PRINCE CHARMING M.D. (17 page)

Sweat broke out on Shelly's pale face and her expression was grim. "You … caught … me," she gasped. "That was it all along. Plus my husband wasn't really excited about being a coach."

"Now you've got two professionals and no one competing for their time. Pretty clever."

The contraction ended. Shelly sagged back on the bed. "Tell me it's going to be all right," she pleaded. "Is my baby okay?"

Dana saw the faint flicker of concern on Trevor's face, but she knew Shelly wouldn't pick it up. He patted her hand. "The two of you are doing great. We'll get through this in no time."

He pulled over the low stool someone had brought from housekeeping and settled down. "How strong was the urge to push?"

"It's about killing me."

"I figured. Next time, I want you to go with it. Push hard. Deep breaths and really work it."

Dana stayed with Shelly, offering comfort while monitoring her vital signs. Trevor delivered the baby, giving a few instructions as the head crowned and then appeared. She watched his sure movements. Nothing in his demeanor indicated he was the least bit nervous. No doubt he was too caught up in what was happening to remember the first time he'd watched a delivery.

"Color's good," he said, turning the baby onto its side. "Shoulders are next and—"

A lusty cry filled the room.

Tears filled Shelly's eyes. "Thank God," she
said,
her voice reverent.

"As I was about to say," Trevor said. "Healthy lungs. Okay, one more little
push
. There, that's it. Shoulders are coming out now. Easy. What do you know? Shelly, you've got a son."

He leaned forward and placed the squirming, screaming newborn on his mother's belly. Shelly's tears flowed faster and Dana found she had to wipe her own cheeks dry.

She looked at Trevor. "You did it."

His hand found hers and he squeezed. "We did. Thanks."

He glanced back at the baby,
then
rested his free hand against the infant's cheek. Dana felt something flicker to life inside her. It wasn't just participating in an event as miraculous as a birth. It was more than that—something about sharing the moment with Trevor. No matter what, they would always have this in their past.

Her heart seemed to shift just a little and she knew what she'd just experienced was a whole lot more dangerous than simply wanting him.

Chapter Nine

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D
ana waited while Trevor unlocked his door, then she followed him inside the room. Their wineglasses were still on the coffee table, as was the ice bucket, although most of the ice had melted.

A large cart stood just to the left of the door. She wrinkled her nose. "I have a bad feeling that everything is going to be cold … or warm, depending on what you ordered."

"Nothing complicated," Trevor said as he raised silver covers and studied the contents of the plates. "Salad, steak, potatoes. It doesn't look very appetizing now."

She crossed to the sofa and pulled out the wine bottle. "That's okay with me. I'm way too excited to be hungry." After emptying both their glasses, she poured them each cold wine, then handed him his. "I can't believe how smoothly that went. You were great."

"Thanks." His smile was rueful. "You were a big help. I know I wouldn't have fallen apart, but it was a lot easier with you there." He squinted at the window. Outside it was dark, but the rain had let up. "I wonder if they're at the hospital yet." The ambulance had left a half hour ago.

She glanced at the clock. It was already after ten. Funny, she wasn't the least bit tired. It was adrenaline, she told herself. The situation had been unexpected and she hadn't had time to do more than react. Now she was sailing on those chemicals flowing through her body. In a little while she would crash and get tired and maybe a little shaky.

Trevor took the bottle from her and set it down. He raised his glass to her. "Here's to Shelly and her new son."

"To them both. They have an exciting start to a wonderful relationship." She touched her glass to his,
then
took a sip. The wine was cool and crisp. "How are you feeling?"

"Relieved," he said. "You?"

"A little wired. It takes me a while to wind down from things like that." She shrugged. "It's been a while since I was directly involved in patient care. At times I miss it. Now that I know everything is fine, I can say it was fun."

He raised his eyebrows. "That's not the word I would choose."

She placed her free hand on his chest. "Come on, Trevor. It wasn't so bad. Admit it. You got a real kick out of helping her."

"I'm willing to admit that the thought of assisting in another birth isn't going to make me break out in a cold sweat, but I refuse to believe it was fun. Give me surgery any day."

She laughed. He joined in,
then
suddenly they weren't laughing anymore. When he took the wineglass from her hand and set it on the table next to his, she thought about protesting. She was enjoying her drink. Then he cupped her face in his hands and she couldn't think about anything except the fact that he was going to kiss her and she was going to let him.

His mouth was sure and firm as it caressed hers. Sweet kisses, sensual, demanding, arousing. Her entire body absorbed the sensation of being so close to him. She inhaled his scent, reveled in his heat, his masculinity. She leaned into him, pressing her breasts against his chest. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she felt the short hairs tickling the back of her hands.

He didn't have to urge her to open for him. She parted her lips to admit him,
then
met him with a warm brush of her tongue against his. He responded in kind and they began an ancient ritual of pleasuring each other.

The kiss went on forever. He rubbed his palms against her back before sliding them lower to her rear. When he cupped her there, she arched against him, wanting to be closer, nearer, a part of him. She moved her belly against him, feeling the strength of his desire. A shiver ran through her, starting low in her stomach and moving up her chest. He wanted her. There was physical proof. This wasn't a dream or a moment of boredom. He
wanted
her.

"Dana," he murmured as he broke the kiss long enough to suck on her earlobe. Tiny lightning bolts jolted through her. She felt her breasts swell.

"Trevor, I…" Words failed her as he claimed her mouth again. He explored all of her, tasting and touching. She followed him back and did the same, reveling in the contrast of his smooth teeth, the soft skin on the inside of his lower lip, the sharp rush of his breath when she lightly nipped him there.

He moved his hands back up her spine,
then
brought them around to her rib cage. She moved away enough to allow him to slip higher until he cradled her breasts in the palms of his hands. He took their slight weight, rubbing them gently, moving in tiny circles, his fingers inching closer and closer to her nipples until they at last touched the taut peaks.

She swallowed a moan of pure pleasure. He tweaked the tips between thumbs and forefingers, teasing until they nearly vibrated. Each flick of his touch sent a ribbon of fire down her belly to the place between her thighs. Already she felt the heat and dampness as she readied for him. The combination of sensations was so intense she thought she might faint.

Just as passion overwhelmed her last chance at rational thought, he pulled away. Not so he could touch her somewhere else, but so he could look at her.

He tucked her hair behind her ears,
then
stroked her cheek. Desire tightened the muscles in his face, making him even more beautiful.

She wanted him. She'd wanted him from the moment he arrived in town. In that respect, she was no different from the rest of her nursing staff. Perhaps some of her passion came from the past, from what she remembered about the last time they'd been together. He'd been her first and he'd made the experience wonderful. Whatever had happened later, she'd clung to that fact. With Trevor, lovemaking had felt right. Not too awkward, not too strange, but perfect.

No doubt she was making a huge mistake that she would regret for a long time. But no way could she walk away from him. She had to know if it was how she remembered. Her body was on fire and he was the only one with the ability to control the flames.

His mouth twisted slightly. Panic flared in her belly. What was wrong? Why had he stopped? "Having second thoughts?" she asked, pleased that her voice sounded so normal. He wouldn't be able to guess that she was suddenly terrified he didn't want her. "Hardly. Just wondering."

"About what?" When he didn't answer, the panic grew. Great. She'd just made a complete fool out of herself. What had she been thinking?

She took a step back. "Okay, no problem. I understand you don't want to … well, you know."

"Dana, don't." He grabbed her arm and held her in place. "It's not what you think. I do want you." Need darkened his eyes. If that hadn't been enough to convince her, he took her hand and pressed it against his arousal.

He jumped when she rubbed her palm against him. "Enough," he said with a faint gasp. "You can't touch me like that. I'm afraid I'll embarrass myself."

Fine. He was aroused and he wanted her, but still, something was wrong. She could feel it. "Trevor, I'm confused. What's going on?"

He led her to the bed and sat down, then pulled her next to him. He pressed her onto the mattress and settled
beside
her, supporting his head on his hand.

"I want you," he said, resting one hand on her stomach. His smile turned wry. "More than you know. Worse, more than is safe. I need to be careful so I don't, um, finish too early." When she frowned, he added, "It's been a long time."

According to Angie it hadn't been long at all. She didn't like that
thought
, so she pushed it away. Obviously this was a mistake, she told herself. "How long?" she asked.

"I haven't made love since I left my wife. That would make it nearly two years."

His words hung in the silence. Dana stared at him, searching his face for a hint that he was lying. "Two years?" she
asked,
her voice incredulous.

He winced. "Unfortunately, yes."

"But I thought—"

He cut her off with a kiss. "You thought wrong. I don't know what they've been saying and I don't want to know. The truth is
,
I haven't been with anyone in a long time."

She believed him. Her heart surged and she knew she was in even more trouble than before. But she wasn't going to think about that now. There were more urgent matters.

She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. "Then we have some catching up to do."

His slow, sexy grin made her insides melt.

"I'm glad you feel that way." He brushed his mouth against hers. "I have good news and bad news. The good news is I have protection. Not that I was hoping we'd do anything and brought condoms, but I do have the ones Shelly had delivered."

Dana giggled. "Good, because I'm not prepared to deal with birth control. It's been a while for me, too."

"Thank you," he murmured, and kissed her.

Her mouth parted and he entered her. She got lost in the passion for a while before remembering he'd wanted to tell her something else. "What's the bad news?"

Trevor cleared his throat. More nerves, she thought in surprise.

"Despite what everyone says," he told her, "there haven't been a lot of women in my life. So don't expect Don Juan. I want to make you happy, Dana, but I need your cooperation. I want you to tell me if I'm doing something you like or don't like. All right?"

He looked so damn sweet at that moment. Obviously nervous about the confession and her reaction, but determined to be honest. How was she supposed to resist him?

"So far you're doing great," she said.

"You, too."

He dropped his mouth to hers and at the same time reached for the top button on her blouse. She couldn't decide what to concentrate on … the feel of his lips moving against her, the sweeping strokes of his tongue or the way his knuckles gently bumped against her breasts. Every part of her was throbbing with desire. She wanted to touch him, to be touched by him, to be under him, with him inside her, claiming her. She wanted this to never, ever stop.