Rachel And The M.d.. Donna Clayton

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СКАЧАТЬ I could live with that.” Sloan nodded, evidently not noticing the chaos coursing through her.

      Sophie stepped toward Rachel. “But what about having to leave the party early? We can’t—”

      “Don’t push it, Sophie,” Rachel softly warned, narrowing her eyes in a manner that conveyed the same gentle but firm message. “We don’t even know if that’s negotiable. We’ll let your dad think about it. Then he can let you know.”

      She addressed all three girls, “Go get into your coats. I’ll meet you in the waiting area.”

      Once the two of them were alone, Sloan said, “I really appreciate this, Rachel.”

      The richness of his voice nearly made her toes curl with pleasure.

      “Oh, it’s nothing,” she told him. Had someone been fiddling with the thermostat? she wondered. It sure was hot in this office. “I’m happy to take the girls to the mall.”

      He pulled out his wallet and handed her some money. “This is for dinner. That band of raving rebels will be hungry before long.” Affection candy-coated his words. Then he paused, sudden indecision shadowing his gaze. “Should I be going along with you?”

      “Nah.” A tiny smile twisted one corner of her mouth. “We’ll probably end up shopping at half a dozen different stores before we’re through. It would be very boring for you.”

      “Well, put the dresses on your charge account and I’ll pay the bill when it arrives.”

      She nodded. “Fair enough.” This part was routine. She’d taken the girls shopping for clothing many times. Then she told him, “I’ll have them home before nine.”

      “Drive safe,” he said, glancing out the window. “The snow has thinned, but it’s still coming down out there.”

      Rachel would have loved to think his words of warning were because he was worried about her safety. But she knew his daughters were the precious cargo at the forefront of his mind, as they should be.

      “The roads have been salted.”

      However, before the words had even left her mouth, Sloan had already turned his attention to the patient file sitting open on his desk. So she left his office and strolled down the hallway toward the sounds of the girls’ excited chatter.

      She really was happy to have the opportunity to help Sloan and his daughters. Terribly happy. She just wished she would stop being engulfed by this wave of tremendous guilt—a wave that threatened to drown her each and every time she and Sloan were together.

      Oh, she knew what caused this awful, dark emotion. Knew it just as well as she knew her own name.

      The guilt was her conscience. An inner voice that constantly told her she had no right—no right, whatsoever—to have fallen in love with her best friend’s husband.

      “Rachel, can I ask you a question?”

      The snow blanketing the city wasn’t all that thick, but it was substantial enough to muffle the city sounds from outside. And the interior of the car seemed quieter, too.

      “Sure, Sophie.” Rachel glanced into the rearview mirror, but couldn’t make out the child’s face. “Ask me anything.”

      “Well…w-what…” Sophie paused, then tried again. “What does it feel like…you know…to kiss a boy?”

      Rachel’s brows rose. She’d fully expected to hear complaints about Sloan’s stubbornness, about what the girls surely labeled their father’s overprotective nature. It hadn’t dawned on her that Sophie’s question would deal with relationships. Wow, this conversation just might lead to a discussion about the birds and the bees.

      However, rather than being distressed by the prospect, Rachel felt honored. Sophie’s question let Rachel know the girls felt comfortable with her. Comfortable to talk about anything. Even kissing boys.

      Before she could answer, Sydney giggled at her sister’s query. But Sasha’s tone was awestruck as she asked Sophie, “Do you really think Bobby will kiss you at the party?”

      Rachel sensed Sophie’s shrug.

      “Well, it’s New Year’s Eve,” Sophie began slowly. “People always hug and kiss to celebrate the coming in of the new year, right?”

      Sasha’s voice became even more breathless. “You’re right. They do.”

      Sydney’s laughter quickly died, and she, too, seemed overwhelmed by the prospect that her sister might experience her first real, honest-to-goodness kiss in just four short days.

      The air felt all shivery with apprehension.

      “There’s nothing to be nervous about,” Rachel said softly. “It’s nice. Being kissed, I mean. When your lips touch, it’ll feel…nice. Warm. But the biggest reaction you’ll have is inside. Your stomach will become jumpy. Jittery. Giddy. You’ll feel light-headed, and your knees will get weak.”

      Where on earth was this description coming from? Rachel wondered. She hadn’t been kissed in so long…she couldn’t even remember how long it had been! Where did she get off telling the triplets what to expect?

      “Ick!” Sydney said. “Sounds like flu symptoms to me.”

      Rachel didn’t have time to chuckle before Sasha’s serious tone cut in, “You’ll have to make sure you brush your teeth, Sophie. You wouldn’t want to smell like those cocktail wienies that Debbie said her mom is going to serve as snacks.”

      Sydney absently played with her zipper, the metal teeth grinding as the coat was anxiously fastened and unfastened. “And you know how Debbie’s mom thinks she’s a gourmet cook. She puts garlic in everything.”

      “Gosh,” Sophie said, “I won’t be able to eat all night.”

      “Sure you will.” Rachel pulled the car to a halt at a stop sign and looked for oncoming traffic. “Just keep a stick of gum or a breath mint handy, and pop it into your mouth a few minutes before the count-down begins.”

      Sophie’s voice was tight as she declared, “I’ll just die of embarrassment if Dad makes us leave the party too early.”

      Rachel sensed rather than saw the other two girls nod in silent agreement.

      “Why is Dad so uptight, anyway?” Sydney asked.

      “Doesn’t he know that curfews are…jeez, well, that they’re so old-fashioned?” Sasha added.

      Rachel suppressed a sigh. “He loves you,” she told the girls. “He’s only trying to be the best dad he can be. And as for curfews being old-fashioned—” she couldn’t keep the humor out of her voice “—I want to hear you tell me that again once you’re raising children of your own.”

      “Oh, I would never tell my kids when they have to come in.”

      Laughter actually bubbled up from Rachel’s throat, and she had trouble quelling it. She found the utter sincerity in Sydney’s tone comical, although she knew the child really thought she meant what she was СКАЧАТЬ