I stop at the grocer’s and get everything I need to cook her dinner. By the time I get into the kitchen and start my preparations, I’m feeling better. I’m pretty impressed with myself, actually, because my risotto smells delicious. Maybe I have taken the wrong career path, because if this risotto is anything to go by, I should’ve become a chef.
I set the table outside on the balcony, complete with candles, and rose petals, then I stand there with my arms crossed and survey my work. There’s no denying I have talent. The front door opens, and I spring into action, quickly walking back inside.
“Hey, what are you doing home?” she asks, walking over to me. I kiss her, trying to block her view of outside. She narrows her eyes at me, my odd behavior tipping her off that I’m up to something. “I thought you had a late shift today?”
“I did, but I asked to finish early so that I could surprise you,” I say.
She looks past me, her eyes widening when she sees the flickering candles outside.
“What have you done?” she asks with a grin. She walks over to the door and slides it open, smiling back at me, as her eyes shine. “You did this for me?”
I nod. “I decided to recreate our own personal little dinner party.”
“Really?” She giggles and walks back over to me. “Does that mean you’re going to insult me and make inappropriate comments all night?” I wrap my arms around her and narrow my eyes at her.
“I told you, that’s how I get when I’m nervous.” I smirk at her. “So probably. Yes.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re lucky I forgive so easily.”
I raise my eyebrows at her.
“Really? I would’ve thought you’d hold a grudge until the very end.”
She giggles and kisses me on the lips. “You know me better than I thought you did.”
I watch for her reaction as we walk outside. My heart races when her eyes light up as she takes in how much trouble I’ve gone to. I pull out her seat for her, then push it back in once she sits down. She shakes her head, a look of amazement on her face.
“You worked all day and then you came home and did this?” she shakes her head. “I struggle to find the energy to order a pizza after a shift.”
“I wanted to do something nice for you,” I explain. I smile at her. “Be right back. I hope you’re hungry.”
I disappear back inside and over to the kitchen. I load our plates with risotto and then carry them out to the table. She smiles when I place hers down in front of her.
“That smells amazing,” she says.
She plays with her fork, eyeing her plate. I laugh.
“Go on.”
She sighs after her first mouthful and closes her eyes.
“God, it’s even better than it smells,” she mutters as she goes back for more. “Are you going to eat, or just stare at me?”
“Is that a legitimate option?” I chuckle and reach for my fork. “I’m sorry, but I can’t help it. You’re gorgeous.”
“This is perfect,” she says, smiling at me. “Thank you.”
“The key is to cook the rice just right.”
She laughs. “Not the food. Everything, you idiot.”
I slide my hand across the table and place it over hers.
“I’m glad you like it. I hope you saved room for dessert?”
“There’s always room for that.” She smothers a laugh. “Sorry, I was just picturing you on the couch when Matt walked in. The only thing missing was whipped cream.”
I raise my eyebrows at her. “How do you know there wasn’t any? You were late to the party, remember?”
“Oh, gross,” she cries. She stares at me, horrified. “Are you suggesting that my brother—”
“Okay, I didn’t think that comment through,” I admit with a laugh. “Maybe I should just go and get that dessert.”
“Yes,” she says, biting her lip. “Good idea.”
She sighs and leans back in her chair, pushing away her half-eaten cheesecake as she rubs her stomach. My mouth drops open in shock as I gape at her.
“I slaved for hours in the kitchen to prepare that, and you can’t even finish it?” I accuse her.
Total bullshit. I saw the cheesecake in the deli of the grocer’s and thought I could get away with throwing a few berries on top and calling it my own. It worked, too.
“I’m sorry, but dinner was so good… if I eat this, there will be no sex for days because I won’t be able to move.”
I accept her answer by taking the cheesecake and finishing it myself. She laughs as she shakes her head.
“You’re a dick.”
I shrug. “Maybe, but I’m a dick who’s getting sex.” I wink at her.
“I’ll clean up,” she says.
Still laughing, she stands up and starts clearing the plates. I reach over and take her arm, pulling her down onto my lap.
“No, you won’t.” I nibble on her ear as I wrap my arms around her. “The only thing you’ll be cleaning up is yourself—after I have my way with you.”
I smirk as she dissolves into laughter and wipe away the tears from her eyes.
Smooth, Luke. Very smooth.
“Tell me that sounded better in your head.” She chokes the words out.
“Much better in my head,” I admit. “Granted, it wasn’t the most flattering line, but it’s all I had, so I went with it.”
She shakes her head, smiling as I gently kiss her on the lips. She stands up and turns around, straddling me on the chair with her arms loosely draped around my neck. My heart pounds as my fingers creep underneath her shirt. She sighs as I touch her skin, running my hands up to her breasts. I reach behind her back to unclasp her bra, removing both that and her shirt. She groans as I close my mouth over her nipple.
“Oh God,” she mumbles, closing her eyes.
I kiss her neck as my fingernails trail softly along her arched back.
“That feels so good,” she mumbles. She cracks open an eye and smirks at me. “But if you really want to impress me, a massage would be amazing…”
I chuckle. “What do you think this is?”
She stands up and faces me.
I stand up, too, lifting her into my arms. I carry her down to the second door on the balcony, which leads into her bedroom. I roughly press my mouth against hers and then throw her on the bed, lying down next to her.
“You sure you’re not too tired for this?” I tease her as I massage her breasts.
She whimpers as I kiss her mouth, then her neck. I unbutton her skirt and ease it down her thighs, then I roll her lacey panties off, her sweet scent hitting me out of nowhere.
“I’m sure.” Her eyes flash as I smirk at her.
She stares at me with anticipation, watching me as I stand up and undress. I lie back down and roll her on top of me. She hovers above my length, one leg on either side of me, teasing my cock as she just barely makes contact.
My hands firmly on her hips, I thrust into her, sliding her down over my shaft. She groans, clutching my arms as I rock her back and forth.
“You feel fucking amazing,” I grunt. “There’s no better feeling than being buried deep in your pussy.”
She reaches down, running her own fingers over her clit, while my cock invades her. I groan because the site of her touching herself like that is incredible. She knows it turns me on, and she’s playing it up for me. She’s trying to drive me crazy. I groan and bounce her harder and faster on my cock.
“I’m gonna come,” I growl, clutching tightly onto her hips, ramming myself deep inside her as I release. “Shit.” I chuckle. “That all happened a bit faster than I was expecting.”
She laughs as she leans down to kiss me. I roll off her onto my side, pressing my mouth against hers. Just because I’m done, it doesn’t mean she is. She exhales loudly as I slide my finger inside her and draw circles around her clit. As I kiss her, she presses her legs together, her hands clutching at my wrist, begging me to go deeper and begging me to stop at the same time.
She whimpers and tilts her head and arches her back, as I close my mouth over her nipple. I suck hard as her fingers entwine in my hair. She gasps, her body convulsing as she comes.
“Holy crap,” she moans, squirming beneath me. “Stop. Get away,” she pants, pushing me away from her.
I chuckle, but oblige, because the last thing I want to do is torture her. I’ll save that for another day. I kiss her again, this time letting my lips glide roughly against hers, the salty taste of her sweat turning me on.
“You’re an amazing woman, Laura.”
I mutter the words, as my tongue circles her earlobe. She smiles and curls up into my arms. Then she rolls over so I can spoon her. I wrap my arm around her waist and kiss her softly on the neck, pulling her against me.
“Have you heard anything about the research project?” I ask her. She shakes her head.
“Not yet. I’ve applied, probably along with every other person in the group.”
“I’m sure you’ll get it.”
She smiles at me. “I wish I was as confident as you. I really want it, but so does everyone else, and unfortunately for me, everyone else is just as qualified as I am.”
“Maybe, but they don’t have one thing that you do.”
“And what’s that?” She stares at me, waiting for my answer. “You?”
I smirk at her response.
“No. I mean passion and the drive to succeed. I see it whenever you talk about your specialty and what you want to do. I see the need and determination in your eyes, and I know you’ll achieve whatever you set your mind to.” God, I sound more like Lewin every day. “That’s what will make the difference. Trust me.”
She still doesn’t look convinced as she leans over and turns off the lamp. She kisses me, then rolls over, cuddling into my arms. I kiss the back of her head and wrap my arms around her.
She’ll get it. I know she will.
#
I’m up early the next morning for my eight a.m. start and somehow even manage to get ready without waking Laura. As much as I want to kiss those sweet lips goodbye—especially with the way she’s draped herself so sexily with that sheet—I resist because I want to let her sleep for as long as possible. She hasn’t been sleeping well. She doesn’t think I notice when she sneaks out of bed in the middle of the night, but I do, and I’m worried about her. There is something on her mind, but I don’t know how to get her to open up to me. I just wish she felt she could talk to me about it.
Halfway through my shift, Lewin sends me down to the emergency room for a cardiac consult. I’m not even sure if that’s allowed, but I go with it, because I’m flattered that he trusts me that much. He’s been flat out planning the surgery for Ben’s mechanical heart, so I’m happy to do whatever is needed to take some of that pressure off him.
The ER is busier than I’ve ever seen it, thanks to a multi-car collision and being short staffed. After my consult, things get even more chaotic, so I hang around to help out until things are back under control.
Nearly two hours later, it’s returned to normal levels of chaos. I quickly scribble down my notes on my last patient so I can go back up to Lewin and find out how Ben is doing. My shift is almost over, but I want to make sure he’s okay before I leave. I walk over to the elevator, stopping when someone calls my name. I sigh, convinced I’m about to be asked to stay down here longer.
“What can I do for you?” I say to the nurse.
“There’s a lady asking for you in cubicle two.”
“Okay, sure,” I say.
I’m surprised, because in three years of residency and now this fellowship, I’ve never been requested by anyone. I walk over to cubicle two and push back the privacy curtain that is wrapped around it.
“Hello, I’m Doctor…”
I stop in my tracks and stare at the woman in front of me. She smiles, but there’s uncertainty in her eyes, like she’s scared of how I’m going to react. Holy shit.
“Abbey?”
She smiles weakly. “Hey. I wasn’t sure if you’d remember me.”
“Remember you? Of course, I remember you,” I murmur.
I haven’t seen Abbey in years, but I’d recognize her anywhere. There is no mistaking her because when I look in those eyes, all I see is Maya. I met Maya and her sister, Abbey, at a hostel when I was in London. The three of us hit it off and we hung out into the early hours of the morning. We stayed up all night, drinking too much and talking about my life in the states and their life in Germany. After Abbey went to bed, things between Maya and I heated up. That night, she ended up sucking me off in the bathroom, then I took her back to my bottom bunk bed of the eight-bed dorm I was in. Romantic, huh?
For the next three weeks after that night, Maya and I were inseparable. Until I went back to face the life I’d been trying so hard to forget. Seeing Abbey brings back a lot of memories, both good and bad.
Abbey steps forward to hug me, her movements awkward and forced. I hug her back and then step away, shaking my head. I still can’t believe it’s her. I want to ask her about Maya, but I can’t force the words out.
“How did you find me?” I ask. “How did you know I worked here?”
“Trust me, that took a lot of effort,” she says with a laugh.
I glance briefly at the little girl sitting on the examination bed. She smiles shyly at me as I crouch down next to her.
“Hello. What’s your name?” I ask, smiling at her.
“Allie,” she says quietly.
I glance at Abby and smile. “She looks just like you.”
She smiles and then hunches forward. I frown and stand up, stepping forward to help balance her.
“Are you okay?” I frown at her. She lets go of my hands and nods. “I assumed Allie was the patient because she’s lying down, but you look like the one who’s about to pass out.”
“Well, that’s funny, because I feel like it.” She forces a laugh and rubs the back of her neck, looking queasy. “Can we, uh, talk outside for a moment?”
“Sure. If you’re sure you’re okay.”
“I think the fresh air will help,” she says.
I lead her out through the side door, into the small sitting area near the garden. I’m not exactly sure what’s going on, but I’m determined to find out. I start to say something, but she stops me.
“Please. Let me get this out.” She takes a deep breath, not looking at me. “There’s no easy way to say this,” she mumbles.
She runs a hand through her long, blond curls, which remind me so much of Maya’s. When she looks up at me the tears in her eyes make me nervous. I’m sure this is bad news about Maya. My heart pounds as I wait for her to speak
“Maya died.”
Maya is dead?
My romance with Maya was a short and wild whirlwind that lasted all of a few weeks, but it still meant a lot to me. I was at a point in my life where everything felt helpless. I’d left college and gone overseas, because I couldn’t get over the death of my father. Maya was what saved me. I knew our relationship wasn’t based on love, but those few weeks with her were the turning point in my life.
“Wow.” I shake my head, in shock. “How? When?”
“Six months ago.” She pauses and stares down at her hands. “I’ve been trying to find you for the last four months. I thought you’d want to know, and I…” She shakes her head and wipes away tears.
“What happened?” I ask, still trying to get my head around the fact that Maya is gone.
“Car accident. She was killed instantly. A drunk driver veered onto the wrong side of the road and smashed into her car.”
“I’m so sorry. That must’ve been terrible for you.” I don’t know what else to say. I shake my head.
“There’s more.” She breathes out and seems to gather her strength, sitting forward to rest her arms against her thighs. I frown because sometime is really bothering her.
“What is it, Abbey?”
She looks up and
meets my eyes, my heart pounding when I see the fear hiding in them.
“Allie is your daughter.”
For a brief moment, my whole world stops.
I shake my head in shock, convinced I heard her wrong. I glance at her, half expecting her to break into a smile and tell me she’s joking, but she doesn’t. Holy fuck. No way. That can’t be right. How could I have a child that I had no idea existed?
I shake my head. I just can’t believe it.
Maya would’ve told me. Wouldn’t she? I think.
“What do you mean she’s my daughter?”
My voice is low and doesn’t sound like my own. I frown at her, waiting for her to say something—anything, at this point because none of this is making any fucking sense.
“How is it even possible?” I add, my voice rising. I stand up and shake my head, the shock slowly giving way to anger. “How long has it been? Nine years and someone finally decides to tell me I have a child? How could she not have told me something so important?” I growl. I shake my head and glare at Abbey. I know this isn’t her fault, but she’s here, and I need to take this out on someone. “How did this happen?” I ask. “We were only together for three weeks, for God’s sake.”
“It doesn’t take three weeks to make a baby,” Abby points out.
“Thanks for pointing out the obvious,” I snap. I take a deep breath. It’s Maya I’m really angry at. “She had my e-mail,” I say calmly. “She should have told me. If she wanted to, she could have told me. You know that as well as I do.”
“She knew what you were going through with your dad and college…” She stops, realizing her excuses are just that—excuses.
“That was my decision to make, not hers,” I say, spitting out the words.
“She thought she was doing what was best for Allie.” Abbey swipes away a fresh round of tears. I shove my hand in my pocket and retrieve a tissue, handing it to her. “Allie has been well-loved and cared for. Maya had my help, and our parents, while they were still alive. She was a happy, well-adjusted kid, until… until this happened.”
“Your parents?” I frown.
She nods. “They were in the car too.”
That poor kid.
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