by Pamela Toth
He kissed her again, cupping her face in his hands. She tugged the hem of his shirt free of his jeans and skimmed her palms up his ribs, exploring the lean muscle and warm skin. He reacted with a sharp intake of breath. When she fumbled with the big unfamiliar buckle, he brushed aside her hands in order to pull her sweater over her head.
“You’re gorgeous,” he breathed, stroking her through the lace of her bra.
Her nipples drew into hard buds and heat curled in her stomach. “It’s too dark for you to see me,” she protested, kicking off her shoes.
“Turn on the lamp,” he whispered.
Instead she switched on a night-light near the door. It gave off a faint pink glow. Then she toyed with the zipper of her jeans, smiling when he reached for her impatiently.
He bent his head to string hot wet kisses across her shoulder and down her cleavage. When he undid the front clasp of her bra and covered her breasts with his hands, his touch sent a lightning bolt of reaction through her. Desperate for more, she skimmed her fingers around his waist inside the band of his jeans, making his stomach muscles quiver.
Letting go of her, he sat on the bed and removed his boots while he watched her peel off her jeans and her socks. Reaching into his pocket, he set a small packet on the nightstand. She was pleased that he was being responsible.
In a moment, they were both nearly naked. Swallowing hard, she stared at his wide chest and muscular build, at his dark snug-fitting shorts.
“Last chance to say no.” His voice was deeper, thicker than usual.
Her answer was to cup him lightly through the fabric. He reached around her to strip the bedspread and blankets from the bed. Then he pushed her gently down and followed her.
As he covered her body with his, she wrapped her legs around him and they rolled back and forth across the mattress. He stripped off her panties while she tugged at his shorts. With their hands and mouths they stroked and tasted, explored and caressed, as she struggled to hang on to her control and shatter his. Finally he planted a knee between her thighs.
“Look at me, Zoe,” he said firmly.
Open and helpless, she glared her resentment.
Slowly, expertly, he caressed her until she shattered with a sob.
He allowed her to turn the tables, but only for a moment. Muscles trembling, he dragged her back up the bed. Sheathing himself quickly, he tipped up her hips and slid into her.
“Yes, please,” she urged, pressing closer. “Yes, yes, yes!”
He rode her hard until the sound of his name on her lips broke his control. He felt her tremors. With a hoarse groan, he threw back his head and surrendered.
When Chris woke up, the room was still in shadows. He hadn’t meant to fall asleep when he’d finally pulled the covers over the two of them. His arm was still curled around Zoe, tucking her close. She fit against him like his other half, her breathing deep and slow. He hated disturbing her, so maybe he would wait for a few more moments before he got up.
She had a right to be tired, he thought with a purely masculine smirk. They had worn each other out. Vaguely he recalled falling facedown on the mattress, limbs leaden, finally too exhausted to lift his head. He had figured on a nap and gone into a coma, instead.
As good as it felt to hold her, he shouldn’t stay. With a twinge of regret, he tried to shift his arm without disturbing her. His watch had gone the way of his clothes, ending up on top of a dresser on the far side of the room. He turned to look at the clock on the nightstand next to him, startled when he saw the time.
It was far later than he had figured.
Zoe turned and her eyes blinked open. Doctors learned early the ability to come awake in an instant.
“Hi,” he whispered, propping his head up with his bent arm.
“Mmm,” she replied, stretching like a cat. When she arched her back, the sheet slid down to reveal her perfect breasts. The darker tips beaded in the cool air, begging his attention.
Chris swallowed hard. Until this instant, he would have bet on his body being too satiated to respond to anything short of a cattle prod, but he would have been wrong. It was a struggle not to roll over and slide between her thighs, claiming her again before he left.
Knowing the packet he always carried with him was empty stopped him like a cold shower. Being prepared was a habit, like brushing his teeth, but he hadn’t planned for a sexual marathon.
Nor had he figured on spending the night, so his truck was parked right on the street in front of her unit like a big red arrow, in case anyone cared to look. Despite that, he was almost unbearably tempted to stay. But staying longer could eventually erode his good sense. He wasn’t made of stone.
“Sorry,” he muttered, “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
She tugged up the sheet. “I’m a light sleeper.”
He couldn’t see her face clearly enough to read her expression. “Are you all right?” he asked softly.
She made no move to touch him. “Of course. I’m a big girl.”
You certainly are might get his face slapped, so he merely leaned down to kiss her forehead. “I’d better go,” he said softly.
Immediately she sat up, all business, with the sheet pressed against her. “If you want to shower, I can make coffee.”
He would have preferred that she shower with him and the hell with the coffee, but he knew that wouldn’t be wise, so he grabbed the excuse to stay a little longer as though she had tossed him a life ring.
“That would be great, thank you.” He hated being so damned polite after the intimacies they had shared. He knew her body almost as well as Gray’s Anatomy, at least by touch.
Frowning, he flipped aside the covers and got to his feet. “You sure you don’t mind?”
She gave no indication that her night vision worked on his nude body. “The bathroom’s that way,” she said as she switched on a small lamp by the bed. “There are extra towels in the cupboard.” Giving him one last delicious peek, she reached for a nightshirt draped over a nearby chair and slipped it over her head.
It was like tossing a tarp over a brand-new Porsche. Some works of art weren’t meant to be covered.
She looked startled when he walked determinedly around the bed, instead of heading for the bathroom, but she didn’t resist when he put his arms around her.
“You know what I just figured out?” he asked.
She stiffened slightly. “What?”
“How good this feels.” Drawing her against him, he rested his cheek on her hair. She smelled womanly and sweet. “I could hold you like this until my arms fall off.”
For a moment, she relaxed against him, making him resent the damned nightshirt even more.
“And I’d let you,” she murmured against his chest. “Then we’d both get fired.”
Relief eased the knot in his gut, followed by a bubble of pleasure that put a grin on his face. “Naw,” he drawled. “I know people.”
“Important people?” she asked. “Ones who could save our jobs?”
He couldn’t resist the urge to tease her. “Well, mine anyway.”
“Rat!” She pulled out of his arms and slapped his bare buttock hard enough to make him yelp.
“That hurt.” As he rubbed his burning cheek, she was nearly out the door. Below her hem, her legs went on forever.
“Get moving!” she ordered over her shoulder. “And don’t use all the hot water.”
When he came out of the bedroom a few minutes later, fully dressed except for his boots, she was seated at the small kitchen table in a long blue robe and matching slippers. What he had seen of the compact apartment was scrupulously neat and about as personalized as a room at the Butte Best Western.
In addition to a pot of coffee, she had fixed him a stack of toast. “Would you like some eggs?” she asked, sliding back her chair.
“No, thanks. This is great.” Feeling less vulnerable to temptation now that he was dressed, Chris leaned down and kissed her the way he had wanted to since he’d first opened
his eyes. He reluctantly broke it off in order to breathe.
“What about you?” he asked. “Are you going to eat? Have you eaten?”
“It’s the middle of the night,” she reminded him. “How do you like your coffee?”
He picked up a piece of toast, suddenly hungry. “Black, thanks.”
She busied herself at the counter while he wondered whether she had grown up with household help. It made him realize how little he knew about her—besides the fact that she liked being on top. Her preference for the dominant position didn’t surprise him one bit.
She set two coffee mugs on the table, followed by a napkin, a knife and a fancy-looking jar of blackberry jam.
He wished he knew what she was thinking when she sat back down across from him, but her face was unreadable when she propped her chin on her hand.
“Are you working in the morning?” he asked, feeling guilty for keeping her up so late.
“I’ll be fine,” she replied as he sipped the hot coffee. “Do you always try so hard to look after everyone else?”
He pondered that while he spread jam on a slice of toast. “I suppose so. That was the way I was raised. Dad worked a lot, so when Mom was busy it fell to me to look after my sisters.” He took a bite, remembering his last frustrating phone call from Hope. If only she would listen to him!
“I’ve often wondered what it would be like to have brothers and sisters,” Zoe mused, fiddling with the handle of her mug. “Well, I have a half brother, but he’s only four and I don’t see very much of him.”
Chris lifted his eyebrows. “That must be difficult for you.”
Zoe frowned down at her hands. “Marcus was born just a few months after my parents’ separation. As soon as their divorce was final, my father married Marcus’s mother. She used to work for him.”
“How’s your mom?” Chris couldn’t imagine his parents getting a divorce, but who ever could? “Is she okay?”
Zoe rolled her eyes. “She’s a workaholic, so I doubt she’s had a lot of time to miss him. Or me,” she added, her tone slightly bitter.
“The two of you aren’t close?” he probed.
Looking uncomfortable, Zoe took another sip of coffee. “I’ve disappointed her.” This time her voice was so low that Chris barely heard her.
For a moment, he thought he’d misunderstood. “Disappointed her?” he echoed, stunned. “How could you?” He waved his hand. “You’re a bright, beautiful, accomplished woman. Any parent would be proud of you.” He realized that his voice had risen, so he took a deep breath to calm himself.
“Well, thank you.” Zoe looked away, clearly uncomfortable. “You haven’t met my mother. Patrice is a hard act to follow, believe me.”
“In addition to being a fine doctor, you can skate circles around the local hockey protégé,” he added with a grin. “Is she aware of that?”
Zoe shook her head, but she, too, had started to smile. “I’ll be sure to tell her.”
Chris felt a surge of tenderness. No wonder he’d seen glimpses of vulnerability beneath the confidence she wore as though it were a suit of armor.
When he patted her hand, he noticed the time on his watch. “Damn, I’d better go,” he said reluctantly. “Thanks for the coffee.”
When he got to his feet, she did, as well, with her arms wrapped around herself protectively. He wanted to carry her right back to bed and cuddle her close.
“I meant everything I said just now,” he blurted, touching her shoulders lightly and feeling her tension. “You’re a very special woman in more ways than you suspect.”
He hoped she might say something in return, giving him some clue to her feelings about him and what they had shared. Instead she bit her lip and glanced away. “Thank you.”
Disappointed, he let her go and perched on the edge of the nondescript tweed couch to pull on his boots. When he got back up, she held out his jacket. After he’d put it on, she reached up to adjust his lapel.
Chris leaned down to kiss the tip of her nose. “Lock the door after me,” he said gruffly. “And get some sleep. I’ll see you at work.”
“Aye, aye, sir,” she drawled, but at least she was smiling when she closed the door behind him.
What the hell had she been thinking? Zoe demanded silently after Chris left. Arms wrapped around herself, she paced the length of her living room. She knew better than to get involved with someone on staff, but when she got near him she didn’t seem able to think at all.
From outside, she heard his truck start up. After he drove away, the sound fading into the silence of the night, a wave of longing shivered through her.
When he kissed her, she felt it down to her toes. He reeked of sex appeal and when he—
Heat flashed through her when she recalled what they had done together as she’d lost herself in his arms. He was a passionate and generous lover who held nothing back and seemed to expect no more than her full surrender in return. The passion they shared was intoxicating, but her vulnerability when she felt herself spinning out of control was scary as hell.
Chapter Nine
Zoe was used to functioning on very little sleep, so fatigue wasn’t much of a problem at work the next day. Neither, she reminded herself several times an hour, was the distraction of daydreaming about Chris.
Because of a bad rainstorm that had blown through town right after she arrived at the hospital, causing several auto accidents, the E.R. was busy. It wasn’t until midmorning when she was between patients that her cell phone rang. She checked the screen, glanced around furtively and ducked into an empty supply room.
“I’ve only got a minute,” Chris said after they had exchanged hellos. “It’s crazy down here.” His deep voice sent a shiver of reaction along her nerve endings.
“I’ve been hearing sirens all morning.” She was breathless, as though she had just finished running up the stairs. “Anything interesting come in?”
“Just the usual mayhem,” he drawled, “but no criticals so far.” His tone became more intimate. “Do you have any idea how difficult it was to leave you last night? I wish someone needed a consult so that I could see your face, hear your voice for a minute. It would keep me going for a few more hours.”
His comment made her go hot all over. “I have responsibilities,” she said, struggling for lightness. “It’s not like I’m sitting around buffing my nails while I wait to be summoned by the king of the E.R.”
“King?” he sputtered. “How about emperor?”
“Oh, right.” She glanced at her watch. “In fact I’ve got two women in labor as we speak and I’m expecting Dr. Codwell in a little while.”
“Listen, about later—” he said. Through the phone, she heard a sudden commotion and shouting. “I’ll call you back,” he exclaimed and then he was gone.
She didn’t hear from him again all day, nor was she called down to the E.R. before the end of her shift. Before she left, she went to the surgical department to check on Anna.
The television was on, but the woman’s eyes were closed. The bruise on her cheekbone was fading. Studying her from the doorway, Zoe felt a surge of frustration. When she noticed the huge vase of flowers on the windowsill, she wanted to throw it at the wall.
She was about to leave when Anna opened her eyes. “Dr. Hart,” she exclaimed, her face brightening as she pushed the button to raise the head of the bed. “I wasn’t asleep.”
“How are you feeling?” Zoe asked.
“I’m doing okay. But…they had to take out one of my ovaries.” Anna sounded tired. “I’m getting out later, but I have to be careful for a couple of weeks.” A shadow crossed her thin face. “Thank you for coming by. You must be awfully busy.”
“Not too busy to check on you,” Zoe replied briskly. When she glanced at the bed table, she noticed a flyer lying there from a women’s support center in Butte.
Anna must have noticed the direction of Zoe’s gaze. “A woman came by this morning. She made me realize that Bert’s not going to chan
ge.”
“Unfortunately that’s usually the case,” Zoe agreed carefully. “All too often, the violence escalates.”
Anna sighed and her eyes filled with tears. “That’s what Ruth said when she helped me fill out the complaint against him.”
Stunned by her news, Zoe reached for the box of tissues and handed it to her. “Good for you,” Zoe said, as Anna blotted her eyes. “You did the right thing.”
Anna glanced at the flowers. “He’ll be mad that he wasted his money on those.”
Bert was going to be very angry and not just about the flowers, Zoe thought. “What are your plans?” she asked.
“My sister’s packing up my stuff while Bert’s at work. I’m going to stay with her in Spokane for a while. That’s where I’m from.”
Zoe leaned down to pat the other woman’s shoulder. “You’ll be fine,” she said. “You’re stronger than you think, so good luck.”
“You’re the reason that I talked to Ruth,” Anna blurted before Zoe could turn away. “I wanted you to know that.”
Zoe’s puzzlement must have shown on her face. “I don’t understand.”
“Do you remember that night out in the parking lot?” Anna asked. “It made me realize that even a stranger was more concerned about me than I was about myself, and certainly more than Bert.”
Zoe was stunned. “Thank you for telling me. That’s nice to know.” With a last quick smile, she fled from the room, fighting sudden tears of her own.
She had made a difference, she thought as she hurried down the corridor, blinking rapidly until she regained control. Elation filled her and she could hardly wait to tell Chris.
She checked her phone for messages before she left work, annoyed by her sharp pang of disappointment that the only missed call was from her father. He would never understand why she felt so good about Anna. He thought Zoe should have gone into plastic surgery. That’s where the money is, he had said more than once. She’d call him back later, when she was ready to listen to his latest Marcus stories.
As Zoe drove back to her apartment, exhaustion from the night before finally began to sneak up on her. Following Chris’s departure, she had gone back to bed, but she hadn’t slept well. A garbage truck had woken her at dawn, so she’d gone down to the exercise room to work out before coming to the hospital.
