One Hot Doctor by Sarah J. Brooks

Chapter 28

Thomas

A shriek pulls me out of an erotic dream where Cora and I were dancing naked together. I sit up in bed and stare ahead into the darkness in confusion. I’m sporting a massive hard-on, and I’m disappointed that it was a dream.

The shriek comes again. It’s my phone. I reach for it and glance at the screen. It’s Fran. Why would she be calling me at two-thirty in the morning? Something must be very wrong. My hand trembles slightly as I swipe the screen to answer.

“Where are you?” Fran says.

“In my bed, in my house.”

“Are you near a TV?” she continues.

Relief surges through me. “It’s 2 AM. Why would I be watching TV?”

She doesn’t laugh or make a sarcastic comment as I expect her to. “Go and turn it on. Now.”

I’m already out of bed and headed downstairs to the living room. For the first time, I curse my decision not to have a TV in my bedroom. “What’s going on, Fran?”

“Just turn it on.”

I grab the remote and flick it. That’s when I see it. “Is that Cora’s building? Oh my God. Fuck!”

“I’ve tried calling her, but her phone is switched off. I saw someone being brought out of the building a few minutes ago. Thomas, I think it might be her.”

My heart pounds hard against my chest. I stare at the screen as the news station repeats the video of a figure being helped onto a stretcher. I can’t see her face, but I know that nightshirt.

“I have to go.” I don’t wait for Fran’s answer. I sprint back upstairs, pull on the first pair of pants that my eyes land on, a T-shirt, and a jacket.

I control myself as I drive to the hospital. I can’t believe this is the second time that I’m rushing to the hospital after something’s happened to Cora. This time, though, I’m not in panic as I saw her being helped into a stretcher with my own two eyes. She wasn’t comatose, and from what I could make out, she was responsive. The worry now will be the amount of smoke she has taken into her lungs, but then again, she had an oxygen mask. That’s a relief too.

At the reception, I find Riley trying to get information from a reluctant receptionist. I shove my doctor’s badge in the woman’s face, and we are directed to the second floor. We find Cora in room seven, sitting up in bed sipping what I’m sure is tea. My legs wobble with relief.

I go straight to her and gather her in my arms. “Cora.” All I can say is her name. I’m overcome with emotion as I hold her.

“You’re holding me too tight,” she says with a laugh.

“Sorry,” I mumble apologetically and step back as I remember that Riley is waiting her turn to hug Cora.

Riley hugs her. “You scared me half to death. I’m so happy you’re OK. Leo called me when they couldn’t account for you outside the apartment building.”

“It was the scariest thing that I’ve ever gone through,” Cora says, her voice trembling.

They draw apart. “You should be in bed. What are you doing here?” Cora says to Riley.

“I had to come and see for myself that you’re well.”

Cora makes space on the bed and pats it. “Sit down. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you.”

“I’m fine,” Riley says, and they share a warm look that has grown from years of friendship.

Cora beckons to me to move closer, and when I do, she takes my hand. Then she tells us how she thought she was having a nightmare until she woke up and realized that the building was actually on fire.

“You must have been dead asleep,” Riley says. “The fire alarm woke everyone up, and they all got out of the building safely except you. Leo pleaded with the chief to let him go back for you.”

A stab of fear goes through me. What if she hadn’t woken up at all? She would have drifted off to unconsciousness and died. Her exhaustion is not surprising either. Expectant women get fatigued easily, after all, they are making a whole human being in their bodies. She had spent the day at work and then in the evening we had spent the evening with my parents. I should have stayed the night with her. If I had, I would have been one of the first people to respond to the fire alarm as I’m a light sleeper.

I feel as if I let her down by not being there when she needed me. Not protecting her like I should. I listen to her and Riley talk about the whole thing. I can’t bring myself to contribute, feeling like I have a cold block of ice surrounding my heart.

“They’re keeping me overnight just to be on the safe side; otherwise, everything’s okay.” She meets my gaze and pats her belly. “Including the baby. My body kept her safe.”

I blink rapidly like an idiot. I’d forgotten all about the baby. All this time, my worries and thoughts have been for Cora. Not that I forgot she was pregnant, but I haven’t given thought to the baby’s well-being. A fresh layer of guilt comes over me.

What kind of a dad am I going to be?

“That’s a relief.” I echo what I know Cora expects to hear.

“You should go home now and rest. I’m fine,” Cora tells Riley.

“Okay, but I know you’re getting rid of me so that you can be alone with Thomas,” Riley says with a laugh. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow. Let me know what time.”

Cora looks at her in confusion.

“You’re going to be staying with us. That building won’t be fit to live in anytime soon.”

Cora’s face falls. Clearly, she hadn’t considered that.

I clear my throat. “She’ll stay with me.” As long as Cora is the soon-to-be-mother of my baby, she’s my responsibility, and she should stay with me. That’s the only reason I’m offering and not because I want to have her near me.

Riley and I both look at Cora. She takes Riley’s hand. “Thanks for offering, sweetie, but I’ll take Thomas up on his offer.”

“As long as you’re sure, and you can always change your mind.”

Cora nods. “I know.”

They hug and kiss, and when we’re left alone in the room, I pull her back into my arms. She laughs.

“It has taken me almost burning to death for you to show some emotion.”

I’m too choked up to speak, and it takes a few seconds before I get my emotions under control.

“Hey,” Cora says, “don’t feel like you have to house me. I’d be okay at Riley’s or Adeline’s.”

“No way. I want you in my house where I can keep you safe,” I growl.

She’s silent for a moment. “Okay. How did you know? Did Riley call you?”

“No, Fran did. She was watching the news. Oh shit. She must be going nuts with worry.”

My phone has countless missed calls from her. I type out a quick message to let her know that Cora is well. Just as I finish typing, the door bursts open, and in rush Cora’s mom, Ian, and Adeline, clearly sick with worry just as I had been.

I stand to one side to give them space to see for themselves that Cora is okay, excusing myself to grab a cup of coffee. As I follow directions to the café on the third floor, all I feel is gratitude that Cora is all right.

I couldn’t bear another loss. In the café, I buy coffee from the machine and settle down in front of the TV to watch the news. There are two other people in the café, but none of them are watching the screen.

The news of the fire fills the screen. A fireman explains that the fire started in one of the top apartments. Looking at the soot-covered building, it hits me afresh that Cora and the other residents were lucky to get out alive. He goes on to say that it will be months or even longer before the building is fit to be inhabited again.

It saddens me to think of Cora’s employees who will be affected by the temporary loss of employment.

Then he grows solemn as he explains there have been serious injuries and two of the firemen are in critical condition. I’m not an emotional person but anything to do with our soldiers, policemen, and firemen tugs at my heart.

These guys sacrifice so much for us that it breaks my heart when I hear they’ve been hurt and are fighting for their lives.

I drain my coffee, toss the plastic cup into the trash can, and return to Cora’s room.

“We’re so grateful, Thomas,” Cora’s mom says, coming to take my hands into hers. “I know she’ll be comfortable with you.” She winks. “Maybe even you two might decide that marriage is not so outdated after all.”

“Mom!”

She shrugs. “I’m just saying that anything can happen when two people are living together.”

“I’m sure it won’t be for more than a few weeks,” Cora says.

I move close to her bed while debating whether to tell her the real magnitude of the damage. I decide it’s better that it comes from me rather than from the media.

“I’m afraid it’s going to be a lot longer than that,” I tell her gently. “I was watching the news in the café. They are saying months.”

A stricken look comes over Cora’s features. I can’t guess what she’s thinking, but whatever it is, it’s definitely not good.

“It’s okay,” I tell her.

“What about my gym?” Her eyes fill up.

“Come on, Cora, what matters is that everyone’s fine. Right, Thomas?” Adeline says.

“Yes, of course.”

Cora looks so sad that I can’t tell her about the two policemen fighting for their lives in this very hospital. She’s had enough bad news for one day. We all stay until everyone is kicked out by the nurse. I stay behind for a few minutes after everyone goes, one of the perks of being a doctor.

“Hey.” I move to the head of the bed and cup Cora’s face. “Don’t look so sad. It could have been a lot worse. The structure of the building is sound, and in no time, they’ll finish with the repairs.”

She sniffs. “Please don’t think I’m ungrateful because I am. It’s just that I feel as if a rug has been pulled from under my feet. In the space of one night, I’ve got no home and no business.”

My chest squeezes at the sadness in her voice. My caveman instincts emerge, and all I want is to take her home with me and take care of her. I swallow them down, knowing that it’s not what Cora needs.

She’s one of the most independent women I know, and her feelings of loss are very understandable. She’s put her sweat and blood into her business, and now it’s threatened. It doesn’t help that she lives in the same building and has lost a business and a home.

“It doesn’t seem like it now, but I promise everything is going to be okay,” I tell her.

She stares at me. “I have to look for an apartment. I can’t be in your space for three months.”

“Hush. Of course, you can. Are you forgetting how big my house is? If you like, we can each have a floor to ourselves. Please don’t give it another thought. Promise?”

She manages a smile. “Okay. Thanks so much, Thomas. As you can imagine, living with my mother or Adeline would have been a real trial in patience, which I’d have failed miserably.”

I laugh, glad that her sense of humor is returning.

By the time I’m leaving, she looks settled and sleepy. I kiss her forehead and tuck her in. I pause at the door, and she flashes me a very tired smile. I’m sure that by the time I close the door, she’s completely asleep.

It’s five o’clock in the morning when I get back home, and I’m too wound up to sleep. I embark on a cleaning exercise. I vacuum the whole house, although it’s fairly clean as I have hired a cleaning company that comes in once a week.

Upstairs, I’m not sure which room to get ready for Cora. I would love to have her in my bedroom and share a bed with her every night. I love waking up to her soft, warm body and making love to her at night. It’s so tempting, but I can’t be led by my libido. Cora has gone through hell in the last twenty-four hours, and the last thing she needs is a horny housemate.

I make a snap decision and enter the bedroom opposite mine, making the bed with fresh sheets and a comforter. The ensuite bathroom is clean, and there are clean towels and soap.

To my absolute shame, I start to visualize Cora in the shower cubicle, and I immediately grow hard.

Disgusted with myself, I go to my room and undress. Cora and I agreed that she would text me as soon as she’s discharged. I’m sure that it’s going to be a few hours from now. I slip into bed and try to empty my mind enough to catch a few hours of sleep.