Savage Peril - Emily Jane Trent Page 0,2

might have been undetected peanuts. Or food that was made on equipment that also processes peanuts.”

“I started to feel ill while boarding,” Marco said. “Then it got worse and worse. I realized it was serious and managed to buzz for the flight attendant.”

“It’s good she called for a doctor right away.”

“That really gave me a scare,” Marco said. “Yesterday, I was well when I flew to the Houston Pain Clinic for a meeting.”

“I was there, too,” Lori said. “But I was at the conference giving a speech.”

For the remainder of the flight, Lori talked with her patient. Now that he was out of immediate danger, she distracted him with conversation. His appearance was professional. The polo shirt and nice slacks, plus the good haircut, spoke of respectability.

“I’m an attorney,” Marco said, then he pulled a card from his pocket.

“Always prepared, huh?” Lori said, examining the card. Embossed in gold was Bacci & Associates. The office was in Santa Monica.

“That’s my firm,” Marco said. “If you need legal counsel, give me a call.”

“I don’t plan to,” Lori said. “But thanks. How are you feeling?”

“Like a million bucks.”

“I like a man with a sense of humor,” Lori said. She wrapped a cuff around his bicep and inflated it, then read the gauge. “Your blood pressure has improved. Earlier, it was extremely low, which happens with this type of incident.”

“I heard you say that you run the Waters clinic?”

“My father used to…” Lori’s personal life came crashing back. “He…passed away. So, now I’m in charge.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Marco said. “About your father, I mean.”

“We’re going to land in a few minutes,” the flight attendant said to Lori. “You should sit in the seat next to me and buckle in.”

*****

Paramedics rolled Marco off the plane on a gurney, but not before he thanked Lori again. Then she was permitted to deplane before the other passengers. The pilot expressed his gratitude for her care of the passenger, and Lori shook his hand. She was relieved that she had saved a life.

Lori had used her skill to yank Marco from the brink of death. If only she could have done the same for her father. But his situation had been different. She wished that she’d had a chance to avert disaster, like she had just moments ago, but reality was harsh. A life saved, a life lost—yet it was difficult to accept.

As Lori rolled her suitcase down the jetway, she thought of her fiancé—actually, former fiancé. It would be nice if that had worked out, but it had been doomed from the start. Matthew Carter’s role at the clinic as practice manager involved him in key administrative functions.

Lori’s father had hired him based on his impressive resumé and experience. After Matt had been on duty for barely a month, he had begun flirting. At first, it had been fun and flattering. But the relationship developed quickly. Matt endeared himself to Lori’s father, who began to trust and count on him.

That would have been fine, as Lori was pleased that her father had an employee he could rely on. It took a lot to run a major pain clinic, and she hadn’t wanted to see her father overworked. Matt’s role allowed Lori and her father to focus on the medical side of the business.

Matt was handsome, so it had been easy to fall for him. He was five eleven, fit and toned. His lean body and sexy blue eyes had captivated Lori. He had poured on the charm and courted her. It had been very romantic. Images of nights at his downtown condo reminded her of emotions that she’d rather forget.

The penthouse had an extra-large, city-facing balcony with floor-to-ceiling windows. The gorgeous night views had been the ideal setting for seducing her. Good wine and soft music completed the trap. Lori didn’t know why she thought of it that way.

It really wasn’t fair of her. Lori had agreed to marry Matt then hadn’t known why she wasn’t happy. She was thirty-six years old and hadn’t been married before. She attributed that to dedicating her life to a career. Sometimes it seemed as though she couldn’t have both.

It had seemed possible with Matt, because he had been immersed in the clinic like she was. They had that in common. But Lori’s attraction faded. The longer she was engaged, the more she wished for her freedom. But she tried to convince herself that it was her issue, that the relationship was basically sound.

Yet Lori hadn’t felt love