His lips twitch, and his eyes begin to dance. “Today was a good day. Today gave me a reward that I don’t get as often as I’d like. And since we can’t celebrate the way I’d prefer, I’ll settle for dinner with my gorgeous girlfriend.”
Fuck me, what can I say to that? There’s a wistful sigh behind us, and he looks over my head. “Hey, Lora.”
“Hey, Dr. Bennett.”
I forgot she was here.
“Let me walk you to the elevator,” I offer, reaching to my neck and linking his hand with mine.
He jerks his chin to her and stays close as we get out of earshot. There are several people mulling around the elevator, so I drag him around the corner to a small corridor. When I make sure we’re not visible, I crush my body to his and leap up. He catches me easily, gripping the back of my thighs
“We’re going to celebrate the right way tomorrow night,” I assure him, kissing the corner of his lips.
“I’ll take what I can get tonight.” There’s something in his voice that falls flat, and I lean back to scan his face.
“You’re working tomorrow night, aren’t you?” I assume.
He nods. “Covering for Dr. Cross. His wife is being induced early tomorrow.”
“I’ll see if I can switch shifts, and we’ll be here together.”
His eyes grow warm and his hold on me tightens. “I don’t want you to be exhausted.”
I wave my hand in the air flippantly. “I’m an old hat at this. My body is conditioned.”
“It means a lot you’d do that to be here with me.” He speaks in a husky voice, and I sense the mushiness seeping in.
“Don’t get any lovey-dovey ideas. I’m doing it for your protection.”
“My protection?” He crooks an eyebrow.
“Yes, I think one of my jobs is to keep you safe and protected. There are at least seven nurses lining up to get their hands on you, and after your emotional show of heroism today, they’re sharpening their claws. Lora was a second away from shoving me to the ground and latching onto you.”
The warmth in his gaze switches to humor, and he chuckles. “When you put it that way, maybe I do need protection.”
“Absolutely, and I’m willing to put myself into the line of fire.”
“That’s highly generous of you. How did I get so lucky?”
“I owe you.”
“Owe me for what?”
“Orgasms, lots and lots of orgasms.”
He grins smugly, rocking his hips to mine. “Guess I have to keep up those orgasms or my life may be in danger.”
“You have no idea.” Trying to keep a straight face fails, and I burst into giggles. Since our reconciliation, Mathis’s playful side has come out more. He goes head to head with me, and I’m always trying to find ways to banter back and forth.
“Claire?”
“Hmmm?” I try to get my laughter under control.
“Baby, you’re bouncing on my dick, and there’s no way to hide a hard-on in these scrubs.”
I wiggle free, sliding down his body and feeling the thickness beneath his pants. “This is a huge problem. If you don’t tame that thing, and any of your admirers see it, I’ll have a riot on my hands.”
“What do you recommend I do?” he teases, his lips twitching.
“I’m going to leave you here to get it under control.”
“Kiss me before you go.”
I put some space between us and point to his groin. “Is kissing me going to make your dick get soft? If so, we need to have a talk.”
I’ve finally shocked him and his head drops, shoulders shaking. “God, I love you.”
“I’m not going to kiss you for your own good. I’m going to go back to work, check on my patients, dig into the juicy gossip on the hot new guy, and look forward to dinner in a few hours.”
His head jerks up, laughter dying. “What new guy?”
“Don’t know, that’s what I have to find out. I’ve been hearing whispers, and it’s time I got in on the action.”
“I don’t like the sound of this.”
“Aww, are you afraid you’ll lose your status as Heartthrob Hottie?”
The ridiculous nickname doesn’t even warrant a lip twitch as his eyes flare. “I don’t give a shit about my status; I’m more concerned about who the fuck is going to be around you.”
The Bennett possessiveness rears its head, and I’m transfixed by the change in his stance. Tension rolls from his body, filling the small space between us. I can understand his actions when I went topless on the beach to prove a point, but this seems a bit overload.
“Calm down, cowboy.”
“On second thought, I think I may hang around.”
This is ludicrous. “No, you’re going to the gym because you’ve been letting yourself go lately and it’s showing.” I try to pinch his side, knowing it’s hard as steel.
The mask of irritation fades and his lips curl. “I’ve been getting my exercise in different ways, burning a lot more calories.”
“On that note, you need to go. I need to work.” I kiss him briefly then jump out of his reach and scuttle back to the desk where it’s safe.
For the next two hours, I tend to my charts, check on my kids, and work out a shift switch for tomorrow. By the time I’m expecting Mathis to return, I find Lora behind the desk.
“What’s all the juice about?” I cut right to the chase.
“You haven’t seen him?” She raises her brows.
“Not yet, who is he?”
“New physician assistant doing his internship. He’s lush… like supermodel lush. Built so buff his scrubs strain against his arms, legs, and are tight against his butt.” Her face blushes at the last statement.
“Is he on our floor?”
“All floors—rotating. It’s kinda unusual, but rumor has it he’s reporting to the hospital administrator directly.”
“That’s not legit,” I point out.
“I don’t ask questions; I just ogle his male specimen beauty, kinda like Mathis.”
I hide my grin and peer up as Mathis saunters out of the elevator. He’s freshly showered, his hair shining and damp. My mouth waters at the sight, not even thinking about the bag of food in his hands.
I’ll have to find out more about the lush PA-supermodel later.
Chapter 10
Mathis
“Dr. Bennett, what are your thoughts?”
“Dr. Andrews, I’m not sure I should have a say in this. You can guess where I stand and who Claire is to me,” I answer my department head, ignoring the other sets of eyes bearing into me.
“I trust you to take your relationship out of the equation and tell me honestly if she’s a good fit.” He blatantly puts me on the spot.
I take a deep breath, pushing my personal feelings to the side, and speak freely. “Claire Dixon is the only one qualified to attend this training. She came into this specialty because her best friend is a childhood cancer survivor. It hits close to her. Outside of her impeccable continuity of care, she has a dedication to these kids that runs so deep it’s in her soul. She takes her job as a nurse for these children as an honor, treating each one with individualized attention. Even on the worst of days, she can steal their hearts. We’ve all seen how she goes above and beyond when we lose a patient. It cuts her deeply, leaving a scar, but she does it over and over again. She loves her job, takes every opportunity to train, learn, and increase her knowledge in the field. As far as I know, every doctor enjoys working with her.” I scan the room to find six heads nodding. “We almost lost her to Charlotte a few years ago, which would have been a devastating hit to this department. If you’re looking for my opinion or my vote, Claire’s the top choice.”
“Then it’s decided!” Nurse Evie chirps. “Although, we all knew that since she had unanimous references.”
“Evie, aren’t you the one who had to lecture her in Charlotte about shenanigans?” Dr. Andrews points out.
“Hardly anything to worry about. The w
oman is full of spirit, and together with Lizbeth Hastings, they are a force. Never have I had to discipline Claire, and you know this.”
Dr. Andrews nods and writes something in his notes. “She has my vote as well.”
“She had your vote before you walked in the door, didn’t she?” I ask him emphatically.
“Yes, she’s going to thrive in this training and bring back invaluable knowledge to our department. But, out of respect, I had to get your pass. Since you’re attending the seminar, you had a choice. Over my years, I’ve seen some couples dissolve under this type of pressure. The days are intense and distractions can be a problem.”
“Thanks, but Claire’s never a distraction,” I promise.
“That’s settled. Now onto the next item on the agenda.”
The room remains quiet as he explains there are more supplies going missing all over the hospital. Materials management is working with IT to create a new supply system even more thorough than what’s currently in place. It’s going to be a pain in the ass, but so is the fact that DEA has been informed of what’s happening. By the time he’s finished, the mood is grim, and there are mumblings as we get ready to break up.
Evie follows me to the hallway, pulling me to the side. “I’m going to offer this opportunity to Claire this evening. Can you wait that long to spill the beans?”
“I’m not the one with loose lips. I leave that to Claire.”
This gets me a small grin. “I’m expecting you to control her up in Boston.”
“Can anyone really control Claire?” I joke.
“You know what I mean. Take care of her, watch over her. Dr. Andrews was kind when he used the word intense. These groups can be cut-throat, and any chance they get to outshine the other trainees, they take them. It’s harsh and catty; egos run on high.”
“Evie, you forget how many of these things I’ve attended. You think the nursing side is tough. Try doing rounds with eight doctors whose self-worth is overinflated. Egos so big they don’t fit into the room. I’ve even been close to violence, and I’m the calm one.”
“You’ll take care of her then?” She’s looking for my assurances before she lets this go.
“I’ll always take care of her, and if by some off chance I’m responsible for bailing her out on assault charges, we’ll keep it quiet.”
This earns me a full out smile. “Good boy. I suspect you’ll hear from her around midnight.” She winks and goes in the opposite direction.
When I get to my office, my phone chimes with a text from Claire.
How’d the meeting go?
Me— Same old stuff. Did get some good news. Think it will be public soon.
Claire— Still not able to talk about the bad news?
Me—No, and I don’t want you worried about it. I’m not.
Claire— Will I see you when I arrive?
Me— I’ll be at the nurses’ station waiting for you.
I lie about being concerned because I am getting more frustrated with the fact that the hospital is now looking at every employee as a potential thief. After our first meeting, we were put under strict confidentiality orders not to discuss the missing materials with anyone. That was three weeks ago, and Claire has respected that line in our working relationship. The situation is locked tight with upper-management and nothing has leaked. It sucks dodging her questions, but the fact is I don’t want her worrying about anything.
When I get to my office, I find the message from Dr. Andrews’ assistant asking about travel arrangements for Boston next month. I email her all my and Claire’s information. Then I check our schedules and make a request to be off for two additional days and send the same message to Evie for Claire.
The next few hours, I alternate between clearing my inbox and scanning patient charts. At five ‘til seven, I make my way to meet Claire.
Her loud cackle sounds from the desk before I round the corner. My strides quicken in anticipation; it’s been a long thirteen hours since leaving her this morning. She comes into view, and I stop dead. Her blonde hair is piled on top of her head in a bun with glittery sticks poking out, she’s wearing soft pink scrubs with dancing unicorns, and her face is split into a wide smile. None of this is unusual. What has my blood scorching is the man standing close, gazing at her with unmistakable hunger. His hand moves, crossing into the invisible barrier of personal space. The second he touches her elbow, my feet move.
I slide an arm around her waist, hauling her back to my chest, and skim my lips over the side of her temple. She gives a little yelp, twisting her face to mine.
“Hey, babe.” I speak low but loud enough for him to hear.
“Hi there,” she whispers, sinking into me.
My eyes scan her face, noticing subtle sparkles on her eyes, lips, and cheeks. “You’re glittering.”
“I know. Today is Maggie’s birthday. Her parents are doing something special, and she requested a unicorn theme. I figured I’d go all out.”
The scorching sensation from earlier instantly turns from aggravation to something entirely different. “She’s going to love it.” I picture the twelve-year-old’s face when she sees Claire. The girl already adores Claire, but after tonight, I’d bet that adoration turns to worship.
A throat clears, and she jerks around. “Oh, sorry. Clint, this is Dr. Bennett. Mathis, this is Clint.” She introduces us.
He extends his hand to mine, and I take it with the arm not wrapped around her waist.
“Dr. Mathis Bennett, I’ve heard a lot about you.” His voice is cool, his grip tight.
“Can’t say the same,” I reply gruffly.
Claire elbows me lightly for my bluntness. “Honey, Clint is the new intern.”
It clicks into place. The new guy all the women are going nuts over. I take him in, head to toe, trying to understand the hype. He has player written all over him. When my eyes roam up and lock with his, the hair on the back of my neck prickles. His gaze is dark and hard, almost challenging. In a flash, it’s gone, his expression casual.
She elbows me again, the silence hanging in the air. “Yes, I think I’ve heard we had an intern floating around.”
“Hopefully won’t be floating for long. Put in the paperwork for a more permanent placement.”
“You want to be assigned here?” Claire asks.
“That’s the plan.” He rocks back on his heels, crossing his arms and winking at her.
A low growl rumbles from my chest as Claire tenses. My hand automatically slides to her wrist where her pulse accelerates.
“Well, that should be interesting,” she mutters under her breath.
“I’d better go. See you at Maggie’s birthday. Nice to meet you, Dr. Bennett. I look forward to doing rounds soon.” He gives a half-wave and strolls away.
I stare at his back until he’s turned a corner, my anger setting a fire boiling in my blood.
“Stay away from him,” I bite out.
She steps away, faces me, and takes my hand, yanking me behind the nurses’ station into a small filing area.
“Calm your tits, caveman.”
“That motherfucker eyed you like he wanted to fuck you, touched you, and openly flirted with you in front of me. Not a good combination.”
“Mathis, look at me.”
I do as she asks, my anger simmering to the point of explosion. Her blue eyes are dancing with humor, and she tips up to kiss the underside of my jaw. “It’s hot, it’s sexy, and it’s a huge turn on, but you have to control this possessive act. He’s a flirt, he’s a playboy, and he’s harmless.”
“Not sure any of that quells my rage.”
She begins to giggle, shoving her face in my neck and vibrating against me.
“Not sure what’s fucking funny.”
“You are. For years, I couldn’t get a rise out of you. Now, a man winks at me and you’re acting like a lunatic.”
“First of all, he winked and touched you. Second of all, we’re not talking about those years. Covered that ground,
know I was a dick, and have to live with it.”
Her arms circle my middle, and she arches back, her face lit with amusement. “I waited over five years for you. Do you think some player with a killer body and movie star smile is going to turn my head.”
I growl again, this time cupping her ass. “Claire, stop fucking with me.”
“Then stop being ridiculous. His touch was innocent, and I was laughing because one of the kid’s uncles made a pass at him today. I think his masculinity was bruised.”
That does tamper some of the anger, and my lips twitch knowing exactly the uncle she’s referring to.
“You going to behave now? I do have to work with him occasionally, and eventually, you will too.”
“I’ll behave because I know he’ll never get a chance with you, but if he flirts again, I’ll take it to administration.”
She rolls her eyes, and Lora pops her head around the corner looking uncomfortable. “Claire, Maggie’s parents are here, Evie’s looking for you, and Dr. Cross has a question about Jason.”
She tosses her head over her shoulder and smiles at Lora. “No problem, on it. I’ll start with Dr. Cross. Let Evie know I’ll be there soon.”
Lora nods, disappearing.
“I’ll handle Maggie’s parents. What’s the plan?” I ask.
“You’re off. Go home.”
“And miss the unicorn party? Not on your life.”
She frames my face with her hands, kisses me quickly, and scoots away. “Maggie’s parents brought enough for everyone, even for those with dietary restrictions. Set up in the recreation area. All the kids are invited if they feel up to it.”
“I’ll take care of them.”
She shoots me a smile of gratitude and rushes off.
I make a mental note to check out Clint and head to meet Maggie’s family for a unicorn celebration.
The front door opens, and I listen to Claire shuffle quietly to our bedroom. Lighting the candle on our kitchen table, I make the final preparations and lean against the doorway waiting for her. She comes out of the bedroom confused, but when she sees me, her face gives her away. I barely have time to brace until she’s in my arms, her legs locked around my waist and hands framing my face.
Heartthrob (Bennett Brothers Series) Page 10