by M. O. Kenyan
“You’re welcome.” He smiled at her as he pushed off the wall and sauntered toward her. “You shouldn’t worry about doctor asshole. You need to prove to yourself how good you are.”
“Like you do, every day.” Katherine bit on her tongue when she heard the hate laced in her tongue. She didn’t mean to sound so hateful or angry. “I didn’t mean for it to sound so snappy.”
“You’re angry. But I bet you’re angrier at yourself more than you are at me.”
Katherine had to lean back; AJ was standing so dangerously close to her. She could almost feel the hard beats of his confident heart. She wanted to reach under his scrubs and lay her hand against his chest. Then after she was done listening to his heart, she wanted to direct her hands a little bit south of the border.
“You know, if you want to have sex with me all you have to do is ask,” he said his tone heavy with desire, his eyes darkening as they roamed all over her body. We already did, she thought.
The right thing would have been to be outraged, demand an apology for his disrespect. But all she could imagine was pushing the pig off the table and asking AJ to lay her on it and have his way with her. Afraid of practicing hypocrisy twice in one day, Katherine said nothing. She just stared at him as he stared back.
“Sex doesn’t have to be all heavy and emotional. Do you want to know a secret?” Still not trusting her voice, Katherine nodded. “Sex is what makes me be a better doctor. I know it sounds like bullshit. But I use sex to take out all my frustration and pent up energy. Sex relaxes me and helps with the overload of adrenaline. I bet if you tried things my way, you would be more relaxed and eventually confident.”
“What makes you think I’m not?” She stuck out her jaw in defiance.
Just then Katherine caught the change in his eyes. The desire was gone, the flirtation disappeared and instead of sexy eyes staring back at her, Katherine only saw anger. He banged his hand on the table so hard, it made her jump to her feet. “If you were you wouldn’t have been careless last night, and I wouldn’t have taken a hiding for you. I have no problem with assisting my fellow interns but I will not cover up stupid mistakes.”
“I didn’t ask you to.”
“I’ll remember that the next time you almost kill another patient.”
Katherine fumed, and stared daggers at AJ’s back as he walked out of the OR. Once left alone with her thoughts, she dropped back on the stool. But she must have been more shaken than she realized, because when her ass touched the cushion she slid off it and onto the cold hard floors with a big thump.
“Mother F—”
* * * *
AJ was just about to fall asleep in the on-call room when the door opened and the light from the hallway flooded the dark room. He heard the heavy shuffle of tired feet, then a disappointed moan. He had taken the last bunk available and could feel his colleague’s pain. Although she was cut off from the waist up, AJ could tell the exhausted doctor was a female. Maybe he could share the bunk with her, and if she was really quiet they could both help each other ease some stress.
“You can share with me if you want,” he offered.
“I would say no, especially after the sermon you gave me, but my body isn’t that proud and my mind needs to shut down for a while,” he heard Katherine say, and immediately wanted to take back his offer. But before he could, Katherine was already in the bed, using her butt to push him back so that she could get some space.
AJ’s groin protested each time her round rump came into contact with his body, but he didn’t take advantage. She wasn’t bottom heavy, not as heavy as he liked, but she had a nice tight ass that promised not to disappoint. AJ bit down on his jaw, stifling a moan of frustration that threatened to escape from his lips. The curve of her body fit perfectly into his. Her head made a pillow of his arm as her back rested against his chest. He could almost swear she knew what she was doing, the little temptress. If he wasn’t dead on his feet AJ would have taught her a lesson about playing with fire.
“I’m exhausted, so try not to have sex with my body when I’m asleep.”
AJ chuckled at the insult. “Trust me when I say I don’t need to convince anyone to have sex with me. I don’t take advantage of people who are unconscious either. I could kick you out, but I am too tired and I can feel how tired you are. So shut up and go to sleep, because unlike you I didn’t go home and nap for six hours.”
“You don’t have to be mean about it,” she whispered. “Why didn’t you go home?”
“Doctor Kenneth Lyle has a point he wants to prove. He gave me your rotation after you left,” he mumbled.
“I wondered about that. I thought they took it away from me just because I messed up. I’m sorry about that.” AJ sighed in acceptance as his eye lid became heavier. “I’ll take your rotations if you want me to.”
“Let’s sleep on it.” He mumbled his tone thick with sleep. “Oh and Katherine.”
“Yes?”
“Try not to have sex with me while I’m asleep.”
The last thing AJ heard was her laugh. And for a second before sleep overcame him, he bathed in the sound of her laughter. He enjoyed hearing that lighter side of her.
* * * *
He could hear the noisy chants of the college kids outside his window. His Range Rover was built for the worst and the best conditions. But right now all he could do is whisper a thank you to the car gods as the large back seat accommodated him and his latest catch. Who would have known bringing Lisette to a stupid bonfire would bear such fruits. He stared at a pair of perfectly molded breasts and couldn’t bring himself to touch them. So he let his tongue do the touching and the tasting for him. He stared at the beauty spot just above her left breast and thought how perfect it looked.
“Be gentle with me.” Her sweet voice spoke innocence.
His nerve endings electrified as his hands caressed every inch of her naked body. Kneeling between her legs, his hands cupped her soft rump and lifted her hips toward him. He teased at her entrance, his lips catching and swallowing the startled gasp that came from her mouth. He didn’t understand what she meant by her statement until he buried himself to the hilt in her velvety cove. She was as tight as a fist, and the flicker of pain in her eyes, told him the gravity of what he had just done. He wanted to pull back, but her legs scissor locked him in place. Her hips rose and fell as she started to move against him. Groaning in defeat he buried his face in her shoulder and rocked into her. She felt so beautiful, so perfect.
His sweet, innocent, beautiful Katherine.
Chapter Three
The next week, on Saturday at lunch, AJ sat at the dining room table, his eyes glued to his plate. But all he could see was Katherine’s face, the first night they were together, and the last time he had her in his arms.
Her eyes were what had drawn him to her. The way she tossed back her long blonde hair, threw her head back and smiled. The first moment he saw her was caught in a picture in his mind. He could almost kick himself for not recognizing her. He stabbed his steak with his fork in frustration; his brow creased his jaw clenched. But it has been two years, he told himself, nodding in agreement at the excuse he had allowed himself. I’m an intern at the hospital, I’ve worked long hours, bedded tons of women. How was I supposed to remember one girl?
But Katherine Henry wasn’t just a girl. He had been put off by her when she shot the blond guy beside her a smile. He had waited, stalked her even, until the man left. And then he’d pounced shamelessly, like a hyena scavenging for a lion’s remains. He had always promised himself never to take seconds. But AJ told himself the dude hadn’t been able to seal the deal. It was a college party with loads of girls. But most of them were paired up or in large groups. AJ never hunted in a pride of lionesses.
Katherine Henry should not have been the one to be forgotten, her strange grayish blue eyes, her killer smile and the important fact that he was her first.
SHIT!
AJ pushed his chair back, kicked it to the floor an
d sent his fork sailing into the air and through his mother’s favorite crystal. Can this day get any worse? He groaned as his mother whimpered at the sound of her expensive treasure shatter into millions of pieces. He shrank back at his father’s disapproving glare, and brushed off his sisters’ cheeky yet curious gazes. There was only one other person at that table who understood him, and he was glad Lisette had managed to keep him around this long. That night, fate had sealed their destinies. Lisette had met and fell in love with Reno and he had met and deflowered Katherine. Then he had forgotten her.
“Reno, I find myself in need of your counsel,” he grumbled, choosing to speak formally.
“Why not me?” Adrian senior piped in. “I am your father, and older, wiser and royally pissed off at what you did to your mother’s crystal.”
AJ walked around the table to where his mother was sitting. “Lo siento, Mama.”
“It’s all right.” She patted his cheek as he kissed hers. “I just want my little boy to be all right.”
AJ smiled; glad that she still saw him as the six year old boy she was charged with taking care of all those years ago. “As for you, Dad, you married your high school-college sweetheart, then had me, then you married my mama. You have as much experience as Catalella has with men. By the way, where is that no good bas—” AJ caught himself before his spite and rage for his baby sister’s husband ran away with him.
“He’s…” He could see Catalella shrink within herself as she tried to lie for a man who had been absent from the marriage since the second they’d said ‘I do.’
“It’s fine, peanut, you don’t have to explain.”
“I still say she should have let us throw him in the ocean,” Reno grumbled out.
“He misses another lunch and I might just join you boys,” Adrian Senior pitched in. “But I think we should take the jet to the Seychelles on the way.”
“Only you would make a trip out of a murder, Dad.” AJ rocked back on his heels, using his head he gestured toward the gazebo, away from his mother’s garden lunch.
“Oh, right, you need my wise words. But why me?” Reno grinned.
“Because, apart from me, you are the greatest player who ever lived.”
“Former player!” Lisette called after them. “If he ever tries something on me, I will cut off his balls, cook them, and then feed them to him.”
“Mija, you don’t have to be so crude at the table,” Rosalinda chastised.
“She’s just saying the truth, sweetheart.” Adrian Senior emphasized with a bang of his steak knife on the table.
“Yikes!” Reno cringed, his hands instinctively covering his crown jewels.
They walked in silence until they reached the stone benches covered with green vines and brilliantly colored flowers. AJ gestured for Reno to take a seat.
“This must be serious.” Reno chuckled as he sat down. “Tell me, little brother, what’s up?”
“First, I would like to start off as saying that you are in fact like a brother to me. I would hate to dump your body alongside Michael Mathew’s.”
“Point taken. Besides, Lisette is the love of my life. And if it wasn’t for your rule to wait until she is twenty-six—which is twenty-three months, three days and a couple of hours away—I would have married her and put a baby in her belly by now. But we aren’t here to talk about my fantastic relationship with your sister.”
“I know you were my sister’s first—”
“I don’t think—”
“I don’t want particulars.” AJ groaned. “Actually, I do want a few. How did you deal with the emotional responsibilities?”
Reno studied him for a second, then said, “I thought the cardinal rule was never to be a first.”
“I know. I know that,” he bellowed it out. “But I didn’t know she was a virgin. I kind of found out when I was already in there. Then I just couldn’t stop loving her. She was perfect in every sense of the word. Her body, the way she said my name, how she responded to me. She gave me chills.” AJ’s body trembled. “I had to go on a binge to get her out of my system. But now, since I’ve realized Katherine at work is my Katherine, I haven’t been able to get her out of my mind.”
“Note that I am a good listener. Make sure you tell your sister that. Talk me up before I ask her to marry me on her twenty-sixth birthday,” Reno rushed on at AJ’s frustrated growl. “I heard what you said, but I don’t think you did.”
“How’s that?”
“You said you loved her. You never use the L-word, AJ. And now she’s in your system? And what do you mean you just realized that she was your Katherine?”
“We made love—I mean we had sex, two years ago. She’s been working with me at the hospital for over a year now. Don’t laugh, but I’d kind of forgotten her.”
“What?”
“I only just remembered yesterday when she was lying in my arms!”
“You forgot her!”
“Reno, don’t make a big deal out of it.”
“It is a big deal. If I forgot an item off your sister’s grocery list she would ‘feed me my balls’ as she fondly puts it.” Reno leaned back and let out a deep breath. “Does she remember?”
“I think she does. She’s been giving me attitude since we started talking. I didn’t even know we were in the same hospital until three days ago.”
“You have cut her deeply, AJ. You need to make amends. Talk it out with her. Being someone’s first is a lot of responsibility. That’s why I held off with Lisette until I was absolutely sure.” Reno got on his feet and slapped his large palm on an equally large shoulder. “I’m not the one you should be talking to. You need to be talking to your Katherine. Make sure you use your heart on this one, your head is no good in this scenario.”
“You are the brother I always wanted. I’m glad Lisette has you.”
AJ went to the hospital apprehensive and scared—two emotions he had never felt in his life alongside insecurity and fear. He knew he had to find Katherine, he had to apologize for forgetting her. But what was the proper decorum for that? “Oh I know now, I rocked your world in the back of my truck. You were great, too. Sorry, but I forgot I stole your virginity.” He hadn’t stolen it. AJ had never had to convince a woman to his bed. But he felt like an ass for not making Katherine special. He felt like he should offer her a re-do. It was a ridiculous thought but one thing he knew he had to do was apologize.
AJ saw her blonde hair swinging behind her head and rushed to her side. They walked into the morning meeting and in the throng of staff he missed his chance. AJ followed her until he secured a spot behind her.
“We need to talk.” AJ leaned down to whisper into Katherine’s ear.
“No we don’t.” Katherine took a step away.
A spark of annoyance at himself lit up inside AJ as he firmly held onto Katherine’s elbow. It was his fault she wasn’t talking to him. He had ignored her for the better part of the week—ducking into doctor’s and patient’s rooms whenever he saw her come round a corner, leaving the on-call room whenever she entered. She was hurt, but he hoped she noticed his bare arms today. There were no women hanging off them.
He would have to tell her there, in the midst of twenty other interns.
“I remember you.”
“What?” She hissed over her shoulder.
“I was your first. I remember you.”
* * * *
I was your first, I remember you. Katherine never thought she would be haunted by a statement. She had always longed for the day that AJ would finally realize or remember who she was, but now that he did, she wished he hadn’t. She knew why he had been dodging her for the past week.
Now she was the one doing the dodging, although she had given him notice. Immediately after the meeting she had run out and he had rushed out after her. He dragged her into the on-call room and they stood in awkward silence for a while. Then out of nowhere he kissed her.
Katherine had asked for some time. She needed to get her head in the game
and her heart out of it. She needed to destroy the memories of that sweet night by tarnishing them with AJ’s reputation. He was a womanizer; she didn’t allow herself to forget that. But could she forget that kiss, deep passionate and toe curling? She didn’t think so. AJ had respected her wishes so far, but she could see he was slowly growing restless.
She needed to beat him at his own game. Become the master, use her head instead of her heart. And who could teach her that better than AJ himself? Shaking off the last bit of nerves she marched up to him, her fingers in a deathly grip on her pen.
“I think we should talk.”
“Finally!” He drew a deep breath. “I know it was wrong of me. I was a jerk and I just wanted to tell you, that night—”
“…shouldn’t be any different from all the others you’ve had, and the ones I’ve had after you.” She stared him down, hoping he couldn’t see her brazen lie.
Who else could have made her feel the way AJ did that night? Katherine didn’t think anyone could, so she hadn’t been with anyone else. She didn’t want the disappointment. What was worse, she didn’t think she could ever be with anyone else.
“We were two consenting adults. We had fun and there is no reason we shouldn’t have more fun.”
“What?”
Her statement came as much a surprise to her as to him, if not more. Stiffening her spine, and continuing her journey down the road to self destruction, Katherine let her hormones speak for her once more. “There is no reason why we couldn’t continue having fun. But, exclusively. I don’t want whatever diseases these nurses have.” To make a point at how nonchalant she was about her proposal, she winked at a passing intern who gave her a surprised look, before his lips curled into a disgusting smile.
“Are you up for the challenge? It would be kind of a monogamous relationship. But don’t think of me as your girlfriend. Think of me as your—”
“…mattress? Bed? You just want me on top of you, then to roll off when I am done?”
