Playing Doctor (3 page)

Glancing up at him, Lauren attempted to plaster an equally pleasant but professional smile on her face. However, given where her thoughts had just been, she could feel another blush blossoming up from her chest. Grasping at any option to keep him from noticing, Lauren jumped to her feet to look out the window.

“Looks like a nice evening tonight,” she said—her feeble excuse for turning her back on him. “A nice night for your first night in Plum Banks or…whatever,” she finished lamely. Without turning around, she called brightly, “Thanks for your help today. I'll see you tomorrow.”

“Ah, ohhh…kay,” he responded, sounding taken aback. She felt his eyes staring at her from behind. “I'll be here early, and again, thank you for this opportunity.”

Lauren was still trying to regulate her pulse, so she just fluttered a hand at him in good-bye without turning around.

As Court walked the
three country blocks to his garage apartment just outside the village, he could not stop thinking about pretty Dr. Lauren Marks. She was not at all what he had expected, what he'd been prepared to meet. She was older for sure, but somehow he'd expected the friend of his mom's friend to seem older, look older.

When she had raised her head from digging in a desk drawer, his first glimpse of her had hit like a sucker punch to the gut that had left him slightly stunned. As the day wore on, Court found he could hardly take his eyes off her. He wondered if she had thought him vastly immature and tongue-tied. He certainly felt that way around Lauren—Dr. Marks to you, he reminded himself sternly.

But Dr. Marks appealed to him immensely. She had the clean and sexy girl-next-door looks that really turned him on. He may be a city boy, born and bred, but that kind of friendly Midwestern beauty always made him think of sex—of taking the sweetling's clothes off and teaching her some naughty, big-city bedroom tricks.

Trying to get a hold of his thoughts and his libido, Court focused on the fact that she was going to be his boss all summer. He really needed to stop seeing her as a hot, fuckable woman—but to him she was the epitome of that. Shaking his head, Court told himself once again that this was no way to think about his new boss. Not only that, she isn't some young, naive girl, but a mature, experienced woman—way out of his league!

He just wished that she hadn't done that, had not stood there in front of the window with the setting sunlight flowing in through the glass around her—and through her clothes! It had provided him with an X-ray-vision outline of her voluptuous body. Having battled his growing attraction all day, he would have been better off not seeing the side and back views of her body that Dr. Marks had unknowingly provided.

She had full, round breasts that his hands were now itching to caress and an ass that he wanted to snuggle right up behind and feel pressed against his pelvis. His penis had started twitching the second he saw her sexy outline. It had been hidden from him all day by her puffy cotton dress and white lab coat, but now her hot body was emblazoned in his memory. Taking several deep breaths, Court tried again to calm his lust. This just wouldn't do, he told himself as he walked slowly up the stairs to his apartment.

Maybe he should have tried to get some wheels for the summer, he thought. He'd never had a car while in school, and it had seemed like a good idea at the time to save money over the summer, especially since his friends had promised to visit and drive him around. But Court now felt trapped in this small town, knowing that she was here somewhere very close by and so ripe for the picking. It didn't help that he was currently unattached, had been for months now, with no outlet in sight for his growing lust. As he unlocked the door to his furnished studio, Court decided maybe he should go for a long run. Only exhausting exercise would help get his mind off sex with his new boss.

As the week wore
on, Lauren became increasingly irritated with Jessica—and with herself for caring. Lauren had never thought of efficient Jessica as a flirt, but suddenly she saw a new side to the receptionist. There was more jiggle in her hips and a sparkling, beckoning smile directed at Court, and Lauren knew she wasn't imagining that Jessica's skirts were shorter and her tops tighter.

It was none of her business,
really
, but Lauren was making such an effort to be professional and keep her distance from the young hunk that watching Jessica vamp it up was like pouring salt in a wound. More accurately, it was like a bothersome itch, and there was nothing she could do about it in public—or in private, for that matter. Only one thing would fully satisfy her, and
that
wasn't going to happen, Lauren reminded herself again and again.

To work off the sexual tension, she'd begun running nightly with Rufus. It was such a relief to just run as fast as she could, working to exhaust herself so that she could sleep at night rather than lie there hot and bothered with thoughts of her much younger intern. Rufus was turning out to be quite useful, both as a friendly companion welcoming her home and as an exercise buddy. At night they would sit together on the sofa while Lauren watched TV or on the veranda's swing. Later, Rufus would snuggle beside her on the bed and she felt less alone.

After a long, exhilarating run on Friday night, Lauren gave Rufus an extra yummy dinner and a big hug, very pleased with her new four-legged companion. Feeling better than she had all week, she turned out the light and had her first really good night of sleep since Court's arrival on Monday.

On the other side
of town, Court was having no luck whatsoever falling asleep and had given up even trying. Finally, he got out of bed to have a cold beer on the couch while he pondered the problem of his undeniable attraction to his boss. Lust hit him every time he looked at Lauren. He had never before lacked female companionship in his adult life—Court guessed he could thank his good looks for that—so he'd never gone long without a release. Having to fight arousal all the time was a novel condition, and going home with a raging hard-on every night made Court wonder how he would get through the next couple of months.

While Lauren was the type of woman he hoped to settle down with someday, at twenty-three that was a long way off. Court knew he needed to stop thinking about her all the time, or he would go absolutely nuts. He should set his sights on something more appropriate. The receptionist's seductive overtures provided a mild distraction, and she was pretty. While she didn't immediately raise his blood pressure, lust wasn't everything, he told himself.

Court guessed that Jessica was someone he could enjoy spending some time with over the summer. At the very least, he thought, chugging down the remainder of his beer, if he was fucking someone, anyone, he might just be able to stop lusting after his boss. He was in a quandary—torn between right and wrong—since it didn't seem right to ask Jessica out when he kept hungering for someone else, even someone so far out of his reach.

He rose from the couch and chucked the empty bottle into the garbage, then walked over to the window to stare down from his small second-floor apartment to the dark street below. Court suddenly wondered if Lauren might consider dating someone much younger. It was a ridiculous idea—but now it was lodged in his brain. Still no closer to finding a solution, Court just stood there staring at nothing, fighting the desire that even now stirred in his groin.

Lauren felt less stressed
during the week that followed. Her exercise routine was helping her to get a good night's sleep, putting her in a much better mood. Court was fitting in nicely and learning to help in all areas, everything from answering phones to taking blood pressures to billing. The staff enjoyed teaching him, and his presence added excitement to the clinic.

Even the patients were more lively and engaging—the female clientele, that is. Plum Banks was a small town, after all, and there wasn't much else going on, so news of a hunkalicious newbie traveled fast. Women, old and young, came into the practice in droves, sometimes just to say hello and get a look at Court. Lauren was grateful for the additional patients and only slightly scornful about the cause. With her improved finances in mind, she began to plan for the clinic's first-ever employee picnic to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of her practice.

Being around Court was getting easier. The daily shock of seeing his astonishingly good looks was growing less powerful as she got used to him. Now that she was less twitchy around him, she began training Court to assist with exams so he could fill in when Nurse Brenda went on vacation. Realizing she could be near Court and not act like a lovesick teen or sex-craved nympho restored Lauren's confidence, and she was able to relax and join in the playful banter that the other ladies engaged in with the summer intern. Court was always very friendly, seeming pleased to be in her company, which delighted Lauren even when she knew it shouldn't.

A mild outbreak of stomach flu in the area had kept the practice very busy at the end of the week. By Friday evening, the entire staff was tired, especially Lauren, who had stayed late and arrived early to see the extra patients—but on the bright side, she'd managed to keep her libido in check while overseeing her sexy intern's training. A date had been picked for the summer picnic, and everyone was looking forward to it. So, her fatigue was the good kind, not the bone-weary ennui she had suffered just a couple weeks ago.

After her staff departed, Lauren locked the clinic doors and headed to the grocery store to restock her empty fridge. Finally driving home, she was ready for a glass of wine and a hot, soothing bath. She parked her old car in the driveway that ran alongside her tiny bungalow and walked around to the front carrying two heavy bags of groceries. Lauren could already hear Rufus's welcoming bark and looked forward to seeing him, but maybe for tonight she would put off their nightly run. She was just too tired. All she wanted was that bath and then bed.

Approaching the short stairs leading to the veranda, Lauren abruptly stopped dead, her grocery bags slipping from her hands. There relaxing on the porch swing was her ex-husband, Ted. She had not seen him, not once, since he'd abandoned her. Even the divorce had been done long distance via phone calls and lawyers. As soon as he saw her, Ted quickly jumped to his feet and offered an apologetic smile.

“Ted! What are you doing here?” Lauren demanded.

Inside she felt dreadfully unsettled, almost sick with anxious surprise and confusion. But a small part of her was pleased to see his deeply familiar face as long-ago memories of their once happy times flooded back unbidden.

“Hi, Laure,” he responded, his smile warming. “I just had to see you. I miss you, and…I decided to come see you this weekend. I was…”

“What?” Lauren interrupted hotly. “You just show up here without calling after all that happened?” Looking around confused, she asked, “And where is your car?”

If his car had been parked there, Lauren realized, she would have had a little warning instead of experiencing the heart-stopping shock coursing through her now. Or, she could have just pulled back out of the driveway and driven away.

“Oh, the engine warning light came on as I drove down from Chicago, so I left it at Harry's Garage and walked over,” he answered. Stepping closer, he reached out to take her now-empty hands in his as he looked deeply, pleadingly into her eyes, searching their depths with his own.

“I miss you so much. I should never have left the way I did, and I want to talk with you about getting back together,” he said quietly.

Lauren would have pulled her hands free, but Ted's hold was strong and firm.

“Please just hear me out. I can stay the whole weekend. I think we had such a good marriage for so long that it's worth a try, don't you?”

“I…I don't know…? This is so sudden. Why didn't you call me first before coming down?”

“I was afraid you would say no,” he admitted truthfully. “Please, just hear me out.”

Not sure what to do or say in response to his astonishing announcement, Lauren avoided answering, asking instead, “Where are you planning to stay?”

“I was hoping…that maybe I could stay with you? We'll have more time to talk that way.”

“Look! It's totally inappropriate for you to just show up and think you can move back in—even for just a weekend,” she said, growing more upset by the minute.

But Lauren also felt torn. She wanted to hear what Ted had to say. “You can stay just one night…on the couch. That's all I'll agree to for now.”

Cheerfully, as if he had just won the first round, Ted reached out and hugged Lauren warmly as she tried to pull away. “Thank you, really! I just want you to hear me out. Let me help you,” he added, bending down to begin gathering up the spilled groceries.

“Fine,” Lauren said, wondering why she had agreed to let him stay with her. “I need to take a bath, so I want you to take Rufus for a much-needed walk…for at least thirty minutes.”

Ted readily agreed. After helping put away the groceries and being introduced to a happily wagging Rufus, he left the bungalow.

Lauren was confused, not sure what he could possibly say or whether she even wanted to try reigniting their love. She actually felt settled now. Was he proposing to move back? Stewing about it while she undressed and the tub filled with hot water, Lauren wasn't sure what to think. She added some sweet-smelling, perfumed bubbles to the water before sinking in, deciding just to luxuriate. After the hectic week, she deserved a few minutes to herself before seriously thinking about
anything
.

She was so comfortably relaxed that the time went by quickly as she allowed herself to daydream about old times with Ted. Too soon, she heard him returning and a friendly bark from Rufus as they entered the small cottage. She took her time getting out of the tub and drying off. As she put on her robe, she heard a knock on the front door. Ted called that he would answer it, so Lauren went ahead with brushing the tangles from her wet hair.

Hearing the door open as Ted said “Hello,” Lauren wondered who had stopped by. She was not expecting any company. Lauren heard Ted answer a question she couldn't hear: “Laure is in the tub, but let me see how long she'll be.”

After a few seconds, Ted called through the door, “Laure, there's someone here to see you, a young guy…Court Sinclair?”

Oh
my
, she thought.
What
is
he
doing
here?

Hurriedly Lauren secured the tie on her robe and went out to the small living room. The two guys were still at the door—sizing each other up, if she had to put a name to the look on their faces.

Thanking Ted, she paused awkwardly before suggesting, “Ah…how about you start a salad for dinner?” He nodded and turned toward the kitchen.

Lauren stepped out onto the veranda and completely shut the door behind her. Maybe Ted wouldn't be able to eavesdrop if he was in the kitchen.

“Hi, Court,” she said, smiling brightly. “What can I do for you?”

Court looked very uncomfortable as he shifted his weight from foot to foot.

“Umm, I thought, umm…maybe you might want to catch a movie tonight if you weren't doing anything. I really don't know many people here so… Well, never mind. You obviously have company or something,” he muttered.

Lauren was so surprised that she couldn't think what to say, especially since the shock of Ted's unexpected arrival had already frazzled her brain. Standing there with wet hair and naked under her robe, Lauren felt self-conscious as she realized what Court must think was going on. He might even think they'd just had sex! This possibility embarrassed her so much that she felt the warm spread of a blush on her face.

Court started to turn away as he said, “Have a nice weekend. Sorry to bother you.”

Finally finding her voice, Lauren called brightly after him, “It was not a bother, really! Maybe another time… Have a nice weekend… Ah, bye!”

Turning to go back into the house, she felt stupid for having called after him like a teenage girl with a crush. Surely he hadn't meant anything but friendship, but now she would never know. Lauren realized she was more upset about the lost opportunity to spend time with Court out of the clinic than she was excited that Ted wanted her back. She figured that meant something, but she wasn't ready to go there…yet.

As Lauren walked in, she saw Ted leaning against the door frame to the kitchen and looking at her skeptically. Not meeting his eyes, she marched into the bedroom to get dressed and grabbed some of her oldest sweats. She would be comfortable, rather than looking like she cared to impress him.

After dressing, Lauren glanced in the mirror, saw how dowdy she looked in the stained, ragged gym clothes, and changed her mind completely. Forget that, she decided. If she was about to go out and face her ex, she was going to look her best! What was the point of all that jogging and exercise if she didn't show off her now tighter ass and slimmer waist? She pulled out a newish pair of skintight jeans and her skimpiest low-cut tank top. After dressing, Lauren added just a hint of color to her cheeks and took a look at herself in the floor-length mirror.
There! That's better. Might as well make him realize what he threw away.

Once again, Lauren bemoaned the bad luck that Court had chosen the same weekend as Ted to come by her home. Now she would never know if he wanted friendship or something more, and Lauren couldn't think of any simple way to let him know who Ted was or why he was here. She was again struck by the realization that she was more excited about the mere possibility, however remote, that Court might be interested in her than she was that her ex-husband wanted her back. That, it seemed, was her answer, not that she would tell Ted that exactly. However, unless he could rouse some excitement or longing in her, there was really nothing to discuss, was there?

Lauren took one last look in the mirror as she got ready to face Ted. Feeling considerably more confident than she had just a few minutes ago, she strode out of the bedroom to meet head-on whatever he had to propose. Her gut told her that whatever it was, it would not call to her, not set her pulse racing like the mere idea of a date with Court! She wondered absentmindedly where Court was and what he was doing at that moment.