Pressure (Valley Hospital Series Book 1) (3 page)

She walks away without another word. My chest fills with guilt, with shame.

What the fuck did I just do?

I walk through the door looking down the hall. She’s gone. I drop my head and take a deep breath. The war in my mind rages. My body wants me to seek her out, to finish what we started. My heart rattles heavy in my chest, and my cock is painfully hard. My brain, the one organ I should listen to, is telling me to walk away and to wake the fuck up. But then I feel her mouth on mine, I lick her cinnamon taste from my lips, and my mind loses its battle. Grabbing her chart from the door, I flip through the pages until I find the demographics sheet. Her address, her phone number, everything I need to get what I want is right here in front of me.

I place the chart on the counter and pull my phone from my pocket adding her number to my contacts. It takes me over an hour and a half to finish up the documentation I need to do before I can leave for the day. I try and race through my dictation of her suture removal, my last piece of work, only to keep stumbling as I remember the slick feel of her need on my thumb. Once I'm in my car, the music plays quietly from my stereo as I tap out a text. I hope I haven’t fucked this up beyond repair. Bailey Evans is too tempting, and my rationale is if I just have her once, I can take what I want and move on, I’ll be okay.

Me:
Can we start over? Cole

The scorching heat of his hands lingers against my thighs as I drive back to my apartment. The way his brown eyes watched me, it was as if he thought I’d disappear before him. When he walked into that exam room, his tall, broad, impressively strong frame ate up the space like he owned it. He’s more than handsome. Drunk Bailey needs to get her memories straight. She cheated me out of serious man candy for a week. But, it doesn’t matter how gorgeous he is, or that his upper lip is just the right amount of full, or that he tasted like peppermint, or that his five o’clock shadow burned me in the best of ways… nope, not at all, because he’s a giant prick.

Never date a doctor. My father’s infidelities taught me that. Never ever date, make-out with, or enjoy making out with a doctor, let alone one you will be working in the same building with. That’s a whole lot of levels of crazy. At first, I thought I imagined it, but he
had
been flirting with me. When his bare fingertips touched my skin, I thought I was losing my mind, and the feeling of his skin on mine felt too incredible. Men always go for Trace; she’s the hot one. She’s the one who has seductive interludes in back alleys, not me. Dry humping strange men isn’t really my thing. Luckily, my drive home isn’t too long, and I can promptly get started on the bottle of wine I’m going to need in order to forget what it felt like to kiss Dr. Cole Larkin.

I grab my bag and fish my keys from the inner depths. I inwardly cringe as I have a flashback of me shamelessly grinding my hips against his.
Oh hell, Bailey.
I shake my head as I turn the key in the door. The smell of autumn hits me, and I smile. The apple pie scented candle I have sitting on the electric candle warmer fills my apartment with what a home should smell like. I place my bag and keys on the sideboard table and slip off my gray chucks. My place finally feels like a home should.

I don’t have much. I have my stereo, my bed, my coffee colored oversized sofa, my small flat screen television, my half-moon dinette, and my bookshelf. I have three floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled with all my favorites. It’s sort of obnoxious compared to the rest of my decorations, but I don’t care… reading is life. I grab the remote to my stereo from the breakfast bar and turn it on. Lana Del Ray plays quietly, and I let out a long sigh. I shouldn’t be this despondent over some guy I just met. But that kiss… his mouth demanded mine. His large hands practically wrapped around my entire waist. I’d never felt so desired, so utterly taken. I close my eyes and try to remember that slight smell of cologne. His aftershave still remains on my skin, my lips. I bring my hand to my mouth; the sting of his scruff is still there.

“Why did he have to say it was a mistake?” I speak aloud to no one. Talking to myself like a freak. A giggle bubbles from my lips, but then my eyes start to fill with tears and, for some stupid reason, I’m crying. I’m standing in the middle of my apartment, listening to sad music, crying like a spinster cat lady.
No way.

I wipe at my tears and switch the playlist to something more upbeat and crank up the volume. I lay the remote on the counter and decide on a shower. That’s exactly what I will do. I’ll wash myself clean of Dr. Larkin, and after that, I’d do what I do best. Dinner, Austen, and red wine.
Fuck it.

Cleaning up a dinner for one doesn’t take very long, and now the events of the day are starting to set in. Maybe he was right? I’m just starting at Valley, the last thing I need is a complicated affair with a doctor. Who knows? He could be married, have a girlfriend… the asshat probably has a wife and three kids. I didn’t notice a ring, but that never stopped my dad. I clear the lump from my throat. My dad’s infidelities always seemed to dictate my romantic life. I never trusted a guy for more than a few dates. The minute things started to get serious I bowed out respectfully. I never wanted to be like my mom. Cold and bitter. It’s better to cut your losses before you get hurt. It sucks to be only twenty-three with this kind of attitude, but I’ve never really been interested in boyfriends for most my life. I didn’t need anyone but me.

I place the last dish on the drying rack and dry my hands. My phone nearly vibrates off the counter, and I drop the towel in order to catch it.

Opening the lock screen, my chest tightens.

Unknown:
Can we start over? Cole

The smart girl, the girl who had a 3.8 GPA, says
hell no
. No… no… no. But, didn’t I get my own place, start my own life so I could live it, and have an adventure? Saying “yes” didn’t mean I couldn’t say “no” eventually… like always.

Me:
Maybe.

His response is immediate, and I smile.

Cole:
I can work with maybe.

I type back quickly before I lose my nerve.

Me:
I bet you can. ;)

A winky face, Bailey?
Quit trying so hard.

Cole:
Can I take you to dinner?

Me:
Are you married? Girlfriend?

Cole:
No… Why? Are you?

Me:
I might have already had a hot dinner date.

I smirk and chew nervously at my bottom lip, waiting for his response.

Cole:
That’s too bad.

Me:
Why’s that?

His next response is fast and makes my cheeks burn all the way up to my ear lobes.

Cole:
I’m sure he didn’t get you as wet as I did today.

Cole:
Let me take you for a drink?

I look over at my almost empty bottle of wine. I’m standing here in Valley University boxers and my old Utah Jazz T-shirt.

Me:
Not tonight.

Cole:
Too late.

Too late? Is he asking if it’s too late, or telling me it’s now or never?
Shit.
I don’t know how to respond. Just as I’m about to type a text, a loud knock on my door almost makes me drop my phone. My stomach flips and my heart goes full speed ahead as I walk to the front door. It could just be Trace; she drops by all the time. But I have a feeling… that when I open this door, tall, dark, and tempting will be standing there.

The cold metal of the doorknob does nothing to cool my overheated skin as I turn and open the door.

“Hi.”

It’s just a word, but in Cole’s deep timbre, it’s perfection. An easy grin turns his mouth into a boyish lopsided smile.

“It’s incredibly creepy that you’re standing here right now.” I didn’t really mind. His fitted dark blue jeans look as if he’s pressed them. His chest fills out the dark blue button down he has on. The sleeves are rolled up displaying his muscular forearms. He’s so perfectly put together that I want to mess up his hair, pop a button or two, and wrinkle his shirt.

He’s making me feel like a lunatic.

“I needed to see you, Bailey… tell you I’m sorry for being a dick.” His deep brown eyes find mine. The way his dark hair falls against his furrowed brow makes him that much more attractive. The width of his shoulders fill my doorway, and his five o’clock shadow draws my attention to his strong jaw, giving him a more mature look, but then his lips break into this dimpled smile, and I can’t help but cave.

“Come on in.” I step to the side and allow him to enter.

The sound of acoustic guitars fills the room. My music is still playing, and I move to the kitchen to grab the remote.

“Sorry, let me turn this down.”

“It’s okay, I like it.” He smiles at me, and for a moment his confidence falters. “I suddenly feel foolish for coming here. I mean, I don’t even know you.”

“You don’t… but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.” I give him my best flirty smile. It’s true, not knowing anything about another person, not having to deal with their baggage—it can be nice. “What’s to know? I obviously have the best taste in apparel.” My hand gestures to my shirt and boxers. His laugh is hearty, and it makes me smile.

“A girl who likes sports—”

“Is sexy as hell, right?” I bite the side of my lip and smirk. His eyes leisurely scan down my body, and I feel heat bloom across my chest and face.

“I’m sorry. Sorry, I acted—”

“Like an asshole? Comes with the degree in medicine, I think.” The smart-ass remark drops from my mouth before I can stop it. The humor on his lips disappears, and his eyes lock with mine.

“You’re right, I’m an asshole. One, because I shouldn’t even be here, and two… because I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since that first night. And after today, after I actually got a taste… I’d been an idiot to let you go. I tried… tried to not think about the way you make me want things I shouldn’t. But, I’ve never had such a physical pull like this… ever. This isn’t like me. I don’t let things—women—get under my skin. I’m going crazy.” Those dark eyes pierce mine, and I don’t, for once, have anything to say. He takes a few strides toward me, and I back against the wall. “You taste too fucking good, feel too goddamn amazing. Tell me no. Tell me to leave. Tell me I’m wrong.”

His strong arms cage me against the kitchen wall, his delicious scent fills my nostrils, and the heat that’s pouring from his body makes me want to say yes, tell him to stay, tell him there’s no way this isn’t right. “I can’t.”

He drops his forehead to mine and whispers, “Please.”

“I can’t, Cole. I want this… you.”

It was irrational, borderline bonkers, but, what he just said, I’ve never had anyone want me like that. When he kissed me today, it was the most passionate kiss I’d ever experienced, and I’m not ready to throw that away just yet. I frame his face with my palms, and he gradually brings his mouth to mine. He groans as his lips taste me. The kiss is soft at first, but then his hands are at my waist, his lips bruising mine as he pulls me closer. He nips at my neck, his hands slipping under my shirt. I hadn’t put on a bra after the shower, and instead of feeling nervous I go with it.

I lift my shirt over my head, and the cool air against my skin causes goose bumps to explode across my arms and chest. Cole’s mouth meets my lips in a frantic collision. His hand cups my breast, and as he pulls his thumb across the sensitive nipple, I moan into his mouth. His free hand skates under the band of my boxers. He yanks them down hard enough that he’s able to remove them in one rough motion.