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Authors: Stephanie Bond

Tags: #Fiction, #Romance, #General, #Nurses, #Police

Too hot to sleep (7 page)

BOOK: Too hot to sleep
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10

“I
’D LIKE TO REQUEST
Nurse Georgia Adams,” Ken told the woman signing in volunteer donors.

She brazenly looked him up and down. “Are you a friend of Georgia’s?”

No, but we’ve had sex.
“She and I are acquainted.”

The woman’s face registered understanding. “Oh, wait. Are you the cop who nearly got her fired?”

He smiled wryly. “Well, I do have other claims to fame.”

The woman eyed the nightstick at his side and lifted one thin eyebrow. “I just bet you do. Right this way, Officer Medlock.”

He followed the skinny woman, amused that she appeared to know Georgia and Georgia’s business. It occurred to him that the woman might be helpful. “Are you the friend of hers who’s getting married?”

“Oh, no, that’s Stacey Alexander. I’m Toni. Toni Wheeler.”

He smiled. “Nice to meet you, Toni.”

“Likewise,” she said, fluttering her eyelashes.

He saw Georgia before she saw them. She was bandaging the arm of a middle-aged man who’d just finished giving blood. Her face was flushed with a smile as she pointed in the direction of a refreshments table. Ken experienced a stab of envy—he wanted to
be the recipient of that radiant smile. Her profile was classically beautiful, and he asked himself for the umpteenth time why Robbie Boy hadn’t slapped a ring on her dialing finger.

“Georgia,” Toni said sweetly, “look who stopped by.”

She turned her head and her smile dropped.

On the other hand, maybe her mood swings made Robbie Boy dizzy.

“Hi,” he said, inclining his head.

“Hello.”

Brrr. If the city could bottle that chill, the heat wave would be alleviated.

“Georgia,” Toni said in a chiding voice, “you didn’t tell me your cop was so cute.”

“Is he? I hadn’t noticed.”

Toni gave Georgia a strange look, then handed her his sign-in sheet and scampered away.

“I’m not cute?” he asked, pulling his best hurt expression.

“What are you doing here?”

He swept his arm over the impromptu clinic. “I came to do my civic duty.”

She lifted a sugary smile. “Are you sure your blood isn’t too hot after your little birthday celebration?”

Apparently, she hadn’t been amused. He squirmed, then grinned sheepishly, holding his hat in both hands. “I’m, uh, sorry about that. My partner gets a little carried away with practical jokes.”

She seemed preoccupied with his form. “Hmm.”

“Anyway, I tried to find you, um, afterward, but you’d disappeared.”

She glanced up. “Look, Officer, I’m a little busy here. If you want to give blood, lie down.”

He obeyed, thinking it might be his only chance to be close to her and prone at the same time. She put the blood pressure cuff on his arm, her mouth set in a straight line as she listened with her stethoscope.

He laughed. “From your expression, I must be dead.”

“No, but your blood pressure is on the high side of normal. Is that typical?”

“No, it’s always been perfect.” But then again, his body was now trained to come alive at the sound of Georgia’s voice. “Probably the excitement of the day. Can I still give?”

She nodded. “But have your blood pressure checked again in a few days just to be safe. Roll up your sleeve, please.”

He unbuttoned the cuff of his blue uniform shirt. “We didn’t get to have that hot dog. What time do you get off?”
Besides every time we talk on the phone.

“Not for a few hours,” she said, her expression one of total lack of interest.

The woman would take a scalpel to him if she knew he knew the sounds she made when she climaxed.

“And,” she added, “you’ll need to eat something as soon as you’re finished here.”

He didn’t push, only because he had the promise of her call again tonight, assuming she hadn’t yet figured out she was dialing the wrong number. Besides, the more time they spent together, the more likely she was to recognize his voice. Although, he realized their nightly phone rendezvous were numbered, since her
boyfriend would surely call her soon and she’d realize her mistake.

She crossed her killer legs as she made check marks on his form. The woman was infinitely more titillating than that two-bit dancer the guys had hired.

Georgia leaned into him, sharing a whiff of her subtle fragrance, then tied a thick rubber band just above his elbow. She had a European look about her, with flawless skin, sleepy eyes and ultrafull lips. Exotic, in an understated way. Not the kind of woman who would stand out in a room, unless a man were extremely choosy. Her hair was rolled into a dark tight knot on her crown. He longed to see the silky length falling around her shoulders, like it would be tonight when she called.

Her fingers skimmed across his skin with the touch of a butterfly, and to his amazement, he began to grow hard. He slid his hat across his lap as inconspicuously as possible to cover the telltale evidence, but she saw the movement and frowned.

He averted his gaze and whistled tunelessly until he had himself back under control. The woman was addictive.

She turned over his arm and rather painfully flicked her finger against a network of veins at the bend. “There’s a good one,” she said, the hint of a smile on her mouth.

Of course, when she held up the needle she was going to stick into his arm, he knew why she was smiling.

“Careful, ma’am,” he said. “I’m a sensitive—
owwww!

At last he was the recipient of that radiant smile. “That didn’t hurt now, did it?”

He grimaced as she inserted the tube leading to a plasma bag into the end of the syringe. “Not much more than a hot poker in the eye.”

“Since your blood pressure is up, you should bleed quickly,” she said cheerfully.

“I suppose that’s good?”

She smirked. “Unless you’re run down by a police car.”

He smirked back. “And brought to you for help?”

“I help any
person
who comes into the E.R.,” she said, “even an impertinent, bossy person.”

He wagged his eyebrows. “Oh, but I can be an animal sometimes.”

“Just bleed, will you?”

But she seemed pleased that she’d gotten a rise out of him. The problem was, with all her fidgeting and adjusting, she was getting too much of a rise out of him. Her phone call tonight couldn’t come soon enough.

“Did you find the dog’s owner?” she asked.

Her voice sounded not quite friendly but…normal, at least. “I called, but Crash wasn’t their dog.”

“Crash?”

He shrugged his free shoulder. “Figured I’d better name the little fellow seeing as he might be staying at my place for a while.”

She stroked the tube in a pulling motion, facilitating his blood being drawn into the bag. “Does that pose a problem spacewise?”

A few seconds passed before he realized she was ac
tually conversing. “Um, no, my place is old, but pretty big. And it’s just me living there.”

“Oh.”

So much for conversing. “Do you live alone?” he asked.

“That’s absolutely none of your business.”

He’d botched it again. “I meant do you live with your family?”

“No.”

Not a chatty Cathy, this one. “Do you have a big family?”

“One sister, two nieces, all in Denver.”

He remained silent in hopes she would elaborate.

“My father died several years ago, but I still have my mother. She lives with my sister most of the time.”

She looked wistful and Ken thought of all the glad and sad moments in her life he would never have a chance to share, the laughter and tears he would never have a chance to witness. Georgia Adams made him feel proprietary—in a noble way, of course. Well, okay, maybe
all
of his intentions weren’t so noble.

“How about you?” she asked.

Ken blinked, so lost in her stunning blue eyes that he’d forgotten what they’d been talking about. “How about me what?”

She sighed as if he were a half-wit. “Do you have a big family?”

“One brother, four sisters, ten nieces and nephews.”

“Wow.”

He took her monosyllabic response as an invitation to continue. “My folks are alive and well in Virginia.
We kids are scattered, but we try to get together at least once a year.”

“That’s nice.” She checked the bag. “And you’re done—in record time, too.”

Great. Just when he wanted to spend time with the woman, he’d set a record for bleeding.

She removed the catheter with deft fingers, and gave him a gauze pad to press against the point of entry while she made notes on his form.

“Would you like to have dinner sometime?” he blurted.

At least he had succeeded in getting her attention. He held his breath, but she shook her head. “I can’t. Rob and I are…exclusive.”

But we’re good together,
he wanted to shout.
You’ve been sharing your fantasies with me.
“Did your boyfriend make it back to town?” He knew he was treading on dangerous territory, but he couldn’t help himself.

“Yes. But I forgot to mention your name to him.”

He squinted. Was she blushing? “Don’t worry about it,” he murmured, sitting up. He wanted to pull her close for a long kiss, Rob and the crowd be damned. Instead he rolled down his sleeve and fumbled with the button.

Then to his surprise, she stilled his hands. “Let me.” He raised his eyebrows, but she simply nodded toward the registration desk. “The line is backing up.”

Oh, well, regardless of her motivation, Georgia made buttoning his shirt cuff an erotic act, fingering open the tiny hole and inserting the little gold disc. Ken wiped a film of perspiration from his forehead
just watching her nimble fingers and knowing where they’d been.

“There.” She gave him a brief smile that stole moisture from his mouth. “Thanks for giving—the blood bank is dangerously low.”

“Glad to help. I wish there was more I could do.”

“Maybe you could encourage your buddies to come down.”

Never one to miss an opportunity, he grinned. “How many pints do you need?”

Her teeth were white, even, glistening. “As many as you can get.”

“If I can get one hundred donors down here, will you have dinner with me?”

She bit into her bottom lip. “No. But I’ll buy you that hot dog.”

His heart fluttered with possibility. “Deal.” He pushed himself to his feet. “I hope you have enough blood bags.”

Her smile shook him. “Looks like I’ll be working late.”

He hesitated. Did that mean she wouldn’t be calling him tonight? “Did you have plans?”

Georgia shook her head. “I’m supposed to call Rob when I get home is all.”

Ken’s mouth quirked with smug satisfaction. “Well, when you talk to him tonight, tell him I think he’s a lucky man.” He put on his hat, then touched the brim. “Ma’am.”

11

G
EORGIA INJECTED
a teasing note into her voice, lest Rob think she were interested in the man. “He said to tell you he thinks you’re a lucky man.”

His laugh was abbreviated. “I don’t remember from the gym what this Medlock guy looks like. Should I be jealous?”

She pressed her ear closer to the phone. His head cold had fogged his voice until she could barely hear him. “Of course not. I m-mean, the man isn’t repulsive, but he’s just not my type.”

“Oh?”

“Kind of big and bulky,” she said quickly, floundering for words. “And pushy.” And he called her “ma’am,” as if she were…special.

“Pushy? Well, I guess that’s how he was able to get so many policemen down there to give blood.”

“I suppose,” she said, leaning back on the pillows she’d stacked against her headboard. It
had
been quite a sight, all those blue uniforms standing in line. One hundred and six donors. Ken Medlock seemed determined to get that hot dog—and her attention. Trouble was, he had it. She considered telling Rob about the impromptu deal, but then thought better of it, lest he think she was actually looking forward to spending time with the man.

“Rob,” she said quietly, unable to identify the emotions pulling at her. “I know we’ve been having…fun…on the phone lately, but I was wondering if tonight we could just talk.” The way Ken Medlock had wanted to talk today, about family and things that were important. She’d held back with Ken because she hadn’t wanted to become invested in a virtual stranger, but she did crave that kind of camaraderie with Rob.

“Talk,” he mumbled. “Sure. What do you want to talk about?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted, casting about for a topic. “How about us?”

“What about…us?”

She smiled and burrowed deeper into the pillows. “Well, what first attracted you to me?”

“That’s easy. You’re beautiful, smart, beautiful.”

A warm, tingly feeling bloomed in her stomach. “That’s sweet, but I wasn’t fishing for a compliment. What do you think makes us a good couple?”

“Isn’t it enough that I’m crazy about you?”

Her grin widened, and she closed her eyes—the words she’d been hoping for, spoken with ringing sincerity. “Are you happy with the way things are going between us?”

“I…guess so. Yes. Yes, I am.”

“Good. So am I.” Remembering her earlier conversation with Ken, she said, “Tell me more about your family and where you’re from.”

“I’m from…Cincinnati.”

Georgia laughed. “I know that. I mean, what was
your childhood like? I don’t even know if you have brothers and sisters.”

“Oh, well, you know…I’d rather hear about you.”

“What about me?”

“Have you ever told me why you became a nurse?”

She smiled. “I don’t think so.”

“So tell me.”

Georgia squirmed against the pillow at her back as memories flooded over her. Not all bad, not all good. “I guess I was always the family fixer. My father worked a lot.” And then there were George Adams’s occasional affairs, which she wasn’t ready to share. “My sister and my mother were so much alike, they communicated through arguing.”

“So you were the peacemaker and the healer.”

“I suppose. I was also into photography. When I was seventeen, I came upon a car accident scene and pulled out my camera. But when I developed the pictures, I realized I’d used all my film to capture the paramedics and a nurse who had happened by. They were amazing…selfless.”

“There were survivors?”

“Yes,” she whispered, the memory keen. “Everyone survived. I decided that the next time I came upon an emergency, I wanted to be able to do more than take a picture. I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives.”

He was quiet for a few seconds, then said, “You got your wish.”

She gave a little scoffing laugh. “If I don’t get myself fired for taking care of dogs.”

“It was that cop’s fault, not yours.”

She sighed. “Well, he
was
trying to do a nice thing—he just caught me at a really bad time and put me in an awkward situation. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have reacted so…strongly.”

“I’m sure he feels the same way. Don’t lose sleep over it.”

She wouldn’t, although the memory of the man hiding his arousal with his hat might make for a bit of sheep-counting.

“Anything else interesting happen today?” he asked.

She liked this change in him. Rob was never much on small talk, but she rather enjoyed sharing the ordinary bits of the day. “Not much happened today. But I did receive a letter from my mother, yesterday.”

“Oh?”

“Even living across the country, she has the uncanny ability to make me feel twelve years old.”

“Mothers are good that way. Did she give you grief about still being single?”

“W-well, sort of.”

“Just doing her job.”

She sighed. “I suppose. Is your mother just as bad?”

“Er, aren’t they all?”

“When will I get to meet your parents?”

He lapsed into a coughing spasm. “Georgia, I’m suddenly not feeling very well. I think my medicine is wearing off. Could we—” He coughed again, longer and harder. “Could we finish this discussion some other time?”

“Sure,” she murmured, sorry for her ill-timing. Darn Ken Medlock for stirring things up inside her.
Feeling awkward, she squirmed against her pillows. “How about—”

“I have to run,” he cut in. “Call me tomorrow night?”

“Okay.” But he had already hung up. She replaced the phone, chastising herself for being so inconsiderate while he was under the weather. They would have plenty of time to talk on Saturday at the wedding. Georgia noticed the light on her message machine was flashing; someone had called while she was talking to Rob. She pushed the Play button.

“Thank you for buying this Temeteck product! This is a test message to allow you to adjust the volume. Press ‘1’ if you don’t want this message to play again.”

Georgia groaned and pushed “1.” She hated the stupid machine. Maybe something was wrong with it. Hoping a bowl of ice cream would help her go to sleep—in lieu of an orgasm—she walked to the kitchen in T-shirt and panties, stood in front of the open freezer door for a couple of minutes to cool off, then carried the snack to the living room and dropped onto the couch.

An upholstered brick. She had furnished what was supposed to be the most comfortable room in the house with a beige upholstered brick. What on earth did Rob see in this horrid couch? She spooned in the first mouthful of Cherry Garcia, then wondered idly what Rob saw in
her.
He’d said she was beautiful, but did he see the secret side of her that loved to try on hats and eat ice cream in her underwear?

A few days ago, she’d been on the verge of calling it quits with Rob, but now…now she’d discovered this
surprisingly erotic and vulnerable side of him. She was anxious to see him on Saturday, to see if he acted differently, more relaxed. Hopefully the phone sex would open other doors of communication; it had so far. Perhaps they would discover they had more in common than their penchant for detail and love of foreign films.

The phone rang, and she reached for the extension. “Hello?”

“You’ve been holding out on me,” Toni accused.

Georgia laughed. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about that big hunky cop who delivered the entire Birmingham city police department to our door. He’s gorgeous, and you were so witchy to him!”

“Ken Medlock almost got me fired,” Georgia reminded her.

“But he tripled the blood bank reserves single-handedly in a matter of hours.”

“He only pulled that stunt so I’d have to buy him a hot dog tomorrow afternoon.”

“Oh, how romantic!”

“Toni, the man knows he gets on my nerves, and this is just another way to get on my nerves. I went along with it because it was for a good cause.”

“I think he has the hots for you. All that ‘yes, ma’am-ing’—Lordy, he’s downright fattening.”

“Stop it!” She didn’t want to think about it. More.

“I’m serious—it’s probably all that phone sex.”

“Okay, you lost me.”

“Vibes! You’re giving off sex vibes, Georgia, and the cop is picking up on them. Sex begets sex.”

“I thought that to beget is to
have
sex.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Well, I’m not interested.”

“Why not?”

She swirled her spoon in her bowl and frowned. “Because I have Rob, and I think we’re finally getting over the emotional plateau we’ve been on for so long. He’s starting to open up.”

“That’s good…I guess.”

“Of course it’s good. Why wouldn’t it be good?”

“I don’t know…the expression on that cop’s face. I’ve never seen Rob look at you that way.”

“You mean with ridicule?”

Toni laughed. “If you ask me, I think this Medlock guy is getting you all worked up, and Rob is getting the payout.”

Her spoon clanged against the bowl. “That’s absurd. And I don’t take love advice from a woman who lets a man call her by the wrong name just to spare his ego.”

Toni sighed. “I’m going to tell Dr. Baxter tomorrow.”

“Good.”

“I’m going to tell him I changed my name legally from ‘Terri’ to ‘Toni.’”

“You’re hopeless.”

“I’d better let you go so you’ll be rested up for your date tomorrow with Officer Medlock.”

She rolled her eyes. “It’s not a date. It’s vending food in a public park.”

“Did you tell Rob about it?”

She hesitated. “No.”

“I rest my case. Night-night.”

Georgia frowned at the phone, then, pretending it was Ken Medlock, bounced it off a stiff cushion. Who was he to barge into her life just when things were starting to go so well with Rob?

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