“That must have been awful, the frustration of knowing he was sick and being able to do nothing about it.”
“It nearly tore my family apart. But once in the hospital, we were finally given the treatment and care that he needed. But I never forgot what that was like, and I promised that I’d do something to fix it.”
“And you have. Your clinic could be a model for how they all should be run,” Lewis said, admiration clear on his face.
“Well, I don’t know about that. One of the biggest problems with those other clinics is finding the right person to run them. Not very many people are willing to commit their entire life to taking care of these kids at the salaries that are offered.”
“But I still think that what you’ve done will make a difference in the long run, a model that like-minded people can use to achieve what you have.”
While Venetia was proud of what she’d accomplished at the clinic, she hated it when people made a big deal about her contribution. She hadn’t done it alone, and too many times the other people involved weren’t given the credit they deserved. She was saved from any more embarrassing discussion about how wonderful she was by the arrival of their dinner.
Taking the opportunity to change the subject, she asked Lewis if he’d traveled. Much to her pleasure, it turned out that he’d also spent some time volunteering in South America. They spent the rest of dinner discussing their shared experiences in the jungles of the Amazon. Each in agreement that they’d love to return someday.
“I’d love to go back, but I don’t see that happening anytime soon,” Lewis said.
Venetia was a little bit disappointed to hear that since she had plans for returning as soon as she could. “I’ve been looking into spending some time working with Doctors without Borders, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” she said, handing her empty plate to the waiter.
Lewis could sense her disappointment. “I just don’t know how much need there is for a neurosurgeon, and it’s what I truly love to do. Maybe someday I’ll be in a place where I won’t mind giving it up and using my skills in a different way.”
“I understand, you worked hard to get where you are and now you want to enjoy it,” Venetia said, realizing that she did understand.
They decided to skip desert, both much too full to even contemplate eating anything else. Lewis paid the check and they walked out into the chilly night. Venetia wasn’t ready for the night to end, but they hadn’t made any plans other than dinner. Standing on the sidewalk, they looked at each other. Venetia was sure that Lewis wanted to kiss her but wasn’t sure that he should.
Instead, he asked, “Would you like to go for a carriage ride in the park? It’s not too cold and it would give us a chance to talk some more.”
Venetia only had to think about it for a second, she wanted to know more about Lewis. She’d learned a lot at dinner, including the fact that they both had a driving need to help people, but there was still more to learn. To say that she was smitten with Lewis was a bit of an understatement, but she wanted to know more.
“That sounds wonderful,” she said, letting him guide her across the street to where a carriage was waiting. “Did you plan this?”
“I might have,” Lewis said, with a wink and one of those bone-melting smiles. “I’ve always wanted to do this. It seemed like the perfect time with the perfect person.”
Venetia felt herself blushing, pleased that Lewis had planned something so romantic. She let Lewis help her into the carriage, his hands leaving warm spots where he touched her. Once seated, he spread a warm blanket over their legs and they were off. As they rode around the park, which was lit up with twinkling lights, Venetia relaxed against the seat, pleased when he put his arms around her.
She snuggled into Lewis, enjoying his warmth, and she realized how right it felt to be in his arms. It was a little bit scary, but the best things in life always came with a risk, she thought. Lewis too was thinking that it felt right to have Venetia in his arms, but what he really wanted to know was how it would feel to kiss her. He’d been thinking about it for days, built it up so much in his mind that the real thing couldn’t possibly be as good as he imagined.
Chapter 3
They rode in silence for a few more minutes, the tension between them increasing, until Lewis decided the time had come for their first kiss. He turned slightly in his seat, pulled Venetia closer, and brought his mouth down to hers in a gentle kiss. Heat flared between them when their mouths met, each lost in the desire quickly building between them.
When Lewis gently parted Venetia’s lips and slipped his tongue into her mouth, she wrapped her arms around him, clinging to him as her world turned upside down. Never had something as simple as a kiss made her feel this way, like nothing in the world mattered but this man.
Lewis could feel Venetia melt in his arms and knew that she was feeling everything he was. He gave into his desire to explore her body, letting his hands roam freely across her back then up her arms. Finally, his hand found one of her breasts; it was round and full, filling his hand perfectly. Her nipple had hardened under his hand, and he couldn’t resist rubbing the peak with his thumb.
Venetia was lost in a whirlwind of pleasure, not even considering making Lewis stop even though they were in public. His hands and mouth had taken over her body, making it sing with pleasure. Had they been in private, she had no doubt that things would go much farther than this, but they each pulled back at the same time, knowing that things had quickly gotten out of hand.
“Oh my, that was....” Venetia said, out of breath.
“Wonderful,” Lewis said, pulling her snuggly into his arms.
With a big sigh, Venetia relaxed into his arms, feeling content to just be near him. The feeling of his kiss still on her lips. But after a few minutes, her curiosity got the better of her. She really didn’t know anything about Lewis and she was already falling hard for him. Her heart was telling her to just go with it, but her mind needed to know who this man was who could affect her this way.
“So, we’ve talked about how I got where I am, but I don’t know that much about what brought you where you are. Most people aren’t brave enough to specialize in neurosurgery.”
“No, I suppose not, but I’ve never looked at it that way. It wasn’t actually in my plans at first. I had planned to go into pediatrics, but in my first year of medical school, I took a neurology class and I was hooked,” he said, then added, “It wasn’t a popular decision.”
“Your advisor thought it was a bad idea?”
“No, my parents. Well, mostly my mother, but my father goes along with anything she wants. I didn’t realize it at the time, but my mother had planned my whole life out, from my career to my love life.”
“Mother’s like to do that,” Venetia said, remembering how her mother had fought her on some of her own decisions.
“The sad thing was that I didn’t even notice what she was doing. But suddenly I found myself in my first year of medical school questioning my decision. Don’t get me wrong, I loved working with kids, but the lure of the brain was stronger. When I told her about my decision to change my focus, she had a fit.”
“That couldn’t have been pleasant,” Venetia said, taking his hand.
“It wasn’t. But it only got worse. Once I’d opened my eyes to what was happening, I realized that the only reason I was engaged was because my mother had orchestrated the whole thing. She’d been subtle about it, but she’d found the woman she thought I should marry and put us together, then she found what she considered the perfect practice for me to take over from the retiring doctor.”
“Sounds like she had big plans for you.”
“Yeah, a socialite wife, a high-profile practice, membership in the most exclusive club, and a red sports car. The only problem was that I’d discovered that none of those things were what I wanted. By Christmas of that year, I’d broken off my engagement, changed my focus to neurology, and been disowned by my family.”
�
�Oh, Lewis, that’s awful. I can’t imagine my family disowning me,” Venetia said, tears springing to her eyes.
“Well, my mother thought cutting me off would bring me to my knees, but I was determined and I knew that I’d have my trust fund in only a matter of months. It wasn’t much, but it paid my tuition and the bills. Plus, I discovered that I could live simply, which was actually a gift.”
“Did you ever make up with them?”
“We see each other a couple times a year, but I’ve found that I just don’t have that much in common with them anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad that I never have to worry about money, but now I also know that there’s more to life than that.”
Venetia was blown away by Lewis’ attitude, partly because she’d ridden in his very expensive car and partly because she’d heard him described as rich by several people. One of the reasons she’d been reluctant to let herself fall for him was that she knew how out of place she’d feel in his world and him in hers. Unlike him, she still made very little money and was forced to live very frugally.
“Well, at least you still have some contact with them, no matter what they’re still your family. I can’t imagine my life without my parents and brother and sisters driving me crazy, sometimes I forget how lucky I am.”
The carriage ride had come to an end, much to Venetia’s dismay. The night had been magical and she didn’t want it to end, but it was getting late and they both had to work tomorrow. Holding hands, he walked her to her car, hoping for another kiss before she went home.
When they got to the car, Venetia surprised him by reaching up and taking his face in her hands and kissing him. It was just a simple peck on the lips, but Lewis felt it from the top of his head all the way down to his toes.
“Thank you for dinner and the carriage ride, it was very romantic,” she said, looking into his eyes. “I’m a lucky woman to have been able to spend some time with you.”
“No, I think I’m the lucky one. Can we do this again?” he asked, his heart beating with anticipation.
“Yes, I’d really like that,” she said, standing up on her toes to kiss him again.
This time when her lips met his, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He could feel the beating of her heart against his chest and knew that she was as infatuated as he was, the purring sound deep in her throat making him want her even more.
He stood on the sidewalk until her car disappeared from sight, thinking that he was one lucky man. Venetia was everything he’d ever wanted in a woman: intelligent, educated, caring, and best of all sexy as hell. Right then and there, he made himself a promise, he’d make her his own no matter how long it took.
They met for lunch every day that next week, Lewis noticing that it was difficult for Venetia to separate herself from her work for more than an hour or so. But he was happy to take whatever amount of time she was willing to give him. By the end of the week, they were both pleased to find that they were alike in many ways. From music to movies and even food, they had similar likes and dislikes.
Venetia was shocked at how compatible they were with one another, almost like best friends except for that undeniable electricity that sparked between them. If she had any doubt about Lewis’ attraction to her, it ended after their first lunch when he whisked her into a storage closet and kissed her until her legs wouldn’t support her.
On Friday morning, when Venetia awoke, her first thoughts were of Lewis. For the first time in her life, she was looking forward to the weekend not because it meant she could sleep as much as she wanted, but because Lewis had planned something special for Saturday night, although he wouldn’t tell her what it was.
She’d traded time with another doctor so that she could be free of any patient responsibly for the entire weekend. Lewis had given her a stern lecture on Wednesday when her phone wouldn’t stop ringing. Many people had tried to tell her that she needed to slow down, that it wasn’t healthy to be so wrapped up in her work, but she’d never listened.
But when Lewis said it, she’d listened. “I used to be like you, pushing and pushing, trying to help as many people as I could. I think I was trying to prove to my family that I’d made the right decision. But after a while it began to get to me, it actually affected my work.”
“Are you saying that my patients are suffering because I’m working too much?”
“I don’t know if that true now, but I can promise you that someday it will be. It’s just not healthy to be so one dimensional. You need to have a life too, only then will you be at your best.”
“I guess, I’ll think about it,” she said, a little annoyed that he’d stuck his nose into her business, after all she’d won that award.
Later that afternoon, she’d considered his words again and realized that he was right. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn’t save every kid in the city. She was nowhere near the point of burnout, but it wouldn’t hurt to take some time for herself. There used to be a time in her life when she’d done things that made her happy just because she could. But ever since she’d taken over the clinic, those things had disappeared from her life. Now she was eagerly anticipating what Lewis had in store for her, a weekend of fun instead of one alone.
Lewis had known after their date that night that she was the woman for him, but he knew that to make that happen he’d have to get Venetia to slow down a little. Besides wanting her all to himself for more than an hour lunch, he knew that it wouldn’t be long before she was burned out. No one could maintain her schedule and not burn out; he’d almost done it to himself so he knew well how easily it could happen.
He’d hated to lecture her at lunch that day, but the result had been her covering her weekend, a success as far as he was concerned. Now he’d have her undivided attention for two whole days, and he didn’t plan to waste a second of that time.
Lewis started his campaign to win Venetia’s heart by showing up at the clinic Friday night with a picnic basket and a bottle of wine. At first she resisted, using the excuse that her coverage didn’t start until the next day, but Lewis wouldn’t take no for an answer explaining that he’d already covered her calls for the night. She was still resistant until he pulled her into his arms and kissed her until her knees had gone weak.
She’d finally agreed, but insisted that she’d need a few minutes to get cleaned up. There was no way she was going the way she was, dirty and rumpled. She only had a pair of jeans and a sweater in her locker, but that would just have to do. But when she opened her locker, there was a brand new outfit hanging there with a note attached.
Though you might need something fun to wear this weekend. Have fun!
Venetia got tears in her eyes at Bernice’s thoughtfulness, the outfit was just perfect. A wonderful skirt with a soft sexy sweater made with the softest yarn she’d ever felt. After she’d showered and slipped into the outfit, complete with a new pair of boots, she shyly stepped back into the waiting room where Lewis was sprawled on one of the couches.
At the sight of her, he jumped to his feet, too awe struck to say anything for a second. He’d thought that she looked great the night they’d gone out, but tonight she looked fantastic. At first, he couldn’t put his finger on it, but then he realized that she looked very sexy, her outfit crafted to accentuate her curves while leaving him wanting more.
“You look fantastic,” he said, his heart flipping over in his chest when she smiled at him, clearly pleased with his compliment. “I’ve got the perfect place for a picnic.”
“I’ve never been to a picnic in the middle of the winter,” she said, curious about his plans. “I thought the surprise wasn’t until tomorrow night?”
“This is the surprise before the surprise,” he said, taking her hand and pulling her out of the clinic.
If Venetia had been falling for Lewis before, now she was totally lost. She’d never had a man work so hard to make her happy, it was almost more than she knew how to handle. But when Lewis kissed her before helping her into the car, s
he decided to just relax and enjoy whatever he had planned. If things with Lewis went the way she felt they were going, she’d have plenty of opportunities to return the gesture.
They drove out of the city, climbing into the hills that surrounded it, until they reached a huge mansion perched on a hill. When they climbed out of the car, she thought that they would be going inside, but instead Lewis guided her to the back of the house. There sat one of the biggest greenhouses she’d ever seen. She could see quaint lanterns in the windows, providing soft, romantic lighting.
When they stepped inside, it was warm and humid, a welcome relief from the cold and wind of mid-winter. He led her to the back of the greenhouse where towering palm trees formed a circle in which a table for two had been set up. Lewis unpacked their picnic, a selection of cold foods which seemed perfect for the setting.
After a delicious meal, the heat and humidity began to make Venetia feel sleepy. Stifling a yawn, she said, “That was wonderful, but now I’m sleepy.”
“Why don’t we take a walk? This place is really very amazing. There are species of plants in here that I’ve only seen in the rainforest. You’ll probably recognize some of them,” he said, pulling her to her feet.
“Wait one second,” she said, sitting back down and taking off her boots. “I know this may look strange, but those boots are new and they’re pinching my feet. You don’t mind, do you?”
Lewis looked at her with a smile on his face thinking how much he wanted to see Venetia’s bare feet. Then in a flash, he’d removed his shoes as well, deciding it might be nice to go barefoot too. Venetia was watching him, suddenly very glad that she’d decided to come with him tonight instead of working. Not very many men would take off their shoes just to make her feel more comfortable.
The greenhouse was much larger than Venetia had thought, an amazing array of exotic plants all grouped together by their country of origin. As they wandered through the lush foliage, hand in hand, Venetia felt the electricity between them sparking higher. Every time his thumb slid across the center of her palm, little flutters of desire flashed though her body and she found herself wishing that he’d stop and kiss her, but he kept pulling her farther into the maze of plants.
Their Miracle Baby (BWWM Romance Book 1) Page 3