Heartthrob (Bennett Brothers Series)

by Ahren Sanders

  “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…”

  Chapter 14

  Mathis

  Claire’s waiting when I walk through the door. She unfolds off the sofa, comes straight to me, and circles her arms around my waist, cuddling close. No words are said, but undeniable sadness hangs in the air. I was hoping she was asleep, and I could break the news gently, but someone got to her first.

  She slants her face upward, and my heart aches. Her blue eyes are rimmed red. Her face is splotchy and her lips trembling.

  “Who called?” My question comes off rough, irritation clawing in my gut. I didn’t want her alone when she found out.

  “Evie told me.”

  “She should have let me do it.”

  A sob gurgles in her throat, and she head-plants into my chest, her body quaking. “I feel helpless. I should have been there.” She cries quietly.

  “Baby, there was nothing you could do. It was time to let her go.” I thread my fingers in her hair, massaging her scalp soothingly.

  “But I could have been there for the family, for her. Anything to try to ease the loss.”

  It’s in these moments I understand exactly why Shaw wanted Bizzy out of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology. The pain of the loss is heartbreaking, but the pain of watching the woman I love internalize it is excruciating. We’ve been through this before, and I know what to expect. The only upside to this tragedy is we knew treatments weren’t working, then pneumonia set in, and Kesha was moved to critical care, so she didn’t pass away on our floor. None of the other children are aware it happened.

  “Let’s get you back in bed.” She only got home three hours ago; no way she could have slept long.

  Her head pops up, and her cheeks are stained with tears. “I’m sorry, honey,” she barely whispers.

  “I’m okay.”

  She sucks in a shaky b
reath and tears well up again. “What about poor Maggie?”

  Maggie and Kesha were tight. Same age, same grade in school, and similar treatment plans. Maggie is at home now, no longer staying at the hospital. “Maggie’s parents will be informed soon. They will choose whether to tell her.”

  Claire’s struggling is evident by her quaking arms around my waist. Then it fades and a new expression of determination takes over. “Unicorn Pixie Fairy.”

  “Sorry?”

  “Tonight, I’m going to be the Unicorn Pixie Fairy again.”

  “With all that damn glitter?” Memories of having glitter glued to my skin come back to me.

  “Minus the glitter, but I’ll think of something to make it equally as fun. Maybe do pink and purple streaks in my hair. The kids loved it before.”

  I try to hide my horror that she’d do anything to her gorgeous hair, but it doesn’t work.

  “It washes out, sweetie,” she promises.

  “It’ll bring smiles to their faces.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “Now, let’s get you back in bed.”

  “I’m not tired. I got two hours of sleep. I’d rather talk.”

  I shuffle us to back to the couch and sit, arranging her across me. “You sure you want to do this? I don’t want to drag you down.”

  “I’m okay, swear. My crying jag is over, but you need to decompress, and I want to do that for you.”

  This is not a surprise. Each time we’ve lost a patient since we’ve been together, she works through her grief and turns to comfort me. “I was in my office when we got the call. Went downstairs and offered assistance if needed.”

  “Who is ‘we’?”

  “Clint was with me.”

  She tenses, her mouth dropping open. “Douche-dick Clint?”

  “Douche-dick? Did something happen?”

  “Not to me personally, but he’s sleeping his way through the single ladies and damaging morale.”

  “That explains Evie’s morose opinion of him.”

  “Morose?” She snickers.

  “I gotta admit, he gave a shitty first impression. My opinion of him has been reserved. But, Claire, the man has a bedside manner that’s unmatched. He has skills, great medical knowledge, and asks the right questions. That’s all great, but his talent dealing with patients and their families is supreme. It can’t be taught. It’s superior to some of the best doctors I’ve worked with. He held Kesha’s mother’s hand, he spoke to her father about the beauty Kesha had for life, and when they asked him to pray with them, he finished their prayer with a poem that shook me to my core. He may be working his way through the nurses, but that man impressed me.”