Hellraiser (Erotic Romance - Romantic Comedy) (3 page)

Around six p.m. he heard Sam locking up the front door as he was walking in the side door with the final items he’d hauled from his car. “Busy day?” he asked out of curiosity since they nearly bumped into one another.

“The usual. Since it’s Sunday I’m usually open six-to-six, though weekdays it’s usually nine-to-nine.”

Zach gave a low whistle. “Those are long hours for a private practice.”

She shrugged then massaged her left shoulder and winced. “I try to be open when parents are off work so I tend to have longer hours and stay open later. Now that you’re here maybe we won’t have to do that though. Since there will be two of us, we can see the same amount of patients or even more in a shorter amount of time. I really need some time off.”

“Makes sense.” He hitched the box up so it was more comfortable.

“I’m sorry.” She shed her lab coat, laying it over the banister. “Go ahead and take that up to your room. It looks heavy.”

He nodded and started up the stairs, feeling like a jerk for not having pitched in with the patients today. He knew he was stalling and should just jump right in.

After he set the box on his bed he turned around to see Sam leaning against the doorjamb, slowly twirling her hair around one finger, though her eyes seemed welded to the bed. For half a second he wondered if she was having some of the same thoughts he’d been since arriving here, but her eyes looked distant as if she were remembering something…or someone.

He started going through the box of books. “Can I be honest with you about something?”

She blinked as if rousing herself from a dream. “What? Oh, sure, please do. I appreciate honesty.”

“I’ve never tended to a child in my entire career. I wouldn’t even know where to start.” He got up and set the mystery novels and text books on one of the shelves of the carved mahogany bookcase that stood near the matching desk. “Correction, I did once.”

He turned and looked right at her. “The kid was in an accident. Riding his bike home from school and someone ran a red light.” Zach looked down at his hands and noticed that they trembled slightly. “I did all I could. At first I thought it was as simple as a ruptured spleen but when we opened him up…” He couldn’t finish the sentence so went to dig around in the box once more to keep himself busy. “He didn’t make it.”

“Oh, Zach, I’m so sorry.” She walked over to him, laying a warm hand on his arm. He tensed and she pulled back. “Obviously, it wasn’t your fault. You’re a trained physician and did all you could.”

“Maybe, but his parents felt differently.” More books joined the ones he had previously set on the shelf. “But since that day I refused to see children. It tore me to hell and back.”

“Some people see us as godlike, but just because we’ve had medical training doesn’t make us God.“ She sat on the bed. “We do what we can and pray for the best.”

“True.” He set the empty box on the floor then came to sit beside her. “I just thought it was best that I reveal one of my reasons for avoiding children.” He smiled slightly and felt strangely humbled while in the presence of this woman. She didn’t seem to be carrying around all the baggage he was. Indeed, the energy radiating off of her felt light and comforting. He bet kids were automatically drawn to her, just as he was.

“What are some of your other reasons?”

“They’re high strung, loud, messy, out of control…I could go on.”

She gave a soft laugh. “One could view them that way.”

Zach went quiet and the air between them became weighted. Shadows filled the room as the fall sun began to set. Their gazes locked and Zach could feel his blood rushing through his veins, coming to rest in his groin. For a wild moment he wanted nothing more than to kiss this woman who was still a stranger to him. His gaze dipped down to her lips and he leaned forward just a little. He waited to see her reaction but she seemed completely oblivious to his intentions.

“Thank you for sharing that with me.” She reached out and patted his thigh, giving him one of her sunshiny smiles. “You’ll do great. You’ll see. When I first started I was a nervous wreck. I worked over at the county clinic since I felt I’d do the most good there, but the stress and illogical legal system got to me. I eventually met Dr. Foster and came to join his practice here. When he passed on he left it to me. Anyway, I‘m certain you‘ll do a wonderful job with the kids.”

Zach grimaced as the spell was broken. Evidently he had about as much sex appeal as penicillin. “We’ll see. Tomorrow morning I’ll take some of your patients. Preferably the older ones?” He gave a weak smile. “Right now I’d like to take a shower and go to bed.”

“It’s still pretty early. Don’t you want any dinner?” She got up and walked to the doorway. “We’ve got lasagna and apple pie. Courtesy of a couple patients’ parents.”

“Ah, I wondered where the food came from.” He reached into a drawer of the dresser and took out a pair of boxers. As an afterthought he grabbed sweat pants and a T-shirt, just in case. Although he usually spent a good deal of his leisure time in just his underwear, now that he and Sam were housemates he’d have to develop a bit more modesty.

Sam laughed, watching him as he grabbed his toiletries and scooped them up in his arms. “I don’t need to go shopping for food very often, let’s put it that way.”

Zach didn’t know what to say and felt that the conversation had come to a screeching halt the moment he’d realized she wasn’t open to his advances. Although, he should be thankful because the last thing he needed right now was to get sexually involved with his business partner. He walked over to the doorway and she still stood there, blocking his path. “I’m just going to go take a shower?”

Again she blinked and he wondered where she went to so often since it seemed evident she wasn’t here on Earth. “I’m sorry. Just put your things in the bathroom anywhere you’d like. After I eat dinner I’m going to watch a movie in the den, they’re showing
Casa Blanca
, I’ve seen it a dozen times and still love it. Then, it’s off to bed for me. Another early start.” She allowed herself the luxury of a deep breath then walked to the kitchen. Zach had an excellent view of her plump ass encased by the curve-loving denim. Her hips gently swayed and he felt an erection spring to life. Quickly he went to the bathroom before he ended up embarrassing himself.

* * *

Sam was just sitting down to dinner when Zach entered the room. Instantly the scent of bar soap and deodorant hit her. It had been awhile since she’d been around a man after his shower, especially one that made her libido sit up and beg. She sucked in a sharp breath and her fork fell from her fingers. She tried to pretend it was because he had startled her, but the truth was Zach Taylor was one fine man…and she was a woman who hadn’t dated since her engagement ended nine months ago.

“Would you like some dinner?” She squinted, realizing she said it a little too loud. She stood up, disrupting the chair behind her. Good lord, would it always be this way while he lived here?

“I guess I am a little hungry.” He looked at her when he said it, his eyes taking a languorous sweep of her body as she stood. Sam felt herself blush, and quickly went to the stove. “The lasagna smells great,” he said. “I haven’t had home cooking since I lived at home.”

Going back to the table with his filled plate she frowned. “Really? Didn’t your wife cook?” She set the food in front of him as he took the chair opposite from her at the small table. Sam grabbed a clean glass from the dishwasher, then poured him a glass of ice water and set the glass beside his plate.

“Felicia? Never.” He said the words as if it should be obvious to anyone that his ex-wife never prepared meals. “She preferred her diet delivery foods and a bottle or two of wine for dinner.”

Sam took a bite of the lasagna though she could barely taste it. She did notice that Zach dug into his dinner with gusto. She liked a man with a big appetite. “Well, around here I usually cook unless someone brings food over during their appointment. Years ago, as a financially struggling medical student, I had to learn to prepare meals or starve. Ramen noodles and cheese puffs wouldn’t sustain me very long.” They laughed together and Sam felt comforted by the fact that he seemed to be loosening up.

“How long have you been divorced?” she asked, picking at her food, though she was more eager to pick this man’s brain. For some reason he intrigued her. Zach Taylor was so unlike Justin. Although Justin swore he wanted to get into law, accounting, medicine, anthropology, or whatever new learning path tickled his fancy, he was simply a professional student and nothing more. He was thirty years old and still lived at home. When they had gotten engaged she asked him to move in with her but he refused, saying that his mother needed him around. When he dropped out of college with only a few classes left before receiving his degree in radiology, she had called it quits. She worked with children all day long and didn’t want to be married to one.

Zach had been in the same profession since he graduated and married for half a decade. Tom had told her that he was more into his work than he was in finding another woman. Sam found his dedication and stability admirable.

“The divorce was final few months ago.” He got up to serve himself another helping of lasagna. “Though we hadn’t lived together for the last year.”

“Did the two of you grow apart, have an affair, or something else?” Sam finished her water and set the empty glass on the table, folding her arms across her stomach.

“Inquisitive, aren’t you?”

She watched as he bent his head to take another bite of food. “We are living together. Don’t you think it’s good to know all about one another?”

After a few minutes he set his fork down when the second helping of lasagna was finished. He leaned back in his chair and said, “Well, I suppose so, though I assumed it would happen naturally rather than being grilled my first night here.”

“Fair enough.” Sam felt irritated the way he continually shut her out and seemed to reprimand her every time she got too personal. What did he expect them to do, stay virtual strangers for the next year? Without a word she began clearing the table and her ire slithered away. He was right, they had all the time in the world to get to know one another and her bombarding him with questions would only make things awkward.

“Here, let me help you clean up.” Sam felt him standing in back of her, could feel his body heat radiating out and warming her backside. Her nipples peaked and she was glad she was wearing a padded bra. If not, she’d probably embarrass herself since her body seemed to keep giving itself away every time he was near. How hard-up could a person be? Then again, it had been nearly a year since she’d had sex. Maybe even if Dr. Taylor
had
been old and gray she’d still find him sexually attractive with the way her hormones had been in hibernation for so long.

“Sure, thanks,” she mumbled, refusing to look at him as he rinsed the plates and forks then handed them to her. Sam placed them in the dishwasher, along with the rest of the utensils and glasses. As she bent down to retrieve the dishwasher soap, Zach had evidently intended to do the same thing and they bumped heads pretty hard. “Ouch!” She stood up and rubbed her head where it pounded.

Zach squinted and rubbed his brow. “Sorry about that. I was trying to help. Damn, you’ve got a hard head!”

“So I’ve been told.” She hissed a breath through her gritted teeth, willing the pain away. “Let me take a look at that.” She moved closer to him, sliding her fingers over the small lump over his right eye. “There’s no blood so I think we’re okay.”

“You sure about that? I feel like half my brain flew out of my ear.” He laughed and Sam felt her insides melt at the mellow sound.

“Even if it had, we could always scoop it up and stuff it back in. We’re doctors, remember?” She held up a palm in a warding off gesture as she bent over to get the soap. She squirted some in the dishwasher, closed the door, and turned it on. “You want some ice for that?” The area was turning a slight blue color.

“Nah, I’ll be fine. I’ll just be more careful next time or I may need stitches.”

Sam didn’t know what to say so she merely stood there. She’d definitely lived alone for too long. She had no idea how to carry on a conversation or entertain a guest. Then again, Zach wasn’t a guest, he was living here. The reality of it sent goose bumps all over her.

“We grew apart and she ended up having an affair.”

Shaking the cobwebs loose in her head Sam said, “What?”

“You asked why my marriage ended.” He looked suddenly uptight and nervous as the laidback friendly aura between them evaporated. Sam wanted to snatch it back but was happy to have him open up to her so quickly.

“Well, those are certainly good reasons to part ways.” She offered him a cup of tea and he declined. “Still, it must have been difficult. Breakups always are.” Pulling a mug from the cupboard, she slid a sideways glance at him, noticing that he seemed deep in thought, his hands slugged into the front pockets of his sweat pants. Her eyes dipped to the front of them, noticing he was aroused. The knowledge was a booster shot for her feminine ego. She was happy to know that she was affecting him as badly as he was affecting her.

“It was.” He went to sit at the table while she heated the mug of water in the microwave then stuck a teabag in the cup. “What about you?” he then asked.

“What about me, what?” She feigned innocence as she took up her previous chair and dipped the teabag in and out of the hot water, watching as it went from clear to brown.