by Lauren Wood
“Dr. Pashnell is still in exam seven, and he has two more patients to see after that.”
“Is he bleeding to death?” Littleston snapped, and Stacey rolled her eyes. She turned her head and smiled at him.
“We don’t have anything going on. I’ll be happy to help out,” Stacey said encouragingly.
Forced into it, Littleston nodded. “Fine. But I still want you to….”
“I’ll grab the supplies while you examine the patient,” she said hurriedly. “I’ll meet you there.” She skipped out the room before he had a chance to ask her out again.
Safely away from him, she exhaled loudly. It was getting harder and harder not to threaten him with HR. The truth was that she’d only been working at the hospital for a year, and she really didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize her position. This was the best paying job she’d ever had.
Grabbing the supplies that she needed, she hustled down to exam room six. As she swung open the curtain, she tried not to gasp.
Lord, have mercy.
Seated on the table was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. Even though he wasn’t standing, she estimated that he had to be least six feet tall. Probably more. He had dark disheveled hair that was cropped close to the top of his ears and the most beautiful crystal blue eyes. Her mouth parted just slightly as she stared at them. They were mesmerizing. His face was long with a strong, narrow chin and scruff that ran from his chin up to those beautiful lips. Suddenly, all she could do was imagine herself kissing those lips.
And that body. He had an athlete’s body. She could see the sinewy muscles that ran down his arms, and he had a strong torso that strained against the white fabric of his shirt. God. Was there anything sexier than a built man in a white t-shirt? A tan muscular man?
“Nurse?”
The sound of Dr. Littleston’s grating voice broke her out of her daydream. She hurried forward with the supplies. The patient’s eyes followed her every step of the way, and she could swear that she saw his pupils dilate. Was he attracted to her? Of course, he’d just been given a local anesthetic, and he was just getting over the pain. He was reacting to that and not to her.
She gave him what she hoped was a warm and pleasant smile, but her heart was racing. Never before had she had such a reaction to a man. Her hands were almost shaking when she touched him. Opening his fingers, she tried to force his hand still while the doctor prepped him.
Thankfully, the patient was holding his hand still on his own, but she didn’t let go. She avoided his gaze, but she could feel electrical currents at the touch. Everything about this man was electrifying.
The doctor prattled on, obviously not recognizing the shift in the room, and when Stacey tentatively raised her gaze, she saw the patient staring at her. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
He knew. Not only did he know the effect that he had on her, but also he was enjoying it. She narrowed her eyes. It only made him smile bigger.
“All right, I think I’m finished here. Nurse Bronson will finish you up, and the front desk will take care of you,” Dr. Littleston said as he straightened. He bowed out of the room, and Stacey fumbled with the gauze.
She cleared her throat. This was ridiculous. She was a professional. “Because it’s a minor cut, the stitches should dissolve in the next week or so. Still, try to keep it covered and dry until then. Any strenuous activity might tear them, and then you’ll have to come back, so be careful.”
“And what strenuous activity should I avoid?” he asked softly.
His deep voice wrapped around her seductively, and for a moment, she couldn’t breathe. Securing the wrapping, she quickly backed up. “Anything that would make you hands flex,” she managed.
Turning her back, she logged into the computer to print out his information. “I don’t think you’ll need any pain medicine, but if you experience any pain, don’t hesitate to call us. It could be an indication of something more serious like an infection. When you change the wrappings, make sure you check to see if there is any unusual coloring around the wound.”
She swallowed hard and grabbed the paper. “Do you have any questions,” she asked as she handed it to him.
He reached out to take the paper and brushed a finger over her arm instead. “Do I need to come back?” he asked. His eyes held her gaze, and as much as it rattled her, she wouldn’t back down.
“Not unless you have an issue,” she said, trying to give him a cheery smile. “Have a good day, and be more careful in the future Mr. Gordon.”
“I’m not so sure I can promise that, Mrs. Bronson.”
“Ms. Bronson,” she said automatically. She flushed. “Stacey.” God, why had she given him her name?
He stood, and she wasn’t wrong. He towered over. He was way too close, and before she backed up, she breathed in his male musk. Tangy. Masculine. Sensual. “Stacey,” he repeated in an amused voice.
She met his eyes again. They threatened to drown her if she didn’t tear herself away. “The front desk will take care of you. Just take a left in the hallway,” she squeaked.
He nodded and hesitated like he was going to say something. “Thank you,” he muttered finally and pushed past her. Her heart constricted. For a moment, his words nearly sounded angry.
When enough time had passed, she bolted out of the room. As she passed the front desk, she couldn’t help but shift her eyes to the side to see if he was still there.
He stood at the desk with an equally handsome man, and his lifted and met hers.
And like the coward that she was, she immediately ducked out of sight.
Chapter Three
It had been two days since he’d been to the hospital. And still he couldn’t get her out of his head. Long silky blonde curls that, even when pulled up, still fell past her shoulders. He imagined what it would feel like to wrap his hands around that hair and draw her closer. Dark brown eyes that had immediately filled with desire when she’d looked at him. Perfect rosy lips that had parted so seductively when he’d smiled at her. She’d had a sprinkling of freckles across her nose that made him wonder where else she might be sporting those tantalizing spots.
And God, that body. She had ample cleavage that he wanted to bury himself in, hips made for pumping, and an ass that begged him to grab it. He loved a woman with some meat on her bones, and everything about that nurse had been absolutely perfect.
I need her.
His days and nights were filled with torturous dreams about her. When he woke up in the morning, he’d felt like he’d run a marathon, and he couldn’t get any work done during the day without her constantly running through his head. He’d pictured her on every surface imaginable and in every position he could think of.
Micah needed to bury himself in her.
His body ached for her, and it made no sense. He didn’t have that kind of reaction to women. He didn’t even know her, but she’d managed to needle her way under his skin, and he couldn’t shake her.
“Micah? Earth to Micah.”
Micah shook his head in an effort to pull himself from her invisible grasp. Brent Jenson, the pack security, snapped his fingers. “Sorry,” he muttered.
“The view is nice,” Brent said with an easy smile.
Brent wasn’t kidding. Micah’s penthouse condo stood twenty floors up and overlooked the expansive mountains in the background. It was beautiful, but Micah hated to be so high up in the air. He’d much rather be in the woods. But this was where the alpha lived: in the grotesquely expensive condo that looked down on everyone else. “What were you saying?”
“There has been a coup in the vampire clan. The new leader, Andre de’Massier wants to meet with you next week.”
Micah raised his eyebrows and leaned back. “Did we know that there was trouble in the clan?” The vampires were a secretive group, and while they mostly kept to themselves, the alliance between the vampires and the shifters were uneasy at best. Neither trusted the other.
“No. And all of my sources
are equally surprised, but the rumors are that de’Massier wants a solid peace. He’s supposedly less tempered and more logical than the last leader.”
Micah nodded his head slowly. “If true, that would certainly be good news. What do you think?”
Brent hesitated. “I think that we need to be careful. Until we have more information, I’d like to double your security detail.”
Micah waved his hand. “No. That won’t be necessary. I’m rarely alone, anyways. Schedule the meeting with de’Massier. Make sure it’s as close to the full moon as possible, and provide a gift from us as a congratulations for his promotion. And dig deeper. If the vampire clan is divided, I want to know why.”
His friend nodded. “Micah, are you okay? You’ve been quiet these past few days.”
“Just thinking,” Micah replied with a tight smile. Brent nodded and exited the room.
Even in his own home, Micah was never alone. Jackson lived just below him, and Brent had an office on the top floor. And if one of them didn’t need anything, security guards roamed the place. There was never any chance for solitude.
And he craved solitude. If nothing else, he wanted to be alone with his thoughts of the alluring nurse, Stacey.
Chapter Four
The silk sheets twisted around her body as Stacey moaned. He hovered over her, gliding his hands over her body, delving into her secret places. Tension mounted inside her, but that release was just out of reach. She raked her nails over his toned body and cried out of more. She needed him. She needed him deep inside her. Nothing else would satisfy the desperate ache that haunted her.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
Stacey’s eyes flew open as the alarm brought her back to the rude reality. Her white sheets were drenched in sweat and wrapped around her. She must have tossed and turned all night, and after that dream, it was no wonder.
Three of her four glorious days off had passed, but she’d been plagued by dreams and daydreams of the sexy man from the hospital.
But there was no point in dreaming. Chances were slim that she’d ever run into him again, and even if she did, he’d never look twice at her. She was a plump, overworked, nobody. People like her didn’t bag men like him.
But God, the things that he did to her in his dreams. At least a girl could fantasize.
She hauled herself out of bed and tried to focus on the day ahead of her. She’d spent the last three days recuperating, but today she needed to clean and get a few things done around town. Elizabeth, her best friend, was celebrating her birthday this weekend, and Stacey still needed to get her a gift. Not to mention that even though she lived in scrubs, her laundry had piled up.
With a sigh, she did a few stretches before starting a pot of coffee. Nothing happened without caffeine.
Two hours later, she found herself roaming the second sporting goods store. Elizabeth was an adrenaline junkie, and Stacey wanted to get her something new to try. Her friend had mentioned that she’d always wanted to do some zip lining, and the other store had recommended G&S Industries. Apparently they had excellent guides for that sort of thing.
She wandered around for the store for a bit before she made her way to customer service. A young pretty brunette smiled at her. “Can I help you?” she asked in that fake customer service tone.
“I hope so. I was told that you offer zip lining packages through the Woodland?”
“You enjoy zip lining?”
The familiar voice curled around her, and for a moment, Stacey forgot to breathe.
It couldn’t be.
As she turned her head, her heart started to pound furiously. The patient from the hospital leaned against the counter with a crooked smile on his face.
She swallowed hard. She was no clothing connoisseur, but she knew money when she saw it. The grey suit alone that cut so close to his figure would probably have cost her several month’s worth of paychecks.
“Mr. Gordon,” she said as she struggled to regain her composure.
“Stacey,” he acknowledged. Her name on his lips sent her heart fluttering.
“How’s the hand?” she asked quickly. Her eyes flitted down to the injury, and she frowned. There was no dressing on it. There was no sign of the injury whatsoever.
“Good as new,” he said with a smile as he flexed his hand.
Astonished, she grabbed his hand and studied it. “That’s not possible,” she murmured. His skin was warm under hers, but she ignored it. “The stiches shouldn’t have dissolved for at least another three days.” Her eyes rounded when she realized the implications. “You’re a shifter.”
He cocked his head when she quickly dropped his hand. “Does that bother you?”
“Of course not,” she said hastily. “I just don’t know much about shifters, that’s all. I’d heard the rumors that you heal quickly. Apparently very quickly. But I’ve never seen it in action.”
Should she ask what kind of shifter he was? Is that rude?
Micah read her thoughts. “I’m a bear shifter. And yes, we do heal rather quickly. But sometimes, we need a little bit of help. Like the stitches, for example.”
He stared at her thoughtfully for a moment before looking at the girl behind the counter. She was staring at him with stars in her eyes. “Katya, why don’t you take a break? I’ll finish Ms. Bronson’s transaction.”
“Of course, Mr. Gordon. Thank you,” she said before batting her eyes and scampering away. Stacey watched as he walked around the counter and smiled.
“G&S Industries,” she murmured. “Gordon and… ?”
“Steward.”
Stacey did a mental check in her head. Dangerously sexy. Shifter. Billionaire. Of course he was all these things. There was only one other way he could possibly top that list.
Unless…
“Alpha?” she asked jokingly.
“Yes. Bear clan.”
A burst of laugher escaped her. “Of course. And you’re going to book my friend for her zip lining trip.”
He cocked his head. “Is that funny to you?”
“You don’t exactly look comfortable behind the counter, Mr. Gordon.”
“Call me Micah. And there was a time when I worked behind the counter,” he said, clearly amused. “You did your job to help me. Now I’ll do mine to help you. Your friend wants to go zip lining?”
“For her birthday. I was hoping I could buy a package without setting up a date. It’s a surprise, and I’m not sure about her availability.”
He nodded and bent down to peer at the computer. “That’s not a problem. We can do a voucher that she can cash in whenever she’d like. What’s her name?”
“Elizabeth Morris.”
He entered her name and printed out a piece of paper. She immediately reached for her wallet and checked the receipt for the total. It had a zero balance.
“Oh, I’d actually like to go ahead and pay for it today,” she said as she pushed the sheet of paper back. “It’s a birthday present for her.”
“It’s already taken care of,” he said in a neutral voice.
For a moment, she was confused. “What do you mean it’s already taken care of?”
“You stitched up my hand. I’m providing you with a service,” he said easily.
Irritation built up inside her. “Dr. Littleston stitched up your hand. I helped because it’s my job. I get paid to do it. You don’t owe me any favors. Don’t think that because I’m not rich like you, I can’t afford to take my friend on a trip. I didn’t come here to get a free trip. I didn’t even know I would find you here.”
His eyes widened in surprise. “That’s not what I mean,” he started quickly.
“Forget,” Stacey snapped. “I’ll find something else to get Elizabeth. Thank you for your time.”
Seething in rage, she turned and stalked down the aisles. He didn’t know her. How dare he think that she needed something for free!
As she pushed open the double doors, a hand pressed against her waist and whirled her around. She shrieked
as she stumbled against the wall. He caught her and pushed her gently to the side. Micah loomed over her with anger in his eyes. Her breath caught, but it wasn’t fear that she felt.
She was turned on.
“I didn’t do it because I think you’re a charity case,” he said in a low voice. “I think you’ve misread the situation. And I certainly don’t appreciate you walking out on me like that.”
“I didn’t misread anything. You failed to explain yourself clearly, and I’m not part of your pack. I can go wherever I please,” Stacey said. She winced when she heard the attitude in her voice. It was probably not helping the situation.
Fascinated, she watched as the muscle in his jaw clenched. Clearly she had said something that really pissed him off. “Are you dating the doctor?” he demanded.
“What?” she asked, trying to keep up with the new turn in the conversation.
“The damn doctor who couldn’t keep his eyes off you. Are you dating him?” he asked succinctly.
“Dr. Littleston? No,” she said as she grimaced.
“I’m not treating you like a charity case. I just wanted to get you attention,” he said as he backed up to give her more space. She glanced quickly around to make sure no one was watching. She cleared her throat.
“You definitely have my attention.”
“Have dinner with me tomorrow night,” he said quietly.
“Okay,” she said automatically. “Wait, I can’t. I have to work. I’m working the next four days, but afterwards—“
“Have dinner with me tonight,” he interrupted.
Tonight? Tonight was so soon. She needed to shave. And do something with her hair. Buy a new outfit. Lose ten pounds. “Okay,” she whispered.
He nodded. Satisfaction was written all over his face. “I’ll pick you up at six.” He leaned in close, and for a moment, Stacey thought he was going to kiss her. Instead, he straightened and turned to walk back in the store.
“You don’t know where I live,” she called out to him.
He turned and smiled wickedly. “Actually, I do.”