by Celya Bowers
The aroma of gourmet coffee filled the room. If her nose was working correctly, it was hazelnut créme. Coffee would help her tired body wake up. Kendall moaned and tried to turn herself over again but failed. She heard the clatter of the silver tray as he set it on the nightstand beside the bed. “Here, I’ll help you.”
Before she could object and refuse his help, Cole simply picked her up, sheet and all, and turned her over on her back, then helped her to a sitting position. She hated being needy.
“Thank you.”
He sat on the bed facing her. “I bet that hurt, having to say thank you.”
Kendall felt his stare at her cleavage as the sheet slid down her body. She tugged the sheet up to conceal her nakedness. “Thank you, Cole. I’m not used to being on the other end, that’s all.”
He was dressed in a T-shirt and shorts and looked very refreshed, if not energized. He shrugged his broad shoulders and reached for the tray. “I know. I probably should be thanking you, anyway. Last night was beyond description.” He placed the tray on her lap. “Come on, eat up and we can talk about an instant replay later.”
Kendall gasped. Her body wouldn’t be ready for an instant replay for many, many weeks. “Cole, there’s no way you’re getting a replay. It was a slip in judgment.” Against her vegetarian lifestyle choice, she reached for the plate of pancakes and bacon.
Cole reached for a plate as well. “The first time, I could see,” he chuckled. “But care to explain the other time?”
“I did not have sex with you twice in one night.” She’d lost track of how many times she actually climaxed. “How I could have climaxed that many times and still want…” She let the sentence taper off into nothing.
“More,” Cole finished. He popped a piece of bacon in his mouth. “I don’t know why you’re trying to fight it.”
She cut up her pancakes, ignoring Cole’s comments. Initially she’d had such a good plan to ignore him and show him what he’d missed. Now somehow that plan had gotten shot straight to hell. She took a bite of the pancakes and moaned. They were so light and airy that they melted on her tongue.
“I take it you like my cooking,” Cole said.
She opened her mouth to object, but Cole was much too fast for her. He popped a slice of bacon in her mouth. She had no choice but to eat it. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings; not after such great sex, anyway.
* * *
A few hours later, Cole thought he had indeed lost his mind. Having sex with Kendall had opened up a whole new can of worms he wasn’t quite ready to confront. There was his best friend Charlie to consider, who just happened to be Kendall’s older brother. There was Kendall to consider: She definitely didn’t want a relationship with him, not that he’d ask. And finally there was himself to consider. At that moment in time, he had too many items on his plate to have anything more than an occasional bed partner.
But as he looked at her sleeping form lying next to him, he decided none of those items really mattered anymore. After breakfast, the two people most likely not to engage in sexual intercourse had done so for round two. It was as if they hadn’t had sex the night before. Was he crazy?
She shifted against him, her naked form waking up his body in the most insane way possible. Cole groaned as he looked at the clock. It was almost two in the afternoon and they were still in bed. He snuggled closer to Kendall and kissed her neck. He ran his hand under the sheet and caressed her flat stomach. She turned to him, her beautiful eyes closed, and whispered, “I love you.”
Cole knew she was just lost in the moment. Surely she couldn’t have uttered the three words he wanted to hear so desperately. “Right back at you,” is what he should have said, but he let those words die on his tongue as he kissed her neck.
* * *
Later that evening in the privacy of her own home, Kendall could reflect on the last twenty-four hours of her life. First she and Cole had had sex. Second, in a moment of sexual euphoria, she had told the one person she loved that she actually loved him! Thank goodness he had been asleep and hadn’t heard her.
She’d just pretend that it hadn’t happened. Hopefully, it would be a few days before she’d have to face him again. It would definitely take her body that long to recuperate from their little sexual marathon.
But “little” in no way described Coltrane Highpoint. He was definitely all man and built to scale. She was just about to order her dinner when the doorbell rang. “It’s probably just Charlie returning Jordan,” she told herself as she walked to the front door.
She opened the door expecting to see her older brother and her dog, but Cole stood in her doorway with a dozen roses in his hand. He was dressed in Bermuda shorts, a polo shirt, and sandals. As a rule, she wasn’t crazy about a man in sandals, but Cole had nice feet to go with the rest of his nice body. She was in so much trouble.
“C-cole, what brings you by?” She ushered him inside, hugging the door so that their bodies didn’t have the chance to brush in the hot Texas evening air.
But Cole had other ideas. “I thought we’d have dinner.” He kissed her soundly on the mouth and entered the house.
Kendall’s knees buckled at the emotions this man stirred in her exhausted body. Somehow she got strength enough to stand up straight and close the door.
Cole walked to the living room and sat on her couch.
Kendall stared at him. Didn’t this man just come to her house unannounced, not even apologizing for interrupting her evening? “Cole, what are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about going to dinner. You know, a meal out, in a restaurant.”
Kendall shook her head. “No, Charlie is bringing Jordan home later. So I guess you’ll be eating alone.”
He stood and walked to her. “You might as well get used to seeing me here, Kendall. We can have something delivered.”
Having this man in her house was going to be trouble. But memories from the night before and earlier that morning marred her sense of judgment. “What do you mean exactly?” She tried to stall, but knew it was useless.
He led her by the hand to the sofa. In a move she wasn’t quite expecting, he sat down and pulled her onto his lap and kissed her soundly on the mouth. “What I mean, Kendall, is that we’re going to have dinner and talk about what’s happening between us.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but thought better of it when she glanced at those piercing eyes that dared her not to. Why was she fighting him? She might as well go with the flow. “Okay, Cole. You can order dinner.”
He smiled in triumph and kissed her. “I’ll order it later. Right now I think we have other pressing issues to discuss.” He kissed her again.
She wanted to say they had already had this particular discussion enough times in the last twelve hours and didn’t need to have another one. That was what she wanted to say, but the sensation of being savored robbed her of thought. The only thing she was really concerned about was that Cole never stopped kissing her.
“Well, I guess this is the reason your front door was unlocked,” a very amused male voice said.
Kendall knew that voice. And that voice meant trouble with a capital T.
* * *
Cole knew that voice. He moved Kendall out of his lap, his first mistake. She was at least hiding his erection for the moment. But the sight of his best friend catching him with Kendall ended that problem for him.
Cole couldn’t read Charlie’s expression. He stood looming over them as they struggled to get themselves in order. Jordan ran to Kendall and she picked him up, hugging him fiercely. Cole knew it was time to face the music.
“Charlie, I can explain,” Cole said as he rose.
Charlie crossed his arms across his chest. “Oh, I’m sure about that. Kendall, that picky mutt of yours didn’t like the food I bought, so I know he’s probably starving. You might want to feed him.”
Kendall looked from Cole to Charlie, seeing the charade for what it was. Charlie wanted to talk to Cole alone. “Sure, I
’ll be in the kitchen.” She whistled for Jordan and they both scurried out of the line of fire.
Charlie sat down on the couch, clasped his hands together in his lap, and then looked at Cole with a ridiculous smile on his dark brown face. “Sit down, man. It’s not that serious.” Charlie chuckled. “I’m just surprised. I mean, I didn’t know you guys even remembered each other until Mom told me about the donation. Then I knew. Even with all your cheese I know a person just doesn’t donate a million dollars without an ulterior motive. But whatever the reason, Kendall’s hospital benefits, so it’s all good.”
Cole relaxed, plopped down on the couch, and laughed. “You had me, Charlie. I thought you were going to kick my ass.” Maybe this would be easier than he thought.
“Not yet. Not until I hear the whole story. Kendall’s on my bad list, too, since she didn’t enlighten anyone, either. So how long have you two been involved?”
“Why would you think we’re involved?” Cole hedged. “I mean, we were just kissing.”
“I also know my sister. For you to get that far, I know that you’re involved, and most likely against her wishes.”
He definitely knew his sister. “Yep, on all counts. You could have warned me, you know.” Cole didn’t mean that. Getting there had been half the fun.
CHAPTER 8
Max knew Monday morning was going to be different, and Kendall’s closed office door just proved it. He walked to Jami’s desk to inquire about his missing-in-action boss. “Any word from Kendall yet?” He sat on the corner of Jami’s desk.
Jami shook her head. “It’s only a little after eight, Max, and she doesn’t have a consult until eleven.”
Max smiled at Jami. If only. If only he wasn’t trapped in a loveless marriage, and Jami wasn’t tethered to that son-of-a-bitch she was married to, they could be together. If, that is, Jami could get over that whole race thing.
“Max?” Jami laughed as she reached for the ringing telephone. “You’d better wake up or Dr. Matthews is going to have your hide for daydreaming.”
Max sighed. One day. One day, he’d stop worrying about things he couldn’t control. He watched as Jami became rigid and her answers to the caller became very curt. That meant only one thing. The soon-to-be-ex.
“No, Karl. You cannot move back in, and it’s not up for discussion.”
Max wished he had some of Jami’s willpower.
“Karl, I said no. I know Dylan is your son too, but until you have a drug test proving you’re clean, he’s off limits.” She hung up the phone and took a deep breath. She looked up at Max with eyes glistening with tears. “Do you have any idea how hard that was?” She reached for a Kleenex and wiped her eyes.
Max slid off the desk and hugged Jami, not giving one ounce of care about Kendall’s rule of no public displays of affection. “Yes, Jami, I know how hard this is for you. I know what you’re feeling. I feel it, too. You deserve to be happy, Jami. So does Dylan.” Giving in to his feelings, he kissed her.
He expected her to pull away, but she grabbed him and returned his kiss with the same intensity. When they finally separated they were both out of breath. Jami grinned at him as she wiped lipstick from his face. “Looks like we’ve been thinking the same thing.”
Max nodded. He hadn’t dared hope she felt the same. Well, yes, he had, but now what? “Looks like.” He leaned forward to kiss her again, but the phone rang. “I bet you a granola bar that’s Kendall.”
Jami giggled and glanced at the caller ID display. “It’s her.” She answered the phone with her cheery voice. “Good morning, Dr. Matthews’s office.”
Max listened as Jami nodded at whatever Kendall was saying. Probably a list of things for Max to have done before she arrived.
“Sure, Dr. Matthews, I’ll tell him.” Jami ended the call.
Max pulled out his PDA, ready to make the necessary adjustments in the day’s schedule. “Okay, what does she want me to do?”
Jami shook her head. “Nothing. She says she’s bringing breakfast for the staff and apologized for oversleeping.”
Maxed dropped the PDA on the desk. “What did you just say?”
“Close your mouth,” Jami said. “You heard correctly. She’s bringing breakfast.”
“Oh, you mean her version of breakfast.” Max picked up the PDA and began checking to make sure the handheld computer was still operable. “Bagels, fruit, cottage cheese, soy milk, and juice,” Max drawled, imagining the meatless meal.
“No, Max. Dr. Matthews said she was stopping by the Donut Hut.”
Max dropped the PDA again. “You’re trying to tell me that a strict vegetarian is going to the greasiest food pit in Arlington? Her arteries will clog instantly the minute she walks into the joint.”
Jami nodded. “And she sounded unusually chipper this morning. You know how grouchy she is in the morning and how she despises people being late.”
Max studied the facts before him. Kendall sounding happy and volunteering to bring breakfast didn’t sound so out of the ordinary, but for her to set foot inside the most fattening place in town, something miraculous had to have happened, he mused. He grinned as the light bulb clicked on in his head. Cole was to have escorted Kendall to the charity dinner Saturday night. He’d stood Max up yesterday for a Sunday afternoon of drinking and watching some sporting event at the local pub. Could it be true?
“Max, why are you looking like that?” Jami began typing on her computer keyboard. “Why do you think she’s in such a good mood? I’ve worked for her for over five years and have never known her to sound that chipper on the phone.”
Max nodded. “I’m sure she’ll enlighten us when she gets here.” If his suspicions were correct, she should be singing Cole’s praises when she arrived.
* * *
Today was the day for changes, Kendall decided as she parked her car in the hospital’s underground parking lot. For some strange reason, she felt happy, as if only good things could happen to her that day.
Maybe the man in her bed that morning had a little something to do with it, but still, today was a start. She spotted two transporters taking a smoke break. The young men froze as she waved them over. They hurriedly put out their cigarettes and ran to her.
“Yes, Dr. Matthews, I know we aren’t supposed to smoke there, but designated smoking is clear on the other side of the hospital. Our break would be up by the time we got there.”
Kendall held her hand up to stop him from babbling. “That’s fine. I really just needed some help carrying this to the nurses’ station in my department.” She opened her passenger door to reveal several boxes and several gallons of orange juice, milk, and apple juice. “I’d be willing to share some with you guys for carrying it for me.”
The two men looked to each other for guidance, not quite used to this Dr. Matthews. For ten years she’d ruled with an iron hand. Everyone feared her, even the other doctors.
“Are those donuts in there?” the man asked as Kendall loaded his outstretched arms with the third box. “Smells like those weenie things.”
Kendall was quite confused, but then it cleared. “Oh, you mean kolaches? Yes,” she said, speaking of the sausage wrapped in pastry and drenched in butter. “I bought quite an assortment, so you can pretty much have your choice.”
“I thought there was a ‘no food’ rule in your department?” the other man commented, hoisting gallons of juice in his strong arms. “I mean…”
Kendall knew exactly what he meant, mostly because it was her rule. “Yes, I know. I started the rule, so I think I can break it. What do you guys think?” After she picked up the last gallon jug of reduced-fat milk, she closed the door and activated the car alarm.
“Hey, if you can make the rules, then you can break them.” He motioned for Kendall to precede them. “And everybody knows you’re the boss around here.”
Those words would have once brought her joy, but today they didn’t. Those words reminded her that in channeling all of her energy into her job and the charity h
ospital, she’d lost herself. Outside of Staci, she didn’t really have any female friends. She was going to change that starting today.
* * *
A few hours later after the chaos of the morning settled down, Kendall approached the nurses’ station where Jami and Keerya were busy working. She’d worked on her speech for the last hour and could only hope for the best.
Keerya was eating a kolache and typing one-handed on the computer. Jami was filing. Both women had their backs to her, which was just as well. If they saw her coming they’d instantly go into their serious work mode.
Kendall cleared her throat and stepped with purpose to where the women were working. “Good morning. I hope the donuts were good. I should treat you guys more often for all the hard work you do for me. In fact, I would like to start with lunch. You can order anything you want. Don’t worry about the cost, and it doesn’t have to be vegetarian either. I won’t force my food choices on you.” She reached into the lab pocket and pulled out her credit card. She pushed the card toward Jami. “Just bring it to me when you’ve ordered.”
“Yes, Dr. Matthews,” Jami answered, pocketing the card. “Would you like us to order you something? Dr. Diaz? Her first appointment is today at one.”
“I forgot all about Staci with all that’s happened this weekend,” she murmured. She’d definitely give her friend an earful when Staci came in for her first sonogram. “Jami, you’re worth a million dollars. Thank you for reminding me.”
Jami glanced at her. “Speaking of money, how did the charity dinner go?”
Kendall averted her eyes, knowing she probably still had the look of a woman in love, or at least deep lust. “It was fine. Cole was a complete gentleman.” And we had a lot of sex, she mused, knowing she couldn’t say that part out loud.
“That’s good.” Jami resumed her filing.
For Kendall this was do or die, sink or swim, feast or famine. She took another step toward the nurses. “Look, guys, I’m going to say this just once. I know you guys have been with me a long time and you each have been going through crises. I just want you to know that I’m here for you both. I have the reputation of being distant, but that’s only because I want Briarwood Hospital to always be known as the prestigious hospital it is today.” Kendall laughed. “My goodness, I sound like one of those boring CEO people. What I’m trying to say is that I would like you to consider me a friend as well as your boss. And please call me Kendall.” She decided to clear out of the room and give the nurses some time to digest what she’d just said. Hopefully, they would know her words were genuine, but only time would tell.
