The Doctor She Always Dreamed Of (9 page)

CHAPTER NINE

T
HE
SETTING
WAS
PERFECT
, outdoors yet in a private, dark, and secluded spot, under the starry sky. Derrick was perfect, handsome, sexy and willing. Kira couldn't remember ever wanting a man more. And after much consideration, she'd decided she'd be a fool to let this opportunity pass her by.

It's just the two of us. No one will know.

She'd likely be fired on Monday, so professional ethics wasn't as much of an issue as she was making it out to be. But just in case, “You have to promise you will never tell anyone about this.”

He stopped moving to stare deeply into her eyes. “I promise, from the bottom of my heart, I will never tell anyone about this.”

So sincere, Kira's heart gave a little twitch. There was something about him...something...special. No. She couldn't let herself...feel. Sex. That's all. Tonight only. Sex with Derrick
Smith.
A stranger she'd picked up in a bar. A man she could leave without looking back.

Done thinking, more than ready to get to the good stuff, Kira set out to show Derrick just how demanding she could be, using all of her strength to try to roll them over, so she could take control.

“Nuh-uh,” Derrick said, a large, heavy, immovable weight on top of her. “I'm in charge.” He kissed down the side of her neck.

“You see, that's not going to work for me.” She struggled beneath him. “I like to be on top.”

“Tell me what you want,” he said, sliding down her body, setting a kiss on her clavicle before sliding lower. “What you need. I'll take care of you.”

“I want to be on top.” He didn't seem to hear, apparently too busy giving her left nipple some attention. He sucked it into his hot, wet mouth, hard. Wow! Tingles of pleasure shot inward, straight to her core. “After you're done with that, I mean.” No need to rush. The man was a master, an absolute master.

“Tell me what you need,” he said seconds before he sucked her right nipple into his mouth. Her body actually spasmed it felt so good.

“On top,” she said, having a difficult time focusing on anything but the absolute wonderfulness of his mouth. “Need to be on top.” The only way she could achieve orgasm with a man.

“Why?” He slid further down her body, his tongue leaving a cool, wet trail leading to her belly button, then lower.

“I won't come otherwise.” No reason to lie. She needed to come, needed release so bad she'd kill for it. Well...maybe not kill, but—

He reached the elastic waistband of her leggings. “Oh, you're going to come.”

She appreciated his confidence, but—

“First from my tongue.” He sat up, inserted a finger into her waistband at each hip. “Lift up.”

In a move that was totally out of character, she did, without question, without argument.

“Good girl.” He started to pull down her leggings. “The second time, you'll come while I'm pounding into you. Sneakers.”

She toed them off. “You're a confident one, aren't you?”
Please God, if you're listening, let him be telling the truth, let him have the skill to make his words a reality
.

He yanked the stretchy black fabric and her underwear over her ankles, tossing them to the side. “After that,” he pushed her bare legs apart, crawled in between them and laid down on his stomach, “you can come any way you want.”

Then he was done talking, couldn't talk if he'd wanted to, his mouth on her sex, feasting, devouring, ravenous. Fabulous. To say she'd never been on the receiving end of oral sex before would be a lie. But she'd never, ever, enjoyed it as much as she was enjoying it right then, the sensation unleashing a groan from the depths of her soul. It was too much. It wasn't enough.

Kira bent her knees, lifted them, spread them even wider, giving him room. “That feels so good.” So very, very good. She rocked and twisted and pinched her own nipples. His tongue shot inside of her. “Yes.” She lunged up with her hips, needing to feel him deeper. “More.”

He lifted his mouth.

No!

“You have no idea how much I want to bury myself inside of you right now,” he said.

“Do it. Please. I'm ready.” So ready. Past ready. Lord help her. Begging. She was actually begging...and couldn't quite muster the energy to care.

“Not yet.” He shoved a finger deep inside of her.

“Yes.”

He moved it in and out. Added another one, so good.

“More,” she said, her voice not sounding like her own. “You wanted me to tell you what I need. I need more.”

He gave it to her, setting his mouth on her again, even more aggressively than before, moving his head from side to side, licking, drawing her sensitized flesh into his mouth. Kira felt her orgasm starting to build. “Like that.” She pumped her hips. “Just like that.” She reached for his head, holding him where she needed him. “Don't stop. Don't stop.”

He didn't stop, licking and sucking, plunging his fingers deep.

“I'm—” was all the warning Kira could manage before her mind shattered and her body blew apart and all she could do was let it happen, enjoy the exquisiteness, ride a wave of pleasure more forceful and intense than anything she'd ever experienced before.

If out of body experiences were a thing, than Kira had just had one, floating back to reality slowly, unhappily, not wanting to leave that place of absolute delight and contentment.

“Hey,” Derrick said quietly, his voice deep and quiet, and very close to her ear.

“Hey,” Kira replied, stretching, ready for a nap.

“Sorry, but if I don't get inside of you soon I think I may suffer permanent damage.”

Kira smiled as much as she could manage with her facial muscles still all tingly. “Gotta warn you, I'm not feeling like much of an active participant at the moment. Feel free to go ahead and do your thing, though.”

“Bet I can have you actively participating in under three minutes.” He moved around beside her, probably taking off his pants.

Kira smiled big this time. “You even bet on sex?”

He climbed over her, the hair on his bare legs tickling her. “I'll bet on anything as long as I know I'll win.”

“Condom?”

“Always,” he said as he slowly lowered himself on top of her.

Once again, Kira bent her legs and spread them wide to make room for him. “What are the terms of the bet?”

He set the tip of his erection at her opening. “If I can't get you actively participating in under three minutes...” He dipped inside. “Anything.” He pushed deeper, stretching her, filling her...so...good... “Anything you want that's within my power to give.”

“Deal.” Either way she came out a winner. Kira wrapped her arms and legs around him, holding on as she rocked her pelvis, all the way up, all the way back in long, slow strokes until she took his full length.

Her vibrator got the job done. But damn, nothing compared to this. She flexed her internal muscles, gripping him tight.

He went still. “Don't do that.”

“Why?” She did it again. “You don't like it?”

“Too much. I like it too much.” He dropped his head to her shoulder and let out a breath. “I think we need to renegotiate the terms of our bet.”

She rocked against him, clamping down on him with her internal muscles as she did.

“You are an evil woman.” He pulled out and thrust back in.

“What are the new terms?”

“I can get you actively participating in three minutes only if I last for a whole three minutes.” He pulled out and thrust back in again, his body rigid, like he was barely holding on to control. “I'll do better next time. Promise.”

Next time
. Only if their next time took place tonight. Kira had accepted her fate when she'd taken on the responsibility for her mother. Rather than letting it make her sad, it made her determined. Determined to enjoy herself and to see that Derrick enjoyed himself, too, in the short amount of time they had together.

“Forget about the bet.” She planted her feet on the ground and started to move beneath him. “Go as fast or as slow as you want. I had my turn, this time it's all about you.”

“Oh, thank God.” He thrust his hips, fast and hard. “You feel so good.” His breathing came out choppy. “It's been so long.” He kissed her neck. “Feel so good. Damn.” He started to laugh. “I'm so far gone I'm repeating myself.”

Kira laughed too, couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed as much as she had tonight. If circumstances were different, she'd want to see more of him.

“You feel good, too.” He'd started rotating his hips, faster, deeper. Something wonderful flared inside of her and this time she let out a, “damn,” of her own. “What was that?”

“Found it,” he said, pounding that same spot over and over.

The North Star. It felt like the North Star was flaring to life inside of her.

They pulled back then slammed together again and again.

Derrick's mouth found her ear, panting. “I can't wait.”

“Don't wait.”

“It's too good.”

Amazingly good. “Come for me,” she said. “Show me how good.”

Three more thrusts, so hard they moved her up the comforter, and his body went stiff as he groaned out his release, thrust again, stiffened and groaned, again, then a third time.

That third time sent Kira over the edge with him.

Derrick Limone was a man of his word.

Thank God for that.

She came back to her senses when Derrick rolled off of her, the cool night air hitting her sweaty skin, making her shiver.

“Here.” He curled the comforter over them. Then he cuddled into her side, nuzzling in close to her ear. “Thank you. I needed that so much.” He wrapped his arms around her and slid his knee over her hips. “I needed
you
so much.”

He didn't need her. He'd needed sex, same as she'd needed sex. “Glad to be of service.”
Glad to be of service? What a moronic thing to say
. Kira didn't do cuddling or pillow talk, made her uncomfortable. She didn't offer empty, sappy endearments simply because the moment seemed to call for them. They'd shared something special. But now they were done.

Only Derrick didn't seem intent on moving any time soon.

Kira tried to relax and enjoy the feel of a satisfied male body partially wrapped around her, to appreciate this intimate contact with another human being, but to what end? Tomorrow she'd be back to sleeping alone. She wasn't going to ever see Derrick again. Best to pull away now, to not get attached or start thinking about things that could never be.

She tried to roll away.

“Not yet,” he said, holding her close.

“I need to use the bathroom.” True, but not an emergency.

“What are your dreams for the future?” he asked.

“Dreaming is a waste of time.” They never came true, so why bother?

“So cynical,” he said sleepily. “Do you ever plan on getting married or having children?”

“No.” She had enough to deal with. And what man would want to take on her and her mom?

“Too bad,” he said, matter-of-factly. “Because you're perfect for me.”

Time to go. “No.” She fought her way out of his hold. “I'm not. Where are my pants?” She looked around the shadowed grass.

“I want to see you again.” He sat up, calm as can be.

“No.” Spotting a dark blob, she prayed was not a skunk, she reached for it. “You don't.” Pants in hand, she stood and put them on.

“Yes, I do.” Still on his back, he slid into his pants.

Kira found her bra and shirt. “Well we can't.”

“Why?”

Because he didn't live in the city. Because she didn't have the time or energy to put into a relationship that wouldn't last anyway. Because of her mother, it always came down to Mom. “Don't do this, Derrick.” Now fully dressed, she bent to pick up her sneakers. “I had a fun night. Thank you for that. But tomorrow you're going to drive me home and drop me off. Then you'll go back to your life and I'll go back mine.” That's the way it had to be. Without waiting for him to respond, Kira walked to the back porch, up the stairs, and into the house.

CHAPTER TEN

O
N
S
UNDAY
AFTERNOON
, Kira entered her two bedroom condo, tired and cranky and in no mood to deal with her sister. Standing in the entryway she was hit by the stale odor of sickness and age. She missed the fresh air of the North Country, as Derrick had called it. Derrick,
who'd barely spoken to her during the tension-filled four-hour ride home, other than to ask if she was hungry or needed to use the restroom and to confirm directions once they'd gotten into the city. Kira could have apologized for walking away like she had, only it was easier this way.

Keep telling yourself that
.

“I'm home,” she called out.

Her sister ambled out of the bathroom, towel drying her short dark hair. Aside from their hair color, eye color, and height, there was little resemblance between them. Krissy's figure was full, her temperament carefree and happy, and her attitude positive. “Mom's taking a nap.”

Damn it. “Why is Mom sleeping in the afternoon?”

“Because she was tired,” Krissy said, like it made perfect sense. She chucked her towel onto the bathroom floor.

“Now she's going to be up all night.” And Kira would be up with her, not Krissy. She eyed the sink full of dirty dishes. “You couldn't wash the dishes?”

Krissy ducked back into the bathroom to put on some eyeliner and lip gloss. “I'll do them when I get back.”

“Get back? Where are you going? We need to talk.”

Krissy slipped in a pair of hoop earrings. “There's nothing to talk about.”

“Nothing to talk about? You hit me with you're planning to have a baby and you have an appointment for artificial insemination scheduled for tomorrow morning, and we have nothing to talk about?”

“Right.” Krissy emerged, finger combing her hair.

“Why now? Why so sudden? You don't have a steady job.”

She jerked her head up to stare Kira down. “Yes I do.”

“Working as a traveling nurse, moving from assignment to assignment across the country and to international parts unknown, is not what I consider to be a steady job.”

“Well who cares what you think?”

“Where are you going to live?”

Krissy's eyes darted to the living room.

Oh, no. “You can't possibly think you're going to raise a child here, with Mom the way she is. It's not safe.”

“I'll work it out.”

“I know you will, Krissy.” Kira hated fighting with her sister, hated that she still fell into the mother role when both of them really needed a sister. “You're smart. You're a hard worker. All I'm asking is that you wait a little while. Save up some money. Find an apartment and a steady job that keeps you in one spot and has good benefits.”

“My appointment is tomorrow and that's that.” Krissy walked toward the door and started putting on a pair of black leather sandals. “I have been cooped up in this condo for two days.” She grabbed her pocketbook from where she'd left it hanging on the front door knob. “You're back and I'm out of here.” She opened the door, and without another word, she left.

On Monday, Kira arrived at her office a few minutes before five o'clock in the morning. So she was there waiting when Connie showed up, dressed in sweatpants, looking half asleep and not at all happy, at a quarter to six. “Only for you would I drag myself out of bed so early.”

She set two very large takeout coffee cups and a white bakery bag on the corner of her desk.

“You're the best assistant ever.” Too bad, after today, she'd likely be someone else's assistant. Kira hadn't wanted to involve Connie in her investigation of Sheila, but when she'd tried to log in to her system remotely from home, she'd been locked out. And when she'd arrived at work this morning, she found she'd been denied access to certain programs. A surefire sign she would be let go today.

Well she wasn't leaving without finding out what Sheila was up to.

Connie sat in her chair and booted up her computer.

Kira rolled her chair over and sat down beside her, looking at the screen. “I need you to get me into the case management program so I can bring up a list of Sheila's case management patients.”

Connie entered in her password, clicked a few keys then used her mouse. “You know, technically speaking, I don't have access to that program.”

Patient confidentiality limited access to files containing medical information. Kira smiled at Connie's use of ‘technically speaking.' “I also know you have something going on with Richie down in IT. And you've got crazy amazing computer skills. And between the two of you, you'd figure out a way to get me in.”

“Yeah, I'm thinking after I called him for help at five o'clock this morning, Richie will probably be expecting a blow job or something.” She shook her head. “The things I do for you.”

“Oh, no.” Kira laughed. “I'm not taking the rap for that. You know I would never expect you to perform sexual favors for me.” She glanced at Connie out of the corner of her eyes. “You like him.”

“He's a pretty cool guy, if you can get past the way he dresses.” She clicked her mouse. “Okay. You're in.”

“Scoot over.”

For the next two hours, Kira reviewed a sampling of Sheila's cases, old and new, and couldn't believe what she'd found. “Here's another one. Same Medicare certified home health care agency.”

Connie, who'd changed in the bathroom and was now professionally dressed and ready to start her work day, looked over Kira's shoulder.

“Based on the hospital documentation,” Kira explained, “physical therapy three times per week and fifteen hours of home health aide services per week were recommended.”

Connie pointed to the screen. “But that says two physical therapy visits and I don't see anything about home health aide services.”

“Right. It looks like the nurse from this new agency Sheila is using, without my approval, submitted a revised plan of care with one less physical therapy visit per week and no home health aide visits, and sent that to the patient's primary care physician to sign off on.”

“Why would she do that?”

“I don't know. Maybe they didn't have the staff available.” Which was a totally unacceptable reason to revise a plan of care. “Or maybe it's something more sinister. I need more time to figure it out.” Kira brought up a document she'd hastily put together. “I searched by diagnosis and reviewed five cases, all fractured right hips, all female, all within a five-year age range. Two managed by Sheila. The other three managed by three different case managers. Sheila's patients received significantly less home care services and durable medical equipment than the other patients. And since WCHC is paid a predetermined monthly amount for each client, independent of the services used, Sheila's patients will cost us less than the patients managed by the other case managers.”

“So WCHC makes more of a profit on those patients.”

“In theory. There are other variables to consider, but yes. That about sums it up.”

“It's not right.”

It's unconscionable.

“Why aren't those patients complaining?” Connie asked.

A very good question. “They may not know they have the right to appeal.” Or they may be appealing and Sheila wasn't following company protocol for handling patient complaints/appeals.

“What are you going to do about it?” Connie asked.

“I need more time to review more cases, to compile a good sampling of data and analyze it.” Time, the one thing she didn't have. She glanced at the clock. Almost eight o'clock. Mr. Jeffries would be in any minute. “Would you do me a favor?”

“You even have to ask? Later on I'll be giving Richie a blow job for you.” Her assistant winked.

“No,” Kira stood. “Later on, if you do wind up giving Richie a blow job, it'll be because you want to, not because of me.”

Connie smiled. “You're no fun.”

No. She wasn't.

“Please copy all these open files to a data stick,” Kira said. “The best I can do is summarize what I've found so far and forward it to the board of directors along with my concerns. Then I've done my due diligence. I've identified a potential problem and forwarded it on for investigation, since I won't be here to investigate it myself. The rest will be up to them.” She wouldn't forward it to Mr. Jeffries for investigation because she couldn't shake the feeling he and Sheila were somehow working together to bilk patients out of care they're entitled to.

Connie lunged in for a hug. “Maybe he won't fire you.” She sniffled.

Oh, he was going to fire her. It was just a question of how he'd do it and when. Oddly enough, when she was able to tamp down the panic of being unemployed and losing her weekly paycheck, with all the financial responsibilities she had resting so heavily on her shoulders, she felt relieved. Her job had become almost unbearable of late. Kira couldn't work for a company that put profits ahead of patient care. Fighting about it, daily, was as exhausting as it was futile. She'd find another job. A better job. God willing, she'd find it quickly.

Kira hugged Connie back. “You know all the times I've told you you're the best assistant ever?”

Connie nodded.

“I've meant it, from the bottom of my heart. Anything you need, preferably legal, I'll help in any way I can.”

Kira was summoned to Mr. Jeffries's office at three minutes after eight o'clock.

She knocked on his door two minutes later, surprised when Sheila opened it.

“Since no one from the Human Resource Department was available this early, I've asked Sheila to sit in as a witness,” Mr. Jeffries said from behind his excessively large mahogany desk, his partially bald head shiny, his plump face in its usual scowl.

How convenient. “Good morning, Sheila.”

The aging, well-dressed blonde tilted her head in acknowledgment. If Kira didn't have such good self-control, she'd have slapped the self-satisfied grin right off of Sheila's face.

“Please sit.” Mr. Jeffries motioned to a chair in front of his desk.

Kira sat.

Rather than sitting in the chair beside Kira, Sheila stood just to the side of Mr. Jeffries's chair, looking down on her.

“I'm sure you know why you're here,” Mr. Jeffries said, getting right down to it.

“Yes, sir. And if you'd give me—”

“There is no acceptable explanation for a gross dereliction of duty, Miss Peniglatt.”

Gross dereliction my ass
.

But Mr. Jeffries wasn't done. “You hold yourself up as the epitome of patient advocacy, yet you abandoned your beloved patients by failing to work on call as assigned, to be there for them when they needed you.”

“Mr. Jeffries, if you'll recall,” Kira said, sitting up taller, knowing it wouldn't be enough to save her job, but she had to try, “because of the situation with my mother, I have a system in place for just this type of incident. If, for any reason, the administrator on call cannot be reached, the case manager on call is to contact the other name on the call list, which is Alison, who you called, who was available, and who happily covered on call for me.”

“But what if she wasn't?” Sheila asked.

Kira wanted to point out she was only there as a witness and not a participant. Instead she stared directly at Sheila and simply stated, “But she was.”

“None of that matters, Miss Peniglatt,” Mr. Jeffries said. “Your dereliction of duty this past weekend showed poor judgement.” He opened a file on his desk. “I have here documentation of numerous incidences demonstrating your lack of commitment to our new management philosophy.” He lifted up several sheets of paper then let them fall to the desk. “And your job performance has not improved, despite a counseling session for each infraction, performed by me, to help promote change and bring you on board.”

Counseling session, right, if counseling session meant him yelling and not giving her a chance to speak. Although she did provide the rationale to justify every one of his ‘infractions' in the space provided on the counseling sheet...if he'd bothered to read them, which he probably hadn't.

“Mr. Jeffries, I've made it clear that as a nurse, I cannot, in good conscience, be a part of a management philosophy that puts profit ahead of patient care,” Kira said. Especially after hearing Mr. Limone's struggles and meeting Daisy.

“That is not what we're doing,” Mr. Jeffries yelled.

Sheila put a calming hand on his shoulder.

He let out a breath. “I'll remind you, We Care Health Care is in business to make money.”

Well here goes. “I'll remind
you
,” Kira said. “That you work in health care now. You're no longer dealing with carbonated beverages or computers. You're dealing with human beings who are entitled to certain care as determined by Medicare.” Boy it felt good to get that out.

Mr. Jeffries looked up at Sheila. “You see how she talks to me? Make a note to add insubordination to her termination documentation.”

“Of course,” Sheila said oh, so helpfully.

“So that's it.” Kira stood. “If you're going to fire me, then do it.”

“You're fired,” Mr. Jeffries said.

Kira spoke to Sheila. “At least I can walk out of here with my head held high knowing I've worked hard and done my best to ensure our patients received the quality care they deserve.”

“What about your responsibility to your employer, Miss Peniglatt?” Mr. Jeffries asked.

“I have had excellent reviews, every one of my years here at WCHC. Up until your arrival, Mr. Jeffries.” She looked down at him.

“The cost of patient care is up eighteen percent this year.”

“And my census is the highest it's ever been. Our patients are older and sicker. I have tried to show you that the majority of patients who are well cared for recover quicker and suffer less falls and re-hospitalizations, yet all you remain focused on is the cost of care. We will never see eye to eye.” She turned and walked to the door, stopping long enough to say, “I'll be sure to swing by Human Resources on my way out to complete my exit interview,” before leaving his office for the last time.