Marin

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The kit burned a hole in my bag as I walked back into Aaron’s room. Grey was seated in the recliner, but immediately stood when I entered. My expression must’ve told him everything, but he didn’t back down. I pulled the kit out, only the nurse walked in, so I crammed it back in my bag.

“We have a room ready for little Aaron on the pediatrics floor. They’re on the way to move him now.” She smiled. “I’m sure you’re happy to see him get out of here.”

Grey was the one who did the talking while I listened. My mind was wrapped around that stupid DNA kit in my bag. I was still going to do my best to talk him out of it, even though his mind was made up.

He and the nurse were talking when another person showed up and introduced herself as Tracy from the pediatrics unit. “I’ll be taking Aaron down to his new room now.” She got all his equipment ready and then we took him right in the portable crib down the two floors to the other room.

She chatted all the way and exclaimed how cute he was. “I’m sure you’re ready to get out of that unit. All the parents are so happy to move to the floor.”

“Yes,” Grey agreed. I think he was ready for her to stop talking. She chatted on and on about how the hospital ran things, not aware he was a physician. She was only trying to help and didn’t know any better. I would’ve engaged with her, but my brain was still wrapped around that stupid box in my bag.

After she got Aaron settled, she wrote his nurses’ names on the whiteboard in his room and while she did that, Grey went to log into the computer in the room. She must’ve heard him, and she started to say something, but he held out his hand. In it was his hospital badge.

“Oh, Dr. West. I wasn’t aware.”

“It’s fine. I never checked his last X-ray report and I wanted to take a look at it.”

“Oh.” She let out a nervous laugh. “I guess it’s okay.”

He pulled up both X-rays and sighed. “What an improvement.”

“That’s good news. I think he has a meal on the way too. If you want to grab something to eat, feel free. I can feed him,” Tracey said.

“No, that’s fine,” I said. “I’ll do that.” Tracy nodded and left the room.

Grey asked, “Are you hungry?”

“A little.”

“It is dinner time already. I’ll run and get us something. What would you like?”

“A sandwich. I’m not picky.”

He left and I picked Aaron up to snuggle. I couldn’t wait to get him home. “One more day here, little guy. Then we’re home free where you can sleep in your own bed and see your big sister. How does that sound?”

He grabbed my shoulder and patted it. I wanted to kiss him to pieces and never let him go.

“And one more thing and listen up good. Don’t you ever do this to me again, you hear? You scared me to death. I didn’t know …” I got too teary-eyed to continue, so I just hugged him.

Grey came back with our dinner and we were alone again. After we ate, he brought up that damn kit. I yanked it out of my purse and handed it to him.

“Let it be known I am not in favor of this.”

“I am aware. And to you, I promise this won’t change anything between Aaron and me. I am his father. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

He opened the package and took out the cotton swabs. He used one on his cheek, then he swabbed the inside of Aaron’s while his son watched him curiously. When he was finished, he put them in the appropriate containers and packaged them up as the directions stated. Then he handed it to me. “Will you mail this for me?”

I didn’t bother with an answer, but I grabbed the package and stuffed it back in my purse.

“Thank you.”

That evening, I sat in the recliner, after thinking over everything, and still had a difficult time understanding Grey’s need to know. His voice startled me out of my thoughts.

“Why don’t you go home, Marin. Get some sleep.”

“I was going to suggest you go home and that I stay here tonight.”

He wrapped his warm hand around mine. “Aaron is my son, my responsibility. I want to stay with him. You’ve done so much, a lot more than I could’ve asked. Get some rest. Kinsley will be home tomorrow and Aaron is still not well. I have to go back to work and catch up on the patients I’ve missed. They’ve had to double book me, unfortunately.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes. I can sleep here. These chairs fold out into beds and they have linens for them. I’ll be just fine. Oh, and do me a favor.”

“What’s that?”

A wicked glint sparked in his eyes. “I want you to sleep in my room tonight.”

This request came out of nowhere and I was totally unprepared for it. “Your room? Why?”

His sexy mouth curved into a smile, one that would be stamped in my memory for hours, if not days. “I want to think of you sleeping there, naked, so the next time I’m in bed, I can dream about doing dirty things to you.”

I swallowed the mass of lust that had embedded itself in my throat. It was like dislodging a giant rock, stubborn as hell, that refused to budge.

“Grey,” I whispered.

“Hmm?” He had the look of innocence on his face.

“I, uh …” my voice trailed off.

“Go. Call me when you get home. When you’re naked.”

I nodded because it wasn’t possible to form words. Who was this man? How had I thought him stuffy? This was a sexy as hell Grey and it made me wonder what he was going to say when I called. It also made me wonder what our first time would be like.

“Oh, one more thing, Marin.” He wrapped his hand around my neck and gave me a searing kiss.

At first, I gawked at the man and then gulped. As I hurried from the room, I noticed how wet things were between my thighs. I hoped the drive home was fast because I didn’t want to get myself off on the way there. That would not be cool. What if I got in a wreck? That would be awful. I could imagine the headlines. Woman Found With Pants Unzipped and Private Bits Exposed After Five Car Pileup. Not cool at all.

I made the drive in record time, watching the garage door open and wishing it would speed up. It had been so long since I’d felt any sexual desire that mine was on hyperdrive right now.

Turning the alarm off, I dashed up the steps, made a quick stop in my room, and fished around under the mattress for my vibrator. Then I gazed at it like a drunken fool. Oh my gosh, I forgot to call Grey. I grabbed my phone and hit his name.

“That was fast. You must’ve laid the lead on the gas pedal,” he said, chuckling.

I fake yawned and said, “Yeah, I’m so tired.”

“Uh huh. Before you take that tired self of yours to my bed, I want you to do something. Are you naked yet?”

“Uh, no.”

“Take off your clothes and get in the bed.”

“Uh, I’m in the bed.”

“Sweet dreams, Marin. Think of me.” And he hung up.

I hung up and my hands shook. I powered up my vibe and thoughts of sexy Grey popped into my head. It wasn’t difficult to get close to orgasm. I’d been close when I left the hospital. I slid my rabbit in and out of me, pumping slow at first, but then picking up the pace. Each time I thrust deep, that perky rabbit nose tickled my clit, and in no time, I orgasmed, calling out Grey’s name. Then I wondered if he had a camera in there. Oh, God! How embarrassing. I jumped, almost right out of the bed, as my phone rang. Fuck. Who was it?

Checking the caller ID, I saw Grey’s name. “Hello.” My voice shook.

“I miss you. What are you doing?”

“Um, reading.”

“Reading? Is that all?”

“Yes. No.” I giggled, which sounded stupid.

“Marin, what exactly are you doing in my bed? Describe to me in detail.”

Oh, God. What the hell was I going to say? “Um, nothing. I’m laying here.”

“Marin.” He said my name with a warning.

Shit, shit, shit. “Ijusthadanorgasmwithmyvibrator,” I blurted.

“Are you dripping wet?”

“Uh huh.”

“Text me a picture of yourself.”

“No! I can’t do that.”

“Sure you can. Just keep your head out of it, then no one will know it’s you except for the two of us.”

I thought about it for a second and decided I could never do that, but instead, I sent him a picture of me, covered up to my neck. He laughed when he got it.

“You are such a chicken.”

“Yes, I am. And you will have to wait to see the real naked me in person, Dr. West.”

A deep chuckle came back to me. “I can’t wait for that and to get inside of you. I’m going to have fun teaching you some things.”

“Do they teach you those things in heart school?”

I had an image of him shaking his head. “Hardly.” Then I heard a deep chuckle.

“Good. I was a bit worried.”

“Don’t be, Marin. But I want you ready tomorrow night.”

I tugged the sheet close to my chin. “We can’t do this with the kids in the house.”

“They sleep, remember?”

“But it’s inappropriate.”

“Let me make that determination. Go to sleep. You’re going to need it for what I have in mind.” The line went dead. Oh my. And here I thought Dr. West was a straight-laced tight-assed dude. Who would’ve thought he was so dirty minded?