by Lexi Blake
“Steven, is something wrong at Kronberg?” Was her sister right? Why else would he leave a job that many people would kill to have? Back in the States, he couldn’t come close to the salary Kronberg had to be paying him. He would make less than half as a GP and likely work far harder.
He moved in, taking her space and leaning over to whisper in her ear. “We can talk about that tomorrow. Okay? I’ll take care of everything, and that includes you. Trust me, Roni. I want to know one person in the whole world trusts me.”
Her hands had come up, touching his torso, and she couldn’t help the way her whole body heated at how close he was to her. His skin was soft and warm. He hugged her to him, one arm around her waist and the other coming to cup the nape of her neck. As if she was precious. Something to protect.
“No matter what happens, this thing between us, it’s real. Don’t forget that,” he whispered. “What I feel for you is real. It’s the only real thing in the world right now.”
She should step back. She should wait until he’d told her exactly what he was planning to do, what was going on. But she didn’t. She leaned into him, breathing in the scent of the soap he’d used, loving the way his skin felt against her own.
Why him? Why did it have to be him? She asked the question even as she felt her heart rate tick up. Being close to him, alone with him, was causing a definite physical response. Her whole body reacted to him. Her brain no longer mattered. He was difficult and complex and right. He felt right to her. “This is very real, Steven.”
He winced, but the expression was gone so quickly it might have been an illusion. “I want you badly. I feel like you’re the only good thing that’s happened to me in years and years. I know I should wait, but I can’t. I wanted you with me when I finish this.”
“Finish?”
“Transition,” he corrected. “I’m going to transition out of my horrible boss phase and figure out who I am again. Let’s call it that.”
She wasn’t getting answers from him tonight. “You’re a frustrating man.”
His head came up and the sweetest smile crossed his face. This was why he was maddening. For every moment he was cold to a coworker, she got a private one where he was warm and made her feel safe. She’d never been the focal point of his bitter humor or the victim of his savage reactions. For some reason, the beast inside him had never swiped out at her.
What if the rumors were about jealousy? He was young and on the fast track. That could be frustrating for some people. He had the ear of the most important people at the company. There were plenty of people who would love to be in his place.
It suddenly didn’t matter because his lips were hovering right above hers, and everything that was feminine inside her responded to the wounded-lion vibe he was giving off.
“I won’t be,” he promised. “When this is over, I’ll be the simplest man you’ve ever met. I’ll only want to love you, Roni. I’ve decided you’re the prize I get for everything I had to go through.”
Yes, all the alarm bells she should be listening to faded away. She was a prize? She was a silly girl from Galveston who had book smarts and not a bit of sense. She’d been a dreamer all her life, a romantic, and the idea that Beauty could change the Beast was still the bedrock of her fantasies.
She was on the edge with this man and the minute his lips touched hers, she knew she was in for a fall.
She wound her arms around his waist and let him lead her.
“I crave you,” he said against her mouth. “I never thought I would find someone like you here. When I started this, I never fucking thought there would be more than the job.”
She let her hands move up the strong muscles of his back. She wanted to believe everything he was saying, wanted to shove aside all her doubts. Truly brilliant doctors could often act like assholes when they were working. It was when they were alone that mattered. “You have to be nicer at work.”
She said the words instinctively. If she was getting into this, she had to believe she could modify some of his behavior. Didn’t lions get a little more tame when they took a mate?
She held her breath because he’d once told her they didn’t talk about work when they were alone. It was his rule. They could talk about anything else, but not work, never Dr. McDonald. Would she see that bad side of Steven Reasor now?
He chuckled and his arms tightened. “Promise. I promise you’re going to see a whole new me soon.” He smoothed her hair back and seemed to get serious. “You’re the only one who sees even the tiniest part of me, aren’t you? You see some good in me?”
Oh, she’d found the part of Steven that melted more than her panties. This was why she couldn’t hold herself apart from him. She did see something no one else saw, something that was only for her. “Yes.”
He was a doctor trying to do good in the world. He was brilliant and young and he likely thought he had to be ruthlessly tough to get anywhere in their business.
What if he truly wanted to go back to the States and become a general practitioner? A sudden vision of them working and living together made the world seem happier than it had been before.
“I do,” she said, staring into those sky blue eyes of his. Sometimes they could be like ice, but they were warm when he looked her way.
“You’ve kept me sane.” He kissed her again, plastering his body against hers. “Tell me you want me as much as I want you. Tell me you came here so we can be together, so when we leave, we won’t ever be apart again.”
It was everything she’d dreamed of hearing from him. “I came because I couldn’t stay away from you.”
It was nothing less than the truth. She couldn’t logic her way out of how he made her feel and she was sick of fighting it. If he left, she would go with him. She would bet on them. It was a gamble, and she didn’t take many of those. This time, she would be all in.
His fingers tangled in her hair and he gently eased her head back, kissing his way down her neck. Her skin lit up and she let go of any reason she’d had previously to not do this. Since the moment he’d asked her to go to Paris with him, she’d been nervous about where it would lead. He’d asked her to keep it secret and she’d gone along because she hadn’t wanted anyone to know about their relationship. She’d gotten good at ignoring him at work only to meet up with him for a private dinner or talk to him on the phone late into the night.
“I don’t want this to be a secret anymore,” she said. “I want them to know why you’re nice to me. I want to be able to have lunch with you.”
“Every day,” he swore as he kissed her ear, nipping at the lobe. “When we’re done here in Paris, I promise we won’t have a single secret between us.”
It would be good to walk in to work with him. If he got this new job of his, they wouldn’t have more than a few weeks left at Kronberg, but she would be with him every step of the way. Even if they weren’t in Europe, the medical world was a small place and they could have to work with some of the doctors again. She could start to let people know he wasn’t the monster they made him out to be. “It’ll be a fresh start.”
He looked down into her eyes, one side of his mouth tugging up in a heartbreaking grin. “Baby, you have no idea. Now kiss me. Take me away from everything for a while. I only feel like myself when I’m with you.”
And she was finding herself with him. She was definitely finding her sensuality with him. Her every sense seemed heightened as he leaned over and swept her into his arms. He strode through the gorgeous apartment toward the bedroom. There were two and he’d offered her the master, but she got the feeling they wouldn’t be using the smaller one at all. He would be moving his duffel bag in before morning.
“I’ve wanted this from the moment I saw you,” he said as he set her on her feet. His hands went to the hem of her shirt and he dragged it over her head before taking her mouth again.
The man knew how to kiss. His tongue surged in, sliding along hers, an invitation to dance. She couldn’t refuse him. She wasn’t sure if s
he would ever be able to refuse this man. Certainly not when his hands were on her. She didn’t protest when he expertly unhooked her bra and cool air hit her skin. He tossed it away and his bare chest rubbed against hers. Her nipples peaked and everywhere he touched got warm and sensitive.
Late afternoon light streamed in through the gauzy curtains, softening everything it lit, including him. In this light he seemed younger than normal as he kissed her and led her to the bed.
She let him take control. This was what had been missing in all her past encounters. There was no awkwardness, no hesitation here. There was only Steven and what he wanted. It was easy because she did trust him. She made the decision, letting all her doubts fall away.
This was the right place to be and he was the right man for her. They would find their way.
But all that mattered now was the fact that he was pushing at the waistband of her slacks even as his tongue delved deep inside her mouth.
She needed to be naked with him. All her inhibitions were gone and only the desire to be with this man remained. Her clothes seemed to fall away and then her back was on the bed and he shoved his jeans off.
She watched with dreamy eyes as his cock came into view. Like the rest of the man, it was magnificent.
He stroked himself, his big hand moving up and down as he stared at her. “This changes everything. We’re together now.”
It was all she wanted, to get to truly know him with all his complexities, having time with him that they didn’t have to steal. This was the start of their lives together. “Yes.”
He moved between her legs, covering her with his body. “I can’t wait. God, Roni, I need you so much.”
He didn’t have to wait. She was ready for him. She wrapped her legs around him, need driving her. All that mattered was one more kiss, one more caress, more of him.
She gasped as he thrust inside her. He filled her and warmth suffused her body. It was a heat unlike anything she’d felt before. She squirmed to accommodate him. It had been a long time since she’d been so close to a man.
He held himself still, dropping his forehead to hers. “Are you all right? Am I going too fast?”
They’d been moving toward this moment since the day they’d met. He hadn’t moved fast enough for her. “I’m good. It’s just been a while.”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
He wouldn’t. This man wouldn’t hurt her. He was hers and she was his. She cupped his cheek, emotion welling inside her. “You won’t. Unless you stop.”
She could have sworn his eyes sheened with unshed tears. “Only you would say that to me. One good thing. I found one good thing.”
He didn’t explain it, didn’t need to because she understood. This job had been hard and now she’d found one good thing, too.
He settled in and his hips moved, sparking pleasure through her. It had never felt like this before and she rode the wave. She was so full, full of hope and life, full of him. He kissed her as he managed to hit the perfect place deep inside her, shoving her over the edge and into sheer sensation.
His body shook as he found his own pleasure and seemed to lose all his strength. His body pressed hers into the mattress, but she didn’t care. This part wasn’t awkward either. This part was like the rest of it—right.
“You won’t regret this, baby,” he whispered. “I’m going to take care of you. I’m going to be good for you. I’m going to be me again and I swear I’ll do everything I can to make you happy.”
It was all she could ask for.
He shifted off her but wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him.
“When is your interview?” Their return flight wasn’t until tomorrow evening. She wanted to do touristy stuff with him, especially if they were going back to the States soon.
“Interview?”
“For the new job?” Sex seemed to be an excellent way to distract him.
He chuckled. “Ah. Yes, there will definitely be one of those.” He kissed the nape of her neck, seeming to want to drown himself in affection. “In the morning. Early. I have to go out tonight to grab a few things I’ll need, but it should all be over by tomorrow afternoon, and soon I will get you crunchy bacon. I promise.” He groaned and fell back. “Shit. I didn’t… Sweetheart, I might have lost control…”
She turned and rolled against him, settling her head on his chest. She knew exactly what he was freaking out about. She hadn’t thought about protection either, but luckily she was prepared. “I’m on the pill. It’s all right.”
He hugged her again and settled back down. “I promise I haven’t had sex in a long time. Not since my last physical.”
“Me either.” She listened to the strong beat of his heart as she came down from the high of making love with him. That’s what they’d done. She’d expected sex. She’d gone in knowing she would likely sleep with him. This had been so much more.
This was everything. This might be the rest of her life.
“Roni?”
“Yes?”
He smoothed back her hair. “Thank you for trusting me.”
She let her leg drift over his, tangling them further. “I have questions, but yes, I trust you.”
“And I’ll have answers.” He kissed her forehead. “But for now, I think I promised to take care of you.”
His hand cupped her breast and she started to warm up again.
She lay back and let him take the lead. It didn’t matter because they had all night long.
They had the rest of their lives.
* * * *
Roni checked the clock again. Four thirty. Five minutes later than the last time she checked. She’d been doing this for the last five hours and it was starting to drive her crazy. She checked her phone for what felt like the hundredth time. It was on. The ringer was on. The phone was charged and he hadn’t called or returned her texts. Multiple texts. Increasingly panicked texts.
They needed to head to the airport in less than two hours and she had no sign of him.
She wondered if she should start calling hospitals but forced herself to breathe. It was okay. It was a job interview. They could take all day.
A job interview that would take them to the States. So why was he interviewing in Paris? And why had he left at dawn? Even if his appointment had been at eight he wouldn’t have needed to leave so early.
He’d kissed her and told her to get some more sleep and then he’d walked away.
Without his laptop or his tablet. They were sitting on the table. They were also password protected, as she’d learned when she’d gotten desperate enough to try to read his emails so she would know where his interview was supposed to take place.
She stood in front of the big window overlooking the Tuileries Garden. She’d spent the morning exploring the beautiful park, thinking about how nice it would be to walk around with Steven’s hand in hers.
Where was he? He hadn’t called or answered his phone. She’d taken the morning easy, but as the day turned to afternoon, a bit of panic had started to fill her.
Had something happened? There was a knot in her stomach, a knot of worry that he’d somehow gotten hurt.
Or she’d gotten played.
Roni took a deep breath and banished the thought. She wasn’t falling into that hole. He wouldn’t have left his laptop behind if he hadn’t meant to come back. He’d made love to her all night. He’d only left her briefly to grab pizza and wine, and he’d ordered her to stay naked. The minute he’d walked back in, he’d shucked his clothes and they’d eaten and drank and talked until they’d made love again.
He wasn’t playing her. No man could make love like that and not mean it.
He hadn’t had to play her. She’d meant to go to bed with him. She would have done it without all the promises.
But the promises are what made it fun for him. A guy like that enjoys the game and you weren’t playing it, so he found a way to make you.
She sniffled as her inner voice turned distinctly
dark.
Why would a man like that walk away from a job with a major pharmaceutical company? From a team that’s supposedly on the edge of some major accomplishments? That man—the youngest team lead in Kronberg history—that man wants to be a GP and marry a woman who barely qualified for the internship program? Who isn’t close to his league looks-wise? You really thought that man would give it all up for you?
Or she could be positive. He was stuck. The interview had gone well and he’d been offered the job. The mystery job he hadn’t wanted to talk about.
Damn it.
She stared out, trying to find some calm, but then she saw something that absolutely wrecked her.
A woman was walking up the street, her high heels not holding her back at all. She was a woman who knew how to walk in those expensive things she could probably use as a weapon if she needed to. She didn’t since she had a big bodyguard with her, one Roni hadn’t seen before.
Dr. Hope McDonald was walking down the street and there was no question in Roni’s mind where she was going. The big guy beside her had dark hair cut in a military style. He wore a suit that probably hid a gun. McDonald was a US senator’s daughter and she rarely went anywhere without some muscle.
The knot in her gut twisted because there was zero way this was a coincidence.
McDonald and the big guy disappeared from sight as they walked into the building, but it wasn’t more than two minutes before there was a knock on the door.
Maybe she could simply stay quiet and McDonald would go away. She had her ticket back to Munich.
Or something had happened to Steven and she was being a colossal idiot. She’d told him she was with him and she was wilting at the first sign of trouble. That wasn’t the kind of partner she wanted to be.
She ran to the door and threw it open. It didn’t matter that the head of the project was about to know she was sleeping with the lead researcher. All that mattered was finding out what had gone wrong. “Dr. McDonald? Has something happened to Steven?”
Hope McDonald was a lovely blonde with green eyes that managed to constantly look cold. Even when she was smiling there was an emptiness in the doctor’s eyes that unnerved Roni. It was probably why McDonald had gone into research. There was something off-putting about the woman that would likely lead to anxiety in any patient she worked on. She said all the right words, acted empathetic, but Roni always thought it was an act.
