The Playboy Doctor's Surprise Proposal

Page 55

by Carol Marinelli

Jeannine clasped the blankets in her fists and tried not to cry out. The feel of him inside her and the magic his hands created on her flesh were too much to bear. Assaulted on all sides by him, she could no longer hold back and allowed the instinct within her to take over.

Surrendering completely to Miklo, her hips moved to match the rhythm he set, and she reached for her release. With one final touch, Miklo took her over the edge, and she cried out as the fire consumed her. Miklo leaned over top of her as her body clamped down on his flesh. Hurrying the pace, he urged her on, drawing out her orgasm until he gripped her hips tightly, no longer able to control himself. Deep inside her, his body found the sanctuary it had so desperately craved.

Long minutes passed as she held his trembling body in her embrace, arms locked around his shoulders and legs tight around his hips. The spasms of his body finally ceased, and he pulled back to kiss her.

“Jeannine,” he whispered, and kissed her deeply. “You are glorious.”

Tears pricked her eyes at his words. In that moment she knew she loved him.

As the night deepened, Jeannine later woke to Miklo’s roused body behind her. They lay spoon fashion and the heat of his firm flesh between her thighs stirred her body to its new awakening. A tingle pulsed from her core, and moisture flooded her feminine sheath. Lord, she was ready for him in seconds now that her body knew what to do, knew what to anticipate, knew what it wanted.

Miklo gently pressed the tip of his erection against her moist flesh. With him whispering gentle words behind her, she trusted him, trusted him with her body and so much more.

Instinct took over, and she pressed back into him. “Easy, love, easy,” he said as he entered her from behind. Each touch of him surged her forward to completion. Nothing had ever felt as good as Miklo’s touch. With his muscled arm a band around her waist, he controlled her body, and they moved in unison. Arching back, she pressed into him urgently, her undefined need taking over. This was what she had wanted, what she had needed, and she gave herself completely to him.

The night waned as Jeannine twined her body with Miklo’s, and they slept, tangled together.

Miklo tried not to wake her, but the second he moved, she woke.

“Miklo?” she said, and reached out to him. “Are you going?”

“Yes. It’s still early. You should go back to sleep for a while.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and tucked the sheet around her.

“Is everything okay?” she asked, her sleepy eyes focusing on him in the dim light.

“Roberto’s got a fever again with new jaw pain. He might be developing an infection or an abscess, so I need to go and see him.”

She threw her feet over the edge of the bed and sat. “I’m coming, too. I’m sorry, I didn’t hear your phone.”

“It’s okay. I’m sorry I woke you.” He kissed her nose, liking the sleepy look of her. “The life of a surgeon, you know. I have to go, but I’ll call you later.”

“Wait. I’d really like to come.”

“Are you ready for that?” he asked, and stroked her hair back.

“What do you mean?” Anxiety stirred in her.

“I mean, I got the call at five in the morning. If we both show up looking sleepy-eyed together, people will assume things about us.”

“Oh,” she said, and plopped down on the bed as her brain woke fully to what he was really saying. “I see what you mean.”

“I don’t want to put you in that position.”

“I couldn’t care less what people think about me. I’m more concerned about you.”

“I’m…not sure that either of us is ready for that.”

Searching his eyes, she didn’t find any answers. She didn’t have any either. “Will you call me and let me know how he is?”

“I will.”

“Maybe I’ll go in and check on him in a couple of hours.”

“That’s a good idea. He’ll love that.”

“Gives me time to drop by the store and get him a new car, too.”

Miklo grinned, then his throat suddenly went tight with emotion. With a nod, he turned and walked away before he couldn’t.

Hours later, Jeannine woke to the phone ringing in her ear. She debated whether to answer it, but the darned thing kept ringing, so she reached for it.

“Hello?” she said, and threw her arm over her eyes. She really didn’t want to be awake yet.

“Is Dr. Hottie still there?” Trish’s voice made her open her eyes.

“Trish!”

“Did you get my present?” Trish asked with a laugh.

“Yes, thank you. It was very unexpected.” Jeannine nodded and relaxed against the pillows with Miklo’s scent surrounding her.

“I thought you might like it. Did…everything…go okay?”

“Yes. It was wonderful,” she whispered. “I didn’t know making love could be so wonderful.”

“I’m really glad. He’s a dream.”

“And he dances like it, too.”

“You’re making me jealous, Jeannine.”

Jeannine took in a shaky breath, overwhelmed by the events of the past day. “Nothing like this has ever happened to me. I don’t quite know how to feel.” So many emotions had cracked open in the last twenty-four hours that she was still confused.

“Take a deep breath and enjoy it. Well, I’m going to let you go now. I’m sure you have some things you need to do today.”

“Yeah. And thanks again. You’re such a good friend.”

“See you tomorrow.”

“Okay.” Jeannine hung up and rose to shower and dress. She wanted to go see Roberto this morning. Seeing Miklo would just be a side bonus. Shorts and a T-shirt were about all she needed for a quick trip to the hospital. As she reached for a long-sleeved shirt to put on over the top, she paused. Glancing down at her arms and the visible scars, the cringe she usually felt coming on didn’t happen. Moving to the mirror in the bathroom she looked at herself. Other than needing her hair combed, she looked pretty much like any other person in the morning.

The scars had faded over the last months, but were still clearly visible. Miklo had told her about some lotions that could reduce the scarring and visibility. She knew he’d only been trying to make her feel better, that there was truly no way to fully eliminate the marks. But, hey, who knew? Maybe they would work a little.

Deciding to not worry about anything today, she pulled her hair back into a ponytail and headed for the hospital, quickly stopping at the store on the way.

As she entered the busy building, people rushed by her, jostled her a little, but no one pulled away, disgusted by her appearance, and some of the confidence that she had had in the past returned. The smile that lingered on her face had less to do with having a lovely weekend with Miklo and more to do with finding the joy that had once lived inside her.

After taking the elevator to the PICU, she pushed the double doors open and made her way to Roberto’s room. She clipped her hospital badge onto her shirt so that the nurse knew she wasn’t an outside visitor. She knocked on the doorway. “Hi. Can I see Roberto?” she asked.

“Hello,” the nurse said, and turned around. “Oh, hi! Didn’t recognize you at first out of scrubs. I’m Charlene,” she said, and shook Jeannine’s hand. “You’re one of the new nurses, right?”

“Yes, I am.” Her quick glance caught the heart monitor and then moved to Roberto on the bed. “How’s he doing? Is he still febrile?” She stepped closer. “I have a little present for him if he’s awake.”

“He’s in and out with a little sedation, but thankfully the ventilator tubing is removed now.”

“Oh, that’s fabulous. When did that happen?”

“Early this morning, I think. He was doing so well that Miklo extubated him and put him on simple oxygen.” Charlene shook her head in amazement. “He’s sure a fighter.”

Jeannine withdrew a yellow car from her purse and placed it on the bed. “I don’t want to wake him, but will you tell him I
stopped by and brought him a new car so that we can race?”

“I sure will,” Charlene said with a laugh.

Jeannine lingered at the door for a moment and then headed for the nurses’ station.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

MIKLO scribbled the last note in the last chart of the last patient he wanted to see that day. He glanced at the clock on the wall. Still time to call Jeannine. Though they had been awake for most of the night, he felt no fatigue, and his thoughts had drifted to her continuously throughout the day. What weighed heavily on his mind was that his time with Jeannine gave him a sense of peace that had been lacking for so long. Peace he had never had with his wife. Though he’d grown to love her, he hadn’t craved her with the same kind of passion he seemed to have developed for Jeannine.

Flopping back against the chair, he thought about her. About last night. About what it meant. About what it could mean.

Before he could wrap his brain around that idea, his phone rang.

“Dr. Kyriakides.”

“Miklo!” his uncle almost yelled into his ear. “Come to Olympia’s at four and bring your nurse. We’re celebrating.”

“What are we celebrating?” he asked, amused. With his uncle, he never knew.

“Christo is finally graduating, and I don’t have to pay for any more college.”

As he listened to his uncle, the object of his fascination approached the nurses’ station. Though focused on her, he gave a short laugh into the phone. “That is something to celebrate. I’ll ask her, she just walked up.”

“Just bring her. Be here at four or you’ll be in trouble with your auntie. She was sorry she missed you last time.”

“I am, too.” They spoke another minute, and then Miklo rang off. “Good afternoon, Miss Carlyle.”

“Afternoon, Dr. Kyriakides.”

“You’re looking mighty fetching today.” He let his gaze roll down her bare legs and back up again to her arms.

“Fetching?” She laughed and sat in a chair beside him. “I haven’t heard that term in a long time.”

“It seems the most appropriate description. You’re not bothered without a longer-sleeved shirt?” he asked.

“Amazingly enough, no. The need to cover myself has begun to fade.” She held her arms up and examined them as if they were something new to her. “I’m going to try the creams you recommended as well.”

“Excellent.” She was healing right in front of him.

“How are you today?”

“That was going to be my question to you, and what are you doing here on your weekend off?”

She shrugged. “I wanted to see how Roberto was doing.” She nodded at the phone still in his hand. “You got a phone call that involved me somehow?”

“What?” He looked at the phone and then stuck it in his pocket. “Yes. My uncle wants us to come to a party this afternoon.” Miklo leaned closer and the clean fragrance of her almost made his mouth water. “He’s very insistent that you come, but I told him I would ask if you’d like to come.”

The smile on her face started in her eyes, tilting the corners up. “I’d like that. But are you sure you want me along for a family function? I mean…” Her gaze darted away, her discomfort obvious.

“He specifically asked that you come, and he’ll have my hide if I don’t bring you.” Then Miklo realized how that could be interpreted, and he could have kicked himself for being such a verbal klutz. He really did want her with him. It finally seemed like the right place, the right time, and…the right woman. “Jeannine, I know that sounded stupid, but I would like you to come.”

“It’s okay. I understand. I’d love to come,” she said with a laugh and then glanced around, as if realizing they were sitting in a very public place.

“So what’s Roberto’s condition? I saw that you extubated him.” She adjusted her position to a more upright one and cleared her throat.

Good. Talk about work would keep his attention off of Jeannine’s long, long, legs and what they had done to him last night. “He was more than ready. Even though he’s still running a slight fever, he was doing well enough to extubate him. I did lance a small abscess in his jaw and sent it for culture.” Miklo stood and shoved the chart back into its rack. His job here was done. “I was about to head out. I can walk you out if you’d like.”

Jeannine nodded, and looked around, realizing that they were getting a little attention from the staff. “I did just come in about Roberto,” she said, her eyes cautious once again.

“I know.” He walked beside her through the double doors back into the hallway and away from the staff who could turn a casual conversation into a disclosure of national secrets by the end of a shift. Starting gossip about Jeannine was something he certainly didn’t want to do. He didn’t care so much about himself as he did about protecting her.

“So, what’s the occasion this evening?” she asked.

“Christo is finally graduating from university. But with my family, any excuse to get together is a good one.” He gave a smile, then frowned as a twinge in his chest caught him by surprise.

“What’s wrong?”

“I hadn’t realized until now, just how much I’ve missed that. The spontaneous get-togethers, the camaraderie of the family, the unbelievable amount of food.” His mouth watered at the thought and his anticipation skyrocketed. Seeing his family again was going to be great. Having Jeannine with him was going to be even better.

Jeannine paused in the hallway and placed her hand on his arm. He’d not worn his labcoat today and the warmth of her skin was a pleasant reminder of last night and how fantastic their skin had felt together.

“Don’t feel bad about missing something you want or need in your life, Miklo. We all need our family, our friends, our support system. If you want to go alone tonight, I won’t be offended.”

She was such a gem. Her insight was one of the most attractive things about her. Another thing he hadn’t realized he’d needed in his life.

Miklo frowned, unsure of himself as he looked down into her soft gaze. “Jeannine, I have a confession to make,” he said, and couldn’t believe that he was going to say this, but every word was true.

“I’m almost afraid to ask,” she said with a cringe. “What is it?”

“I thought about you all day long.” Though he had focused on his patients when he’d had to, thoughts of Jeannine and last night had stolen his attention every other moment. The warmth of a new pulse was present with every beat of his heart. Jeannine was responsible for putting it there.

She gave a shaky laugh and her eyes betrayed her emotions. “I thought a lot about you, too.”

“That’s very good. Why don’t I pick you up in an hour or so? Dress casual. We’ll go have a nice dinner, catch up with the family, and then who knows what.”

“I’ll be ready,” she said. Miklo watched as she made her way down the hall toward the employee elevators.

In an hour, Miklo knocked on her door. Insides trembling, palms damp, he felt like a kid on his first date again as he pushed the hair back from his face. When Jeannine opened the door and offered him a welcoming smile, he felt as if she had opened the door to his heart. Emotions he hadn’t acknowledged in years suddenly flooded through him, almost dropping him to his knees. The pain that had squeezed his heart for too long eased, and he could breathe again.

When she opened the door he charged inside, took her in his arms and held her against him until the trembling stopped.

“Miklo?” she asked as she hugged him back. “Are you okay?”

The feel of her trim body against him was what he needed. Pulling back slightly, he found her lips and kissed her thoroughly as his body prepared for much more than a simple embrace. Cupping his hands around her face, he placed a tender kiss on her mouth and looked into her blue-green eyes, which suddenly filled with a sheen of moisture.

“I’ve wanted to do that all day long. I’m sorry I couldn’t stay this morning.” He searched her eyes for anger o
r disappointment, but found none. “Last night was wonderful.”

Clasping her hands tight on his wrists, she held him closer. “It was. Thank you.”

“You have no idea how beautiful you are, do you?” He pushed a stray strand of hair back from her face.

“Me? I’ve…never thought of myself that way. Especially not after—”

“Shh.” Groaning, it took everything he had to take a step away from her, but for both their sakes he had to. “You are.” Succumbing to her charm and abandoning the party tonight would be entirely too easy to do. “How about I tell you about who we’re going to meet on the way?” Distraction. That was the ticket. Lots of distraction so he could keep his hands off of her.

“Go ahead, but I’m warning you, I’m terrible with names.” She took a shaky breath and picked up her purse.

“That’s okay. Just smile and nod and call most of the men Christo.”

In less than twenty minutes they arrived at the restaurant crowded with his family.

“I think there are more people here now than when we came here the first time,” Jeannine said as they pushed through the doorway.

“Miklo! Jeannine!” Seferino called from across the room and made his way through the crowd to them. Before he reached Miklo, he reached out to kiss Jeannine on both cheeks. “I’m so glad you could come.” He held onto Jeannine’s hand and led the way back through the crowd, leaving an astonished Miklo to follow along behind.

Hours later, having met countless cousins, aunts, and uncles and eaten the most outrageously wicked food she’d ever seen, Jeannine collapsed into a chair at a corner table. The glass of iced water in her hand was refreshing and after talking so long, she certainly needed it.

Glancing around the room, she looked for Miklo and found him engaged in conversation with another man about his age. She watched as they chatted, admiring what a handsome man he was. But she knew that her attraction for him was so much more than his physical appearance. He cared about people, he cared about helping others, and he appeared to care about her. Jeannine swallowed as he looked up and met her gaze.

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