“Stop.” She placed her fingers against his lips. “I’m fine. Don’t keep torturing yourself over this.” She could see how sorry he was, how terrible he felt about what had happened. She’d made a lot of assumptions about the kind of man he was, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t willing to consider the possibility she may have been wrong. He seemed like a caring, compassionate guy, not at all like the man-whore she’d assumed he was.
“I would have been there for you, Mar.” He rested his forehead against hers. “If I’d known what happened, I would have been there to hold your hand, to take care of you.”
“I believe you,” she said quietly. “But that’s all in the past now. We had a great time together that night, but neither of us ever believed that night would change us.”
But of course it had. They’d conceived a baby that night, and neither one of them would ever be able to forget that. It was an incredibly intimate thing to share with someone, and even though they’d spent such a short time together, Marika knew they’d always remember each other.
“It did change me though,” he whispered against her lips. “It made me think more about the man I want to be. The kind of father I’d want to be.”
She braced her hands on his broad shoulders, trying to tear herself away. “I’m glad.” She kissed his cheek. “I’m glad I got to see you again, Dec. Thanks for coming.”
He smirked. “Shouldn’t I be saying that to you?”
She laughed, slapping his chest. It felt good to laugh with him again. They’d done a lot of that the night they first met. “Good luck next season.”
“Thanks.” He brushed his lips across her cheek. “But you know this can’t be the last time I see you, right? I have to see you again.”
Those words would have sent a thread of fear—or at the very least, concern—through her had any other man said them, but hearing Dec say it gave her a little thrill. “We’ll see.”
Chapter Three
Marika was between patients when Lorna showed up with a coffee and muffin to help Marika get through the rest of the day, claiming that was what best friends were for. But Marika wasn’t buying it. She knew Lorna wanted a full report on the Dec situation, so she closed her door and asked her receptionist to give her a fifteen-minute break.
“I know you don’t have a lot of time,” Lorna said, rubbing her belly. “So tell me what happened last night. I’m dying to know.”
“It was… interesting.” She took a bite of Lorna’s homemade muffin to buy herself some time to think of a suitable response. “Let’s just say he’s not the guy I thought he was.”
“What does that mean?” She peeled the lid back on her herbal tea. “He’s better or worse?”
“Given my opinion of him before, it couldn’t get much worse, could it?”
“True.” Lorna took a sip of her herbal tea, which she claimed was a poor substitute for coffee, but she was making the sacrifice for her firstborn. “Calvin said he saw you two dancing.”
“Yeah, he kind of cut in when I was dancing with Jack.”
Lorna giggled. “Jack must have hated that. He still thinks he’s getting somewhere with you, doesn’t he?”
Even though she’d turned him down every time he asked her out. “I honestly don’t care what Jack thought. He’s a colleague, and a friend on a good day. Nothing more.”
“But Dec?” She cocked an eyebrow. “You’re not friend-zoning him, are you?”
“I don’t even know that I’ll ever see him again. He says I will…” She shrugged as she popped another bite of her muffin in her mouth. “But who knows. Guys say things they don’t mean all the time.”
“Calvin got the impression he was really into you.” Her smile spread, making her dimples pop. “Or at least he’d like to be.”
Marika dropped her chin to her chest when she felt heat rising up her neck to stain her cheeks.
“Oh my God!” She clamped a hand over her mouth. “What did you do with him?”
“Nothing! We just, um, kissed, and he may have given me a massage in the back of his limo.”
She narrowed her eyes, pointing at Marika. “I don’t buy it. There’s more you’re not telling me.”
Marika wasn’t used to talking about her sexual exploits. Mainly because she had none to speak of. “And he may have, kind of, gotten me off in the back of the limo.” She covered her face with her hands. “God, I can’t believe I just told you that.”
Lorna slammed her hand on the desk. “Of course you told me that! How could you not tell me that?”
“Ssssh!” Marika pressed a finger to her lips. “This is a medical office, for crying out loud. I probably have a waiting room full of sick kids out there and I’m sitting in here gossiping about my sex life like a teenager. Shame on me.”
Someone tapped on her door. Assuming it was her receptionist letting her know break time was over, Marika invited them in.
Lorna gaped at their visitor, whispering, “Oh. My. God.”
Marika jumped up, nearly knocking over her coffee. “Dec! What are you doing here? I thought you’d be on a plane by now.”
He smiled, his eyes never leaving hers. “I’m in no hurry to get back.”
“Um, this is my best friend,” Marika said, gesturing to Lorna. “You met her husband last night, remember? Calvin. This is Lorna.”
Dec chuckled when Lorna tried to stand to shake his hand. “Please, don’t. How’re you feeling?”
“Ugh! I’m just ready for this to be over.”
Something flashed in his eyes—regret, maybe—before he said, “Must be exciting though. It’s your first child, right?”
Lorna’s eyes locked with Marika’s before she said, “Yeah, it is. We’re really excited. We know how lucky we are. Lots of people want babies and can’t have them, so I really shouldn’t complain.”
Marika knew she had to take control of the situation before things took a more awkward turn. “What are you doing here, Dec?”
“I was hoping to visit with some of the kids next door actually. Your brother suggested it. He said maybe you could show me around? Introduce me?”
Her smile was tight and definitely felt forced. “Isn’t that nice. The kids would love it, but as I’m sure you noticed, I have a full waiting room.” She knew that because it was always full. Back-to-back patients. No time for a bathroom break, much less a lunch break, which was why this one felt like a guilty pleasure.
“Yeah, I did notice that. But I’m flexible. When do you get off?”
“Not until seven.”
“Great, I’ll come back.” He grinned. “We can spend an hour visiting with some of the kids at the hospital, then I’ll take you out for dinner.”
“But I…” She couldn’t think of a single reason why she couldn’t. She looked down at her attire. Black skinny pants, flats, and a black sweater. Nope. Couldn’t even use that as an excuse. It was passable for most restaurants.
“I don’t want to keep you any longer.” He winked. “See at you seven. Nice to meet you, Lorna. Good luck with the baby.”
“Thanks,” she said, beaming at him. “I’ll probably need it.”
Marika sank down in her chair as soon as he closed the door. “What the hell just happened?”
“I do believe you have a date with a sexy ball player tonight. I’m jealous.”
“Don’t be.” Marika palmed her forehead. “I am so screwed.”
***
Dec loved watching Marika interact with the kids. A few were gravely ill and required the attention of specialists, but a few were patients of hers who were in for simple procedures. He enjoyed seeing the affection she had for them and vice versa. No question about it, they loved Dr. Marika.
And he could certainly see why. Over dinner, they talked about books they’d read, places they’d visited, embarrassing moments, and their college years. He realized he wasn’t just attracted to her. He genuinely liked spending time with her and wasn’t ready for it to end. They’d dined at the restaurant at his hotel, so he i
nvited her to the bar for one last drink.
“I promise to have the driver take you straight home after,” he said, raising his right hand.
She smiled. “Okay, but I really can’t stay much longer. I have another early morning.”
As he led her out of the restaurant to the bar next door, he asked, “Do you ever get to take a day off?”
“Rarely. I don’t keep a regular nine-to-five schedule. Not that I’m complaining. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”
He could relate to working hard and being passionate about what you do, but he couldn’t imagine playing baseball 365 days a year. He didn’t know how she managed the stress and exhaustion… without a little relief. He’d love to help her relax, like he had last night. Just rubbing her shoulders and hearing her contented little sighs had given him pleasure. God, he was in deep with this girl.
He opened the bar door and grimaced when all heads swung their way. A sports bar. What the hell had he been thinking? “Uh, this might be a bad idea.”
He took Marika’s arm and led her toward the bank of elevators. She pulled back a little, and he knew better than to assume anything. She wasn’t an empty-headed groupie who would do anything he asked. She was a freakin’ doctor with a good reason to distrust him.
He escorted her to a dark corner away from the elevator when a group of teenage boys started whispering and pointing at him. “Come upstairs and have that drink with me? I have a suite. We’ll just sit in the living room and talk. I’ll keep the bedroom closed the whole time, I promise.”
The last thing he wanted was for her to think he was using this as a ploy to get her back in his bed. He refused to screw this up by pushing her too hard or fast. He wanted to gain her trust, to make her like him. Then maybe they could sleep together again.
“What do you say? Please?”
Her lips twitched. “Why do I get the feeling you don’t have to beg women very often?”
“Because I don’t.” He wrapped his hands around her shoulders. “But that’s what I’m prepared to do with you, if that’s what it takes. Please. I just want to spend more time with you.”
“Okay.” She looked behind them at the stairwell. “Which floor did you say you were on?”
“Fourth.”
“In that case, let’s take the stairs. I have a feeling you’re going to be accosted if we don’t get out of here soon.”
Dec had the pleasure of watching her fine little ass as she ran up the stairs ahead of him. He told himself to calm down, that he wasn’t getting his hands on her tonight, but his body refused to obey the command. He was wide awake and raring to go. Damn it. That was the last thing he wanted her to see.
He tried to adjust himself when he got to the top of the stairs, but she turned around quickly, almost catching him in the act.
She gave him a once-over, her amusement obvious. “Problem?”
“Uh, no.” At least he was wearing black jeans so it wasn’t as evident as it could have been. “My room’s at the end of the hall.” He opened the door at the top of the stairs for her, but instead of letting her lead the way, he fell into step beside her.
“I had fun tonight. Thanks.”
“I did too.” More than you know. She had no idea how often he’d thought of her over the years, how many times he’d wished for a second chance to prove himself to her.
“I don’t, um, get the chance to do this very often.”
“Do what? Go out for dinner?” When they got to his door, he paused, waiting for her answer.
“Yeah, that and… well, date.” Her brow furrowed. “Assuming that’s what this is? I mean, I don’t know. Are you still attracted to me or is this a friend thing, a way to ease your guilty conscience about what happened before?”
Man, if she couldn’t tell he was attracted to her, then he’d been way too subtle. He let his hand slide over her cheek as he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “You have to ask me if I’m still attracted to you after last night?”
She blushed, lowering her head. “That was more for me than for you. You didn’t even…” She squared her shoulders and forced herself to look him in the eye. “You didn’t even get off.”
He thought it was adorable that she wasn’t used to talking about sex. And it was sexy as hell that she wasn’t used to having sex. That meant that it was special to her, that she still valued and savored it. Something he hadn’t done in a long time. Sex was an outlet for him, a means of escape. Except with her. With her, it had been so much more than that.
“I didn’t need to.” He smiled. “Watching you was enough.”
She groaned, covering her face with her hand as she shook her head. “You must think I’m pathetic.”
He gently removed her hand from her face, forcing her to look at him. “Wrong. I think you’re gorgeous. And sexy as hell.”
She smiled, still looking shy. “Really?”
He pressed his lips to her forehead. “Really, doc.” He led her inside his suite and let the door close behind them before he turned to face her. “Can I tell you how crazy impressed I am with you? I mean it. What you do is amazing, but the way you take care of those kids, like they’re your own, making them feel as safe and as comfortable as you can? I love that.”
She stared at him for a second, obviously taken aback by the compliment. “Thank you. I love what I do and I hope that comes across to the kids I treat. And their parents. It can be a scary time, being sick or having a sick child. I just want to do anything I can to make it easier for them.”
He took her hand and led her into the living room. When she sat on the sofa, he asked, “What can I get you to drink?” She’d been drinking wine at dinner, but that obviously wasn’t an option now.
“Just water would be great, thanks. Early morning and all.”
He didn’t know how she did it, day after day, morning ‘til night, with no downtime. This was her downtime, he reminded himself, and she’d chosen to spend it with him. He wanted to make sure she didn’t regret that decision.
Dec handed her a bottled water and took one for himself. She raised an eyebrow at his choice as he sat down beside her, keeping a safe distance between them.
“Just because I’m not drinking doesn’t mean you can’t. You don’t have to work tomorrow. I do.”
It was an unjust world, he realized, when a guy like him got paid millions of dollars a year while someone who saved lives and treated the sick and injured earned a fraction of that.
“I really admire you,” he said, picking up where he’d left off out in the hall. He’d never felt that way about a woman before, and he needed her to know it. He was used to groupies whose only job was to land a rich athlete, but Marika was different. She was strong and independent and capable… and so damn beautiful she took his breath away.
She laughed, looking self-conscious as she uncapped her water bottle. “Thanks, but I’m not doing anything special.” She raised a shoulder. “It’s always been my calling, I guess. Being a doctor, working with kids.”
“Do you want any of your own?” He knew that was a dangerous question, given their history, but he really wanted to hear about her plans for the future.
“Of course I do.” She licked her lips as she stared at her water bottle. “I don’t think I would have gotten into this line of work if I didn’t intend to be a parent someday.” She smiled. “I’m really happy for Calvin and Lorna, but if you want to know the truth, I’m a little jealous too. The kind of relationship they have is what everyone wants.”
Calvin’s warning rang in Dec’s ears for the first time since he’d said it. “What’s that guy’s deal, by the way? I mean, what does he do?”
“He’s a journalist.”
Shit. I’ll ruin you if you hurt her. Now it made sense.
“Is something wrong?” she asked, touching his hand. “You kind of zoned out on me.”
“No, sorry.” He forced a smile. “So are you going to be there when your best friend delivers?”
Her
face lit up. “She wants me to be and I really want to be, but we’ll have to see how it goes. If it happens during the day and I have back-to-back patients, I can’t very well leave them high and dry. Lorna understands that.”
“Your commitment to your patients comes first.” He nodded. “I get that. I guess it would make it hard to maintain a relationship though, huh?”
She laughed before taking a sip of her water. “Yeah, why do you think doctors so often marry each other? No one else could understand or tolerate the madness.”
He got an uneasy feeling when he thought about what she was saying. Most people would say it was impossible to be married to a professional athlete. He was gone all the time and could move from state to state, or in his case, another country with no notice. But the kind of pressure she had to deal with was different. It would make it impossible for them to have a relationship. She couldn’t leave Toronto and he couldn’t stay.
She was Canadian. She didn’t have a license to practice medicine in the US. And it was obvious her career was her life. This couldn’t go anywhere. Damn. That was a sobering thought.
Chapter Four
Something had shifted between them. Marika could feel it. Dec had become more withdrawn after she made the comment about doctors marrying each other, and she had to wonder if he thought maybe she was interested in another doctor. Like the one she’d been dancing with at the fund-raiser.
Wanting to put his mind at ease, she dove in. “So is there anyone special waiting on you at home?”
At first he looked at her as if she was crazy, then he chuckled, shaking his head. “Uh, no. I can assure you I wouldn’t be here now if there were.”
She nodded, relieved. She hadn’t thought he had someone else, but it was nice to hear him confirm it. “There’s no one special in my life either.”
He laughed. “I didn’t think there was. Not after what happened in the limo last night.”
She blushed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Right. That.” She’d never been bold with men. Her experience with Dec was the most daring she’d ever been. It had also been the most alive she’d ever felt, and sitting with him now, she couldn’t help but wish for another taste of that. “That was pretty incredible.”
Wild One (Summer Rush #5) Page 3
