Joan Hohl – The MD's Mistress / The Money Man's Seduction: The MD's Mistress (страница 8)

“Come back healthy, Rebecca. I need you…in the O.R.”

Seth’s quiet voice floated down the corridor after her.

Clutching the chair arms, she fought against the sting in her eyes. She had known all along he wasn’t interested in her in any personal way. She was a good O.R. nurse.

No! she thought, lifting her head and angling her jaw. She was a terrific O.R. nurse. And when she was completely back up to speed, she silently vowed, she would not torture herself by returning to work for him.

Maybe.

When Jen rolled the chair outside the electric doors, Becca couldn’t get out of the chair and into the impressive black stretch limo fast enough. She did not look back.

Seth stood rigid behind the large, heavy plate-glass door. A strange sensation invaded his stomach—emptiness? He shrugged the thought aside.

He didn’t have time to worry about a stubborn woman. He didn’t really need her in the O.R.; there were plenty of good—no, excellent—nurses waiting, hoping to take her place.

Yet he didn’t move away from the door. He stood there, watching until after she had disappeared inside the limo. Hell, he was missing her already and the car hadn’t yet pulled away from the building.

Becca. A pang in his chest startled him.

Dammit, she never so much as glanced back.

* * *

In a word, the limousine was plush. There was a small cooler holding snacks, and a bar with an ice-filled bucket chilling a bottle of champagne.

Curious, and hungry, as the lunch carts had just started to be pushed along the hospital corridor as she was being wheeled out, Becca investigated the bounty. Caviar, she marveled, the outrageously expensive stuff.

Expensive but gross, she thought, making a face. Thankfully there were several different kinds of cheeses and crackers and a bunch of plump black grapes. Yum, that was more like it.

Popping the cork on the bottle, she poured the golden, bubbly liquid into a real crystal flute and made a meal of the cheese, crackers, fruit and champagne…three glasses of champagne.

After sealing what was left of the champagne with the foil cap and packing away the remains of the food, Becca made herself comfortable by curling up on the butter-soft seat and promptly fell asleep.

Becca didn’t know where she was; the setting was lush but unfamiliar. She was in a freshwater pool, serenely floating naked in the cool water.

It was a peaceful, quiet place, a secret bower with heavy foliage and masses of bright-hued flowers on the banks surrounding the pool. And there was a waterfall, a gentle flow cascading into the sparkling water.

Lovely. She was alone but unafraid, somehow knowing this was where she belonged.

There came a splash, not loud, but as if a fish had leapt with joy in the pool. Small ripples blurred the water, drawing closer to her.

The next instant he was there, his lean bare body gliding along hers.

“Seth.” Her eyes closing, she breathed his name, as if she had known he would be there.

“Yes.” His lips were close to her ear. “Have you been waiting long?”

“Forever,” she murmured against his jaw.

“I’m here now…for you.” A slight turn of his head and his mouth took hers. A gentle, tender kiss, for a moment.

Becca curled her wet arms around his neck, and arched her body into his, murmuring low in her throat when he deepened the kiss, taking complete command of her mouth with his lips and tongue.

Without thought, she lifted her legs and coiled them around his hips, feeling the strength of his need, and loving the feel of it.

“You want me,” he whispered against her lips.

“Yes…” she sighed, arching higher into him. “Yes, please.”

“Then I’m yours.” He moved into position between her legs. She felt him there, and…

“Ms. Jameson.”

The soft, unfamiliar voice broke the spell. Becca opened her eyes, and nearly cried out in protest.

She was lying on the seat of the unmoving limo. She raised her eyes to see the driver, his expression both concerned and compassionate.

“We’re here, at the cabin.” He smiled. “Sorry to have to wake you. You were sleeping pretty soundly.”

“Yes,” she said, blinking herself fully awake and aware.

“I—” she began, only to have him interrupt.

“You obviously needed the rest,” he said, getting out of the car to open the door for her.

She needed something, Becca thought wryly, and right that minute rest didn’t come close.

“Well, there you are,” a voice called out, startling Becca. “And just in time for supper, too.”

Becca looked up at the woman standing on the wide porch running along the entire front of the…cabin? Ha! This place was the last thing Becca would call a cabin. The word resort jumped into her mind.

“Come on in, honey, and get acquainted. I’m Sue Ann, but folks just call me Sue.”

“Hi, Sue,” Becca said, stepping out of the car and mounting the four steps to the porch. She held out her hand. “I’m Rebecca.” She smiled. “But folks just call me Becca.”

Sue returned the smile, and turned to the driver, who stood patiently waiting at the base of the steps, his hands full of Becca’s luggage.

“I’m Dan,” he offered. “Sorry I can’t shake your hand, ma’am.”

“My name’s Sue,” she said, laughing. “And you two come right on inside.”

Becca liked the woman at once. In her mid-fifties, Becca judged, nice, down-to-earth, the solid type.

“I’ll show you to the room I’ve prepared for you,” she said, striding to a hallway and motioning Becca and Dan to follow. “’Course, if it don’t suit, you have your choice of any of the four others.”

“Only five bedrooms?” Becca said, laughing. “What kind of cheap dump have I been subjected to?”

Dan chuckled.

Sue laughed along with Becca. “Yeah, shame, ain’t it?” She swung open a door. “You’ll just have to rough it for a while, I suppose.”

Becca caught her breath as she stepped into the room. It was simply gorgeous, luxurious, downright, flat-out decadent. A room fit for royalty.

“Sheesh,” Becca whispered in awe.

“Think you might be able to make do?” Sue asked, in mock concern.

Becca nodded. “Yeah, for a while, at least.”

Laughing, Sue headed from the room. “Just drop the bags, Dan. I’ll take care of them later.” She glanced at Becca. “Why don’t you freshen up, then come out to the kitchen, before supper dries up. You, too, Dan.”

Dan thanked her, but demurred. “I’d better to be on my way, ma’am.”

“You not going to drive all the way back tonight, are you?” Becca said.

He shook his head. “No, just an hour or two. All the arrangements have been made for me. Matter of fact, I think I’ll be going, while it’s still light.”

Impulsively, Becca hugged him as she thanked him. Within minutes the limo was smoothly moving away from the house.

“Well, then,” Sue said. “Let’s you and I get to know each other over supper.”

Four