“Cool. I’ll see you Monday morning. Enjoy your weekend with your family, and be safe.”
“I will, sir. You do the same.”
Hogan watched as Elián pulled off and merged his red pickup truck into the heavy evening traffic in front of the hospital. He then turned and made long, purposeful steps toward the employees’ entrance, where he was greeted by Chuck, an evening security guard.
“Doc, what’chu doing here tonight? You should be at home chillin’. This ain’t your shift, man.” He took Hogan’s duffel bag and placed it on the conveyor belt to be video scanned for clearance.
“I know, but some things are more important than rest and relaxation. I’m going to hang around in the physicians’ quarters tonight just in case things get a little crazy in the unit. I promise to rest until they page me for assistance.”
“I hope they won’t page you.” Chuck picked up the bag and returned it to Hogan. “Have a good evening, Doc.”
“Thanks, Chuck. Be safe, buddy.”
A series of soft taps at the door surprised Giva and threw off the energy in the small room. No one from Team Life 2 had called or sent her a text message asking for her assistance in the unit. As a matter of fact, Dr. Patel had told her she more than likely wouldn’t be needed at all. Therefore, she had no idea who was at the door of her single-occupancy room in the physicians’ quarters or what they could possibly want. The only things she knew for sure were that Ledisi’s soulful voice was giving her life on her Apple playlist via her cell phone, and the aromatic candles and heated essential oil had her feeling mellow and as free as a bird soaring high in the sky.
After a second round of light taps, Giva lifted the mask dangling around her neck and secured it on her face. Somewhat irritated, she rushed to the door, pulled it open, and nearly fainted at the sight before her. “Dr. Mc—”
“It’s Hogan.” He brushed past her and stepped inside her temporary personal space. “And don’t ask me to leave because I’m not going any goddamn where.”
Giva poked her head outside the room and looked up and down the hall, hoping no one had seen her surprise visitor enter. When it appeared that Hogan had slipped in without any eyes on him, she closed the door and pressed her back against the cold steel. “What are you doing here?”
“I told you we would talk today, so here I am. And I brought coffee,” he announced, patting the duffel bag. He looked around the dark room, obviously taking in the candles, oil burner, and the cell phone releasing the soothing sound of Ledisi into the atmosphere. There was a book of collective poetry by Langston Hughes on the bed too.
“I don’t have time or tolerance for your foolishness tonight, Hogan. I was relaxing and enjoying some good music and poetry. Please leave.”
“Didn’t I just tell you I wasn’t going anywhere?”
When he moved to stand directly in front of Giva, she held her breath. She didn’t trust herself not to touch him even though his presence annoyed her. The ripped, well-worn Levi jeans and white, fitted V-neck tee seemed to have been molded to his chiseled body. The fabric of both garments stretched and hugged each muscle and groove of his physique flawlessly. The sexy physician looked like a rugged bad boy tonight, and the Atlanta Braves baseball cap covering his raven curls added flair to his casual look. No man had the God-given right to look so damn delicious.
“I told you I’m not into coffee. I’m a huge fan of herbal teas, though. Do you have any chamomile tea in your bag of tricks, Doctor?”
Giva’s slick tongue earned her two more inches of his closeness when Hogan pressed his rigidness against her soft curves. She was now trapped between the cold steel door and a human wall of muscles, as a pair of penetrating pewter-colored eyes bore into hers. It was impossible now to hold her breath any longer, and she was pretty sure an enormous python snake had slid between their bodies and was vibrating against her tummy, causing liquid lust to pool in the crotch of her cotton boy shorts.
“We’ll drink Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee over enlightening conversation like I’d planned before—”
“Before what, Hogan?” Giva chuckled almost inaudibly. “Before Little Mama came hunting you down like a starving hound dog? Did she spoil the game you had planned for me?”
“I don’t play games, Giva. You’ll soon find that out about me. When I see something I want, I pursue it relentlessly but respectfully until it’s mine.”
“So, have I suddenly become a quest for you? Have you set a goal to conquer me so you can add my name to the list of other female doctors and nurses you’ve bedded around here?”
With both of his large palms pressing against the door—one on each side high above Giva’s head—Hogan leaned down, placing his masked face a half an inch away from hers. The intensity of the moment caused sparks of sexual heat to surge through her veins. The usually cool, no-nonsense Dr. Kamanda was nervous, lightheaded, and horny out of her damn mind as he stared into her eyes without a word, like he was trying to glimpse into her soul.
“I want you, Giva. I can’t deny it any longer. My attraction to you is the strongest I’ve ever felt for any woman. I swear it’s driving me fucking crazy. But this is not a game for me. I want you more than a million bars of gold, babe.”
“But I don’t want you,” she lied in a hoarse voice.
“You will. I promise you that. But I’m sure you’re going to fight this…this…whatever is developing between us, harder than you’re fighting that goddamn virus that’s snuffing out lives everywhere. But at the end of the day, you’ll be mine.”
“I think I’d like to try a cup of your Jamaican coffee now.” It was the only thing Giva could think of to say that would make him step away from her. What would’ve been the use of arguing with him anyway?
The oxygen level all around them seemed terribly low, out of the blue, and it felt like the room had shrunk in size. When Hogan took a few backward steps, his eyes shamelessly perused Giva’s shivering body from the messy bun of braids at the crown of her head down to her French-manicured toenails peeping at him through her flip-flops. The seductive gleam in his eyes told her if, given the chance, he’d devour her entirely without mercy. The thought of that alone scared her shitless, but she felt like offering her body freely to him at the same damn time.
Hogan’s eyes were two shiny pools of lust. His gawking made Giva realize she was scantily dressed in a navy and gold Howard University School of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences T-shirt that barely covered her ass. She dashed over to the bed, eased her lower body under the African quilt, and pressed her back against the wall behind her. When she chanced a glance at Hogan’s face, she cringed because she could tell by his eyes that he was smiling at her under his mask. No doubt, he’d gotten an eyeful of her thighs and ass, and he had probably seen her 36-C breasts bouncing around too.
Silently, Giva watched him scrub up at the sink before he removed several items from the duffel bag and placed them on the counter. There was a cheap generic brand coffee maker in a box that appeared to have never been opened and a pair of red ceramic coffee mugs with black words inscribed on them that she couldn’t make out. Dr. McQueen had arrived prepared. Giva couldn’t deny that when she saw the assortment of sweeteners and creams. There were two stainless steel spoons for their convenience as well. But what really caused Giva’s eyes to stretch wide was the sight of an authentic jute sack of the Jamaican coffee he obviously loved.
“So, what’s up with the candles and oil burner?”
Caught off guard by his question, Giva cleared her throat and looked at Hogan. “Papaya is my favorite fruit. It has a happy scent that lightens the mood. Vanilla heightens your senses. My mother calls it the energy candle. And lavender oil helps me relax and sleep peacefully.”
Hogan nodded his understanding and continued preparing the coffee quietly as his audience of one looked on. Giva wondered what was on his mind. Did he think invading her privacy and serving her a cup of coffee would magically land her in bed underneath him? Surely, he was
n’t that full of himself. She smiled and kept her eyes on him while he rinsed out the small pot a few times before filling it with water. Once the grinds and the filter were in place, he pressed the button to turn the coffee maker on. Moments later, the brewing began.
“Do you smell that?” His smile was so freaking charming. “Doesn’t the aroma pull you in and make you want to drink the whole damn pot?”
“No.”
“Okay, mean lady, don’t ask for a second cup after you slurp down the first one.” Hogan winked at Giva and her clit hardened and pulsated in her panties. “So, tell me about your family in Sierra Leone and how you ended up in Atlanta. Hell, tell me everything about Dr. Giva Kamanda. I’ll open my life up to you too.”
“I was born and raised in a town called Bo to a couple of doctors. My father is a general surgeon and my mother is the best pediatrician in the country.”
“Really? Both of my parents are doctors too. Mother hasn’t practiced in years. She’s more like a consultant now. My dad doesn’t see many patients nowadays. I think he just likes to hang around the office to make himself feel like he’s still important to his younger brothers, my siblings, and the rest of the doctors in the family.”
“Giva sat up straight from her slouch. “So, your siblings are doctors too?”
“Yep. All three of them are doctors and they work together at the family practice.”
“Wow! I have older twin brothers, Simche and Mannah. They’re neurosurgeons in London.”
“We have a lot in common, huh, babe? We’re both children born to doctor parents and we are the youngest of our siblings who are also doctors.”
“Yes, our familial setups are quite similar, I suppose.”
“Can I assume that you tested negative for the virus this morning?”
Giva nodded. “What about you?”
“I’m still just as lucky as you are, Dr. Kamanda.” He lowered his mask, allowing it to fall on his chest. “Thank God for another healthy day.”
“You’re from South Georgia, right?” Giva decided to change the subject.
“No. I did my residency at an ER in a little town called Homerville, and I took my first job as a physician down there. I’m originally from California, but I haven’t lived there in a while.”
“Where exactly in California are you from?”
“Um, I-I…I’m from around the LA area.” He reached into the duffel bag and pulled out a bottle of Bailey’s Irish Cream.
Giva lowered her mask, revealing her dropped jaw. “Are you going to put the alcohol in the coffee?”
“Hell yeah. It’ll help us relax.”
“I’m not sure about that, Hogan.” She shook her head. “What if we’re needed in the unit?”
“I’ve already explored the possibilities of that and they’re slim to none. Besides, we’re only going to drink a little bit of the Bailey’s, just enough to take the edge off. I promise.”
True to his word, Hogan only poured a small amount of the creamy chocolate liqueur into Giva’s mug, but he was more generous to himself. “Here you go, babe.” He crossed the room and handed her the steaming mug of coffee.
“Thanks.” Giva immediately took a careful sip and swallowed.
“What do you think? It’s delicious, right?”
“It is very delicious. Thanks again.” She tried to hold it back, but a sneaky smile crept across her lips. “I really like it. And I feel a buzz from the Bailey’s already.”
“Cool. Now, let’s talk, pretty lady.”
7
“So, by the time Papa got there, I had already been born and the midwife refused to allow him into the room.” Giva drained her coffee mug and laughed from deep within her flat belly.
Hogan loved the way her midnight, doe-shaped eyes crinkled at the edges whenever she was amused. It was sexy as fuck. Her teeth were perfectly straight and as white as snow, and they glowed against the backdrop of her smooth, dark skin. If God had created a more gorgeous woman, Hogan had never seen her. Yes, Giva was the whole package. She was smart, funny, poised, and beyond beautiful. And he had learned so much about her life and family in Sierra Leone. She’d been candid about her early days in America at Johns Hopkins too.
Hogan had been an open book as they sipped coffee as well. By now, Giva knew the names of all three of his siblings, his three nieces, and his step-nephew. He’d felt so comfortable sharing personal details about himself that he only held a few tidbits back. Of course, he didn’t tell her about his history with the female doctors at Grady or about The Cosmetic Castle of Beverly Hills, the McQueen family’s lifeline for the extremely rich and famous. Hogan didn’t see a need for her to know any of that crap right now. He wanted to get closer to her, not scare her away. In time, he would tell her everything about himself, including the fact that he’d come from a superficial family that considered him the black sheep because he’d chosen to save lives over rearranging faces.
“Sweet Jesus, look at the time.” Giva checked the clock on her phone. “It’s after three in the morning, Hogan.”
“I know, but I’m not ready to leave you yet.”
“But you can’t stay here. That wouldn’t be proper.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I wouldn’t want any of our colleagues to see me leaving your room this time of the morning.” Ask her, Hogan. Just open your mouth and say the words on the tip of your tongue. “Have dinner with me tomorrow night, Giva. I’d like to cook for you at my place. Now that we’re friends, what would be the harm?”
“I’m your friend, Hogan McQueen?” She smiled bashfully.
He nodded and returned her smile. “Yeah, we’re friends for now. But I’m not going to lie. I want to be much more to you than just a friend, Giva.”
“Okay, I’ll have dinner with you, Hogan, but just as a friend.” She sighed before looking into his eyes as he sat at the foot of the bed, facing her. “I enjoyed the coffee and conversation, but I’m not interested in becoming a part of your little harem. Let’s continue to fight COVID-19 together and build on our new friendship.”
“I’m okay with that.”
Hogan stood coolly from the bed when he really wanted to do the damn Tootsie Roll. He gathered the empty coffee mugs and spoons and washed them thoroughly along with the pot in the sink. After drying everything, he took his time replacing each item into the duffel bag. Now, standing in place, taking in the stunning creature sitting on the bed, his heart skipped a beat. He shook off the weird sensation and headed toward the door.
“Come and walk me out.”
Giva looked down at her skimpy attire. “I don’t think—”
“I won’t look at you. I promise. Hey, I’ll even close my eyes.”
Giva left the bed, pulling at the hem of the short T-shirt. Her gait was so fluid that she appeared to be floating on air. Yes, Hogan was privy to her movements because he couldn’t close his eyes as he’d promised. He was in awe of her beauty more now than ever before.
“Thanks for a wonderful evening, beautiful. I’ll swing by in the morning and give you my address for dinner tomorrow night.”
“Fine.”
Hogan leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on her parted lips. Then without another word, he opened the door and left.
“Ah, sookie, sookie, now! You had a pajama coffee date with Dr. Do Me in your private room at the hospital? And now, he’s going to cook dinner for you at his spot tonight. Oh my!”
“Yes, Kyle, all of that is correct. Why is it such a big deal to you? We’re just friends. I’ve told you that a hundred times already.” Giva grabbed a bright orange, belted romper from the rack inside her spacious walk-in closet and held it in front of her body.
Kyle wrinkled his nose and shook his head in disapproval of her outfit selection. “Friends, you say?”
“Yes, Hogan and I are only friends. To my surprise, he’s very nice and caring. I couldn’t believe how funny he was. He made me laugh more than I’ve laughed in a very long time.”
“You’ve m
entioned that a few times before too. The hunky doctor is a comedian.” Kyle rolled his eyes.
“Did I tell you he loves children? Oh, and he plays the bass guitar, the double standing bass, and the cello. He told me he used to play in a band. Imagine that!”
Totally uninterested in Giva’s meaningless small talk, Kyle yawned and inspected his well-manicured nails. “Mmmm, hmmm…”
“And he loves soul food and Caribbean cuisine from all islands, especially Jamaica.” Giva spun around with a blinding sparkle in her eyes. “He wants to try Sierra Leonean food. He’s heard all about our cassava leaves, fish balls, and pepper soup.”
“It sounds like he’s set himself up for a future dinner date.”
“I suppose,” Giva replied nonchalantly. “We talked about our families and our reasons for becoming doctors. Can you believe he’s also the baby of his doctor siblings and both of his parents are doctors as well?”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, you and Mr. Muscles have a lot in common. You two could’ve been brother and sister if he’d born white and if you had grown up in Cali instead of Africa. But that man ain’t your brother or even your cousin, GiGi and he ain’t trying to be. He wants to be your lover, boo. Now, what are you gonna do about that?”
“I’m not sure.”
From his stance under the doorjamb, Kyle watched his roommate place a pastel pink, two-piece short set splattered with tiny white polka dots on her queen-size cannonball bed. She returned to her walk-in closet to find a pair of white, strappy sandals with medium block heels and placed them on the floor at the foot of the bed. When she rummaged through the middle drawer of her dresser and pulled out a sexy lace bra-and-panty set in hot pink, Kyle released a high-pitched whistle and dramatically fanned his face with his hand.
“You like him.”
Giva tilted her head to the side and stared at her BFF. “He’s nice, Kyle. Why wouldn’t I like Hogan now that I’ve learned so many good things about him?”
“Chile, you know what I mean. You like him, like him. But don’t get me wrong, my love. I want you to like Dr. McQueen. And I pray to God he really likes you. You’re much too pretty and smart to continue living a dull, sexless life without any male companionship other than your handsome, gay roommate, darling. It’s about time you got you some d-d—”
Feverish Love Page 4
