Chapter 3

It had been four days since Charlie walked into the emergency waiting room to get Jessica Quinn and her grandmother and found Jake with his arm around Jessica's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. She'd expected Jake to drop Jessica and her grandmother off and then leave. She'd been even more surprised to find him still sitting there an hour later when she'd been ready to leave.

That afternoon she started to re-assess her opinion of him. From everything she'd seen he was nothing like the man they portrayed in the media. He came across as a caring and compassionate person who wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty, someone she could easily see herself dating if he lived in town. But he didn't. After this crisis passed he would move on to another one and probably forget about this little town. Not that she would blame him. North Salem wasn't the most interesting place in the world, especially compared to the places he could travel to whenever he got the urge.

You haven't exactly lived in a bubble. Charlie poured cream into her coffee and then mixed in sugar. Thanks to the Navy she'd been to parts of the world she never would've seen otherwise. While many of the places weren't vacation hot spots, she'd still gotten away from Massachusetts, unlike her mother and brother. Both of them had spent their whole lives on the East Coast. Had her mom been any further south than Virginia? She'd never stopped to think about it before now, but she didn't think so.

What places had Jake been to? She'd just started to make a mental list of all the places their billionaire guest had probably been when he walked into the dining room.

“Good morning. Please tell me there is more coffee.”

Charlie didn't bother to stifle her laugh. It seemed as if she and Jake had at least one thing in common. They were both addicted to coffee. “You're as bad as me. Ma just made some more.” She pointed to the coffee urn on the sideboard. “She made some muffins too.”

She knew it was rude to stare, but that didn't stop her from following Jake with her eyes as he walked across the room. His dark blond hair was still damp from his shower and tiny droplets of water trickled down his neck. Her fingers itched to walk up behind him and wipe the water away. Balling her hands into tight fists, Charlie waited for the irrational thought to disappear.

After he poured himself some coffee and picked out a muffin Jake took the seat across from her. “I'm glad you're here. After I meet with the engineers working on the dam problem, I'm heading over to visit Mr. Quinn. I thought you might like to join me.”

As feared Mr. Quinn broke both his hip and left arm in the fall. On the bright side however, he hadn't done any damage to his back or neck.

“When I stopped in to see him yesterday he asked about you, Doc.”

Charlie knew Jake had stopped in to see Mr. Quinn every day since the accident. Jessica had told her when she called the day before. But she hadn't visited him yet herself.

“I'll be down at the high school. Pick me up before you head over.” She'd volunteered to help keep an eye on the town's children so that their parents could start salvaging what they could from their homes and take stock of the damage, two tasks that would be nearly impossible with children in tow.

Jake stood and grabbed another muffin from the basket. “Your mom should open her own bakery. Her baking is incredible.”

“I've told her that, but she doesn't believe me. Maybe you should tell her.”

“Next time I see her I will.” Jake put his empty coffee cup down on the table. “I'm heading out now, but I will see you this afternoon probably sometime after lunch.” Without waiting for a response, he disappeared out the door.

Charlie sat staring at the door long after it closed. Images of him standing there in his well-worn jeans and dark blue polo shirt filled her mind. No matter what the guy wore he seemed to look incredible. He was the kind of person who could throw on a potato sack and still look ridiculously sexy. Without intending to she started to imagine just what he looked like without his clothes on. His shoulders were broad and his arms well-defined and tanned. Though she didn't have any proof, she envisioned him with powerful pecs and a sculpted six-pack. Propping her head up against her hand she mentally sighed at the vision in her head.

“Thought you were heading over to the school for nine?” Her mom's voice cut through Charlie's daydream and her vision of Jake naked evaporated. “What?” she asked whipping her head around.

“A little distracted this morning? Everything okay?” Concern laced her mother's voice.

“Just zoned out for a minute. I have a lot on my mind. Yeah, I am going to the high school. I want to grab some coffee first.”

Her mom pointed to the freshly baked muffins. “Take one with you. Who knows when you'll get lunch.”

Charlie didn't argue. Her mom was right and besides her mom's banana nut muffins were to die for. The only person who made muffins nearly as good was her friend and roommate Beth. Jake hadn't lied. Her mom should open her own bakery. “I'll see you later.” Charlie started towards the door, but then stopped. “Call me if you need anything.”

“Don't worry. Your brother is here.”

The comment was innocent enough but it still felt like a tiny knife to her heart. Her mom never needed her. As long as she had Sean around, her mom was fine. How different things might have been if her father hadn't walked out on them and forced Sean to become the man of the house. Would this invisible gap exist between them? There was no way to know for certain but Charlie didn't think so. After all it had only developed after her father left and her mom started to depend more and more on Sean.

“Love you, Ma.” The words flew out of her mouth before her brain realized it. She didn't say it often but it was true.

“I know. I love you too Charlie.” Maureen put down the dirty dishes she held and wrapped her arms around her daughter. “I'm glad you’re home.”

JAKE ENTERED the high school just before one o'clock. The meeting with his engineers had gone well. The river's water level was receding; and the engineers had completed their assessment and were developing a plan for rebuilding the dam. The head of the highway department had also called him to set up a meeting about repairing the parts of the roads that had buckled from the onslaught of water.

Yet his good mood wasn't purely due to the progress that was being made. A big part of it was due to the unusual sense of anticipation that coursed through his body. It'd been with him since his run-in with the good doctor that morning. Most people, especially women, jumped at the chance to be with him in the hopes of gaining some of his fame or fortune. Doctor Charlotte O’Brien was not one of these women. She was making him work for her respect. While she'd thawed toward him, she hadn't tried to get to know him. And for reasons that were not entirely clear to him, he wanted to get to know her better. True friends were hard to come by and he got the impression that with some work she could be one.

Or maybe something more, his body suggested when he walked into the school's auditorium. About ten children of various ages were running around playing an indoor version of tag while another ten or so were listening to a story on the stage. Charlie sat in the middle, dressed in a pair of loose-fitting well-worn jeans and a tank top. Typically he didn't find anything attractive about the tomboy look. He'd always preferred a more sophisticated look on women. Yet on the good doctor it looked natural and he found it to be a real turn-on.

When no one noticed his entrance, Jake leaned against the wall and watched Charlie as she interacted with the children gathered around her. Her voice was strong and confident as she read from the picture book she held. The children around her hung on her every word, captivated as much by the story as by her voice. Jake found himself content to just stand there and listen.

It wasn't until she read the last page and closed the book that she noticed him. A small tentative smile spread across her face as she waved in his direction and immediately Jake felt his body respond.

What the hell? She smiled at you. She didn't get naked. Jake mentally shook his head in amazement. Since when did a simple smile turn him on? Maybe it was true what they said about there being a first time for everything.

“All set to go, Doc?” Jake kept his gaze focused on Charlie, determined to ignore the glances the other two women in the room were throwing his way.

Charlie nodded as she stood. “Just let me tell Lizzie I'm going.”

Jake couldn't tear his eyes away from Charlie's long legs eating up the stage as she crossed it and headed down the stairs. After a few words with a petite woman with jet black hair who he guessed was Lizzie, she joined him.

She leaned close to him and her arm brushed against his. “I owe you one for rescuing me,” she said, her voice a whisper.

Unable to stop himself he laughed at the sincerity in her voice. “Daycare not your thing, Doc?” He pushed open an auditorium door that led into the parking lot.

“Call me Charlie. Everyone does. No it's not my thing. One or two at a time is fine but that was worse than Officer Development School.”

He'd been calling her Doc for the past four days. Not once during that time had she corrected him till today, and damn if he wasn't pleased because of it. After opening the passenger door, he waited for her to climb in. “You looked pretty comfortable up there. The kids couldn't take their eyes off you.”

Not that I blame them. He closed the door and walked around to the driver's side of the SUV.

Taking a water bottle out of her backpack, she took a drink before answering. “I read four or five books today. Before that we did arts and crafts. Even when I was a kid, I hated that stuff.”

Jake smiled at the exasperation in her voice. “Guess it's a good thing you didn't go into teaching like my sister Callie. She spends every day surrounded by twenty or so kids. Honestly, I don't know how she does it, but she insists that she loves it.”

“She's the one marrying Dylan Talbot, right?”

He didn't know if she was asking to make polite conversation or because she really didn't know which sister he was talking about. Jake didn't think that was possible, not after last year when everyone including Callie learned that Warren Sherbrooke was her father.

“Yes. Their wedding is in a couple weeks.”

Charlie looked as if she was putting together the pieces of a puzzle in her head. “And Dylan's your half-brother?”

Jake nodded prepared to give the explanation to yet another person. “Dylan and I have the same mom, but different fathers. Callie and I have the same dad and different mothers so, yes, I am related to both of them but Callie and Dylan are not related.” He couldn't understand why people found the whole thing so confusing.

“You have to admit it's a little odd. It's not something that happens every day.”

He agreed with her on that point. Still it wasn't that difficult to understand.

“She's not still teaching though, is she?”

He noticed how the tone of Charlie's voice changed from inquiry to amazement.

Pulling into a parking space in the hospital lot, Jake turned off the ignition. “Why wouldn't she be? She's been doing it since college.”

Charlie's eyebrows shot up. “Her father is the President of the United States, and her soon-to-be-husband is a billionaire. It's not like she has to. She could spend her day doing anything she wants.”

It wasn't the first time the news that his half-sister continued to teach shocked someone, and he knew that Charlie wouldn't be the last.

Jake got out of the truck and walked around so he could open her door, but he wasn't quick enough. So instead he held out a hand to help her down. Surprise crossed her face again, but she accepted his hand and stepped down.

“Would you stop being a doctor if you didn't have to work?” he asked without releasing her hand. While he waited for her answer his eyes zeroed in on her pale pink lips. His mind suddenly wouldn't let him think about anything but how they would feel against his. As if drawn by an invisible cord he took a step closer.

Charlie ran her tongue over her lips and Jake followed its path with his eyes, his desire to kiss her growing like a wild fire out of control.

“No, of course not. I guess I can't imagine enjoying being surrounded by that many children every day,” she answered, her voice not sounding as confident as usual to him.

Without stopping to think, Jake began to lower his head toward her. “I agree with you there,” he whispered inches from her lips.

CHARLIE DIDN'T STOP to think about what was happening or where she was as she felt Jake's lips come down on hers. One of his hands still held hers while the other settled on the curve of her shoulder. The skin on his hand was rough and callused, more proof that he was more than just the face of the foundation. His lips were firm as he slowly kissed her. Unable to stop herself, Charlie took a step closer eliminating the space between them. Then she wrapped her free arm around his lean waist. The additional contact of their bodies seemed to throw a switch in both of them. Jake moved them backward until Charlie leaned back against the SUV. At the same time she teased his lips open with her tongue. Freeing her hand from his, she buried her fingers in his short thick blond hair. Incredible warmth raced through her body as the kiss continued and everything but the man next to her faded from reality.

Only when Charlie heard the sirens of an approaching ambulance did the haze of desire start to clear from her brain and she pulled away. Oh, god! They were in a parking lot making out like a couple of teenagers, in front of a hospital of all places.

Though they stopped kissing, Jake's hand remained on her shoulder and Charlie found herself trapped between wanting to run from him as fast as she could and wanting to pull his head back down toward hers for another kiss.

“We should go inside.” She didn't recognize her own breathless voice as she let her hands fall back to her sides.

Jake trailed a finger down her cheek. “Yeah,” he drawled, not moving away.

Charlie's eyes fluttered closed at his gentle caress and in a heartbeat she knew that if she wasn't careful she could fall for this man in a way she'd never fallen before. When it came to the opposite sex she picked only those men she knew she wouldn't get emotionally attached to. There was no way she was going to let a man hurt her the way her dad had hurt her mom when he walked out. To this day she could remember how depressed and withdrawn her mom had become after her dad left. It’d been as if her mom had been replaced by a different person. Her mom hadn't been the only one to change. Sean matured virtually overnight, going from regular high school football player to the man of the house. She'd changed too.

For months after her dad left she'd cried herself to sleep. Once that phase passed she'd started to shield herself emotionally by making sure she didn't let anyone get too close; especially those of the opposite sex. She no longer thought about doing it. It just came naturally. Yet, despite years of emotionally distancing herself from people, somehow Charlie knew if she wasn't careful she could fall for this man. Under no circumstance could she let that happen. So although it went against her body's desires, she moved enough to the right so that she was no longer trapped between Jake's SUV and his muscular body.

“Come on. Mr. Quinn is waiting for you.” This time Charlie didn't wait for a response. She started toward the hospital entrance. She heard him fall into step next to her, but refused to look over at him as they entered the hospital's main lobby. She remained silent, keeping as much space between them as possible without seeming obvious, while they waited for the elevator.

When the elevator doors opened, he allowed her to enter before him and she realized for the first time what a gentleman he was. It hadn't struck her until then how rare it was that he always opened doors for her or allowed her to precede him into a room.

Hitting the button for the fifth floor, he turned to her. “Mr. Quinn will be happy you’re here. Yesterday he couldn't stop talking about you.”

Charlie breathed a sigh of relief at Jake's choice of conversation. While waiting for the elevator she feared he'd say something about their parking lot make out session. Something she didn't want to discuss now or ever. However, a conversation about Mr. Quinn she could handle.

“Jessica and I were friends in school. I spent a lot of time at their house growing up.”

Jake's eyebrows came together in confusion.

“What?” she asked.

At first he just shrugged as the elevator doors opened on the fifth floor. “After you.” He gestured toward the door.

Bothered by the look of confusion on his face, she couldn't let the matter go. “What was that look for?” she asked inhaling the familiar scent of the hospital. Most people found the smell unsettling but not her. It comforted her.

“She doesn't seem anything like you. I just don't see you two as friends.”

Not about to go into great detail, Charlie kept her answer short. “We're more alike than you think. We used to have a lot of the same interests when we were younger, and her parents divorced when she was young too.” She didn't give him a chance to question her any further. Instead she pushed open the door to room 506.

JESSICA AND MARTHA QUINN sat inside the hospital room with Mr. Quinn and when Charlie walked in all three of their faces lit up. Jake knew inviting her along had been a good idea. After a short conversation about the man’s health the three of them began catching up.

“Do you remember the Lindsey twins from high school – the ones we went on that double date with?” Jessica asked, her voice not much louder than a whisper.

Jake thought it fit Jessica perfectly. It was a voice you could easily miss and overlook, much like Jessica herself. That had been one reason he found it odd that she and Charlie were friends. Charlie wasn't the type you could ever overlook.

“How could I forget them?” Charlie rolled her eyes and Jake guessed their double date had been less than ideal.

“Zack was in town last month. You'd never recognize him. He looks like the Pillsbury Dough Boy these days.” A deep contagious laugh escaped from Charlie and Jake instantly smiled at the sound. Content to just sit and listen as the two women reminisced about the double date they'd once shared, Jake leaned back in the stiff plastic chair and watched. Away from recovery work and surrounded by friends, Charlie underwent a total transformation. The commanding take-charge air that seemed an integral part of who she was dulled, and her very kissable lips were curved in a permanent smile.

Damn, her lips had felt perfect against his. And right now as he sat here, their kiss dominated his thoughts. When he woke up this morning making out with Charlie in the hospital parking lot had not been on his to-do list. Yet when she stepped down from his SUV, he hadn't been able to stop himself. Despite what the tabloids said about him, he wasn't really a playboy. Yeah, he dated and had been in several relationships but it wasn't like he slept with every other woman in America like the media made it seem. Yet when she touched his hand an invisible cord had pulled him towards her. Nothing could have stopped him from kissing her at that moment.

“How'd your meeting go?” Mr. Quinn asked, his surprisingly gruff voice interrupting Jake's thoughts. “Those engineers of yours making any progress?”

For the next several minutes, Jake explained the ongoing plans to rebuild the town. His surprise that the older man understood even the most technical terms must have shown on his face.

“I studied to be an engineer before the war broke out. Decided to drop out and join the Marines, and then got shipped off to Korea.”

He couldn't help but respect the guy. Mr. Quinn had put his country and fellow man ahead of himself. How much easier it would've been for him to stay in school and finish his degree.

“My parents were mighty disappointed too. They tried to talk me outta it but I wouldn't budge. I was a stubborn SOB back then. Some would say I still am.” Mr. Quinn looked over at his wife.

Jake could relate to that. His parents had done the same thing when he'd shared his plans to apply to the Naval Academy while still in prep school. Unlike Mr. Quinn though, he'd let their opinion influence his decision.

Thinking about how he'd failed to follow his dreams because of his parents’ wishes always put him in a foul mood. Today was no different. Deciding that a few minutes alone would be good, Jake stood. “I'm going to grab some coffee downstairs. Anyone want anything?” After jotting down how everyone wanted their coffee, Jake retreated from the room.

Neither Jake nor Charlie said a word on the ride back to the Victorian Rose a few hours later. Though his mood had improved, the sense of failure that always plagued him whenever he thought about his past weighed heavily on him. If he could only go back in time and redo things.

“You seemed to hit it off with Mr. Quinn.” Charlie broke the silence in the SUV as they pulled onto her street. It had been reduced to one lane as repair trucks worked to restore electricity, and he had to wait for his turn. “He doesn't usually take to outsiders.”

Jake navigated his way around a utility truck. “Must be my charming personality. I knew it worked well on the ladies, but it must work well on retired Marines as well.”

“Must be it,” she agreed laughing.

Despite his best effort Jake couldn't maintain his serious expression at the sound of her laughter.

“Maybe you should consider going into politics. With that charm of yours who knows how far you'd go. You could end up in the White House, too.”

He knew Charlie only meant to tease him, yet her words struck a sour chord in him. Politics held no interest for him despite his parents' best efforts. Although it was a big part of his family history, he had no intention of following that path.

The smile that had tugged at his mouth died. “I'll stick with what I'm doing.” Jake stopped the Escalade next to Charlie's Jeep in the parking lot. “Washington doesn't interest me. Too much BS.” Jake opened his door before she could respond hoping she'd take the hint. It didn't work though.

“Really?” Charlie stepped down after he pulled open her door. “I figured your family had a gene for politics.”

Her tone remained light and jovial but he knew she was only half joking. Everyone in America knew that the Sherbrookes had been involved in politics for years.

Jake crossed his arms across his chest. “That gene must have skipped me. Maybe my sister Sara got it.”

“Speaking of politics I thought every member of the President’s family got Secret Service protection. Where's yours?”

In the five months since he told the Secret Service to take a hike, no one had commented on their absence. Obviously, Charlie was more astute than most. “I refused their protection about two weeks after my father took office. I couldn't stand having them around.”

“You can do that?” Charlie's voice echoed the surprise on her face.

Jake let his arms relax and hang by his sides. “Nobody has before, but yeah.” He didn't intend to say anything else on the matter.

THE BATTERY POWERED alarm clock on her nightstand read midnight but Charlie stared at the ceiling wide awake. Her body cried out for sleep but her brain hadn't gotten the message yet. It knew Jake slept one floor below, and snapshots of their kiss kept playing through her mind. The feel of his lips on hers and his hand on her skin were forever burned into her memory. Yet that alone wasn't what kept her awake. The pull she felt toward him was what kept her up. She didn't need or want a man in her life. Letting someone in like that only made you vulnerable. Just look what it had done to her mom. No matter what she wasn't going to end up like that, and she knew she'd find herself in the exact same spot if she wasn't careful around Jake. Granted some of her first impressions of him seemed wrong, but that didn't mean he wasn't a heart breaker, especially considering the different worlds they lived in. Though he seemed like a nice guy, he didn't know what it was like to work for what you wanted. He'd always had everything handed to him. She doubted there was single thing in his life he'd ever wanted to do that he had not been able to do.

How much longer will he be here anyway? A few days? Maybe a week tops? I can handle that. Fed up with tossing and turning in bed, Charlie tossed off the covers and headed downstairs for a snack. At this time of night everyone would be in bed so she didn't bother with a robe, besides it wasn't like her boxer shorts and tank top didn't cover everything.

A battery-powered lantern on the kitchen table provided the only light in the room. Though the generator gave the house power, they'd limited its use to the appliances to conserve gas. If they ran out of gas and the generators died, they'd lose her mom's cooking, something no one wanted to do without.

Charlie finished making a sandwich and was about to cover the peanut butter jar when she heard someone enter the kitchen.

“I'm not the only one up.” Jake's voice sent a tingle down her spine. Dressed in a white sleeveless t-shirt and sweatpants, he looked devilishly handsome.

At first she stood there staring at him, her mouth dry and her pulse quickening. Finally after what seemed like an eternity she pulled her eyes away from him. “Just making a snack. Want one?”

“I'll never turn down food.”

She could feel his eyes on her as she started making another sandwich. Though she didn't usually think much about her appearance and what men thought of her, she couldn't help wonder how Jake saw her. If his kiss was anything to go by, he liked what he saw. “Strawberry or grape jam?” she asked holding up the jars.

“Surprise me,” he answered dropping into a spindle-backed chair.

Charlie spread a thin layer of her mom's homemade strawberry jam on Jake's sandwich then added a handful of chips to both plates before carrying them over to the table. “Enjoy.” She placed one plate in front of Jake before sitting in the chair next to him.

For several minutes they ate in silence, but she sensed every move he made. Her body seemed to be on high alert just waiting for the moment when his arm would brush against hers or his knee would bump against her leg.

“Couldn't sleep?” Charlie asked, looking for a way to distract herself from the fact she wanted to pull the sandwich from his hands and kiss him.

Jake shook his head no. “Too much on my mind.”

Had he been lying in bed thinking about their kiss too? Did he want to repeat it as much as she did or had he already forgotten about it? Did recovery issues occupy his thoughts instead?

“Same here,” she said even though he hadn't asked why she was up.

Pushing back her chair, she was about to ask him if he wanted anything to drink when he reached for her hand. The slight touch sent her heart racing and she swallowed down the nervous laugh she felt rising in her throat.

“About this afternoon,” Jake said interlacing their fingers.

The simple action had Charlie's insides quivering. Please don't apologize. She'd be mortified if he did that.

Jake didn't say anything else however. Instead his gaze traveled over her face and searched her eyes for a few heartbeats before leaning toward her and picking up right where they'd left off at the hospital.

The feel of his lips against hers was even better than the memory and at his gentle prodding she parted her lips to give him entry. As their tongues met, she wrapped her arms around his neck letting herself get swept away by the unfamiliar emotions his simple kiss awakened.

Gently she felt him work her hair free of its bun and his hands dug themselves into her hair anchoring her to him as he teased her tongue with his. Then without warning she felt his hands drop to her waist and she willingly went when he tugged her onto his lap.

Charlie allowed herself to fall under the spell of his kiss for a few seconds before pulling back. The minute her lips left Jake's she regretted her decision though. Yet she didn't try to kiss him again. Instead she analyzed and waited. The smoldering flame she saw in his eyes told her Jake was affected just as much by their kiss as she was. Briefly, she wondered if she mirrored his look.

“What are your plans for tomorrow?” Jake traced a finger up and down her arm leaving a trail of goose bumps on her bare skin.

“Not sure. I thought I'd see who needed help in the morning.”

As he let his hand roam over her shoulder, he seemed to focus on the pulse in her neck and Charlie wondered if he could see how rapid it beat.

“I'm driving to Boston to meet with the Governor for lunch. Come with me. Afterward we can get dinner.”

Was he asking her on a date? It sounded like it. She hadn't been on a date in months and it would provide a nice break from the work she'd been doing since the storm.

“Won't Governor Wentworth mind? If he wants to meet with you, it must be important.”

Jake shrugged and she couldn't help but notice how broad his shoulders were under her hands.

“He said he wanted to thank me for all the aid the foundation has provided. Honestly I think he's hoping a little ass kissing will help his cause. He wants my father's support in the upcoming election,” he explained with a bored tone. “So I really don't care if he minds or not.”

“When?” she asked stalling to give herself more time. Normally she didn't have a problem making decisions. It was a trait that came in handy as a doctor. Yet sitting on his lap in the darkened kitchen with his hands on her bare skin, she wavered back and forth.

“I'm meeting him around noon.”

It's a couple of meals, no big deal. Charlie tried to ignore his gentle caress up and down her arm. “OK.”

A slow sensual smile spread across Jake's face causing red hot desire to shoot through her body. Right then she wanted nothing more than to invite him back up to her room to see what Prince Charming looked like without his clothes on. She had an excellent imagination, but there was no substitute for the real thing.

Bad idea, Charlie. Very bad idea. Though it took every ounce of will power she possessed, Charlie slid off Jake's lap and cleared the empty plates off the table. She needed something to do otherwise she risked jumping back into his arms.

She put the paper dishes in the trash and turned back toward him. “I think I'll head back up now. I'm finally tired.”

What looked to be disappointment swept across Jake’s face but he didn’t try to stop her as she headed toward the swinging kitchen door. “See you in the morning, Charlie.”