by Jan Meredith
“Beth Roberts.” Her own introduction was short and terse, her eyes intent on Albert’s face as she pulled her fingers from his neck. “No pulse, agonal respirations,” she deduced, confirming his own observation of Albert’s breathing pattern. She was all business. Professional.
Nodding, Gabe laced his fingers hand-over-hand, placed the heel of his right hand on Albert’s sternum and began compressions. “Come on, Albert. Come on back, so I can beat the shit out of you,” he muttered under his breath.
That got her attention. Gabe counted off the compressions, noting Beth’s brief, wide-eyed glance before she ducked her head, resumed assembling the pocket mask and then fitted it over Albert’s face.
Ian slid in beside Gabe. With a quick glance at his uncle, he dropped the medical bag on the ground, unzipped it and rolled it out. Grateful for the SEAL’s calm, especially as it was a member of his family lying there, Gabe released the last compression as Ian applied the electro pads to Albert’s chest and a mechanical voice advised, “Analyzing rhythm, do not touch the patient.”
Everyone moved back as two hundred joules of electricity screamed through the tiny wires to jump-start Albert’s heart.
Chapter Three
“Oh, my gosh, you were so calm,”
“That man was dying and you brought him back.”
“It was like watching a scene from Grey’s Anatomy!”
“And we had our very own Dr. McDreamy…”
Beth graciously acknowledged the comments from the wide-eyed wedding guests and excused herself when she spotted Dr. North speaking with the Montgomery family. Albert had stabilized after one shock from the defibrillator and while being loaded into the ambulance, refused to allow his brother to accompany him to the hospital, demanding he remain at the wedding with his son.
After accepting a handshake—which evolved into an emotional hug from the father of the groom, Dr. North walked onto the dance floor where he stepped up to the microphone and called for everyone’s attention.
“I just spoke with the ER physician taking care of Albert and he’s in stable condition and doing fine. The EKG was negative for a heart attack”—he paused for the applause and comments of relief to subside before going on—“and they’re waiting to get the results of his blood tests. He’ll be in the hospital a few days for more extensive testing and asks that everyone continue with the wedding celebration and to drink one for him!”
Reassured of Albert’s wellbeing, the crowd began to disperse and the excitement of the medical emergency began to fade. The band was once again in full swing, drawing guests back to the dance floor. Caterers and wait staff circulated through the crowd with food and drinks, and the attention returned to the bride and groom. Summoned by the bride, Drew was taking some last-minute, impromptu shots.
Taking advantage of the quiet moment and the opportunity to get off her feet, Beth chose a table under one of the huge white reception tents and took a seat, then immediately wished she had stopped at the bar for a bottle of water. She pulled the band from her ponytail and gave her hair a quick finger-comb as she glanced around, hoping to catch one of the wait staff. Instead, she saw Dr. North, his long legs quickly eating up the distance between them with a sexy, loose-hipped stride that made her mouth water and start up a whole different kind of thirst.
He had a drink in each hand and an expression of pure male determination on a face that was melt-your-thong handsome, and yes, a faint cleft bisected his chin, as if his maker had reached out and gently tapped him with a let him be a hottie finger.
He stopped at her table and grinned, the same sex-you-up grin he’d given her earlier that shifted her hormones into high gear all over again.
Beth bit back a groan. Ground, just open up and swallow me whole. What in the world had she been thinking, doing that eye flirty-thingy with him? It was just a game, payback for the sizzling once-over he’d given her earlier. He wasn’t supposed to follow up on it for crying out loud, and he definitely had a follow-up-on-it look in his eye. There had been no time for embarrassment while working on Albert, but now here he stood, larger than life and twice as sexy.
Without waiting for an invitation, Gabe dropped onto the chair beside Beth and slid one of the tall, sweating glasses in front of her. “Now that we have Albert squared away and his family reassured, let’s say we start over? Hi, I’m Gabriel North.”
Gabriel, huh? Earlier, while working over Albert, it had been Gabe. Now it was Gabriel. Bet he used that on all the girls, and ten-to-one, it worked every time. Beth managed to tear her gaze away from the most gorgeous pair of brown eyes she’d ever seen and looked down at the hand he held out to her. She slid her palm over his, totally unprepared for the frisson of heat that moved over her skin when his fingers closed around hers.
“Beth Roberts,” she replied around what felt like a bale of cotton in her mouth. She pulled her hand from his and reached for her glass, the condensation a cool shock against fingers still sizzling from his touch.
Beneath the table, his thigh brushed hers and then lingered, igniting a shimmer of warmth under her skin. A flicker of apprehension coursed through her, then quickly faded and she relaxed. In the four years since being subjected to Jamie’s abuse, she’d gotten past shying away from men in general. She no longer flinched at a sudden move or expected to be shoved out of the way during times of unexpected close proximity. She didn’t know Gabriel, but felt oddly at ease with him, sensing nothing threatening or presumptuous in his actions. It was as though he simply…belonged. Working alongside someone, fighting to pull life back into another human formed a common bond between people—even if those people had been heavily eye-flirting only moments before, she thought grimly.
“Thank you for the drink.” She picked up the glass, took a cautious sip.
“Water and lemon. I didn’t know your preference, and it seemed the safest choice.”
Beth watched as he lifted his glass to his mouth and drank deeply. She swallowed as if the cool liquid was sluicing down her own suddenly parched throat and wondered how the simple act of water sliding past his lips could appear so erotic. And the way he licked it from his lips—not a regular old dart-and-swish, mind you, but a leisurely swipe of his tongue, and she could almost feel the rasp of it along the seam of her…
Heat, dark and rich, infused her sex. She shifted in her chair and tipped her hips down in an attempt to relieve the ache building there, only to find it heightened the sensation.
“It’s not very comfortable, is it?”
Blinking, Beth watched Gabe’s mouth curl into a slight smile. When she looked up, a glint of amused hunger brightened his eyes.
He knows. He knows what he’s doing to me. How freaking embarrassing! And how incredibly hot.
She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry?” Was that her voice, all breathy and sultry?
He paused, studied her for a moment, and then said, “The chair…it’s not very comfortable.”
Relief washed over her, quickly followed by a touch of disappointment. Had she misread him? “No, no it isn’t.” To prove it, Beth shifted again and crossed her legs. She groaned inwardly when the change of position rubbed her thighs and the needy territory between them together, intensifying her little problem.
“Sometimes,” Gabe started thoughtfully, turning his glass in small half circles on the tabletop and drawing her attention there. His broad thumb streaked the condensation on the glass and then paused to slowly circle one small area. Beth scrunched down a little and squeezed her thighs together. “Sometimes, you have to find just the right…spot.”
Clench!
“Yes, well,” Beth clamped her fingers around her glass. Her toes curled inside her shoes. She shifted slightly, dragging her gaze up from the motion of his thumb on the glass. Warm, observant eyes looked back at her, full of promise and possibilities. Well. Maybe she hadn’t misread him after all. “Fortunately, I won’t be sitting on it for long.”
“Fortunately,” he agreed solemnly.
<
br /> Beth’s eyes narrowed. Were his lips twitching? Frowning, she willed her body to behave. Easier said than done, with that hard length of muscled thigh pressing against hers each time either of them moved. “You were saying?”
He watched her for a moment, as if considering her question, then rolled his glass between his palms. “You work in health care.”
The abrupt turn in the conversation took Beth by surprise. It took her a second to regroup and form a response, but at least he’d stopped rubbing the damn glass. “That obvious, huh?”
“Not everyone carries exam gloves and a respiratory mask in her purse.”
“Or keeps a medical bag with a defibrillator in his car,” she countered.
His mouth curved in a wry grin. “True,” he conceded with a tip of his glass. “You did a hell of a job with Albert.” He tapped his thumb against the tabletop. “I’m guessing you’re either a paramedic or work in an ER.”
Beth inclined her head, acknowledging her field and accepting his compliment. Unfamiliar warmth spread in her chest at his praise. What in the world was wrong with her? Coworkers complimented each other all the time, especially after a particularly intense situation. It was as much a stress breaker as congratulations on a job well done. But a compliment from Gabe meant something to her—maybe more than it should. “I’m an ER nurse, but no longer in patient care.” She sighed. “Things have been complicated the past few months. It’s a long story.”
Gabe settled deeper into his chair, sent a brief glance at the wedding reception still in full swing, and then returned his attention back to her. “Looks like it’ll be a while before the party ends.” He cocked his head. “We’ve got some time.”
The gleam of interest in those dark chocolate eyes sent a warm glow through Beth. She suddenly felt feminine in a way she hadn’t felt in years. Caution whispered a warning in her ear, but she pushed it firmly to the side. She would not allow the past to rob her of this moment with a man who made her feel like a woman again. Nor did she want the current chaos at her hospital to intrude on the evening. A condensed version would have to do, and then she wanted to relax, forget about her problems and just enjoy the man beside her.
“Suffice it to say, our hospital is going through some major administrative purging—getting the big enema, so to speak.” She waited for his laughter to subside. God, she loved his laugh. He shifted, angling his long body toward hers, giving her the feeling his attention was focused exclusively on her. She liked it. A lot.
“And did you get swept along in the…evacuation?”
Beth slanted him a look at the pun, amused that he was able to continue the joke with a straight face. Because he seemed genuinely interested, she answered, “Yes and no. There were problems, corporate stepped in, and we now have several job openings in administration and management, two of which were the ER nursing manager and medical director.”
“A clean sweep.” Gabe nodded. “And how did this involve you?”
“I was appointed Interim Nursing Manager and, two months ago, I accepted the position of manager.”
Gabe lifted his glass in salute. “Congratulations on the promotion.”
“Thank you, although sometimes I feel overwhelmed, especially with the ER expansion project coming up in the next few months. I’m hoping a new medical director will be chosen soon to help shoulder some of the decision-making responsibilities.
“I’m betting you can handle anything tossed your way.”
The sincere admiration in Gabe’s voice brought another wave of warmth to Beth’s cheeks, making her grateful for the cool shade of the tent that shadowed her face. As flattering as being the center of his attention was, she needed to redirect the conversation before her face burst into flames. She knew he was a cardio-pulmonologist and worked in the ER, too, based on the snippets of information she’d overheard from the bridesmaids, but she doubted he’d appreciate knowing he’d been the object of their gossiping. “So, what’s your medical background?”
…
It had been a while since Gabe had seen a woman blush so easily…or so prettily. Beth was an intriguing compilation of innocent sensuality. She fiddled with her napkin, laid it back down, then picked it up again and proceeded to pleat it into a fan.
He liked watching her face fill up with color, knowing he’d been the one to bring it there, almost as much as he’d enjoyed watching her squirm in her chair and knowing he’d caused that, too. No doubt about it, she’d been hot, and he was willing to bet if he’d slid his hand up those long legs he’d find even more heat.
Gabe did a little shifting of his own, widening his legs to accommodate the erection pushing against his fly. Get a grip, North. What had she asked? Something about his medical background…
“I’ve been in the ER for almost two years. The transition from private practice was easier to make than I expected.” In fact, it had been exactly what he’d needed. The fast pace left him little time to dwell on his failures with Rita, and exhaustion at the end of his shift made it easier to sleep at night. Most of the time. “I like the dynamics, the constant change and variety of the Emergency Department.” He shook his head. “There’s never a dull moment, as you well know.”
“That’s true.”
A warm breeze stirred, carrying with it Beth’s tempting scent. He looked up from his water and found her watching him, quiet and still. His gaze dropped to her mouth, plump and pink, with the tiniest downward pull at the corners. There were a number of things he’d like to do with that mouth, a number of places he’d like her to put it. Her tongue flicked out, leaving a sheen of moisture on her bottom lip. His cock jerked against the confining fabric of his slacks as he imagined those lips parting, sliding over his throbbing tip.
Sweat beaded Gabe’s brow. Consumed with the sudden driving need to taste that sinfully tempting mouth, he started to lean in.
“Hey, Mom!” Drew came bounding up, a camera in one hand, another hanging by a strap over his shoulder.
Gabe jerked back, as frustrated at having his brief moment of privacy with Beth interrupted as he was shocked by the burning need coiling in his belly. What was it about her that affected him this way? He hadn’t had this intense a reaction to a woman in years. With a shake of his head, he gave his attention to the boy.
While Gabe wasn’t photo savvy, he did know a high-dollar piece of equipment when he saw one. The kid was obviously serious about his craft, and from what he’d seen of how he worked, figured a promising future in photography was his for the taking.
A few inches shorter than himself, Drew had near black hair and pale gray eyes. He found nothing of his mother there. His gaze darted to Beth’s left hand. No ring. Not even a tan line to indicate she’d worn one recently. Was the father still in the picture?
“Dr. North.” Drew extended his hand. “That was awesome, what you did with Mr. Montgomery. I got some great shots.”
Returning the handshake, Gabe smiled. “I had a great partner.”
Drew squatted beside Beth’s chair and gave her a shoulder nudge and a grin. Pride for his mom shone in his eyes. The words weren’t necessary. He reached for her glass, draining it in one long gulp. “The guys are a few minutes away, so I’m gonna stow my gear in the car.” He waggled the empty glass and started to stand. “I’ll get you another water.”
“I’ve got it,” Gabe motioned to one of the wait staff, held up his glass and two fingers. “Where are you off to?” And what, he wondered, was Beth doing in the meantime and how could he talk her into doing it with him?
“Thanks. We’re taking the weekend to look around the university to get a feel for the campus and surrounding area.” Drew hesitated, bounced on his haunches, clearly at odds with leaving his mom to fend for herself while he and his friends took in the town. However, when she tugged on the camera strap and asked him to take some shots for her to look at when they got home, he nodded. His phone chirped. He glanced at the screen and stood. “They’re here. Want us to follow you back to the h
otel?”
Ah, damn it, Gabe needed more time to explore his reaction to Beth…and coax a few more from her as well. Scratch that. He wanted to coax a lot more out of her. His brain kicked into overdrive, searching for a plausible excuse for her to linger.
Just ask her, dumbass!
He opened his mouth to do just that when Beth reached out and brushed her hand over the boy’s cheek, much the way he’d seen her do earlier. The mix of maternal love and humor at her son’s concern brightened her blue eyes.
“Stop worrying about me and have fun with the guys,” she told Drew. Another kid might have ducked away, embarrassed by the public display of affection especially in front of another male, but Gabe had to give Drew credit for simply nodding and jogging off to meet his friends.
Settling back in his chair, Gabe gave his knuckles a mental cracking, totally prepared to slip back into the mellow mood that had surrounded him and Beth before her son had interrupted. Beth, however, shot that straight to hell when she stood and reached for her purse hanging on the back of the chair.
“It was nice meeting you, Gabe.” She smiled down at him and held out her hand, which he automatically took. “I can honestly say this was the most interesting wedding I’ve ever attended.”
Shit!
Frustration clawed at the back of his throat. The universe was definitely fucking with him today. “You’re leaving?”
Her gaze left his to drift over the reception area. The sounds of music and laughter floated through the air. For an instant, wistfulness stole into her expression. She didn’t want to go.
Yes!
“It’s early. Stay. Have a drink and enjoy the music,” he urged, bringing her attention back to him.
Uncertainty puckered Beth’s brow. “I don’t know. I really should get back to the hotel. I need to do some paperwork, look over résumés…” Her voice held an almost imperceptible note of regret.
Shamelessly, he played on it. Shifting his hold on her hand, Gabe skimmed his fingers over the inside of Beth’s wrist. Her pulse jolted, and then settled into a quick, steady rhythm before he let go of her. He wanted to press his mouth to that silken spot of skin, to feel the rush of her heartbeat against his tongue and know he’d caused it. “Is the world going to end if you don’t finish that tonight?”
