Pressure (Valley Hospital Series Book 1) (6 page)

“What does this mean?” I trace my finger over the letters on Cole’s rib cage.

“
Nil nocere. Do no harm
. It’s part of the oath we take as doctors.” His lips are set in a serious line as my gaze falls to his mouth.

The dim light of his bedside table lamp illuminates his face in sharp shadows. His fingertips trace lines down my ribcage, along the curve of my hip, and back up again. The soft mattress beneath me, his touch… it’s next to impossible not to feel like this whole night is a dream, and at any moment I’m going to wake up. He’s lying on his side, me on mine, and we’re watching each other. It’s three in the morning and I have to be up and at work in six hours, but I don’t care. This night has been more than I ever thought possible.

“Is it what you expected?” My lips spill all my secret questions. I love Cole’s appreciation of my body. His need to make me feel every last bit of ecstasy he has to offer. He’s finally let go, and now I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to let go of him.

“I like being a doctor. It’s harder than I thought it would be. People can be… difficult.” My quiet laugh makes his brows narrow. “What?”

“I meant us… me… is it what you expected?” I draw a line down the slope of his nose and place it on his lips. “Don’t answer that needy girl question. It’s late, my strong independent woman went to sleep two hours ago, and needy Bailey can be very annoying.”

He wraps his hand around the nape of my neck and pulls me to his mouth. He kisses me gently and then pulls away. His eyes move back and forth as he searches mine. “None of this is in my plan. To be honest, Bailey, for the first time, I have no idea what’s coming next. And even though it scares the shit out of me, you make me want it, the unknown.”

“Well, shit. Good answer.” My mouth pulls into a closed lip, shy smile.

“Those dimples… Fuck, Bailey. Feeling like this, it’s different.” He rubs his thumb along my cheek.”

“Different. I can handle different.” My smile mirrors his.

“Why’s that?” he asks.

“I’m an only child. I’m good at handling all sorts of situations.” I laugh.

“It’s a lonely life being an only child.” He places a stray hair behind my ear.

“You too?” He nods, so I continue. “My parents were both doctors. My mom was too concerned with her practice, and my father was too concerned with sticking his dick in anything with tits. Lonely life indeed, Dr. Larkin.”

“My mom raised me on her own. My dad was too busy getting high.” His voice fades, and he closes his eyes. “It’s so crazy how it doesn’t matter how well off your parents are or how shitty your childhood is. Where you end up in the grand scheme of things, it’s up to you. My mother always told me to work hard… so I always have. Instead of living a shit life, I became a doctor.” He opens his eyes, and the brown seems lighter as he stares into mine.

“Can I be you when I grow up?” I giggle, and he rolls his eyes. “I’m serious, Cole. You’re amazing. You came from nothing, and now you’re a sexy ER doctor with a brain I plan to pick one day.”

He smiles and kisses me again, and this time, it’s so tender it makes my chest hurt. “I just work hard, Bailey, and so do you. Speaking of work, you should get some sleep. You’re starting at Valley tomorrow… big day.” His eyes widen.

I smack his shoulder, and he groans. “Don’t make fun. It’s huge, my first day as a nurse is a big deal.”

“It is, and I shouldn’t have kept you up so late.” He pulls the crisp white sheet over our bodies. The cool fabric is a relief on my overheated skin.

“I’d stay up late any night with you, Dr. Larkin. Especially if you do that thing you just did with your—”

He silences me with a deep kiss. I can still taste myself on his lips, and when he pulls away and licks his tongue along my bottom lip, I sigh. “I think if we don’t go to sleep now, I’ll need you to carry me into orientation.”

“Very sensible.” Cole leans over me and turns off the light.

“I’m glad you stayed.” His voice sounds louder in the darkness.

“Me too.” I don’t really know what else to say. The feelings I have for Cole are growing and the more we physically connect, the more he gives himself over to me. I never thought I’d crave that, another person’s control, but I do. Watching his disciplined little puzzle pieces scatter is addictive. When Cole lets go, when all that steadied thought fades, he's stunning. The way he takes me like I’m his last escape, seeing him reach that ultimate climax, feeling every muscle in his body tighten along my skin, it’s sexy… beautiful… unbearable.

I inhale a deep breath and roll to my other side. He aligns his body along mine and rests his arm on my hip, his hand settling on my outer thigh.

Nothing more is said, and as his breathing becomes deeper, mine does as well. Feeding off each other seems to just be our way.

I seriously can’t keep my eyes open. The hospital’s head administrator is talking to me and the other new hires about the importance of cost, compliance, patient health information, and privacy.

Blah. Blah, fucking blah… yawn fest.

Fuck my life.

That’s the only part of healthcare I hate. I hate the red tape, the politics; I just want to help people.

My phone vibrates in my pocket jolting me to fully awake status. I ease it from my pocket and chance a peak.

Cole:
Pay attention.

I look around, and he’s sitting in one of the chairs in the front of the room.

Me:
Stalker.

I can’t hide my smile.

Cole:
No, I’m speaking for the Chief of Medicine. Just found out twenty minutes ago. He had another meeting at Valley West today.

The man speaking catches my attention when he introduces none other than Dr. Larkin.
Holy shit.
Cole stands and looks ridiculously handsome in his dark slacks, charcoal button down, and black tie. Effortlessly, absolutely effortlessly attractive. I left him this morning with a raging hard on. I giggle to myself at the thought. He wanted a little pre-breakfast sex, but I said nope, no way. I couldn’t be late, and I needed to recover from the three times we had sex last night. The man is insatiable. It was hard—pun intended—to leave him like that. But, today is an important day, and I had to get home and get ready in order to be on time. Seeing him now, though, I’m thinking I could’ve been a little late.

He steps up to the podium and introduces himself, his deep voice is thick, and it makes the ache between my legs almost intolerable. He apologizes for the absence of Dr. Boggs, who, I’m assuming, is the Chief of Medicine, and continues the whole discussion on compliance. Oh dear God, thank hell he’s hot. Otherwise, I’d be sleeping right now. The importance of proper narcotics use is his primary focus, and the longer he talks, the more he falls into Dr. Control mode. His posture is tall and stiff, his jaw a severe line as he addresses the room. I have an urge to run down to the front of the room, right to him, and pop his top three buttons, mess up his hair, and scatter the papers—most likely his well-organized speech—to the ground.

His speech fades, and all I can hear is the voice from last night—his voice—telling me how much I make him crazy, how being inside me is everything. The deep growl telling me to come, calling out my name, telling me how good I taste. The room suddenly feels too warm, and I have to cross my legs in order to relieve the pressure the memory is causing.

“Ms. Evans?” My name formally falls from his lips, and I blush.

“Umm, yes?”

Shit!
Did he ask me a question?

He looks down at his paperwork and back up at me, a slight twitch in his lip showing that he’s struggling not to smile. Ten sets of eyes turn and look at me, and I suddenly hate Dr. Cole Larkin. “You’re next.”

Next… next for what? Damn it, Bailey, you need to pay attention. I gulp.

“I’ve asked the room to think of a question in regards to their specific department.” His smile is small, but I can tell he’s getting off on making me squirm, most likely payback for leaving him hanging this morning.

Asshole. Sexy as hell, but an asshole nonetheless.

“About compliance?” My voice is too high pitch, and I hate myself.

“I do believe that’s what we’ve been discussing, Ms. Evans.”

The room breaks out into quiet laughter, and I smile, too. “Sorry, long night, I’m not quite awake yet.” The room fills with laughter again, and I clear my throat. His dark eyes lock on mine, my comment causing his professional veneer to waver. I have to look away as I speak. “I think patient health information is the biggest risk related to the mother-newborn population, sir. It’s easy to slip up and release information to family and friends.”

He pulls at the knot in his tie and the muscle in his jaw clenches. “Very true, good point, Ms. Evans.” He nods his head at me, and I give him a knowing grin. “Mr. Billings, what do you have to add?” He moves on to the person sitting next to me, and I release a long breath. It’s just more proof that he gets me too crazy. I’m too distracted. I need to focus. I can’t let a man make me stupid. Cole is different, and like I said last night, I can handle different. But my feelings were starting to form into scary syllables. I need him more than I think I should, and I like him way past the point of sane.

My phone vibrates again, and I notice Cole is no longer in the room.

Cole:
I couldn’t even hold your attention… I’m hurt.

Me:
I was too busy thinking about last night.

Cole:
Stay with me again?

And there it is… that need… that obsessive feeling he gives me, it bubbles to the surface as I decide on my answer. I want to stay, but I’m scared. Doesn’t this have disaster written all over it? I can almost sense his touch along my skin, and if I close my eyes, I know I’ll see his face. I think we’ve both passed that threshold of self-preservation.

Me:
I’d like that. I’ll run home first, grab some things.

Cole:
I’ll get dinner.

Me:
Sounds like a date.

Cole:
Pay attention.

Me:
Yes, sir.