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

by Andrea L. Smith

  Having decided, she made a beeline to the elevator, pressing the button that would take her to the top floor. Waiting for the car to descend, she could sense his presence behind her and his strong, stimulating scent invaded her space and dismantled whatever peace she had left. The longer they stood there, the greater the tension that made it hard to breathe. Where the hell is the damn lift? She pressed the button again, and again, clicking her tongue.

  “I doubt that’ll help,” came his amused voice behind her.

  Dana ignored him, breathing a sigh of relief when the arrow lit up and the doors opened. She kept to one corner, far from him as possible, willing the car to move at record speed. Second floor, now third, fourth… she watched the buttons light up as they approached each floor. Another minute would take her to her haven, away from thoughts of him.

  Without warning, the overhead lights went out and the elevator came to a sudden stop. Dana blinked in the darkness, waiting for the ride to resume. An incoming panic took over when it didn’t.

  Oh. God, no. Not again! She backed against the rail and gripped it. The darkness was like a noose, cutting off her air supply and the more she tried to breathe, the worse her struggle became.

  “Hey.” Nicholas’ voice cut through the darkness, startling her. For a moment she’d forgotten he was there. “You okay?”

  She shook her head while taking deep breaths, too caught up in her panic to realize he couldn’t see her.

  “Dana.” His voice came closer than before. “Talk to me.”

  “I’m okay.” Her response came in a whisper. She tried to coach her body to relax, but it was no use.

  “No, you’re not.” He was definitely closer to her now. Again, his scent washed over her, the fragrance giving her a rush like it did before. She shifted away from him, grateful for the darkness that kept her out of sight. Hopefully he would stay where he was so she could breathe.

  But his sudden hold on her arm cut her hope in half. “I’m not letting you go until you tell me what’s wrong.”

  Damn it.

  “It’s the lift, ok? I’m having a mild anxiety attack.” She tried to wiggle her arm from his grip. “Now let me go.”

  He didn’t, but his grip slackened. “Breathe,” he said.

  I would, if you weren’t so close. “I am…”

  “Are you claustrophobic?” he asked.

  “No, I’m not.” She told him about the incident, wishing she could see his face to see if he mocked her demise or if he still wore the contempt that seemed reserved for her.

  “Why didn’t you take the stairs? It seemed the sensible thing to do.”

  Because I wanted to get away from you ASAP. “I wasn’t thinking, I guess.”

  “I’m sorry that happened to you. The incident.”

  His response took her by surprise. Did I hear right? “Uh… thanks.”

  The cell phone in his hand lit up and he swiped the screen and read from it. “Turns out it’s a city-wide power outage. Let’s hope it’s a short one.” He turned the flashlight feature on his phone and waved it around the compact space. “But you might want to get off your feet. No telling how long it will be.”

  “Yeah, I should…” She glanced at the carpeted floor before sinking down.

  “Wait.” Pausing midway, Dana looked up at him as he pulled the jacket off his back and spread it to the floor. “A little more cushion for your butt.”

  Dana smiled, the gesture warming her from head to toe. Was this the sullen man from a few hours ago?

  “What?” he asked, and a semblance of the scowl returned.

  “Nothing,” she replied, “except you seem almost human just now.”

  Nicholas chuckled and sank down beside her, resting the phone against the wall so the light shone on them. “I’ve been called many things, but that’s a first. Is that how you see me? A savage?”

  “Well, you kinda hate my guts for no reason…”

  “I don’t hate you, Dana. I…” He sighed, pausing as if to think about the next words. “I just don’t get you.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It’s not important.”

  “It is.” She raised up on her knees and drew closer to him without realizing it. “We could have been friends, Nicholas, but we became enemies for no reason.”

  “No reason…” he shook his head. “That’s quite a stretch.”

  “Huh?”

  “It means you’ve had your head so far up your ass, you kept missing the obvious.”

  She folded her arms to keep from whacking him upside his head. “How about you stop speaking in riddles?”

  “Just drop it, ok? Because I’m done wasting my breath talking to you.” He gave a careless wave of his hand and turned his attention to the wall, an obvious effort to dismiss her.

  “You are such a freaking piece of work.” She returned to her original spot and scooted over to create space between them.

  Nicholas scoffed, angering her more.

  “Do you know what your problem is?” she asked, inflamed. “You think you’re better than me. You’re such an arrogant piece of—ugh!”

  Nicholas twisted to her with a scowl that clouded his expression. “You’re joking, right? You don’t get to say that, Dana, not when you’ve been the poster child for stomping on feelings.”

  “That’s bullshit. If you’d taken the time to get to know me, you’d realize how far it is from the truth.”

  He laughed, a dry one, cutting her with his gaze again. “You’re so self-absorbed. Get to know you? You’ve never given me a chance. Remember high school? The auction in med school?”

  “What about them?”

  “Remember when you and your friends humiliated me before the entire room because I asked you to prom? Or when you didn’t show up for our date and acted like it was nothing?”

  “For heaven’s sake, back in high school we were kids. None of us knew better. And I had a solid reason for ditching you that night.”

  “One you didn’t share. Instead, you left me hanging.”

  “It wasn’t a big deal, Nicholas. It was a stupid date.”

  “No.” He pushed to his feet with such speed that it startled her. “It wasn’t. Not to me, Dana.” A heavy breath escaped him as he leaned against the wall.

  “I’m so confused right now.” Was she missing something, or was Nicholas being extra? She could think of nothing that would make him act this way. Both events occurred over ten years ago. Why was he still carrying a grudge?

  “Yeah, and I’m not surprised.”

  “I think you’re overreacting.”

  “Listen Dana. I’m a man, in every sense of the word. But, like you, there’s blood running through my veins. I have feelings too. You don’t get to tell me how to feel.”

  “This is exhausting.” She drew fingers through her air, gripping the roots with frustration. Their reunion tonight placed her on an emotional roller coaster that had begun to take its toll. His subliminal language did nothing to help.

  “Why am I surprised that you are disregarding my feelings? Typical Dana, self-absorbed as hell.”

  “Yeah, add that to my list of sins, will you? I’m selfish, I’m a slut…”

  “I never said you were a slut.”

  “You sure implied it. I’m the heifer who used her body to steal your precious promotion, one that I might add—”

  “For God’s sake, Dana, stop talking.”

  She gasped, whipping him with a glare. “Don’t tell me what to do, you ass—”

  His movement was so swift, Dana’s brain had no time to register before he moved across the space and lifted her, his hand clutching the back of her head and his lips descending on hers. But it caught up in a second, sending bucket loads of pleasure chemicals to her core, prompting her response to him.

  With a deep moan, she curled her lips into his, tasting him for the first time. It was so amazing; hot, and sweet, and everything she’d longed for on the dance floor. And God… could this man kis
s! Oh, the skillful strokes of his tongue sent heatwaves downstairs, lubricating it, creating an ache for something hard and thick and —

  A whirring sound cut into her thoughts just as the lights came on overhead. The car shook and in another instant, they began moving again. Dana broke the kiss, her common sense returning with the power. Ignoring her body’s protests, she pushed Nicholas away from her. What the hell was she thinking?

  Nicholas reached for his cell phone and jacket on the floor. He did not hide the arousal on his face. Not that it would make any difference, considering the telltale sign that pressed against his pants.

  Dana tried not to look at his erection but it seemed to have a magnetic power that pulled her eyes. Seeing the imprint of his length made her mouth water. It had been too long… too damn long since she’d been with a man. But no way would Nicholas be the one to end her dry spell. No freaking way.

  “Dana—”

  “No,” she whispered. “Don’t speak. And don’t follow me, either. I know the way to my apartment.”

  He didn’t respond, but the sexual tension radiated from him, overpowering her, bringing the threat of another anxiety attack. Breathe, Dana. Just breathe.

  A downpour of relief came when the doors opened on her floor and she took off, running as fast as her legs could take her. She did not look back, for if she did, she would have glimpsed the hopeful gleam that filled Nicholas’ eyes.

  CHAPTER SIX

  “You. Kissed Dana. Stop lying,” Gabriel said.

  Nicholas shrugged with a dry grin. “Believe it or not, bro.” Walking back to his car last night, he experienced the same disbelief. It seemed like a dream, that he’d connected to Dana the way he’d wanted to for years, that his lips were on hers, his tongue probing, tasting, getting its fill but still craving more.

  Even now, the morning after, he was still in awe. Her response to him almost knocked his socks off. He’d expected a face slap, but not that. Not the toe-curling kiss she returned.

  Holy fuck, it was something, and much more. Her soft moans as he licked her mouth, the way her hands curled against his chest… God, it was a moment he’d wanted to last longer. Damn the power for returning when it did.

  He spooned protein powder into the blender before looking back to his friend. “I don’t know what got into my head but I’m glad it did.” Now he knew for sure that Dana had some measure of attraction to him. How deep it was, he didn’t know. But it gave him hope she would reciprocate his feelings if he took another plunge.

  Still, he wasn’t sure if he should. With other women, he had a confidence the size of the Pacific Ocean and he had no reservations with making a move on a woman he wanted. But his history with Dana brought a complicated challenge to his self-assurance. He didn’t need another rejection to deflate his ego.

  But how could he deny his feelings for her? Since the kiss last night, they had grown stronger than before, filling every part of his being. Could he walk away without trying? Would he regret it?

  “So, what are your plans?” Gabriel asked. “Are you going to tell her how you feel, out loud this time?”

  “I don’t know.” He dropped sliced banana into the blender and covered the lid. “It’s like I’m back in high school and I’m getting ready to ask her to prom.” Dana’s beauty and popularity intimidated him then, because it was the opposite of what he represented. But now, even with his physical and mental makeover, he was still a little daunted around her.

  “Well, you better get knowing, fast,” Gabriel said. “The weekend’s almost over.”

  Two days remained before he returned to New York, away from Dana. Last night at the bar, the thought had been a welcome one. Now it left an ache in his stomach. One kiss, just one, dismantled the defence he’d built since her last rejection. He couldn’t imagine what second base—third—fourth with Dana would do.

  He pressed the button on the blender, watching the contents swirl. Tonight, he would see her again at the rehearsal dinner and after last night, he didn’t know what his reaction to her should be. Should he resort to his cool demeanor and keep her at arm’s length, or show her that the kiss meant something?

  It was best to keep his feelings to himself, for the sake of his mental clarity. One thing he knew for sure; Dana had the power to make him lose his mind.

  ***

  “Hey.”

  Dana raised her eyes upwards before turning to Nicholas. “Hi.”

  “The party’s over there.”

  “I know.” She glanced to where their friends gathered. After an entertaining but extensive dinner, she wanted a moment alone. Actually, what she wanted was some time away from Nicholas. Throughout dinner, his presence affected her so much she couldn’t think straight. Unbridled thoughts came… thoughts of straddling him at the table and riding him until her body glowed with sweat and she had no energy left.

  Her sex was on fire, pulsing, aching for a filling—him. It marveled her to think one kiss could have done such damage. She’d hoped the memory would have faded by now. Instead, it remained clear and strong and encouraging her need for him. She didn’t want it, didn’t want him. He made her feel too much, want too much. A man with that power could break her heart without trying. She’d done too much to avoid another heartbreak to risk giving in to him. What she needed was the weekend to fly by so her sanity could return.

  “Can we talk?” Nicholas asked, drawing closer, too close for her comfort.

  She backed up a little. “About what?”

  “Last night,” he murmured, fire flaring in his eyes.

  Oh, no. Not when she was struggling to forget it. Thinking about it now brought flutters in her stomach. “Can we not? Let’s just forget it ever happened.”

  She almost missed the hurt that flashed across his face. It went by so fast. He slipped his hand in his pockets and released a harsh, tortured sigh. “Well, I can’t.”

  Dana gripped the base of her champagne glass as a tremor ran through her. “Nicholas…”

  “Be honest with me, Dana. Tell me there was nothing in that kiss and I’ll walk away.”

  She couldn’t. Not when it seared her mind and kept her up for most of the night. Not when it cultivated an overpowering emotion that threatened to suffocate her. But she would never say those words out loud.

  Without answering, she pushed past him and stormed over to the table for her purse. “I gotta run,” she told Isabel, who enquired. “I have a humongous headache.”

  “Oh, you poor baby.” Isabel pulled her in a hug and gave her a gentle squeeze. “Get some rest, ok? Tomorrow’s gonna be a beast of a day.”

  Dana almost chuckled. Tomorrow had a tight schedule filled with aromatherapy, hair and nail appointments. She’d take the beast of a day over tonight and her convoluted emotional state. “See ya,” she replied, waving to the rest of the group. From her peripheral vision she saw Nicholas watching her, but she kept her gaze straight ahead as she hurried through the door.

  In the safety of her car, she released a relieved breath. Two days to go, she thought. She would survive this weekend, and the end of it would see Nicholas leaving, taking her feelings with him.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Nicholas’ eyes followed Dana as she dashed from the room and his heart smiled. Dana tried her best to hide it, but he’d been around long enough to know when a woman wanted him. She did. The way she kissed him last night was a dead giveaway.

  Now, he had to decide whether to strike while the iron had heat, or leave her alone. Despite the obvious feelings he could tell she fought an internal battle.

  But what if this was the window he needed, the chance to finally get through to her? Should he not take it?

  Hell yes, he would. Tonight.

  Bidding the group goodbye, he took the hour-long drive to Dana’s apartment. There was no need for rehearsal. Every thought was already there on his heart. All he needed was an open door and a chance to release them. With any luck, the end of the night would bring more than his confessio
n.

  He stepped from the lift of her apartment and walked down the hallway, just in time to see Dana digging in her purse, her hair hanging and hiding her face.

  “Dana.”

  She jumped, brushing the hair from her face to frown at him. “How did you… why are you — never mind.” The jingling keys sounded before they emerged and she eased one in the door. But she didn’t turn the knob. Without looking at him she said, “you can’t be here.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I don’t want you here.”

  Nicholas marveled at how she tried to sound calm when her fingers shook like crazy as she opened the door. He read her body’s response like a book. Despite her attempts to hide her desire, he could see it from a mile away.

  “I think you’re lying.”

  The sexual tension radiated from her, strong and contagious, taking him over. He forgot his purpose for coming over tonight. All he could think of was breaking down her barrier, teasing her to madness, taking her with slow, deliberate strokes…all night long.

  “I don’t care what you think,” she replied, her tone clashing with the calmness she tried to portray. “Goodnight.”

  He gripped the edge of the door before she could close it while enjoying the frustration in her face. “Invite me in.”

  “Move, Nicholas.”

  He pressed his knee against the door, pushing it back. “Invite me in,” he repeated, dropping his voice to an octave he knew had a desired effect. Sure enough, she took a sharp inhale, so quick he almost missed it, and her eyes softened for a moment before taking on a steely glare.

  “No.” But he saw the hesitation before she answered.

  “I’m not taking no for an answer, Dana.”

  She released a loud groan and leaned against the door. “Why can’t you just leave me alone?”

  “Because you don’t want me to. I know it, and deep down you know it too.”

  “Oh, please.” She rolled her eyes. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.” But her nipples pressed against the fabric, proving a dead giveaway to the arousal she tried to hide.