Jeremiah by Kris Michaels

Chapter 11

Eden filled the sink with hot, soapy water. The act of washing dishes morphed from drudgery to sexual foreplay. Jeremiah stood behind her, kissing her neck, roaming her body with his hands, and distracting her with long, passionate kisses between each pot and pan. She was wonderfully aroused by the time she sent him out to the landing to break down the card table and chairs. When he left, she grabbed a quart of vanilla ice cream, scooped a ton of whipped cream on top, and grabbed a spoon. She walked out onto the landing just as he was coming in.

“What is this?”

“Dessert.” She put the ice cream on the railing and shimmied up to sit on top of it, too. “Here.” She dipped down through the cream to the frozen bit and held the spoon out to him.

He stepped between her legs and pulled her against him. She wrapped her legs around him, still sitting on the railing. He opened his mouth and took the treat. She gave herself a bite and squealed when Jeremiah leaned forward for a kiss. The ice cream melted between both of their tongues and dribbled down her chin. She broke the kiss laughing and wiped at the mess. “That is the best dessert I’ve ever had. We should have more.” He opened his mouth and she fed him a bite. He leaned in for another kiss. The erotic thrill of sitting almost naked outside while kissing this man as ice cream melted in their mouths was past anything she’d ever experienced. She’d had a satisfying sex life with Riley, but nothing she’d ever done had readied her for the incredible male currently authoring numerous fairytales, heavy on the sex, in her mind.

A thump from inside the apartment broke them apart. “What was that?” Jeremiah asked.

“I don’t know.” She let him help her off the rail. He held his hand out, indicating he was going first, and that was okay since she hadn’t been expecting anyone. Quietly, they walked down the hall. Jeremiah stopped abruptly. She peeked out from behind him. “Zeke? What are you doing here?”

The man had taken off his cowboy boots and his overnight bag was on the chair. Zeke whipped around in shock. His stare went directly to Jeremiah. She stepped out from behind him. Zeke’s eyes traveled to her and then back to Jeremiah. “Well, that didn’t take long.”

“Excuse me?”

“What the hell, dude?”

She and Jeremiah talked over each other. Zeke lifted his hand and shook his head. “Sorry, that was inappropriate. I’m sorry. It’s no excuse, but I’ve had a hell of a day, and now it looks like I’m facing a long drive home.”

A drip of melting ice cream fell onto her foot. She passed the ice cream bowl to Jeremiah and pointed to the kitchen. With another hostile look toward Zeke, he went into the kitchen. “How did you get in?”

“I have a key to the clinic. When you didn’t answer the door or your cell phone, I assumed you were with Allison or Gen and let myself in. I’m sorry if that was impulsive, but you’ve never had a problem with me staying over.”

“Until now.” Jeremiah stood in the kitchen doorway.

Zeke nodded. “Until now.”

“You’re not driving back tonight; it is too far.” She looked helplessly at Jeremiah. He narrowed his eyes at her as if trying to read her thoughts. She sighed, “You can sleep on the couch, Zeke. Remi, may I speak to you? In private?”

Jeremiah stalked across the living room as Zeke shook his head. “No, that’s all right. I’ll be fine.”

“Zeke, plant your butt on that couch, you aren’t driving south tonight. I will not let you fall asleep behind the wheel.” She grabbed Jeremiah’s hand and dragged him into the bedroom.

Jeremiah sat down on the bed and ran his hands through his hair. “This is awkward. I’m not going to lie. I don’t want him here. Alone. With you.”

Eden flopped down beside him and sighed, “He’s harmless.”

“Harmless, huh? I beg to differ. It appears he did one hell of a hack job on our plans for tonight.” Jeremiah lifted her and turned her to face him before pulling her onto his lap. She felt tiny in his arms but safe and cared for.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “But we can do it all over again tomorrow.” She leaned forward and kissed his lips softly, hopefully promising enough that the epic doctor-sized stop sign in the front room wouldn’t deter him from coming back tomorrow.

“Is that so?” He damn near purred the words.

She smiled and nodded once. “I promise.”

“Until tomorrow then.” His kiss was branding-iron hot and there was no doubt in her mind he was acting possessive. There was no need to worry. None. Zeke didn’t interest her, and she returned the passion he ignited.

When they broke, she stood up and started unbuttoning his shirt. He ran his finger from her collarbone between her breasts and let his hand drop. “I’m going to bring a shirt over for you. This look is sexy as hell.”

She shrugged out of his shirt. “Sexier than this?” She held his shirt out to him and watched as his eyes darkened. He blinked several times and took a step back while grabbing his shirt. “I’m going to kill Zeke.”

The agonized groan made her laugh. “No, you’re not. I’ll see you for coffee in the morning?” She went to her closet and pulled out her robe, wrapping herself up in it.

“I’ll be there. Sunrise.” He shrugged on his shirt and buttoned it up, shoving the tails in his jeans. She watched him put on his socks and boots and stand again. Picking up his briefs, she smiled when he rolled his eyes. “I’ll be back for them.” He dipped down and gave her a kiss. “Sunrise.”

She followed him out of the room and leaned on the wall as he passed through the living room, ignoring Zeke.

“I could have driven south.” Zeke held his head in his hands and didn’t look up at her.

She sat down on her small chair that was nestled in the corner of the conversation area. “No, you’re exhausted, the baggage under your eyes is impressive.”

“I need an office up here or maybe in Buffalo. The drive up plus a full day of driving all over the county and the drive back is a nineteen-hour day, minimum. I can do it two or three days in a row, after that, I’m toast.”

“So, what’s stopping you? You could petition the counties and the state for grant money. I think there is even a federal program for underserved areas.” She tucked her legs under her, the soft terrycloth of the robe covering her.

He dropped back onto the overstuffed couch cushion. “I have that all in the works.”

“Good. When will you be able to transition?”

“Not as soon as I would like. Before your boyfriend hit town I was going to ask if I could stay here and make the move up. Now? Hell, I’ll figure something out.”

“Let me look around for a room for you. I can ask Phil; he’s plugged into everything.”

He shook his head. “I can ask him. Thanks.” He leveled his gaze on her and stared at her until she felt uncomfortable.

“What?”

“Seeing you with him, it drove your point home. You feel nothing for me.”

“I told you, friendship isn’t nothing. I’ve known you for two years, Zeke. I enjoy working with you and I want to keep that relationship.” She reinforced her words from the last conversation they had on the topic.

He nodded. “Can I tell you a secret?”

“Sure.”

“I’m not sorry I interrupted.” A mischievous smile spread across his face.

She laughed and stood up. “Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me. I’ll get you bedding and a pillow.” She padded down the hall and retrieved the items, setting him up for the night. “Night, Zeke.”

“Night.”

* * *

Eden tiptoed through the living room and headed down the front steps to the clinic entrance. She slipped out of the door and shut it quietly. Jeremiah hadn’t arrived yet, but that was okay. She sat down on the bench and took a deep breath of the cool night air. It was getting hotter every day. Soon, temperatures in the high nineties would be the norm and they would put window air conditioning units back into sashes to keep everyone cool. There were a few houses that had central air but most used window units.

She loved this little town. It wasn’t wealthy by any means. Everyone struggled to build a life, but it was home. She’d realized that about a year ago. She’d planted roots here. Few did. It was a hard life, but it was worth all the burdens. Home always was.

The sound of a door shutting turned her head. Jeremiah had two cups of coffee balanced on top of a small box. She was going to be spoiled by the time he left. She stood up and grabbed the coffee, lifting up for a kiss. He wrapped an arm around her and held her up as his tongue danced with hers. He relaxed his hold and ended the kiss with several smaller, softer kisses. “Good morning,” he said before he released her.

“Good morning.” She echoed the words and sat down with him. He opened the box and handed her a creamer. She gave him his cup and took the top off hers. “You’re driving down to Rapid today?”

“I am. Want to come with me?” He handed her a sausage biscuit. “Gen said you liked sausage instead of bacon.”

“I like them all, but her homemade sausage is amazing.” She sat her coffee down and unwrapped the biscuit. “I can’t go to Rapid today. I have two elderly patients coming in for routine screenings.”

He nodded and they both took a bite of their food. She washed it down with a sip of coffee. “Maybe you could take me on a motorcycle ride in the Hills this weekend. I’m not required to be here every day and I don’t schedule patients on the weekend.”

He stopped chewing and looked at her. He swallowed hard and then asked, “You’d want to do that?”

“I’d love to. I told you, my brothers and father opened a motorcycle shop. I wanted one so badly and pestered them until they rebuilt a wrecked Royal Enfield. Only three hundred fifty cc’s and I thought I was badass.” She laughed and waved a hand. “It was the smallest motorcycle they could find so I could pick it up and manage the weight. I loved to ride with them.”

He smiled at her. “Why don’t you ride now?”

“Well, honestly, I don’t have anyone to ride with. I don’t think I’d enjoy it as much.” She shrugged. “I guess being included and having something I could do with my family was a big part of the thrill.”

“I’d love to have you ride with me. Saturday. We’ll leave early and spend the day.”

She eyed him and hesitated for a second before she suggested. “Why not spend the night, too?”

A wicked smile spread across his face. “No doctors to interrupt us.”

She winked at him. “Exactly.”

“It’s a date.” He leaned forward and she met him halfway. God, the man could kiss, and the tingling sensation of wanting more always surfaced around him. She was excited and terrified at the same time. Excited to be with a man again, terrified that keeping it casual would rip her heart out. In such a short time she’d developed feelings for him. Boy, she’d pegged it last night. He was going to be trouble and probably rip her heart out when he left, but there was no way she’d deny herself this happiness.

They finished their coffee while talking of childhood memories of Alabama. “Did you ever go to the peanut festival?” he asked as he boxed up the remnants of their meal.

“Several times, that and the blueberry festivals. My mee-maw was a fantastic cook and she made blueberry preserves that were phenomenal.” She drank the last of her coffee.

“I get that. My grandmother and grandfather were the best. They lived life in a different era, and I think that’s why spending time with them was so special.”

She nodded as they both stood. “I agree. Be careful driving, the bucks are in rut and they lose their minds.”

Jeremiah pulled her into an embrace and rocked back and forth a bit as he looked down at her. “The bucks are not the only thing in rut. Lose the doctor. I’ll be over when I get back.”

She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’ll make sure he’s gone or find him a bed to sleep in tonight. One that’s not here.”

Jeremiah bent down and kissed her. “Until then.” She held his gaze until he smiled and headed back across the street. The wide V of his muscled shoulders and back narrowed at his hips and tapered through his long, muscular legs. She shivered as memories of their physical electricity zinged through her mind. Was she a fool? Probably. But she was unable to resist the pull of that man. Unable and unwilling. She’d never been so forward before, but then a lot of life had floated past her. She wasn’t going to watch the river of life pass by her any longer. She was jumping in headfirst and seeing what was around the next bend. Eden leaned against the porch post and stared at the cafe until she heard Phil open his garage door. She stepped off the porch and headed that direction. It was time to get to a place for Zeke to rent, and she was going to find it today.