I rolled my eyes again.
“Is that all you want?” I asked. “The physical? Nothing else?”
“No, of course not, but for the time being, it’s a lot of fun. Plus, you’re only young once and I might as well enjoy myself while the men still flock my way.”
“But don’t you want someone special?” I asked, puzzled.
“Every girl does,” Mandy replied. “And I’ll find mine – eventually. And so will you, silly. But you have to talk to him first at least.”
I was going to say something but then realized we were already parked outside my apartment building. In fact, we had arrived five minutes ago. “Thanks for the ride,” was my rueful response.
Mandy winked at me.
“Don’t mention it.”
Quickly, I scrambled out of the car. “I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Alright, and don’t forget what I told you! Talk to him!” She shouted at me as I walked away. “You won’t regret it!” My friend was still yelling words of encouragement when I pushed through the revolving doors into the lobby.
Finally safe, I breathed a sigh of relief. I love Mandy because she’s my best friend but sometimes the girl was exhausting to be around.
Ready for a much-needed shower, I hurried toward the elevator. To my surprise, Dr. Travis was standing there.
Oh god. Immediately, a hot warmth spread across my cheeks, leaving me tongue-tied. I stared at my shoes, unable to look at the man while shuffling along the hall. After my conversation with Mandy, approaching him felt incredibly awkward, like he’d know what we had talked about.
But it was all in my head because Travis was completely at ease.
“Hey,” said as soon as he spotted me.
“Hey,” I mumbled back, timidly stealing a look at the gorgeous man. The man’s azure eyes were electric, his hardened body dressed casually in pale scrubs that couldn’t hide the width of his shoulders or the length of his legs.
“It’s cold out there, huh?” Effortlessly, he struck up small talk, a perfect white smile shining as if he genuinely wanted to hear my response.
“Yeah…” I answered, voice falling flat. This was my chance to talk to him and already I was failing – miserably.
“It hasn’t been this cold in quite a while. I had to break out my favorite scarf this morning. It’s a little lame to admit this but my mom made it for me when I first went to med school. I’ve kept it ever since.” He chuckled, the sound echoing through the lobby.
It sent a shiver running through my spine as I snuck a look at the scarf. It was a homey green wool with a matching emerald fringe.
“That’s not lame at all,” I said. “Actually, that’s pretty cute.”
“You think so?” he asked wryly. “Not too feminine?”
I nodded. “Some guys are too macho to wear something their moms made for them, but I think it says a lot that you’ve kept it all this time. You must really love her.”
“I do.” His smile deepened.
But before I could say anything else, the elevator dinged.
“Ladies first.” He waved his hand, ushering me inside.
I blushed, taken aback by his gentlemanly ways. People had always told me that chivalry was dead, but I guess not.
Quickly, I stepped inside, pressing the button to our floor. As soon as the doors slid shut, my heart quickened. I was alone with Travis – alone in a small, cramped space to boot. Anything could happen.
I started getting hot, beads of sweat forming on the back of my neck. I didn’t know if this was my arousal acting up or my claustrophobia, to be honest. Either way, I couldn’t keep my eyes off him, heart beating so fast I feared it would explode out of my chest.
To make matters worse, the handsome male was staring right back, holding me with his intense azure gaze. My skin prickled with nervous excitement. For a moment, it felt like the world had come to a screeching halt. Like two magnets, we were moving together, getting closer and closer, the forces of attraction pulling us together inevitably.
And then, it was over.
The doors dinged open, and the magic of the moment was ruined.
Awkwardly, I stepped out, shooting him a shy smile. Travis was already striding down the hall towards his pad.
“Have a nice night,” Travis said with a wave before disappearing into his apartment.
I sighed. So much for making a move. It was just me, alone in the hall again, a curvy girl whose attempts at flirting had fallen flat. But what was I expecting? After all, Travis was an accomplished medical doctor who saved lives every day. Plus, he probably had half the girls in the city begging for his attention. Me, on the other hand? I was a curvy brunette with not much going for me other than my ability to read fifteen romance novels a week. Not exactly what Dr. Travis was looking for, I was sure. And with another sigh, I disappeared into my own apartment … disappointed as usual.
Chapter 2
Travis
After a long day, it felt good to be home.
Heading for the coat rack, I unwound my scarf from around my neck and hung it on a peg. As I looked at it, I couldn’t help but think of my cute neighbor. I didn’t know much about her except that her name was Janie and she worked at a bank downtown.
The brunette must think I’m lame after hearing my scarf story. Why did I think that would be a good idea? I shook my head and walked away. It didn’t matter, anyways. I didn’t have time for a relationship right now what with the hospital understaffed and being swamped with work. As much as I wanted the cute brunette, it would never work.
Still, the thought of her in my bed was a nice thing to envision after a long day. I could picture all those delicious curves, her milky-white skin, the soft rosiness of her cheeks. Not to mention her lovely breasts. Even covered by a thick sweater, they were amazing. Large and perky, with just the right amount of bounce. They’d be a treat to play with and suckle when the need struck.
Already I could feel my body reacting. I shook my head. Janie didn’t seem like the kind of girl that would just jump into bed with someone, much less someone she didn’t really know. From what I could tell, she was respectable and timid. Someone that deserved love and affection in the bedroom. A nice slow pace that would keep her satisfied all night long.
But I wanted to give her that and so much more. Long nights by the fireplace, fingertips dancing up and down her body or running through her chestnut hair. Holding her until she fell asleep with her head on my chest.
Bzzz!
Inside my pocket, my phone went off with a text message.
I grabbed it, seeing my boss’s name plastered on the screen.
Do you mind coming in tomorrow at 3:00 A.M? Jacob called out sick. He has the flu.
I rolled my eyes. Jacob was always ‘sick.’ If you ask me, he’s just lazy. But the question wasn’t really a question, and there was only one right answer.
Sure. I’ll be there. I texted back even though the last thing I wanted to do was work extra hours. But it was the best way to get on Dr. Morris’ good side and climb up the ladder at the hospital.
Fantastic, he typed back. Have a great night. Knew I could count on you, champ.
Shit, this sucked. Knowing I didn’t have much time to rest, I rushed toward the bathroom, in desperate need of a shower. I quickly stripped down my clothes and stepped underneath a hot blast of water, letting it melt away all the tension that had built up throughout the day.
But as I ran my hands over my body, my mind wandered back to Janie. I wondered what she was doing tonight. No doubt she’d be out having fun with her friends, maybe even her boyfriend. A beautiful woman like her couldn’t possibly be single. Still, a man could dream.
Because in that moment, I wanted nothing more than to have her by my side. We’d explore each other’s bodies, taking care of one another. Her touch would drive me wild, making it impossible for me to keep my lips from hers.
It would be amazing.
But it was just a fantasy, and before I co
uld get myself too riled up, I stepped out of the shower and dried off, wrapping the towel around my waist.
In my bedroom, I tossed on some boxers and jumped into bed while grabbing a book off the nightstand. But I couldn’t focus, the words marching like ants across the page before reforming into incomprehensible squiggles. Because now that I had imagined being with Janie, she was the only thing I could think about.
I’d been single for a very long time, waiting for the right girl to come along but so far, she didn’t seem to exist. Every time I’d go on a date, things would crash and burn. Maybe that was another reason why I was wary of making a move on my neighbor. I didn’t want things to become awkward in the building if things didn’t work out.
So I did nothing, just exchanging pleasantries when our paths crossed.
But now, I wasn’t sure how long I’d be able to stay away. The brunette was tempting – too tempting.
***
All too soon, my alarm went off. I groaned, turned over, and tried to bury my head in my pillow as if that would make the sound go away.
No such luck.
Blindly, I searched for my phone, but it had fallen to the floor, forcing me to get out of bed.
When I finally turned off my alarm, I was wide awake. Shit, waking up at two in the morning to go to work should be illegal. But I didn’t have much choice in the matter. If I wanted to become a successful doctor, I would just have to suck it up for the time being.
So I trudged into the kitchen, turning on the coffee machine. Outside, the sky was filled with stars that twinkled brightly in winking constellations. A good omen, maybe? I hoped so, anyway. After a hellish week, I needed today to be relaxing. Ha, who was I kidding? The hospital is the opposite of relaxing. It was more like emergency after emergency most days, pure hell on wheels.
A sigh escaped my broad chest. Why did I get into medicine again?
While waiting for the coffee to brew, I threw together a snack, slathering a thick layer of peanut butter onto a piece of toast. Hopefully, it would hold me over until lunchtime or I’d have to pay the overpriced vending machines in the breakroom for a protein bar that tasted like cardboard.
Eventually, I hauled myself out of the kitchen, got dressed, and left the apartment. But as soon as I stepped outside, a gust of cold wind hit me full in the face, leaving me gasping like a fish. Oh shit! I broke into a jog, cursing myself for parking in the back of the apartment complex.
Luckily, my BMW warmed up quickly. I sat there for a moment, enjoying the heated leather seats. When I glanced over at the empty passenger seat a sense of loneliness washed over me. Life would be so much better if I had a companion by my side. Maybe I should just ask Janie out to coffee, regardless of my busy schedule. It’d be so easy ….
I blinked. I couldn’t just sit here all night. If I didn’t arrive at the hospital, who knew what would happen? Lives were on the line and it was my job to protect them.
So I pulled out of my parking space and eased onto the road. Since it was so late, mine was the only vehicle on the street. Trees lined the avenue, headlights casting eerie shadows that would have spooked most. But I was used to it. After working countless graveyard shifts, I barely noticed the shadow’s ominous gloom. Occasionally, I’d spot the yellow glow of eyes but for the most part, working the midnight shift was a lonesome experience.
At the hospital, things were quiet. The emergency room was empty, thank god.
“Looks like we’re going to have it easy tonight.” Harper, a fellow doctor came up behind me, protein bar in hand. “I love nights like these.”
“Don’t you get bored?” I asked, swiveling my chair from one direction to the next.
“Not really.” He grabbed the remote and flicked through the channels. “There’s nothing to watch unfortunately.”
I raised a wry eyebrow.
“It’s three in the morning? What did you expect? Most people are asleep.”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t get some quality television.”
I rolled my eyes. There was a pause as Harper eyed me strangely.
“What’s up with you?” he asked, biting into the protein bar. Gross. It looked like a chunk of mud mixed with rocks, and probably tasted like cardboard.
“Hmm?” I asked innocently.
“You’re in a weird mood. Wake up on the wrong side of the bed or something?”
A humorless smile spread across my face.
“It’s hard to wake up on the wrong side of the bed when you barely sleep,” was my complaint while lazily spinning a pen between my fingers. “Ever since Roger left, my schedule has been crazy.”
Harper was unsympathetic.
“Get used to it. With budget cuts, they’re going to have to let even more people go. Hopefully, we’re the lucky ones that get to keep our jobs.”
“They wouldn’t. We work harder than anyone else in this hospital.”
“Management might not see it that way.” Harper pointed out. “You know, it’s funny. When we were in med school, they made us think that it would be so easy. We’d get a job, and everything would be perfect. Pfft. I wish.” He scoffed, shaking his head. “I think I’m going to be paying off my student debt until I’m retired.”
“Didn’t you get any financial aid?”
“Nope. My parents are loaded, so I was disqualified.”
I shot him a curious look.
“But they didn’t help you pay for med school?”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “They haven’t helped me with anything since I learned to ride a bike. Been out on my own for a while now.”
I frowned. From the sounds of it, Harper wasn’t very close to his family. By contrast, I thought of my own mother who had done everything in her power to give me the life she never had. Despite being a single mom straddling the line of poverty, she managed to support me through the rough years, financing my dream to go into medicine. In fact, if it weren’t for Peggy, I wouldn’t be here right now. I owe her everything.
God, I miss my mom. Sappy right? But it’s true. Even doctors who save the world miss their moms sometimes.
“Hey, you alright?” Harper asked, noticing my silence.
“Oh yeah, I’m fine.” I said, running my fingers through my hair. “I was just thinking about Peggy. My mom, you know.”
“Ah.”
Our conversation died at that point as we both turned to our phones for entertainment. But we didn’t have long to relax before an influx of people streamed into the emergency room, one disaster after another.
“A shootout,” the police officer explained, helping to carry in a young man clutching his side, white shirt stained with blood.
And with a leap, I was on my feet. Go time. Work was reaching for me with its long, gnarled fingers … once again.
***
By the time I returned home, it was already noon. My stomach growled in protest, desperate for food. My body felt like it was made of lead, weighing me down with fatigue. Luckily, I had the next two days off which meant I could finally catch up on my sleep. At that point, I felt like I could sleep for days – maybe even weeks without waking up.
But before I could open my door, footsteps sounded behind me. When I looked over my shoulder, Janie was heading my way, arms full of groceries, her chestnut curls barely peeping out from above the brown paper bag.
“Hello,” I smiled, raising my hand to wave at her. She craned her head to see who it was, eyes widening after catching a glimpse of my form. On right. After working the entire night, moving around the ER like a headless chicken, I probably looked like shit.
“Hey,” she murmured, cheeks turning pink, eyelashes batting.
Damn. She was gorgeous.
“Looks like you’ve had a productive morning,” I said, motioning to the groceries. “I’ve been putting off going to the store for a while. I can never find the time with my busy schedule.”
“Oh, did you want to…?” She trailed off.
“Would I like to what?” I
asked.
“N-Nothing…” she stammered, clutching her bags tighter to her chest.
Damn. I was hoping she’d invite me into her apartment for a home-cooked meal. But given how I looked at the moment, even I wouldn’t invite myself inside.
“Do you want me to help you with those bags? They look kind of heavy.”
She flushed.
“No thanks, I can handle it,” she said, gripping the brown paper closer.
“Are you sure? It’s no big deal.”
She shook her head again, chestnut hair moving from shoulder to shoulder. I wanted nothing more than to run my fingers through those curls while pulling her close and cradling her against my chest. Especially when the brunette looked so adorable with that blush painting her cheeks.
“Yes. You must be tired from working. I don’t want to burden you,” she said quickly.
“It wouldn’t be a burden,” I insisted, stepping forward.
She stepped back, laughing a little this time. “Really, I got it. It’s okay.”
“Alright,” I relented, not wanting to overstep my boundaries. “Well, have a good day.”
“You too,” she smiled before biting her lip and stealing a look in my direction.
Fuck. She was so cute …
But before I could make a move, the brunette unlocked the door to her apartment and slipped inside.
I stood in the hallway, half expecting Janie to reappear, but the female was already gone. So with a sigh, I stepped into my own apartment, letting the door close silently behind me. I leaned against it and closed my eyes, exhaustion washing over my frame.
I really needed to sleep but first, a shot of whiskey was calling my name. That always made everything better … especially when your balls were blue after a little casual conversation with your sexy neighbor.
Chapter 3
Janie
I woke up Sunday morning feeling like I could take on the world. Rolling out of bed, I jumped to my feet and threw on some work out clothes, determined to go out for a run. Curvy girls need their exercise, after all. However, before leaving the house my phone started to ring.
Dr. Travis, I Love You: A Secret Baby Medical Romance Page 2
