a round had to be better than being interrogated by Brianna.

Brianna watched Mitch stride up to the bar, his movements fluid and confident. Looking at him, he could have been a cowboy, or a stuntman. Any job based outdoors involving an element of risk. He didn’t look anything like a doctor, certainly none she’d ever met. Somehow she couldn’t picture him in a sterile hospital ward, or a GP surgery. She guessed it was why the job he did now suited him so well. But if that part of him was obvious, a lot wasn’t. He kept so much hidden and she had a feeling it would take far more time than she had left to uncover it.

Mitch brought the drinks to the table and turned to discuss football with Toby, cleverly evading any further questioning from her.

‘Have the last few days given you an insight into what we do then, Brianna?’ Jane asked, clearly equally as bored with the discussion on the merits of the new Manchester United striker.

‘It’s been incredible,’ Brianna said with true feeling. ‘I was telling Mitch, it’s inspired me to get involved with fund-raising when I get back.’

‘Fantastic, we can always use more money. Sometimes I look at the equipment we have to work with and wonder how we save any lives at all. But raising money is tough and there are a lot of charities competing out there. All of them are doing worthwhile things and many of them much closer to home.’

‘I know, but I’ve got a bit of experience in marketing so maybe I can help.’ She looked across at Mitch, his face now much more animated. Had his reluctance to talk to her been due to her questions, or because she was a woman? ‘I was thinking Mitch would make a great front man for the charity. You know, the real face of Medic SOS.’

Jane giggled, making Brianna warm to her even more. Sparky and fun, she seemed to have no side to her. ‘You’re so right. He could do that sexy, brooding, male model pose so well. I’m not sure you’d be able to persuade him into it though.’

‘Persuade who into what?’ Dan asked, having overheard the last part of their conversation.

Jane rolled her eyes and looked helplessly at Brianna. She obviously wasn’t keen to embarrass her boss. Brianna, on the other hand, had no such compunction. ‘Persuade Mitch into posing for the Medic SOS advertising materials.’

Mitch, who had just taken a swig of his beer, nearly choked on it. ‘What?’

‘How better to promote the charity than with the image of its head doctor?’ she explained. ‘Plus you have the advantage of being good eye candy.’

He stared at her in total shock. She’d never seen anyone so wrong-footed. ‘You’re joking, right?’

She shook her head. ‘Not at all. Far better to use a real person, especially if he’s sexy, rather than a boring model.’

Now he resembled a startled deer. ‘You’re trying to tell me my picture on an advert would entice people into donating their money? What bloody rubbish.’ Slowly he got up. ‘I’ll leave you to play your games. I’m going to get some fresh air.’