Loving the Nurse by Piper Sullivan

Augusta

“What do you think this means?” I stood in the middle of my living room, phone pressed up against my face while I stared at the fancy heavyweight paper in my hands, Antonio’s handwriting clear as day.

Megan laughed and I could almost see her shaking her head at my question. “What exactly is this, Gus?”

“It’s a fancy invitation with a date, place and time. It says menu but it’s blank underneath. What is the meaning of this?” Hannah had delivered the invitation two hours ago. Two hours, that’s how long I’d been staring at the damn paper trying to figure out what it means.

“It probably means he’s inviting you to a surprise dinner. But that’s totally just a guess.”

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up.”

She sighed. “I’m not laughing at you, okay well I am laughing at you but only because you’re being ridiculous. Antonio digs you, girlfriend, lean into it.”

Lean into it. “What the hell does that even look like?” I spent the past week trying to figure out if I was brave enough to go after Antonio. To have him. So far, I’d come up with no answer.

“It looks like you, wearing something pretty with something sexy as hell underneath, and showing up on his doorstep looking like the knockout you are. It looks like you smiling and flirting and having a good time with a hot guy that you are totally into. Think you can do that?”

“Hell yeah.” The answer came easily, without much thought.

“Then, do that. Don’t wait, don’t overthink it, just shower and shave, and get dolled up. Let him woo you so know that he means it.”

“Woo me? Are we going for a walk around the gardens too?”

Megan laughed. “You mock, but there’s a lot of sexual tension in those Regency romance novels. And yeah, if a walk around the garden with stolen kisses is what you need, do that too.”

“What if this is just a case of him trying something new with the frumpy good girl?”

“First of all,” she growled. “That’s my friend you’re calling frumpy and she’s not, she’s curvy and sexy and smart, and a guy like Antonio would be lucky as hell to have her love.” She let out a long sigh. “Second, make it impossible for him to walk away.”

“How do I do that,” I asked sarcastically.

“Easy. Just be yourself, it seems to be working just fine. Now go get dressed, I’ll expect full details tomorrow.” Megan ended the call before I could ask the next important question.

What should I wear?

A text made the phone vibrate in my hands.

“Show of those gorgeous legs, please.” Antonio.

I smiled and did exactly as Megan had advised, took a long hot shower, shave everything, and slathered myself with lavender body cream. I spritzed perfume in all the right places and took my time with hair and makeup.

This all felt important. Really important, so I took my time, carefully choosing the right shade of green eyeliner, the perfect pale pink for my lips and the pretty mint green dress I’d bought on a whim on my last shopping trip with Megan. When I was finished, I gave myself a long, assessing look in the full-length mirror and smiled.

I looked good.

Damn good, in fact.

I didn’t know what this invite was all about, but I was prepared for anything, including going after the man I wanted.

The future I wanted, maybe even the one I deserved.

That thought propelled my feet forward, encased in a sexy pair of wedge espadrilles, first to the liquor store for a bottle of his favorite rum, and then on to the man himself.

My heart thudded against my chest, my hand trembled as I rang the doorbell and waited for what felt like an eternity before I was greeted by his shocked and smiling face. “Hey,” I said, doing my best to sound casual.

Antonio’s dark gaze was like a lover’s caress as it raked up and down the length of my body. Three times. His lips pulled into a slow grin, his brown eyes full of heat. “Hey, yourself. You look beautiful.”

“This old thing?” I laughed flirtatiously and swung the hem of the dress back and forth. “Thank you, Antonio.”

“No, thank you, Augusta. That’s just the amount of leg I was hoping for. To start.” He whispered the last part in my ear as he tugged me inside the house.

As soon as he closed the door behind me, the most delicious smells made their way to me and I inhaled deeply. “It smells amazing in here. No surprise there,” I added with a grin just for him.

Antonio staggered back with a wide-eyed expression. “A compliment? Maybe my horoscope was right for a change.”

I blinked at his words. “You read horoscopes?”

“No. Never,” he scoffed. “But today I made one up just for myself. It said a very beautiful woman would finally compliment me, and see? It came true.” He winked and clasped our hands together, tugging me through the house and to the place where all the food smells lived.

“Finally? I subscribe to your channel and I always compliment your food. I think you have a selective memory.” When I looked up at him, Antonio’s focus was on my cleavage.

He blinked and tried for an innocent expression. “Sorry, what was the question?”

I rolled my eyes and he laughed. “You,” I pointed and he only laughed harder.

“I’m right here,” he replied with a smile and stepped closer to wrap his arms around my waist. “And you look gorgeous, Augusta. You smell good enough to eat,” he growled. “But that’s for later. Hopefully.”

My body shook with need, desire burning up my veins until my temperature rose a few degrees. “What is all this, Antonio?”

He brushed a gentle, slow burn kiss against my lips. It could have lasted only a few seconds or maybe a few weeks, and I did just what Megan said I should. I leaned into it. My chest pressed against his, my hands slid around his waist and down to his fantastically tight ass, pulling a groan from him. Antonio pulled back too soon. “Some people call it dinner.”

I blinked in an effort to catch up to the conversation. Dinner. Right. I looked around the kitchen and noticed the table contained a romantic dinner setting for two, complete with a single rose and small tea candle for ambience. My shoulders fell when I realized what this was.

Work.

He was filming.

I shook off the disappointment and pasted a smile on my face. “What’s on the menu?”

“It’s all a surprise,” he answered vaguely, a proud smile on his face. “What did you bring?” He nodded toward the paper bag on the table.

“Open it up.”

He did and smiled at the rum inside. “Cocktails?”

“Sure, I could go for a cocktail.” I licked my lips and finally took in the sight of him. Antonio was the same man he always was, only tonight his gray jeans were accompanied by a short-sleeve black button up that still showed off his beautiful tattoos. Instead of his motorcycle boots, his feet were bare and he smelled like leather and sandalwood. And food. “You dressed up.”

Surprise lit his face and he nodded. “I did. Just for you. Like it?”

I nodded. “A lot. Grown up bad boy.”

He licked his lips and smacked the top onto the cocktail shaker, keeping his heated gaze on mine while he shook the silver vessel, tension heavy in the air between us. “The bad boy thing is just a marketing tool, you know.”

“I do know.”

“Good,” he practically growled and filled two coupe glasses before handing one to me. “I wasn’t sure if you would show up.”

“Me either,” I admitted. “But I decided that it was time to go after what I wanted.”

“Me?”

I nodded. “You.”

He smiled and held his glass up. “To finally grabbing the bull by the balls.”

His words surprised a laugh out of me. “Sure, I’ll drink to that.” I took a slow sip of the cocktail and let out a low hum of satisfaction. “That is delicious.”

“It’s called White Empress.”

“You’ll have to show me how to make it.” The air between us was thick with tension, but it would have to wait because he had a video to shoot.

“Or I could just make it for you whenever you want.”

“That sounds, ah, nice.” I swallowed down the hope and the butterflies ready to take flight as his words, at the heat when he looked at me. I wouldn’t get my hopes up until I had a reason.

“Nice, huh?”

“Yep, nice.” I looked at the table again and sighed. “What’s the theme for today’s video?”

“Romance.” He set his cocktail down and took my hand in his, brushing a soft kiss to the palm. “It’s the theme for the night, actually.” He smiled at my short intake of breath. “Have a seat.”

I smiled when Antonio held the chair out for me, like the perfect gentleman. It was sweet and his nervous smile made me want to kiss him.

But, not yet.

“Don’t be nervous. I’ll shoot the food and the table, then the intro and then I get you all to myself.”

I shivered at his words and nodded. “Sounds good.” It felt like more was going on than I was aware of, but I decided to just go with the flow. He hasn’t said anything about a future so I kept my smile in place and tried to stare at the man, and not his ass encased in denim.

“Hey guys and dolls, thanks for spending another day with me, your Bad Boy Chef, Antonio.” He was easy in front of the camera, calm and full of charisma. “Today we’re talking about romance and I’ve set up the perfect night of romance for you. Want to impress your lady for your anniversary? Wow your man for his birthday? This table contains everything you need to impress that special someone.”

He paused to film the table, giving me direction for what to do with my hands, when to take a sip of my cocktail and whatever else he needed. His deep, commanding voice hit me in all the right places and I knew no matter what happened after tonight, I would spend this night in Antonio’s bed.

One last time.

Or the start of something great.

“Details for everything from the candle holder to the vase and the tablecloth are in the description box below, with links.” He smiled and I smiled in return because, damn, he was a natural. “This is the perfect meal, period, but especially when you want to tell the woman you want more than your next breath, that you’re ready to take things to the next level with her.” His eyes found mine, deadly serious with a hint of a smile curling his lips.

Expectation was heavy in his gaze and I didn’t know what to say. “Antonio,” I whispered. I didn’t know what he was saying, exactly, but I had a feeling he was saying exactly what I wanted him to say and I was, kind of, freaking out.

“Yeah, Augusta, I’m talking to you.”

“Me?” I blinked and shook my head. “You want to take things to the next level?”

He nodded.

“With me?”

“There’s no other sexy redheaded nurse who has my full attention.” He wore a playful smile on his lips. “It’s you, Augusta. You are the woman I want.”

Hell yes.I nodded slowly as his words sank in. “What do you want me for, Antonio?” I needed him to be honest and clear. Explicitly clear.

“Where do I start?” He grinned and took my hand in his, pressed it against his chest so I could feel that this moment was special for him too. “I want you for, hell for everything. I love that you love your job, that it fires up the passion you have for people, for life and for helping others. I want you for your friendship and your smart mouth, because you don’t bow down to the celebrity chef I used to be. I love that you appreciate me as a chef and a father, more than my pretty face.”

“It is very pretty,” I added with a laugh I barely heard over how loud my heart banged around in my chest.

“Thanks. I want you for my woman, Augusta. I want you as a partner in my life, my sounding board, I want to protect you, I want to hold you when you cry at sappy movies or scary movies. I want you to help me teach Rosie to become the woman she was meant to become. I want you in our bed each night, under me, on top of me, in the shower. I want you any and every way you want to give yourself to me, Augusta. Mostly though, I just want you.”

His words were heartfelt and sweet. They weren’t eloquent but they were his words, straight from his heart and that meant more to me than anything. “Antonio, I want you too.”

He nodded. “It’s not just about want, Augusta. I need you. I love you.”

Love. He…wait, he loves me? “You do?”

His smile was sweet and patient. “Yeah, I love you, Augusta. Is that so hard to believe?”

I shrugged. “I couldn’t let myself believe that.”

“And now?”

I blinked away the tears and gave his chest a smack. “Now you’ve made me cry on camera, in front of your hundreds of thousands of subscribers.” I swiped a tear away and sighed, pressing my palm back to his chest.

“Anything else?”

“Yeah, there’s something else.” I stood and slid my hands from his chest up to cup his jaws. Before I said anything, I needed a taste of those lips. I kissed him slowly, heat pooling between my thighs and turning my blood to thick, hot lava. When I pulled back, his hands tightened on my hips. “You might be a bad boy chef, Antonio, but you’re a really good man.”

“I am?” The surprise in his voice only made him more endearing and I pulled him closer to brush another kiss to his lips.

I nodded and smiled wider. “Even better than that?”

He licked his lips and nodded. “What’s that?”

“You’re my man.”

“Damn straight,” he growled and pulled me flush against him. His kiss was more like a possession, deep and demanding. He was in full control of sending me spiraling totally out of control. My body vibrated with want and with need, and I let out a small cry of disappointment when the kiss ended.

“Damn straight, indeed.”

He laughed and kissed one corner of my mouth, and then the other. “Augusta.”

“Antonio.” I pressed my forehead to his and ran my thumbs along the hard edges of his jaw.

“Yes, Augusta?”

“I love you too.” I did love him, fully and with my whole heart, and now I cold completely and totally, lean into it.

“Damn right you do,” he growled and kissed me again. This time the kiss didn’t end. It was a kiss unlike any I had ever experienced in my life, it was hot and all-consuming.

I never wanted it to end.

It ended too soon when Antonio pulled back and kissed me again. “I love you too, Augusta.”

Excellent. “I just have one question for you.”

His brows arched comically in anticipation.

“Before or after dinner?”

With a growl, Antonio scooped me in his arms and carried me out of the kitchen and to his bedroom, where he spent the night showing me just how much I meant to him.

How much he loved me.

Loved. Me.

It was perfect.

“I think I left the camera rolling.” Antonio laughed and shook his head, held me close. And tight. “Hungry?”

I nodded. “Starved.”

Even the cold romantic dinner was perfect.

Absolutely perfect.

* * *

THE END

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