"It all boils down to how well you know the man I guess, right?" Tina took a sip of tea, meeting Lara's gaze.
It did. And Lara knew Adam. She'd known him as a boy, and he'd shown her the man he'd become in the past months. That man was loving, kind, dependable and true. Just as his younger self had been. "You're right." She smiled at her new friend. "Tina, I'm so glad we met. Let's stay in touch, okay? I hope you'll come visit me in Ft. Stockton sometime."
"I'd like that. I've never been to West Texas before."
Lara grinned. "I'll take you to The Trail Boss Saloon and introduce you to a cowboy or two. I'll even teach you to dance the Cotton-Eyed Joe."
Tina thrust her hand out. "It's a date, girl."
EARLY MONDAY AFTERNOON Lara set out on the long drive from the El Paso airport to Ft. Stockton. Sunday she'd gone to the Padre Island National Seashore, a national park further down the island. She walked what seemed like forever down the beach, collecting seashells. The wind blew hard all day and she got back with her skin chapped and gritty with sand. But she also felt completely relaxed and at peace with herself. She was ready to face her life again. And talk to Adam.
Chapter Twelve
AT TEN THIRTY MONDAY morning, Adam threw his stethoscope over his head and yanked open the curtain to the next room in the ER. A three-car accident on IH-10 had every room full. He'd called in the other two surgeons along with the residents and people in critical condition still needed help. All three of the ORs were in use. He'd triaged the victims as they came in and sent the two most critical patients to surgery a few minutes earlier, but a young man, the driver of a pickup truck, also needed surgery stat.
"Dr. Govain, his blood pressure is 70/40."
Adam called a verbal order to the ER nurse. "Get blood typed and crossed stat. Run colloids wide open." He called the OR to check the progress of an on-going elective surgery and spoke to the supervising nurse. "How much longer?" His tone was more terse than he intended.
"He just finished closing. Bring up your guy. We'll clean the room as fast as we can, then you can roll him in."
Every minute counted. The man was hemorrhaging. Adam had already tapped the patient's abdomen and drained the blood. Adam needed to get in there, find the source and stop the bleeding. He turned to the nurse, "We're going to the OR."
Raising the bars on the bed, he wheeled him out of the room, taking long strides toward the elevator. The wait for the car seemed interminable. The patient's face was pale, his eyes closed. Dammit! They had to hurry!
A bell dinged as the double doors opened. The nurse pulled the bed inside, and Adam followed, pushing the button for their floor. He gritted his teeth as the elevator doors slowly shut.
When they arrived outside the OR, two techs and the nurse scrambled to clean and set up the room.
Adam started the ritual scrub, the routine action calming him, though he kept an anxious eye on his patient.
The OR nurse gave the okay to enter.
Adam's nurse from the ER wheeled the bed into the room and helped slide the patient onto the operating table.
Adam pulled on a gown. A nurse tied the strings behind his neck and opened gloves for him to slide on. His mind slowed. He breathed deeply and exhaled. He was in control now.
The anesthesiologist sedated the young man. People moved into their positions.
"Scalpel." The nurse slapped the instrument on his hand, and Adam made his first cut.
AS DUSK FELL, ADAM leaned back in a chair on the patio, drinking his whiskey and going over the long day. It had been years since his skills were challenged like they had been today and he'd loved every minute of it.
When he was in Boston, most days had been like this, and he'd reveled in the excitement, the test of his knowledge and abilities that every case brought. He took another swallow of whiskey. It had taken a three-car pileup to show him how desperately he missed working somewhere he could be his best, do his best—where he saved lives every day.
His job at this small-town hospital paled in comparison. His talent was essentially wasted here. Throwing back the last of his drink, he stripped off his shirt and dove in the pool, racing from one side to the other, arms slashing through the water, kicking hard, propelling himself on mighty lungfulls of air.
He didn't stop until his exhausted limbs trembled. Holding on to the edge of the pool, he gasped for air, his heart pounding. Was this all there was? A too-simple job? A woman who didn't believe in him? He pulled himself out of the water and dried off. Dark had fallen and he moved inside.
After a shower, he fixed a sandwich and sat at the table, eating only because he needed something in his stomach. Dissatisfaction rode him hard. He took a bite and ground it between his teeth. Why wouldn't Lara believe him? He'd never been anything but honest with her. She had no reason to doubt him. And why hadn't he heard a word from her in two days? It wasn't his fault that Demi turned out to be crazy-ass.
Taking another bite, he chewed quickly. He should get the hell out of this town. He hadn't meant to live here forever, anyway. His dad was doing fine now. There was no reason to stay. Especially not if Lara turned her back on him.
His stomach clenched and he tossed his sandwich on his plate. How could she do this to him? He loved her and she'd said she loved him. Dumping his uneaten food in the trash, he turned off the light and strode to his bedroom.
Sliding into bed in the dark, he clasped his hands behind his head. His life had gone to hell. Blowing out a breath, he tried to relax. The swim had finished exhausting his already tired muscles.
His phone sounded and he glanced at the screen. A text from Lara. Dammit, he couldn't deal with her tonight. Dropping the phone back on the nightstand, he turned over.
Thirty minutes later, he still couldn't sleep. He was too tired, and, despite his wish, part of him worried about the text. Did Lara need him? Giving up, he turned over and read it.
Adam, I'm back. My trip to Padre was exactly what I needed to get my head straight. First, I'm sorry I didn't listen to you—didn't let you tell me whatever you wanted to say about what happened. Second, I realized after much introspection that what bothered me most was simple jealousy. And that's just plain dumb. I have no right to be jealous of something that happened before I came on the scene. That's third. I know you didn't see this woman while you were with me. You were never that kind of boy and I refuse to believe you turned into that kind of man. I hope you'll forgive me for shutting you out. And not trusting you from the beginning. I'm so sorry. I love you, Lara
He read her text again. She believed him now. If the situation were reversed, he would have been jealous, too. He wrote back:
I love you. I'm glad you believe me now. Of course, I forgive you. I missed you. Adam
She must still be awake because she texted right back:
I miss you terribly right now. Can we see each other tomorrow night?
He grinned and wrote:
You bet. Since we're both working, come to my place and I'll order pizza.
She answered:
It's a date.
He put the phone down, his outlook totally changed. It was amazing what love could do for a man.
THE NEXT EVENING, ADAM rushed through his shower, wanting to be ready when Lara arrived. He couldn't wait to pull her into his arms and kiss that luscious mouth of hers. He'd picked up a bouquet of flowers on the way home from the hospital—her favorite yellow roses with orange tips. He also purchased a bottle of Barbera d'Alba red wine to go with the pizza. As he uncorked the wine, which had been chilling since he got home, the doorbell rang. His pulse sped up as he walked to the door.
Lara had come straight from the office. The brilliant, royal-blue power suit she wore set off her striking dark hair and grey eyes. He swept her into his arms, holding her to him in a powerful embrace.
She snuggled into him. "I missed you so much, Adam."
He pulled away so he could look at her. "Damn, I'm glad you're here. Come inside." Arm across her shoulders,
he led her to the kitchen. "I bought flowers."
"They're beautiful. You remembered I love these." Her eyes sparkled as she bent to smell the blooms.
Slipping his arms around her waist from behind, he nibbled her neck, loving her scent and the way her soft hair tickled his face.
She reached up and pulled his cheek to her, kissing him. "I love you."
He whispered, "I love you, too. Would you like a glass of wine?"
"Uh-hm." She smiled, leaning against the table.
"The pizza will be here any minute." He filled their glasses and handed one to her. "Let's go outside. We should be warm enough." The evenings were finally feeling like fall though the days could still be hot.
They sat side-by-side, and he laced his fingers with hers with a sense of completeness. It was crazy how miserable he'd been less than twenty-four hours ago. "Someday we need to plan a trip to the coast together."
"The place I stayed was wonderful. I had a condo right on the beach, and it would be perfect for the two of us."
"Let's do it then." Taking a swallow of wine, he said, "I'm happy we put this nonsense behind us."
"Me, too." She grinned. "If I remember correctly, our makeup sex is fabulous."
He roared a laugh and pulled her in for a kiss. "You remember right, my love."
The doorbell rang. Still grinning, he got up to answer the door. After tipping the delivery boy, he brought out the pizza, plates and napkins. Topping off their glasses, he said, "I'm hungry, how about you?"
"Starving," and she licked her lips seductively.
He laughed and sat down. "Just keep it up. You're in trouble, darling."
Grinning mischievously, she picked up a piece of pizza and took a big bite, moaning over it.
Laughing again, he grabbed a slice of his own. Damn she was fucking hot. Just watching her chew was making him hard.
The wine went perfectly with the pizza, really setting off the flavors of the cheese and tomato sauce. He took a swallow and then another bite from his slice, enjoying the hell out of the food and having his gorgeous woman beside him.
The stars came out and a breeze picked up. They'd each eaten their fill. He leaned in and kissed her. "Ready to go in?"
"Ready for you, my love."
He stood and pulled her to her feet.
She kissed his cheek. "I need to bring my bag in from the car."
"I'll clean up while you do that. Do you want to shower?"
She nodded. "See you in a little while."
Collecting everything from the table, he headed for the kitchen. To think he had considered moving just last night. Was he crazy? But then, it had been awesome at the hospital yesterday. That part had made sense. He shrugged and put the left-over pizza in a zip lock bag.
After rinsing the plates and putting them in the dishwasher, he headed into the bedroom to undress. Crawling under the covers, he sat against the headboard, waiting for Lara. Leaning his head back, he sighed loudly. He'd made the right choice. She was the most important thing in his life.
She walked out of the bathroom, her hair wrapped in a towel. "Hey, lover, you up for brushing my hair?"
He reached for the brush she held. "Always."
Hiking up her nightgown, she sat cross-legged between his thighs and took the towel off her hair. "I could get used to this, you know."
He kissed her cheek, loving the way she smelled fresh from the shower. "Fine with me." Choosing a lock of hair, he gently brushed it out. The process relaxed him. It was a tedious job, but something he loved to do.
"Ahh." She tilted her head toward him, curving her back and relaxing. "How come it never felt this good when my mom combed out my hair?"
Grinning, he said, "Because she didn't have my sexy legs." He rubbed his foot along her smooth calf.
She clasped his thighs and pulled them closer to her hips. "You're so right."
He drew her hair to the side and trailed kisses across the back of her neck.
She sighed and leaned into him. "I love you, Adam. I don't want to quarrel with you again."
Nipping her shoulder, he grinned. "Me neither." Brushing, he said, "Did you hear about that accident on I-10 yesterday?"
"No, what happened?"
He told her how busy the ER had been—how horribly some people had been hurt. "It reminded me of my time at the Trauma Center in Boston. Crazy hectic, life-threatening injuries, split-second decision making. It was amazing."
"Sounds like you really miss those days." She turned, looking over her shoulder to meet his gaze.
"I admit I do. Working at St. Anne's is a no-brainer, except on very rare occasions. I miss being challenged. A lot."
She drew her brows together. "I didn't realize you were so unhappy."
He shrugged. "I wouldn't say unhappy. Maybe I'm just bored."
Turning around, she said, "My father's practice isn't challenging, either, but I'm not surprised. I always knew what being a small-town attorney would be like. The work is slow-paced, simple stuff—things I can handle in my sleep. There's an upside, though. It's a great job for a woman who also has a family to raise."
He slid his arms around her and whispered in her ear. "Now, I like the sound of that."
She covered his hands with hers. "Me, too. The practice makes a good living for me, and I can still help support my mother until she can draw on her retirement funds. I'm happy where I am."
He finished the last two strands of hair and laid the brush on the nightstand. Turning her around to face him, he said with a grin, "Somebody sassed about make-up sex earlier. I need me some of that."
She moved over and laughed as he took off his shorts.
Lifting her gown, inch by inch, she pulled it over her head. On her knees, naked except for a tiny strip of lace that could hardly be called panties, she curled her finger at him, urging him closer.
Grinning like crazy, he grabbed her butt, pulling her against him.
Running her hands through his hair, she leaned in to kiss him, tasting his lips, twining her tongue with his.
He moaned, clasping her head in his hands, kissing her, then rolling her on her back.
Her beautiful clear-grey eyes looked back at him with such love. He smiled and slid his hips over her.
Her lips lifted in response, and she touched his chest with gentle fingers.
He rotated his pelvis and she grinned. God, how he loved this woman. He took her nipple in his mouth, stroking it with his tongue, sucking more of her breast inside, drawing on it. Cupping her breast in his hand, he loved the fullness of it.
She caressed his cheek, raising her chest, wanting more.
He took her other breast in his mouth, sucking and massaging, as she moaned in pleasure. He hooked his fingers in her panties and drew them down. Drawing them off her feet, he said, "I'm surprised you bother wearing these, they're so tiny."
She grinned. "Don't you like them?"
"Mmm, oh yes, I love them, sweetheart."
She said, "Love this, handsome," and slid down in the bed, between his legs.
Eyes wondering, he rested on his hands as she drew him into her mouth. He groaned as she grasped his hips, sliding him in and out, and sucking hard. He gritted his teeth. Damn, he'd spill inside her if she didn't stop. He sucked in a breath and held still. After a moment he moved in her again, the intense pleasure of the suction, the heat of her mouth, pure ecstasy.
She grabbed his butt, moving him faster and faster.
God, he had to stop. Pulling out of her, he grabbed a condom and quickly rolled it on, then yanked her up and turned her over. She rose to her hands and knees and looked over her shoulder. "I love you, Adam!"
Clasping her hips, nearly out of control, he thrust inside her. She was wet and hot. Hotter than her mouth had been. He bucked again and then again. Sex had never been this good, this perfect, with any other woman.
She pressed against him, bowing her back, giving him access to her core.
He clutched her to him, pounding her, thr
usting deep, branding her as his own. His body was rock hard, his blood on fire. Lara was his.
She tensed, cried out, and spasmed around him.
God, she was there. He thrust deep again, his eruption violent, leaving him gasping. He moaned, pulled her up against his chest and kissed her neck, whispering, "I fucking love you, Lara. I love you so much."
She turned her cheek to him. "Adam, I don't have the words for how much I love you."
He kissed her and took her with him down to the bed, spooning her against him. Burying his face in her fragrant hair, he whispered, "I wish this night could last forever."
She drew his fingers to her lips. "It will, in our dreams."
He hugged her closer. He may not be able to make the night last forever, but he could do his best to make their union permanent. Smiling, he snuggled his cheek against her. He had planning to do.
Chapter Thirteen
LARA MET HER MOM THE next day for their standing Wednesday lunch date—one of the ways Lara supported her mother as she dealt with her grief. It got her mom out of the house, and Lara knew the woman loved spending time with her daughter.
After being held up on a conference call, Lara found her mother already seated when she arrived at the little cafe down the street from her office. Pulling out her chair, she said, “I'm sorry I’m late, Mom."
"You don't need to apologize, honey. You're a busy woman. I'm thankful you take time for me like this."
The waitress came and Lara ordered iced tea. Knowing the menu by heart, she left it lying in front of her. "How are you?
Her mom raised her chin. "Missing your daddy, of course, but I'm doing fine."
Lara knew her mother’s pride wouldn't let her say anything different, and she still grieved. The devastating blow of losing her husband would take time to get over. Lara clasped her mother's hand. "I'm glad, Momma."
Her mom smiled bravely. "So, tell me what's happening with you. How is that handsome Adam doing?"
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