by Donna Hill
“Let’s. Plus I want to see what’s in that basket. I’m starved!”
Chapter 23
The night was pure magic. The park was a kaleidoscope of color and sound and scent. Blankets and brightly clothed bodies carpeted the grassy hills and slopes. Laughter rippled along the warm night air beneath a sky dotted by pinpoints of light, peeking through the arms of heavily leafed trees. While many couples sought the sanctuary of the shadows, groups of friends boldly took on the night, singing along to Jill’s standards and dancing to the beat.
As promised the dinner basket was truly fit for a king and queen: crackers and assorted dips, Swedish meatballs to die for, fresh fruit, Mediterranean panini sandwiches, arugula salad and mini cheesecakes.
“Oh. My. Goodness.” Dina gushed on a breath and collapsed against the leather of the car seat after it was over. “Everything was fabulous. The show. The atmosphere. The food...” She turned to him. “And the company.” She leaned across the gearshift. Franklin came to her halfway until their mouths met.
He slid his hand through the satin of her hair, cupped the back of her head and held her to him.
She moaned softly into his mouth.
Reluctantly he eased back, ran his thumb along her bottom lip. “Your place or mine?”
She grinned. “What do you like for breakfast?”
He chuckled. “Touché.”
* * *
“Where do you want this?” Franklin asked, holding up the cooler.
“Oh, that goes under the sink.” She took the blanket and put it on the top shelf of the hall closet then plopped down on the couch. “If you would empty out any water, then just leave it on the floor by the washer,” she called out. “I want it to dry.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He strolled off to the kitchen and deposited the cooler as requested, then returned to the living room. “There’s still some cheese and crackers.”
“Hmm, I’ll get the wine. I think I have another bottle in the fridge.” She started to get up.
“No. Sit. I can get it. If you don’t mind.”
She smiled. “Not at all. Knock yourself out.” She stretched her arms high over her head and yawned. She picked the basket up from the floor and set it on the center of the coffee table, just as Franklin returned with the wine.
Dina took off her sneakers and wiggled her toes. She tucked her feet under and curved her body into the corner of the couch.
Franklin poured them each a glass of wine, handed one to Dina and sat next to her. “To a wonderful night.” He lifted his glass.
“Totally.”
They both sipped.
Franklin leaned forward, set down his glass on the table, then angled his body toward Dina.
“So... now we’ve had an ‘official’ date,” Dina said.
He draped his arm along the couch, ran a finger down the back of her neck. Dina sucked in a breath.
“Seems like we have.” His gaze moved slowly over her face. “It isn’t often that I find something or someone to distract me from my work...my patients.”
Her heart galloped.
The corner of his mouth curved upward. “There’ve been a lot of things I determined I’d never do...and then have since I met you.”
She tilted her head, licked her lips. “Things like what?”
He let out a slow breath. “Getting involved with someone I work with for starters, especially someone whose work I oversee.” The skin tightened around his eyes.
“You said ‘for starters.’”
He looked at her with something resembling wonder in his eyes as acceptance dawned and found its way to his lips. “Caring again.” He turned away, got his glass from the table and took a long swallow of wine.
Dina curved herself closer to him. “What made you stop...caring?”
He leaned his head back against the couch, closed his eyes. He’d never really talked to anyone about everything that happened between him and Lindsay, not even his brothers. They knew they were seeing each other, and then they weren’t. He’d refused to get into the bits and pieces and eventually they let it go. All they knew for sure was that he didn’t want to talk about Lindsay. His frat brothers knew that something had gone down, but they didn’t know it all either.
“A couple of years ago I met someone at a fund-raiser given by the hospital. Lindsay Gray. She’s the CEO of Media Corp. Her company handles all of the public relations and fundraising galas for a string of hospitals in DC, Maryland and Virginia, including Jameson Memorial. Not Jameson at first, but eventually.” He sat up, leaned forward and rested his forearms on his thighs. “It lasted about two years.”
Dina waited for more. Her pulse quickened.
“It didn’t work out,” he finally said.
“I kind of got that.”
He snorted a short laugh.
“Do you want to tell me why?”
He pushed out a breath. “I wish it was something simple like someone else, or moving away.” He gave a slight shake of his head as if still grappling with the past. His brow furrowed. “We were both ambitious—still are—tunnel vision when it comes to our careers. The difference between us is that Lindsay has no problem using the people in her life to get what she wants.” He refilled his glass.
“I’ll have to stock up on bourbon for next time.”
He gave a half smile and took a swallow of wine.
“What did she do? Being ambitious is not a fault.”
“No. It wasn’t the idea of wanting to get the most out of your career, to be recognized for your achievements, to succeed when others in your position had failed. That wasn’t it.” His nostrils flared. “Lindsay wanted an inside track to securing the multimillion-dollar account from the hospital. She saw me as her way in.” He shook his head. “I introduced her to all the right people, from the head of the board of directors to the janitor.” He exhaled slowly. “To make a long story short, she landed the deal and our relationship ended soon thereafter. She said it wouldn’t seem right for the two of us to be together under the circumstances. Not only did she get the account, she has a seat on the board of directors.”
“Ouch. Wow, I’m really sorry.”
“Yeah. Anyway, water under the bridge. Once burned, twice shy as the saying goes. I stay out of her way and she stays out of mine.”
“Makes sense why you wouldn’t want to get involved, especially with someone from work.”
“Lindsay is smart, shrewd and controlling. She may not want to be in a relationship with me for her own personal reason, but she isn’t too keen on anyone else having that role either. She spearheaded the push for HR to ramp up harassment criteria on the job.”
“You think she did that because of the two of you?”
“I don’t know. Timing of it all was pretty suspect.” He shrugged. “Like I said, water under the bridge. But the reality is there will be an opening for an attending. Your fellowship will be finished soon. I want to recommend you for the position. Thing is, if it ever got out that you and I—”
She held up her hand. “I totally understand.”
He reached out and cupped her chin in his palm, scored her face with the sweep of his eyes. “I don’t want your chances compromised because of my own wants.”
“What is it that you want?” she asked on a whisper. Her heart thundered in her chest.
“You. From the moment I saw you at the seminar.” The memory came to life with a slow smile. He ran a finger down the side of her cheek. “But I knew what we were up against.”
“What changed your mind?”
He twisted his lips to the side. “A bet.”
She frowned. “A bet? What bet?”
Hesitantly he told her about the bet between him and his brothers.
Dina’s brows rose higher and higher as she listened. “So how much was a date with me worth?” she asked
with more bite to her words than she intended. She inched away from him.
“Listen. It’s not the way it sounds.”
“Yeah, it actually is.” She pushed to her feet.
Franklin grabbed her hand. “Dina. My brothers know that since Lindsay, dating...has been on the back burner. They also know that I was never one to hop from one woman to another. They told me there was no way I could show up at the anniversary party single. Again. They bet I wouldn’t find anyone.”
Her body slowly relaxed. She looked down into his perfectly sculpted face.
Franklin took her hand in between both of his. “I took the bet and the only person that I wanted to make good on that bet with was you.”
She lifted her chin in that defiant way of hers. “How much?”
“Two grand.”
She plopped down on his lap, looped her arm around his shoulders. “That’s it?”
“It was double or nothing,” he said in earnest.
Dina bit back a smile. “Was it worth it to you, Dr. Grant?” She placed a light kiss on his cheek, then his eyelids, then his lips.
He grinned against her mouth. “Every dime and then some. And just think you helped to fund my favorite charity.”
“Is that right?” she purred. Her fingertip trailed down the center of his chest until it reached the top of his belt. “I’m feeling a bit charitable myself.”
Franklin gathered the hem of her soft cotton T-shirt and lifted it over her head, tossed it aside. He placed a featherlight kiss at the shadow of her collarbone. Goose bumps bloomed across her belly. Her hands clasped the bulge of his biceps. His mouth trailed down to the swell of her breasts, and then to her stomach that fluttered like butterfly wings. He ran his fingers around the band of her shorts. She squeezed his hands to stop him.
“Let me,” she whispered deep into his ear.
Slowly she unwound her legs and stood, paused a moment, then wiggled out of her shorts and black lace panties. She kicked them to the side.
“Damn,” he uttered, grabbed her hips and pulled her against him. Deeply he inhaled her, licked and suckled her until her cries wrapped around them both, her body trembled on the verge of release. Her fingertips dug into his shoulders as the first wave slammed against her.
“Ahhhhh, Frank... Ohhhh, God...”
With one hand he deftly unfastened his belt, unzipped and shoved his pants down below his hips.
Dina straddled him, cupped his face in her palms and slowly lowered herself down, the throbbing hardness of him filling and nearly sending her right back over the edge. Her mouth closed over his while they wound and ground against each other. Franklin fisted her hair, drove up into her and groaned out his pleasure. Her wet walls gripped him, released him and gripped him over and again until they collapsed in giddy exhaustion.
Chapter 24
Dina listened to the steady beat of his heart, the rhythm of his breath. Images of the two of them floated through her mind. The deep timbre of his voice vibrated in her veins. Her body still hummed from the feel of him. She snuggled closer and wanted to burrow beneath his skin. The riot of feelings she had for Franklin unnerved her. He murmured her name in his sleep. A bubble of joy filled her, scared her. She knew that allowing herself to tumble down this unknown valley with Franklin had all the markings of trouble ahead.
They had to keep their relationship under wraps, but if she was honest with herself she wasn’t sure that she wanted to stay in DC, even if the position was offered to her. After nearly eight months in Washington, she still felt like an outsider. The only person she'd connected with was Franklin. She’d enjoyed meeting his family, experiencing the laughter and love they shared. Yet, at the same time it reminded her of all that she missed for so many years, what she desperately wanted for herself. But her career, everything she’d worked and sacrificed for was what mattered. Her work never ran out on her, died on her, left her.
She closed her eyes, smothered a sigh. Love, family and happiness were all part of the fairy tale—someone else’s. She’d ride the dream for as long as she could. She pressed a light kiss on his chest and drifted to sleep.
* * *
Franklin rolled over. He blinked against the dim light seeping through the blinds. The sound of rain beat against the window. It took him a second to realize he wasn’t in his own bed. The space next to him was empty. He turned toward the imprint that Dina left in the bed and smiled as the memories of the night ran through his head. Dina Hamilton was incredible, brilliant, beautiful, sexy, funny, worldly and she turned him on in ways he didn’t know were possible. He hadn’t thought he could feel this way. Whatever he’d had with Lindsay was a teenage crush compared to this.
He sat up, swung his feet to the floor, looked around for his pants and remembered he’d discarded them in the living room. He padded across the cool wood floors to the bathroom, grabbed a towel and tucked it around his waist, then followed his nose to the kitchen.
Dina was at the stove with her back to him, barely covered in a tank top, slowly swaying her hips to some slow jam that he almost recognized. Her hair was in a messy topknot, her long bronze legs on full display. She reached for the glass of orange juice on the counter beside her and took a short sip while she flipped bacon in the frying pan. Thunder rolled in the background. Standing there, watching her, he was hit straight in the heart with the realization that he was in love with this woman. And standing in this moment was something he wanted to do over and over again.
“Hey, good morning,” he softly greeted.
Dina glanced over her shoulder. A smile bloomed on her face, lit her eyes. “Hey yourself.”
They stared at each other in a private moment of realization.
“Hungry?” she managed.
“Starved.” He slow-walked toward her. “Need some help?”
“We’ve already determined that you are not the handy one in the kitchen,” she teased.
“True,” he conceded, and slid his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against his rising erection. “But I set a mean table.”
She slid her hand down between them, rubbed him until he groaned.
“Guess you need to decide what you want for breakfast,” she said and tugged the towel away.
He reached around her, turned off the jets, then lifted her into his arms and backed her against the wall. Dina wrapped her legs around his waist and he pushed up inside her with a hunger that rattled him.
Dina gasped at the force of his entry and held on for dear life as he lost himself and she gave him what he was seeking.
* * *
After the breath-seizing romp, and stuffing themselves with blueberry pancakes, turkey bacon and a feta cheese omelet, they were headed to the shower when Franklin’s beeper went off. He frowned.
“What is it?”
“Emergency code from the hospital switchboard.” He stalked off into the living room in search of his pants and cell phone. Dina followed.
“This is Dr. Grant... Yes. Is Dr. Hines on staff today? Get Dr. Lorde. I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Have them prep the OR and the transplant team.” He tugged on his pants, dropped his phone in his pocket while explaining to Dina what was going on. “Major accident on I-95. The victim is a donor and a perfect match for my patient Harold Finch.”
“Oh my God. That’s incredible.”
He tossed her a quick look. “I’d like you in the room.” He fastened his belt, scoured the floor for his sneakers.
“Uh, of course. I’ll get ready.” Her eyes danced around the space and found her pants on the couch along with her bra, but no panties. No one but Franklin would know that she was going commando. She slid her feet into Crocs and less than five minutes after the call they were headed out the door.
“I’m blocking you in. We’ll take my car,” he said.
* * *
It was easy to see how a major ac
cident could happen. Visibility was hampered by the slash of diagonal rain. Heavy fog added to obscuring vision, and streets were closed due to flooding and fallen trees.
Franklin wanted to fly over the cars and debris. Time was of the essence. This kind of opportunity was rare, and success hinged on surgical skill, focus and maintaining the viability of the donated organ. His patient, Mr. Finch, was barely sixty years old. He’d been on the waiting list for a donor heart for two years. He wasn’t the best candidate. Age was a major factor and the fact that he’d already had most of his valves replaced and had suffered cardiac arrest the last time he was on the table weren’t the kinds of odds that he would have preferred. But he’d promised Harold’s wife, Adrianne, and their daughters, Jessica and Pat, that he would do whatever he could to save him.
“We slept through all of this?” Dina asked more to herself than Franklin as she tried to peer between the rapid swipes of the windshield wipers. Noting his silence she turned to him. His profile was portrait stiff. His focus honed. He was preparing his mind for what was ahead. She needed to do the same.
Darting down the corridor of the third-floor cardiac unit a little while later, they were met by the charge nurse who advised them that Dr. Lorde was prepping the patient and the donor had just arrived by helicopter.
Franklin and Dina hurried to Harold’s room.
Anna was adjusting the medication drip. Surprise widened her eyes. She looked from one to the other. “Not dressed for the weather,” she quipped.
Dina felt her face heat.
Franklin didn’t seem to acknowledge the barb, and walked up to the bed. Harold’s wife and daughters were seated along the bedside. He spoke briefly to them, then turned to Anna.
“I’ll take it from here, Dr. Lorde. Thank you for stepping in.”
“Not a problem.” She started for the door, gave Dina a tight-lipped smile.
“Dr. Lorde, scrub in.”