Accidental Neighbor by Sharon Woods
MORE BOOKS BY SHARON WOODS
Doctor Taylor-Available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.
Doctor Taylor: Medical Romance - Kindle edition by Woods, Sharon. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
Here is chapter 1 and the Blurb
Alice
I finally graduated with my nursing degree and now it’s time to celebrate. Out with my girls, I come across the man of my dreams. Tall, dark, and oh so sexy. When I see him with another girl, I move on, after all it’s just a night out anyway and it’s time for me to focus on my career anyway.
Until we end up at the same hospital.
I had no idea he was a doctor, and now he’s become the forbidden fruit I see every day.
Mike
At this age, I’ve had it with relationships. Call me sour, but nobody is faithful and I’d rather have a taste and move on.
Then, I run into the beauty from the club. I was attracted to her immediately, but didn’t make a move. Now, after spending some time with her, I might be convinced to change my tune about being a one-woman man. She’s smart, funny, and driven. Everything I’ve ever wanted.
But she’s a lot younger than me, can she be trusted? We’re locked into a contract at the hospital together, only one way to find out.
Doctor Taylor
Chapter 1
Alice
Exiting the Uber, my heels click on the concrete pavement as we take a few steps toward the entry for Luxe, the hottest new club that has just opened up in the city. Blake, from my course at university, has been begging me to join him for weeks, and I finally caved. It’s been a really long week of finishing my final exams, and though my eyes feel heavy, and I have a constant throbbing pain in my temples from the constant late nights, nothing will stop me from celebrating the completion of my nursing degree with my three best friends.
I’m so excited I’m bouncing on my toes while waiting to get inside. I love the lighthearted pleasure of a club. The mix of dancing and drinking gets me feeling more relaxed and self-confident. Tonight’s club is even better; it’s a club I haven’t been to before, but I’m now a member of.
Luxe is a club for the elite. Only the most successful and disgustingly rich men and women secure a membership to Luxe. It’s a secret club where you must earn a minimum of a million dollars a year—with proof—in order to get a membership, but Blake managed to score us all one from one of his dad’s work connections. His dad worked on the construction of this club, which has allowed us to take advantage of the perks of a lifetime membership.
The club is hidden off the main road, and you wouldn’t know it’s there unless you’re a member, as only members get the address. Shuffling up to the front of the line, I rub my hands together, trying to warm myself up, but it’s not working. The fresh air on my skin raises goosebumps all over my body. I stopped by the local department store to pick up a new dress on my way home from work today. It’s different than my usual style of jeans and a top. My wardrobe is usually a mixture of sweats or jeans, along with the occasional dress. I have my regular clubbing dresses, but I needed a statement dress for Luxe.
I feel super sexy for a change and I love the way I am feeling tonight. I have been getting a few eyes raking over my body, just while standing in the line, so I know it was the right choice of outfit—the little black dress, paired with black strappy heels that wrap delicately around my calf add height to my small frame. It’s the smoky gray eye shadow that makes my blue eyes pop. Pinning all my hair back in a sleek high pony completes the outfit.
I never wear this much makeup; I’m usually a mascara-only girl. But thanks to YouTube, I have managed to slay my makeup game tonight and look older than my twenty-three years. We strut past the two suited bouncers and step through the doors into the moodiest club I have ever been to. I take in the packed crowd. There are men in three-piece suits and a woman for every man, who are all dressed in designer gowns. I tug nervously at my dress, wishing it was an inch longer after seeing all the elegantly dressed women in the room.
Blake grabs my upper arm with his soft fingers. “Leave it, Alice; you look hot as fuck. If you had a dick, I’d totally fuck you.” I bring my hand up to stifle my giggles.
I'd had a few vodka, lemon, and lime drinks with Blake back at my house, so we already have a warm buzz coursing through our veins. The alcoholic drinks at clubs are too pricey for us students, and I barely make enough money at the coffee shop to pay my share of the rent. Blake’s hand drops from my arm and as we finally take in the whole club, I see that it’s a lot bigger than I had imagined.
The dark-gray walls are softly lit by down lights; 3D sculptures are popping from the ceiling, and there are white lounges lining the walls, leaving a large dance floor in the middle. Men and women already occupy every seat, so we have no choice but to stand. There are no fluorescent lights or nasty sticky floors in sight; everything here is in immaculate condition.
“My treat. Let’s find the bar!” Blake shouts above the loud music blaring all around us. On the right, just behind the crowd, the abstract gunmetal bar with servers in suits comes into clear view.
We amble over the white stone floor to the front of the bar to order.
“This is incredible, Blake. I have never seen a club like this. Check out the bar, it’s so luxurious.” I skim my hands along the smooth surface. It’s cool to touch and completely opposite to how the alcohol is warming me.
Blake orders our drinks while I glance sideways. When I turn back to the bar, the server is putting a peach-colored shot in front of each of us. I frown, touching the glass between my fingers, and shout, “Blake, what is this shot?”
“Just shoot it.” And with that, he taps the shot on the bar and downs it. Without giving it a second thought, I lift the cold shot glass to my bottom lip, and closing my eyes, I chase mine back. The shot burns my throat, making my eyes pop open, reminding me why I detest shots, but the aftertaste from this one is tasty. I lick my lips to pick up any remaining residue.
“Oh, peach. Yummy. What are these, Blake?” I question.
Before Blake can answer, the bartender speaks up. “Wet pussies.” He winks and I flush, but he collects our empty glasses from the bar and takes them away before I can respond.
I turn to Blake. “Let’s wait until the girls get here to order more drinks. I’ve got a good buzz going already, and I don’t want to be drunk too early, especially since we had a few at home.” I hiccup.
He shakes his head. “No chance. They take forever getting ready; we are ordering now.”
We’re waiting on my two housemates, Maddison and Tahlia, to get here. Tahlia had to work later than usual today, so they should be joining us soon. I giggle at his impatience. He swivels slowly on his heel and orders another round of our favorite—vodka, lemon, and lime. Blake hands his credit card across the bar to the flirty bartender to pay for our drinks.
The bartender shakes his head. “These have already been paid for by a fellow patron. Enjoy.”
My lips shut into a flat, thin line. What? “By whom?” I ask. Blake and I stand frozen before spinning around, trying to find the person responsible for paying for our drinks and, more importantly, why. The bar is full; everyone is either in groups chatting among themselves, dancing on the crowded dance floor, or waiting in lines at the bar to be served. None of them are by themselves or seem to be paying attention to Blake and me. Weird.
“Who the fuck cares? Thank you to whoever paid for these.” He picks up his drink and toasts the air.
I shake my head, reaching for the glass. Clutching it in one hand, I stir the alcohol with the black straw in the other. Wild doesn’t begin to describe Blake. Meeting Blake three years ago was like finding another sibling. He sat down in the empty chair next to me in our first biology class for our nursing degree and he kept distracting me with his constant outbursts. We both got warnings that very first day for disrupting the class, but we still managed to achieve the top marks out of the entire class by the end of the three years. He always keeps the girls and me laughing with his weekend antics. It’s like living in a real-life episode of The Bold and the Beautiful.
“You’re crazy; we can’t accept them. The person could be a weirdo.”
“Honey, have you looked around the club? He would be a rich successful fucker. Drink his money. I’m sure he’s swimming in it.” He drinks it without a care and pushes off the bar, nodding to the dance floor. “Come on.”
I peer down at the drink, thinking and watching the lemon bob around on the surface. No one has ever brought me a drink before. It sends a slight chill through me, but I shake off the feeling and walk over to stand beside Blake, taking a swig of my drink. No words leave either of our mouths, both of us happy just to peer at the patrons dancing on the floor in front of us. We have a good view of the whole dance floor from where we are standing. The music blaring from the speakers is R&B and the latest pop.
I take my last sip and drain the glass. My stare lands on a man standing across the dance floor directly opposite us, leaning his large frame against the arm of a white lounge full of men. My gaze meets his and I let out a shocked gasp. My grip on the glass loosens and the smooth surface slides straight through my fingers to land on the stone floor, where it smashes into tiny fragments with a popping sound.
“Shit.” I crouch down, but Blake pulls my arm, preventing me from picking up the glass.
“Alice, don’t. You will cut yourself trying to pick it up. The cleaners are heading over now.”
Allowing Blake to help me up, I push up on my heels to straighten myself out. I spot a cleaner in a suit holding a dustpan and brush strolling over in our direction. I swallow and glance down at my twisted hands.
Remembering why I dropped the glass, I begin to raise my head and glance around for the handsome man with scorching blue eyes, but he’s no longer standing there. Shifting my feet from side to side, I wish I hadn’t been so clumsy in front of him. He is probably used to elegant women, not a clumsy mess like me. I close my eyes, squeezing them shut for a moment.
I have never had a reaction like that to a man before. His eyes and the way he stared at me set my whole body on fire. Then the sexy smirk at the corner of his lip that rose when I dropped my glass sent chills down my spine. He must have seen what effect he had on me. I open my eyes, grimace, and hurry to the bathroom to clear my head. I need to forget about that man and focus on having a good night.
I hurry through the crowd of people, weaving in and out as I make my way toward the ladies’ room. Not paying attention and keeping my gaze on the sign above the door with the word ‘bathroom,’ I collide with a hard chest. I bounce backward, stumbling on my heels. The stranger reaches out, grabbing on to the back of my arms to steady me, saving me from falling flat on my ass.
“Shit, I’m so sorry.” The voice is smooth and rich, making me take a step back.
My eyes flick up and I meet the same magnificent blue eyes from before. I smile to myself as he stares, feeling heat spread across my cheeks. He stands there, devilishly handsome, with brown hair that gleams in the club lights. His lips part in a dazzling display of straight white teeth. He holds an air of authority and has the appearance of one who demands instant obedience.
I nod, fighting the overwhelming need to be close to him, to feel his tongue tangled with mine.
My tongue slides out between my lips and I skim it across the lower one, moistening it. He makes no attempt to hide the fact that he’s watching me with a heated stare. The air around us crackles with electricity.
“Can I buy you a drink?” The double meaning in his gaze is obvious.
I stand frozen, and my heart jolts inside my chest.
But as I stand there staring into his glowing eyes, I give in, and I lean forward and kiss him. He kisses me back and it’s a slow, all-consuming kiss. Not the hungry kiss I expected. I can taste the liquor on his tongue and the delicious sensation of the touch of his lips. When we pull away, I’m panting, staring up at him under heavy hooded eyes.
The air becomes thick, overwhelming me. Clearing my constricting throat, I try to suck some much-needed air into my lungs. “I have to go to the bathroom. I’ll catch up with you later,” I whisper before I rush off to the ladies’ room.
I collect myself after using the bathroom. My breathing is now regulated, and my body temperature seems to be returning to normal. I wander back out and stand by the entrance to the bathroom. Scanning the club, I can’t see him in the sea of faces. My heart constricts as I look around a few minutes more before giving up and walking to meet Blake. I spot him, so I quicken my pace. I notice my roommates, Tahlia and Maddison, have arrived, and they are standing around talking. “Hey, girls,” I yell, moving between them. Draping one arm around each of their shoulders, I squeeze them closer in a hug.
Chuckling at my affection, Maddison asks, “Where did you go? You sound happy.”
“That’s because you girls are finally here, so we can dance now.” Just as I finish the sentence, my skin prickles. I glance toward the spot the man had been standing in before, and he is back in the exact same position. He is glaring at me, but this time he is clutching a glass of amber liquid that he brings to his lips. I watch his Adam’s apple bob when he takes a sip. His eyes don’t falter; they drink me down with it. A delicious shudder heats my body, and before I can register what’s happening, Maddison starts to squeal.
“O.M.G. Yes! I love this song! Come on, let’s go dance!” “This Is How We Do It”by Montell Jordan plays. I lose eye contact with him when Maddison starts dragging me by the hand to the dance floor, pushing through the crowd of people to get to the middle. I’m almost tripping over my own feet trying to keep up with her. My tight dress only allows me to take short, quick steps.
Maddison, Tahlia, and I met during high school. Tahlia and I were working in a local coffee shop as waitresses after school. Maddison would come every day after lessons to have coffee and study. After a few months, I began talking to Maddison about university applications and she offered to assist me in the research and also with applying to my top three preferences—which I accepted. We hung out every weekend, all becoming fast friends before moving to the city and renting a house together. Blake was the final piece that completed our friendship group.
“Maddy, slow down. I’m going to break my neck in these stupid heels!” I shout. She stops suddenly in the center of the dance floor and spinning my body to face her, she begins to dance. The entire floor is packed with sweaty bodies touching and grinding against each other. I can’t see past the people dancing to see if the man has moved or if he is still standing there. I’m strangely flattered and intrigued by his interest.
A few songs later, the crowd surrounding us has thinned. I’m having a blast. My knees ache and the balls of my feet are burning with pain from all our dancing, but I’m too buzzed to care. Tahlia and Blake join us, and we all dance together. I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun. Recently, my life has consisted only of work or study; to be so carefree in this moment makes my heart sing. I begin to sway my hips from side to side to the beat. I look around again for the sexy stranger and I note that he is standing near the bar. A woman with rich, long brown hair, and wearing a black sequined dress, is engaged in conversation with him, her fingers wrapped around his bicep. They are standing relatively close to each other, and she is whispering in his ear.
My heart sinks at the sight of them, so I tear my gaze away. I’m about to ask if the others want to call an Uber soon, when I feel a body slide up behind me. A masculine arm snakes around my waist to pull me back flush against his hard torso, and he rocks our hips slowly to the beat.
The body hugging mine is tall and seems to be built of solid muscle. I can smell his deep sandalwood and caramel scent, which is intoxicating. I sigh audibly at the memory of when I was last being held in a man’s embrace. I feel his breath tickle the tip of my ear, pulling me from the memory as we continue to sway into the next song. I close my eyes and get lost in this moment, forgetting everything and just enjoying his warmth.
He whispers, “You’re incredible, I couldn’t resist.” His tone is soft and sensual, totally different than the smooth, rich voice of the man I kissed earlier in the night. I grin from ear to ear at the memory. The warm embrace is pulling a deep longing from me that I don’t want to lose. I don’t reply, but I continue to dance with him.
“Turn around, beautiful.” I stop and turn in a circle, curious to see what this man looks like. Raising my arms, I lay them on his shoulders and step back, leaving a decent gap.
His eyes close and his hands are on my hips, moving them to the sound of the beat. I seize the opportunity to take him in—he has short brown hair, tanned skin, and his jeans, t-shirt, and blazer are all black. My lips lift at his classically handsome features. As I finish scanning him from head to toe his eyes suddenly pop open and his blue eyes meet mine.
He is beaming which makes me grin back. However, his beauty and presence don’t hold the same power and control over me like the other man’s did. It doesn’t stroke the deep desires and feelings that have awoken in me. My gaze drops to his solid chest. And I sigh. I’m not feeling it.
Before I have the chance to speak, he leans forward, closing the gap until his lips meet mine. I gently push on his chest and take a step back, which breaks the seal of our lips. I swallow hard, with a soft shake of my head. “I’m sorry,” I whisper.
Then, in the corner of my eye, I see him. His fine tailored suit and crisp white shirt with no tie stand out in the crowd of dark clothes. He stands motionless, a dark, angry expression on his face, his hands deep in his pockets. The brunette is still talking to him, but his icy gaze is focused entirely on me. I drop my hands from the man’s chest to hang beside my body. My eyes widen and I turn away to gaze back at the man in front of me. An easy smile plays at the corners of his mouth; he hasn’t noticed the other man or my sudden loss of focus.
“I didn’t intro—” he begins.
Tahlia comes over, her presence cutting into his speech. “Hey, Alice, can we head home soon? I’m pretty tanked and I have work in the morning.” Her smile widens in approval as she glances between me and the man I had just been dancing with. A lump forms in my throat because my mind was elsewhere, and I couldn’t get into him. I twist to face her.
“Sure, T.” I swing back to face the man in front of me. “We have to go. Thanks, err, nice to meet you, I guess.”
His posture is relaxed as he stands there chuckling. “Yes, and I’m Alex, by the way. It was my pleasure. Are you going to be okay getting home, or do you need me to call you girls a cab or an Uber?” He is being so nice, making me feel a twinge of guilt in the pit of my stomach. I almost wish I had felt a small connection to Alex, but I shouldn’t be surprised at my lack of interest. After all, I was with my ex for two years without feeling real love for him.
“No, thank you. I already called an Uber, and there are another two people coming with us. Thanks anyway.”
“Okay. Well, if you’re sure. It was lovely to meet you both. I'd better head off now to find my group of friends before I’m left here. Hope to see you here again sometime. Bye.” He nods at Tahlia and waves; the beginning of a smile tips the corners of his mouth before he moves way.
I let out a shaky breath. I was petrified he was going to ask for my number, and I would have had to turn him down in front of Tahlia, but he didn’t, so maybe he read the same signals I did. Even though he was nice, there was no spark.
Oh well. I won’t have to see him ever again except maybe when I come back here, so I don’t have anything to worry about.
Linking my arm through Tahlia’s, we slowly wander off the dance floor. “Let’s find the other two and get out of here. My feet are killing me,” I moan.
“Me too. What a great night though, celebrating the end of your studies.”
My smile widens. “The best night. Thank you.”
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Doctor Taylor: Medical Romance - Kindle edition by Woods, Sharon. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.