by Jenna Payne
“I’ll leave him to you then,” the man said as he made his exit without ever introducing himself or even saying his connection to Asher.
“Thank you,” Rebecca said after him before making her way to the other side of the couch. Asher was lying down with his arm covering his piercing blue eyes.
“Asher?”
Rebecca kneeled down next to the unmoving man and felt compelled to touch him. Her hand rose and she placed it on his forehead and moved some loose strands that stuck to his damp skin. It was then that he moved his arm and slowly turned to look at her. Her heart skipped a beat as their eyes met.
“Doc? You came,” he said as he carefully rolled onto his side and reached out to touch her cheek.
“Of course,” Rebecca responded as the touch he placed on her warmed her heart. Shamelessly she had forgotten about Brian for a brief moment, when he did return to her mind she withdrew from Asher’s touch.
“What happened?”
Asher slowly rolled onto his back and sighed.
“I strained my neck even more, it really hurts to move.”
Rebecca scooted closer and placed her hands on either side of his neck. She gently moved his head side to side, causing him to cringe in pain.
“And how did you manage that?”
Rebecca was genuinely curious, considering her instructions that he take it easy. Clearly he hadn’t taken his injury seriously but that was no surprise, many of the athletes in her care didn’t.
Asher hadn’t responded to her question, curiously enough. She sat there rummaging through her medical bag as she waited for him to give her an explanation.
“I was engaged in some vigorous activity, and well, yeah…” Asher trailed off as his eyes met the ceiling. Rebecca let out a chuckle as she reached into her bag for some medication.
“You mean sex?”
Rebecca pulled out a heating pack and carefully wrapped it under his chin around his neck. The doctor stood up and managed to find the kitchen where she intended to get a glass of water for the athlete to take the pills with. She eventually found a glass and filled it with water, then went back to where Asher lay in pain. She knelt beside him again and took two pills from the bottle.
“No not sex. I went to practice,” Asher said as he watched her take the pills from the bottle.
“Hm,” Rebecca said as she handed him the glass of water and the pills.
Asher raised his eyebrow as he took the pills and popped them into his mouth following them with a drink of water.
“Not all athletes are man-whores, you know,” Asher said as he handed her back the empty glass.
“I never said that,” Rebecca said calmly as she looked at the time. It was getting late.
“No, but you were thinking it.”
She didn’t admit it but he was right.
“I apologize,” she said as she grabbed a few more heating pads out of her bag before gathering her things.
“I’m going to bring you a neck brace tomorrow, clearly you need it, but in the meantime be careful and here are some more heating pads.”
Asher smiled just then, causing Rebecca to raise her eyebrow at him.
“What’s funny?”
“Nothing is funny, I’m just happy I’ll get to see you again,” he said innocently as his eyes went to hers.
“Are you trying to sweet talk me Mr. Conner? I am in a relationship and I don’t fraternize with my patients.”
The comment didn’t seem to deter the superstar as the smile still stayed firmly planted on his lips.
“Hey doc can you help me with one more thing?”
“Sure, what can I do?”
“Help me get to bed,” Asher said as he took his time sitting up. Rebecca nodded as she helped him physically get to his feet.
“Where are we going?”
“Upstairs,” Asher said as he winced with each step and began to lead her to the stairs.
“I’m sure there’s at least one bedroom downstairs in this place that you can sleep in for the night,” Rebecca said, bringing them to a halt and looking up at him.
In turn, Asher looked down at her small frame and they stayed there staring at one another. Rebecca felt her heart gradually beat faster and faster and she wasn’t quite sure why. She had just met this man and he was already making her all hot and bothered.
In the midst of her thoughts, Asher had begun leaning down to her level. Before she knew it he was suddenly inches away from her face.
“Asher?”
The male stopped his advances and simply smiled before walking them down a hallway. She hadn’t imagined that just now, she was sure he just tried to kiss her.
Asher eventually stopped her and opened the door to a dark room. He flicked on the lights and the two of them walked inside and over to the bed where she helped him lie down on his back.
“Want me to tuck you in, too?”
“Very funny,” he said as he placed the covers over his body with a sigh.
“I’ll show myself out then and I’ll drop by tomorrow with the neck brace.”
“Hey doc,” Asher said as he reached his hand out towards her.
Rebecca rolled her eyes but humored him as she reached out and took his hand. The pain medication she had given him was pretty strong, and she assumed it had just kicked in.
Asher brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. His eyes locked onto hers as a sly smile came upon his lips.
“I’m going to make you mine Rebecca Scott.”
*****
Rebecca’s nose woke up before the rest of her body as the smell of breakfast filled the air. She sat up slowly and woke up the rest of her senses as she stepped out of the comfort of her sheets. She then made her way to the kitchen where a shirtless Asher stood making breakfast. He turned around to face her with a smile on his face.
“Eggs?”
Rebecca was beyond confused, why was Asher in her kitchen making breakfast? Had she gotten drunk? Had they had sex? As far as she remembered, she had put him to bed and left, so how did it come to this?
“Asher, what are you doing in my kitchen?”
Asher turned off the stove and placed the last of the scrambled eggs on the plate. He approached her and slid his hands onto her waist, his lips making contact with her neck, immediately immobilizing her.
“Wait,” Rebecca moaned as she placed her hands flat against his bare and toned chest.
“You weren’t saying that last night,” he said as his lips went to her ear. “In fact you were asking me for more.” He nibbled on her earlobe.
“Seriously Asher, I have a boyfriend,” Rebecca said as shivers ran up and down her spine from his hot breath against her skin. Asher’s hand surpassed her night shirt and went to stroke her stomach, and then moved up to her breast to squeeze it. His fingers pinched and played with her hardened nipple. Rebecca found herself being backed into the counter as Asher’s lips went to her neck licking and biting. His other hand slipped into her pants where he tortuously rubbed her through her panties. His lips went to hers as his tongue urged her lips apart to play with hers. Her body immediately quivered as his hands played with her body to his liking. Rebecca tilted her head back as her thoughts were clouded by the sensation of pleasure that Asher was delivering. Cold fingers suddenly pressed against her bare skin causing her to gasp, they quickly and effortlessly began to play with her clit leaving her a squirming mess. If he kept going like this she would come.
Asher swiftly tore her underwear from her body and threw it to the side. He lifted one of her legs and wrapped it around his waist as he began to rub himself against her wet opening. Rebecca could feel her eyes flutter as his simple grinding had her lost for words and actions. What was she doing? She had a boyfriend, she had Brian; she couldn’t allow this to continue no matter how good it felt.
Rebecca eventually managed to tear herself away from the intense contact despite the conflict of her body wanting more and her mind trying to be the rational one.
�
��This isn’t happening,” she said panting as she leaned against the counter.
“Rebecca,” Asher said as he licked his fingers seductively. Rebecca bit her lip feeling her knees grow weak at the erotic sight.
“What?” she said in a small voice as she did everything in her power not to mount him.
“Wake up.”
Rebecca looked at Asher once again confused.
“What did you say?”
“Wake up.”
A sudden loud noise rang throughout her apartment; Rebecca looked around panicked for the source of the noise but couldn’t find it immediately. The noise grew louder and louder until Rebecca couldn’t even hear herself think. Her hands went to her ears to cover them from the unbearable noise until it suddenly stopped.
Rebecca shot up from her bed and looked around her bedroom, dazed and confused. One disappointing thing was she certainly didn’t smell breakfast. Rebecca felt the slickness in between her legs as she untangled herself from her sheets.
“A dream,” Rebecca said to herself as she got herself out of bed and made her way to the kitchen to make sure. There was no shirtless Asher that was for sure. She couldn’t tell if she was relieved or disappointed at that moment.
Just then, her front door opened, and Brian walked in with two coffees in his hands.
“Babe, you’re up finally,” he said as he placed the coffees on the counter and went to give her a peck on the cheek. She had completely forgotten she had invited him over last night.
“You okay? You look a little flushed.”
Rebecca looked at the coffees and then to his worried face. She was still thinking about that dream, the feeling of Asher’s lips against her skin and his fingers causing her such pleasure and that made her feel guilty.
“Yeah, I just, had a strange dream is all,” Rebecca said as she smiled and returned the kiss.
“Oh yeah, about what?”
Rebecca cursed in her head, not expecting him to press on any further about the subject.
“Can’t remember much, it was just about one of my patients, I’m going to see him later.”
Rebecca went to grab a coffee and let the warm dark liquid go down her throat.
“Asher Conner right?”
Rebecca nearly choked on her coffee in surprise as he said Asher’s name so nonchalantly.
“How did you know?”
She placed the coffee down and grabbed a napkin cleaning the mess she made nervously.
“I ran into Joy and she told me,” he said calmly. Rebecca made a mental note to strangle Joy when she saw her; the girl couldn’t keep her mouth shut to save her life. Although, Rebecca wasn’t quite sure at that moment why she was hiding Asher from Brian.
“So you had a dream about him?”
Rebecca mentally prepared herself for the conversation that was about to ensue when Brian asked her the question. It was like walking through land mines. She had to be careful.
“Yeah but like I said I can’t remember much,” Rebecca said in a tone that suggested she was done talking about it. Even in her dreams Asher Conner was causing her trouble.
“Okay. You have work today?”
“Yes actually, I’m making a house call later this afternoon but that’s it.”
“To Asher Conner’s house?”
Rebecca let out a heavy sigh and turned to Brian crossing her arms across her chest; a landmine had gone off.
“Is that a problem Brian? He is my patient.”
“No problem, it’s just you have to be careful with those guys, they’ll try to take advantage,” he said shrugging his shoulders.
“Jealousy doesn’t look good on you,” Rebecca said as her eyebrow raised to him. From the start, Brian knew who her patients were. It was never a problem before. Suddenly now it was.
“I’m not jealous,” Brian said defensively as his arms were now crossed over his chest.
“Then why the sudden concern?”
“He has a reputation with women that’s all. I’m looking out for you Rebecca.”
“Okay Brian, your concern is duly noted,” Rebecca said as she turned around and headed to the bathroom to clean up. Maybe Brian was right but that didn’t mean he could treat her like some high school girl with a crush. She knew what she was doing and it hurt that he doubted that.
“Are you mad?”
Rebecca heard the question from her bathroom but decided that it would be best to not say anything. She had gone from hurt to angry at his jealousy. She thought he was different, and now she was starting to wonder about that. It was too early in their relationship for them to be fighting about such nonsense, especially about a man that was her patient. In any case, Rebecca knew herself and if she spoke, the words to come out of her mouth would not be nice ones. She didn’t reply.
Before she headed to the bathroom, she heard angry footsteps walk away followed by the front door shutting with such force that it vibrated the walls. Rebecca rolled her eyes as she disappeared into the bathroom.
“Asshole,” she said.
*****
The fight with Brian still had Rebecca heated as she drove to Asher’s mansion. Brian’s jealousy was displaced and uncalled for. It wasn’t like she was cheating with the guy; he was her patient and that was it. And that dream was just a dream. It wasn’t real.
Even with the self-convincing she was doing, Rebecca couldn’t help but to feel a little bit of guilt. She was starting to feel something for the athlete and it was becoming increasingly troublesome. Maybe after this visit she would put some more distance between them.
As she did before, Rebecca approached the gated house but found something was different this time. There were many cars parked inside the gate and the dull beat of music could be heard even from where she was.
Rebecca rubbed her temples; Asher was in there having some sort of party knowing that she was coming over. As tedious as it would be, she wondered if she should call and lie to say something came up.
“I drove all the way here though,” she said to herself with a sigh as she stared at the gate. She supposed it would be best to get the visit out of the way and go home and try to patch things up with Brian.
Before she could step out of her car and make herself known through the intercom, the gate suddenly began to draw back. Rebecca decided it would better not to question it, and slowly drove her car into the property. Once she found a parking lot amongst the sea of high-priced foreign cars, she stepped out and retrieved her medical bag. The bass of the music became louder as she approached the house; Rebecca wondered then what the occasion was to host a party on a Wednesday afternoon.
Rebecca went to the door, pressed the doorbell, and waited for someone to answer. In a matter of seconds, the door opened to reveal the man she met the first time she had arrived at this house.
“You don’t strike me as a partier,” Rebecca said playfully.
The man remained unamused by her joke but stepped aside to let her into the house crawling with people.
“Where is he?”
“I will take you to him,” the man said calmly as he began to walk in front of her.
“May I at least get your name?”
This was Rebecca’s second time meeting with the man of few words. She figured if she had to keep making house calls she should at least learn his name.
“Stephen.”
“I can remember that, thank you Stephen,” Rebecca said. Stephen took them up the stairs and down a hallway.
Eventually, they had reached a closed door. Stephen knocked on the door. In response to the knocks, a muffled voice came from the other side. While Rebecca had no idea what the voice was saying, it was enough for Stephen to reach for the door knob to grant her access.
There on a king size bed, Asher lay watching an old horror movie. He turned to her and smiled, signaling her over to him. Stephen left, closing the door behind him.
“I’m confused,” Rebecca said as she grabbed a stray chair on her way over to his side.
“Well it looks like there’s a party happening downstairs but you’re up here looking like you’re ready for bed.”
Asher let out a laugh as he watched her place the chair down beside him, and sat on it.
“Yeah my buddy needed the space to celebrate something. I don’t remember all the details. But anyway I’m letting him use my house for the night.”
Rebecca supposed she understood that, as odd as it sounded. In any case the room they were in was huge and in fact she couldn’t hear the commotion or music from downstairs.
She shrugged and left the topic alone as she placed the medical bag on her lap to search for the neck brace she promised to deliver.
“I don’t think I need that right now,” Asher said as his eyes intently watched her rummage through her bag.
“Why’s that?”
Rebecca was genuinely interested to hear whatever excuse he had to give her.
“I can’t party in a neck brace,” he said frankly as he took the device from her hand and examined it.
“You really shouldn’t be partying period with that neck injury,” Rebecca retorted, obviously confused by this nonsense she was dealing with.
Asher squinted his eyes and leaned in really close causing Rebecca to lean back as far as she could against the chair. The familiar feeling of her heart beating out of her chest returned as those ice-blue eyes seemingly stared into her soul.
“What,” Rebecca said, as the silence grew to be too much for her.
“Something happened, you’re all tense,” said Asher.
Rebecca looked at this man with slight awe. Was it that obvious that she was still upset about the fight earlier? It couldn’t be; one of the many things Rebecca was amazing at was hiding when she was feeling upset.
“Nothing happened,” Rebecca lied as she grabbed the neck brace from him.
“Trouble in paradise maybe?”
If there was seriously trouble in paradise it was because of him but she wasn’t going to give him the luxury of saying so. Instead, Rebecca waved off his comment and placed the neck brace on him. Asher managed to grab her wrist and pull her onto his lap in one swoop. Surprised and not quick enough to react, Rebecca found herself on her back with Asher hovering above her, his face just inches from hers.
