by Sierra Rose
Charity noticed the tattoo on his arm. Half of it lay hidden under the sleeve of his shirt but she knew exactly what the design was. Caduces. The medical symbol with wings and the rod of Asclepius, at least that’s how she knew it. There were loads of different versions. She blinked and focused on the prone, unmoving man.
Elijah stared the man’s chest. “What happened?” he repeated.
The woman hiccupped. “We-we just went f-for a swim. Tim was eating almonds—”
“Is he allergic?” Charity asked. She put her arm on the woman’s shoulder, trying to offer some kind of comfort.
“No. He eats them all the time. I was telling him some joke and he started laughing.” As she spoke, Elijah opened Tim’s mouth, looked inside and then stuck his finger inside to sweep it. “His eyes went big and I th-think he started choking. Then he fell down.” The woman started whimpering.
“I don’t see anything.” Elijah spoke quietly. Charity didn’t know if he spoke to them or to himself. His hands checked the man’s throat momentarily before he rolled the man on his side. “Help me sit him up.”
Charity rushed to his side as the wife leaned back against wall, her eyes huge. They sat him up and Charity stabilized his neck as Elijah tried the Heimlich several times.
“It’s not working.” Charity checked the man’s mouth and saw nothing. Med school natural tactics were kicking back in, but even though she knew what would happen next, she wasn’t prepared.
“Go back to the room. Call nine-one-one, Charity,” Elijah said. He continued working on Tim. “Inside my coat is a pen, I need it. It’s a silver one.”
She ran to the room, grabbing his coat off the floor and then swiping her phone off the TV stand. She searched the inside chest pocket first. The heavy pen was there. When she pulled it out, she realized the silver pen was also a first aid kit. Under the cap was a sharp knife.
Opening the room door, she leaned into the bathroom and grabbed a straw sitting on the counter she hadn’t used. She raced back down the hall, kicking her shoes off as she ran. She dropped beside Elijah and pulled the cap off the pen, handing it to him handle first.
When the wife saw the blade, she started crying hysterically. “What are you doing? You’re going to kill him!”
Charity held the woman back and watched Elijah tilt Tim’s head back and use his fingers to feel for a spot along Tim’s throat. He made a half inch incision horizontally across Tim’s throat. Blood ran down his neck but Elijah ignored it. He pinched the incision with one hand, needing the other hand to hold the pen to his mouth so he could turn the blade and pull it off. The body of the pen was actually a tube which he stuck into the pinched opening.
He sent two quick breaths into the tube, intently watching Tim’s chest. He paused about five seconds and breathed into the tube again. He repeated and glanced at Charity. “Did you call?” He dropped his head to breathe again. Tim’s chest rose and fell with each breath Elijah gave him.
“Crap.” Charity hit the numbers and held the phone close to her ear, trying to get the woman to stop screaming beside her. She gave the emergency response the information they needed and relayed back to Elijah and Tim’s wife that the EMTs would be there shortly.
Tim’s hand twitched and his eyes flickered open and shut.
“Tim? This is Dr. Bennet. Everything is all right. You might be a little uncomfortable, but you’re going to be okay. There’s a tube helping you breathe at the moment. An ambulance is on its way and your wife is right here.”
The woman stopped screaming and crawled over to Tim. “I’m right here, baby.” She cried and sniffed loudly. “You’re never eating nuts again. Ever!” She gave him a gentle hug. She sniffed again and looked up at Elijah. “I’m so sorry I yelled at you. Thank you for saving him. Thank you.”
The stair doors opened and in rushed three EMT men with a cart and all their gear. Elijah helped them load Tim and explained everything he’d done. One of the EMTs knew Elijah and clapped him on the shoulder. “Nice work!”
“Just at the right place, at the right time.” He wiped his bloody hands on his shirt. “I’m coming with you guys. Load him up and I’ll be there in a sec. Just need to grab my coat.”
“Sure thing, Dr. B!” The young EMT turned to Tim’s wife. “I’m sorry, I don’t know your name but would you like to ride with us or are you okay to drive? Tim’s going to be fine. You’re very lucky Dr. Bennet was here. He’s pretty much the best doctor in New York.”
“I’m Becca. I don’t know if I can drive. I’ve had a few drinks…” The two walked down the hall following Tim’s gurney.
Elijah, his hands on his hips, turned to Charity. He pointed to her left hand.
She glanced down and shrugged. “Straw. I didn’t realize your knife was also a tube.”
He nodded. “That’s pretty impressive of you.”
She scoffed. “Me? Impressive. Uh, you just saved that guy’s life with a freakin’ tracheotomy!” She jumped up, excited. “That was awesome!”
He smiled and watched her pace around him. He reached out and held her wrist, turning her to face him. He pulled her close. “Not as amazing as what you were doing to me before we were interrupted.” His eyes gazed intently at her.
A tremor of longing churned deep inside her. She thought back to what had happened only a short while ago. Heat rose to her cheeks.
“I very much would like to kiss you,” he whispered, “but I’m covered in a stranger’s blood and my mouth has been over his.”
She giggled and he laughed as well.
“Not quite the romantic moment I was hoping for.”
“Yeah, you being the hero definitely took the romance out of the moment for me.”
“Ahhh… and I had to offer to go back to the hospital with them.”
She playfully punched him in the chest. “You want to go. It’s okay. Go.” She stepped back out of his embrace. She faked a sigh. “I’ll just shower, then crawl into bed and dream up the rest of the evening.”
He groaned.
An image of them in the shower and then in bed crossed her mind. Hot. Very hot. She swallowed. “I fly back to Atlanta at seven tomorrow morning.”
“What? Crap!” His lower lip actually slipped forward in a pout.
She laughed, enjoying the look of torment on his face. “I’ll be at the hospital tomorrow morning so we might see each other. I’m also back in two weeks.”
“Two weeks? That bloody long?”
“Ohhh, you’ll survive.”
“I don’t think I can. How about I come back here, after I know what’s-his-name’s okay?”
She wanted him too, but didn’t want to show how eager she was so she walked back to her room with him following close behind. She bent over to pick his coat up off the floor and then tossed it at him. “How about you hurry to the hospital and I’ll shower and wait for you here?” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Hmm...” She pressed her lips to her fingers and blew him a kiss before closing the door.
The hunger in his eyes burned an image into her brain that would keep her awake until he returned.
THE END
of
Part I
Saving Forever Part II is now available!
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Saving Forever - Part 2 Sample
Chapter 1
Charity rolled over and stretched her long legs out. The cool sheets did not diminish the heat burning inside of her. Elijah had done this. His delicious mouth, his smooth skin running over his lean, taunt muscles… and those capable hands. No wonder he was an excellent surgeon. The things he could do with those fingers. A moan escaped between her lips. She needed to stop thinking about him or there would be no sleeping tonight. Why was she concerned about sleep? Hadn’t Elijah said he’d come by after he finished at the hospital? Dam that stranger for choking in the hotel hall and Dr. Elijah running to save him. Had the guy not swallowed the nut, Elijah and Charity would be in this bed right now and he’d be stroking and
smothering the fire inside her she couldn’t control.
Stop it! She hollered at her brain. Elijah had saved that guy’s life and all she could think about was his hands on her, not their miraculous ability to save lives. She flung the thing sheet off and jumped out of the bed. She wore only a black bra and matching lace undies. She’d put them on when she had slipped into a dress and planned on going to Elijah’s house. Except he had surprised her and shown up at her hotel room. There had been an undercurrent running between the two of them all day – since they had met actually – and the sparks needed to be sated.
She grabbed a cold bottle of water from the fridge and drank half of it. Wiping a small dribble from her lip, she checked her watch. A little over an hour ago Elijah had gone with the ambulance. Now out of the tangle of the sheets, her mind cleared slightly. He had gone and done a freakin’ tracheotomy right in the hotel hallway! Like it was nothing! Back in med school, Charity had performed one on a pig. It didn’t even come close to comparing. She’d saved the pig and been the first to finish in her class back then. Julie, Simon, and Alex had taken her out that night and got beyond drunk. It seemed ridiculous to compare the two procedures.
Two days after she’d done the pig trach, her mother had called and asked her to come home. She’d never returned to school and when Alex didn’t bother to show up at her mother’s funeral three months later, she stopped answering his calls and texts. She had no idea what hospital he worked at now or if he had his own practice. He had talent so she assumed he’d gone into surgery. She had worked at a number of hospitals raising money for them but had not come across his name. Maybe he went by Alexandor now instead of Alex. It shouldn’t matter, his last name hadn’t changed.
A soft rap against her door sent her heart racing and she forgot all about reminiscing about the past. Glancing down, her cheeks burned. She couldn’t answer the door like some wanton woman. She grabbed a white t-shirt from the drawer and slipped it on over her head. Peering through the door’s eye glass it took everything not to rip the door off and knock Elijah over in the hallway.
He stood, slightly unsure of himself, with a hand running over his slightly damp spiked hair. He always appeared so confident and relaxed, to see him as nervous as she felt made her want him more.
She flipped the lock and opened the hotel room door. “Hey.” She leaned against the doorframe enjoying the slight feeling of empowerment she had. She knew he wouldn’t come in until she invited him.
His piercing blue eyes met hers and he smiled. “I wasn’t sure…” His mouth stopped when his gaze slid down the length of her body and then back up. He swallowed.
“How’d the surgery go?” She grew strength out of his struggling. She wanted him, but he wanted her just as bad.
“G-Good.” His head shook slightly, as if he was trying to clear his thoughts and focus on her questions. “It went very well.”
“And you showered.” She pointed at his damp hair. He now wore blue jeans and a white shirt similar to hers.
“So did you.” He grinned and pointed at her top. “You know you really shouldn’t answer the door dressed like that.” His confidence had returned.
“Why not?” She straightened and looked down. Seriously? Her black bra and panties clearly showed through the thin white shirt. Whatever modesty she’d been trying to maintain had gone out the window. Now she looked the part of the tease. “Oh crap, I didn’t even realize,” she muttered.
“Pardon?”
She leaned forward and let her fingers curl around the cotton material of his shirt near his neck. She tugged it gently but firmly. “Get in here…”
Elijah needed no further encouragement. In two steps he was inside the room, his arms finding their way around her waist. She wrapped hers around his neck and intertwined her fingers together. Their lips met. Both wet and hungry for what had started before and had not been finished. The heat inside of her burned hotter and sent tingling sensations between her legs and deep into her belly. She could feel herself grow moist from his kisses and the knowledge of what was about to happen.
“You… are… incredibly sexy,” Elijah whispered between kisses. His hands trailed up and down her back, along the side of her rib cage and one found its way to curve perfectly around her breast. He traced the lace and found her nipple through the fabric. It hardened with his touch. He groaned deep in his throat.
Charity’s mind whirled, she couldn’t think straight. She had wanted him from the first time they had met but tried to ignore the feelings. This was a bad idea. No. If something felt this good, it couldn’t be wrong. He may be a playboy but she wasn’t looking for a serious relationship. Was she? Right now she just those very capable hands to find their way under her shirt. She let gravity pull her hands away from the back of his neck and trail down the front of his shirt, her nails slightly scratching the hardness of the muscles beneath his shirt. Her pinkies found the front belt loops of his jeans and she tugged them towards her. The only way to lessen the yearning between her legs was to have him pressed firmly against her. It didn’t stop the ache but seemed to dampen it momentarily.
As their kisses deepened, her fingers traced along the top rim of his jeans and found their way to his glutes. They were tight and muscular just as she’d imagined. A firmness in the front of his jeans nudged against her inner thigh. It only excited her more.
When Elijah’s lips left hers Charity opened her eyes. He stared at her, his mouth slightly open and his chest rising and falling as if he’d just been running. The hunger in his bright blue eyes burned with an intensity she understood.
She reached for his shirt and he helped her pull it off. He kept his arms at his sides and didn’t move as she ran her hands over his chest and abdomen. His smooth skin grew hot under her touch. She lightly pressed her lips along his collar bone and against his neck. He shuddered and she smiled as she kissed him. She was in control. She found her way back to his mouth and her hands trailed down to his jeans. She fumbled to undo their button. His hands covered hers as she undid it and as she pulled the zipper down, her knuckles grazed the hardness of his penis.
He pulled her hands away and this time, she groaned in frustration. He smiled against their kisses. “My turn,” he whispered. He grabbed the hem of her shirt, lifted it off and tossed it against the wall.
Charity tried to stand still as his eyes travelled down and then back up her body. They left an invisible trail of desire inside of her.
“Wow,” he whispered in awe. “You’re beautiful.”
“You’re not so bad yourself.” She grinned when he met her gaze. She touched the ink on his arm. “I like your tattoo. I ha—”
His lips crushed against hers before she could finish. Elijah picked her up and carried her the few steps to the bed. He gently laid her down, his lips never leaving hers. His tongue found its way into her mouth and she nearly lost it when his body pressed against hers. His bare chest against hers drove her delirious. She wanted to rip his jeans off and have him inside of her. The thought alone made her groan out loud.
“Sorry.” Elijah rolled off and lay beside her. “I didn’t mean to crush you.”
“You aren’t.” She didn’t like the cool air that replaced his warm skin.
He bent his elbow and rested his head his hand. The fingers on his free hand traced down from her lips to her neck and down between her breasts. He cupped and squeezed her breast until the nipple grew hard and then let his fingers trail over to her other breast and reached inside her bra. He played and stroked her nipple until that grew hard.
Charity ran her tongue over her lips and her eyes closed. She felt Elijah’s warm breath against her neck and he whispered in her ear, “I’m going to bring you to heaven and back…”
His lips and tongue pressed against her ear lobe and down her neck. He kissed both of her breasts and ran his tongue over the lace against one of her nipples. “I want to rip this bra off you but you look too damn sexy in it.” He left a blazing trail of hot kisses down
her stomach. He paused as reached the black lace of her panties. His finger traced a small part of her skin, near her right hip bone. It sent tingles deep down inside her. He tugged the band of her panties down slightly. He lifted his face away from her skin and paused. “You have my tattoo.”
Charity sat up on her elbows and glanced down. She grinned. She liked the way he sounded a little awestruck when he said it. “I tried to tell you before but your lips cut me off.” She glanced down where his finger outlined the shape of the Caduces.
Elijah glanced at his arm and down at her ink. “Even the style of the wings and the rod–”
“Of Asclepius is the same.” Charity finished for him and laughed. “I noticed yours earlier tonight in the hallway. It’s a bit freaky to have the exact same tattoo of the medical symbol but even scarier that we used the same wings and rod. I based mine on an ancient Greek design.”
“I picked mine because I liked the snake head rod.”
“Seriously?”
He chuckled. “Sort of. I saw an antique charcoal drawing and love it. I made a copy and got the ink after I graduated med school. You?”
“After my first surgery in residence. I got lucky with a surgery most third years fight for, and I got to do it on my own.” She had been ecstatic and so in love with becoming a doctor back then.
He rested his chin lightly on her stomach, angled so he could face her. “Why did you switch careers?”
She stared down at his handsome face. His tousled hair and half naked body gave seduction a new meaning. She didn’t want to talk, she wanted him.
His eyes, with their eyebrows raised in question, changed their meaning and he gave her a sly, sexy grin.
It dawned on her then that while she’d been mesmerized by his good looks, she had started pressing her hips up against his body again and again. Apparently her body knew what it wanted more than her head did.
He pressed his soft lips against her stomach and let his tongue circle her belly button. He leaned to his left and let his body weight shift to his left knee and elbow as he brought his head back level to hers. As he spoke, his hand circled the inside of her leg. His fingers brushed the skin of her inner thighs but would not touch the one spot begging to be touched. “Too much talking?” he teased.