Mine at Last (6 page)

The kiss was all-consuming passion and beyond. She parted her lips and he delved deep into her mouth. Their tongues twisted and teased, sucked and savored the sudden life-affirming sweetness. The moment was insane but she couldn’t stop herself. This was something she had longed to do for years.

He took a step and pressed her back against the front of the desk. A few papers fell to the carpet again, but she didn’t care. This was feeling too good to be true and her mind was wrapped too tightly in the pleasurable sensation of his mouth on hers. He kissed as if he’d invented it and her body responded to his every move.

His hand came up to her breast and squeezed gently. She moaned. He groaned. The kiss deepened. Her hand reached down to feel the imminent hardness between his legs. His excitement was growing more evident by the second. She shuddered inside. It was intense. It was fierce. It was everything she’d ever wanted and imagined. But she knew this was wrong. It was unprofessional, but it felt so damn good. Still, she knew she had to stop. Gathering all her strength, she jerked her head and pulled back.

Breathlessly they looked at each other. Words failed. She shook her head, then reached up and touched her lips swollen with the passion of their kiss. “Oh, my God, what was that?”

“A kiss,” he said softly and just as breathlessly, with a smile that made her want to grab him and do it all over again.

Shauna shook her head steadily. “No, no, what was that? What was I thinking? I can’t believe I just kissed you,” she said to herself. “Dr. Coles, I’m...” she began, still shaking her head in disbelief.

“Perhaps under the circumstances you’d better call me Dominik,” he said, smiling broadly.

“I’m so sorry about this. That was totally unprofessional. I don’t know what came over me.”

“Shauna—I may call you Shauna now—if you hadn’t noticed, I’m not complaining,” he said softly.

“You don’t understand. I’ve never done anything like this before. It was a reckless disregard for protocol.”

“Correction, it was a kiss, a very nice kiss, actually.”

“Oh, my God, you could be married with five kids and...”

“Shauna, relax. I don’t have a wife and I don’t have any children and I gather neither do you.”

She continued to shake her head. “No. I have to get someone else to do this review now. I compromised everything—my ethics, my professionalism, my principles, my...”

“Shauna,” he interrupted, taking her hands, “it was a kiss. We just got caught up in impulse, the heat of the moment.”

“I don’t do impulse and my impartiality has been tainted.”

“Listen to me, it was a physical need. We both felt it and we both enjoyed it. Are you saying you’re unable to separate your professional life from your personal life? You can’t have a purely physical need satisfied without compromising your professional ethics?”

“Yes, of course I can. It’s just that...”

“What?” he asked.

She stared at him. She knew he was right. She could separate her personal feelings from her job. She’d already done it by coming here. “Yes, of course I can,” she relented again.

He nodded. “Good. Then I suggest we move on, unless of course you’d prefer to kiss me again, because if you do...” He stepped closer to her.

She gasped. A scant instant later, the office door opened and Dr. Gilman came in. Shauna and Dominik looked at her as if they’d been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Dr. Gilman looked at the two of them, then focused on Dominik. Her brow furrowed in warning. “Am I interrupting something?” she asked.

Dominik smiled, being overly charming as he picked up the papers that fell on the floor the second time. “No, not at all, Dr. Gilman. Ms. Banks and I were just discussing professional ethics and its emotional place in our respective professions. A few papers fell off the desk.”

“Really?” Dr. Gilman said.

“I have to go. Thank you, Dr. Gilman, for seeing me. I appreciate your time. If you could find me a quiet place to work for the next few weeks, I’d be grateful.”

“Yes, the first-floor conference room would be perfect. I’ll have the boxes and files delivered there first thing Monday morning. Dominik can show you when he takes you around this evening.”

“No, that won’t be necessary,” she said abruptly.

“But, Ms. Banks, what about your tour of the E.R. this evening?” Dr. Gilman said. “Didn’t you want see it today?”

“Actually, I’m running late for another appointment. I’ll see the conference room and the E.R. department Monday morning, if that’s okay with you, everyone,” she said, deliberately not looking at Dominik the whole time.

“Sure, no problem,” Dr. Gilman said, then looked at Dominik.

“I’m available for you at any time,” Dominik said eagerly.

“Good. So, thank you for seeing me today, Dr. Gilman, Dr. Coles,” Shauna said as she grabbed her jacket and briefcase. “Have a good weekend.” She walked out quickly and hurried to the elevator. As soon as she pressed the button, the doors opened. She got in and pressed the button to the lobby repeatedly. When the doors closed, she she took a deep breath and watched the red numbers descend. When the doors opened again, she hurried out to her car, blasted the air conditioner and drove off.

Her heart was still pounding like a jackhammer when she stopped at the first traffic light. She glanced up at her reflection in the rearview mirror. She looked the same, she felt the same, but she knew she wasn’t. “That was stupid,” she chastised herself, openly banging her fist on the steering wheel. She shook her head in complete disbelief. “What were you thinking? You kissed him. This isn’t high school.”

She was headed to the hotel, intending to change clothes, when she realized it was later than she thought. Dinner with Pearl was at seven, so she turned toward town to find the bakery Pearl mentioned. What she needed to do now was exactly what Dominik said—move on. She stopped at a small specialty food store and bought two bottles of wine and got directions to Nikita’s Café. It was on the next block.

As soon as she crossed the threshold of the bakery, she relaxed. The smells permeating the café were heavenly. She chose a number of small sample desserts and had them boxed. Feeling much better, she drove to her old neighborhood. She knew she had to go back to the E.R., back to him, but not right now. Everything was fine for right now.

Chapter 5

“That was odd. All right, what was all that?” Dr. Gilman asked.

“What was all what?” Dominik asked innocently.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” she said, walking around to the back of her desk and scanning his face the whole time. “Shauna Banks ran out of here like her tail was on fire. What happened?”

“Nothing happened. Seriously, nothing of note happened.”

“Of note,” she stipulated and repeated. “Elaborate anyway.”

“Ms. Banks and I were talking and she accidently placed her hand on the files on the desk. They fell all over the floor. I helped her pick them up and that was just about it.”

“You didn’t upset her or tell her your feelings about the Cura Group and the buyout?”

“I might have mentioned it,” Dominik said.

Dr. Gilman shook her head. “If you weren’t the best damn doctor in this medical center, I’d...” She shook her head, not finishing the sentence.

Dominik laughed. They both knew she’d never get rid of him. He was way too valuable of a medical professional and a community leader. He drew nothing but positive attention to the center and to her as the administrator. “Everything will be fine. Trust me.” He winked and backed up toward the office door.

“Get out,” she said jokingly, drily. “Carry on and have a good weekend.”

Dominik left Gilman’s office still chuckling. He headed back down to the E.R. He quickly assembled and met with his evening staff, then went back to his office. As soon as he sat down, he reached up and touched his lips.

The kiss was definitely unexpected but most certainly enjoyed. He knew they both wanted more, and given the slightest provocation, there was no telling where they might have taken it. The thought of their making love in an unlocked office excited him. He had never been one for reckless behavior; he usually left that to his older brother, Mikhail. But there was something about Shauna that made him want to open her up and taste the rewards.

Perhaps it was her seemingly closed mind or the sexy body and stunning eyes or maybe her perfectly fitted clothing juxtaposed with her no-nonsense attitude. Whatever it was, he made up his mind that he wanted more. There was a tigress beneath all that prim-and-proper work ethic, and releasing her would be an interesting, not to mention enjoyable, challenge. He was always up for a challenge. He smiled.

There was a knock on the door. His assistant had left for the day and because he’d just spoken to his staff, he doubted it was one of them. He smiled as a stray thought crossed his mind—Shauna Banks. Perhaps he’d have the opportunity to start his little challenge right now. It would be just like her to show up unannounced. He stood up, crossed the room and opened the door.

His brother stood at the door smiling. “Hey.”

The expression on Dominik’s face was far less than thrilled to see him. “Hey, come on in,” Dominik said as he turned and headed back to his desk. He sat down and looked at the computer monitor and then began typing. “I’ll be ready in ten minutes. I just have to finish up a few things.”

Mikhail strolled in after his brother and took a seat. “No problem. So, who were you expecting?” Mikhail asked.

“What? No one. Why?” Dominik said, answering an email and reading through the daily E.R. medical report.

“Well, because the deliriously happy smile on your face turned around as soon as you saw it was me at the door. Ergo, you were expecting someone else—a woman, I’d gather.”

“Yeah, I guess I was, kind of.” He shook his head. His brother was good. Most times he’d put both Sherlock Holmes and Watson to shame. The scary part was that deduction and reason were the least of his many talents. “It’s this woman. I don’t know what kind of game she’s playing, but I swear she’s getting to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“She comes into the E.R. at five o’clock this morning and sits in the waiting room talking to one of the patients about the staff. She’s dressed in jeans and a top with a baseball cap on. I thought she was a reporter, so I toss her butt out. The next time I see her, it’s hours later and she’s back in the E.R. waiting room. This time she’s totally professional, wearing a dress and heels. Then later Gilman calls me up to her office and she’s in there waiting for me. She works for the Cura Medical Group.”

“You mean the company trying to buy the hospital?” Mikhail asked.

“Yeah, she works for them as a consultant. Her job is to check us out and perhaps make the final decision.”

Mikhail shrugged. “Reconnaisance. It’s all good. It’s not like we’re talking Harris Bowman. You’ve turned the E.R. department completely around one hundred percent in just a few months.”

“Yeah, I know. The department is on point. That’s not the thing. So, we’re alone in Gilman’s office and we’re discussing the Cura Group, and she’s trying to defend them when she turns around and knocks some files off the desk. We pick them up and she kisses me.”

Mikhail laughed out loud. “She what?” he said.

“Yeah, you heard me. She kissed me.”

“Whoa, I did not see that coming. I like it—unpredictable.”

“And I’m not talking about some ‘thanks for helping me pick up the papers’ peck on the cheek. I’m talking about a full-frontal, hot-and-heavy, about-to-clear-the-desk-and-throw-down-serious-lip-locking kiss till the end kiss. Bro, I gotta tell you, she took me completely by surprise. I had no idea it was coming. And I gotta say she had me one hundred percent.”

Mikhail continued chuckling. “Well, it’s about time you get out of that self-imposed celibate groove you’ve been in lately.”

“I’m not in a celibate groove. I’m selective and you know I’ve been too busy for all the drama. And truthfully, the women I’ve been meeting lately are just too clingy. They want all or nothing right up front. You gotta put a ring on their finger on the first date. I can’t do that.”

“You know it’s the doctor title that gets them, don’t you? So, I hope you locked the office door and got busy.”

“Nah, nothing happened. But afterward she was stunned. For real, I could see it in her face. And I swear she was furious with herself, and she apologized to me.”

Mikhail shook his head. “Bro, you got me. I’m good, but I’m the last person to try to figure out women.”

“Yeah, but the thing is, there’s something about her, just like before. I’m intrigued.”

“What do you mean, ‘just like before’?” Mikhail asked.

Dominik smiled. “There’s no way I’d forget her. We went to school together.”

“College or med school?”

“High school, Key West High, to be exact.”

“What? When?” Mikhail asked.

“You had already graduated when she came. And it was only for junior and senior years. We graduated and then she just disappeared. She didn’t have any real friends, so I never knew what happened to her, but I was always curious.” He smiled.

“Sounds like you had a little crush on her.”

“I’m not gonna lie—I had something. She was fine and now she’s stunning. I don’t know if it was a crush or what, but I remember her.”

“Does she know you remember her?”

“No, and I’m gonna let her have her moment. Like I said, I don’t know what kind of game she’s playing, but that kiss definitely said something.”

“Hell, yeah, of course it did. You’ve been challenged. The gauntlet has been thrown down. Now, I’m not saying she was teasing you or playing you, ’cause it doesn’t sound like that was the case. The fact that she was stunned with her own actions and apologized to you says something. But still, something prompted her action and your response. I think it only fitting you explore the possibilities.”

“Words of wisdom?” Dominik asked his brother.

“Yes, of course, that and treasure every minute you have. Each is special and will never come again. Carpe diem, seize the day.”

“That’s pretty deep. Anything I should know about, Mikhail?”