* * * * *
The click of the lock being set on his door brought Brian awake. Faint moonlight filled his room. He heard feet shuffling and saw a dark figure moving toward his bed. The light smell of jasmine surrounded him. Someone bumped into his bed and tried to stifle a curse. Then he remembered…Robin.
He closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. He heard her slither out of her clothes and felt the bed dip as she climbed up beside him. Her firm breasts pressed against his arm, and he stifled a gasp. The hard nubs of her nipples pushed against the cloth of his pajamas. Soft lips nibbled and kissed him below his ear. A hand snaked under his hospital gown and made lazy circles in his chest hair before trailing lower. By the time it reached the drawstring on his pajama bottoms, his erection pulsed against the material.
“Robin.”
“Mmm, did I wake you?” Her breath smelled of peppermints. She snuggled closer and let her fingers dip lower. “Are you ready to give me my first lesson?”
He grasped her hand and moved it onto his throbbing cock. “What do you think?” In one quick motion, he threw back the covers and flipped her onto her back.
He ripped his gown off and tossed it on the floor before covering her lips with his. His tongue teased until she opened to him. The kiss deepened. Thoughts and images flooded his brain. To stop the distraction, he hummed.
She sighed and moaned beneath him. He felt her thoughts and knew his humming vibrated against her skin and drove her wild. He planted little kisses on his soft skin of her neck, lower and lower until he captured one rosebud nipple and sucked.
He reached beneath her and caressed her firm butt. His erection pulsed painfully. He wanted to be inside of her, he had to be inside her, but first he’d make her come. Sliding even lower, he gently spread her legs. He planted butterfly kisses on her warm skin until he reached her soft patch of curly hair. He kissed the insides of her thighs, and she whimpered. His teased her essence with his tongue and slipped inside. Her climax almost knocked them both off the bed.
Grinning, he climbed up to claim her mouth once more. He positioned himself and started to slide into the warm, welcoming wetness.
She froze.
A vision invaded his mind. An image of Robin as a chubby little girl, frowning at the camera. Later, in high school, sitting alone in front of the television, eating ice cream. In nursing school, standing in the back row for her graduation photo to hide her bulk.
“Oh, baby, no. Don’t be ashamed of your body, ever. It’s beautiful, and it always was.” He gritted his teeth against his own need while he kissed her eyelids. Carefully, he put the head of his cock next to her clit and stroked her. He hoped to hell he was turning her on again, because she was driving him wild. She began to relax beneath him, and he slipped inside. He hesitated a second, the lack of condoms utmost in his mind. Then he knew. She was on the pill.
She took the length of him and sighed. Soon, she was rocking beneath him. She wrapped her legs around his waist. In one thunderous crescendo, they came together.
He wasn’t sure, but he thought they’d made enough noise to wake the entire hospital. Collapsing next to her, half on top of her to keep from sliding off the narrow bed, he said, “See, I knew you weren’t frigid.” He pushed damp hair off her forehead.
Her eyes were closed, and her lips turned up in a smile. A shaft of moonlight flowed in the window, lighting her face. He wanted her in his life.
“How can I ever thank you?” she whispered. “That was wonderful.”
“My pleasure, ma’am. I’m happy to oblige, anytime. Just give me a couple of minutes to recover.”
“Much as I’d love that, I think I’d better get out of here before someone finds me in bed with a patient. I don’t want to lose my job.” She stretched and sat up. Red curls fell around her elfin face, and he had to use every bit of his willpower to keep from pushing her back onto the bed and having her again. “If there’s ever anything I can do for you, Brian...”
“Matter of fact, there is. My memory is still pretty foggy, so I’d appreciate it if you could come home with me tomorrow, just for a couple of days. I’m not sure if I’ll get my memory back or not, and I don’t want to be alone right now. Can you do that? You can be my private nurse. I’ll pay you, of course.”
“Why, Mr. Wakefield, I believe you just want to take advantage of me again, and again, and…”
“You say that as if it’s a bad thing.”
They both laughed.
“Sure, I’ll be happy to help you out. I have vacation time saved up. What time are you being released tomorrow?”
“Dr. Morton said after lunch. Will that give you enough time?”
“I’ll take my vacation days and tell the supervisor you asked for me to be your private duty nurse.” She slipped out of bed and pulled on her clothes.
“Oh, a private nurse. Does that mean you’ll be giving me baths?” Just the thought made him grow hard again.
Robin grabbed his cock and stroked it. “Oh, yes. I think you’ll need a lot of baths after I get done with you.” With a quick kiss, she was gone.
Chapter Seven
Robin bounced into the hospital the next morning a half hour early for her shift, happier than she’d ever been. She hadn’t been able to sleep the rest of the night after returning home from the hospital, but had lain in bed, thinking of Brian Wakefield. He was not only handsome, but also caring and gentle. She knew it was silly and way too soon, but she felt herself falling for the delightful man. Somehow, he knew she’d been ashamed of her body for years because she’d been so overweight. Even after she started working and had slimmed down, she couldn’t bring herself to let a man see her naked. No wonder she’d been frigid. Well, that was in the past now.
“Morning everyone.” She tossed her purse and sweater into her locker. “Mattie in her office?”
One of the night nurses going off duty mumbled yes between yawns. Robin hurried to the head nurse’s office and knocked lightly on the door.
“Hi, Robin, come on in. What can I do for you?”
“I need to take the rest of my vacation days, starting this afternoon.”
Mattie sat back in her chair. “You know we need more warning that that. I have nurses to schedule and shifts to cover. What’s the emergency?” She shoved a pen into the topknot of her hair.
“I have a chance to do some private duty nursing, and I really need the money.” She had no intention of taking a dime from Brian after what he’d done for her last night, but she had to have some kind of excuse.
A sigh escaped from Mattie’s enormous bosom. “Well, I guess I can handle it. How much time do you need?”
“I have a week vacation due, and that should be enough.” Enough time to be sure she never again froze up around a man. She couldn’t wait to spend time with Brian.
Mattie pulled a sheaf of papers out of her bottom drawer. “Where did you find a job, anyhow? Oh, no, let me guess. The handsome Mr. Wakefield.”
“Yup. He wants me to be with him for a few days in case he falls or has a relapse.” Or needs some mind-blowing sex. “It should be an easy job.”
“Well, I can’t blame you. From what I hear through the grapevine, he’s rich as Midas. Go ahead, get to work. I’ll track you down and get your signature later.”
“Thanks.” Robin almost skipped down the hallway to her station. She was going to stop in and give Brian the good news, but he was with Dr. Morton and the interns. She managed to catch his eye and gave him the thumbs up.
Humming a happy tune, she starting doing her chores.
Chapter Eight
“Here’s a prescription for pain medication.” Dr. Morton put the paper on Brian’s lap table, being careful once again not to touch his patient. “We’ll expect you back in a week or so for a follow-up visit. Call my office, or if you prefer, see your own physician.” Morton put his Mont Blanc into his shirt pocket and took a step back. “Do you have any questions?”
Brian was tempted to ask him if he
’d cut back on the drinking but didn’t. Once he was out of here, he’d never see the man again, and it wasn’t his problem.
“Yes. What about my memory? Will it ever come back?”
“There’s really no way to tell. Have you remembered anything of your past?”
“No, nothing. I’m hoping once I get to my apartment and am in familiar surroundings my memory will clear up. If not, well, I don’t know.”
“Well, best of luck to you, Mr. Wakefield.” Morton gathered his residents and left.
After eating his lunch—something brown, something white, and something green—he was ready to blow the joint. He found a shower room on his floor and luxuriated under a stream of hot water. Now he only had one problem. Clothing. They’d cut off his clothes in the ER, and he didn’t have a damn thing to wear. Wearing his bathrobe, he walked to the nurses’ station to get some help. Unfortunately, Cerise was the only one there.
“Hi, I’m leaving today, but I don’t have anything to wear. Would it be possible to find something for me?”
He could almost feel his skin burning from Cerise’s glare. Her eyes were narrow slits, her mouth a taut, angry line. Before she could speak, a hand touched his arm. He knew it was Robin, and he turned to face her.
Robin smiled up at him. “I’ll see if I can find you a set of scrubs so you’ll be presentable in the cab.”
“Thanks. Are you going to be ready to go soon?” He took her hand off his arm as casually as he could. When he read minds, he got a headache, and he wanted to stay as pain free as possible to try and clear up his memory.
“I’ll meet you in your room in a few minutes.” With a happy smile, she took off down the hallway.
Robin made it to his room before he did, with clothes and a wheelchair.
“Need any help?” She pulled at the cord to his robe and grinned up at him.
“No. Now be a good girl and go close the door—from the outside. I can manage this myself.”
“You’re no fun,” she said and walked out the door.
Once in the cab, he had to pull out the instructions and keys he’d gotten from Strauss. Glancing out the window, he looked for familiar buildings, but nothing rang a bell. He rolled the window down and inhaled fresh, salty air. Too soon, the cab pulled up in front of a high-rise located right across the street from the bay.
“Welcome home, Mr. Wakefield. I trust you’re well?” A doorman opened the huge glass door for them and stepped back. “May I help you with your bag, Miss?”
“Ah, no thanks, I’ve got it.” Robin seemed a bit flustered.
The lobby was all glass and black marble, sparkling chandeliers and rosewood tables. Black leather couches and chairs flanked a fireplace, unlit now in the middle of the day. A gentleman wearing a gray, three-piece suit stood and came out from behind the concierge desk. He had pale blond hair and eyebrows, light skin, and was thin to the point of emaciation. Brian had to stifle a chuckle. The man looked like an undertaker.
“Mr. Wakefield, sir. So good to see you again.”
“Thank you. I’ve been in an accident, and I’m afraid I’m having some memory problems. I don’t remember your name.”
“Garrison, sir. I took the liberty of stocking your kitchen and made sure you had fresh linens. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“Not at the moment, Garrison, thank you. This is Nurse Guyer. She’ll be staying with me for a few days, helping out.”
“Welcome, Miss Guyer. If you need anything, anything at all, please call.”
He was embarrassed, but he had to ask. “One thing, Garrison. How long have I lived here?”
“You moved in a little over three weeks ago. It was my understanding that you’d been living in Europe for a few years and had now decided to settle in San Diego.”
Well, that explained his lack of friends. But what about family? He’d have to do some searching once he got to his place.
Garrison stepped over to the waiting elevator and walked inside.
“Your key, sir?”
Brian handed him the key, and the man inserted it into a slot marked Penthouse, then backed out and bowed slightly. “Just turn the key, and the elevator will take you to your floor.”
“Do you have an extra?”
Phelps had said there was a ticket on the dining room table. How in the hell had the man gotten inside his condo? Probably the same way he’d gotten into his hospital room unnoticed.
“Oh, yes, sir. We have one for the cleaning staff, and of course in case of emergency. No worries. It’s very safe. No one but a few staff knows where it’s kept.”
Robin looked at him and wiggled her eyebrows. He pushed the button to close the door then turned the key. His stomach fell as they silently and swiftly rose twenty-two floors.
Chapter Nine
“Wow.” Robin walked out of the elevator, dragging her rolling suitcase, her eyes the size of saucers.
“Wow, indeed.” The first thing Brian saw was a bank of floor-to-ceiling windows, and off in the distance, the Pacific Ocean. He was drawn to the view, and no wonder. A huge naval vessel moved across the bay, heading out to sea. Here and there on the water, small sailboats dipped and swayed among the waves. The long bridge to Coronado arched over the bay, and the azure sky was filled with white, puffy clouds. Off to the side, a jet took off, headed out over the sea, banked left, and circled back toward land. When he looked down, a myriad of buildings and downtown San Diego filled the space.
“What a great view.” Robin came to stand beside him. Her delicate floral scent wafted by, teasing him, and reminding him of their shared passion. “I guess I should put this suitcase in the bedroom. Do you mind if I change into more comfortable clothes?”
“No, of course not.” He dropped a soft kiss on her forehead. “I have no idea where the bedroom is, but I’m sure you can find it.”
She winked and turned away.
He smiled, and he hardened as he watched her delicious round bottom retreating down the hallway. He was so glad he’d thought of using her skills as a private duty nurse. He liked having her around. She was beautiful, fun, and capable. While she was changing, he wanted to find his plane ticket and whatever else Phelps had left for him. He’d have to arrange for a ticket for Robin too. Should he call Phelps first? He gazed out onto the beautiful scene before him once more. No. He decided he’d just show up with her, and if Phelps didn’t like it, too bad. He wouldn’t be going anywhere without her. He decided he would always rather apologize than ask permission. Where had that thought come from? No matter, it felt right.
The penthouse had an open floor plan, all done in chrome and glass, very understated. Whoever had decorated the place seemed to know his taste, because he loved everything. Leather chairs, glass and chrome tables, a mammoth flat screen television mounted over the fireplace. A few throw pillows in rich tones of burgundy and sapphire dotted the black leather couch. It was perfect. He walked over to the kitchen area and admired the black and gray granite counters, shinny stainless steel appliances, a six-burner stovetop, and an island with a second sink. Great place for someone who liked to cook, but he was pretty sure that wasn’t in his repertoire.
He opened drawers and doors and found a wine rack, fully stocked. Much as he would have liked a glass, he knew it wouldn’t mix well with his pain medication, so instead he opened the fridge and pulled out a cold bottle of water.
He fished the vial of pills out of the bag they gave him in the hospital and swallowed one. He was tired, shaky, and knew he had to get vertical soon.
First, he walked over to the to the glass end table by the couch where he’d noticed a pile of unopened mail. He found a plane ticket, a wad of hundred dollar bills in a gold money clip, a set of keys to the condo and his car, the latest model Blackberry, a passport and folder with several credit cards, all with his name on them. There was also a bankbook and sheet of paper listing all his stocks, bonds, and other assets.
He was both pleased and astonished at the amount o
f his worth. He’d have to remember to ask Robin if she had a passport and if not, get her one. After all, Phelps had said he wanted to train him to do good in the world, and that would mean travel. Somehow, he instinctively knew he loved going to new places and exploring new worlds.
He flipped open his driver’s license. It looked authentic, and the picture was definitely him. He found out he was thirty-two years old. That felt about right. Next, he flipped open the ticket envelope and his heart dropped. He was scheduled to leave on a flight to Boston at seven o’clock tomorrow morning, first class. He hoped it wasn’t too late to get another ticket for Robin.
There was a note clipped to the ticket. Before he had a chance to read it, he heard Robin clear her throat. He shoved the note into his pocket and covered the ticket with some of the junk mail. He didn’t want her to see any of this, especially the plane ticket, until he had time to explain. He looked up and saw her standing posed by the hallway to the bedroom area. She wore a brief one-piece, flame-red teddy that left nothing to the imagination.
“Are you ready for a nap, Mr. Wakefield?” She smiled, ran her tongue over her lips in a provocative way, and shoved her chest out a little further.
He had to stifle a groan. His rock-hard erection poked against front of his scrubs, but the rush of blood to his lower regions gave him an instant headache. A vein in the side of his head pulsed, and he had to grab the back of a chair to keep from falling over.
He gritted his teeth with frustration. He wanted to make love to her again, here in these luxurious surrounding, but he simply didn’t have the strength. He had to take it slow, heal, and find out more about who he was, learn to control his psychic powers, and then figure out what he was going to do with the rest of his life.
She must have seen fatigue on his face, because she hurried to his side and took his arm. “I’m sorry, Brian. Why don’t you come into the bedroom and lie down. I’ll give you nice back rub. Or would you rather have a steam first? I couldn’t believe my eyes. You have your very own steam room.” Her green eyes sparkled. “There’s a spa tub if you’d like to relax in jetted warm water, and of course a shower later—big enough for two.”
Mysterious Gift Page 3
