Raphael was the total opposite of the man she wanted to be with. Loud and brutish, with an annoying habit of slapping her butt when Mateo wasn’t looking. In her father’s presence he tried to act decent, but someday his true colors would show. She prayed it would happen sooner than later.
Her cell phone rang and she saw Mateo’s name flashing on the screen. A weary sigh preceded her answering the call. “Hey, daddy.”
“Please tell me you’re almost here.”
“I’m sorry. Work ran a little late.”
“Carina—”
“I’m leaving now, daddy. Raphael can wait, can’t he?”
“Now, that’s no way to talk about your future—”
“He’s not my future anything.” The words left her mouth before she could think. She sighed, bracing for Mateo’s outburst.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing, daddy. I’m on my way, ok?” She cut the call before he answered and palmed her face. You have to do it, Carina. Tell him you’re not interested in Raphael.
She shut down her computer and reached for her purse. The place seemed deserted as she stepped from her office, as most of the staff had already left for the day. Usually, a doctor or two remained after hours doing follow-up calls with patients. But not Dylan. At least, not tonight. She glanced at the darkened space in passing and wondered where he was. Usually, he worked up to nine each night. She could tell by the attendance reports they submitted to her each week.
Her footsteps echoed as she walked down the darkened hallway. Maybe he was out on a date, which was probably the only thing that could tear him away from his work. The thought did not rest well, not one bit. A rising jealousy added to her irritation at being summoned to dine with a man she disliked.
Wrapped in her thoughts, she rounded the corner without looking and ran smack into a hard body.
With sharp reflexes, he reached out to grab her before she stumbled and pulled her to him. She breathed in the familiar aroma. Whether in darkness or light, she would know Dylan’s scent anywhere. It wasn’t just the sweet and spicy cologne that he wore, it was the lingering smell of his aftershave and the shampoo he used. It was all present, giving her a heady feeling as she pressed against him.
His body felt so damn good…just how she imagined. She took advantage of the moment and ran her palm over his pecs and down his abs. Oh, yes, this was everything she imagined. She stroked his belly and her hand dipped further, past his belt and—
Dylan grabbed her wrist with a firm, “don’t.”
“What?” she whispered, twisting her wrist from his grasp. She grabbed his crotch and kneaded his growing erection. “Don’t what?”
She could hear his gasp as he sucked in a breath. He grabbed her wrist again, more forceful this time. “Carina, stop.” He backed away from her, fast, with that signature tortured look. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Something I’ve been wanting to do for years. Something that I can see you want to do, too.” She looked down at his bulging erection. “You want me.”
“Carina…”
“Just admit it.”
“Carina, you know better. Your father—”
“Oh, screw whatever he thinks!” Her annoyance returned two-fold. “We’re grown, aren’t we? How about we make our own decisions?”
Dylan vigorously shook his head. “No. You don’t get to say that. Do you know what will happen if your dad finds out? I might lose a limb, or worse. You get a slap on the wrist. I’m not interested in putting my life at risk, despite how enticing you may be. And fuck, you’re beyond tempting, driving me insane with those tight skirts and popsicles and—” he paused on a breath pivoted away from her. “Just stay the hell away from me, Carina.”
Carina balled her hands into fists and her eyes welled with tears as he walked away. A flood of shame filled her. Is this what I’ve come to? Throwing myself at a man who doesn’t want to be with me?
To hell with him, she decided, stomping to the front door. No more would she try to seduce him. From now on, she would keep her distance and focus on what he hired her to do.
At least, that was what her mind decided. Her heart had a hard time catching up.
.
CHAPTER SIX
Fuck! Dylan slammed his car door and raked finger through his hair. Another curse escaped and he leaned against the seat. His erection lingered, a painful reminder of how close he’d come to taking Carina right there on the office floor.
For days he watched her, noting her deliberate attempts to seduce him. He should have been flattered; Carina was young, stunning and dripping with sexiness. Any man would love her attention. Not that he didn’t; he would give anything to take her up on her offer. But he knew the consequences of his actions where Mateo was concerned. He’d be a fool to risk his life.
Today brought a higher level of torture, for Carina wore a dress that triggered every unclean thought possible. The flame-red bodycon dress with the high side slit drove him crazy the entire day. Not only did it cinch her waist and emphasize her sexiness, but it exposed the bare flesh on her thigh as she walked. He was in hell…and heaven at once. He tried his best to keep a distance. No telling what he would do if she came too close.
Through the glass walls he watched her work, her face screwed with concentration while her fingers typed away. Even with the small frown she was still as beautiful and tempting as ever. She leaned forward, closer to the screen and a clump of her hair fell across her eyes. Dylan wished he was close enough to sweep it to the side so he could see her face once more.
He regretted going back for his iPad. After making such a clean break from the office, he should have just left it there. Then he wouldn’t have had to run into her, to face the temptation she kept flaunting before him.
If only she knew how close she’d come to getting fucked right there on the floor, she probably would have run from him as fast as possible. He’d never had to summon that much restraint in his life. Her touch…god, her tiny hands did major damage, turning him on like never before. It took every ounce of his willpower to walk away.
They needed to talk. Once and for all, he had to draw a line. That was the only way he could keep her on his payroll. Having to deal with her teasing for god knows how long would drive him insane. Time to nip it in the bud. The thought did not bring much satisfaction, but it had to be done.
Releasing a harsh breath, he pressed the ignition button and pulled from his parking spot. Thanks to his run-in with Carina, he was ten minutes behind for his date with Jenna, a neurosurgeon he met during a convention a few months ago. She’d flown into town for an interview and they made contact once more. He had been looking forward to seeing her all day. Then again, he would look forward to anything or anyone that distracted him from Carina.
***
“Somehow, I get the feeling your mind’s elsewhere,” Jenna said, giving his arm a light touch. “Wanna talk about it?”
Dylan smiled. Trust me, you don’t want to know. Out loud he said, “it’s just work, nothing major.” In a way, it was. Carina hadn’t left his mind for a second, despite his attempts to get her out. Not that Jenna fell short. No, she offered more than enough to distract him. If it was any other time, her fun, sexy flirting would have worked. Her striking figure would have him lusting like a dog in heat. But not with Carina lodged in his brain. It was as if she ruined other women for him.
“Well…” Jenna reached under the table and caressed his thigh, giving him a direct look. “How about we take the edge off someplace else, say, your apartment?”
Why the hell not? Dylan waved for the check. Maybe this was what he needed; some hardcore sex to purge Carina’s touch from his thoughts. It worked before, back in the day when he discovered his feelings for her. No reason to think it wouldn’t work now.
But on their way to the parking lot his steps faltered. It wasn’t right, using Jenna like this. She deserved more than being used as an object to get over another woman.
“Look.” He released her hand and turned to face her. “I think I’m going to call it a night. Alone.”
Jenna tried to hide her disappointment with a smile. “I see.”
“It’s not you—truly. I’m just really distracted right now.”
She reached for his hand and squeezed it. “I hope she knows how lucky she is.” Reaching in her purse, she pulled out her cell phone. “Don’t worry about taking me to the hotel. I’ll order an Uber. See you around… or not.” With another smile, she left him standing there.
Dylan watched her go, somehow relieved. At least she wasn’t one of those crazies who would have given him a hard time. He walked to his car and sat behind the wheel for a long time, thinking.
His feelings for Carina showed no signs of waning, just the opposite, gaining power each day. Her constant teasing did not help one bit. If she wasn’t related to the Morales, he would have already made a move, but the thought of losing it all kept his barrier up.
God, what do I do?
He wanted Carina so bad he could taste her. Working so close to her, seeing her, unable to touch her the way he wanted to, it was way too much. He could not fire her or make love to her. Either way Mateo would have his head. But something had to give, or soon he would have to book a one-way trip to the nuthouse.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Carina slammed the receiver to the cradle with a frustrated sigh. It was the end of another long day and all she wanted to do was head home to the safety of her bed. But her computer crashed at the last minute, taking hours’ worth of work with it. A phone call to the IT tech should have been the end to her problem, but he had already left for the day.
“I’ll check it out in the morning,” he said, when she called him on his cell. “Don’t worry about it; the information’s still there.”
But she couldn’t wait until morning. She planned to take the day off for an interview with a financial firm. Since Dylan’s rejection that night, she’d gotten busy and updated her resume then emailed copies to every company she could think of. She prided herself with scoring the interview because for once, there were no strings pulled by her daddy. She did it all on her own. Which was how she would proceed from now on. Mateo had done enough to control her life, but no more.
Leaving Dylan’s medical practice was the best—and sanest thing to do. Being around him seemed impossible now, especially after he made his feelings very clear. He did not want her.
It hurt like hell. Her ego took a solid blow. But her pride still remained, and it pushed her to work on getting the hell out of his company as fast as possible. For a moment, she considered quitting, but she knew the questions from Mateo would follow. How could she explain walking away from a job she’d pressured him to score for her?
Mateo had been against her request at first. “It’s not a good idea, Carina,” he’d said.
“Why not? It’s a legitimate job, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but…” He seemed to search for the right words to say then gave up. “Why do you want to work, anyway? You have everything you need.”
“What I need is to put my degrees to use. I spent five years busting my butt for them.”
“Come work for me, then. The real estate company needs an executive director. It’s perfect for you.”
“Just let me have this, daddy, please. I don’t ask for much.”
Mateo threw his hands up in resignation. “Fine. I’ll give Dylan a call.”
Now she wished he hadn’t. That she had taken his offer. The heartache she carried for the past week would not exist.
Damn him! Damn Dylan for making her feel this way. She hated the emptiness that his rejection brought. She hated herself for wanting him still. With a heavy sigh, she reached into the drawer where she kept her purse. There was no use delaying. She would have to find a way to get the report done by morning and make it to her interview.
A sharp rap on her door made her look up, and she had to blink twice to confirm Dylan was really standing at her doorway. Since their encounter a week ago, he’d gone out of his way to avoid her. Why was he here?
“Can I come in?”
She shrugged. “It’s your company, isn’t it?”
He did not respond, but entered and stood before her desk, his powerful frame overwhelming the space—and her. Gone was the white coat he wore around the office. A long-sleeved buttoned shirt and tailored pants remained. Carina tried not to look at him, but his presence was like a magnet, pulling her in. God, she wished he wasn’t so gorgeous, that she didn’t yearn to run her fingers through his thick hair or kiss those beautiful pink lips that sent an invitation each time he smiled.
Well, he wasn’t smiling now. A small frown stood in place, giving him an intense look that did nothing to quell the rising desire in her belly. His hot, penetrating stare made him even more appealing, bringing forth a growing ache that she felt powerless to conquer.
Oh, yeah. I’ve got to get the hell out of here.
“We need to talk,” he said.
Carina straightened in her seat. “About?”
“What happened that night.”
“Do we need to?”
“Yes.” Dylan took the seat before her, coming to eye level, which only made her torment worse. “Carina, that can’t happen again.”
She scoffed. “Oh, you made that very clear, believe me.”
“Not that I wouldn’t want it to,” he continued, as if he hadn’t heard her reply.
“Huh?” Did I hear right?
He drew the seat closer and placed his hands on her desk. Her hands were inches away. The urge to reach out and touch him was so great, she had to move her hands to her lap.
“Carina, I wish…” He paused and covered his face with both hands. Wiping to each side, he looked at her again. “More than anything, I wish I could give in to my feelings for you.”
Her heart rate took an incline. “What does that mean?”
“That I’ve wanted you for ages now. I’ve been fighting like crazy to move on from you, but it’s a freaking struggle. And you’re not helping one bit.”
She eased from her seat and walked around to him, ignoring the guarded look he gave as she approached. “Why fight them, Dylan? Why don’t you give in?”
“We’ve had this conversation a week ago, remember? Your father would not approve.”
“And I told you, I’m a woman now. Mateo does not run my life.”
“Yeah, right.”
“It’s true.”
“It’s not just your dad, Carina. I’m years older than you are. I’ve been around the block many times, while you…”
Her face warmed, knowing what he intended to say. She crossed her arms and said, “I’m a virgin, so what?”
His frown deepened. “So, what? Do you need to ask?”
“For the last time, Dylan, I control my life, not Mateo. I decide when and with whom I lose my virginity. And I’ve decided long ago that it would be you.”
“Carina, no.” He vigorously shook his head as if trying to cancel her words from his mind.
“I may lack your experience, but I’m not the innocent little lamb you think I am.” She moved closer and tentatively slid her fingers through his hair, grateful that he did not pull away. “I know what I want, and I want you, Dylan.”
Her words made him jerk away. He pulled her hand from his hair and stood. “I meant it, Carina. No.”
This time, she refused to take no for an answer. Knowing his true feelings, there was no way she could walk away. “Yes.”
“Holy fuck.” He stared at her; his inner torture made clear by the heat in his eyes. “You’re asking for trouble.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Just leave, Dylan. Turn around and walk away.
But his feet remained in place, fueled by his lust for Carina. She stared back at him; her big, golden eyes filled with the same need he felt inside. Her chest rose and fell on an upbeat rhythm. She palmed her hips then slid her hands on her behind.
The soun
d of her zipper alerted him and he took some steps to widen the distance between them. “Carina...” But his tone lacked conviction. It its place was a slight tremor.
“Stop me,” she whispered, stepping from the skirt.
C’mon, dude, get out. Now, while you have some willpower left.
But did he? The sight of Carina’s thick, bare thighs and the lacy underwear seemed to eliminate his self-control. He wet his suddenly parched lips and a thirstiness ensued. But he didn’t want a drink. Only Carina could quench his thirst.
But the repercussions… damn…they kept coming to the forefront of his mind. They were the only barrier to tasting the woman before him.
“Stop thinking and just do it.” Carina’s soft, sultry voice washed over him and he closed his eyes to the sound. “You know you want to.”
Dylan opened his eyes. The blinds were closed. Most, or probably all the staff had already left. No one needed to know what happened tonight. He should take the shot, right?
This wasn’t the time or place. Carina did not deserve for her first time to be on an office desk. A woman of her caliber deserved a plush bed with soft sheets, candlelight, rose petals and romantic music. But, damn it, his willpower had taken flight. So had the barrier. The repercussions were temporarily forgotten.
Carina closed the gap while unbuttoning her blouse. He sucked in a breath when his back connected to the wall. He leaned against it, completely at her mercy, his mouth moistening as her brad-clad breasts came into view. The exposed flesh was more than enough to get his blood flowing. When she reached behind and freed them, it was all over for him.
She opened her mouth to say something, but he cut her off with a hard, hungry kiss. His hands traveled upwards, clutching her locks, gripping the roots and tugging her head back. He was like a starving man, tasting, feasting, taking every inch of her mouth. Her moaning response was like fuel to fire.
Dylan could not get enough. His lips roamed, trending downwards, licking her neck, kissing her shoulder, sucking her erect nipples. She arched her back with a cry. Her fingers combed the back of his head.
Doctor Love: A Medical Romance Series (Medical Heart Throb Series) Page 9
