Dangerous Tides (Drake Sisters 4)

"Joley." Hannah wrinkled her nose. "That's just eww."

"Well, it would be nice if my life was as exciting in real life as it is in other people's imaginations."

"I think Libby's life is becoming exciting," Hannah said.

"If Hot Lips is hanging around there's no question things are going to be heating up, but I thought Sarah tried to run him off."

"He doesn't run off very easily," Libby said, a small part of her secretly pleased that he wasn't intimated by her family. Libby was surprised at how eager she was to see Tyson. She'd thought about him all night, even resolved to tell him she wasn't going to go out with him, but the resolve had dwindled away in the morning. She sat for a long time watching the pounding sea as the wind kicked up the ocean into rough, foaming waves as she thought about Tyson Derrick. The more she thought about him, the more she was convinced that he needed her.

"Good for him," Joley said, approval in her voice. "You need a strong man."

"Me? Need him? It's the other way around. He analyzes feelings but he either doesn't feel anything for people or doesn't recognize when he does. He's isolated himself from the world. And he uses extreme recreation, such as race car driving, just to make himself feel alive. He's always okay with commenting on people and observing them, but he certainly doesn't want to get involved."

"Except with you."

Libby blushed again. When he looked at her, there was unmistakable desire in his eyes. Raw hunger. Longing. Need. Everything in her rose up to respond. "We actually have a lot in common, although Sarah doesn't think so. We're both calm and it takes a lot to get us upset, although I've noticed I'm more emotional around him. He has a knack for getting under my skin like no one else and I seem to bring out a temper in him. I absolutely love his mind."

Libby caught her sisters exchanging a look. "I do. I can't help it. He's a genius and can talk to me about the things that really appeal to me, but he's disconnected to people and even to his own feelings. He had a rotten childhood. I think he needs me, but really, I don't see why you think I need him."

"Because you live your life for everyone else and you don't have boundaries," Joley said. "You're so smart, Libby, but you're too compassionate. You let too many people take pieces out of you. You can't say no. You need someone strong to step in and protect you. We try, but even we have a tendency to use you up. You can't say no and you need someone to provide a balance for you."

"I do not." Libby was indignant.

Hannah nodded her agreement with Joley. "She's right. You need a strong man in your life, one not afraid of anyone, especially us."

Joley glanced out the window and whistled. "Speak of the devil. Oh my, Lib, the man is looking good today."

Hannah and Joley crowded each other for space at the window.

"Get away from there before he sees you," Libby said, mortified, yet she could feel laughter bubbling up. Her sisters loved to tease her, but already Tyson thought her family was a bunch of fruitcakes. She didn't need him to catch them gawking at him. She bared her teeth at her two younger sisters, hoping to look fierce. "Back off, both of you. Go into the kitchen."

"Look at that chest, Hannah. Oh, my. I feel positively faint," Joley said, nudging the tall blond.

A faint answering smile appeared on Hannah's face, the first real one since Jonas had been shot. "I like the way his muscles are rippling."

"You can't see rippling muscles," Libby objected, straining to see.

"You just aren't looking hard enough," Joley said. "And he's wearing tight jeans. Ooh la la." She fanned herself with her hand. "Libby. You go girl."

"That's it. Get into the kitchen." Libby pointed out the direction for them, trying to look stern. "Both of you."

Joley and Hannah went, laughing out loud, peeking through the archway to watch as Libby hurried to the front door.

Libby opened the door on the first knock. The moment she saw him up close her breath hitched in her throat. He did look hot in a pair of tight jeans and an open-throated shirt. His black hair spilled across his forehead and his blue eyes drifted over her face with a small hint of possession. Her heart quickened at his intent look. His smile broke out, a flash of white teeth, a hint of a dimple, his eyes lighting up. There was no way to stop her own answering smile. "You made it."

"Of course." He took her hand and pulled her to him, reaching past her to close the door behind her firmly. The action brought her body against his. "Are you feeling better?"

He was solid, his body muscular, and she could feel his heat. A small tremor went through her. Her womb contracted. Tyson even smelled good. Manly. She wanted to roll her eyes at her own thoughts. "Yes, much better. What about you, did you get any sleep?" Her voice was disgusting, all husky and silly and beyond her control.

"I got some work done and that's what really counts."

Catching movement at the window, Libby stepped away from Tyson. "What are you working on?"

Ty retained possession of her hand, tugging to get her to follow him down the stairs. He wanted to get her away from the influence of her family home. There was an indefinable power he could feel in spite of his determination not to credit the Drakes with being truly different. "I have some concerns with the PDG-ibenregen drug. I believe there's a problem with it, even though everyone else thinks it's just fine. Well," he hedged, "they want to believe it's just fine."

"The new drug is based on your original research on cell regeneration, isn't it?" Libby asked. She was all too aware of his hand holding hers and the brush of his body against hers as they walked. "I was very interested in the new cancer drug when I heard it was based on your earlier work, but to be honest, I thought they went to trial too soon."

"Exactly," he agreed. "I can't get anyone to listen to me.

I've received several calls from Joe Fields telling me to back off."

"He's the one you mentioned you noticed in the hospital," Libby said. She flashed him a smile. "See? I usually remember things."

"That's the one. He's been a bit unhappy because his old friend Harry, the biochemist on the project, has his nose out of joint."

"You really don't like Harry, do you?"

"He does shoddy work," Tyson said. "I have no tolerance or respect for anyone who is in such a hurry they can't finish the job right. He doesn't research for love of science or to help people, he's a glory hound. He wants everyone to know his name."

"He's jealous of you," Libby guessed.

They walked along the trail leading up above the ocean where she could see the sea seemed to meet the horizon. The waves were calmer without the cool wind. "It feels good to be out of the house."

Tyson took a deep breath and stopped her, swinging around so his body was directly in front of hers. His fingers tightened around her hand, threatening to crush her bones. "Here's the thing, Libby. I've thought a great deal about this. I don't believe in magic. It doesn't make sense to anyone with a logical brain. Whatever you and your sisters do isn't real. I don't know if your family originally used sleight of hand to con people, but whatever the origins, I've observed you enough to know you believe you're able to heal people."

Libby opened her mouth to speak but he shook his head and pulled her hand

to his chest. "Just hear me out. I think you're experiencing psychosomatic symptoms, much like a false pregnancy, but we can work on that together. I know I can help you see that no one can really heal anyone with magic. You're smart. You'll see it in time."

She could only stare dumbly, torn between wanting to laugh and to cry. He was so earnest, his expression grave and his blue eyes holding her gaze captive. "I'll see that I make myself ill pretending to heal people?" Obviously she could pick them. If only he would just keep his mouth closed she might get somewhere with him.

"Putting it that way sounds bad. It's more like you've been brainwashed, programmed to believe it and your brain tricks your body into experiencing the symptoms. And that can be dangerous to your health."

He tightened his fingers around hers when she tried to move away from him. "Don't, Libby, don't pull away. I've thought this whole thing through. I want a relationship with you. You're able to understand me, we're interested in the same things and I think you're an incredible woman. I'm willing to pay the price of accepting your family. It really is worth the sacrifice to be able to see you."

Her eyebrow shot up. "How courageous of you to take on my crackpot, con-artist family." She tilted her head to one side. "So I don't really heal people, but I've convinced myself so strongly that I can that I manifest psychosomatic symptoms of the people I think I've healed. That's what you think really happens, huh?"

"Yes. If you just open your mind to the possibility, I'm certain it would make more sense to you. You're a scientist, Libby, a doctor. You want to heal people because you're so compassionate, but no one can really do that. Haven't you ever watched the faith healers in the tents and realized they're bilking the public?"

"How do you know they are?" She started walking back toward her house, this time holding his hand so he wouldn't let go.

"It's been proven time and time again. The faith healers have been investigated and debunked. Seriously, Libby, I could show you many of the reports. I looked them up over this past week and prepared them in a file for you. It's all there in black and white."

"You did that for me?" She smiled her sweetest smile, wandering slowly up the path to her house. "Tyson Derrick, how considerate of you. I had no idea you were such a thoughtful man."