Finding Dr. Right (Contemporary Medical Romance)

by Lisa B. Kamps

  “You shouldn’t be lying on a cold rock.”

  Nathan offered her a lazy smile then slowly sat up and leaned forward to steal a quick kiss. “I was comfortable.”

  Catherine gave him a look that plainly said she didn’t believe him, but she didn’t say anything. Nathan took her hand and helped her to her feet, and she didn’t protest when he kept it in his firm grip.

  “Do you have plans for tomorrow night?”

  Catherine closed her eyes and mentally pictured her calendar. A Friday night…no, she had absolutely no plans at all. Just like every night. But the question was whether or not she wanted Nathan to know that. She opened her eyes and saw him watching her, and knew that for better or worse, she wanted to spend more time with him. “No, no plans.”

  “Will you have dinner with me? I promise it won’t be as primitive as today.”

  “Okay.” She nodded her head in agreement and offered him a small smile. Part of her wanted to say that she enjoyed coming to this primitive place with him, but she wasn’t ready to be that bold. It had been a big enough struggle to agree to dinner.

  So she nodded again and let him lead her back through the woods, her mind already thinking ahead to the next night and wondering if she was ready, knowing she wasn’t and worrying about how she would handle it.

  Chapter Seven

  Catherine placed her hands on her hips and surveyed the damage in her room. It looked as if her entire wardrobe had been hurled from her closet in a fit of desperation, which wasn’t far from the truth. Mismatched clothes were strewn across the bed and over the polished hardwood floors, covering the glossy planks in every shade of the color spectrum. She blew a strand of hair out of her eye and faced the full-length mirror with a grimace. The disaster in the reflection was nearly as bad as the disaster surrounding her.

  For two hours she had gone through her closet, trying on outfit after outfit, discarding all of them. Too professional. Too matronly. Too outdated. Just plain wrong. Even the simple black dress she now wore didn’t look right. Too plain, too simple. She turned a bit in the mirror and frowned at the way the material clung to her. Probably too tight. Any other time the dress would have been more than suitable, but not tonight. Tonight she had been hoping for something a little more daring, something that would make her stand out without people pointing.

  There was only one thing to do. She had to cancel the date. A flutter coiled in her stomach but she ignored it. She just wouldn’t be able to go, and that was that.

  Catherine was twisting herself around in an awkward attempt to undo the back zipper when there was a knock on her bedroom door. She glanced at her watch in panic then let out a breath of relief when she realized it was too early for Nathan to be there yet. The relief grew when Matty poked his head into her room.

  “Hey, Mom, Uncle Bri is here. Wow! You look pretty cool.”

  Catherine smiled as he opened the door the rest of the way, her heart melting at how beautiful he made her feel. She wished it was just as easy to impress his adult counterparts.

  “Thanks, Matty, but this isn’t going to work. I think I should call Nathan and reschedule.”

  “What’s this about rescheduling?” Brian’s voice came from the hallway. “Are you going to chicken — whoa, Catherine!” He let loose an appreciative whistle and her face heated instantly. She ignored both her blush and his compliment.

  “This isn’t going to work,” she repeated. If she was forced to admit the truth, though, she would have to say the dress was fine. She was the one who was a mess. “I can’t do this.”

  “Sure you can,” Brian said, coming up behind her and smiling.

  “You look fine. You have nothing to worry about.”

  “You’re my friend, Brian. You’re supposed to say that.”

  “When have I ever lied to you?”

  Catherine met his eyes in the mirror then sighed. He was right. As usual. She just had a bad case of nerves, plain and simple. She frowned at herself and turned a little to each side, trying to see herself as others did. As Nathan did.

  A little taller than average. Not too thin, not too curvy. Plain blond hair and plain brown eyes. There was absolutely nothing to make her stand out in a crowd, so why on earth would Nathan even be interested? It was a mercy date. It had to be.

  “Oh, God, I can’t do this.” Catherine turned away and headed for the closet, intent on changing into more relaxing clothes and calling the whole thing off. She hadn’t been out on a date in several years; she could certainly wait a few more.

  “Catherine, you can. You can and you will.” Brian led her to the middle of the room. “What else were you going to wear?”

  “What else? Nothing. This was it!” Another wave of panic swept over her when Brian stood back and eyed her critically. He motioned for Matty to come closer and leaned down to whisper something in his ear. The two exchanged glances then laughed. Catherine took a step back, not liking their conspiracy one bit.

  “What shoes were you going to wear?”

  “Shoes?”

  “Yes, shoes. Or were you planning on going barefoot?”

  “No. I, uh…” Catherine shrugged and pointed to a pair of low-heeled black pumps. “Those.”

  Brian and Matty exchanged glances again, both of them shaking their heads. Brian walked to her closet and began rummaging around the bottom while Matty reached for her jewelry box. Catherine watched them, hands on her hips as annoyance began to replace anxiety. “What do you two think you’re doing?”

  “We’re helping, Mom. Here.” Matty wheeled over to her and held up a handful of jewelry. She looked down at his offering in confusion, wondering what was wrong with the pearl necklace she had on. She shook her head, ready to tell him no, but shrugged at the last minute and took the jewelry from his hand. What difference would it really make, anyway?

  She unclasped the strand of pearls and replaced it with the long gold chain. The diamond heart pendant hung low in the scooped neckline of the dress, creating a softer look. She put on the simple hoop earrings and raised her eyebrows in Matty’s direction, smiling at his look of approval.

  “That’s a lot better, Mom. You don’t look so old anymore.”

  “I beg your pardon? Young man, what kind of thing —”

  “I was just kidding!” Catherine let out a sigh, secretly glad for Matty’s mischievousness. It took some of the edge off her worry. Until she saw the shoes Brian held out for her.

  “Absolutely not!”

  “Come on, Catherine. These are the perfect finishing touch.” He held the shoes out for her and she backed away.

  “I’ll break my neck!” She eyed the four-inch heels with distaste.

  “Oh, you will not. Here, try them on.” He pushed her until she was sitting on the bed and forced the shoes into her hands. She frowned at them, recalling the feeling of wicked impulse that had seized her when she bought them several months earlier. She was able to walk on them, that she knew. But they were so unlike anything else she usually wore, she doubted if she would feel comfortable in them. Sleek black, with four-inch stiletto heels, the only way to describe them was sinfully wicked.

  Why not? A tiny voice surfaced at the back of her mind, growing louder, daring her. Her brow furrowed as she continued to stare at the shoes, turning them over in her hands. Why not? This was supposed to be a date, a night of fun. Why shouldn’t she be different? Why shouldn’t she try something new?

  The thought stayed with her, encouraging her, cheering her as she put on first one shoe then the other and stood up. Her ankles wobbled at the unaccustomed height then steadied, deciding at the last minute to support her weight. She said a silent prayer of thanks when she was able to walk across the room without falling. To show off, she did a little pivot.

  “Much better.”

  “Yeah, Mom. Nathan’s going to drool for sure.”

  Catherine stared at her son, slack-jawed with shock, but was stopped from saying anything when Brian tugged on his arm, not bothering
to hide his smile. “Come on, Matty. Let’s go out into the living room while your mom composes herself.”

  She watched the two of them leave before turning back to the mirror. She wasn’t sure if she would ever be composed, but a few last-minute touches and she would be ready.

  She hoped.

  Nathan stared at the tidy rancher from the driver’s seat of his car, telling himself that sitting there wasn’t going to get the date started any sooner. He took a deep breath and glanced in the rearview mirror, running a hand through his hair before opening the door. He almost closed it when he remembered the flowers on the front seat, then hesitated, wondering if he should give them to her or just throw them away. The idea was so old-fashioned that he felt silly about it.

  He muttered to himself and leaned in to grab the bouquet, grudgingly admitting that he had enjoyed buying them for Catherine. He thought she would appreciate the gesture. And hoped they would bring a smile to her face. That was the thought that had been with him when he picked them out.

  It was that same thought that worried him as he rang the doorbell. Worried. Worried about the way his mind kept drifting to Catherine and what little time they had spent together. About why he couldn’t stop thinking about her. About the time he wanted to spend with her in the future.

  And about the way his palms were slick with sweat as he waited on the porch. He blew a breath between clenched teeth and ran his hand down his pants leg just as the door opened. The breath hitched in his throat and the sweat he had just wiped off instantly reappeared when he saw Catherine. He stood there awkwardly, unable to stop the idiotic grin on his face.

  Her thick hair was pulled back into an exotic knot. A few wisps hung in loose curls around her ears, drawing his attention to the smooth column of her neck. His eyes drifted lower to the scoop neckline of her dress and rested on the pendant that hung just above the cleavage that peaked out, daring, teasing him. He swallowed and pulled his eyes away from that soft flesh, let them drift lower, taking in the way the black material clung to her, accenting her curves and tiny waist until it stopped above her knees. Nathan suddenly realized that he had never seen her legs before and he silently cursed Catherine for her conservatism. She had beautiful legs, long and well-defined, the sleek muscles set off by the amazing high heels she wore.

  He felt an instant tightening in his groin and shifted. The sight of those legs, the sight of Catherine, should not affect him that way. He cleared his throat and drew his eyes up to meet hers. The grin on his face grew wider.

  “You’re beautiful.” He cursed the huskiness in his voice and tried to cover it by thrusting the flowers at her. She took the bouquet with a trembling hand, refusing to meet his eyes.

  “Th-thank you.” The simple words held so much uncertainty that Nathan nearly laughed, enjoying the honesty of her reactions. Catherine was so unaffected, so real, so refreshing a change from what he was used to, that he had trouble concealing his enjoyment at her every word and move.

  The urge to kiss her at that moment was so overwhelming that he didn’t bother to fight it, just took her hand in his and pulled her closer until his lips claimed hers. The heat between them was instant and consuming. Nathan swallowed a groan of disappointment when she pulled away. He looked at her in confusion then noticed that they had an audience.

  “Hey, Nathan!” The excitement in Matty’s voice and the smile on his face said there was no doubting the kid had witnessed the lip-lock he just gave Catherine. He straightened, suddenly embarrassed, and waved halfheartedly at Matty. He swallowed back another groan when he saw Brian Porter turn the corner of the hallway and stop behind Catherine.

  “Doc.” Nathan nodded his head in greeting, surprised to see his doctor at his date’s house but knowing he shouldn’t be. They were partners. They were obviously close friends, to the point that Matty referred to him as “Uncle Brian.” So why the sudden flash of jealousy? Nathan pushed the unwelcome emotion to the back of his mind, refusing to acknowledge it.

  “I, um, I’ll put these in some water,” Catherine said to no one in particular, blushing as she walked down the hallway. Nathan stood there, awkward, feeling like he was under close scrutiny. He nodded again, knew he looked like an idiot, and suddenly noticed that both Matty and Dr. Porter were staring at him with equally idiotic expressions on their own faces.

  “So what do you think?” This came from Matthew. Nathan opened his mouth to respond then shut it again, realizing he had no idea what the kid was talking about.

  “Think about what?”

  “Catherine. She was a little nervous about tonight,” Dr. Porter explained. Nathan shifted his weight from one foot to the other, secretly glad he wasn’t the only one who had been — still was — nervous. “She wasn’t sure if she looked all right.”

  Nathan wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so he kept quiet. Catherine was beautiful, looked perfect, but he didn’t think admitting that would be a healthy move. They looked like a pair with something up their sleeves.

  “I’m spending the night at Uncle Brian’s tonight.”

  “Matthew!”

  “Excuse me?”

  Nathan and Dr. Porter both stared at Matty, then looked at each other with mixed expressions, sizing each other up.

  “I think Matty means that there’s no reason for you to hurry through your date since there won’t be a babysitter waiting here. But you will be home early in the morning, isn’t that right, Matthew?”

  “But, Uncle Bri, you said we were —”

  “Matthew…” The warning in the doctor’s voice was clear, even if it did go over Matty’s head. He caught Dr. Porter’s eye and nodded, letting him know that he heard the message and understood. He wasn’t happy knowing that his every move would be monitored, but that wasn’t a problem he wanted to deal with at the moment. He wasn’t even sure if it was a problem at all.

  Silence descended as they continued to watch each other, Nathan obviously the most uncomfortable. He shifted his weight again and was about to make a feeble attempt at small talk when Catherine finally reappeared in the hallway. She looked at Nathan, a nervous smile on her face.

  “I guess we can leave now.”

  “Sure.” Nathan inwardly grimaced at how stupid he sounded. He watched as Catherine bent down to kiss Matty goodbye and offer a few last-minute instructions and motherly warnings. She turned and gave more last-minute advice to Brian, who waved her off with a small laugh.

  “Catherine, don’t worry. We’ll be fine. Now go.” Brian ushered them to the door then leaned over and gave Catherine a friendly peck on the cheek. Another irrational flash of jealousy shot through Nathan at the innocent gesture. He bit back the unwelcome sensation, not liking the feeling.

  That didn’t stop him from reaching out and taking Catherine’s hand in his, as much a show of possession as a desire to just touch her, be near her. Warmth tingled the ends of his fingers when her hand clasped his in return. He cursed silently when they reached the car and he had to release his hold on her to open the passenger door.

  His eyes lingered on her as she looked up and smiled at him. They drifted down to her legs as she lowered herself in the passenger seat and modestly tucked the hem of her dress securely around her thighs, allowing him just the briefest glance of soft flesh encased in sheer black silk. He swallowed against the instant tightening in his groin and shut her door, wondering how he was ever going to make it through the night.

  The engine purred quietly as he backed the car out of the driveway and through the residential streets of Catherine’s suburban neighborhood. The silence was broken by the soft background music coming from the stereo. Nathan swallowed, wishing his hands weren’t so sweaty against the steering wheel, wishing for something intelligent to say.

  “Do you like Italian? I thought we could eat dinner in Little Italy. If that’s okay.”

  “Hmm? Oh, yes. That’s fine.”

  “We could go somewhere else if you want.”

  “No, that’s fine. I have
n’t been there in a while.”

  Nathan nodded for lack of anything better to do and returned his attention to the traffic that was growing heavier as they approached the city line. His eyes kept darting over to Catherine. He took in the way she held herself so erect, so formal. He realized she was more than just nervous and knew that the hands she kept folded in her lap would be ice-cold if he reached over and took one in his. The idea suddenly seemed like a good one and he did just that, ignoring her little leap of surprise. Just as he thought, her hand was like ice.

  “Are you cold? Do you want me to turn up the heat?”

  “No. I’m just…it’s fine.” Catherine ducked her head then turned her attention out the window, refusing to meet his eyes as he caressed the back of her hand with his thumb.

  “Well, you know what they say. Cold hands, warm heart.”

  Catherine’s head whipped around and she stared at him with an expression just this side of horrified. He bit back a sigh and released her hand to downshift, hoping she wouldn’t take her hand back, not surprised when she did exactly that.

  “That was supposed to be a joke, you know.”

  “I — I know.” Again she focused her attention out the window, refusing to look at him as they pulled off the expressway. They drove the few short blocks to Little Italy in silence, Nathan at a complete loss for something to say. He imagined he heard a soft sigh of relief when he parked the car and turned off the engine, realized it probably wasn’t his imagination when Catherine’s hand darted for the door handle in her hurry to escape. He reached over and hit the electric lock, hoping it would at least make her hesitate.

  “Catherine, do I really make you that nervous, or do you just really not like me?” Nathan wasn’t sure what made her stop and whip her head around in surprise — his question or the flatness in his voice. Her dark eyes widened then narrowed in a frown and she shook her head, looking everywhere but at him. It was a habit he was quickly losing patience with.

  He draped his arm across the back of her seat and leaned forward, deliberately crowding her, knowing the only way she could get away was out the door. “Well?”