Carol's Image (24 page)

Carol shouting over the running water answered, “Tom, don’t you dare tell me what I can’t do.”

Tom, standing in the bedroom instead of the bathroom, felt at a distinct disadvantage. What he really wanted to do was join her in the shower, hoist up her soaking wet body and fuck her until she was too sated to argue. His dick was imagining that scenario, but his head knew that if he did that, neither of them would get to work.

The water stopped, and he heard drawers opening and slamming quickly. In ten minutes, Carol came out dressed in navy scrubs. Her hair was pulled back into a sleek, still damp ponytail. Her minimal makeup only enhanced her angelic features.

Feeling his resolve, as well as his dick stiffen, Tom continued. “Angel, I need you to at least promise me no more morning runs until we have this situation under control.”

Stopping in the middle of grabbing her bag, Carol looked up at his handsome face. Her Nordic god. Her Viking. He ran over from an early morning sleep just to make sure she was safe.
I have friends who care. And a man who loves me and wants me protected.
The realization that life is now different swept over her – a warm feeling that filled every empty crevice.

Walking over, she lifted her hands to cup his face, pulling him down for a kiss. The kiss started chaste, but she continued to move her lips over his, willing him to feel her complacency.

Tom slanted his mouth and took control of the kiss. What began as soft become demanding, possessive, unyielding. Plunging his tongue into her sweet opening, he explored every crevice of her mouth. Sucking her tongue into his mouth, he captured her moans. Tongues tangled, breaths mingled, Carol felt sucked in, as though she couldn’t tell where she ended and Tom began.

He raised his knee up so that she was riding his thigh. Rubbing herself on his jean-clad thigh, she felt the friction and pressure on her clit that she desperately needed. Sliding his hand under her scrub top, he yanked her bra cup down and pulled on her nipple. Carol threw her head back as the orgasm washed over her, causing her pussy to clench as she rode it out on his leg.

Lowering her back down, Tom looked down into her lust filled eyes with a smug look of his own.

“Why are you so smug?” she asked.

“Man’s gotta feel proud, knowin’ he can make his woman come just by lettin’ her rub up on him.”

Carol, glancing at the clock, knew she only had a few minutes before she had to leave for work. Unzipping his pants, she freed his swollen cock. Grasping it in her hands, she began to slide her hand up and down its length, feeling the silk over steel texture. Always amazed at the size, she wondered once again how it ever fit inside.
But I’m sure glad it does!

Sliding down to her knees, she looked up coyly, saying, “Let’s see who’s smug now.”

And with that, she took him in her mouth. Using one hand to fondle his balls and the other hand to move at the bottom of his shaft, she took him as deeply as she could. Using her tongue, she swirled it around his cock, moving from the tip, down the side and back up again. Tonguing his slit, she heard him growl as he grabbed her pony tail, moving her slowly up and down.

Carol slid her mouth down over his cock as far as she could take him, then began sucking gently. Glancing up at him she saw him throw his head back, eyes shut, mouth working as if in silent prayer. Continuing to slide her tongue on him as she worked her lips over his shaft, his breathing increased with the pace that she kept, as though his lungs had a direct connection to his dick.

“Fuuuuuuck,” Tom yelled out. “Gonna come, angel. You gotta stop.” As hard as it was to let go of her hair, the last thing Tom wanted was for Carol to feel forced. He should have known she was still in control.

Continuing to suck as she took him quickly in and out of her mouth, she felt his balls tighten right before he came into her mouth. Sucking him off completely, she looked up in satisfaction as she wiped her lips.

“Goddamn!” Tom cursed, as the thick muscles in his neck strained with the force of his orgasm. Reaching down, he grasped her under her arms, hauling her up the front of his body. His breathing ragged, he held her tightly as though if he let go, she would disappear.

They stood there for a few minutes, saying nothing, letting the power of their orgasms take hold. Slowly, they both floated back to reality as she looked over at the clock beside of her bed.

“Tom,” she shouted, as she pulled away from his embrace. “I’ve got to get to work now.” Then looking down as his cock, standing at half mast, she smirked. “But, you might want to tuck that back in your pants before you leave.”

Laughing, she tried to run out of the bedroom, but Tom managed to swat her ass before she made it out of the door. Tom grabbed her just as she made it to the front door, twirling her around in his arms so that she was pressed against him from chest to knee.

Walking her out to make sure she was safe, he leaned down as she was getting into her car.

“Love you, angel. Be safe today,” Tom whispered against her blonde hair.

“Love you too,” was the heartfelt reply.

*

Carol found that working straight days were great for connecting with Laurie and for dating, but she did not get to see Sofia and Jon as much. She was used to eating in the nurses’ lounge in the middle of the night, so finding herself in the crowded cafeteria was sometimes lonely. Sitting alone while eating lunch, she would often take her Kindle so that she could read.

“I thought you were on days now. Good, I have someone to eat with,” said a voice from directly behind her. Turning her head, she saw Dr. Driscoll placing his tray next to hers.

“Actually, I am almost finished, Dr. Driscoll,” Carol replied.

“Please stay,” he begged, placing his hand on her arm. “We haven’t had a chance to talk in a while. And call me Harry.”

Forcing a smile, Carol stayed in her seat but kept her eyes on her Kindle.

“So, if you’re working days now, you must have a lot of evenings free?” Harry asked, in a not so subtle way.

“Not really,” Carol replied, not wanting to continue the conversation.

“Well, surely you have an occasional evening free? I’d love to take you out sometime.”

“Actually, my free evenings are spent with my boyfriend,” Carol stated. Having spent so many years trying to be as private as possible, Carol hated giving out any information. Feeling uncomfortable, she rose from her seat grabbing her trash to leave.

“Your boyfriend? You’re still still seeing that policeman?” Harry asked in surprise.

Carol whipped her head around, glaring at the impertinence of her tablemate.
Who the hell does he think he is?
“Yes, I am still seeing him. If you will excuse me, I have to get back on the floor.” With that, she turned, tossed her trash in the nearest receptacle, and stalked back to the ER.

Storming into the nurses’ lounge, she almost ran over Sofia.

“Slow down girl. You almost bowled me over,” Sofia cried out as she grabbed Carol’s arms.

In an uncharacteristic show of emotion, Carol threw her arms around Sofia in a hug. “I am so glad to see you!”

“What’s up, girl? You and Mr. Tight Ass having problems?”

Carol smiled, Sofia’s nicknames always catching her by surprise. “No. We’re fine. I just feel a little lonely on days without you and Jon always around. By the way, what are you doing here now?”

“I picked up a couple of hours today since the kids are with their grandmother right now. So at least you will see me some in the afternoons. But you still haven’t answered my earlier questions. Why the hell did you come blastin’ in here?”

“Dr. Driscoll. Need I say more?” Carol replied.

“That toad still after you? I’d have thought by now he would have realized that he can’t complete with your Dick,” Sofia added.

Carol, raising her eyebrows at Sofia, replied, “My Dick?”

“Yeah, you know? Detective…Dick? Well, it sounded better in my head at the time I said it,” Sofia confessed.

Laughing, Carol said, “Yeah, well now Dr. Driscoll wants me to call him Harry. I mean he hasn’t done anything wrong, he just gives me the creeps.”

“Hmmm. Between Bart, who epitomizes creepy, and Harry, the doctor who can’t take no for an answer, you’ve certainly got more than your share of stalkers,” Sofia stated as she walked out of the room.

At the word, “stalkers”, Carol became still.
Bart. Harry Driscoll. Even Ronald, with that stunt he pulled at the dinner. Could one of them have sent the flowers? Left the note? But none of them looked like the runner behind her.

Shaking her head to clear out the musing, she followed Sofia out to the ER floor.

*

After a long day, involving numerous influenza cases, injuries from two car accidents, and an elderly man having a heart attack, Carol was ready to head home. Tom had plans for the night, and she was nervous. Sofia had volunteered to walk Carol to her car, so the two women waved goodbye to Marcus. Sofia picked up on Carol’s quietness as they walked.

“You seem pre-occupied, girl. You still worried about Dr. Harry?”

“No, I was thinking about tonight. Tom made plans and well…it’s difficult for me,” Carol confessed. Seeing Sofia’s confused look, she continued. “Tom lives in the house he grew up in; he got it from his parents when they moved away. And there is a hot tub on the back patio.”

“So. Not seeing anything wrong with this picture so far,” Sofia said. “In fact, my imagination is starting to run wild about now!”

“We’ve been in it by ourselves, but tonight he invited Rob and my new roommate Laurie over.” Carol glanced sideways at Sofia to see her reaction.

“Uh huh.” Sofia stopped in the parking lot, cocked her hip and put her fists on her waist. “And you got some cockamamie idea that your body ain’t good enough, right?”

Carol stood, biting her lip. “I know. I know. But Laurie is gorgeous. Long hair, great curves. I mean she will be a knockout in a bikini. And me? I look in the mirror…”

“Girl, what the hell do you see when you look in the mirror?” Sofia asked gently.

Carol looked into the distance, pulling her thoughts together. “Sometimes, I see pretty. Sometimes I see cellulite. Sometimes I think my boobs are too small. Sometimes I see someone who is still trying to find the perfect image. Most of the time, it’s not so bad. But bathing suits? Jesus, that makes it horrible!”

“Do you get this anxious at the beach?”

Carol just sucked her lips in and didn’t reply.

“You think Jon and I don’t know you’re bulimic?” Sofia whispered, as she pulled Carol in for a hug.

“You know?” Carol asked incredulously. “But how?”

“Honey, we took the same nursing psych classes you did! But we could tell you were getting counseling, and you are so healthy now. So we just decided to support you without getting in your face.”

Tears threatened to spill over as Carol hugged Sofia. Then the tears won out and ran down her face uncontained.

“It feels good to let that shit out, doesn’t it, girl?” Sofia asked.

Carol nodded, silent tears still falling. Sniffling, she wiped her eyes, looking into the soft brown eyes of her friend. “I know what you’re going to say,” she said, smiling through her tears. “You’re going to tell me that I’m pretty and that Tom is lucky to have me, and that I am healthy, and that I need to feel good about myself.”

“Yeah, and on top of that…if I could rock your body in a bikini, hell girl, you wouldn’t get me out of the hot tub!”

By this time, the women reached Carol’s car. She breathed a sigh of relief as it appeared unaltered. With a goodbye hug, Carol climbed in as Sofia sashayed over to her car. Gazing at her face in the rear view mirror, Carol could not help but smile.
I can do this. Tom loves me. Tom thinks I am beautiful.
Pausing to stare at her reflection for a moment, she continued.
I am beautiful. Just me.

C
arol and Laurie arrived at Tom’s house in Laurie’s little yellow VW bug, knowing that Carol would be spending the night. Walking through the kitchen and out onto the patio, they found Tom already cooking steaks on the grill and Rob lounging with a beer in his hand.