by Wood, Lauren
The Doctor Next Door
The Next Door Bad Boy Series (Book 2)
Lauren Wood
Copyright © 2019 by Lauren Wood
All rights reserved.
In no ways it is legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of the publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.
Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.
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Contents
Prologue
1. Liz
2. Glenn
3. Liz
4. Liz
5. Glenn
6. Liz
7. Glenn
8. Liz
9. Glenn
10. Liz
11. Glenn
12. Liz
13. Glenn
14. Liz
15. Liz
16. Glenn
17. Liz
18. Glenn
19. Liz
20. Glenn
21. Liz
22. Glenn
23. Liz
24. Glenn
25. Liz
26. Glenn
Epilogue
Also by Lauren Wood
About the Author
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Author’s Note
Hi! This is the second book in The Bad Boy Next Door Series, and you’ll probably want to start with the first book here:
* * *
The Billionaire Next Door (The Bad Boy Next Door Book 1)
Prologue
Glenn
Something moved and I caught it out of the corner of my eye. When I went to see what it was, I knew that my attention was exactly what was trying to be gotten.
“Glenn, glad to see you. Do you think you could help me with my dress really quick? I don’t know why they make them so you can’t get dressed and undressed by yourself.”
I looked around for a moment, like somebody was going to jump out and tell me to stop. Maybe I was looking for her brother Mario, to ruin the moment. I could see the smooth skin of her back as it dipped low behind the zipper towards her behind. This wasn't the first time that I had seen a bit too much of Liz, but this time seemed to bother me even more than before.
“Sure Liz. Where are you going dressed like this? It looks like you’re up to no good.”
The dress was too short, and I knew if she was my little sister, I wouldn't want her leaving the house like that. Not when there were guys like me that were going to lust after her. I swallowed hard. Did she not understand how beautiful she was? I don't think she really knew the damage she did to every man she met. But, maybe she did.
I knew that Liz liked to play games and she had a mischievous look in her eyes when our gaze gays finally met.
“I was just going to go out to a party. You know how these things go.”
Even though Liz was a year behind me in school, she was already getting invited to senior parties. I know that it bothered Mario, because he didn’t have a choice. There was no way for him to do anything to stop people from noticing his sister, though he tried his hardest. She was the type of woman that got noticed, no matter if her angry brother was right next to her or not. For most people it wouldn't matter. At this moment, it almost didn’t matter for me and she was my best friend’s sister.
My hands were shaking, as I worked the courage up to do the task. The zipper felt dainty in my hands and my fingers trailed along her warm, supple skin as I did what she needed. I was trembling from need, but I was confident that I had done a good job of hiding it. Liz could never know what she did to me. If she knew how much I wanted her, she would never let me forget it.
She turned around when I was finished. We were so close Liz was practically in my arms. I wanted to pull her in closer. I wanted to kiss her pulling the short skirt up the few inches that it would take to put the rest of her in my sights. I knew once she went to that party every man there was going to want to do the exact same thing that I was thinking about doing now.
“Do you want to come out with me?”
“Mario and I are going out. You’re too young to be going to these parties.”
Liz didn’t like my answer and her lip went out a little bit to protest it. The plump pink skin torturing me further. I wanted to give her a moment to get it out.
My proximity to her did something to me and the reminder that she was my best friends’ sister, was enough to have me pulling back. I couldn't do this, no matter how badly I wanted to.
“Come on Glenn. You know that you want to. You look at me like all the other boy’s do. They don’t think I’m too young. I’m old enough.”
It was then that I realized she knew explicitly what she was doing to me. There was laughter in her eyes, and it bothered me. Why was she so hard to swallow? Everything about her, felt like a drug and I was addicted. The worst part was, I think she knew it too.
“I’m going to have to pass Liz.”
“You might not get another chance.”
She was probably right. I was leaving for college soon and I wouldn’t be around. I wouldn’t see her again for a long time, but maybe it was for the best. She knew too much, made me want her to much. It couldn’t be, no matter how badly I wanted her all this time. I was going to be a doctor one day and I wouldn’t ever have to worry about women again.
Chapter 1
Liz
I was late. I knew that Mario would be fine with it. He knew, even though we lived next door to each other, I couldn’t manage to be on time. I tried, I really did, but it was impossible.
When I got over to their house, it was already full of people. I’d seen all the cars parked out front and I knew that the christening was taking place soon. I had to get in there. I was supposed to be the godmother after all. I had to be there for it.
My dress was still a bit wrinkled. I’d found it deposited on the floor from where I’d tried it on and discarded it before. My hair was a mess and I knew that before long I was going to be in front of everyone. Maybe I should have stretched out my tardiness another five minutes to look more presentable.
“Hey Liz. Glad to see you could make it. Was traffic bad?”
Mario was smiling, but his tone told me that he was pissed. I couldn’t blame him, not really. I knew that this was a big deal for him and his wife, Latica. Her parents had died when she was young with nothing in place, and she had gone from family member to family member until she was old enough to live on her own. She didn’t want that for their kids. It was an honor for her to ask me, considering how much stock she put into it.
“Sorry Mario. Really I am.”
“You look a hot mess. Did you just get in from a night of partying?”
I shot him a dirty look. I didn’t look that bad, did I? I didn’t party near as much as my family thought I did, but I just went along with it. It was easier that way.
“No, I just woke up. My alarm didn’t go off, and then I looked, and it was already late. You know I don’t ever use it for anything. I am surprised I even got it turned on.”
He scoffed and we walked into the party together. Mario was mad, but like everything else, he would forgive me, and we would move on.
“Liz, one day you’re going to have to get a real job and get up before noon like everyone else. You can’t keep pretending that you’re still a teenager.”
I wrinkled my nose. Honestly, that didn’t even sound like a very good idea. I don’t know why everyone was so ha
ppy to get older to fill up their plate with responsibilities. I didn’t get it.
“Well, let’s hope that day never comes. I would rather paint and write poetry.”
Mario just shook his head. I didn’t have to ask he meant; I already knew. He’d made it clear for a very long time.
“Just be lucky that we both have a trust, or you would know well the notion of what a starving artist is.”
“I sell stuff.”
“Uh huh.”
Mario never did take my art seriously and if I was honest with myself, I didn’t really take it all that seriously either. He was right to say that the trust fund from mom and dad had certainly helped me do what I wanted to do, but I liked to think that I could do my art as a job, if I really had to. But I didn’t.
“So, who did you pick for godfather?”
He looked over at me, with apology in his eyes. I knew before he said anything.
“Don’t tell me…”
“You know who it is, so I won’t tell you. He’s back from his residency and he’ll be staying with me for a while until he finds something here. You know how the market is, or I guess maybe you wouldn’t.”
I tried to pretend I knew, but we both knew better.
“Fine, as long as I don’t have to be around him.”
“He’s the godfather, you’re going to have to be around him. Glenn’s not that bad. You just rub each other the wrong way.”
I wasn’t going to get into it with him. Glenn was every woman’s fantasy, but the problem was that he knew it. It was fireworks, every time we were around each other. I didn’t think that this time would be any different. I didn’t like how cocky he was, and he didn’t like how honest I was.
“I will play nice for Stephen, but that’s it.”
“Good enough sis. Now try not to hit the bar too early. Let’s at least get past the holding the baby part.”
I was going to protest and tell him that he was just being ridiculous, but we both knew that he wasn’t being silly at all. I had been known to get a bit tipsy on occasion. That was, any occasion and sometimes it wasn’t always at the best times.
“Don’t worry brother. I still have a hangover from last night, so I am already a little tipsy.”
I slapped his chest once, hard and then walked away. Latica was looking radiant and I could see that she was glowing. Her dark brown hair was shining under the lights, as well as her flawless light brown skin. She saw me and smiled. No matter how much my brother thought I was a lackey, his wife didn’t, and we’d formed a close bond. I tried to be more proper when I was around her, so that was a good thing. I needed more good influences in my life.
“I am so happy you came.”
She smiled and hugged me. I knew that she wasn’t being sarcastic. I lived next door, literally less than fifty feet away, but Latica was that happy to see me. Sometimes I was humbled by her spirit.
“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. I know how much this means to you.”
She started to get teary eyed and I pulled her in for a side hug. Her family was very reserved. It had taken time for her to get used to affection, but still she rested her head on my shoulder.
“If anything, ever happened to you and Mario, Latica, I would take care of them as if they were my own. You know that. I will always make sure they are safe and happy.”
Latica gave me a large, genuine smile. “I know, that’s why I picked you. Mario picked Glenn because they go back really far, but I wanted you.”
“Well, I am here for you Latica, just know that.”
She pulled away and cleared her eyes with her fingers. Latica was saying something and her words were getting dimmer, as I looked over and saw Glenn walking in. He was late like me, but Mario had no reprimand. He clapped him on his back, smiled and offered him a drink. I tried not to think about the double standard.
I wanted to ignore Glenn. The problem with him was that he was too damn handsome. His smile told the world that he knew it. Glenn was almost a foot taller than me and he was nothing but muscle from what I could see. His suit was tailored to his body, and it hid none of the hard biceps or wide chest of the man underneath.
Glenn’s green eyes pulled me upwards and I held his gaze for a moment. There was something there, always had been, but we ignored it and railed against each other instead. It was easier that way.
I turned away, forgetting about the knowing look in his eyes and the grin on his face. I could live without seeing all of that.
Chapter 2
Glenn
“I really don’t know what I’m supposed to do Mario. You know I don’t do this sort of thing.”
“It’s only a ceremony. It makes my wife feel better, you know.”
“So, what’s your sister doing here?”
“She’s the godmother. Did you really think that we would leave his care to you? Come on.”
“I thought it was only a ceremony Mario.”
“It is, but you know, if we kick the bucket, you have to step in.”
I wasn’t too sure about any of this, but of course I said yes. I didn’t like kids and I wasn’t too fond of Latica, but Mario asked. We’d known each other since grade school and there was no way I was telling him no. We’d made blood pacts, fought battles with each other, and against other. We’d been through a lot. When a friend like that asks you to come over and agree to be a godfather, you said yes.
“Will do, just don’t, you know, kick the bucket. I don’t know how I would fit a car seat into my car.”
Mario clicked his tongue and told me that I was as bad as Liz.
“Take that back.”
He chuckled. “Come on, I know that the two of you can’t hate each other as much as you claim. My sister is a spitfire, but you can’t help but love her.”
“I don’t hate her, but since I never had a little sister or brother, I got the full experience with her. She certainly made it a point to aggravate me enough.”
Mario agreed. “Yeah, she is one hell of a demon when she wants to be. But she has a good heart and that is what matters. I would kill someone over her.”
I wasn’t so sure of that, remembering well the times when she’d messed with my head. I was older now, immune to her traps, but I hadn’t always been that way and Liz had come into her power rather early. Now that she was older, I had to think that her feminine wiles were even harder to resist than before.
“Nonetheless, we’re here, so where is the priest? I don’t want to cuss in front of him. I probably got enough bad karma coming my way from high school.”
Mario chuckled, but still pointed him out. It was a good thing, because I was finishing up my drink and the older man was walking my way.
“Good, best behavior. I don’t need any more bad press upstairs.”
Mario laughed again, but we both knew that it was the truth. I’d certainly fallen out of the ways that I’d been taught when going to my parent’s church.
“Let’s get this over with. Priest leaves when it’s over, right?”
“Yeah and then we can party some. Latica’s aunt is here for the weekend and I know that she’s ready for a little fun.”
“Good, we will get drunk, after we make promises in front of God. This sounds a bit too much like going to bible study before.”
“I know, but shut up, Father Kernain is right there and he still thinks I am a good Christian.”
“Wouldn’t want to ruin your rap.”
The priest was introduced, and he looked at me a little too long. I was paranoid for a moment, sure that he could see all of my thoughts and desires that I didn’t want him to know about. He was a man of faith and I wasn’t. Hadn’t been for a while.
“It’s good to see that there is such a good turnout. I have been to many that have a handful of people only. I like to see so much of the community coming together to support a new life.”
I agreed and smiled, nodding on occasion when it seemed like the thing to do. He asked me a little bit about faith and
my own thoughts on it, but I kept it short and sweet. I certainly knew enough to get by. It was only when Liz came over and stopped next to me, gushing at the priest, that I started to falter. She was taking my mind off of what lines I was trying to push.
“Don’t worry father, baby Stephen is in good hands. You only have to make sure that God does his part to keep his parents safe and none of this will be necessary.”
She had a sarcastic tone to her voice, and I wondered why she had let the words sound so vicious. Liz was usually better at hiding that side of herself. Her blonde hair was pulled up high in a knot at the top of her head and her dress was a little wrinkled. Her blue eyes peering back at me weren’t as clear as they should have been. It would seem that Liz was having a bit of a day. She still looked beautiful, but she certainly wasn’t on top of her game. When she was on point she could make men choke on their own tongues, and then laugh about it as they tried to catch their breath. I had seen and felt those feminine wiles before even if right now they were nowhere to be seen.
Mario was eying his sister, noticing how off she was, just like me. He suggested that we get started and I for one, was all for that. There was no telling what sort of night she’d had, and I was ready to get this over with for my own sake as well.
The priest was merciful and sped up the christening. For something that took only ten or fifteen minutes, there really was a lot of hubbub about it. I didn’t see the big deal, but if it got Latica off of Mario’s back, then I had done my part.
