Prescription for Desire (5 page)

He chuckled. “So, I noticed. I’m
flattered.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Oh, please. No
one is checking for you, so don’t even go there.”

“
If you say so.” He glanced
at her with a hesitated sigh. “You know, I’ve watched you over the
past week, and I just want to say you’re good at what you do
otherwise you wouldn’t be here. I want to apologize for the way I
spoke to you after you delivered Mrs. Gonzalez’s baby.”

The cadence of his words was genuine,
and she really hated the fact that she’d lashed out as well. That
wasn’t in her nature, and the last thing she wanted to do was to
have a strained working relationship with him.

“
I accept your apology, and
I apologize as well.”

“
Thank you. I’m not that
bad once you get to know me. Maybe we can start over again,” he
stated in an upbeat manner. “Clean the slate.”

“
I think that’s a great
idea, Dr. Phillips,” she answered sincerely.

“
You know, you really don’t
have to call me Dr. Phillips. You can just call me Armand,” he
suggested as he turned into a residential neighborhood.

She wasn’t sure if she wanted to be on
a first name basis with him, even though she’d noticed over the
past week that most of the staff called each other by their first
names, except in front of the patients.

“
Okay, Armand, but only in
private.”

A sly smile crossed his lips. “Perfect
… Raven.”

Chapter Three

Raven felt a buzz coming on
even though she hadn’t had any alcohol to drink, and yet she was in
a complete daze. They’d made it to the orphanage, a huge two-story
white home with a wrap-a-round porch and big white columns,
reminding her of a southern plantation. However, she couldn’t get
the way Armand had said her name out of her head. She’d heard it
all of her life, but it had never sounded so light and breezy, yet
downright seductive and sensual all at the same time. It was almost
as if he should only say it in private or during intimate times
…
Even though that will never
happen
, she thought. Raven hoped that when
they walked inside of the orphanage, he would go back to calling
her Dr. Arrington just so she could remain composed.

She definitely knew something had
changed between them when she reached to open her door, he laid his
hand lightly on her bare arm, and said in a sexy way, “Let me.” His
gentle touch sent tingles coursing through her veins. If a gentle
touch could cause such a rapture of desire, she wasn’t sure if she
could handle anything beyond that if the time ever rose. Not that
it would. She couldn’t believe how far left her mind had gone. She
was the practical one of her siblings, yet Armand was unraveling a
desire in her that she had bottled up, and it was ready to explode
like a shaken up soda at any minute.

As they walked up the steps of the
grand porch, he moved in front of her and opened one of the double
doors, letting her pass through. They were in a two-story foyer
with walnut hardwood floors, and pictures of children adorned the
walls. A middle-aged Argentine woman approached them, her dark hair
pulled back in a bun. Her smile was refreshing and seemed to light
up the foyer.

“
Hola, Dr. Phillips,” she
said, kissing Armand on both cheeks. She turned toward Raven and
back to him. “
Quién
es
esta encantadora
jovencita?”

“
Hola, Maria.
Esta es la Dr.
Raven
Arrington
, la hermana gemela de Cannon.”

“
Yes, of course,” Maria
said in English, turning toward Raven. The ladies shook hands.
“Very nice to meet you. I know your brother.
He’s
such a humble and
compassionate man,” she said sincerely. “He’s done so much
for
Ghilaua
and for
the orphanage.”

“
Muchas
gracias, Maria.”

“
Dr.
Phillips!”
Two children, a boy and a girl
who looked about age four or five, shouted as they ran toward
Armand, nearly knocking him over with hugs.

“
Hola, Isabella and
Israel.” He stooped down and hugged them tightly as the children’s
eyes sparkled. They all laughed affectionately and spoke in rapid
Spanish about their day. From what Raven could make out, the
children had been waiting for him to show off their handwriting
assignments and some finger painting pictures. The children were
absolutely adorable. Little Isabella had a cute, precocious face
that was framed with two dark, curly ponytails down her back and
tied with purple bows to match her dress. Israel had a cute face
with the same dimples, which indented when he smiled like
Isabella.

Raven turned to Maria, who was
laughing, while the children pulled Armand away with them down the
hall and into a room.

“
Are they siblings?” Raven
asked as she followed Maria into the library and sat on comfy
leather brown chairs. There was a round table in between the chairs
that was set with a tea service.

“
Four-year-old twins,”
Maria answered, pouring a cup of tea. “Tea, Dr.
Arrington?”

“
Yes, thank you.” Raven
took the elegant tea cup adorned with hand-painted erythrinas,
Argentina’s national flower. “What’s Isabella and Israel’s back
story?” Raven thought about her own twins that would’ve been almost
three years old.

“
They came here when they
were about two years old. Their parents were on vacation in Japan
when the Tsunami hit, and they were found dead. The children were
staying with their grandmother. She was their only living relative,
but she took ill and died soon after from the distress of losing
her only child and her husband. She was a friend of mine, and in
her will requested the twins were brought to me because she knew I
would find them a wonderful family.”

“
How horrible! I’m
surprised no one has adopted them,” Raven stated, thinking who
wouldn’t want both precious children. As a twin, she knew twins
were best friends; they had their own special ways of communicating
and trusting each other that only they understood.

“
People want babies or just
one child. The grandmother’s dying wish was that they wouldn’t be
separated. People have inquired about one or the other, but not
both.”

Raven sipped her tea as she drunk in
the information. “Do they speak English?”

“
Yes, quite well, but
whenever Señor Armand arrives, they’re so excited to see him that
they speak Spanish. However, they go back and forth. Their father
was African-American and their mother was Argentine, so the twins
spoke both languages when they arrived. In fact, the majority of
the children do. We have quite a few adopters from North America
and other English speaking countries, so I want to make sure that
all of the children are bilingual.”

“
Yes, of course. How many
children are here, and is this your home?”

“
Fourteen, and yes it is.
My parents left me this beautiful mansion, some millions, and the
land when they passed. My children are grown and married, and my
husband died a few years ago. But it’s not just me here. I have
assistants, teachers, and volunteers. I don’t want the children to
think of it as an adoption agency or even an orphanage but a home
before they go to their forever homes.”

“
How very noble of you to
do this.”

Maria smiled wistfully. “Well … I was
in their shoes when I was a little girl, bouncing from foster home
to foster home. Finally, at age ten, the Hernándezes adopted me and
my older brother. Now I’m able to give orphans a more loving
environment than what I had before I was adopted.”

“
Maria, that is so
wonderful to hear. Would you mind showing me around?”

“
Of course,
love.”

After the tour, Raven was able to meet
some of the children, who were doing homework or playing board
games, before some of the volunteers said it was time to get ready
for dinner. She hadn’t seen Armand since they’d arrived and one of
the volunteers said he was outside. She found him in the backyard,
playing soccer with four boys who were around the same age as
Israel, who was also playing. Raven sat at the table on the patio
across from Isabella, who was coloring a bunny rabbit in a coloring
book.

The little girl looked up and smiled,
melting Raven’s heart.

“
Who are you?” the little
girl asked as she laid her brown crayon between the pages of the
book and stared at Raven with curious black eyes.

“
I’m Dr. Arrington. I came
with Dr. Phillips.”

The little girl smiled as she glanced
at Armand playing on the grass, and then back at Raven. “You’re Dr.
Cannon’s twin sister?”

“
Yes. You’ve met
him?”

She nodded with a big smile. “He
always comes here to visit when he’s in town. He’s very
nice.”

“
Yes he is.”

“
Are you and Dr. Phillips
friends?”

“
Um … yes. We work together
at the clinic in
Ghilaua.
”

“
I have a twin brother like
you,” Isabella said, turning her head toward the boys playing
soccer and pointing before facing Raven again. “He’s the one
kicking the ball now.”

“
I saw you and Israel when
Dr. Phillips and I arrived.”

The little girl smiled and picked up
her crayon. “We love when he comes,” she said, proceeding to
continue coloring the bunny rabbit. “He brings treats and does
homework with us.”

“
That’s very nice of
him.”

The little girl nodded, and grabbed a
pink crayon. She placed it over the bunny’s nose, but didn’t color
it. “Do you miss your twin when he’s not around?”

Raven smiled at the little girl’s
interest. “Yes. He and I are best friends.”

Isabella sighed, and started coloring
again. “So are me and Israel. I would hate to be separated from him
if one of us is to become adopted. I’d never see him
again.”

Raven didn’t know what to say to that
comment without getting the little girl’s hopes up or making her
sadder than she already was. Luckily, one of the volunteers came
out and called the boys in from playing soccer with Armand. They
all hugged him before running in, including Isabella, who grabbed
her coloring book and crayons, but not before telling Raven it was
nice meeting her and giving her a hug.

Raven’s heart melted as she watched
Israel stand by the door and wait for his sister. When she was
pregnant, she’d hoped that they would be a girl and a boy like her
and Cannon. Twins ran in her family, and she wasn’t surprised when
she found out she was having a set. Her mother also had a twin
brother who had identical twin daughters, Raven’s favorite cousins,
Megan and Sydney Chase, who lived in Atlanta.

Armand sat in front of Raven and
poured a glass of water from the pitcher that was in the middle of
the table.

“
Looks like you had fun,”
she said, handing him a napkin from her purse to wipe the sweat
from his forehead.

“
I did, but those little
boys wore me out. I’m exhausted, but it’s worth it.”

“
Yes, they really enjoy you
coming, especially the twins.”

A genuine smile crossed his face as
she mentioned the twins. “I enjoy spending time with them as well.
They’re such great, intelligent children. I really hope they get
adopted together by a nice family. They deserve it.”

Raven was moved by his sincere concern
for Isabella and Israel. She was seeing a side of him she hadn’t
witnessed before, and it warmed her heart. Maybe he wasn’t such an
egotistical ass after all.

“
Isabella is concerned that
they’ll be separated.”

“
Yeah,” he said as his
smile turned wistful. “Me too.” Clearing his throat, he
stood.

“
Are you ready to
go?”

“
Sure.”

They bid their good-byes to Maria, who
walked them to the door, and Raven promised to return next week
with Armand.

“
Had fun?” Armand asked as
he started the truck and headed down the long driveway.

“
Yes, I’ve never been to an
orphanage like that before. Maria seems to genuinely love and care
for the children.”

“
She does. She still checks
up on them after they’ve been adopted, and a few of the older ones
volunteer sometimes.”

Raven let out a long yawn and leaned
back in her seat. It had been a tiring first week.

Armand looked over at her and smiled.
“Why don’t you take a nap on the way back? There may be a little
traffic, so it might take an extra thirty minutes.”

She was going to say she was fine and
would rather finish her book, but another yawn and exhaustion hit,
confirming she needed a nap.

“
I think you’re right,” she
said, placing her feet underneath her in the seat. She pulled the
lever to let the passenger seat recline back, and drifted off
before she could say anything else.

*****

Raven’s cheek rested against warmth
and smoothness, and she moaned peacefully as she nestled her head
deeper into the comfortable pillow that smelled exotic and
addicting. Sighing, she felt at ease and relaxed. She hadn’t felt
that way in a long time and wanted to savor the moment.
Unfortunately, the motion under her stopped. Raven opened her eyes
and saw a steering wheel with a golden, muscular arm attached to
the bottom of it. She then realized that one of her arms was
wrapped around Armand’s waist. She quickly sat back in her seat and
looked over at him.