“Thanks. And what do you see as your style, Lucien?” she then asked him.
He thought about her question for a moment. “I don’t think you need to be a drill sergeant to get the best out of anyone, so I don’t use that approach with the interns, as you well know. I tell them what is expected and make sure they deliver. I don’t bully and neither do I beg. All the interns are well aware of why they’re here and what it takes to cut the mustard. Some will make it, while others, like Terrence Matthews, will fail.”
He hated bringing up the man, but whether he wanted him to be, he was there right in their faces. He knew the Matthewses were out for blood, mainly his because he was the one who’d fired Terrence. The one good thing was that he had evidence on his side. And for the time being Dr. Dudley. Faced with such evidence his boss couldn’t do anything but back him with the firing.
Lucien decided to change the subject. “So how did you meet Isabelle Morales? The two of you seem to be pretty close friends.”
“We are. We met years ago at one of those medical student seminars while in college. She was attending University of Florida Medical School and I was at Johns Hopkins. We kept in touch and were ecstatic to discover we’d both landed slots at Hopewell. Her main concern was housing and luckily I had that taken care of. She’s a lot of fun as a roommate.”
He heard the soft sigh escaping from her lips after she paused briefly and added, “And in case you’re wondering but not asking, the answer is no. She doesn’t know you’re the person I’m spending time with over the next two days.”
She chuckled. “Of course Isabelle wouldn’t be Isabelle if she wasn’t curious. Especially when she knows I haven’t dated anyone seriously since we’ve become friends. But she does respect my privacy.”
A part of him should have felt relieved about that, but for some reason it didn’t head his list of concerns.
“What about your friendship with Dr. Bradshaw?”
He knew why she was asking. “I haven’t mentioned anything to Thomas about spending time with you.”
Being confined with her in the car made him very much aware of her scent. It was a sweet yet arousing fragrance that was getting next to him. “So for now this is between only us, Jaclyn.”
She nodded. “And I prefer it that way.”
His hands tightened on the steering wheel. A part of him should have felt relieved that that was her attitude, but that was not the case. She was a woman any man would be proud to be seen with, but as long as she was his intern there was no way that would be happening. Why was he willing to be with her any way he could, even if it meant behind closed doors?
As he continued the drive to Annapolis, that question weighed heavily on his mind.
When they arrived at their destination it didn’t take Lucien long to rent a boat. Jaclyn could tell from the friendly exchange of conversation between him and the manager of the marina that Lucien was a frequent customer like he’d said.
While the two men conversed she glanced around and took in the beauty of her surroundings. She had been so busy at the hospital with so little free time to spare that she hadn’t gotten around to checking out all the beautiful places around Alexandria.
The sun was shining brightly overhead in this part of Maryland. It was the perfect day for activities on land or on water and she looked forward to going sailing.
Her lips were still throbbing from the kiss she’d shared with Lucien earlier. Each time she would try to convince herself that maybe Isabelle was right and things might be moving too fast, he would do or say something to make her think that everything was moving at the right pace.
She enjoyed everything about Lucien. He was a great conversationalist and a gentleman at heart. And although she was fully aware of the degree of his desire, she was in no way frightened by it. For her to have fallen in love with him so quickly and easily spoke volumes. But then, according to her parents, things had been that way for them.
“Ready?”
She glanced over at Lucien. He was holding the basket filled with lunches they had grabbed from a restaurant near one of the piers. She didn’t have to inhale deeply to appreciate the aroma of fried chicken, reminding her it was past lunchtime and she hadn’t eaten anything since that morning. “Yes, I’m ready.”
Together they walked on the pier to the boat they would be using. It was definitely a beauty. And it was huge. She glanced over at Lucien. “It’s bigger than I thought it would be.”
He chuckled. “Relax, I’m a capable captain.”
She smiled. “That might be true, but I’ll probably fail as your mate. I know nothing about sailing.”
“Then I’ll look forward to teaching you a few things.”
He made good on those words when less than an hour later he not only proved what a great captain he was by his handling of the sailboat, but also just how patient he was when he showed her how to assist him. When he had shown her how to put the life jacket on correctly, she had given him what she hoped was her most appreciative smile, while fighting all the sensations rumbling in her stomach.
And when he had glanced down at her to make sure the jacket was just how he wanted it, she had glanced back up and met his gaze. She had actually felt the heat in every part of her body. Even with all the sexual tension surrounding them she was glad she was spending time with him and couldn’t help wondering what tonight would bring.
He had placed her overnight bag in the trunk of the car next to his and it had looked natural for them to be side by side. Ever since then, she couldn’t stop anticipating their time together later.
“Daydreaming isn’t allowed.”
His words interrupted her thoughts and she glanced over at him and chuckled. He was sitting down operating the tiller and keeping the sailboat from sailing directly into the wind. Like her, he was wearing a pair of white shorts and he had a pullover jersey sporting the name of his favorite NFL team.
“Sorry. It’s such a beautiful day, I can’t help it,” she said.
“Then maybe I need to give you something else to do.”
She lifted a brow. “Something like what?”
“Like bringing that lunch basket over here. I think it’s time for us to eat. I’m starving. What about you?”
Jaclyn was starving as well, so she didn’t waste any time grabbing the basket. Taking the tablecloth out of the hamper, she spread it over the small table and emptied the contents of the carrier—a container of fried chicken, pickles, bags of chips and a bottle of wine.
She tried ignoring the shivers of pleasure that raced up and down her spine when she sat beside him. When he inched closer to her, leaned over and placed a kiss on her lips, she couldn’t help the goose bumps that formed on her arm.
“I doubt anything in that basket,” he said in a low husky voice, reaching up and pushing a lock of hair from her face, “will taste as good as you do.”
She wished he hadn’t said that. She’d been kissed before, but no man had ever said such a thing to her. She swallowed deeply noting her breathing pattern had changed. And she and Lucien were sitting so close that she could feel his muscles tensing.
She nervously licked her bottom lip and asked, “You think so?”
The smile he gave her could wet a woman’s panties. “Baby, I know so.”
Jaclyn smiled. “Are you always this complimentary?”
“No, but I always speak the truth.”
He was good for a woman’s ego and she enjoyed having him around. He was definitely a keeper. “I think we should try tasting something more filling.”
He chuckled and leaned back. “Okay, then, woman. Feed me.”
Sharing lunch with him was fun. While they ate what she thought was the best fried chicken she’d ever eaten and sipped wine, they talked about anything and everything other than work.
He told her more about his life in Jamaica and some of the pranks he and his sister had pulled on their cousins. She could tell by the sound of his voice that he missed seeing his gra
ndmother and looked forward to the trip he’d planned for the holidays.
She was enjoying being with him and getting to know the man her heart had already claimed as hers. After a while she noticed they had fallen into silence. As she glanced over at him, she realized he’d been staring at her. “Is something wrong, Lucien?”
He shook his head slowly. “No, I think everything is just right. Things couldn’t be more perfect at the moment.”
A smile touched her lips. She felt the same way.
Chapter 8
Jaclyn’s breath caught when Lucien brought his car to a stop in front of the most beautiful bed and breakfast she’d ever seen. The hour drive from Annapolis to the Eastern Shore had definitely been well worth it. Nestled on a hundred and twenty acres, Wades Point Inn was huge and spacious and provided a scenic and picturesque view of both the Chesapeake Bay and the Eastern Bay.
“So what do you think?”
She glanced over at Lucien and figured she dared not tell him what she thought. They would be here only one night, but already she could imagine all the things they could do together in such a romantic setting. She could envision their seeing the sun rise and set from their room and could picture their holding hands while exploring the nearby quaint, historical towns of St. Michaels and Easton. And she could definitely see their sharing a glass of wine tonight while watching the boats go by on the bay.
She drew in a deep breath knowing what those thoughts meant. He had left the decision regarding their sleeping arrangements to her and she had made it. They would definitely be sharing a room tonight. She glanced over at him. “I think this place was meant for us, Lucien. It was meant for us to be here. Together.”
She knew he had purposely taken them far away from Alexandria and she appreciated his doing so. No matter how the future unfolded for them, she was convinced that this was their time to be together.
His smile was priceless and she knew he’d gotten the meaning of her words. She saw the simmer of heat already forming in his gaze at the thought of what tonight could possibly hold for them. But she wasn’t surprised by his next question. “Are you sure, Jaclyn?”
She knew why he was asking. If they carried through with their plans there would be no turning back. Each was making a leap into forbidden territory, regardless of what tomorrow would bring. They were concentrating on only today. Temptation teamed with anticipation and rippled all through her when she said, “Yes, I’m sure, Lucien.”
Lucien studied Jaclyn carefully when the receptionist at the front desk handed over their room key. He was looking for any sign that she had changed her mind and didn’t want to share a room with him after all. But he didn’t see any. What he did see was a woman, a very desirable woman, with a made-up mind.
“Ready to go up?” he asked softly.
She looked over at him and smiled and at that moment he felt like the luckiest man on earth. And when it came right down to it, he was probably also the horniest. Just being with her was making sexual urges hit him from just about every angle.
“Yes, I’m ready.”
They had left their overnight bags with the bellman, so he was free to tuck her hand firmly in his as they headed for the elevator. Anticipation lapped at his heels with every step he took. Being with her had basically turned his world on its ear. She had decided that they would share a room tonight. But even if she had asked for her own room, he still would have appreciated this time they were spending together. He knew at that moment, although he wanted her with a passion that he felt to his gut, there was more between them than just sex. A part of him knew it even though he didn’t fully understand it.
He was still pondering what was there about her that made him risk everything just to be with her. What had made being with her the ultimate surrender more than a supreme sacrifice was the woman whose hand was firmly tucked in his. The woman who in just two days had opened his eyes to things they had been closed to for years. Besides work there was play and what made it enjoyable was the person you were with.
They stepped into the elevator alone and automatically she turned to face him. It seemed the most natural thing to do when he pulled her closer to him, wrapped his arms around her waist and lowered his mouth to hers.
Her lips parted the moment his touched hers and in the back of his mind there were imaginary fireworks exploding all around them. He delved deeper in her mouth and couldn’t help the groan that slipped past his throat. Red-hot sensations rushed through his bloodstream as his mouth continued to not only explore hers but claim it.
The elevator came to a stop so suddenly that it almost jerked them apart, and her sigh of disappointment equaled his moan of frustration. They stared at each other, fully aware that their desire for each other had escalated out of control. Stripping her naked the moment they got to their room seemed like a good idea about now. But it wasn’t what he wanted. It wasn’t what she deserved. He hadn’t brought her here just to jump her bones. Their time together had more meaning than that. Although he would be the first to admit he was getting used to kissing her, getting used to tasting her. Kissing a woman had taken on a whole new meaning. And he didn’t want to recall just how she felt in his arms. How her body had automatically curved into his. How soft she felt and just how good she smelled.
He shoved his hands into the pockets of his shorts and walked beside her as they exited the elevator. There was no way he could touch her now. Doing so would be suicide. They needed to make plans to get out of their room rather quickly or they wouldn’t be going out tonight.
“The lady at the front desk mentioned something about a concert in the square tonight,” he said.
The older woman had explained to them that in the historical town of St. Michaels tonight was jazz night, and suggested they check out the concert that would be followed with a magnificent fireworks display. It had sounded like something he wanted to see and do…until he had kissed her. Now all he wanted to do was get her in that room and kiss her some more.
“Yes, that would be nice,” she replied.
He smiled, thinking that she didn’t seem too excited about it. “Or if you’d like we can take a stroll around the grounds and then call it an early night,” he suggested.
He watched the smile that touched her lips and at the same time temptation pricked up his spine. Hell, forget about the stroll. It would suit him just fine if when they got to their room they didn’t come out until checkout time tomorrow. But he knew he couldn’t let that happen. He had to remember that as much as he wanted her, it was more than just sex between them.
“Okay, then, we’ll take a stroll around the place before dinner,” she said.
He expelled a huge breath. He was still reeling from the kiss they’d shared in the elevator, and when they finally reached their room and he inserted the key and opened the door, he had a feeling he was in big trouble.
It should have been relatively simple, Jaclyn thought. She could have turned on the television and watched the news until the bellman delivered their luggage. And Lucien could have moved around the room and checked out the menu on the desk, counted the number of hangers in the closet or studied the design of the bedspread. But that was not the case. As soon as the door closed behind them, she was pulled into a pair of strong, masculine arms.
The second his mouth touched hers she knew they were finishing what they had started in the elevator. A wave of longing washed over her and she felt any control she might have had come tumbling down. The depth of passion that overtook her wreaked havoc on her senses and opened floodgates of emotions she’d kept at bay for eighteen months.
His mouth went still on hers when there was a knock at the door. Then he gave one final sensuous lick of his tongue around her mouth before breaking off the kiss and taking a step back. He frowned at the door, and when he spoke his voice was laden with frustration. “Who is it?”
“Bellman with your luggage, sir.”
He glanced over at her. The look in his eyes pretty much made her su
spect that he would tell the man to go away and pull her back into his arms. She figured she needed to intercede. “We need our clothes, Lucien,” she said, reasoning with him.
“No, we don’t.”
She laughed. A part of her knew he was serious. “Behave.” She immediately moved to the door when she saw he would not.
The bellman entered. As soon as he deposited the bags on the bed Lucien gave him a tip and the guy wasted no time leaving. She had a feeling the man had known he had interrupted something.
Lucien inclined his head toward the door and gave her an innocent smile. “Was it something I said?”
She chuckled. “Your look gave you away, Dr. De Winter.”
He slowly crossed the room to her. He placed his hands in his pockets as if he needed them there or else he would reach out and touch her. “And how do I look, Dr. Campbell?”
For some reason she loved it when he referred to her as such. It made her feel like his equal in the professional realm of things. She paused a moment as if to study him. You look like a man any woman would want. Those were the words on the tip of her tongue, but she wouldn’t utter them. They were thoughts she preferred keeping to herself for now.
Instead she said, “Like a man with a plan.”
His brow rose and he frowned slightly as he seemed to study her features. “Do you think the only reason I asked you to come here with me was to seduce you?”
Without missing a beat, she reached out and placed her arms around his neck. “If that was the reason I’m not complaining.”
She knew that they had pretty much crossed the line when they’d kissed at the park yesterday. And now they were about to spend two days together. She knew what was happening between them, so why did it seem as if he was stalling now?
“I know what this is costing us, Lucien,” she said quietly.
He searched her features. “Do you?”
She looked him squarely in the eye and said, “Yes, but I’m willing to take what I can. Whatever you offer.”
In the Doctor's Bed Page 9