Doctor’s Duties by K.C. Crowne

Chapter 5

ABBY

Ihadn’t been sure of what to expect from a date with Logan. Sure, we’d hit it off at the coffee shop, but there’d been no guarantee that our momentary connection would translate to a fun night.

But it had. Between the wine and the conversation and the delicious food, I was totally losing myself.

Logan was an interesting man. He was calm and stoic – maybe even to a fault. But I loved his unflappable nature. Other guys might’ve bristled or gotten flustered when a woman straight-up asked them if they were a man-whore. Not Logan. If anything, he seemed amused.

And there was the age difference, sure. But I barely gave it any thought. The only time I’d remember he was over ten years older than me was when my eyes would fall on the slight sliver at his temples. And it wasn’t a turn-off in the least. If anything, his experience and maturity drew me even closer to him.

“So,” he said as he finished chewing and swallowing a bite of his ribeye. “You’ve done quite a bit of grilling me about my life. I think it’s only fair that you tell me about yours.”

Was he going to ask me if I was a slut? I mean, there wouldn’t be much to tell. And besides, there was no way a guy like him would ask such a personal question.

“Shoot,” I said. “What do you want to know?”

“I want to know what got you into medicine. I don’t want to be too presumptive here, but can I assume that you come from a well-to-do background?”

“Is it that obvious?” I asked with a smile.

“Well, between the car and the clothes and the jewelry…”

His eyes flicked down at the diamond tennis bracelet I had on. I scolded myself internally for wearing it, realizing that nothing quite like diamonds marked you as a rich kid.

“Don’t get me wrong,” he said. “I’m not about to lecture you about the evils of capitalism or anything.”

I laughed. “Good. Because that might be kind of a mood killer. But yeah, my parents are a little on the wealthier end of the spectrum.”

“Hey, we all come from where we come from. But that does mean you likely don’t need to work, that you’re in medicine for the love of the game. Am I right?”

A smile spread across my face. “You’re right. And there is a reason I’m in medicine. But you have to promise not to laugh.”

He seemed genuinely confused. “Why would I laugh?”

“Because people always seem to think I’m joking when I tell them what my big motivation for getting into oncology is.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“I want to cure cancer.”

Impressed surprise formed on his handsome face. “Nothing funny about that. It’s as admirable as goals come, as a matter of fact.”

“I don’t know. It’s like saying I want to become president or something. People always think that it’s silly or unrealistic, the hope of a rich girl who doesn’t know how the world works.”

He shook his head. “I think it’s bloody awesome.” There seemed to be a bit more of his accent than usual on his words, as if his enthusiasm pushed it out of him.

“I think it’s amazing. And someone’s going to cure cancer. Might as well be you.”

I bit my lip and went on. “When I was little, my grandma came down with breast cancer. I was only eight or so but seeing her waste away like that…it made an impression on me. Especially since my parents had always gone so far out of their way to shield me from the real world.”

I remember going to the hospital, smelling that weird, antiseptic smell that was always in the air. I remember those awful florescent lights that made my grandma look sallow and drained.”

I shook my head, taking a sip of wine to allow a second to compose myself. And, as if sensing my discomfort, Logan reached over and placed his hand on mine. I offered a brief, weak smile as I brought my eyes back up to his.

Then I cleared my throat, and slid my hand from under his, bringing it up to my ear and tucking a stray tendril of hair behind it.

“Anyway, when you’re a kid, something like that makes a huge impression on you. And as I got older and went to high school, I found that I had kind of a knack for medicine.”

“That right?” he asked, an interested smile on his face.

“Yeah.” I smiled right back. “I was kind of a nerd back then, always reading and learning about whatever I could – even when I didn’t have to for school. Medicine worked perfectly for that. It’s such a vast field with still so much unknown that you never stop learning.”

“I bet your parents were happy about that,” he said. “Can’t imagine how proud they were to hear their daughter wanted to be a doctor.”

And just like that, through no fault of his own, he’d hopped right to anothersore spot for me. I winced and shifted in my seat.

“Something wrong?” he asked.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to talk to him about it. If anything, I found myself resisting the urge to blab my guts out to Logan. But I wasn’t sure if the ongoing drama with my family would make for the best first date conversation.

“No, nothing’s wrong.”

“Anyway,” I said, wanting to change the subject. “I’m just getting distracted thinking about how your books are actually based on your life. Most guys I know are more interested in PlayStations and binge drinking on the weekends. But you’re different.”

I meant what I’d said – I did want to know more about him. It also didn’t hurt that changing the subject to him was a good strategy to pivot the conversation away from all the stuff that I already spent too much time thinking and worrying about.

He laughed at my comment. “You’re making it sound like I’m a one-in-a-million bloke. Hardly the case. I came to the states for med school and when I graduated, I realized that leaving New Zealand and traveling halfway across the world had given me a bit of a taste for travel. On top of that, I knew that I was lucky to have access to the education I did. I wanted to do a little good before I settled down in this fair city of ours. Not to mention, PlayStations and binge drinking are for lads much younger than myself.”

“Well, as much as I appreciate you being humble about it, venturing into the more dangerous parts of the world because you wanted to help people is pretty admirable.”

He smiled. I was starting to really like that smile. It was warm and inviting and sexy all at once.

“Tell me about some places you’ve gone,” I said. “Something interesting that happened to you.”

“Wow,” he said, sitting back and crossing his legs. “Something interesting. Well…there was the time I got stranded on the Rajang River in Malaysia back when I was about your age.”

I leaned forward with curiosity. It was a touch strange to be on a date with a guy who used the phrase “when I was about your age,” but it was a touch hot, too.

“Let’s hear it.”

Logan went into it, using his writer’s eye for detail to tell me the story of his first Doctors Without Borders mission. I sat enraptured the whole time, forcing myself to take sips of wine or bites of my delicious meal. The sun gradually set off in the western distance, the orange and red sky the perfect complement to our date.

I loved the way he spoke about his time with Doctors Without Borders. His eyes sparkled with interest and excitement, and every now and then I could make out the eager, wide-eyed kid he’d been back then.

Well, not a kid, exactly. He’d been my age when collecting all these stories and adventures.

After our plates had been cleared and our wine topped off with the last of the bottle, the waiter arrived with a delicious-looking dessert.

“What is this?” I asked. It was a slice of a three-tiered, golden-brown cake with rich, thick frosting, slices of light green fruit tucked here and there.

“Ginger layer cake with cream cheese frosting and pear,” the waiter answered. Then he smiled with a nod and headed off.

“I know I should’ve asked what you might want,” he said. “Allergies and all that. But I’m such a sucker for cream cheese frosting that I couldn’t resist ordering it while you were in the restroom. If you want something different, please, feel free to order it.”

“No, no,” I said, my eyes locked onto the cake. “This looks amazing.”

He gestured to my fork. “After you.”

A big grin on my face, I picked up my fork and turned it sideways in my hand, bringing it down onto the cake. The frosting was so thick that there was a bit of give to it, but the cake took my fork as if it were warm butter. I carved off a little triangle and brought it to my mouth.

It was freaking amazing. I didn’t even bite down at first, instead letting the blend of silky cream cheese and slight bitterness from the ginger, all balanced out with the sweetness of the pear, play on my palate for a moment. When I finally began to chew, the flavors unlocked and rushed together, creating something perfect and sweet and delicious.

“Oh…oh man.”

He smiled warmly. “I’ll take that as a positive review.”

“This is so good. I didn’t even know desserts could be this good.”

“Glad you like it.”

We worked through the cake in silence, taking time to enjoy the flavors.

“Alright,” he said, dabbing the corners of his mouth when we’d polished off the slice. “I should hit the men’s room. Feel free to get whatever else you want if the waiter comes by again.”

“Thanks, but another bite or sip and I might explode all over this lovely balcony.”

Logan laughed and headed off, the faint scent of a deliciously musky cologne applied in just the right amount hanging in the air as he left. I closed my eyes and savored his scent, then stole a quick glance over my shoulder at him as he disappeared inside.

Specifically, my gaze once again lingered on how perfect his ass looked in those exquisitely tailored slacks he had on. I couldn’t help but find myself wondering what his body was like underneath them. Or what his body might feel like on top of mine.

I shook my head, snapping out of the moment and trying to ignore how turned on I was, how the mere sight of him was enough to make me wet.

What was going to happen after the restaurant? I wasn’t the sleep-with-a-guy-on-a-first date sort of girl. I’d never done it before, didn’t plan on doing it tonight. But I did know for sure that I didn’t want our evening to end.

“Anything else for you, miss?” The voice of the waiter brought me back into the real world.

“Uh, no. Oh, actually…” I reached into my purse and withdrew my credit card. “Can you put the dinner on this? We’re ready to get going, I think.”

“Of course.”

He took the American Express card out of my hand and was gone in an instant. Logan returned not too long after, settling into his seat and sipping his water. His eyes flashed as he realized something.

“Shoot, I meant to ask you to have them bring the check.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that.” I waved my hand as though it were the most unimportant thing in the world.

“Sorry?”

“The waiter came by and I gave him my card. He should be back in a sec with it.”

Logan cocked his head to the side. “You…gave him your card?”

The odd, confused expression on his face, coupled with his tone of voice, made me realize I might’ve pulled a total faux pas.

Shit.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t even think twice about it. Whenever I go out to dinner with friends whoever gets the bill first pays it.”

“But you’re not out to dinner with friends,” he said. “You’re out on a date with a man who’s interested in you.” There was no anger in his voice – only confidence. I was beginning to see that while Logan could be a reserved man at times, he was all assertiveness when it mattered. And the way he spoke, not a trace of hesitation in his words, only managed to turn me on even more.

“I didn’t know you were the kind of old school guy who insisted on paying,” I playfully teased, deciding to challenge him a bit.

“Not that at all,” he said. “The way I see it is that I asked you out on a date. You were nice enough to accept and enjoy a meal with me. So, I figured that taking care of the check is the least I can do.”

The man was totally unflappable, and I loved the way he was so clear about calling it a date.

With Logan, there was no uncertainty. It was a date that he invited me on because he wanted my company. Very simple.

“Sorry,” I repeated. “Like I said, I didn’t even think twice about it.”

He shook his head, the expression on his face suggesting he wasn’t all that bothered.

“I suppose I can let it go this once,” he teased. “Are you up for something after?”

That brought a smile to my face.

“Sure. What’d you have in mind?”

“You heard of 54thirty?”

“The tallest bar in the city? Definitely heard of it. Never been, though.”

“Then tonight’s the night. How about we head there and grab some drinks?”

I kept right on smiling. “Sounds perfect.”

“Only one rule,” he said, sticking up his index finger. “I pay. I so much as see that credit card it’s getting tossed off the roof.”

He grinned and I laughed. “OK, ok – fair enough.”

“Shall we?”

“We shall.”

The waiter arrived and I quickly signed the receipt. Logan waited, giving me a teasing finger wag as I closed the book and handed it over to the waiter. I chuckled as I slipped my card back into my purse, making sure to keep my finger over my dad’s name on the front.

He took my arm and led me through the restaurant to the elevator. The doors shut and, aside from one other person, we were alone. I was still clenching my thighs, blood rushing through me at his nearness.

I wanted him. I’d decided that I wasn’t going to do anything more than a kiss tonight, but the more I resisted, the more I found myself wanting to give into him right then and there.

But did he feel the same way? Maybe he was the kind of guy who liked to take things slow.

“You alright?” he asked.

“Fine,” I said. “Just…thinking about things.”

It was an answer that didn’t exactly keep my feelings hidden. At that moment I was so overwhelmed by my attraction for him that there wasn’t any free part of my brain available to keep myself in check.

The elevator doors opened to the parking garage, the woman who had been in the elevator with us hurrying out and making her way down one of the many rows of cars.

We were alone.

“Got an idea,” he said. “The parking at this place can be kind of a pain in the arse. How about we take my car, and I can bring you back here after?”

His suggestion made my heart skip a beat. We were going to be alone in his car?

“Um, sure. Which one are you?”

“Right this way.”

He led me down one of the rows, our footsteps echoing through the vast space. We reached a jet-black BMW M3, a late model in perfect condition.

“This is you?” I asked, taking in the sight of the gorgeous car.

“This is me. You’re surprised?”

“I have to admit, yes. Seems a little flashy for a guy like you.”

“Bought it as a present to myself,” he said, unlocking the doors with a click of the fob and stepping over to the passenger door to open it. “When Children of Blood hit the New York Times bestseller list, I figured a little treat was in order. I’d been driving the same used car that I’d bought after moving here, so I upgraded.”

I slid into the seat, the interior of the car reminding me of a spacecraft.

“I’ll say you did.”

He chuckled as he shut the door and stepped around the car. Seconds later he was in the driver’s seat.

I decided I couldn’t resist him any longer.

“So,” he said. “The bar is only a few minutes from here. But I think we can —”

I didn’t give him a chance to finish. Instead, I leaned over and placed my hand on the side of his face, turning his mouth towards mine.

His striking blue eyes went wide before closing. I felt his hand gently come around the back of my head, his fingers up in my hair. I raised my other hand up and with both hands on either side of his face, I began to slowly kiss him, gently at first, then with much more fervor. He returned the kiss, our tongues dancing, our hands entangled in one another’s hair.

But then, my sensibility took over and I felt a small wave of embarrassment wash over me. I pulled away in a quick motion, placing my hands in my lap, my gaze focused straight ahead. After a few seconds, I gained the courage to steal a glance at Logan.

He didn’t say a word as the confusion on his face turned into a look of pure, sexual hunger. He narrowed his eyes, one corner of his mouth curling into a sly, sexy smile. Logan once again reached around me, placing his hand on the back of my head, weaving his fingers through my hair as he brought me close.

We kissed again, hungrier this time. Our mouths opened right away, his tongue probing past my lips and finding mine, his taste washing over me. We kissed deep and hard, as if it were something we needed to get out of the way before we could have what we really wanted.

His hands moved down my sides, caressing my curves. Once at my waist, he undid my seatbelt and pulled me off the passenger’s seat, effortlessly lifting me up and over to his side, setting me on his lap. He moved his seat all the way back so there was more than enough room for me to straddle him. Once settled, I immediately felt his hardness through his slacks.

I closed my eyes for a long moment, savoring the sensation of his cock against my inner thigh. I’d never felt like this before, never been so overcome by pure lust for a man, let alone one I barely knew.

He placed his hands on my hips once more, leaning up for a kiss. But before he could reach me, I sat back and slipped my thumbs under the straps of my dress, pulling them down slowly over my arms and exposing my bare breasts.

Logan moved his hand to my right breast, his tongue lavishing attention to my nipple, tingles rushing up and down my body and my flesh turning to a pebbled point.

We kissed more, the passion between us building to the point where I was ready to give myself to him right there in the parking garage.

But he had other ideas.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get to my place.”

All I could do was nod.