Doctor Love: A Medical Romance Series (Medical Heart Throb Series)

by Andrea L. Smith

  Her once athletic figure now had neat, womanly curves, her long legs more toned than before, triggering an image of them wrapped around him. The blond tresses that he fantasized gripping in ecstasy seemed longer and fuller. Her cute, pink lips summoned a vision of them enveloping his cock, pushing him to the point of no return before he buried himself inside her.

  But common sense prevailed and he tugged his mind to reality. No use thinking about something that would never happen.

  He almost canceled tonight. Not because of Dana. Hell, if he’d known she would be here he definitely would have. But after having a rough day he just wanted a quiet night to recuperate. But he couldn’t bail out on Luke. Not when he had an important day ahead.

  It had been three years since he’d last seen Luke, who he’d met during his fellowship. Luke was an attending then and the two men developed a friendship that continued over the years, although their schedules were so time consuming that it reduced their interactions to text messaging.

  So, he put his exhaustion to the side to show up for his friend. But after a minute of arriving, he regretted it. Seeing the displeasure on Dana’s face hinted that she was just as surprised—and irritated to see him. He ignored her as much as possible.

  But it seemed as if his friend had other plans. Luke made the introductions the minute he joined the group and gave him an elbowed jab when he got to Dana. Beside Luke, Sam’s sneaky smile aroused a suspicion that they had planned to play matchmaker all along.

  “We’ve met,” he said to Luke’s puzzled frown when he didn’t take Dana’s hand. Luke did not know of their history and he was in no mood to give him a rundown.

  “Well, since we’re all somehow familiar, how about some shots to keep the vibe going?” Isabel said.

  Nicholas had seen photos Luke’s fiancée, but they hadn’t done her justice. She was stunning, the color of her hair and eyes matching his own. She looked like a younger version of him—his little sister, if he had one. The loving way she looked at Luke pleased him. His friend seemed to have found a good one.

  “Yessss… shots!” Carina threw her hands in the air and rocked her body to the music. “Let’s get this party started!”

  Though they just met, he liked Carina and envied her carefree attitude. He wanted to follow suit and let loose, to shed his tense demeanor and have a good time. It had been a while—rare occasions—since he’d done anything close.

  Ever since his career began, his focus had been on success. Even now, when he’d achieved so much, he struggled to relax. Maybe that was why Ashley kept leaving; he’d gotten too serious and intense. During the year they’d been together, he’d never given way to his free spirit, was never spontaneous and had every single event in his life planned out to a T.

  Watching Carina dance in her seat, he thought about changing the structured side of him that had developed over the years. Tonight seemed the right time to give in to his impulse and have an exceptional time.

  “Yeah!” he heard himself saying. “Let’s get this party started!”

  “My man!” Luke slapped him on his back with a wide grin. “Glad to have you join us.” He gave Nicholas a nudge to the only available seat—beside Dana. He hesitated for a moment then took the seat, noticing when she shimmied to the other side.

  This should be an interesting night…

  Two servers appeared with trays full of tequila shots and within seconds they disappeared in eager hands. Nicholas took a handful from a tray and emptied one immediately, grunting as the liquor burned his throat and the warmth spread around his belly.

  The effects took over sooner than expected; maybe it was because he’d taken three shots in a row, or he hadn’t touched a sip of alcohol in over a year. Either way, he welcomed Carina’s suggestion that they hit the dance floor. But he didn’t expect Isabel’s add-on, that he dance with Dana.

  “No, thanks,” he said at once, and Dana lashed him with a scornful glare. She had been drinking nonstop since he arrived, the entire time keeping a stiff demeanor in her seat, looking neither left nor right. Not that he cared; he wasn’t looking to start a conversation with her, anyway.

  “Oh, how will I survive the rejection?” Sarcasm laced her voice, along with a hint of animosity. She shimmied to the other end and left the booth.

  Nicholas rolled his eyes at her word choice. The irony!

  “Hey,” Luke murmured, pulling Nicholas to him. “What went down with you two?”

  “Long story,” he replied. “I’ll tell you about it later.” For now, he wanted to take advantage of the alcohol in his system. Before him, the dance floor beckoned, along with a bevy of beautiful, single women, none of whom had stormy blue eyes and irritated the hell out of him.

  But Isabel refused to take no for an answer. “Like it or not, you two are getting on that dance floor—together. Even if we have to drag you to it.” Ignoring Dana’s protests, she gave her a gentle push towards him.

  Nicholas raised his palms as she braked to a stop before him, giving another scathing glare. “Don’t worry, it’s not catching,” she said.

  “Come on, let’s get this over with,” he replied. The sooner, the better.

  Ignoring the whistles from the group, Nicholas allowed Dana to pull him to the dance floor where the music thumped louder than before, knocking against his chest. Or maybe that was his body’s reaction to having her hand clasped over his.

  Dana stopped at the edge of the crowd and released him, leaving a gap between them. She began bumping to the reggaeton beat and her face relaxed a bit.

  Nicholas bounced with her, careful to maintain the space and not long after he relaxed too. Soon, the gap grew smaller, until there was no air left between them and their bodies bumped constantly. His body came alive, fueled by her touch. The stirrings of an erection appeared almost at once.

  Shit.

  The sensible reaction would have been to create the gap once more. But her body felt so good against his, he did not want it to stop. He’d never been this close to her before, had never gotten within the intimate space where her warm breath touched him or her perfume filled his senses. Now that he was here, he didn’t want to leave.

  Careful, Nicholas, you’re falling again…

  Dana threw her head back, waving her arms above and exposing her long, beautiful neck. A searing urge to kiss it arose, one so strong that he almost gave in. He was so close; her soft skin was just a breath from his lips. Just do it. Do it. Do it…

  But the sudden change of the music to a salsa-inspired number brought her head upright again. She shook her head and raised on her toes to his ear. “How about we sit this one out? Let’s wait for another upbeat song, anything but this.”

  He leaned down to her so she could hear him over the music. Her eyes flew open and he wondered, for an instant, if she thought he was about to kiss her. A day ago, it would have been a laughable thought but now it wasn’t. Those pink, luscious lips were made for kissing. They were like a magnet, pulling him in. His gaze lingered over them for a few seconds before he dipped to her ear. “What, are you scared I’ll show you up?”

  Dana drew back with a derisive look. “Not a chance,” she replied. “I’ll dance circles around you if it comes to it.”

  “Well, prove me wrong,” he said, offering his hand, relieved when she took it.

  “Fine. One slow number and that’s it.”

  He raised her arm and twirled her, then drew her body to his, surprised at how fluid and sensual her movements were. Dana didn’t lie, she knew her way around the genre even better than he did. She kept him on his toes, literally, so much that he was out of breath when the song ended. She too breathed hard, with a smile on her face he hadn’t seen in a while—if ever.

  A new song erupted over the speakers and he shrugged. “One more.”

  She nodded. “One more.”

  But ‘one more’ turned into many more. It had been years since he’d gone dancing and he couldn’t remember enjoying it this much. It wasn’t
just Dana’s skill that made it interesting, it was her genuine response to the music he loved. To know she enjoyed it as much as he did—or probably more—made him see her in a different light.

  Ashley had never appreciated his culture. She’d been on him to bury himself in hers, though. He’d gone along with what she wanted, knowing it was the best thing to do in a new relationship, thinking that soon she would want to learn more about him.

  But that day never came.

  It took an instant, but he soon noticed Dana’s lingering hands on him. At first, he thought he imagined it, but the way her fingers caressed his chest, traveling downwards in slow, deliberate motion, close to his belt then up again, it wasn’t a figment of his imagination. No way were the soft strokes along his back a fantasy. It was real, those tiny fingers doing a world of damage, lighting a fire in his soul.

  What the hell is she doing?

  She whipped her hair to one side as she spun and coming back to center, rolled her body against his, not once, or twice, but more times than he could count. Not that he was in the state of mind to. Her full, round breasts grazed his chest and her firm stomach molded with his, awakening a desire so strong it muddled his senses. When she raked her pelvis against his growing erection, he lost his breath for a moment.

  Fuck-ing hell. To cool off, he spun Dana and dipped her. She stared up at him, her mouth slightly parted, the desire stamped on her face. Yes, it wasn’t his imagination. She was definitely coming on to him. Again, he felt the urge to kiss her. But again, he ignored it and raised her up. Her hair bounced, some of it falling over her eyes, adding to her sex appeal that grew in strength the longer he stayed around her. She rocked her hips, moving in harmony to the music, stirring him as she pressed against him once more, turning up the internal heat that threatened to burn him alive.

  It was time to go, before he did something he would later regret. If it was any other woman, he would not hesitate to take her home. But this was Dana, the woman who rejected him more times than his ego could handle. He wanted nothing to do with her although his erection suggested otherwise.

  He released her abruptly, so fast that she staggered with an obvious surprise. Without hesitating, he pushed through the crowd and made his way to the group. No way would he give Dana the chance to deflate his pride again. No freaking way.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Carina said, linking her arm through Dana’s as they walked to the club’s exit at the end of the night.

  “No, it wasn’t,” Dana replied. It was worse than bad. Devastating. Because she’d just made an ass of herself on the dance floor. What was she thinking, trying to seduce Nicholas again? It had to be the craziest thing she’d ever done.

  But deep down, she knew it wasn’t insanity. It was an agonizing ache that lodged itself in the pit of her gut the minute he took her in his arms, one that intensified each time their bodies collided. The erotic connection prompted a surge of boldness and she gave in to it without thinking.

  And man, did she regret it.

  Touching his rock-hard body, feeling the power beneath his shirt, it brought a rush that made her panties wet and her sex contract with need. In that moment, she would have given herself to him if he asked her to. She was that far gone. Never had she wanted someone so much.

  She wished she could blame the alcohol for the insane, emotional change, but the series of drinks had no effect on her sobriety. No, she’d been in her right mind, which meant the attraction was real.

  Oh, the confusion on his face… if she hadn’t been so aroused, she would have laughed then. She could see him battling against his desire for her. He wanted no part of it, that much was clear. But his erection signaled the side that gained the upper hand. Oh, yeah. His heart was in opposition, but his body wanted her.

  When he dipped her and paused for a moment, his passionate gaze sweeping her face, she swore he would kiss her, and experienced a flood of disappointment when he didn’t. But looking back, she thanked God he released her when he did. No telling what she would have done if the dance progressed.

  But whether or not her feelings were real, she refused to give in to them. Nicholas was still a piece of work, undeserving of her. It didn’t matter that he was the sexiest, most erotic partner she’d ever danced with, that a single touch from him transformed her into a carnal mess. He still carried the conviction that she was an opportunist who used sex as a bargaining tool.

  “You’re welcome,” Isabel said, bumping her hip against Dana’s. “Should I assume the feud is now over?”

  “I doubt it.” She stared at Nicholas as he walked ahead, chatting with the boys. She saw a different side to him tonight, a hint of something more than the broody man she’d known before. One the dance floor he seemed freer, happier, as if he was having an awesome time, but in an instant his old demeanor returned and he released her so quickly she almost fell. Back with the group, he moved to the other side of the table, took Dylan’s seat and avoided looking in her direction.

  Yeah… that was a staggering no. Nicholas still carried a grudge, so did she, which meant the feud would continue. Well, at least until he returned to New York and she would never have to see him again…

  The expected relief did not come. Instead, a deep pang lodged itself in her stomach.

  “Where did you park, Dana?” Luke asked as the group came to a stop at the edge of the parking lot.

  “I didn’t,” she replied. “We caught a cab here.” Never one to drink and drive, she left her car at home and ordered an Uber instead.

  “Oh… ok.” He looked around to the others, then back at her, and Dana realized a problem—not a major one, but a complication nonetheless. Isabel and Luke lived an hour away from her apartment. So did Sam and Kelsie. While Carina and Dylan lived close enough, just a couple blocks away, they’d made plans to continue celebrating their engagement by booking a nearby hotel for the rest of the night.

  So that left her and Nicholas, who seemed as if his thoughts mirrored hers by the discomfort on his face. Dana suspected they both knew what was coming next, so she tried to thwart the incoming attempt before it arrived.

  “I’ll just call an Uber, no worries,” she said, reaching for the phone in her purse.

  “The hell you are!” Isabel replied. “I’m sure Nicholas wouldn’t mind taking you home.”

  Dana released a groan, one that came out much louder than she intended. Nicholas’ glare lashed her before he cut his eyes. “No, I don’t mind,” he said, although his glower said otherwise.

  “Awesome!” Isabel shoved her towards him and she stopped just before their bodies touched. Again, her awareness spiked and the ache returned.

  What the hell is up with me tonight?

  A few hours ago, she couldn’t stand his ass. Still didn’t. But now, her body seemed to cry out for his touch. It made no sense! How could she want someone she disliked so much?

  Nicholas backed up a little, a wariness in his eyes as he watched her. Dana wondered if he noticed her reaction to him. Nah. No way was it that obvious.

  “Get her home in one piece, Nicholas,” Isabel said with a wink and a sly smile. Dana wanted to knock her over the head with her purse. But she settled for flipping the bird before she turned and followed Nicholas to his car.

  “It’s a rental,” he explained, as she settled in the leather seat. She nodded, not sure why he would give her that piece of information. They drove towards Trenton in silence, well, except for the stereo that played a round of flamenco music.

  “Do you listen to any other genre?” She asked, after the sixth song. He shot her a side glare before reaching to change the music to contemporary R&B. She smiled. “Lovely.”

  He grunted in response.

  Again, the silence between them prevailed. Dana welcomed it. They had nothing to talk about, anyway. This was just a courtesy drop-off, nothing else. The faster he drove, the sooner they would get there and she could leave the confusing feelings on the outsi
de where they belonged.

  But when he pulled into her building’s parking lot, the relief that came evaporated as he cut the engine and opened his door. “What are you doing?”

  He paused with one leg out the door and gave her a puzzled look. “Taking you home.”

  “I already am.” She jabbed her finger towards the entrance of the building. “That’s where I live.”

  “I promised Isabel I’d get you home in one piece. Which means escorting you to your front door. I’m a man of my word, so come on, let’s go.”

  “That’s totally unnecessary, believe me.” She pushed her door open and stepped out, hoping he’d changed his mind. But he was already at the front of the car by the time she shut the door. Oh, what the hell, she thought, stomping ahead. A minute or two would see him gone, anyway. No use wasting time trying to convince him to go.

  She entered the lobby and paused at the stairs, contemplating. Usually, the twenty flights were her route of choice when coming to and from her apartment. Not only did it provide a good workout, it kept her from reliving the ordeal she experienced a few months ago.

  It was the scariest eight hours of her life, being trapped between two floors in a malfunctioning elevator, assaulted by visions of the car crashing to the floor and bursting into flames like they did in the movies. Worse, she had no cell phone signal and the urge to pee was so great that her legs cramped.

  Never again, she thought, when the infrastructure team came to get her out. But her ordeal wasn’t over. She slipped and almost fell down the shaft on her way up. If it wasn’t for a contractor’s quick reflexes, she would have ended up in the ER—or worse.

  Since then, despite how high her destination, the stairs were her chosen route. But tonight, she had to make an exception. Taking the lift meant parting with Nicholas sooner than later. Besides, the probability of another incident was almost zero.