by Loni Ree
Warm Kisses
Copyright © 2020 by Loni Ree
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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Warming Up to Love Series
The Warming up to Love authors have teamed up to bring you nine new romances guaranteed to chase away the winter chill. We hope you have a wonderful holiday season filled with joy, love, and hot book boyfriends & get ready to be warmed up to love!
Hugs and KISSES,
The Warming up to Love Authors
Check out all the Warming up to Love books!
Snowy Kisses by Elisa Leigh
Winter Kisses by Flora Ferrari
Unwrapped Kisses by Jenna Rose
Warm Kisses by Loni Ree
Naughty Kisses by Mayra Statham
Sugar Kisses by Megan Wade
Christmas Kisses by Mila Crawford & Aria Cole
Holly Kisses by Penelope Wylde
Mistletoe Kisses by Shaw Hart
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Phoebe
Chapter 2
Drake
Chapter 3
Phoebe
Chapter 4
Drake
Chapter 5
Phoebe
Chapter 6
Drake
Chapter 7
Drake
Epilogue
Epilogue
About the Author
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Also by Loni Ree
Prologue
DRAKE
“I’VE HAD ENOUGH. I’m going home.” After dropping the Anderson bid on Sally’s desk, I slip on my heavy, wool coat and growl at my secretary, “Let Knox deal with this shitshow he created.” Sally has worked at this company for many years, and my frustrated outburst doesn’t faze her.
My personal assistant, Travis, quit two months ago, and I haven’t been able to replace him. The work is building up, and my useless partner is pissing me off.
“Good evening to you, too,” she calls to my retreating back. As I ride the elevator down to the underground parking garage, I debate which fast food restaurant I’ll stop at on my way home from the office tonight. On second thought, nothing appeals to me, so I might skip dinner altogether. This late in the evening, the building is close to empty, and my new toy is the only car left on this level. I would’ve left hours ago if Knox’s brain was functioning. It’s wrapped up in his new wife and not on business. Now, I’m dealing with all the issues at DeltaR single-handedly, and the stress is about to cause me to lose my mind. I pull my new sports car onto the main road and swear under my breath. Of course, the useless weather forecaster got today’s outlook all wrong. Instead of cool, sunny skies, it’s dark gray skies with icy rain falling at a frightening clip. Especially when you consider, I left my all-wheel-drive SUV parked in my garage and drove my new, low to the ground, hates bad weather, sports car instead. On these treacherous roads, this is a poor choice. I drive slowly toward my house and hope my new toy and I make it in one piece. Up ahead of me, a light turns red at the last minute, and I swear like a sailor. Looks like my crapola luck is holding. I gently apply the brakes, but I’m on black ice. Fuck. I slide through the intersection, and my car begins to spin out of control. I watch almost in slow motion as a large dump truck heads straight for the driver’s side of my car and realize my shitty day is about to come to an end. Not exactly the way I’d planned, but it looks like my suffering is over.
Chapter One
PHOEBE
“PHOEBE, your last day before vacation is going to suck.” I glance over my shoulder at my supervisor and frown. I’ve been counting the seconds until my two-week vacation begins. Now, Lisa’s warning tells me this last day will be the longest one yet. The hospital is overflowing with patients, and I’ve been helping out on the oncology floor. It appears I’ve missed some interesting times on my regular trauma ward.
“I take it we’re busy?” I open my locker and toss in my purse before grabbing my name tag and pen. There’s silence behind me, and I turn to find Lisa biting her bottom lip.
She shakes her head and sighs
“Today, you’re going to learn a lesson in plumbing.” I raise an eyebrow and stare at the older, more experienced nurse. Ever since I started here at Grant Memorial Hospital, Lisa has taken me under her wing.
“Uh, Lisa, why would a nurse need to learn plumbing?” I frown, knowing I’m not going to like this answer.
She throws back her head and laughs before wrapping her arm around my shoulder. “Sweetie, today you learn the number one rule of plumbing—shit flows downhill.” I roll my eyes and groan.
As the youngest nurse and most recent hire, I get the difficult patients. “How bad is this one?”
Lisa pushes the door open and looks over her shoulder to smile “You have to see for yourself.”
Fuck my life. As I get the report from Marcy, a night nurse, she hands me a packet of medicine and shakes her head. “Good luck. He might be the hottest asshole you’ve ever seen, but you won’t be impressed for very long. Everyone who has taken care of him has dreamed about suffocating him with a pillow.” She points to the little plastic packet of pills in my hand. “Here are his morning meds.” She shrugs. “I tried to give those to him first round, but he was too busy arguing with his insurance company on the phone. I’m so over battling with the jerk. I freaking need a drink.” It sounds like I’m going to have an interesting day. Although nurses on the trauma floor normally have two patients, I only have him today. Management has decided Mr. Baron requires extra attention. We finish the report, and I take a deep breath to fortify myself, then head to his room and knock on the door. I’m not sure what I’m expecting, but wow.
Lying in the stark hospital bed is the most gorgeous man I have ever seen. His stunning square jaw is covered in purple and yellow bruises that run up the side of his face and around both eyes. The doctors have shaved a tiny patch of dirty blond hair on the side of his head for stitches, but the little blemish only serves to make him appear more human. From the looks of his face and the part of his body I’m able to see above his loose-fitting hospital gown, he was in quite an accident. It’s a miracle he survived, and I have no doubt he’s in horrible pain. When he glances over at me and frowns, the heated stare nearly causes my panties to melt off my body. What the hell is happening here? “Go-good morning, Mr. Baron.” I attempt to sound cheery, but instead end up doing a great Tweety Bird imitation. Shit. “I’m Phoebe, and I’ll be your dayshift nurse.”
His deep green eyes bore into me, and I barely resist the urge to fidget under his scowl. The longer he stares at me, the more self-conscious I become. I didn’t check my appearance before coming in here. Do I have food stuck in my teeth or a hair standing straight up on my head? The urge to rush over and look in the mirror is overpowering. I glance at his beds
ide tray and see an empty soda can. Aha. My excuse. Walking over to his bed, I grab the can and smile down at him. “I’ll just tidy up a little bit.” He still isn’t saying a word, and I wonder if I stepped into the wrong room. I take the can to the trash can and peek in the mirror. My dark brown hair is pulled up in my usual ponytail, and my teeth are perfectly clean.
Telling myself to act normal and get on with my day, I walk over and write my name and number on the dry-erase board. “Do you need help ordering breakfast?” I turn and smile at him.
“I’m not a moron.” He finally speaks, and his voice sends shivers down my spine. I’m in a ton of trouble here. “I can dial a fucking phone and ask for cereal.”
I bite my tongue and stop myself from snapping at him. Taking a deep breath, I grit my teeth and paste a fake ass smile across my face. “Great. I’ll leave you to it.” Spinning, I stomp toward the door before I grab the fluffy pillow behind his head and use it to suffocate the hot, arrogant asshole.
“Wait,” he calls as my hand reaches the door handle. I’m so close to freedom. “I’m sorry for my sour attitude, but I’m in a lot of pain right now.” Pain colors his deep voice, and remorse courses through me. Remembering the packet of pills in my pocket, I realize his pain medication is several hours overdue.
I close my eyes and pray for patience before turning around. After pasting a cheery smile on my face, I march back within firing range. “Why don’t you order breakfast while I get your morning medication?” He’s staring at me and I blink. “You’ll feel better soon.” I try the fake smile again, but it’s losing its effect.
He looks at me for several moments, and I start to worry that there’s something seriously wrong with him. After a while, he shakes his head and picks up the phone to order his breakfast. Turning, I face the computer hanging on the wall and login to check his medication schedule. I have a hard time concentrating on the information on the screen while his deep voice rumbles behind me. I hear the click of the phone and realize I’m staring blankly at the monitor in front of me. Telling myself to stop acting like a silly schoolgirl with a crush on a hot guy, I hastily verify that I’m giving him the correct medication. I hand him the pills in a small cup and grab his hospital mug of water for him. After he takes them, I smile and attempt to escape again. “Your breakfast should be coming soon. Please let me know if I can do anything else for you.” I point at the dry-erase board hanging on the wall under the television. “I wrote my number on the board.” I need to get out of this room and figure out what in the world is happening to me.
Chapter Two
DRAKE
I OVERHEARD one of the nurses call me a cold-hearted bastard and shrugged off the insult. Who cares what the useless assholes in this hellhole think anyway? Pain shoots through every inch of my body, and I come instantly awake. Last night’s moron forgot to give me my pain medication before she left this morning, and I’m hurting everywhere. This hospital owes me a decent nurse after sending in every half-witted twit in the county to take care of me over the last three days.
She walks in, and I think to myself either the fucking doctors are wrong and I really do have a brain injury or I’m in love. This gorgeous, curvy girl steals my heart right out of my chest. I never realized the next nurse to walk through my hospital door would be my fucking soulmate. Too bad I act like a dick and send her running. After she rushes out, the pain medication starts to kick in, and I close my eyes. The next thing I know, there’s a knock at the door. “Room service.”
This freaking place tries to make their disgustingly bland food more palatable by delivering it to the hospital rooms by waiters. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but their plan is failing. I look down and make sure the covers are hiding all my necessary parts, then call out, “Come in.”
As a young, high school-aged girl brings my tray in and sets it on the bedside table, disappointment roars through me. I’d hoped for another peek at my beautiful angel. An idea hits me. “Could you send my nurse in on your way out?” I ask her. She nods and nearly trips in her haste to get out the door.
A few minutes later, there’s another knock at the door, and I smile to myself until I realize I don’t have an excuse for asking for her. Fuck. I tell her to come in and frantically attempt to think of a reason for calling her in. “After breakfast, I’d like a shower.”
She blinks several times without answering, and the implications of my request hit me right between the eyes. This gorgeous angel is going to help me strip and climb into the tiny shower enclosure. What could go wrong? “I’ll, uh, get fresh linens and towels,” she stutters adorably, and I hope it means I’m affecting her, too.
“Thanks, I’ll hurry up and eat.” After she rushes from the room, I shovel down my breakfast without tasting a bite. This girl has taken over all my thoughts, and I don’t intend to fight my feelings. It would be pointless.
She returns a few minutes later with her arms full of linens and smiles at me. “I’ll put these on the chair. Just call me when you’re finished, and we’ll get you into the shower.” Her voice squeaks on the last word, and I wonder if she’s having the same dirty thoughts as I am.
Before she can rush out the door, I stop her. “I’m ready to shower now.” Pushing the bedside table away, I grimace. “I’ve eaten all the hospital food I can tolerate at one time.”
As she turns and glances at me over her shoulder, she bites her bottom lip. There’s a slight tremor in her hands and tiny drops of sweat near her hairline, confirming my earlier suspicion. Little Ms. Professional feels this intense attraction, too. “Oh. Well, let’s get this over with then.” She sighs and grabs the linens. “Are you able to stand on your own?”
There’s no way I’m allowing this girl to see me crawl to the bathroom. Taking a deep breath, I ignore the excruciating pain shooting through every nerve ending in my body and slide my legs over the side of the bed. After swallowing down the nausea boiling up the back of my throat, I hold still to allow the room to come into focus before I attempt to move.
“Uh, yeah.” She grimaces. “I need to call for help.” I want to assure her we can do this, but I’m going to lose my breakfast if I open my mouth. She pulls a phone off her waistband, and I hear her talking sweetly, “Tim, could you assist me in Mr. Baron’s room?”
After several deep breaths, the room stops spinning. I need that shower more than ever now since I’m covered in sweat from head to toe. From sitting up. Fuck my life.
A huge, linebacker wannabe walks in and grumbles, “You needed help?”
My girl smiles and turns to him. “Thanks for coming so quickly, Tim. Mr. Baron can’t get up without assistance.” The sight of her sweet smile shining brightly for another man sends anger shooting throughout my entire body. The urge to smash his face is overpowering. Unfortunately, my damaged body isn’t capable of fulfilling the task.
The shower turns into an exercise in torture. Tim the linebacker is a total dickhead when Phoebe isn’t paying attention. Not wanting to look like a pussy in front of my girl, I hold my tongue. At some point in the future, I’m going to discuss my complaints with the big asshole. After my shower, I grab the towel hanging on the rack and dry off, then lean against the cool wall to collect myself. Tim the dickhead disappeared to “grab something” a few minutes ago and must’ve gotten lost. Oh, well. It’s probably for the best.
Fed up with waiting for him and his rough treatment to return, I decide to dress myself. I’m grateful to the dumbass for leaving my outfit on the bathroom counter. It takes a couple of tries, but I’m able to slip on the torture device hospital pants. Fuck. I’m sweating again. After hobbling to the bed, I drop across it and leave my legs laying over the side. “Here, let me help you with that.” She leans close, and her soft, delicate scent wraps around me. Now, I’m perspiring for a whole new reason. “Why didn’t you wait for help?” As she attempts to look fierce, the urge to kiss her pouty lips runs through me.
“The help was killing me,” I grumble under my brea
th. She laughs and raises an eyebrow while lifting my legs onto the bed and pulling the covers over me.
“Tim can be a little rough.” She sighs and looks over her shoulder to make sure no one can hear her. “Sorry about that.”
“You don’t have anything to apologize for.” As she stares into my eyes, I forget about everything else. Fuck. I’m losing my mind for this girl. “Thanks for your help,” I manage to mumble.
“Sure.” She pats my arm, and all the blood in my battered body heads straight to my cock. Well, at least it didn’t sustain damage. I pull the bedside tray over my lap to hide the bulge that’s steadily growing under the covers as she smiles down at me. The shower exhausted me more than I realized, and I nod off while she’s straightening up my room. I end up sleeping through the rest of the morning and afternoon. When I finally wake up, it’s time for my torture—I mean, physical therapy session. When I’m finished, the dayshift is coming to an end. Fuck. My girl is leaving.
Chapter Three
PHOEBE
HOPEFULLY, my vacation will help me forget my infatuation with the totally out of my league patient. His injuries are painful but not life-threatening. I keep telling myself the doctors will discharge him while I’m on vacation, and that will end my obsession.
Too bad my imagination isn’t listening to my sensible side. Naughty thoughts of my patient constantly run through my mind while I’m awake, and my dirty dreams make sleep nearly impossible.
Monday morning, I decide to walk down to the coffee shop on the corner for an extra boost of caffeine. Last night was filled with two super-steamy dreams, and I’m running on no sleep. I plan on heading downtown to finish my Christmas shopping and need something to perk me up. After ordering my favorite mocha latte with two shots of espresso, I step to the end of the counter and flip through the messages on my phone.
