Bending the Rules (6 page)

I didn't want to fight with the bitch, and I didn't want her under my skin, looking for any means to bring me down to heel in front of her. It wouldn't happen, and somewhere along the way, I'd snap and choke her out. Then sexual harassment would be the least of my worries.

"Liquor makes things slicker." She chuckled and walked out, leaving me to stand there and shake my head.

How the hell did Damon and I ever get mixed up with a nut case like her? Simple. We loved sex and so did she.

Sadly enough, not much had changed - not for any of us.

Chapter 9

Dana

I only had time to grab a muffin from the corner store before getting to the hospital on Friday morning. Between my nerves about going out of town with Kendal and the weariness that hung on me like a well-worn coat, I was fried. The date with Cameron ended better than I expected, but I needed to talk with Kendal about the guy. Not that I expected my handsome new beau to defend me against my ex, but I wanted to be on the up and up. Something told me that it wasn't the last time Cameron would end up on my doorstep.

My stomach grumbled angrily as I parked in my usual spot and grabbed my stuff. I had half the muffin in my mouth by the time I walked into the bustling halls of the hospital. It was twenty-four seven, a place that never slept nor rested. I loved it.

"Morning, Dana." One of the nurses from the first floor waved and gave me a warm smile.

"Morning," I mumbled around my muffin and gave her an apologetic smile. I jogged toward the elevator as a large group of nurses and doctors piled in. "Hold the door?"

"Of course." One of the doctors reached out and held it open for me.

"Thanks." I got in and put my back to them as a feeling of rightness swelled in my chest. Being a nurse was one of the greatest decisions of my life, but I wanted more. I wanted to push farther to see what I was capable of. Maybe with the right scholarships and focus I could eventually get my master’s in medicine. It would be a long road, but one that would light me up along every step on the path.

Kind of like Kendal being a professor. Guilt tugged at me.

He loved his profession with a passion - obviously. Was I asking him to taint his own first love just so we could be together for the next eight months? I was. Or maybe he was offering, but either way... I wasn’t just falling in lust with the man, I was falling in love. I wanted something long-term and solid to exist between us.

Maybe we should wait?

I walked out of the elevator on my floor and caught Tensely’s eye. A groan lodged in my throat. I was good with the morning shift so long as she wasn't there. The woman had it out for me and every other intern on the floor. Whether she was forever lamenting over her youth slowly slipping away or she was just naturally hateful, I wasn't sure, but starting the day with her badgering me wasn't something I was looking forward to.

"Oh, good." She stood up and pushed her hair over her shoulder. "Mrs. Delmaz threw a holy hell fit last night because no one has brought Larry to see her yet."

"That's because no one knows who Larry is." I paused by the nurses’ station and tried to keep my tone even. "Her husband’s name is Frankie and he's been dead for twenty years."

"You’re shitting me." She rolled her eyes and huffed again. "Well, see what you can do to calm her, please? You're the only one around here with the ability to help keep the crazies at bay."

"I'll take that as a compliment." I walked to the far end of the hall and locked my stuff up. I wanted to blast her with the reason that I was able to help people the way I was, but it would come off as me being an ass, and I didn't want to go there just yet. I was compassionate and caring. It was that simple. It was the part of me that they kept giving me grief over. I snorted and walked back down the hall toward Mrs. Delmaz's room.

I knocked before sticking my head in. "Mrs. Delmaz?"

"Thelma. Just call me Thelma, girl." She glanced up from reading something and gave me a tight smile. "You promised that you would help me, but like all these other uppity nurses with too much to do and no care in your minuscule hearts, you didn't."

"That's because I can't figure out who Larry is." I offered her a genuine smile and moved to stand next to the bed. I reached down to work her IV out of the tangled mess she'd somehow gotten it in and continued our conversation. "Tell me who Larry is and I'll bring him in to see you."

She pulled her glasses down off her nose and narrowed her eyes. "He's my best friend. Duh. I put his name on all of the emergency contact information. He's where he always is. He's at my house."

"He lives with you?" I finished working on the IV and cupped her wrist lightly.

"I just said that. Open your ears up, kiddo." Her tone was demeaning, but she was scared and out of sorts being in the hospital for the last few days. Her chart showed that she was without additional family members and her dementia had set in to the point of her not remembering much of anything.

"Got it." I rubbed her arm softly and gazed down at her. "I'm headed out of town this weekend, but on Monday I'll bring Larry in to see you, okay?"

"Good. If you break your promise, I'm going to throw a fit that will have everyone talking. I want what I want when I want it!" She accented each word, making me smile. She was a firecracker and a half. Some part of me wanted to see her back in her hay day when she was ruling the corner of the world she inhabited.

"Will do. Let me know if you need me. I'm here for most of the day. I'll stop by a little later and you can tell me all about Larry, okay?"

"Fine." She pulled her glasses back on and glanced down at her magazine as I released her. The sly smile playing on the edge of her lips was enough to let me know that she enjoyed my company. Now I just needed to figure out who the hell Larry was, and get the guy up to the hospital on Monday morning. Otherwise, things would get more interesting than any of us really wanted them to.

*

"Wait. Who is Larry again?" Jackie gave me an odd look as we hoofed it through the airport. Kendal was supposed to meet us at the gate and might be a little late, but he'd promised he would get himself there.

"No clue." I dropped my bag on the floor by a row of chairs in front of our gate and sat down. "She said that he was her best friend. I assume he's some skinny guy with no teeth."

Jackie put her hand on her hip and shook her head. "Maybe he's a dog."

"What? You think he's a pet?"

"Why would a woman like Mrs. Delmaz have a man living with her? That doesn't make any sense at all."

"She didn't seem to know what the hell she was talking about. Poor thing." I waved my hand around. "Forget it. I don't want to dwell on this anymore. I need a break from everything. Whoever or whatever Larry is, I'll find him on Monday and bring him to the hospital to see her."

"You're sure going out of your way for someone you don't really know. Especially considering that the woman isn't going to remember asking you to do it."

"You'd be surprised." I grabbed my purse and stood back up. "I'm going to grab a Coke and some chips for the flight. You want anything?"

"No. I'm good." She dropped down loudly and pulled her legs into the seat with her. "I'll watch out for your handsome boyfriend."

I smirked, turned and walked toward one of the corner stores just down the hall a little ways. Boyfriend? Was that what Kendal was? I wished.

After flipping through the magazines and purposing every type of chip they had in the store, I found myself standing in front of the glass case near the register. Condoms. Did I need some? Were we going to-

"Should I ask?" The sound of Kendal's voice made me jump.

I turned around and popped him softly in the chest as heat drove up my chest and covered my neck and face.

"You scared me."

He leaned around me and glanced down. "You planning on hitting the mile high club?"

I forced my nerves to settle as I reached out and slid my hands around his waist. "No, but I was hoping that maybe we could get to know each other better."

"Hmmmm." He leaned down and kissed me quickly before moving back. "I'll get these for us."

"I'm not being too forward, right?" I moved back and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Not in the slightest. I love a woman that knows what she wants." He glanced over his shoulder and winked at me. His dark brown hair was getting thick on top, which just left him looking more like a frat boy and less like the distinguished professor he was.

I didn't respond, but turned and picked out a few snacks. Butterflies danced deep in my stomach and the very idea of him buying condoms had my insides turning to mush. Was I ready for what we were headed into?
Yes. God yes.

"Put those up here too, Dana." Kendal moved back and motioned for me to drop my snacks on the counter.

"No. I got these."

"Now." He tilted his head a little toward me and gave me a stern look.
Hot.

"Yes, sir." I moved up and placed them on the counter, making sure to brush my hip by his outer thigh.

He paid and grabbed the bag. "Come on. Let's get to the gate. Is Jackie already here?"

"Yeah." I wanted to reach for his hand, but with us still being in Dallas, it was better if I didn't. We could play the couple in New York, but not until then.

"Let's see if we can't get our seats together when we get over there." His eyes lingered on me as we walked back toward the gate.

"What?" I could feel myself blushing again. Something about him left me flustered.

"You're just beautiful. I haven't stopped thinking about you all week." He set his stuff down and extended his hand toward Jackie. "I think we've seen each other around the hospital, but I'm Kendal. Nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine." Jackie stood up and shook Kendal's hand.

He turned toward me. "Give me your ticket and I'll go see what I can do to get us together."

"No, just take my seat." Jackie pulled out her ticket. "Dana and I are sitting together already. We'll all check in together and the two of you can fit in our seats and I'll take the lone wolf seat."

"No, you don't have to do that." I glanced over at Jackie. She was far too good of a friend. I hadn't even had to beg her with my eyes to help me and Kendal end up sitting together.

"Yes I do. You'll owe me a favor in the future and those are priceless!" She smiled and sat back down. "Besides, I like to read on flights."

"Sounds good to me." Kendal turned to face me, his dark green eyes moving across my face. "How was your week? As miserable as mine?"

"It was okay." I reached out and brushed something off of his chest, just looking for a reason to touch him as often as I could. Eight months. Just eight short months and we could be fully together.

A voice came over the loud speaker with the announcement that our flight would begin boarding now. Jackie got up and we moved into line, my friend in front of me and the sexiest man in the whole damn building behind me.

"It's about to get much better." Kendal moved up behind me and slid his free hand around my waist, pulling me flush against him. The thickness of his arousal surprised me a little. A thrill of desire rolled around deep inside of me, warming me from the inside out. He leaned down and pressed his mouth to the back of my hair. "I've had a million dreams this week and you were in every one of them."

I pressed back against him and cupped my hand over his, forcing him to hold me tighter. "What are we doing?"

"I plan on showing you." He nipped at my ear before moving back.

Chill bumps raced across my skin and the air seemed so damn hard to breathe all of a sudden.

"Next!" The attendant in front of me reached for my ticket and lifted her eyebrow at me.

I stumbled toward her and tried to keep my cool. It was going to be a long weekend, but I for one was more than ready for it. I'd been playing it safe for far too long and my life was a clear reflection of security. Time to up the ante and see what the return might look like.

If nothing else, pleasure would be my reward.

Chapter 10

Kendal

She smelled so fucking good as I hovered over the top of her in the line. Every inch of my body was on fire for what was to come. Where I didn't want her to think that all I was interested in was sex, I knew without a doubt that we'd have to get past a few times in the sheets to let things calm down between us. A fiery passion I couldn't remember feeling before had me buzzing on a high I more than needed in my life.

Dana glanced back and gave me a shy smile before walking down toward the gate that led to our flight.

I handed the woman taking tickets mine and moved up behind my girl again. "It was nice of your friend to give up her seat." I reached out and slid my hand into hers, squeezing softly and pulling her fingers toward my lips so I could take my time kissing each of them.

"You're not being very subtle." She turned and pressed her chest against mine. Where I would normally frown on a public display of affection, something was different with her. I was greedy to get my hands on her, no matter where we were. Getting to leave town for three days where we could just be ourselves no matter who was watching? Bliss.

"It's hard when you're so damn fine." I leaned down and brushed my lips by hers. "Eight months, hmmm?"

"I think one of us is going to have to get an extra job to pay for out of town travel." She laughed, lighting up the hallway around us with her energy. She was the type of fire I could warm myself beside forever. If we could make it through the next year together, we were set.

What would I be willing to give up for her?

"I'll pick up the tab." I leaned down and brushed my lips by hers again, reveling in the softness of her kiss. I wanted her lips, her mouth all over me. Was she adventurous in bed? Would she let me explore every inch of her and teach her new things?

"You look lost in thought." She gave me a cheeky grin as someone cleared their throat loudly behind us. "Oh! Sorry."

"I was thinking about all the things I shouldn't be." I adjusted my cock, trying to make it less than obvious that I was sporting a hard-on for the pretty girl in front of me. What was I, twelve?

"That so?" She moved up and glanced over her shoulder, stealing whatever part of my heart I thought remained my own. I'd have to thank Damon a million times when everything was said and done. Without the bastard pushing from his angle and Dana being persistent from hers, we wouldn't have a chance in hell. I'd been protecting myself for too long to let the wall crumble without someone beating against it. Lucky for me, I had two people who cared enough about me to pick up a sledge hammer and go to town, no matter how much I pushed back.

"Absolutely." I moved up behind her in the plane and took her backpack from her, helping to stow it away before dropping down beside her. The sundress she wore played above her thighs, leaving her long tanned legs on display.

I reached out and squeezed her knee before sliding my hand up just a tad bit more and clamping down. I crossed my legs in an effort to keep everyone from noticing just how intensely she affected me.

She turned and leaned toward me, putting her mouth right beside my ear. "What happens if you get caught fucking in the bathroom of a plane?"

I tensed as images burned across my vision. It was like the guy I'd locked away after college got a few minutes to storm around in his cage without chains strapped across him.

"I don't know." I reached out and cupped her face tightly. "You wanna find out?"

Her cheeks turned pink, making the monster inside of me lift his head. I was starved for affection and yet it had been all my own doing.

"Maybe on the way back." She leaned in and licked at my mouth as I growled softly.

"Promise me you'll tell me what you want when we finally get alone. I don't wanna waste time figuring it out and possibly getting it wrong. I wanna know where your treasures are so I can beat against them with a fury that's going to steal your breath." I pulled her toward me and pressed my lips to hers as the delicious burn of desire pulsed down my stomach and settled in my sack.

"Fuck," she whispered against my lips and gave me another long kiss before moving back and letting out a shaky breath. "I'm not going to survive you."

"You have to." I gripped her hand and brought it over to rest on my leg. "You're the only woman I see in my future. I have lots of plans for you, but you knew that, didn't you?"

She closed her eyes and didn't utter a word. She didn't have to. The soft panting coming from her, combined with the vein in the side of her neck pumping blood furiously through her body was enough. I couldn't help but completely adore how much of an effect I had on her. Little did she know, she had the same hold on me.

*

"All right, so tell me who this woman is again?" I clasped Dana's hand between mine and held it in my lap as she and I rode in the back of a New York cab with Jackie.

"She's my best friend from high school. Well, really from elementary. We've known each other all our lives." Dana snuggled against my shoulder and let out a soft sigh.

Jackie leaned forward and looked back at us. "Did Olivia grow up in Texas or were you raised somewhere else?"

How close were Dana and Jackie? Not very close from what I could tell. I'd always assumed that girls knew every intimate detail about their friends. Maybe not. Or maybe Dana was a private type?

"We all grew up in Houston, but my family moved up to Dallas when I started at UT five years ago."

"Five years?" I smiled as Dana turned to give me a look. "You just like college, or what?"

"I have a double major." She released my hand and moved more into her own seat. "Business and nursing, though to be honest, I'm not sure that's where my heart is leading me."

"No?" Jackie pulled out a piece of gum and popped it in her mouth before offering us one. "What are you thinking? Med school?"

"Maybe." Dana shrugged, and the conversation died as the cabbie pulled over in front of a large elegant-looking cafe.

"We're here. Twenty-five Elm Street. Cafe Udo." He turned and extended his hand. "Forty-three dollars."

"Rape." Jackie shook her head and opened the door as I pulled out my card.

"I got this." Dana tried to push my hand away, but I wouldn't let her.

"No. You're my girl and this is our weekend away. Don't deny me the opportunity to act like a good southern man and pay for everything." I gave the card to the cab driver and turned to smile at the beautiful woman who was sure to steal every part of me before the weekend was over.

I signed the receipt as Dana got out and spoke with Jackie for a few minutes. I didn't have a clue where we were headed or what was next on the agenda, but I hoped like hell it was food. I was finally getting my appetite back.

"All right, well, I'm going to walk down the block to St. Mark's Hospital. Parks said just to meet him there." Jackie pulled Dana into a hug before giving me a smile and a wave and walking off with her backpack strapped to her back.

"Something I did?" I wrapped my arm around Dana and offered her a cheeky smile as I tugged my bag over my shoulder.

"Not at all. She's trying to win the heart of a playboy doctor. I wish I could talk her out of it." Dana nodded toward the cafe. "You want to grab a sandwich before we walk down to Olivia's apartment?"

"Love to." It felt so damn good to have her pressed to my side. I'd have to memorize the feeling for when things got rough back in Dallas. "I'm finally starting to feel like I'm alive again."

"That's great news." She wrapped her arm around the back of my waist as we moved into the line inside the cafe. "You've been through a lot."

"Yes, but thanks to you and Damon, I'm making it through." I leaned down and kissed her, unable to help myself.

"What was that for?" She smiled up at me.

"Just because. Get ready for a lot of those. I've been saving them up since the first night you came over to my place." I wagged my eyebrows as she blushed again. It was almost too cute how innocent she was.

"I remember that night... really well."

"Good. I plan on revisiting it this weekend." I licked at my lips and growled softly.

She popped my chest and laughed before releasing me. "Behave or we'll never make it through this line."

"Speaking of..." I pulled at the strap of my bag as it hung over my shoulder. "What
are
our plans? Are we having dinner with your friend or hanging out with a group tonight or what?"

"I know that we're having dinner with Olivia and her boyfriend, Luke." Dana's lip turned up in disgust as she mentioned Luke. "But I don't think that's until later tonight."

"You don't like her boyfriend?" I moved up to the counter and pulled out my wallet.

"Not in the slightest. I've never met him, but he's turned my friend into a cold-hearted bitch."

"And she wasn't one before." I let my eyes run across the menu and tried to focus. It was so hard to do anything with Dana standing so close to me. My hungers were competing with one another deep inside of me, and my stomach was sure to lose out sooner than later.

"Not at all." She ordered a sandwich and moved to the side as I ordered and paid.

"Does that mean we get a little bit of time together this afternoon before our dinner?" I walked toward the pickup counter where she stood and pulled her into a hug.

She pressed her hands to my chest and smiled. "It does. I'm thinking a nap sounds good."

"Is nap code word for a long hard fuck?"

"Kendal!" She laughed loudly and pressed her forehead against my chest. "You're really corrupt under all those rules and that nice professional pair of glasses you wear, aren't you?"

"I'm a regular superman stuck in a Clark Kent world." I touched the soft skin under her chin and forced her to look up. "I just wanna be fully me while I'm here."

"Good. I want that too." She slid her arms up my chest and clasped her hands behind my head. "Our nap can include anything you want it to include."

"Good answer." I leaned down and kissed her a few times before walking over to pick up our lunches. She had the power to melt me, to unwind all of the tightness inside of me and offer me a different future than the one I'd seen myself in for so long.

We walked down Elm Street together, my hand tightly around hers, my thoughts dragging me farther and farther into a deep hole of depravity. I released her and pulled out her sandwich.

"Let's eat while we walk. Something tells me that the minute I get you fully alone... all bets are off."

"Wow. That's hot." She unwrapped her sandwich and snuck a glance at me as I unwrapped mine and took a huge bite.

The city was busy as ever, which wasn’t too surprising. It was Friday afternoon in the heart of New York.

"What don't you like about this Luke guy? Prepare me, please." I licked at my fingers before pulling out the other half of my sandwich and going to town on it too.

She glanced up from the map on her phone. "He's just not the right guy for Olivia." She shrugged.

"And why is that?" I was going to have to prod her for the truth.

"Because he's all about his business and making money. He doesn't love her, and honestly, she doesn't love him. They're just using each other for sex and status. It's... I don't know... gross."

"I see." I finished up my sandwich as we walked up to a beautiful cream-colored high rise.

"It's not Olivia at all. She's always been more about love than lust, but this guy has her acting like a completely different person." Dana glanced up. "We're here. Twelfth floor. We just need to check in at the front."

Lust over love? The age old discussion about which comes before the other. Couldn't they both show up at the same time? That felt far more like the story in my own life, or maybe I was reading more into it than necessary.

"You coming?" She glanced back and offered me a beautiful smile.

"Not yet, but hopefully soon."

"Oh Lord." She shook her head and walked into the building, delighting me in so many ways.

And I'd almost pushed her away. All because of my fucked up rules.

Funny how protection has the ability to quickly become a prison instead.