“I’ll be twenty-one in June,” she said, demonstrating her sassiest eye roll.
He crossed his arms and frowned. “Which means you’re not of age to be consuming alcohol in the State of Florida. Wait, let me guess, someone made you a fake ID while you were in college, so you could get into bars?”
Crossing her arms to mirror his, she bravely met him nose to nose. “The last time I checked, you weren’t my father.”
“Then I would consider this your lucky day. Because if you were my daughter, I’d take you across my knee right now and give you a good hard spanking.”
“Jesus.” While a strange emotion stirred deep inside her belly, Lexi’s face reddened with embarrassment as she slouched back into her original position.
“Should we continue to get to know each other better, or would you rather I just take you home?” he asked as their server approached with a pot of coffee in one hand and a miniature spiral tablet in the other.
“I’ll have a short stack of pancakes and two eggs over medium,” Lexi quietly responded to the waitress, hoping that she hadn’t heard what Dr. Morales had just said to her.
“And I would like two sunny side up eggs with home-fried potatoes and rye toast, please,” Raul requested, turning both cups over for the woman to fill with hot coffee.
As their waitress walked out of earshot, he turned to Lexi and spoke in a gentle voice. “I know we’ve only known each other for a couple of weeks, but I’m too old to play games.”
Once again, she leaned forward. “I’m not a kid anymore. Go ahead and say what’s on your mind. You certainly haven’t held back so far.”
Dr. Morales smiled at her spunk while opening the small plastic container of cream and emptying it into his cup. Thoughtfully, he watched the clouds form before stirring the creamy white mixture into the dark hot liquid. “Since I’ve been working unusually long stretches lately, we’ve had some time to get to know each other. You really do get a feel for someone’s personality, working side by side in tense situations. Is it my imagination, or were we instantly attracted to each other?”
“You’re not imagining things,” she said in barely a whisper, her face flushing a deep pink as she peered down at her hands. It was embarrassing that he knew how attracted she was to him, and Lexi had trouble making eye contact with the handsome doctor.
“I was married quite young, and our parents arranged the union. We both came from religious families. I probably don’t need to paint you the whole picture. It wasn’t exactly the Norman Rockwell version.”
“I don’t come from a close-knit family, but I get the idea.”
“Well, in the end, it wasn’t what either of us wanted. She cheated on me more times than I could count, and we never had kids. In my opinion, narcissistic women don’t usually make wonderful mothers,” he said facetiously.
“Why do I get the feeling that there’s more to this story?”
“I’ve always had the desire to be a daddy, but the chances are good that I won’t start a family at my age.”
“Biblically speaking, I believe men were much older than you when they fathered children,” Lexi joked, stirring sugar into her coffee.
“The relationship I’m looking for is kind of unique,” Raul continued in a serious tone, lifting his eyebrows along with the cup to take a sip.
“Let me guess. You want to be like a father to someone.” She stopped to think about what she’d said. “Oh, my God, do you want to be a sugar daddy?”
Raul laughed. “Not so much from the material aspect. I’m more interested in nurturing someone. And just from spending time together at work this week, I get the feeling that you wouldn’t mind a little attention. Am I right or wrong?”
Lexi smiled and lowered her head. “My dad seemed to have missed the caring chromosome,” she admitted. “I’ve always dreamed of someone who would take care of me, but so far, I’ve only dated college boys who weren’t very mature.”
“I like that you’re so up front. It’s refreshing,” he said, lifting her chin with two strong fingers.
“You know most people go to the movies and get to know each other by asking if they prefer buttered popcorn or plain,” she joked, batting her eyelashes. “By the way, are we counting this as a date?”
Waiting patiently for his response, she felt an intense heat bloom in her cheeks. Though she loved being close to him, every time he leaned toward her, Lexi’s heart skipped a beat.
Be careful what you wish for.
His smile was wide. “I haven’t dated anyone in the hospital since my divorce two years ago because I’d always thought it was a bad idea to mix work with pleasure.”
“But now you’re changing your mind?”
Jesus. Why can’t I ever keep my mouth shut? No one likes to be pressed for an answer!
Though he shrugged, his hazel eyes glittered. “Evolving would probably be a better term. I’m not sure what’s happened to me since we started working together. But whatever it is, I’m willing to take some risks. Are you?”
Though excitement bolted through her body like lightning, she tried to appear calm on the outside. “Of course,” she answered in a serious tone before returning to her usual animated one. “Hey, did I tell you that my sister is moving in with her boyfriend next week? They just got engaged…”
“I guess that means you’ll need a ride to work.”
Lexi opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it as he put one finger in the air.
“No arguments, young lady. As soon as she moves out, we’ll arrange a time that I’ll pick you up.”
“But you don’t always work when I do.”
“That won’t be a concern of yours,” he said, his dark eyebrow darting upward.
Their server approached, carrying full plates on a large tray. “I hate to interrupt, but who ordered the short stack of pancakes?”
“She did, and I’ll take the check,” he answered, grinning.
Chapter Nine
“Rich, you’re here to work, not flirt with Lexi,” Ronnie admonished. “And you look like hell today, where were you last night? I tried calling, and you didn’t answer.”
“Could you give it a rest, brother? I’ve had a monster hump day hangover all morning, and your apartment is only a hundred feet down the walkway, so let’s just get this done. And for the record, she stopped to talk with me,” Rich countered, nodding in Lexi’s direction.
“Good job, Richie, you really know how to defend a girl,” Lexi joked before grabbing a heavy box. “Sorry for interrupting, I’ll let you strong he-men get back to work,” she said with a wink.
“Katie, what else do you need moved? So far we’ve only taken a couple pieces of furniture, and my brother is already holding his lower back,” Ronnie called out.
“Come into the bedroom—it’s mostly just clothes that are left,” Katie responded loudly.
As the guys entered the small room, she pointed to the racks of clothing. The brothers looked at each other and mumbled.
“Where did this all come from?” Ronnie sputtered. “It’s going to take an hour to carry this. Can’t you donate some of it to the Salvation Army?”
“Don’t you want your future wife to look nice?” she retorted, fluttering her eyelashes.
Watching them exit the apartment with armfuls of clothes, Katie looked around, taking stock of what else she might want to move when Lexi came in.
“Looks like I’m going to have lots of room in this closet,” Lexi observed. “I don’t have half as many outfits as you do…”
“Are you okay with all of this? I know it was kind of sudden. Maybe I should’ve delayed this a few more weeks.”
“Katie, I’ll be fine. You’re only moving a couple of doors away—it’s not like you’re relocating out of state. Besides, it’s time I stood on my own two feet and quit being such a burden to everyone.”
Katie reached out and gave Lexi a big hug. “You’re my little sister and there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you. I’
ve already pre-warned Ronnie that we’re a package deal and reminded him that he’ll be inheriting a sister in the marriage agreement. Now that Dad isn’t speaking to either of us, we really need to stick together.”
* * *
Two hours later, Lexi sulked as she sat in her lonely living room.
I’m glad Katie left me most of her things, but it sure is depressing here. I wonder if there’s anything in the fridge for dinner.
Meandering into the kitchen, she opened the refrigerator door and gazed at the empty shelves.
Bummer, I should’ve gone grocery shopping.
As she rounded the corner, Lexi heard a light knock on the door. After peering through the peephole, she opened it wide and there stood Raul Morales dressed in a light blue T-shirt and a pair of khaki shorts.
“Dr. Morales, this is unexpected.”
“When a man brings you take-out for dinner, you might want to call him by his first name,” he teased, raising one hand to display a large white paper bag that was labeled Woo’s Chinese while clasping another small brown-handled package in the other. “I thought you might not have time to go grocery shopping since your sister moved out today.”
Lexi’s mouth opened wide and she stood there speechless. She couldn’t believe he’d remembered.
“I’m sorry, do you have company?” Raul asked, still standing in the doorway.
“No, please come in. You’ll have to forgive how this place looks—Katie just left and I obviously haven’t had the time to redecorate,” she joked, stepping aside.
“I hope you’re hungry because Woo’s gives you a ton of food,” he said, strolling into the tiny kitchen area. “Did your sister leave you any plates?”
“I think so, let me look.” Nervously, she edged her way past him and rummaged through a couple of cabinets. “Here they are, and the silverware should be in the drawer right in front of you.” Grabbing the plain dinner plates, she set them down on the small table before ripping off a few paper towels from a roll that sat next to the sink. “We use these as napkins, because Katie thinks it saves on expenses.”
Sitting down, Raul retrieved three cardboard containers from the large bag and placed them in front of their plates. “I hope you like Mongolian beef, but if not, there’s a shrimp and chicken dish as well. Of course, they gave us plenty of rice,” he said, peering up with a guarded smile. “Okay, you seem nervous that I showed up unannounced. I probably should’ve called before coming over.”
“No. It’s good that you’re here. I guess I’m just a little more wired today than usual. I’ve never lived alone before.”
He turned at the waist to see what kind of locks were on her door. “Considering everything that’s going on in this city, your uneasiness is understandable. When I walk out that door tonight, you better be sure to lock it and put the chain on, young lady,” he said, dishing a variety of entrées on Lexi’s plate before spooning some onto his own. “Go ahead and see which one you like best. There are a lot of Chinese restaurants in the area, but Woo’s is my favorite.”
Lexi took a couple of tiny bites along with some rice before looking down into her plate. “It’s very good.”
“You’re usually much more talkative. Are you nervous being alone with me in your apartment?”
“No, of course not. I trust you…”
He put his fork down. “Look, I understand. We haven’t known each other for very long, and I’ve practically barged into your home. I apologize, Lexi. The last thing I’d want to do is frighten you.”
She brightened up at the soothing, genuine tone of his voice. “No, no, no, it’s okay. I’m happy that you’re here, and I love that you brought dinner.”
“I’m sure you could always barge in on your sister for a meal,” he said with a chuckle.
“Probably, but I really need to start taking care of myself and not depend so much on others. My dad used to say that all the time,” she said, her lips curving downward.
He angled his head lower to meet hers. “I was kind of hoping you might want to depend on me.”
Picking up her fork, Lexi remembered their conversation at IHOP as she motioned toward the small handled bag next to his chair. “Is that a gift?”
A satisfied smile played upon his lips. “It was just a spur of the moment purchase. Why don’t we open it later?”
After they’d finished eating, Lexi watched in amazement as Raul cleaned off the table, rinsed the plates, and placed them into the dishwasher. Taking what was left of the Chinese food, he repacked every last bit and stored the containers in the refrigerator. “There, now you have something to eat tomorrow night. Leftovers are very important when you live alone,” he commented with a sigh. Looking down at his watch, his eyebrows drew together as he noted the time. “You’ve had a busy day, Lexi. Should I leave, so you can get some rest? I wouldn’t want to overstay my welcome…”
Making herself comfortable on the gold patterned, upholstered couch, she hugged a large fringed pillow. “No, I’m not tired. Please stay a little longer.”
“Okay, would you like to open your gift?” Sporting a wide grin, Raul pulled a narrow wrapped object from the bag and took a seat beside her. “I may have just the thing to relax that tense mind of yours.”
“Of course. Who doesn’t love presents?” Lexi took hold of the package, ripped off the brown paper, and stared at the title. “Mystery of the Glowing Eye?”
“It’s a Nancy Drew novel,” Raul answered proudly.
“I haven’t read one in years, but I’ve always liked mysteries.”
“Actually, I was hoping to read to you. It might be a nice way for us to spend time together,” he said softly before waiting patiently for a reaction.
“My mom died when I was young, so I don’t have any memories of her reading to me and Dad never spent time doing those kinds of warm and fuzzy things with us. He wasn’t exactly what I’d call paternal.” Again, she stopped to think. “When we had breakfast together, you talked about wanting to nurture someone. Is this what you meant?”
“What I want is for you to feel safe with me. I’d like to take care of you, but there will always be consequences for disobedience,” Raul said, carefully moving a stray hair behind her ear. “I can remind you of the entire conversation we had not long ago…”
She liked the idea of his protective nature, but when he said the word consequences, her bottom actually quivered. On the other hand, his friendship really couldn’t have come at a better time.
“No, I remember every single word of it,” she said in a small voice, her face blushing a bright shade of pink as she peered through her long golden bangs.
Raul’s smile was bright. “Now, would you like to hear the story, young lady?” he asked, opening the brand new glossy covered book.
“Yes, sir,” she answered respectfully, watching as his face glowed at her response.
Chapter Ten
It was around 6:45 on Saturday morning when Lexi checked her watch to see if the shift had finally ended. With a feeling that someone was behind her, she immediately turned her head to find Dr. Morales standing in the hallway, his lips forming a tight line as he curled a finger in her direction. After following him back into his private office, she closed the door and watched as he walked across the room to sit behind his small desk.
“Was I supposed to drive you to work last night?” he asked, stretching his arms down either side of the smooth surface, leaning toward her.
“But you weren’t scheduled to come in, and it really isn’t that far for me to walk,” she responded, her eyes focusing on a small cot in the corner of his on-call room.
His fingertips tapped heavily on the desk. “When I came to pick you up, there was no one home. We arranged a time before I left your apartment on Thursday, remember?”
“Yes, but…”
“No buts, young lady. We had an agreement,” he said, his tone darkening as he stood and walked to lock the door.
Lexi’s feet were glued to the floor as sh
e stood there wearing a stunned expression. “Why are you doing that?” she asked, angling her head toward him.
As he moved to stand behind her, his palm rested firmly on her pert, rounded bottom. “Have you ever been spanked, Miss Roberts?”
“No,” she said, swallowing hard. Even through her pants and underwear, she could feel the heat of his hand, and something deep inside her vibrated from his tender touch.
“Well, I think you deserve a trip over my knee, little girl. Maybe a spanking will do you some good,” he said, his hand patting the lower portion of her backside.
Her pussy clenched as she closed her eyes. It was the second time that his spanking threat moved her insides that way, but the thought of him actually doing it had her trembling with embarrassment. “Jesus, there are people outside this office. Don’t you care?”
“Well, someone should have thought of that before she decided to walk to work alone last night,” he said, leading her by the hand back to his desk. Her eyes widened as Dr. Morales pulled out his chair, and all that could be heard was elevator music softly playing over the hospital’s sound system as he deliberately lowered her across his lap.
Taking his sweet time to place her in a particular position over his sturdy thighs, it became obvious that he wanted to give her an extra moment to think about the spanking she was about to receive. There was something so embarrassing about being disciplined by him, yet she could feel the inside of her belly curl with desire as he placed his large palm on her heinie.
Oh, my God, this is really happening.
“Although the morning and evening shifts are busy right now with their patient reports, I think it would be in your best interest to keep quiet while I spank your naughty behind. And you’re absolutely right—we wouldn’t want the secretary sitting at the emergency desk to hear.” He had one strong hand holding her tight around the waist and his other was poised high in the air, ready to strike her wiggling bum.
“You can’t do this,” she insisted, dangling over his knees, her face radiating with moist heat.
Her Doctor Daddy Page 5