Chapter Twelve

 

 

“I guess I was hungrier than I thought,” mused Aubrey, glancing around at the empty containers and platters spread out on the granite topped breakfast bar. “Thirstier, too,” she added, noting the empty bottle of chardonnay they’d just polished off.

Jordan snickered. “Well, both of us just burned off a lot of calories a little while ago. It stands to reason that we’d need to replenish our energy stores. And I hope you saved room for dessert because I bought these incredible lemon bars just for you.”

Aubrey smiled, leaning over on her padded barstool to kiss him. “You’re so thoughtful,” she told him. “You remembered all of my favorite foods, including the lemon bars. Though it remains to be seen if they’ll be able to compete with the ones from the Sugar Beach Bake Shop back in Maui. But as yummy as they sound, I should probably wait awhile for dessert. I’m not sure I could eat another bite of anything right now.”

“Even of your favorite flavor of doctor?” he teased, nuzzling the side of her neck. “I think the spot where you sunk your teeth into my shoulder that last time is definitely going to leave a mark.”

She laughed. “Sorry about that. Do you want me to kiss it and make it all better?”

“Don’t tempt me,” cautioned Jordan. “Which is all but impossible, because every time I look at you I’m tempted. But we, uh, worked each other over pretty good this afternoon, and I might need a little more time to recover. Too bad I don’t keep syringes of adrenaline in my medical bag. Or a supply of Viagra.”

Aubrey shook her head. “You don’t need any artificial stimulants, Jordan. Might I remind you that you’ve come three times since we walked in the door? And in less than a two hour time frame that averages out to an orgasm every half hour or so. Besides, I’m still a teeny bit - um, tender right now myself, so it’s probably a good idea to hold off a little longer.”

“Okay.” He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips. “I’ll just sit here and stare at you instead. You don’t mind, do you?”

She squeezed his hand. “Not in the least. I can’t take my eyes off of you either, you know. Wait - isn’t that the name of some corny song from the sixties?”

“Sure is,” replied Jordan, grinning. “Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Ever see the musical Jersey Boys?”

“Nope. I’m not a huge fan of the theater and cultural stuff like that. I’ve always been more of an outdoor activity person. But I know you like the opera and ballet and symphony, so I’m happy to keep an open mind about it,” offered Aubrey.

He gave a careless shrug. “We’ll see. I’m not all that crazy about some of it either, especially the opera. I mostly attend those sort of events as a way to network with potential patients. It was extremely helpful when I was first getting started in private practice, helped me make a lot of valuable connections. Now, well, I suppose I’ve made some friends in those particular social circles so it’s really more of a habit than anything.”

“I’d still like to go to a performance or two with you,” she insisted. “After all, you indulged me plenty when you were in Maui. I’m guessing stand-up paddle boarding and deep sea snorkeling aren’t your typical forms of recreation.”

Jordan gave her a wicked grin. “You’re probably right. However, I had some definite ulterior motives when it came to you, darlin’. Specifically, I wanted to please you so that I could get into your pants.”

She gave a shout of laughter, that turned into a fit of the giggles. “Maybe I shouldn’t tell you this, but you really didn’t need to do any of those things to - as you so charmingly put it - get into my pants. I was as hooked on you as you were on me.”

He smacked himself playfully on the forehead. “Now she tells me! After I almost drowned on that kayaking excursion you talked me into. To think I could have been safe and dry sunbathing on a chaise lounge with an endless supply of Mai Tai’s instead.”

Aubrey patted his chiseled, rock-hard abs. “Ah, but you needed to do something to work off all of those cocktails. Something other than sex, that is. Besides,” she added teasingly, trailing her fingers along his bare chest, “you scored a whole lot of bonus points by indulging me.”

Jordan threaded a hand into her hair, holding her head still for his kiss. “Then it was all worth it,” he whispered against her lips. “Though I’d rather not repeat that death defying bike ride down from Haleakala if it’s all the same to you. I haven’t prayed that much since I was a six year old in Sunday school.”

She gave his stubbled cheek a gentle caress. “It’s a deal. Though I understand there’s some pretty awesome mountain bike trails not far from here in the Marin Headlands. I don’t suppose you’ve got any interest in taking a ride there with me one day?”

He grimaced. “I’d be lying if I told you it sounds like the most fun ever. But if it’s a ride you want, baby, I’m more than happy to accommodate you. And we won’t need any mountain bikes.”

Aubrey rolled her eyes as he waggled his eyebrows at her lasciviously. “You really do have a one track mind, don’t you?” she retorted. “And while a ride sounds pretty tempting, those lemon bars you mentioned earlier are calling to me. Are they in the refrigerator?”

Jordan nodded, taking a step or two back. “I’ll get them. You keep your gorgeous butt right where it is.”

“Actually, I was going to make a cup of tea. Can I fix you some coffee?”

When they had been raiding the fridge for their impromptu dinner, she’d spotted the sophisticated single-serve coffeemaker on one of the counters, and Jordan had assured her he’d also stocked up on a variety of tea pods.

“That sounds fantastic, darlin’. Thanks.”

She blew him a kiss. “The least I can do after you bought all this food. I’m pretty sure you cleared out the shelves at Whole Foods.”

At least it seemed that way when she surveyed the vast assortment of dishes set out on the counter, as well as all the stuff still untouched in the refrigerator. Just a little while ago they’d feasted on roasted lemon herb chicken, cheese manicotti, a delicious Asian noodle salad, grilled marinated veggies, an assortment of sushi, and buttery brioche rolls. She felt like a glutton for having eaten so much at one sitting, and for still craving one of those lemon bars he’d tempted her with. But Jordan had certainly been right about having burned off a ton of calories already, given that the front door of his condo had barely closed behind them before they were in each other’s arms.

He’d taken her right there in the foyer the first time, spread out on the plush area rug, their hunger for each other way too out of control to wait the extra few seconds it would have taken to make it to the bedroom. They hadn’t even undressed all the way, only removing their jeans and his underwear since she hadn’t been joking about not wearing panties. That discovery had caused Jordan to go a little crazy, and he’d barely had time to roll on a condom before driving into her with enough force to bump her head against the wall. The sex had been wild, frantic, and loud, and she guessed that it had taken both of them less than two minutes to climax almost simultaneously.

The next two times had been in the comfort of Jordan’s comfy, oversized bed, and with the initial edge taken off, they’d been able to take it slower, to enjoy and savor each kiss and caress. But their lovemaking had been no less passionate, every bit as torrid and greedy as that first near-savage encounter, and Aubrey had been left feeling more than a little dazed and disoriented afterwards. And as impatient and ravenous as Jordan had been for her, she knew that he’d been true to his word about being faithful, about being true to her by remaining celibate all these weeks. She was far from being an expert on the matter, but somehow it just didn’t seem possible that a man could make love to a woman with such overwhelming passion and need if he hadn’t been abstinent all this time.

They’d dozed for a little while after that, until Jordan had roused her enough to hustle her into the shower. She’d been thrilled to discover the hair and bath products waiting there for her, the same high-end brands that had been provided at the Gregson resort in Maui that she had liked so much. And she’d been equal parts delighted and outraged when Jordan had somewhat sheepishly revealed the “few” surprises he had bought for her - at least half a dozen different outfits, two pairs of shoes, assorted accessories, and the sexiest black lace bra and panty set she’d ever seen.

He had also bought her the beautiful robe she wore now - of black satin with a vivid yellow and red abstract print. The rich fabric felt like utter indulgence against her bare skin, and she knew it had cost a considerable amount of money. And it was a whole lot nicer than the admittedly ratty white terrycloth robe she’d packed - or at least it had been white at some point in the past.

Perhaps because she’d still been sleepy and sated from so much incredible sex, or maybe it had been the anxious expression on Jordan’s face, worried that she wouldn’t like the things he’d bought her, or maybe she had just been so darned happy to see him again, but whatever the reason Aubrey hadn’t had the energy to argue with him overmuch about buying her stuff. Instead, she’d given him a hug and simply told him, “Thank you. Everything is beautiful. I should really be saying something like this is too much, or you shouldn’t have. But I’m too happy right now to spoil things by arguing with you.”

Jordan had been so pleased by her reaction that it had made her heart ache just a little, and she wondered if the women he’d dated in the past had ever bothered to thank him for anything. And then, because she really, really didn’t want to think about all of the women he’d been with over the years, she’d let him give her a quick tour of his condo before they had raided the kitchen.

The condo wasn’t overly large - two bedrooms and two baths plus a bonus room he used as an office; a huge, modern kitchen equipped with every appliance and gadget imaginable; and a combination living/dining room that boasted a gorgeous stone fireplace and breathtaking views of the San Francisco skyline and bay. There was a spacious balcony that could be accessed from either the living room or the master bedroom, and Aubrey knew she’d be spending a lot of time out there during her visit.

She guessed that he’d used a professional to decorate the condo, relying on them to select all of the furnishings, draperies, and decorations, though most of the artwork looked like items Jordan might have chosen himself. It was unquestionably a beautiful home, tastefully and expensively furnished, but to Aubrey it lacked a bit in personality and warmth. The only rooms that really reminded her of Jordan were his bedroom and en suite bathroom where his clothing and toiletries, along with a few assorted framed photos, lent the space a much more personal feel.

Overall, though, this was not the sort of place she would ever really be able to think of as a home. There was no backyard or outdoor space save for the balcony, no next-door neighbors to socialize with, no kids riding their bikes around the neighborhood or playing basketball in their driveways. And while the condo building was modern and sophisticated, with numerous amenities like a gym, pool, sauna, and meeting/event room, it all felt too much like a high-rise hotel to Aubrey and certainly not a proper home.

But because she didn’t want to hurt Jordan’s feeling, or insult his choice of accommodation, all she had said after the grand tour was “This is a pretty fancy place to bunk down in every night. I guess you must have to deliver a lot of babies to be able to afford it.”

She’d added the last part in jokingly, and had been relieved to see his answering grin.

“That’s part of it, of course, but I’ll confess to also being a trust fund baby,” he’d admitted. “My mother’s parents were loaded, and since I was their only grandchild they set up a pretty generous trust for me. The money paid my way through college and medical school, and I still had plenty leftover for a hefty down payment on this place.”

“Are your grandparents still alive?” she’d asked.

“Unfortunately not. My grandmother passed away while I was in medical school from breast cancer, and my grandfather a few years after that from Alzheimer’s. I was pretty close to them growing up, though, probably more so than my parents.”

Jordan had changed the subject after that, and she sensed that his lack of family likely bothered him far more than he would ever admit.

Aubrey finished brewing their drinks, stirring a single packet of sugar into her tea, while adding cream and two sugars to his coffee. He accepted the mug from her gratefully, and took a generous sip.

“Thanks, darlin’. It really hits the spot after all that food. Speaking of which, as promised, one lemon bar.”

Her eyes widened at the sight of the powdered sugar dusted bar he’d carefully plated for her. “That looks like four lemon bars,” she protested. “Whatever bakery you bought these at sure believes in generous portion sizes. Well, there’s no possible way I can eat even half of that, so I guess you’ll have to help me.”

“You first. After all, I bought these for you,” he reminded. “And I’m curious to see how they compare to the ones you raved about in Maui.”

Aubrey forked off a piece, then savored the taste of the tart lemony filling and rich shortbread crust as she chewed it slowly. “Mmm,” she moaned, licking her lips. “Never thought I’d say it but I think this beats out the bars at Sugar Beach. Jenna would never agree, but then one of her cousins is a baker there. Here. Try a bite.”

Jordan clasped his fingers around her wrist as she brought the fork to his lips and fed him a piece. As she lowered the fork back to the plate, his thumb brushed something from the corner of her mouth.

“You had a crumb there,” he murmured. “And I think that might be a speck of powdered sugar right here.”

She held her breath as he bent his head to hers, licking her lips with his tongue. And then, because kissing him felt as natural as breathing, she slid her palms up his bare chest to clasp around his neck as their lips met and clung in a long, lazy kiss.

She whimpered beneath his mouth as his hand cupped her breast through the sensuous satin fabric of her robe, the nipple already peaking. He made quick work of the belt, then spread the edges of the robe apart to bare her body to his gaze.

“Christ, every time I look at you I have trouble believing you’re real,” he rasped, fondling both of her breasts aggressively. “This body of yours is the stuff wet dreams are made of, baby. Every inch of you is perfection, Aubrey. Every curve, every angle, every sexy little dimple. And just looking at you makes me so hard I can’t control myself for very long. Or stop myself from doing this.”

“Jordan.”

His name escaped her lips in a low moan as he took her nipple between his lips, sucking hard enough that she felt the sensation all the way down in her womb. Aubrey pulled his head closer as he shifted his attention to her other breast, arching her back as he flicked his tongue back and forth over the reddened nipple.

She squealed in surprise as his hands grasped her buttocks, then lifted her easily until she was sitting on the granite countertop. She didn’t resist as he spread her legs apart, then ran his hands along the smooth skin of her inner thighs, but couldn’t suppress a gasp when he rather calmly thrust his index and middle fingers inside her wet slit.

“Nice and juicy,” he crooned, beginning to pump his fingers in and out of her eager body in a slow, steady rhythm. “And always so ready for me. But not until I’ve had a little taste.”

Jordan sunk to his knees, continuing to hold her thighs wide apart as he buried his dark head between them, that wicked, talented tongue of his delving deep into her pussy. Aubrey reclined back against the counter, propping herself up on her elbows as she watched him through half-lidded eyes, too dazed with pleasure to think about the fact that he was actually going down on her in his kitchen. She shuddered as he licked up and down along the entrance to her pussy, then fluttered his tongue around her clit until she was squirming in reaction. He added those two magic fingers of his back into the mix, finger fucking her at the same time he sucked on her clit, and the combination was nothing short of dynamite as he easily brought her to orgasm.

While she was still quivering in reaction, Jordan pressed a kiss between her breasts before murmuring, “Don’t go anywhere, darlin’. I’ll be right back.”

He dashed off before she could tell him in a weak voice that there was no possible way she could even think of going anywhere, considering how her entire lower body felt like a limp noodle.

Jordan was true to his word about being right back, though when he walked inside the kitchen he’d shucked the black lounge pants he’d been wearing and was proudly nude, his cock already semi-erect. He placed a condom packet on the counter, apparently what he’d gone in search of a moment ago.

“You know,” he drawled lazily, “I’ve always thought these counters were the perfect height for this. Glad to see that my estimation was right on target.”

Aubrey shivered as he leisurely eased the robe from her shoulders, the black satin pooling about her hips. “The perfect height for - for what?” she asked faintly.

His grin was one of pure carnality. “What do you think, darlin’? For fucking, of course. That pretty pussy of yours is in exactly the right position for me, don’t you agree?”

She gasped anew as he slowly pushed his fingers back inside of her, almost as though he was measuring the ideal angle for where to slide his penis in. “Uh, I - I guess so. Yes,” she panted, as he withdrew his fingers.

Jordan took his time licking her juices from his fingers, the sheer naughtiness of what he was doing making her abdominal muscles clench in reaction. “Mmm, I sure missed the taste of that sweet pussy these last few weeks,” he purred. “Even sweeter than that lemon bar over there. Tell me if you’re too sore for this, baby, okay?”

Aubrey shook her head, watching as he opened the condom packet and rolled it on his now fully erect cock in two smooth motions, resisting the urge to lick her lips. “I’m not, no.”

“Good.” He eased her thighs apart even further, then bent and kissed her long and deep. “Easy now, okay?”

She nodded, but couldn’t hold back a little whimper as he thrust inside of her, since this position afforded him maximum penetration. She could feel every hard, thick inch of his penis as he pushed in and out of her vagina with slow, calculated thrusts.

“Not too deep?” he murmured, his hands gripping her hips.

“No. It’s - it’s just right,” she breathed.

“Put your arms around my neck now, baby,” he instructed. “And hold on tight, okay? In fact, wrap those gorgeous legs of yours around my waist, too.”

She did as he asked, biting down on her bottom lip as her actions only served to fuse their bodies closer together. Her breasts were squished against his chest, her heels pressing into his firm buttocks, and he was so deep inside of her that she half-feared he’d split her apart if he tried to go any farther. Jordan’s fingers dug into her thighs as he began to fuck her harder, pistoning his hips faster and faster with each deep thrust, as she hung on for dear life. From this position, his cock was able to hit that G-spot of hers each and every time, nearly overwhelming her with sensation, and as he brought her closer and closer to climaxing, she was a frantic, wild creature, digging her nails into his back, crying out his name, and answering each powerful thrust of his body with one of her own.

When the orgasm took her over, nearly blinding her with its power, her arms and legs slid limply to her sides, and it was only Jordan’s hands holding her in place that prevented her from slipping off the granite counter. He found his own release moments later, slapping a hand on the counter to support himself as his legs shook in reaction.

He scooped her into his arms then, carrying her the short distance to his bedroom, and spread her out gently on the bed. After discarding the condom, he joined her on the bed, brushing damp tendrils of hair off her forehead as he kissed her cheek tenderly.

“Well, that was definitely something different,” he told her with a smile. “I hope the counter wasn’t too uncomfortable for you.”

“What counter?” she asked faintly. “Wasn’t I floating on air?”

Jordan laughed, his hand gently massaging her ass. “Glad it felt that way to you, darlin’. To me, it just felt like heaven, as it always does when I’m buried inside this sweet pussy. And it felt especially heavenly in that position. We’ll have to try that one again, though maybe this next time we’ll put some padding underneath you. Can’t risk bruising this gorgeous butt of yours, can we?”

Aubrey ran a palm through the damp ribbon of hair bisecting his chest. “So you, um, haven’t done that before? I mean, not in that specific spot?”

“Nope.” He shook his head emphatically. “I haven’t actually invited all that many women here to my place, we’ve mostly gone to - well, other places. And I didn’t have a chance to tell you earlier - because whenever I’m around you I sort of forget everything - but this is a brand new bed, too. At least the mattress is and all of the sheets and other bedding. I wanted - well, I wanted everything to be different for you. New. Fresh. Like - well, like starting from scratch in a way. Does that make any sense to you?”

She beamed at him, dropping a kiss on his mouth. “It makes perfect sense,” she whispered. “And thank you, Jordan. For - well, for thinking about that sort of stuff. It’s really sweet of you.”

Jordan wrapped her up in his arms, holding her so tightly that it was hard to breathe for a moment until he loosened his grip. “I want you to feel at home here, Aubrey,” he murmured against her hair. “To feel comfortable and happy and welcome. And while I can’t very well say I haven’t been with any other women, at least you can be assured that I’ve never gone to this much trouble for one before. Or cared so much about their feelings.”

Aubrey caressed his cheek, fighting back the temptation to blurt out “I love you” at this very moment. “Thank you, Jordan,” was all she said in response. “It means an awful lot to me, you know.”

He gave her a sweet, soft kiss. “We’re even then, sweetheart, because having you here is the most meaningful thing that’s ever happened to me. Now, stay put. We’ve still got a lemon bar to finish. After all, we just burned off about a thousand more calories.”

 

***

 

“You’re really sure it’s okay for me to tag along with you? I mean, I definitely won’t get in your way or anything, and I know without having to ask that the parents are not going to want me in the delivery room for the big event. Not,” added Aubrey with a shudder, “that I’m the least bit anxious to observe a live birth. One summer when I was in Guatemala on a school sponsored community service trip, a goat on the farm we were working on gave birth, and I almost puked watching.”

Jordan grinned as he backed his Porsche out of its parking space. “It’s fine to tag along. In fact, depending on how long this baby takes to arrive maybe you can drive us home if I’m too wiped out. And no worries about witnessing the birth. We typically only allow the parents into the delivery room, along with the medical team, of course. At least our patients have more privacy than that poor goat apparently did.”

She shuddered again. “Ugh! Why did I bring that up? Now it’s all I’ll be able to think about for the next couple of hours.”

He patted her on the thigh just before shifting gears. “I know the perfect way to distract you. Since it’s so late at night the janitorial staff will have finished up hours ago. Which means you and I can lock ourselves inside a supply closet and, uh, distract each other.”

Aubrey gave him a stern look. “No hanky panky at work, Doctor Reeves. You need to stay sharp and get this baby delivered safely.”

He shrugged. “Not too worried about this one. It’s the mother’s fourth baby, so she’s an old pro at this. And hopefully it will be a quick delivery. They usually are after the first one.”

“I don’t mind waiting for you,” she assured him. “And I’ve been wanting to see where you work. I mean, I saw your office a few days ago but that’s not really the same thing, is it?”

Aubrey had met him for lunch earlier this week, and hadn’t missed all the raised eyebrows and outright looks of shocked surprise when Jordan had introduced her to the other doctors in his practice as well as the nurses and office staff. He’d admitted that having a woman meet him at the office had definitely been a first for him, hence the astonished reaction of his co-workers upon meeting her. Everyone, however, had been nothing but kind to her, though Aubrey could have sworn that the receptionist and a couple of the nurses had looked at her rather oddly, almost as though they recognized her from somewhere. She’d shrugged it off, though, figuring it was just her imagination.

She’d been in San Francisco for over two weeks now, and had been having the time of her life. Jordan hadn’t been able to take any time off from work, given his recent vacation, but he had managed to cut back on his hours a little so that they could spend more time together. During the day when he’d been at the office or the hospital, Aubrey had easily managed to keep busy - using the gym and pool at the condo building, exploring many of San Francisco’s top tourist attractions, and trying to hone her limited cooking skills by preparing some simple meals for Jordan. She kept in regular contact with her family, and with her former roommates in Maui, and had begun to think seriously about her next career move. She had even done a bit of research on graduate schools, since getting her master’s degree was something she’d been putting off for a couple of years now.

Jordan had given her the keys to his other car - a newer model Mercedes SUV - so that she could explore outside the city limits, places like Muir Woods and the Marin Headlands, but while she was in San Francisco she preferred to walk or take the bus or ride the bike he’d arranged for her to use. And while the adventurer inside of her loved the opportunity to explore at her leisure, what she enjoyed most were the times she got to spend with Jordan.

He had taken her out to dinner several times, as well as a champagne brunch cruise on San Francisco Bay. Just two nights ago they had gone to the theater, where he had season tickets, to see a production of Hamilton. On her first weekend in town he had brought her to the Napa Valley to do some wine tasting, including the winery he had mentioned to her on their first date in Maui. They had gone grocery shopping together a couple of times, but Aubrey had adamantly refused to let him buy her any additional clothes or personal items - though she hadn’t been able to resist the very provocative bra and thong set of yellow lace that he’d surprised her with last night, especially since Jordan had pointed out that it was really more of a gift for him than her.

Overall, it had been the most wonderful two weeks of her life, even more so than their time in Hawaii had been because she and Jordan were more comfortable with each other now, knew each other much better, and she was far more confident of his commitment to her. Not, of course, that he’d ever mentioned a single word that signified a commitment of any sort on his part. Neither of them, in fact, had come close to discussing the future, or how long Aubrey was planning to stay, or what happened next in their budding relationship. She knew that particular discussion would have to happen sooner than later, but for now she was perfectly content to live in her little bubble, taking one day at a time, and enjoying it to the limit.

She’d yet to meet any of his friends, either, not counting his co-workers at the office, and had thought that a bit odd. But when she had very casually mentioned it to Jordan, he’d shrugged it off and rather quickly changed the subject after mumbling something about wanting to keep her all to himself for a little while longer. Aubrey had sensed it was a sensitive matter for some reason, and tactfully hadn’t brought it up again, figuring he would introduce her around when he felt the time was right.

They had been finishing up dinner just a short while ago when Jordan’s phone had buzzed with the message that his patient had officially gone into labor and was being admitted to the hospital. She’d cleaned up the dishes while he had changed into a pair of dark blue scrubs, figuring that she would be spending the rest of the night alone. But then the idea about accompanying him to the hospital had popped into her head, and while he’d seemed a bit taken aback at her request he hadn’t tried to talk her out of it, either.

“I’m afraid you’ll be bored out of your mind, though,” he’d cautioned her. “Sometimes labors can drag on for hours, though I don’t expect that to happen with this patient. Be sure to bring your tablet along so you can read or surf the Internet.”

“I will. And I don’t care how long it takes,” she’d assured him. “I’d rather be at the hospital knowing you’re close by than staying here by myself.”

Jordan had seemed pleased with her decision. “I’ll be able to pop in and out of the patient’s room and check up on you, too. My big part in the whole process doesn’t really happen until the actual delivery.”

“I’ll be fine. You don’t need to keep checking on me,” she’d protested.

He’d pulled her into his arms and kissed her long and hard. “Maybe I just want to spend as much time as possible with you, darlin’. After all, given that I got home a little later than planned from the office, we barely had time to finish dinner before this call came in. And we definitely didn’t have time to engage in any other activities, if you know what I mean.”

Aubrey had given him a wicked smile. “I do know. You mean we didn’t get to fuck each other’s brains out yet. And since you’ll probably be too tired after delivering this baby, we’ll probably have to give that a miss for once.”

He’d given her a playful swat on the ass. “Tsk tsk. What a dirty mouth you have sometimes.”

She’d given his ear a little nip. “You love this dirty mouth, though,” she had murmured suggestively. “Especially when it’s sucking your big cock.”

His hand had come down a little harder on her buttocks that time, causing her to yelp in protest. “Enough of that,” he’d admonished sternly, though his gray eyes had been twinkling in amusement. “Otherwise, all I’m going to think about tonight is your mouth around my dick, instead of focusing on this baby I’m supposed to deliver. And who said I’ll be too tired afterwards? Baby, if you’re offering me one of your mind blowing blow jobs, I’ll drink a whole gallon of espresso if I need to in order to stay awake. Now, let’s go before I decide to beg one of my associates to take over for me. And after meeting you a few days ago he’s going to know the real reason why.”

At close to ten o’clock in the evening, the hallways of the maternity ward at University Medical Center were all but deserted as Jordan guided Aubrey to one of the waiting rooms. Along the way, he’d introduced her to a few of the night shift nurses, interns, and other staff members, and once again every one of them had looked startled to see Jordan with a woman by his side. One of the nurses had even looked at her quizzically, and commented, “You look really, really familiar. Have we met before? Or, no. You were a patient here recently, right?”

Aubrey had given an emphatic shake of her head. “No, to both questions. I’ve actually only been visiting here in San Francisco for two weeks, and this is the only time I’ve ever been in this hospital. You must be confusing me with someone else.”

The nurse hadn’t looked convinced, though she mumbled, “Yeah, that must be it. Huh. I could swear I’ve seen you before, though. It’ll come to me, I never forget a face.”

Jordan had practically whisked her away after that, insisting that he really needed to check on his patient, and not giving her an opportunity to ask him about this other woman Aubrey supposedly resembled. It was the second time in just a few days that she’d received that sort of reaction after meeting his co-workers, and it made her both curious and a little unsettled as to the reason why.

He was back to check on her less than twenty minutes later, and he looked so sexy in those dark blue scrubs that she couldn’t help greeting him by his old nickname.

“Hey, Doctor Dreamboat,” she teased. “How’s your patient doing?”

Jordan grimaced. “I knew I should have never mentioned that stupid nickname,” he groused. “As for my patient, she’s doing just fine. Unfortunately, she’s barely dilated at all, which means we’re in for a long night. Maybe I should get you a taxi so you can go home and get some sleep.”

“Hmm.” She stood up and walked over to where he was slouched in the doorway. She tugged at the waistband of his scrubs. “That depends. How long until you need to check on your patient again?”

He shrugged. “Maybe half an hour. There’s a nurse in with her now. I doubt she’ll make much progress for awhile. Why? Did you want to get some coffee or something?”

Aubrey ran a palm up his chest. “No coffee. But I wouldn’t mind having something else,” she purred. “More accurately, someone else. I know I told you earlier no hanky panky at work, but you look really, really hot in these scrubs. Were you serious when you mentioned that supply closet earlier?”

Jordan’s breath hitched in his throat as she pressed herself against him. “Uh, I - I was actually joking. There isn’t exactly a lot of room in there for - well, what I think you have in mind.”

She gave the side of his neck a sensuous little lick, feeling his pulse point jump in reaction. “Oh, we won’t need much room. Just enough for you to stand up and me to kneel down. What do you think?”

She slid her hand down between their bodies, having first made sure there was no one else in the vicinity, and gave his semi-hard cock a little squeeze. Jordan stifled a curse, then grabbed hold of her wrist, halting her progress.

“I think,” he croaked, “that it’s a good thing I know where the interns keep their not-so-secret stash of condoms. Follow me. And let’s hope Mrs. Marinelli holds off on having that baby for the next thirty minutes or so.”