Future Investment: (Taboo Romance Series) (Forbidden Fruit Book 2)

by Ali Parker

  I made sure to soften my tone as we wrapped up the instructional part of our conversation. "So just shadow this morning, but don't let them intimidate you. Ask any questions that you need to ask. You want to not only show them that you're interested, but also get something out of your time with these guys."

  She smiled and nodded. "Got it. I'll see you this afternoon?"

  "Yes. Did you bring your clothes here for the event tonight?" I crossed my arms over my chest as we stood in the hall just outside of my office. I ignored the stares we got as a handful of residents passed by. I was her mentor. I had nothing to hide from that angle, and, in all actuality, we'd not overstepped any boundaries yet. I would talk to her, and if she wanted to back out, I wouldn't hold it against her.

  "I have them in the locker room, though it's going to be weird getting dressed in there." She glanced to her left and waved as a few people from the group called out her name.

  "We'll just go back to my place." I glanced down at my watch. "Let's see... we need to be there at six tonight to take our seats. Let's leave here around three-thirty and you can change at my place. You comfortable with that?"

  "Yes." Her voice lost a little bit of steam as she licked at her lips subtly.

  "Good. I'll see you back here around that time. If you need me, you've got my number." I winked at her and turned, making a trip to see H.R. before heading to my scheduled appointment.

  "Dr. Crawford." She walked toward me as I paused and looked back at her. "You're okay with me, right? I didn't lose your respect the other day?"

  I smiled and moved back toward her to reach out and squeeze her shoulder tightly. "No. Not at all. I don't think of this like you do, but if you're rethinking things and-"

  "No. I'm good. I just wanted to make sure that you didn't see me differently." She moved back, and I let my hand drop. "Three-thirty."

  "Yes, and Elizabeth, just think of this as a future investment. We're clearing the path today to make room for growth in your future." I turned and continued my trek down the hall as my mind buzzed through the various things I wanted to do to the beautiful girl who had captivated me. She had no clue just how taken I was with her, but I would make sure later that night to show her.

  I knocked on Julia's door, who was the head of our Human Resources Department. She was rail-thin and bossy as hell. No one liked her, and she almost seemed to prefer it remain that way.

  "Come in," she called out from inside the office, and I walked in and gave her a tight smile.

  "Julia." I sat down and leaned back before clasping my hands over my chest. "I need your help with something."

  "Doctor Crawford. Of course. What can I do for you?" Her fuzzy blond hair was pulled away from her face, making her appear more bird-like than usual.

  "My resident is going to be quite an asset to this hospital. She's at the top of her class, and was at NYU as well." I sucked my bottom lip into my mouth, pausing as she watched me closely.

  "And?"

  "And I want to know more about her. She's got some struggles, from what I can tell. We should help. A lot of doctors come out of their M.D. programs with hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt." I crossed my ankles and tilted my head. "Pull her file and give me a few details that might help me understand if she truly needs financial assistance. If she does, I'll talk to Peter about helping her."

  "Did Elizabeth ask for help?" Julie lifted her eyebrow as she started to bang away on her computer.

  "No. Never. She's far too proud for that." I leaned forward as she turned the screen toward me.

  "You know that this is highly confidential. I'm only showing you because the girl basically belongs to you through this process. Don't tell anyone that I helped. I don't want a line of do-gooders like yourself piled up outside of my office."

  "I understand." I hovered over her desk and ran through the address for Elizabeth’s mother, realizing how deep in the bad part of town not only her mom was, but she and Stephanie were too. That had to change. I was willing to help with her bills or anything else she needed, but my first move would be to talk her into moving into another apartment. It was ballsy and perhaps a little controlling, but I didn't care. She was mine to take care of, and whether or not there was the promise of being intimate together, I was going to make sure she was okay, as was her mother.

  "No father. He died when she was-" Julia started, but I cut her off.

  "That's okay. I don't want her history. Just wanted to better understand the level of poverty the girl was dealing with." I stood and walked to the door. "I'll talk with Peter soon, but don't mention this. It was just a necessary precaution to ensure that her story was valid."

  "I understand. She's lucky to have you." Julia shrugged and went back to typing on her keyboard. "Good day."

  I walked out and headed down the hall, having a whole new level of respect for the pretty girl who would be my date for the evening. Parks was going to be at the event, which didn't sit right with me, but there was little I could do about it. I was nothing more than her mentor, which wasn't changing too drastically. If she had feelings for the younger doctor, then I would release her from our agreement. I just prayed like hell that wasn't the case, though I knew he was crazy about her.

  "I understand all too well." I walked into the O.R. and let all my thoughts go. I could deal with my feelings and the related drama later that night. There was nothing I could about it right then.

  *

  I walked up to my office after a long day, and quite a few twists and turns in the surgery that morning that I hadn't expected. After almost losing the lady we were working on several times, I was edgy and a little pissy to boot.

  "You ready?" I glanced down at Elizabeth's clothes as I moved into my office and grabbed my keys from the drawer in my desk. "That's pretty."

  "This?" She lifted the black dress. "I don't know. It's a little too much in my opinion, but Stephanie wouldn't let me out of the house without something that would show me off."

  I chuckled. "Did you tell her about us?"

  "Us? What about us?" She gave me a cheeky grin as we turned and walked toward the exit door.

  "Funny." I wasn't playing her games, though, funnily enough, they brought me out of the angst I was sitting in only moments before. "I assume the answer to my question is no."

  "You'd be correct." She moved out into the parking lot and waited for me to take the lead. "Tell me again what this event is all about. Is anyone else from the hospital going?"

  I unlocked the Mercedes and moved to open her door. My eyes moved down the length of her body, and I couldn't fathom someone looking so damn good in a pair of scrubs, but she did. Her body was a little curvier than any of the other woman who I'd spent the night with, but I was thrilled. I was tired of holding onto a boney body. Her curves tantalized me and left me thinking about how nice it would feel to press her tightly against the bed, or the shower... the wall.

  "Aiden?" She turned to me as I got into the driver's side.

  "Hmmm?" I started the car and smiled at her.

  "I asked you a question. Are you okay?" She pulled on her seatbelt and leaned back.

  "Yeah, I'm great. The surgery was tough, and didn't go as planned, but they never do." I pulled out of the parking lot, expecting her to say something, but she remained quiet. I glanced back over at her to find her watching me with a sexy look on her pretty face. Her eyebrow was lifted like I was in trouble, and I almost enjoyed the idea of her punishing me. "What?"

  "I asked you what the event was about tonight and if anyone else was going to be there with us." She pushed at my shoulder as a smile lifted her lips. "Where are you right now?"

  "You don't wanna know." I chuckled and turned on the radio. "It's an awards ceremony that we have every year… just a collective group of all the hospitals in the state getting together. I'm being awarded Surgeon of the Year in Cardiology."

  "Wow. That's impressive." Her voice was soft, as if she wasn't there with me either, but lost somewhere inside
her head.

  "Thanks. I've gotten it a few times, but Peter loves showing off the hospital, especially the cardiology ward. He's a heart doctor as well." I pulled onto the freeway and leaned back, wanting to watch her from the corner of my eye. "And... Peter and Parks will be there tonight. I'm not sure of anyone else."

  "Parks? Oh, great." She ran her fingers through her hair, and growled softly as I chuckled.

  "He's just a young guy with great taste. Don't hurt him too badly." I reached over and took her hand, pulling it into my lap and resting it on my thigh as I intertwined my fingers with hers. "I know you're struggling with all of this, and I get it. I am too, but I want it. I want you."

  She squeezed my hand and nodded as I glanced over at her. "I’m okay. I'm just scared I guess. It's weird, different."

  "Yeah, but we'll figure it out together. I have a ton to teach you and you're going to love us spending time together." I tried to reassure her by bringing the hospital aspect of our new relationship back into the mix.

  "In the bedroom?" Her cheeks grew pink, and I laughed.

  "No. In the operating room." I lifted her hand to my mouth and kissed her knuckles. "I'm not sure you don't have a thing or two to teach me in the bedroom. I've spent far too much time at the hospital to say I'm well versed in women. I know what I like, but I'm hoping to learn what you like too."

  It was too natural to open up to her. I didn't feel a bit of regret or concern as I let my thoughts pour from my lips. I wanted her, and I had since I'd seen her picture the day before she showed up. The night would be fun, and we could laugh and have a good time with Peter and Parks, but then I was taking her back to my place.

  There, our titles could be stripped away, and we could just be two people who needed the warmth of the other. She might not need me as badly as I needed her, but I was going to work to get her addicted, and fast. The darkest parts of me wanted to see her struggle to hide the intensity of her lust for me when we were at work and in front of her peers.

  It was uncouth and so far from right, but it made me feel alive. She would crave my touch before it was all said and done - agreement or not.

  Chapter 13

  Elizabeth

  The time at his house had been fast and furious, thanks to a bit of traffic we ran into just outside of the city. I changed as quickly as possible, and was ushered out the door before I could make sure my makeup looked right, or I had my hair fixed good enough. We rode to the event, with Aiden on the phone. He'd taken the call because the number was unknown, and twenty minutes later he was still trying to get off the phone with one of his new patients.

  I turned and studied him, but he was too deep in his conversation to notice me. His black jacket and matching pants fit him as if tailor-made. The white button-down shirt that sat crisply beneath his jacket brought out the darkness of his tan, and left my heart beating a little faster in my chest.

  We weren't a couple, but we were starting to intertwine various parts of our lives, and I wanted to keep taking steps forward. It was scary and exhilarating. I knew that no matter how much he asked of me, I would most likely give it. I planned on digging a little that night, as time allowed.

  I knew that he was a brilliant surgeon, and an all-around good guy, but what else was he? How was his childhood? How did his parents die? He wouldn't appreciate my need to know, but I would manipulate the situation to gain access to the information without too much pressure.

  Reaching over, I ran my hand from the middle of his thigh up to where his leg met his hip. He stiffened as his breath caught, and he glanced over at me.

  I gave him a smile and shrugged. "Don't mind me."

  It was a side of myself that only existed in my mind. Never before had I wanted to drag it out and flaunt it, but I did now. We'd made the agreement, and he was all in from what I could tell. My bank account had had an extra five thousand dollars in it when I'd woken up that morning, and to say that I was shocked would be an understatement.

  "Right. So just make sure that you continue to take the white pill in the morning and the green one at night." He licked his lips and pulled his bottom lip into his mouth as he reached down and tugged my hand toward his cock.

  My whole body stiffened as he wrapped his hand around mine, and cupped himself. He was semi-erect, and large enough that I had a momentary wave of panic. Maybe I'd bitten off more than I could chew. Jackson wasn't too impressive, and yet he was more than enough for me.

  Aiden glanced over at me as he brushed his fingers over my cupped hand. I dragged my nails up the tight, thick package, and stifled a groan. He was so far beyond hot.

  His eyes rolled back as he pulled the car to a stop, and he shifted, lifting his hips just a little and pressing against my hand. I wanted to tug off my seatbelt and move over the console between us to press my mouth to him. Jackson had never let me give him oral sex, and though I understood the mechanics, it was something I desperately wanted to do.

  "Alright. Call back if you need me." He dropped the phone into the cup holder and cupped my hand again. "Fuck. That feels so good."

  "It looks so good." I couldn't keep my eyes off of him as he rubbed himself against my palm, completely unashamed by the neediness that rolled off of him.

  "You're gonna have me coming in the car before we ever get there." He gave me a cocky smirk. "Play by the rules for me, hmm?"

  "No thanks." I dragged my nails up his package again as my mouth started to water. "I wanna taste you. Will you let me? Tonight?"

  He swallowed hard and glanced over at me, nodding. "Yeah. I'd like that a lot."

  I started to move toward him, but he laughed and pulled my hand from his lap. The sound of his enjoyment brought a smile to my face, and I moved back to my seat. I was only teasing him, but him getting it left me wanting to follow through. There was no way I could give someone head in a car in the middle of the city. Or could I?

  "You're too much already. I imagined that you might be." He lifted my hand to his mouth and brushed his nose over my palm, before shifting and sucking two of my fingers into his mouth.

  Pleasure twisted the very center of me, and my body flooded with anticipation of feeling the warmth of his mouth - everywhere.

  I groaned and turned away from him, a little unnerved at how quickly we'd gone from him wanting nothing to do with me or anyone, to him sucking on my fingers and driving my entire body toward need.

  He licked at my fingertips and moved my hand back to rest in my lap. "Later tonight we'll spend some time figuring each other out. Sound good?"

  "Too good," I murmured breathlessly as I turned toward him and pressed my cheek to the seat. I wanted to memorize every part of him so that, when our time was over, I would never forget.

  "Have I told you that I think you're stunning? Incredibly beautiful. Even breathtaking." He glanced over at me, his blue eyes filled with hunger. He wasn't shy about letting me see it clearly either.

  Sharp tendrils of pleasure swept out of my center and danced along my nerve endings, lighting me on fire and leaving me to feel like a cat in heat. It was oddly disturbing and yet deliciously exciting.

  "I feel the same about you." I reached over and touched his arm. "We're going to be okay, right?"

  He laughed. "Far more than okay, princess. Just breathe and let's enjoy the great dinner they're going to serve us. We can dance a little, mingle far more than I want, and then we can leave. Just remember what parts we're playing tonight."

  "I won’t forget." I let out a sharp exhale and turned as we pulled up to the beautiful five-star hotel where the event was taking place. Bright lights lined the front of it, and I almost felt under-dressed, having watched a few people get out in front of us.

  "I know you won't. I was somewhat reminding myself." He looked over at me. "Parks is going to hit on you mercilessly tonight. If he gets to be overbearing-"

  "I'm fine. I'm not interested in him, and if he gets to be too much, I’ll shut him down." I unbuckled and got out of the car. After thanking t
he valet, I moved to walk beside Aiden. My fitted black dress made me feel a tad bit more exposed than I was comfortable with, but with so many people milling about, I was sure to simply be one of the crowd.

  "Aiden. Over here." Peter's voice caught my attention, and I grabbed Aiden's arm, pulling him toward where Peter and Parks stood with a few other guys I'd seen around the hospital. Being the only woman was going to be a bit intimidating, but I'd held my own for ten years in various medical schools. I could handle one more night of being the minority.

  "Wow, don't you look stunning!" Parks moved up and took my hand, lifting it to his lips and kissing the back of my fingers softly. "How did this old goat talk you into being his date?"

  "I'm here to support him and see how all of this works." I gave a slight shrug and glanced back at Aiden. "Besides, it'll be nice to see what my future looks like."

  "Going to take my award from me already?" Aiden laughed, and the other guys with us did as well. I moved up in front of him, choosing not to respond.

  The crowd pushed us in tightly, and Aiden gripped my hips and pressed his body to mine as we shuffled forward. The delicious sensation of him touching me left my pulse racing, and a deep ache resurrected between my legs. For not having spent much of my life being overly sexual, something about the man behind me brought it out full blast.

  He bent down as we walked in, and pressed his mouth to the back of my ear. "You smell delicious. It's like a mixture of coconut, perfume, and lust."

  I stifled the need to close my eyes and press back against him as chill bumps ran along my skin. He moved up beside me and offered his arm, the depravity I expected to see on his face all but gone. He was playing the professional mentor role perfectly.