Stupid fucking egotistical, smartass, bottle blonde, petty-ass, cunt bitch! I say to myself. You’re in a room full of people, Claire, remember you’re here for a reason.
“Absolutely, Dr. Sams. Thank you for that tip.” My gratitude comes out surly, and a few soft snickers sound around me. Dr. Sams narrows her beady brown eyes and glares.
“Nurse Dixon,” she spits my name with venom and disgust, “I’d appreciate you showing a little more competence.”
Bitch!
I clench my teeth and give a small nod, sidestepping the nurse to my left to stand in the back of the group. The poor child in the hospital bed looks uncomfortably at me. I shoot her a small grin, trying to calm her anxiety, and a bit of my anger disappears when her thin lips tip to one side.
The last four days have been incredible. Training has been exciting, group exercises have been intense, and patient visits have been educational. Our rounds with the doctors have gone smoothly, until today.
Since the moment I walked into the training room this morning, I’ve had a huge target on my back, but not the kind of target Mathis warned me about. This was the kind of target of the worst kind—the green-eyed monster of jealousy.
I spied it on the first day. Mathis and I walked into the welcome breakfast, and this woman was at his side in an instant. She stepped in between us, dismissing me without a glance, and immediately set in on purring her greeting to him. Her voice was grating, dripping with intent, and she embraced him much too affectionately for my liking. My mouth dropped, and before I could say anything, Mathis shot me a look that said “keep your cool” as he disengaged from her. I snapped my mouth and waited for him to introduce me. Before he could, the head of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology with Dana Farber’s Children’s Cancer Center stepped up to the microphone to start our day.
This woman reached for his elbow, explaining the doctors were on the other side of the room, and tried to guide him that way. He ignored her, came to me, and gently ran his hand down my cheek to cup my chin before telling me to have a good day. It was an intimate gesture, and when he turned away, I couldn’t miss her revulsion.
I found out later when the doctors were introduced her name is Dr. Sams, and she’s a specialist in therapeutic radiology.
I’d lasted all week without being in her presence again until this morning. All day, she’s made me the object of her ridicule. Every question I answer is wrong, every explanation of theory is poorly hypothesized, and now she’s informed me my methods of prepping a patient for radiation are sloppy.
Just a bit longer and I will be free of her forever. I make a mental note to check the physician roster if ever invited to attend another seminar.
A male nurse I’ve partnered with most of the week, Pat, reaches over and taps my arm in encouragement, telling me he hasn’t missed the treatment she’s been throwing my way. I fidget with my braid to have something to do, so I don’t shoot fire lasers at her.
I sigh in relief when the patient’s doctor comes in, and Mathis is close behind. We meet eyes briefly, and his mouth forms a tight line. I dart my eyes to Dr. Sams, and he jerks his chin in understanding.
Finally, my day has a bright side as I get to watch Mathis in action. And I’m not the only one who thinks so. Dr. Sams is ogling him, her eyes glued to him as she hangs on every word he says. It may be my imagination, but I swear there’s a dribble of drool leaking out of the side of her mouth. My stomach coils. It’s not unusual for people to gawk at Mathis; hell, I find it comical that most of my own department has a crush on him. But with her, it’s nauseating. Thoughts of unleashing my inner bitch on Dr. Sams evaporate when I catch the young girl’s face light up after Mathis calls her a beauty.
It takes all I can do not to clap when we’re released for the day. I shuffle out with the rest of my team and feel the slightest brush across my butt. Mathis catches my eye and winks. With just this small gesture, the irritation vanishes. I veer in the direction of the training room to get my things and strut away.
The room is buzzing when I arrive, the chatter of excitement about tonight’s dinner event. It’s a large soiree as a celebration to end the week.
“Hotel bar at six, woman. We’re doing a little pre-partying before being stuck with the lab coats,” Pat informs me.
“I’m there; although, some of the lab coats aren’t that bad.”
“Oh, that woman had it out for you today. I hope to fuck she’s nowhere near my table tonight.” He doesn’t lower his voice, and a few people murmur their agreement.
“Let’s get an Uber and get out of here,” I suggest.
A few of us pile into a van, and on the way, my phone vibrates with a message.
Dr. Delicious— I’m going to be delayed at least an hour, maybe more. Meet you in the room after while. There’s a surprise waiting at the concierge desk. Get it, enjoy it, and know how proud I am of you.
Mathis has no idea I changed his contact name to Dr. Delicious, and I inwardly giggle every time it pops up.
At the hotel, I break away from the group, promising to meet at six, and head to concierge. The woman greets me warmly and hands me an envelope explaining I’ve been booked at the spa.
When I get to the room, my phone rings, and Brinley’s face fills the screen. “Hey, Biz.” I plop down on the sofa.
“You done?”
“Yes, thank goodness. Today was grueling. Mathis has an admirer that was my lead today. She wasn’t too friendly.”
“Bitch?”
“Beyond bitch, she sky-rocked to uber-cunt territory in the first hour.”
“Oh, that’s the worst of the worst.”
“Yep, and the funny thing is I was completely prepared to deal with attitudes and competitiveness from my peers, but I lucked out with a great group. It was the doctor who made me want to bitch slap her smug face.”
She bursts into laughter. “All in all, this week was a good experience?”
“Outside of Dr. Sams, the absolute best. Mathis and I haven’t spent much time together; our obligations have taken us in different directions. One night, he did evening rounds and didn’t get into bed until three a.m. It’s been wild but awesome. I can’t wait to tell you all about it.”
“I have some time now.”
“I don’t, Mathis surprised me with an afternoon at the spa. I need to get ready.”
“I’m jealous. I’d love an afternoon at a spa with you.”
“Well, it’s really for him, too. His night will get very lucky if I’m relaxed and in a happy mood.”
“Gotcha there.”
“How are the kids?” I change the subject.
“Brinley’s first tooth broke through. Shaw thinks she’s growing too fast and is convinced it’s time to try for another baby. Brayden has a new obsession with dogs, so Shaw thinks we need a puppy. Basically, I’m trying to reel in my insane husband.”
“Tell him, if he gets a puppy, that’s one more distraction from sex and your newfound fascination with deep-throating.”
She cackles through the line, and I picture her blue-grey eyes sparkling. “Perfect! I’ll do that tonight.”
“Anything else happening at home?”
She pauses for a beat too long. “Actually, there is something.”
“What?” I tense at her tone.
“Brinley and I had an outing today. I met Nick and Grace at the hospital after her OB appointment, which by the way, she’s still holding out on finding the sex. But anyway, we did an impromptu visit upstairs.”
“I bet that thrilled the kids.”
“It did, but I couldn’t shake the vibe on the floor. Evie wouldn’t say anything, but her face was masked with worry and exhaustion. She took Brinley and bolted back to her office and left me to hang around. I saw a few kids and then went to the break room while Grace and Nick did their thing. That’s where it gets funny.”
“Funny like ha-ha funny, or funny like weird funny?”
“Eerie, sad, depressing funny. Tammy and Linda were in a deep conversation and didn’t notice me come in. I heard bits and pieces. Tammy slept with some new guy who totally ditched her the next day. She was pissed and hurt. Then Lora came in, and they stopped talking, but when Tammy saw Lora, her eyes welled up with tears. I felt odd and tried to back away, but it was like a train wreck. Lora must have clued in immediately, knowing what was going on, because she gave Tammy a hug and there was a lot of rambling about being stupid and falling for this guy’s charm. I was piecing it all together when the phrase ‘stupid assholes with one-night stands’ came out, and they all froze and turned to me. Everyone knows about Shaw and Sasha, but it’s never mentioned. I’ve never felt so awkward before in my life. I retreated quickly, practically running to Evie’s office to get Brinley.”
“Fucking Clint,” I assume, my blood pressure rising. “I haven’t told you about him, but he’s the newest dick to hit our department.”
“You don’t have to tell me much. I had the displeasure of meeting him. When Brinley and I returned to the rec room, Grace was talking to a guy I didn’t recognize. He was nice, extremely good-looking, and suave. But when Grace reached for Brinley, his eyes did a sweep over me. Actually, that’s not true, they slithered over me like a snake. Who is this guy?”
“You nailed it, he’s a snake. Some sort of intern who is obviously fucking his way through the department. I can’t figure it out. He’s got some kind of pull with administration and is getting huge privileges I’ve never seen before. From what I gather, he’s now slept with both Lora and Tammy, dismissing them without regard. If you think Evie looked worried, my guess is she knows he’s banging her staff one by one.”
“It’s not technically against the rules, but it’s highly unethical.”
I stop myself from sharing my encounter in the supply room with her. I haven’t told Mathis for a reason, and if Bizzy knows, there’s a good chance Shaw will know, which starts the avalanche.
“Did anything else happen?”
“No, he didn’t even blink when Nick came to join us. He shook his hand then excused himself to go find Dr. Cross.”
“I’ll try to talk to Evie when I get back, but it’s none of my business. From what I can tell, these women are willing participants.”
“Yeah, but stay away from him, Claire. He seems fucking dirty.”
“You don’t have to worry; I can handle myself.”
“Okay, go enjoy your spa afternoon and getting ready for your big night. Tell Mathis we said hi and, hopefully, he’s not too irritated with Grace and me.”
“He didn’t care, Bizzy, and I think it’s hilarious.” When Mathis told me about Shaw and Nick’s interrogation, I wasn’t a bit surprised.
“Okay, call me when you get home. We miss you.”
I say my goodbye, hang up, and immediately text Shaw that Bizzy needs a spa day with full-service treatment. I highly recommend he include Grace and me.
I’m on my way to the elevator when I receive his reply.
Shaw— Done.
I truly love the Bennett brothers.
“Babe, you sure you won’t join me?” Mathis holds the shower door open, naked and waiting.
“The offer is tempting, but you paid a lot of money for this.” I wave my hand around my head, indicating my hair and make-up.
“Worth every penny.”
I strut out of the bathroom, adding a little sway, and smile to myself when he groans.
My afternoon at the spa included a ninety-minute massage and then a complete makeover. The stylist did a great job on my hair, but she went all out on my make-up. My smoky eyes are lined in a deep blue that makes them stand out with deep crimson on my lips. If I tried this at home, I’d look like a streetwalker, but she had a knack for colors and somehow made it work.
He breezed in the door, took one look at me, and prowled. I had to run around the hotel suite to avoid getting tackled, and in the end, I promised quite a few sexual favors.
I lay out my dress and shoes, putting on my jewelry when there’s a knock at the door.
“Sweetie, are you expecting a delivery?” I poke my head into the bathroom, and he opens the door shaking his head.
“Someone is knocking.”
“Ignore it, you can’t answer it in that.” He sweeps his eyes over my short robe.
“Okay.”
I go back to getting ready, and the knocking continues. I tiptoe to the door, peeking through the hole, and my blood runs hot. “For fuck’s sake.” I make a snap-second decision and fling it open.
Dr. Sams is standing there with her fist raised to knock again, and when she sees me, her face immediately transforms into a scowl. “What the hell are you doing here?” she spews.
“This is my suite,” I reply, taking her in. She’s wearing an attractive burgundy wrap-around dress with bell sleeves and a cropped hemline. Her gold strappy sandals are from this year’s Louboutin collection, and I recognize them from Grace’s closet. It’s an awesome outfit. If she wasn’t such a bitch, I’d compliment her.
“This is Dr. Bennett’s suite, Nurse Dixon.” She thinks she’s correcting me but has no idea that outside of those hospital walls, all bets are off.
“Seeing as Mathis and I live together, this is our suite, Dr. Sams.” I replicate her tone, propping my hand on my hip.
“You really are a piece of work.”
“Can I help you?” I try to rein in my inner bitch.
“I came to see Mathis.” She shifts slightly, the top of the dress gapping, and I can’t miss she’s not wearing a bra.
“Obviously, but he’s busy.”
“If you tell him I’m here, I’m sure he’ll want to talk to me.”
“Talk to you? Aren’t we all going to be at the same dinner tonight?”
She can’t respond because Mathis’s voice comes from behind me, and her eyes shoot over my shoulder. “Babe, what are you doing?” I swing my head back and see he’s got a towel around his waist, beads of water on his abs, and his hair dripping.
Doctor. Fucking. Delicious.
“Dealing with the nuisance at the door,” I answer and watch as he raises his eyes and goes solid.
“Charlene, what are you doing here?”
I snap my head and find her mouth parted, her eyes dilated, and recognize the lust building in them. She stands in her trance until I clear my throat loudly.
She lifts a foot to step forward, and I push the door to block her.
“I came to speak to you, Mathis. If you’d tell this woman to step aside, I’d like a few minutes.”
“Now’s not a good time. Claire and I need to get ready,” he responds.
“This is important. It’s also highly confidential.” She directs her statement at me.
“As I mentioned, now is not a good time.”
“Perhaps Nurse Dixon could find somewhere else to be and leave us.”
“Are you fucking joking?” I sneer at her then toss my head over my shoulder to Mathis. “This nuisance just became a pain in my ass, and it’s pissing me off. Does she think she’s fooling anyone showing up here, unannounced, uninvited, and seriously fucking unwelcome? She may be a highly accredited doctor, but that’s the extent of her brains. Her intentions are as obvious as her shitty bleached hair and fake tits. What’s even more pathetic is she thinks she has a shot with you. Please tell me you haven’t fucked this woman before.”
His lips twitch and he sucks his bottom one between his teeth, shaking his head. “No, I didn’t sleep with Charlene.”
“Well, that’s a relief because she’s totally ruining my relaxed Zen. I need you to go back to the bedroom where she can’t stand here lusting over your ridiculously hot body to fantasize about.”
He doesn’t move, but I turn my attention back to Charlene and find her face pale but her glare scorching.
“I tried to be civil, but you tipped that scale. Now, I’ll repeat what Mathis was politely saying. Now is not a good time. If you want to talk to him, we’ll be at dinner after having drinks with the rest of the nurses.”
She winces as if the thought of hanging with the nurses is abhorrent.
“Claire, I think it’s time you shut the door.” Mathis’s arm slinks around my waist, pulling me to him.
Her eyes drop to where he’s holding me, and she straightens her shoulders, raises her chin and looks directly at him. “I’m conducting a new study with an immuno-therapy radiation therapy cross. You’d be an asset to my research.”
“Can I do this from Miami?”
“Somewhat, but I’d expect you to come to my office in Cleveland often. We’d be working together closely.”
Oh, hell no!
My body goes rock solid, and his hand goes to mine where it’s holding the door. He stops me from slamming it in her face.
“I appreciate your confidence in me, but that’s not going to work. My commitments in Miami are heavy right now.”
“I could possibly make arrangements to come to Miami for an extended period of time.”
What is it with this woman? She’s making a fool out of herself, the desperation pouring out.
“We can talk about it later, Charlene, if you’d like to leave the offer on the table.”
A spark of hope twinkles in her eyes and she grins. “I’ll make arrangements to come to Miami next month. We can discuss it further—alone.”
I am going to explode!
“When I say my commitments are heavy, I should say that I won’t be adding any additional work until after our wedding.”
My already rock-solid body turns to steel, and the breath leaves my lungs. My surprise is nothing compared to hers. She rocks backward on her thin heels, horror written all over her features. That spark of hope from earlier dies painfully, and I almost feel sorry for her.
She regains her composure and steadies herself upright. “I see,” she barely whispers. “I’ll take that as a decline.”
“Probably a good idea. Now, Claire and I need to get ready.”
She nods, realization setting in, and turns to leave without another word.
Mathis closes the door, and I finally find my breath, sinking into him. Before I can say anything, he spins me, pressing me into the door, and slams his mouth to mine. His hands go to the tie on my robe and rip it open, yanking it off.
“Does it make me a bastard that I find your jealousy hot? My dick has been hard since you sliced your eyes to me the instant I hit the room,” he growls into my mouth.
“She’s relentless.”
“Always has been.”
“I hope she steers clear of me tonight. After a few martinis, I can’t be held responsible.”
“After a few martinis, your ass is mine for the next two days.”
His hand slides down my back, over my butt, to the back of my thighs, and he jerks me up. My legs automatically circle his waist and feel the heat of his skin, the towel gone. His thick cock rubs against me and thoughts of Charlene Sams all but vanish.
My tongue curls around his, and I clutch his shoulders, deepening the kiss. He moans in my mouth, swiveling his hips and rocking into me. My lungs burn, but I don’t break away, meeting him stroke for stroke until I grow dizzy. Then my mind comes back to life and I tear away.
“Mathis, wait, you gave up a great opportunity. And you did it with a lie.”
“I didn’t lie.” He grunts, shifting my legs.
“I may not like the wench, but this could be a chance of a lifetime.”
“I didn’t lie,” he repeats. “I’m not taking on any additional work until after our wedding and honeymoon.”
“Wedding?” I prompt.
“Wedding.”
“Are you proposing to me as you try to fuck me against a door?”
“I’m not trying to fuck you against the door. I am fucking you against the door. Then we’ll move to the bed where I’ll take my time showing you exactly how much I enjoyed that. And, baby, let me lay it out right now. My brothers got it wrong; they asked their wives to marry them. To me, it’s not a yes or no question.”
Technically, Shaw didn’t ask Bizzy, but I refrain from pointing that out.
His voice is gruff, and his eyes are intent. A thrill shoots through me, everything from my head to my toes tingling. I communicate this by sliding my hands to his neck and bringing his mouth to mine. My tongue traces his lips before slipping inside. All earlier thoughts of my hair and make up fly from my mind, and a deep searing sense of need races through my veins.
He breaks away first, our chests heaving as he hitches me up. “Please tell me you’re ready for me.”
“Always,” I assure him, and he positions himself and slides easily into me.
“Jesus, fuck, you feel good. So tight, so hot.”
I close my eyes and throw my head back, knocking it on the door loudly, and moaning in pleasure. He drives into me, his lips moving along my neck, throat, and shoulder. His teeth sink into the skin below my collarbone, which ignites a sense of urgency, and I press my hips down greedily.
“Yes,” I sigh as his cock hits the perfect spot, sending a shiver up and down my spine.
His hands clutch my ass harder, anchoring me to him. Heat and hunger fill the air around us. His mouth continues to roam, the warmth of his breath growing heavy. I slant my face to the side to kiss him, slowly opening my eyes. A flash of something catches my attention, and I glimpse over his shoulder. Even with the lights on, the image of us reflects off the windows back at me.
His hard, naked form is perfection. My arms around his shoulders, ankles locked tight around his waist. His towel and my robe puddled at our feet. Every one of his muscles defined and rippled as he pounds into me.
Powerful. Strong. Commanding.
My breath hitches at the image, a surge of desire rushes through my blood. As if on instinct, his head lifts to mine, blocking my view. Our eyes lock and he reads my thoughts, glancing over his shoulder and back to me. “Enjoying the show?”
“So fucking hot,” I repeat his words from earlier.
“Voyeuristic.” He withdraws and slams back into me, his mouth going to my ear. “Hold on, baby.”
I barely have time to tighten my limbs when he drives harder, faster, and deeper. The tip of his tongue trails along my earlobe, his soft stubble scraping my jaw. Sparks of need electrify in my system, and my hips heave forward, crashing into his. I’m mesmerized by the wickedly erotic and sensual scene playing out, unable to look away. The rhythm becomes frantic as a wave of ecstasy washes over me so hard I shatter, crying out his name. It’s too much, watching myself fly apart, and my eyes drift closed. The image replays over and over in my mind as the orgasm takes over.
My muscles strain to hold on, but it’s useless, and I go limp, dropping my head to his shoulder. My mind floats in and out of coherency, small tremors zinging through me. His movements slow, and before I can come back to reality, my back hits the soft coolness of the silk bedding. I’m barely lucid when he starts to slide in and out again.
The urgency from earlier is now gone as he moves gently inside. My eyes flutter open, expecting to find his molten blue gazing at me. Instead, he’s staring forward. I arc my head backward and my stomach spasms. The muscular plane of his shoulders, chest, and abdomen are now on display as his body hovers over mine.
“It’s my turn to enjoy the show,” he explains.
“Have at it.” I run my hands up his arms and link them behind his neck, bringing his attention to me. “Maybe this time you can join in the finale.”
His cocky smile sets my insides simmering again, this time slow and low, making its way through my system. He licks his lips, glancing to the window and back to me. “You think you can help me with that?”
“I’m re-energized for round two.” My hips rock, proving my point. “I think you mentioned something about taking your time and showing me…”