Playing With The Doctor: A Romantic Comedy: Milestone Mischief #1

by Piper James

  “What is it, then?”

  “God, why can’t you just do what I say for once?” He sighed, then apologized. “Sorry. I’d hoped to surprise you so you couldn’t say no.”

  “No to what?” I asked, suspicion rising up inside me. “If this is some scheme…”

  “Come on, man. I don’t do schemes.” When I didn’t respond, he sighed again. “Okay. Maybe I do, but this isn’t one of them. Jessa is on her way here.”

  “What? Why?” I asked, straightening in my seat as I cranked the ignition.

  “Her car broke down, and her roadside assistance called us.”

  “What happened? Is she okay?”

  The words blasted from me like shotgun pellets as I put Nate on speakerphone so I could drive. Jessa breaking down, alone on some deserted highway sent chills through my bones.

  “She’s fine. I sent Dane to tow her in. He’s the best driver I’ve got,” Nate said, knowing I’d want the reassurance that Jessa was safe.

  Dane was a great driver and the shop’s best mechanic, other than Nate. He was also Nate’s best friend, so I knew he’d take care of Jessa.

  “I’m on my way,” I said, tapping the end button and tossing my phone into the passenger seat.

  Excitement coupled with dread coursed through me. This was it. I was going to get my chance to talk to her. To tell her how I felt and find out how she really felt about me.

  Sure, she’d said some things when she was drunk—things about missing me and being hurt by my silence—but I knew from experience that people often said things they didn’t mean when they were intoxicated.

  My eyes landed on a white and blue police cruiser parked on the opposite side of the street, and when I looked down at my speedometer, I let out a low curse. I was driving well above the speed limit, and when I looked in my rearview mirror, I saw the cop’s lights flash on as he made a quick U-turn to fall in behind me.

  “Damn it,” I growled, flicking my turn signal as I slowed down to pull over.

  I did not need this right now, of all times. If I missed Jessa…

  A tap on my window shocked me out of my thoughts, and I pressed the button to roll it down.

  “Good afternoon, Dr. Walton.”

  “Mr. Jebson. I mean, Officer Jebson,” I said. “How’s the ankle?”

  I’d treated him two months ago for an ankle he’d sprained during some physical training on the job.

  “It’s good as new,” he said, smiling. “You fixed me right up, Doc.”

  “That’s good to hear,” I said, cringing at the impatience I heard in my voice.

  “Do you know why I pulled you over?” he asked.

  “I was speeding,” I admitted. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was going so fast.”

  “You don’t strike me as an inattentive driver,” he said, tapping his pen against his notepad.

  “I’m not, usually,” I said. “I just had someone on my mind…and somewhere I need to be.”

  “Medical emergency?” he asked, straightening.

  “In a sense,” I said, one corner of my mouth lifting of its own accord. “My heart’s been broken, and I have a chance to fix it. If it’s not too late.”

  Officer Jebson smiled, tucking his pad back into his shirt pocket. “Well, why didn’t you say so? Where are you headed?”

  “Walton’s Auto Repair.”

  He nodded. “Your brother’s place? Got it. Just follow me.”

  He hurried back to his patrol car and hopped inside. Within seconds, the siren was blaring and he was passing me with lights flashing. I pulled out behind him, and he sped up to double the posted speed limit, clearing what little downtown traffic there was and pulling through red lights like it was no big deal.

  I felt like I was a character in a romcom movie, racing to the airport to stop his love from getting on that airplane. Or trying his damnedest to get to the church to stop her from marrying the wrong guy.

  Hallmark Channel, here I come.

  Adrenaline coursed through me as we got closer to our destination—faster than I could’ve done on my own. As we pulled into the lot, I checked the time, smiling.

  “Nothing like a police escort,” I mumbled.

  I climbed from my car and waved my thanks. Officer Jebson rolled down his window as he flicked off his lights and sirens.

  “Next time, watch your speed,” he said, grinning. Then with a quick two-finger salute, he pulled away.

  I watched him go, then turned toward the building. With a deep breath, I took a step forward. Toward my future.

  Toward Jessa.

  38

  Jessa

  I couldn’t believe my eyes. I’d been sitting in the waiting room in staunch silence, refusing to take the bait when Nate tried to turn our car repair conversation to something more personal.

  He’d asked where I’d been going. None of your business. Why I was leaving. Again. None of your business. If I’d talked to Rafe…

  When I refused to verbally respond to his questions, he’d shaken his head and walked out into the shop, mumbling something about checking on my Jeep. A few seconds later, a police car had sped into the parking lot, tires squealing and sirens blaring…followed by Rafe Walton.

  Before I took my next breath, the officer was leaving and Rafe was walking toward the office. Toward me.

  I stood up, irrationally looking for somewhere to hide so he wouldn’t see me. In a panic, I jumped behind a short, potted ficus tree in the corner. I sucked in my gut and thought skinny thoughts, standing as still as possible as Rafe swung open the glass door and walked inside.

  I knew I was being ridiculous. The tree’s trunk spanned about an inch and a half and wouldn’t hide my arm, much less my entire body.

  “What are you doing?” Rafe asked after spotting me in approximately one millisecond.

  “I was just, uh, checking out this tree,” I stammered, stroking my fingers along a leaf for good measure. “I’m thinking of getting one for my apartment.”

  “No,” he said, shaking his head as he took a step closer. “I meant, what are you doing? You’re leaving town, and you won’t answer my calls or texts?”

  “It’s not like I was sneaking away in the middle of the night,” I said, finally stepping out from behind the skinny tree.

  “Why are you leaving?” he asked.

  “It’s time,” I said, shrugging. “Dad is feeling better, and…”

  My words trailed off, as I caught myself about to say things that did not need to be said out loud.

  “And you’re running away,” he finished for me.

  “I most certainly am not,” I argued, crossing my arms over my chest. “This was always temporary.”

  I could have been talking about my stay in Milestone. I could have been talking about our brief fling. Either way, the result was the same—it was over.

  “So, you think this,” he said, motioning between us, “has run its course.”

  “You made that pretty obvious,” I said, my body heating with anger as I remembered his abrupt silence after I allowed myself to be more vulnerable with him than I’d ever been with anyone else.

  “Hey Jessa, looks like it’s a spark…plug…oh. Sorry to interrupt.”

  Rafe and I both whipped our heads toward Nate, who’d walked in from the shop with his face buried in a tablet. He looked guilty—and not just for interrupting my conversation with Rafe. My eyes flitted between them before landing back on Nate with a glare.

  “You called him, didn’t you?” I accused, jabbing a finger in Rafe’s direction. “Was this some kind of set up? Did you tamper with my car?” At Nate’s thoroughly insulted expression, I realized I was being irrational. “Sorry. I know you didn’t do anything to my car.” My eyes narrowed. “But you did call him.”

  “Guilty,” he said, shrugging. “I had a pretty good feeling Rafe needed to talk to you, and I figured since you’re leaving town, I’d give him a heads up.”

  “What about client confidentiality?” I gro
wled before thinking.

  Nate laughed, the asshole. “I’m not a lawyer or a psychiatrist, Jessa.”

  Then he spun around and walked back out into the shop, leaving me alone with his brother.

  I didn’t know why I was so angry. I should’ve been at least the tiniest bit thrilled that Rafe had chased me down—with a police escort, no less. But I focused on the anger because it covered up what I was really feeling.

  Fear.

  Fear that Rafe was here to beg me to come back to him. Fear that he wasn’t, and he only wanted to have a proper goodbye. Fear that this may be the last time I ever saw him. Fear that I might not survive it if it was…even though it was me that was running.

  And he was right—I was running. I was self-aware enough to know that, though I’d never admit it to him.

  “I was an idiot.”

  Rafe’s words brought my eyes back to him. My anger fled, replaced by confusion. When I didn’t argue or agree, he licked his lips nervously and took another step closer.

  “I was scared, Jessa. What you and I had together...it was too good. I knew I didn’t deserve it.” One more step in my direction. “I’ve spent my entire life taking care of everyone else. I’ve always blamed myself for my mother’s death, which ultimately resulted in my father’s suicide, and devoting my life to helping others has been my penance.”

  What was he saying? My mind was spinning, and I couldn’t make sense of his words.

  “I know we agreed to keep things laid-back and easy, but when I made that deal, all I was concerned with was the physical need. We wanted each other, so it was as simple as satisfying that desire, then going our separate ways.”

  Suddenly he was standing right in front of me, his hands propped on my shoulders. I tensed as electricity zipped through me from his touch, which brushed down my arms. He tugged lightly, pulling them away from my chest so he could hold my hands between us.

  “I wanted more within a few minutes of touching you,” he admitted quietly, “but I refused to acknowledge it. And after that video call, I was scared I’d pushed you too far. I was scared I was going to lose you—which made me finally admit to myself that I cared too much. I’d broken our deal. And by allowing myself to be with you, I was putting myself first…which I’d resolved to never do again.”

  “What exactly are you saying, Rafe?” I asked, sucking in a breath and holding it as I waited for his answer.

  “I’m saying I don’t want you to go,” he murmured, his dark brown gaze burning me as he stared into my eyes. “I want you to stay here. With me.”

  The breath I’d been holding whooshed out of me, and my eyes burned with unshed tears. But Rafe wasn’t finished.

  “I want to be happy, and I can’t be happy without you. I want you, Jessa. I want you in my life. In my house. In my bed.”

  I swallowed thickly and tried to blink back the tears, but it was too late. My eyes flooded over, twin streams running down my cheeks.

  “I want to be happy, too,” I managed to choke out through the emotion clogging my throat.

  “I promise, if you stay, I’ll strive to make you happy every day.”

  He tugged on my hands, bringing me up against his chest before releasing them to wrap his arms around me. My hands landed on his chest, my fingers closing around the material of his shirt to clench it tightly in my fists.

  Rafe pressed his forehead to mine and said, “I love you, Jessa Maddox.”

  My heart stopped, and I died.

  His mouth landed on mine, reanimating my body while my mind was still somewhere in the afterlife. My hands crept up to circle his neck, and using his shoulders for leverage, I jumped and wrapped my legs around his waist. Then we were moving, and my back slammed into a wall as Rafe’s very obvious erection ground against me.

  His mouth jerked away from mine, and we were both panting for breath as he looked at me with narrowed eyes.

  “Does this mean you’ll stay?” he asked. He bucked his hips, daring me to say no.

  “Cheater,” I grinned, earning one in return. My humor evaporated as I twisted my fingers into his hair and held him still so I could brush my lips softly against his. Pulling back, I said, “Yes.”

  “Yes, you’ll stay? With me?” he asked.

  “I’ll stay. With you,” I said, and his beaming smile took my breath away. Then I said the words I was certain I’d never say to any man besides my father. “I love you.”

  My words were rewarded with a whoop of joy, followed by another searing kiss. His body pushed me harder against the wall, wedging me between it and his chest as his hands groped my ass. We were practically dry-humping in public, but I didn’t care.

  Rafe loved me. And I loved him. And I wasn’t leaving Milestone, or my dad, or my new friends. I had a whole new life, and I was beyond excited to get it started.

  “Ahem.”

  Rafe tightened his grip on me, refusing to let go when I tried to wiggle out of his embrace. I looked over to see Dane, the guy who’d towed my car here, smiling like a hyena at us as his eyebrows wagged up and down.

  “Sorry to interrupt, but your car is done, Jessa. We replaced the spark plugs and gave you a full tune up, oil change, and tire rotation. Those tires will need to be replaced soon, but the rotation should help.” He held out my keys as he walked toward us, then snatched them back at the last second. “Oh, and Nate would like it very much if you’d take this somewhere else. This is a place of business.”

  He pointed my keys at me, then Rafe, and back again. I snatched them out of his hand and he chuckled, shaking his head.

  As Dane left, Rafe smiled at me. I was grinning like a maniac, happier than I could remember ever being.

  “Grab your cat and let’s go, Miss Maddox,” he said, loosening his grip on my ass and taking a step back. “I think it’s time for your next checkup.”

  “Yes, Doctor,” I said, nodding. “I do believe you’re right.”

  Epilogue

  Rafe

  “Are you almost ready in there?”

  It was the weekend before Halloween, and Jessa had refused to let me see her costume before tonight’s party. The only clue she’d given me was that I should dress in scrubs or one of my lab coats—not very imaginative considering I wore those almost every day, but it was easy, so I wasn’t arguing.

  I’d finally convinced her to move in with me last week, and this costume party was doubling as a housewarming. Everyone we cared about was coming, ready to celebrate the holiday and our happiness.

  “Almost,” she called out through the door to the bathroom, where she’d been ensconced for the last half hour while I sat impatiently on the bed.

  Our bed.

  “Hurry up, baby. I can’t wait to see you.”

  She’d been teasing me all week, subtly suggesting that her costume would drive me wild—like she needed any help in that department. Everything about her drove me wild. Her pretty brown eyes, filled with longing. Her smile. Her wit and funny idiosyncrasies.

  Her early-morning grumpiness. The way she casually ran a fingertip up my thigh when she wanted me. Her sassy mouth. Her—

  “Holy shit.”

  She strutted out of the bathroom, not stopping until she stood directly in front of me. She cocked out a hip and planted a hand on it, using her free hand to twirl a lock of her hair between her fingers.

  “Well, Dr. Walton, what do you think?”

  There were no words. She was dressed as a nurse in a skin-tight white sheath that could barely be considered a dress. Edged with red piping, the bottom stopped well above mid-thigh, where white garters attached to thigh-high stockings garnished with red bows. A pair of red high heels and a tiny nurse’s cap finished off the outfit.

  “Nuh-uh. Nope,” I said, lunging forward to grab her hips. I pulled her onto my lap, where she straddled me eagerly and pressed her exposed cleavage into my face.

  “Oh, Dr. Walton. This is highly inappropriate,” she cooed in a high voice while grinding against my already-ragi
ng erection.

  “You can’t wear this to the party,” I said as I trailed kisses down her neck and along her collarbone. “I’ll have to sit at the table all night just to hide my hard on.”

  “You mean this?” she asked, bucking her hips once more. “Maybe we should take care of it before anyone gets here.” Then she bit my earlobe and whispered, “I’m not wearing underwear.”

  Then her hand was at my waistband, untying the drawstring quickly before plunging beneath the material to grasp my cock. I groaned in ecstasy as she pulled it free and started to lower herself onto me.

  “Wait. Condom,” I grunted, my whole body pulsing with need.

  “No,” she said, then quickly amended it. “I mean…I started taking birth control in August. You know, just to be safe. And, while I was there, I had myself tested. I’m clear. And I’m ready. I’ve never had sex without a condom, and I want my first time to be with you. I just want to feel you, Rafe.”

  My cock jerked at her words as excitement pulsed through me. I was finding it hard to breathe, especially as her fingers tightened their grip on my erection.

  “I get tested every six months,” I groaned. “I’m clean.”

  “Have you ever tried it without a condom?” she whispered, her thumb grazing over the head of my cock.

  “No,” I admitted. “This will be my first time.”

  Her lips tilted up, taking my words as I meant them—consent. Before my next breath, I was inside Jessa with nothing between us, and it was the most intense, erotic moment of my life. I had to grit my teeth and concentrate to keep myself from coming as she tilted her hips to push me deeper inside her.

  She stilled for a moment, a quiet moan slipping through her lips before she leaned forward and kissed me. My hands tangled in her hair as she began to move, riding me with a gentle rocking motion. My tongue plunged into her mouth and her movements sped up as her nails dug into my shoulders.

  Far too quickly, she tensed, letting out a mewling sound as her inner walls tightened around me. I couldn’t stop my own orgasm if I tried. My hips rocked upward as it hit, sending shockwaves through my entire body with the release.