by Nicole Casey
This is An Older Man Younger Woman Romance with a HEA!
Janie
My legs were shaking as I walked into the clinic for my very first day. It was a warm summer’s day and for a fleeting second, I wished I were on the beach or out sailing on my friend Amy’s boat while talking about old times with her.
However, I had spent God knows how many hours of my life studying in order for this moment to arrive. All those years of studying late at night under a flickering light bulb and of being a bag of nerves on exam days had finally paid off.
I still didn’t know how I had managed to land a job as a nurse in the prestigious Sanchez clinic, where the stars went to improve their looks. Sure, all my efforts had led to excellent results in my final exams but I had still expected to start out my career in a run-down urban hospital or in some sort of under-staffed medical center in the middle of nowhere.
Instead, I would be helping the world renowned Dr. Frank Sanchez to treat the rich and famous. Ridiculously wealthy people came here from all over the world to get the best plastic surgery treatments that money could buy.
In fact, just last week I had been transfixed by the sight of a famous pop star’s new nose. I had no idea what her name was – well, I’m more of a classic rock gal these days – but it was rumored that Dr. Frank had worked his magic on her once-massive hooter.
This wasn’t a good day to try on giant high heels for the first time in my life. Yet my little sister -the irrepressible Daisy – had convinced me that it was the best way to make a good impression. No, it was the only way, she insisted.
I stumbled slightly on the thick, luscious carpet that probably cost more than my entire house and tottered up to the reception desk. As I looked up I saw that Doctor Frank Sanchez himself was standing there looking at me with an impenetrable expression on his face.
The doctor was famous for the fabulous wealth and fame that his skill with his hands had given him, as well as for being notoriously shy and reclusive. I had been incredibly nervous before the job interview with him last week and his deep voice and abrupt way of speaking had made me feel even worse.
I had left that interview feeling certain that there had been a certain spark between us, though. He had complimented me on my outfit and there was no doubt that his eyes had lingered just a millisecond longer than they had to. He was too much of a gentleman and a professional to hit on me in an interview but I felt sure that he was interested in me as more than a future nurse in his clinic.
Despite this, I had still felt intimidated by the tall, broad doctor with the swarthy looks when he looked at me with his penetrating gaze. He seemed to the type of man who never really let you know what was going on in his head.
The truth is that I have always had a soft spot for older, intelligent men. The doctor’s longish gray hair and sparkling dark eyes had captivated me in a way that I hadn’t felt for a long time.
He had maintained a youthful look that belied the 20 year age difference between us. Under his crisp, white shirt and casual dark trousers, I could make out the clear signs of a guy who spent a lot of time in the gym.
I tried to shake these thoughts out of my head as Doctor Sanchez wandered over to greet me. However, I have to confess that I stole a glance at his ring finger so see whether my fantasies had even the smallest chance of coming true. There was no ring there.
“Hi Jane, great to see you again. Want to come into my office a moment?” His voice was friendly yet firm, like the kind of guy who knows what he wants and is used to getting it without any fuss. He didn’t seem like the sort of boss that you upset if you wanted to stay here for long.
I brushed lightly against him as he held his office door open for me and felt pleased that I had chosen my favorite silky blouse and knee-length skirt for the occasion. After so long going to lectures with my old baggy clothes on it felt good to look at myself in the mirror and like what I saw in my reflection.
I had no idea what clothes to put on for my first ever day at work and had guessed that I would soon change into a boring nurse’s uniform anyway. Therefore, I had simply decided to put on an outfit that made me feel confident when I looked at myself in the mirror and that would get me off to a flying start.
Was I thinking of Dr. Frank while I slipped on my most expensive and sexiest clothes that morning? Well, the thought of his eyes lingering on my curves like they did in the interview may have passed through my mind as I stood there in my underwear trying to decide.
“You’ll find that I’m strict but overall an easy guy to get along with.” His words broke the spell I had somehow fallen under as I sat in front of the doctor’s desk and looked at the impressive certificates and photos of celebrities all around. “I only get really mad about 3 or 4 times a day.”
Did his eyes betray the fact that he was making a joke, probably to help me to relax? I could easily imagine him getting angry and those deep, dark eyes smoldering with rage. I smiled weakly and shifted slightly in my chair.
“It’s a pleasure to work for you, Dr. Sanchez.”
“Call me Frank.” I knew he was going to say that. “As long as I can call you Jane. Unless there is some other name that you prefer?”
“My friends call me Janie and my grandma called me Sweetiepops.” I blushed slightly. Why the heck was I telling him about my stupid nicknames so soon?
“Maybe we’ll stick to Janie for just now.” A pause while he seemed to be considering whether to carry on. “My grandma used to call me Francisco. She was from Mexico and could never get used to my real name. She died a few years ago.”
The Mexican heritage would explain the deep, dark eyes and the olive colored skin then.
“So did mine. I still miss her.” There was more I wanted to say but now wasn’t the time for spilling personal secrets and talking about heartbreaks at home.
“Do you like Mexican food?”
“Umm...” I had never tried the stuff and weighed up whether it was worth lying to my boss in my first few minutes of employment. “I would like to try it.”
Frank got up and walked over to the window without explaining why he had brought up the subject of Mexican cuisine. It was already clear that he was one of those people who liked to jump from one subject to another without any warning.
“Do you like being a doctor?” Wow, I didn’t even know where that question had sprung from but I had said it now.
“What makes you ask a question like that on your first day here?” He looked at me from under heavy eyebrows and I wondered if I had already got on his wrong side for being impertinent and getting too personal.
“I just wondered.”
Frank paced back and forward, looking at the floor, for a few minutes. Finally, he crossed his arms in front of himself and sighed.
“I used to like it. I used to love it. It was the biggest passion in my whole life.”
“But now?” I had no idea why I was grilling him like this but something was making the questions just roll off my tongue.
“But now? Now I’m not so sure. I feel as though I have put off too many other things because of my work. Maybe it’s time to loosen up a bit and find something else that motivates me as much as plastic surgery once did.”
“You look pretty loose to me.”
“I might look loose on the outside but on the inside I’m…well, what’s the opposite of loose, Janie?”
“Tight? Coiled up? Taut?”
“Yeah, all of these things.” He tried to smile it off but I could see that I had hit a nerve without even trying. “Maybe I need a…a…”
He didn’t look like the kind of man who was usually lost for words but Dr. Frank Sanchez looked out of his window while he let the words just trail off into thin air between us. The air suddenly felt heavier and more oppressive in this elegant office.
As he turned his back on me and looked out over the extensive grounds of his clinic I let my eyes wander over his toned body. He was taller than me; maybe six feet compared to my five-fee
t-five, and stood up perfectly straight like a man completely in control of his own body.
What did he need? A vacation? A social life? A good massage? Wild sex on top of his desk with his new nurse?
I looked at his big desk and imagined being sprawled over it with Frank on top of me. First of all, I would push off all of the stuff on it and then…. His words interrupted me before I could fantasize anymore.
“You’ve probably noticed that I don’t have any personal photos on my desk.”
He had turned around and I averted my eyes from, well, from his butt if I’m being honest. Had he caught me looking at him while I was daydreaming of what it would be like to throw that spotless silk shirt on the ground and run my hands all over his strong chest?
“Umm…No, you don’t.”
Frank sighed and sat down in front of me again, putting his hands together on top of the desk. He suddenly looked tired and irritated. Maybe I had annoyed him by asking too many awkward questions.
“Being a doctor can be a lonely life.”
“So can studying to be a nurse, Frank, but I always try to stay positive and look on the bright side of life.”
“Don’t let me down, Janie. I hate it when people let me down.”
“I won’t.”
“I need to meet an important client now Jane, err, Janie. But I would like to catch up with you at the end of the day to see how things are going. Maybe we can get a coffee in the rest area?” His eyes sparkled again with a sudden change of mood. “It’s not the best coffee in the world but it is a nice place to relax and get to know each other.”
“Sure. That would be…great.” God, couldn’t I think of a single smart, witty comment to make so that he would be impressed by my intellect?
Frank held the door open for me again and I brushed past him with a smile on my lips. The doctor put a hand briefly on my shoulder as I went past and I felt electricity rush through me. Was he as excited by the feel of my shoulder through the silky fabric as I was by the touch of his powerful yet delicate hand?
Working here was either going to be the best experience of my life or a complete disaster. Either way, it was clear that it was definitely going to be interesting.
Frank
The arrival of a new member of staff was something that didn’t normally interest me too much. I had been in this business for too long to worry about small matters such as this.
In fact, the truth was that I was getting jaded about the whole thing. Life had turned into exactly the kind of boring set of routines that I had always tried so hard to avoid. I was starting to feel tied to the clinic almost 24 hours a day and it was grinding me down more than I cared to admit.
Then, I felt the sort of rush of excitement or passion or call it what you will. When Janie had walked into my office for an interview I knew right away that the dangers of mixing business and pleasure were closer than ever before.
Her long, brown hair fell over her shoulders seductively and her blue eyes looked out at me timidly from under the fringe. She wasn’t the type of woman I was usually attracted to and I knew she was too young for me, but something about her mixture of fun, shyness, and awkwardness had got me intrigued from the start.
I was going to have to work hard to keep a professional distance between us. Did I even want to, though?
Her first day at work was a hectic time, as I had an A list Hollywood celebrity coming in to discuss some work she needed done to try and fight the aging process. However, I made time to be there waiting for her arrival – as though by accident – and I was hooked when I saw her come in through the door looking glamorous and exciting yet modest and homely at the same time.
After welcoming her to the clinic I spent the next few hours wondering how I was going to make the move to find out more about her. I had to break the ice and move the relationship on to a more personal level, even if I knew that it was one of the most dangerous things I could do in my work.
There was no doubt that I was getting short-tempered and grumpy these days? Maybe she could help me to lighten up. I hated being in a bad mood but it was something that was getting far too frequent lately. I knew fine well that the other nurses called me Doctor Grumpy and were a little bit afraid of me.
While I was still trying to think of the perfect phrase to get started with, she came into the rest area wearing her new nurse’s uniform. It fitted her perfectly. A little too perfectly maybe, with her wide hips and perfect breasts even more noticeable than they had been earlier in the day.
“Hi Janie, how was the first day at work?” I tried to sound relaxed but my heart was racing in a way it hadn’t done in years.
“Wow, it was hectic Dr…umm…Frank. I really need that cup of coffee you were talking about.”
She sat down with her cup of coffee and silence settled over us for a few moments. I could already see that Janie was more comfortable than she had been earlier in the day, while I was feeling more nervous than I had been in some time.
“You need to get used to the fast pace. We don’t accept slackers here.” Christ, could I not have started off a bit more gently? I was very rusty at making pleasant small talk with attractive women.
“Oh, I won’t slack off. Actually, maybe I shouldn’t be saying that while I’m sitting here drinking coffee. Ha ha.”
“You’re my guest and I’m the boss. This isn’t slacking it’s…team bonding.” Ugh, I was saying all the wrong things and didn’t know to lighten up anymore.
A heavy silence fell over us. It was starting to get kind of awkward and I was feeling lost.
I tried to move the subject on to something lighter.
“How do you like the new uniform, Janie? It really suits you.” To be honest, I had never before even noticed the nurse’s uniform in my clinic in the way that I was now. My whole working life had been spent surrounded by nurses, so I just saw them as employees who were there to help out and had never even considered having a relationship with any of them. Until now.
For the first time in my life, I realized why so many men fantasized over nurses. Our clinic’s new blue nurse’s uniform fitted her perfectly, showing off her curves and bringing out the blue in her eyes wonderfully.
I imagined slowly unbuttoning the row of buttons down the front while I sipped my coffee. Would that moment ever arrive or would it always be my secret fantasy?
“I like it. Blue is my favorite color and it fits me perfectly.” She ran a hand down the front of the uniform, smoothing it out and making the form of her breasts even clearer. Was I picking up the wrong messages here and imagining some subtle flirting that only existed in my mind?
I made an audible gulp as I finished my coffee and cringed at the sound of it. If there is one thing that had characterized my career until them it was self-control. You don’t make a fortune treating the world’s most famous faces and bodies without being able to stay in control of your emotions at all times.
Yet, here I was. Losing control over a new nurse whose eyes sparkled and promised me the world of romantic adventures that I had sacrificed so long ago to chase money and a worldwide reputation. Even the infamously bad coffee sludge we drunk in the clinic somehow tasted better with her by my side.
“I need some help in an operation tomorrow, Janie.” Her name sounded so right when rolling off my tongue that I wondered how I had lived so long without ever saying it. “Do you feel comfortable enough to help me?”
“Sure. I would love to. Is it someone I know? Oh my God, is that the wrong thing to say? I need to be very discreet here, right?”
I laughed the most honest, natural laugh I had enjoyed in days or maybe weeks. Her spontaneous approach and joy of living were already rubbing off on me. It felt like she was capable of blowing away the cobwebs that had slowly built up over my life.
“Between staff members, it is okay to talk about clients. However, if you tell anyone outside the clinic about our business then our receptionist will probably track you down and kill you.”
&nb
sp; “Ah, you mean Heidi, right? Jeez, that is one lady I don’t want on my list of enemies so I won’t breathe a word of this outside these walls.”
The receptionist was a frightening, middle aged woman with her hair scraped back into a frightful looking bun. If she ever smiled her face would probably crack and shatter, but she did a good job for me.
“So, spill the beans, Doc. Between you and me.” I usually hated it when people called me Doc but I liked the way she said it with just the right mixture of respect and cheekiness. The “between you and me” added a touch of intimacy to our conversation that was a small step in the right direction, too.
A more comfortable and comforting silence now settled over us. My cup was empty but I lifted it to my lips and pretended to drink in order to not have to get up and leave. This was the most fun I had enjoyed in a long time and I never wanted it to end.
“Is it Beyoncé getting a nose job? Maybe you’re giving Taylor Swift smaller ears? Do you work on butts as well?” her voice lowered to a theatrical whisper. “Because I think you could work wonders with Johnny Depp’s tush, to be honest.”
“Much as I would love to get my hands on Johnny Depp’s butt, professionally speaking, this lady is a movie star who feels that her nose is a little too…prominent. My job, our job, will be to give her a schnoz that doesn’t cast a shadow over Tom Cruise or poke Brad Pitt in the eye when they kiss.”
We both laughed heartily and I enjoyed seeing her perfect teeth on display. As a plastic surgeon, I was used to spotting people’s defects, weaknesses, and complexes. As far as I could see this young lady didn’t have any of these things at all.
Over the many years of seeing famous and beautiful women naked or half-dressed, I had got very, very fussy. When was the last time I had seen a woman that I liked as much as Janie and hadn’t immediately started planning how I could make her look even better?
I had never before loosened up with a nurse and talked about clients in this way before. It felt good and so natural too.
