For One Night Only

Luxie Ryder

Copyright © 2008

Chapter 1

Bethany
instantly recognized the person who got to his feet as she entered the Penthouse Suite. Waiting until the flamboyant man with spiky bleached blond hair who had answered the door introduced her, she extended a hand.

She had been called out to a few of the big hotels on The Strip in the past couple of years, and had treated many showgirls and performers, but he was her first real celebrity.

‘Are you the patient?’ She had to check.
He looked too damn good to be ill.

‘Yes, it’s me. Thank you for coming Doctor Shaw,’ he said, smiling warmly as he shook her hand.

‘So you do actually believe I am a doctor?’ Her words surprised both men, but she couldn’t resist the dig at the short, weirdly dressed guy who had practically frisked her at the door before allowing her to enter.

Ruben smiled in apology. ‘Please excuse our strange behavior, but surely you realize that we need to be very careful?’

She didn’t doubt that for one minute. The singer facing her was globally famous, huge even by Vegas standards, although he was no longer as wildly popular as he had been when his first single was released some years ago. Known only by his last name of ‘Navarro’, his musical style was unique, a kind of ‘Rock/Flamenco’ fusion that relied far too heavily on screaming guitars and raucous vocals for her tastes.

He was a couple of inches taller than her 5’9”. The combination of black collar length wavy hair, dark brown eyes and golden skin was stunning. His features could have been a little too strong, but were softened by long eyelashes and a warm, full mouth. A trace of an accent remained from his youth and gave his deep, slightly husky voice an exotic air.

A brief, tight smile crossed her face. ‘I understand, of course. People are usually relieved to see me. It’s not often that I get interrogated on the doorstep.’

‘Well, we’re happy to see you…right Byron?’ He winked at his friend and turned to give her a wide smile. She fought the urge to return his grin, busying herself by putting her bag down, while she inquired as to the nature of the problem. Retrieving her stethoscope as he spoke, she turned to him.

‘Okay, if you could just remove your shirt, Mr. Navarro.’

‘Why do I need to take my shirt off?’ Ruben exclaimed. His dark eyebrows knit together in surprise, chasing away the boyish charm he had been leveling at her moments before.

‘So I can listen to your breathing,’ she replied in an exasperated tone. ‘There is no need to look so scared. I have seen many bare chests before.’

Ruben flushed. ‘I’m sorry. We have to be careful...’ His voice trailed off as he shuffled uncomfortably.

‘Yes, you told me that already,’ she murmured. ‘Do I look like a groupie, Mr. Navarro?’ she asked, beginning to smile.

He reddened further. ‘No, I guess not.’

Byron coughed and excused himself from the room, making a poor job of disguising his amusement.

Turning his back to her, Ruben removed the black shirt.
Bethany raised her head just as he slid the fabric down over his shoulders, exposing a broad expanse of toned muscle. She swallowed hard as she watched his back ripple from the motion, light bouncing along his olive skin. Dropping his shirt onto the bed, he turned to her. Boyish embarrassment gone, it was every inch the man that steadily returned her gaze.

‘Where do you want me, Doctor?’

If his back was gorgeous, his front was better!
Taking in his broad chest, her eyes dropped to his abdomen, following the trail of hair until it disappeared into the waistband of his jeans.

‘Doctor Shaw?’

Snapping back to attention, she realized he had spoken to her. She saw his knowing look and felt like she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. A quirky smile played on his lips as he asked again where she wanted him. Berating herself, she told him to sit on the bed. After assuring him she was not a groupie, the mere thought of touching him made her nervous.

Mischievous brown eyes twinkled at her as she crossed the room to stand over him. Resolving not to look him in the eye again, she asked him to take a deep breath as she placed the stethoscope on his chest. The contact of the cold metal caused him to flinch momentarily, making her jump in response.

‘Sorry, I forgot to warm it up.’ She laughed nervously, raising the disc to her mouth to breathe on it. His eyes followed her actions and she saw them spark briefly before she moved out of his line of vision. Placing the warmed disc back onto his skin, she found it was hard to hear much with her own blood pounding in her ears.

Bethany
moved again, asking him to turn to the side so she could listen through his back. She was mortified to see her hands shaking as she touched him again. Her eyes drifted to where his hands were braced on his thighs and she noted his long, thick fingers. Mouth going dry, she remembered what they said about guys with big hands and dropped the stethoscope all together. Ruben craned his head around to look at her.

Dropping to her knees to retrieve her equipment, she glanced up to find him looking down her blouse. Scrambling quickly to her feet, she straightened her jacket, shielding her body from his eyes, lest he spot the hardened nipples she could feel begging for attention.

‘All done?’ he asked, the lightness of his tone in direct opposition to the intensity of his gaze. He’d noticed all right.

‘Yes, thank God,’ she replied, realizing belatedly that she had spoken out loud. His look of surprise was replaced seconds later by a broad laugh.
Flushing furiously, she laughed herself. She really had to get a grip on her nerves.

‘Okay, Mr. Navarro, I just need to check your glands and then I think I am done,’ she said, determined to get the situation back under control. Her legs didn’t want to respond, but she forced them forward as she walked over to where he stood and placed her fingers at his throat.

‘Please, call me Ruben,’ he replied smoothly, looking down at her through slit eyes as she focused on the column of his neck. Her gaze flashed up to his briefly before she stood back, grateful to put some space between them.

‘Well then…Ruben, your chest sounds fine and your glands are not too swollen so I think you are over the worst of it. Are you performing tonight?’ He nodded. ‘In that case, I think I will give you a shot to help with the symptoms. That should get you through.’

The thought of touching him again unnerved her so she chatted mindlessly as she prepared. ‘My niece did nothing but talk about your concerts for the last month,’ she told him with a nervous laugh.

‘Is she coming tonight?’

‘No. Unfortunately she couldn’t get a ticket. It’s lucky for me actually as I promised I would take her and I did not relish the thought of a night in an arena full of screaming teenagers.’

‘There are all ages at my shows,’ he told her, voice slightly defensive. ‘If you like, I can certainly arrange a couple of tickets.’

Bethany
hesitated for a second. Her first response was to say no, but then she would have to spend the rest of her life making sure she never mentioned to Tyla that she had been in a room with Ruben Navarro and had refused free tickets. ‘Well, my niece was very disappointed,’ she pondered aloud.

‘Then that settles it! Come to the stage door tonight and I’ll make sure there are two tickets waiting for you.’ He turned away from her confident she would not refuse.

Watching him shrug his shirt on, she wondered at the sanity of spending any more time looking at this man.
It would be interesting to see that body in action though.
Flushing at her train of thought, she thanked him, avoiding his eyes and his outstretched hand and moved quickly towards the door.

Byron appeared from nowhere to open it for her, as if he had been waiting just out of sight. She barely had time to form the thought that he may have been eavesdropping on them, when he confirmed it by giving her a warm smile and saying he would see her at the concert. She smiled back, forgetting her earlier annoyance at the flamboyant little man.

Waiting until she knew she was out of earshot of the suite, she got out the cell phone from her bag. Tyla was never going to believe what had just happened.