Doctor Love: A Medical Romance Series (Medical Heart Throb Series)

by Andrea L. Smith

  Well, I’ll find out soon enough. The next time he comes to visit, I’ll put him to the test.

  But the day never came. Dylan stopped coming around.

  “Where’s Dylan, daddy?” she casually asked Mateo months later during dinner. “It’s been a while since he stopped by.”

  Mateo frowned and gave her a long stare before replying. “Since when are you interested in Dylan’s whereabouts? You’re not friends.”

  “Do I have to be his friend to ask about him? Sheesh, daddy.”

  “He’s busy running a business. Grown folk’s stuff.” He rose and gave her a grin before ruffling her hair. “Someday you’ll understand.”

  “I’m not a child. I’m—”

  “Twenty-four years old. Yeah, yeah. Still a kid.”

  She pushed her chair backwards and followed him. “You started your own company at twenty-four, dad. You weren’t a kid.”

  Mateo paused and turned to her. “Fine. You’re a woman. You look so much like your mother; may she rest in peace. But you will always be my baby girl.”

  “I know, daddy.” She accepted his kiss on her cheek.

  But there lies the problem…

  As long as he still saw her as a baby who needed protection, her dating life could not exist. Mateo put the fear of god in any man who showed even a remote interest in her. It had been ages since she’d been asked out on a date. The time had come for her to stand up to him. After all, she wasn’t getting any younger.

  As she watched him walk away a thought occurred; what if he was the reason Dylan kept his distance? Was there a chance he shared the same feelings she did?

  ***

  Looking at Dylan now at his desk, his nonchalant expression washing over her, it did not seem likely. There was no man alive with enough skill to hide his attraction, not with the outfit she wore. If there was any in existence, she would have seen it in his eyes. Her stomach dropped to earth with a bang. Yeah, he’s not into me.

  But why not?

  “Carina.”

  She briefly closed her eyes at the sound of his voice, the low, rasping tone that would make any woman instantly wet. “Sorry,” she said, opening her eyes once more. “I have a lot on my mind.”

  “Why are you here?”

  His sharp response was like a slap to her face. It was more than clear now that he did not want her around. But why did he agree to hire her?

  “Uh… I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by. I haven’t seen you in a while, so…

  Her voice trailed and she gave him what she hoped was an alluring smile. But his blank stare prevailed. She cleared her throat. “Also, I wanted to get familiar with my new workspace, ease the nerves a bit…”

  After completing her master’s degree a month ago, she dodged Mateo’s plans for her in his real estate company, opting to work for Dylan instead. Mateo did not take her decision well, not at first, but he soon complied and reached out to Dylan.

  When Mateo called with the good news earlier, she had been so thrilled at the thought of seeing Dylan again. She slipped into a skin-tight maxi dress and strappy sandals and drove across town to his office, hoping he hadn’t already left for the night. She thought her outfit would trigger the reaction that she needed. It didn’t.

  Dylan pushed to his feet and raised his arms upwards. Carina’s breath caught. Like fine wine, Dylan had gotten better with age. He was now taller, bigger, with muscles that revealed his time spent in the gym. As he stretched, the buttoned shirt strained against his upper body, outlining the rise of his pecs and the flatness of his stomach. She wet her lips without noticing. A rush of lust filled her. In that moment, she would have given anything to touch him, to rip his shirt off and taste him.

  God…

  She took a deep breath to quell the naughty thoughts. Just a few minutes in his presence threatened to skew her equilibrium. How the hell would she survive being around him full time?

  Well, it’s what you wanted, Carina. Deal with it.

  “Look, I’m kinda in the middle of something,” Dylan said. “How about we start afresh in the morning?”

  “Sure. No worries. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She gave him a final glance as he returned to his seat and directed his attention to the computer screen.

  Pushing the front door open, she stepped into the night, her thoughts on the impromptu reunion. His nonchalance hurt for a bit, no lie, but Carina tagged the situation for what it was; a challenge.

  Sure, Dylan had no feelings for her now, but she had more than enough time to change his mind. She planned to use every given moment to convert him.

  Buckle up, Dylan. It’s gonna be a long, teasing ride.

  She eased onto her car seat with a smile. Gone was the shy, awkward teenager. She was now a woman, confident, ready to take what she wanted. And she wanted Dylan.

  CHAPTER THREE

  “Hey, are you listening?”

  Dylan shifted his gaze from Carina’s swinging behind and looked to Dana. “Sure I am.” He reclined in his seat and directed his attention to his sister before him. Well, he tried. Carina walked past his office once more, stealing his focus.

  Like he did every day for the last month, he watched her through the glass walls, parading back and forth from her office to the copier on the other end. It had been insane torture seeing her in those tight skirts, her ass wiggling with each step. His common sense told him to close the blinds and block the distracting images that made a permanent lodge in his memory.

  But he didn’t. The sight was too awesome to behold.

  “Dylan!”

  “Huh?”

  “What are you looking at?” As she spoke, Dana swiveled in her seat and spotted Carina before she disappeared into her office. “Oh.” A grin appeared. “Are you gonna make a move, or keeping watching her with that puppy dog look?”

  Dylan shook his head. “She’s way off limits, Dana.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Mateo.” He need not say more. Dana knew of Mateo’s murky past and his vigilance to keep Carina’s suitors at bay.

  “She’s an adult, for crying out loud. Does he plan on keeping her in a cage for the rest of her life?”

  Dylan shrugged. It mattered not, anyway. He wasn’t the man for her.

  It had been hell having her in his office that first night, in the tight black dress that outlined every inch of her curves. He’d wanted nothing more than to strip her naked and take her across the desk until they were both left breathless.

  She stood there, staring at him with that soft, innocent smile that never failed to stir him. If only she knew his thoughts, she would have probably made a beeline for the exit.

  He wondered if she was still a virgin. With the barrier Mateo created between her and the opposite sex, it seemed likely. If that was the case, what the hell was she doing coming on to him?

  Yes, he did not miss her intention that night. Her visit wasn’t as random as she wanted him to think. Carina wanted him. But he’d been around the block too many times to count, and Carina, with all her innocence, deserved someone just as pure as she was.

  But the more time passed, the stronger her presence became, so much that it overwhelmed him, triggering an urge to make a move. He tried his best to maintain a blasé facade but his resolve began slipping. In a minute or two there was no telling what he would do.

  Before he did something he would regret—or not, he asked her to leave. It took every bit of his willpower to do so. Relief and disappointment mixed as she walked away. It was for the best. His association with Mateo meant too much for him to defile his daughter.

  “I think you should try it,” Dana said now. “After all, there’s nothing to lose, right?”

  Except my finger and toes and maybe my freaking life. Oh, and my company. He said nothing of the sort to Dana. She had no clue that Mateo made the investment that got his business off the ground. For all she knew, the money came from silent investors and a bank loan.

  Dana would probably freak
to know he had gotten involved with the man who, for years, had been an active member of the family who ran the city red with their illicit activities. Although Mateo claimed to have gone straight, he still had connections with the underworld and that was enough to put anyone on edge.

  She had no clue that him hiring Carina had been out of courtesy rather than her experience, although she made up for it by doing a killer job within the short time. He had no regrets with giving her the post.

  Except…

  Being in such proximity to her was maddening. With his office just across the way from hers, he could see her every move and it turned him on like crazy. Just the simple gestures; the way she touched herself while adjusting her blouse or when she ran fingers through her hair to rearrange the shape. He didn’t know such innocent motions could arouse him so much.

  The voice in his head prompted him to close the blinds, but he ignored it. There was no harm in looking, right?

  Right. There was certainly no harm in craning his neck when she bent over to pull some files from the bottom drawer of her desk the other day. Her ass remained poised in the air, so round and perfect, the sight sending a rush of blood to his dick. It was too much. He succumbed to the urge to go to her. But as soon as he entered her office common sense prevailed and he made a U-turn away from trouble.

  There were days when he wondered if the subtle, sensual actions were for his benefit. Did she know he was watching from the other side? After all, the glass walls were clear enough for him to see her every move. If she did, what did it mean? Did she want him to make a move?

  Dylan, you know better. Stay the hell away.

  And he did. His extensive client list was more than enough to keep him busy throughout the day, with the closed blinds blocking her tempting image. But at the end of his workday, the torture continued…

  “It’s like I’m talking to myself—again.” Dana crossed her arms and shot him a glare.

  “Sorry, sis. Just a lot on my mind.”

  “Yeah, and you need to do something about it before you go insane.” She leaned forward with a determined look. “Go talk to her, or I will.”

  He snickered. “Have you lost your mind?”

  “Have you? You sit here each day, pining after a woman who’s just within your reach—”

  “But still off-limits. Did you hear what I said earlier?”

  “Screw Mateo. Carina’s a woman now. He can’t make her decisions anymore. Besides, I doubt he would harm you for dating his daughter. You’re a hell of a catch, brother.”

  He scoffed and shook his head. “I’ll think about it.”

  “If I had a penny for every advice that I’ve given in my life…”

  “You’d be stinking rich. So you’ve said.”

  “You need to take this one, bro, before it’s too late.” Carina walked by once more and Dana’s eyes followed her. “I have a feeling she won’t be on the market much longer. Not with that head-to-toe perfection.”

  Dylan agreed. He’d long suspected that Mateo had a ready-made, picked-out partner for Carina. He was a traditional man, still stuck in his own ways so it would come as no surprise. The thought brought a deep pang, but it wasn’t enough to push him into action. It changed nothing. Carina remained a forbidden fruit, one tempting as hell, but with the potential to destroy his life.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  One more trip, Carina. Give him another eyeful.

  She grabbed a stack of paper and made another unnecessary walk to the copier at the end of the hallway. A smaller, more convenient copier stood in her office, but it could not contribute to what she was trying to achieve.

  For an entire month she tried a subtle approach to getting Dylan hot and bothered. A gentle stroke of her cleavage here, a flip of her hair there; she had limited experience with men, but she knew what did the trick.

  She was oh so grateful for the glass doors. Though they weren’t as transparent as she would have liked, they highlighted her activities enough. She took it as a good sign that he opened the blinds before and after his appointments. It meant he wanted to see her, right?

  But after a month, she became frustrated with the slow pace. All Dylan did was look, nothing else. She wanted him to make a move. She decided to kick things up a notch and changed her wardrobe, discarding the tailored pants and loose tops that Mateo insisted she wear, opting for pencil skirts and sexy blouses that showed her figure.

  It seemed to work, well… a little. He graduated from throwing sneaky glances to giving direct stares, his hot eyes roaming her body and warming her all over. She did not miss the blazing look he gave her when she entered the office in her new gear, and it boosted her confidence.

  One day, and soon, he would come to her.

  As it turned out, she didn’t have to wait long.

  He came to her office a few days later as she dug within her bottom drawer with her ass in the air. She’d worn the tightest skirt she owned, the one with a high slit in the back. She felt his presence before he spoke and when he did, she raised up to meet a fierce look in his eyes.

  “What’s up?” she asked him, trying to keep her tone as casual as possible.

  A beat passed while he lashed her with the same passionate stare. But his expression softened as he shook his head. “I uh…” He scoffed, running fingers through his hair. “I completely forgot what I came for.”

  Did you? Was her thought, when he headed back to his office. Or did you change your mind?

  Either way, she had a feeling he was on the way to breaking. He tried to hide it, but that sensual gaze meant something. It had to.

  Buoyed by his reaction, she brought a popsicle after lunch and waited for his patient to leave the office. As soon as he opened the blinds, she reached into the fridge for the treat and peeled the packet.

  She didn’t need to check if she had an audience. She could feel his gaze from where she sat.

  She tore the wrapper aside and licked the popsicle from the base to the tip with deliberate slowness. She closed her eyes as her mouth descended, swallowing the frozen confection. Her lips hugged the length as she ascended and she repeated the motion, again and again, her head bobbing faster each time. From the corner of her eyes she saw a flash as the blinds snapped shut. With a satisfied grin, she threw the remaining desert in the trash.

  As much as Dylan tried to act casual before her, she knew her actions affected him. After all, he was a hot-blooded man just like the rest of them. But his stubbornness was a characteristic unique to him. A lesser man would have already given in. Not Dylan.

  What if he never does? What if I’m destined to marry Raphael?

  Raphael De Leon. Ugh. She didn’t know what her father saw in him. Sure, he was a handsome man, but he was also a pig and a womanizer. How the hell could Mateo think they belonged together?

  After all his efforts to protect her from scum, he’d decided to pick the worst of the bunch. All for the sake of marrying in a ‘respectable family’. The De Leon’s were criminals, just like Mateo’s extended family. Thank God he’d found the common sense to break ties. But now he wanted to send her back to a life he had escaped. Why?

  He claimed she had a choice, that she could refuse to be with Raphael, but did everything in his power to discourage other men. It frustrated her to no end, knowing she lacked the power to stand up to him. Was it her love for him? Or the fear of letting him down?

  Whatever it was, she had to overcome it, and soon. Otherwise, her fate had a giant, indestructible seal. There was no way she could escape being tied to that monster.

  Unless…

  She had to ditch the subtle approach and take her seduction to another level. Her aim; get Dylan to acknowledge his attraction to her. He was a good man, successful, the kind that Mateo would approve of as a suitable son-in-law. But Dylan seemed miles away from succumbing. What he needed was an in-your-face, I-want-you-so-take-me approach. And she was more than willing to give it to him.

  She stacked the papers in the copier and
pressed the photocopy button. Footsteps sounded behind her. She turned around, half expecting—and hoping to see Dylan, but she met Dana’s smile instead. She’d taken to Dylan’s sister from her first day, and though they hadn’t yet gotten to hang out, she really liked the woman. Maybe it was the identical blond-haired, blue-eyed features she shared with Dylan or her natural warmth that drew Carina to her. Either way, she was on her way to making a new friend.

  “I have a question,” Dana said, and Carina paused re-stacking paper to look at her.

  “Ok… shoot.”

  “Are you seeing anyone?”

  The direct question threw Carina. “Why do you ask?” She’d noticed Dana in Dylan’s office while passing by; was she here on his behalf? The thought gave her hope. If she was, then it could mean one thing…

  “I was thinking we could hang out this weekend. Double date, maybe. If you’re single, I could always hook you up. I know a guy…”

  Dana’s voice trailed as Carina’s hope deflated. So, Dylan hadn’t sent her.

  “Are you?”

  “Not really.” As much as her father wanted her to, she would never see Raphael as her man.

  “Oh great. Then I’ll keep you posted.” She moved off then stopped. “Carina?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Keep an open mind, will you?”

  “Ok…what does that mean?”

  “You’ll find out soon enough,” Dana replied with a wink, then walked away.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Carina glanced at the time on her cell and groaned. It was almost seven, and she had a dinner date with her father and Raphael. For the entire day she searched her mind for a solid excuse to cancel, but found none. Not that it mattered; Mateo would just reschedule for another day.

  It was high time she put her foot down and tell Mateo to stop controlling her life. But she couldn’t bear his disappointment, not when he’d done so much to take care of her after her mom died. She just wished he’d chosen another man to court her…someone like Dylan.