Flirting with the Society Doctor (10 page)

Watching Faith interact with the boy, give him praise and a quick hug, made him want to praise her, hug her. Made him think she'd be a good mother.

She would. Faith put her whole heart into anything she did. The thought of her body round with child, of her giving birth, of seeing her holding a baby, hit him.

He blinked, wondering what was wrong with him, wondering where his crazy thoughts had come from. He didn't want Faith pregnant.
She'd leave him
.

Not him.

She'd leave the clinic, at least for a while, would devote herself to her child, to her child's father.

Which had his throat tightening.

Was it because he knew he was her one and only lover that he felt so possessive? That he didn't like the thought of another man touching her? Impregnating her? That he thought of her as
his
?

She'd been a virgin. A
virgin
. Because she believed no man would stick around for her. And she'd let him be her first, him, a man who never stuck around and had no intention of ever doing so. She deserved better.

Which made the grip on his throat tighten even more.

What was wrong with him? He didn't have thoughts like this. Ever. He shook his head to clear his mind.

“Vale?”

His vision cleared, focused on where Faith stared strangely at him, the young boy now hugged up against her.

“You okay?”

“Fine,” he assured, although he wasn't sure of any such thing.

“Here's your light. Thanks.” She held the keychain out to him, her fingers brushing his, and desire shot through him again. “Billy doesn't appear to have a concussion. Thank goodness.”

Vale looked into her beautiful face, into her eyes, and another wave of possessiveness hit him. A wave of protectiveness.

A wave of something he couldn't recall ever having felt before and honestly couldn't say he liked feeling now.

Panic clawed at him, made him want to high-tail it back to New York, back to his comfortable relationship with Faith. But memories of her saying that leaving was what men did, of the hurt in her eyes when she'd commented on her father, had him standing his ground. So he smiled at the vulnerable woman responsible for the odd feelings in his chest and reached for her hand, lifted it to his lips.

“You're an amazing woman. I'm glad you're here with me.”

Her brows drew together in confusion, but then a smile spread across her lovely face and he was glad he'd resisted the urge to run, because for the rest of the weekend he was going to indulge in heaven.

“Me, too.”

 

Had Sharon's bouquet toss been rigged? When Vale's cousin had turned, winked at Faith, she'd suspected, had tried to step back, not wanting to catch the flowers. But the throng of women had pushed her forward, preventing her escape. The bouquet practically jumped into her hands, making her wonder if Steve had been teaching
Sharon passing secrets. Instinctively Faith had closed her fingers around the flowers.

If for the right reasons, none of which involved marriage, though, she could be very happy with Vale. At least tucked away in this magical world of Cape May where he only had eyes for her, she believed she could. In the real world, he'd eventually move on to greener pastures and break her heart. But during their fantasy weekend she could forget the real world existed and pretend she could have a happily-ever-after of her own.

“What are you thinking?” he asked, leaning in to where she sat at one of the decorated tables, sipping a glass of water. She'd had all the champagne she could handle earlier—a mere two sips. Three and she might be dragging Vale beneath a table.

“That I didn't want to catch this.” She gestured to the flowers on the table. “Sharon purposely tossed me the bouquet.”

“You think?” He was grinning still, which eased the tension ebbing through her. He didn't believe she was trying to push him into anything. Good, because she wasn't.

“Okay, so the wink gave her away,” Faith admitted.

He took her hand in his and studied their clasped fingers. “My family likes you.”

“What's not to like?” She mimicked words she'd heard him say on numerous occasions.

His gaze lifting to hers, Vale laughed. “Have phenomenal sex with a woman and it goes to her head each and every time.”

“Really?” she asked, searching his eyes for a hint at how he felt. How he really felt about what had happened beyond the
phenomenal sex
. “You've had this happen before?”

His expression grew serious. “Nothing like you has ever happened to me.”

“Because you'd never been with a virgin before?” Why was she pushing? Did she really even want to know the answer?

“I don't know.”

What else would there be different about her compared to every other woman he'd known? Other than a brain? Vale was brilliant, gorgeous, successful, and as rich as sin. He had his pick of women and, despite whatever had happened in his past, he was never in short supply.

Except as wedding dates. For that he'd chosen someone who knew him well enough to know he had no desire to settle down, someone he himself had said wasn't a real date.

“If not that, then what?” she asked, unable not to push, unable not to try to glean better insight as to how he felt about what she'd classify as the most earth-shattering experience of her life.

“The not being able to stop even when my brain told me to,” he clarified. “I only hope I didn't hurt you too badly.”

“You didn't.” At his raised eyebrow, she relented. “Okay, you hurt at first, but only for a few seconds, Vale. Then it was wonderful. Perfect.”

He shook his head. “Not perfect. You're first time shouldn't have been against a wall with our clothes still on.”

Puh-leeze. She couldn't imagine a more perfect experience. He'd been consumed with wanting her.

“I'm not complaining.”

His gaze swept over her, caressing each feature. “You should be.”

She drank in the warmth of his expression, the desire in his eyes, and realized she wielded a feminine power previously unrecognized. “If I was complaining?”

His gaze darkened and he lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to her fingers. “I'd have to do my best to make amends for my lack of finesse as your first lover.”

“Do your best?” Excited shivers shot through her body, congregating at the juncture of her thighs. “As in?”

“Take you to my bed and show you just how good sex can be.”

“It gets better than this afternoon?” She found that difficult to believe. He'd been amazing. More than amazing.

His gaze not leaving hers, he nodded. “Much better.”

“Vale,” she began in her most serious voice.

“Hmm?” he played along, his fingers tracing over her bare arm, leaving a path of goose-bumps dotting her skin.

“About this afternoon…” She brushed her foot against his calf, dipping her toes under his pants cuff. “I have a complaint…”

His eyes not leaving hers, he stood, lifting her to her feet along with him as if she weighed nothing. “Let's go.”

She glanced around at the reception still in full swing, despite the bride and groom having left earlier for a surprise destination. “Don't we need to say good night or something?”

“Good night or something,” Vale mocked, clasping
her hand tighter. He walked up the steps that led to the patio and pool, not stopping until they were in the house, up the stairs, and in his room.

“N
OW
, tell me about that complaint.” Vale shut his bedroom door, locked it, and turned to the woman who was driving him crazy.

Crazy with lust.

He wanted her again.

As much as he had this evening.

As if he hadn't already had her rough and ready against his bedroom wall. Just the memory had him groaning with desire, groaning with need to plunge inside her again, over and over as deep as he'd go until he spilt himself deep in her belly.

That thought had him pulling his wallet from his tuxedo jacket, removing a foil packet and tossing it onto the nightstand. There was a box in his shaving kit but that would require a trip into the bathroom. A trip he'd make later because once more wasn't going to be enough.

He hadn't stopped wanting Faith. Another first for him. Never had he not been satiated with sex. Never had he been left wanting round two before they'd even made it out of the bedroom after round one. If not for his love for his cousin, he'd never have left his suite. Not for the rest of the weekend.

He wanted round two with Faith
now
.

If he wasn't careful, he'd lose control again. No, he wouldn't. He refused to hurt her again. He'd make love to her, gently, relishing her body and teasing her senses to highs so grand she'd think she'd left earth.

“Vale?” She took a step backward, but her eyes danced with mischief, danced with excitement at their flirtatious play. “You're making me nervous.”

He took a menacing step toward her. “You'll like it better.”

“Promise?” A smile curved her full lips, lit her eyes, sucker-punched him in the gut.

How was it possible to want her so much?

“Oh, yes.” He advanced on her, closing the gap she'd created between them. “I promise you'll like what I'm going to do to you. You're going to like it a lot and beg for more.”

Vale set about making his point, proving that he was a man of his word.

By her whimpers of pleasure he would say he was right. Faith enjoyed every single touch, kiss, lick, suck, thrust.

She moaned her delight, matched his passion, tested his willpower beyond what he thought he could endure. Somehow he managed not to lose his control, not like he had that first time, never like that again, not until she'd thrown back her head, arched off the bed, and screamed his name.

Then he allowed himself to let go, to lose himself inside the sweet escape she so generously offered.

 

Faith was in no rush to leave Cape May. Maybe she wanted to stay for ever, just stay wrapped in the exquisite cocoon of Vale's undivided attention.

Unfortunately Sunday morning arrived all too quickly.
She and Vale were sitting on his private balcony, having breakfast that had appeared while she had been in the shower, letting the hot water ease the subtle aches in her muscles. She stared out at the ocean waves.

Cape May was a place of magic. No, the amazing man sitting across from her was the real magic.

“Could we walk on the beach before leaving?” she asked, wanting to prolong the fantasy as long as she could. She didn't need him to spell it out for her to know that everything would change once they were back in New York.

Vale would be back in his zone, would have the world at his fingertips. She'd go back to being his neurologist in the operating room, jumping to his every command.

Only she hadn't quite figured out how she was going to convince her body that she was no longer allowed to ignite from just looking at him. It had been bad enough prior to the having made love.

Now that she had experienced the wealth of his knowledge, she wasn't sure she had the strength to deny how her body danced to the music of his touch. She didn't fool herself otherwise, that somehow she was different from every other woman Vale had cast his spell over.

His gaze went out to the ocean.

“Most of my family is still here,” he mused, taking a sip of his juice. “Now that the wedding is over, they'll be anxious to start plotting their next big event.” His face wrinkled with displeasure. “I'd rather not be around for that.”

His meaning dawned on her. “You think they'll be plotting about us?”

He finished off his glass of juice. “You caught
Sharon's bouquet. Of course they'll be plotting. To no avail, but they'll be plotting.”

To no avail
. There it was. A reminder that they weren't a couple and nothing had really changed between them. He was her boss. She was his employee. When they returned to the office, they'd pretend they hadn't kissed every inch of each other's bodies. At least, she'd try.

Vale no doubt had enough experience with weekend-afters that going back to the norm would be no problem.

He leaned across the table, brushed his finger at the corner of her mouth. Ack! Had she had a crumb on her face? He just smiled. “But if you're not in a rush to return to the city, we could drive to the lighthouse.”

His unexpected offer caught her off guard, had her gaze shooting to his. “The lighthouse?”

Faith had barely set foot outside Manhattan and had never had the time or money for tourist stops. “I've never seen a lighthouse in real life.”

“Never?” His brow rose. “That settles our plans for the day, then. We'll drive to the state park where the Cape May lighthouse is located, and go up.”

Delight filled her. “We can go up it?”

“All the way to the top,” he said in a teasing tone. “A hundred and ninety-nine steps.”

She gave him a quizzical look. “A hundred and ninety-nine steps? You know that how?”

“I'm a brain surgeon. I know everything,” he teased.

With an eye roll, she smiled. “Of course you do.”

He just grinned. “When I was a little boy I climbed to the top of those steps and had the T-shirt to prove it.”

“I bet you were a cute little boy.”

He waggled his brows. “I'm a cute big boy, too.”

“That you are,” she agreed, loving that he was smiling at her, whatever had been weighing on his mind apparently pushed aside. For the time being, at any rate. “That you are.”

Virginia Wakefield hugged them both goodbye, promising to call for lunch the next time she was in Manhattan. Faith just hugged the woman back, accepting a kiss to her cheek, wondering why she wanted to burst into tears at the kindness Vale's family had extended toward her. She followed him to the car where he stowed her suitcase.

Lost in thoughts of the weekend's events, she truly hadn't been prepared for her first sighting of the lighthouse above the tall grass blowing back and forth along the roadside.

“Wow.” She strained her neck, trying to keep the red top in her line of vision.

“We're almost there,” he promised, turning the car down a winding, tree-lined road.

“We can really go to the top?” she asked again, not quite believing that she was looking at a real-life lighthouse. “Is that something anyone can do or just a Wakefield?”

“You think I get special privileges?”

“I know you do.”

He chuckled. “For a few bucks anyone can go to the top, but it is a good hike up the stairs. You up to it?” He shot her a quick glance, his gaze dancing over her with obvious intent. “After last night you might be too sore to climb stairs.” His grin was lazy, wicked, full of hot, steamy seduction. “I seem to recall you swearing you weren't going to get out of bed today.”

Yeah, she had sworn that. She'd slept very little, instead reveling in the fact she lay cradled in Vale's
arms, her cheek against his strong chest, listening to his heartbeat.

“Good thing I'm a girl who likes a challenge.”

He'd definitely challenged her. Time and again. Over and over. Guiding her through wave after sweet wave of pleasure. Just the memory of him maneuvering her onto him, his hands cupping her hip bones, guiding her, her back arched just so, angling her against him until she'd shattered. Completely and thoroughly
shattered
. She'd collapsed onto his chest, smiling, gasping for breath, amazed at how he'd played her body like a master musician, making her sing his praises, cry out his name. Just remembering had her squirming against the soft leather of the passenger seat, wanting him yet again.

Knowing if she didn't get her thoughts under control she was going to forget the lighthouse and climb into his lap instead of up the steps, she shifted her gaze out the car window. “The lighthouse is magnificent, isn't it?”

Vale parked the car in the lot between the lighthouse and the bird sanctuary also located in the park. A wooden boardwalk led down to the beach. Beyond that, she could hear the Atlantic crash into the shore.

“Yes.” Vale's voice was low, husky.

Her gaze shot to his. She swallowed hard at what she saw glimmering in his azure eyes. Lust. Hot, sweaty, climb-into-my-lap-right-now-and-use-me-for-your-pleasure lust. Oh, my!

An elderly couple with binoculars walked past the car, bursting their sensual cocoon, reminding them both they sat in a public parking area. Faith sucked in a deep breath, wondering if she had the strength to climb the stairs after all. Her legs had turned to jelly.

“Let's go.” Vale raked his fingers through his hair,
cleared his throat. He opened her car door and extended his hand. He didn't let go as they crossed the parking lot. “Cape May's a functional lighthouse, a means of saving ships from crashing against the shore. The coastguard maintains the lights.”

They walked to the base, entered the building just inside the gate of the fencing around the lighthouse, and bought two tickets. The usual touristy type gifts were also on sale. T-shirts, postcards, snow globes, and keychains. Faith picked up an inexpensive snow globe with the lighthouse inside, fluffy specs of white drifting around when she turned it upside down.

When she set the globe back on the shelf, Vale pulled out his wallet. He handed the trinket back to her. “I want to give you a keepsake of today.”

Swallowing the emotion clogging her throat, she nodded, knowing she'd treasure the globe for ever. While she waited at the base of the lighthouse, chatting with the lady inside, Vale returned to the car and stowed her snow globe.

Step by step they climbed to the top of the tower. They paused at each of the five small landings, reading the history of the lighthouse. Their privacy was only broken by two young women and their giggling daughters' descent. Faith smiled at the girls' delight in counting each spiraling step in a sing-song manner. She didn't want kids, but those two were cute and the women's smiles made her just a touch envious. Which was ridiculous. She was there with Vale. They should be the envious ones. With the way the blonde's gaze flickered over Vale, perhaps they were.

No wonder. The man was multiple orgasms just waiting to happen. Faith sucked in a breath, clenched her thighs, and willed her body to quit throbbing.

Vale greeted the worker who sat at the top by name,
shook his hand, and bent to say something to him. The leathery-faced senior glanced her way, nodded, and left. Truly alone, they went out to the barred railing hand in hand.

“I can't believe I'm here. With you,” she admitted when she stepped out onto the roost.

The wind whipped at her hair and a fear of heights she hadn't known she possessed tugged at her belly, leaving her a little dizzy. Or maybe the fact all her blood pulsed down south was why her head spun. With her free hand, she grasped the handrail running against the exterior of the lighthouse. They walked to the far side, looked out over the ocean, having a bird's-eye view of the sanctuary and surrounding property.

“Beautiful,” she gasped. “Absolutely beautiful.”

“Yes, you are. Come on.” He tugged on her hand. “Let's make our way around and check out the views from up here.”

“Wish I had a camera,” she mused minutes later, staring out over the ocean, “but experiencing picture-worthy moments is really what life's about.”

Something she'd not done up to this point in her life.

She'd been living inside a cage of her own making. A huge city-size cage, but a cage all the same. A cage she hadn't realized until experiencing a weekend with Vale.

“You have a way of seeing things in a unique light, Faith.”

If he only knew.

She leaned against the red bars protecting her from falling, gazing at the ground below, reeled at the beauty of the coastline.

Vale's hands clasped her waist, pulling her against him.

“What?” She turned, pressed her hands flat against
his chest, confused by his sudden motion, wanting him more than she should.

He kissed her. Right there at the top of the lighthouse. Any dizziness that might have been from heights was replaced by the mind-numbing dizziness his kisses carried.

“I've always wanted to do that,” he admitted in a low tone, holding her close.

“Kiss a girl at the top of a lighthouse? Is that why you got rid of that man?”

“Kiss a beautiful woman at the top of this lighthouse and, yes, I asked Ray to give us some privacy.”

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she threaded her fingers through the hair at his nape, wondering what he'd say if she told him she wanted him.

“I want you,” he told her against her lips, molding her body to him.

Yep, she couldn't miss that. Not with his body fitted so tightly to hers. He kissed her again, his hands cupping her bottom, keeping her pelvis ground against him. Not that Faith needed any encouragement. Most likely this was the last time she'd get to experience Vale like this, to taste his lips.

Definitely the last time because anything more and she might fall into some fantasy world where she believed she and Vale had a chance, might end up like her mother down the road. No, she'd take this moment, make the most of it, and then she'd go on with her life. It was what she wanted. What Vale wanted. Everything would be okay.