Undercover Passion Read Online Free Page B

twisted into a braided ring at the top of her head, and her naturally craggy face was enhanced by some of the brightest blue eye shadow he’d ever seen.
    â€œSo you’re an expert on relationships, are you?” Daniel noted casually. “Then you might be the one who can explain to me why women are so perverse.”
    â€œI’m not explaining anything,” she said, turning to fix him with a steady stare, her hands on her slender hips. “Why should I give secret intelligence to the enemy?”
    Daniel grinned. She was a feisty one, and probably annoying as all get out in the long run, buthe found her amusing. “Don’t you want to make this a fair fight?” he asked.
    â€œHeck no.” She snorted. “Listen, youngster, I’ve married, harried and buried four men. I’ve done my part.”
    Daniel nodded, impressed. “Going for a fifth?” he asked her.
    She practically snarled. “I think not. I’ve retired from those battles. Hung up my spurs. I think I’ve probably had more than my share of heartbreak. Why would I ask for any more punishment?”
    â€œOh, come on, Ella,” Phoebe remonstrated, her eyes dancing. “You work every day with flowers, the language of love. How can you ignore the effect on you?”
    â€œI keep my vaccinations up to date,” she snapped back. “I’m not falling for any of this romantic twaddle. There’s enough of that going on around here to choke a horse, anyway.”
    â€œYou’ve noticed it, too?” Daniel said quickly. So few would admit it.
    â€œNoticed it?” Ella rolled her eyes, an interesting movement backed as it was with the heavy blue eye shadow. “You can’t get down the hallways without tripping over lip-locked lovers these days. I don’t know what’s come over everyone.”
    That was a relief. He was beginning to think he was the only one who saw the difference. The thing was, he knew this hospital pretty well. His partner had taken a round in his leg a few years ago, the by-product of a major drug bust, and he’d visited Jimmy almost every day until they’d let him out. And there had been others—Minnie the office secretary when she’d had her heart attack, Kirk with his hip replacement, Mike with the broken back from falling off a roof while chasing a kidnapper. And then when Jimmy and his wife had decided to adopt a child, he’d become well-acquainted with Maggie Sullivan, a social worker with Children’s Connection, which was affiliated with the hospital. All in all, he’d been in and out of the place dozens of times. If things had been like this he would have noticed. It had only been this summer that he had begun to notice people here acting strangely. Only since the new clinic had opened its doors.
    So he nodded in agreement with the woman.
    â€œI don’t suppose you’ve visited the HealthyLiving Clinic by any chance?” he asked. “Or had any dealings with their products?”
    â€œHeck no. I’m fit as a spring colt, thank you very much. I don’t need any of that alfalfa-sprout mumbo-jumbo.”
    She started for the door, then glanced back at Phoebe. “You take care, honey. Enjoy your flowers.” Looking back at Daniel she added, “And you take care of this little lady. Don’t go running off after some flirty skirt and leaving her to fend for herself. You hear?”
    Daniel put his hand over his heart. “On my honor,” he told her earnestly.
    She nodded as though satisfied and went on her way, her high heels clicking on the tiled floor.
    Phoebe laughed. “Quite a character, isn’t she? I’ve known her since we were in the Oregonian Historical Society together, years ago. I’ve even met a couple of her husbands.”
    â€œSounds like you had to work fast to do that,” Daniel noted. “None of them lasted very long.” He looked thoughtful.