Saving Forever - Part 1 (9 page)

Chapter 16

Charity, of all things, slept in the next morning. She never did that. Ever. It was almost eleven by the time she made it to the hospital. She stopped at a bakery her mother used to go to on the way and bought a plate of treats and three coffees. Her father wasn’t in his office and neither was Elijah. He left a note on the door to say he was in surgery and for her to use whatever she needed.

She stepped in the room and closed the door behind her, inhaling deeply. She could smell his cologne in the room and she momentarily closed her eyes.

Today she needed to work. Not fantasize about the chief.

She reopened the door and walked over to Elijah’s desk. She wrote a note for her father on a post-it to say if he needed her, she’d be across the hall. Then she sat down at Elijah’s desk with her laptop. His office was similar to her dad’s. The large mahogany desk, black leather chair for him and chairs. The far wall had interesting stone inlayed. It almost looked like a waterfall with no water. Across from the door, just under the window, was a table. The pieces of artwork on the walls were abstract. She walked around the room to see if they were signed. It was hard to make out the signatures but she had a feeling they were from New Zealand.

She sat back down at Elijah’s desk and opened her computer. As it loaded
, she changed her mind and stood. She should be working on the table under the window so Elijah could work at his when he came back. She dragged one of the ottoman-type chairs over to the table and then carried her computer.

In between internet searching
and emailing companies she had worked with prior, she finished her coffee. Elijah came in just as she did a basketball shot with the empty cup.

“Scores!” He laughed. “Nice shot!”

She laughed and dropped back against her chair, feeling a little shy and unsure if she should hug him, kiss him, or shake his hand. “How’d surgery go?”

“Really good. Put a broken femur back together. The guy fell off his roof cleaning his eaves troughs and broke it.”

“Well done.”

He pointed to his desk. “You can sit there you know?”

“I didn’t want to kick you out of your spot.”

“I don’t mind sharing.” He leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Do you work everyday?” She had wondered that last night while lying in her bed.

“Not always.” He rubbed his neck. “But I am here a lot. I don’t mind.”

No family to come home to. “Is my father here all the time too?”

Elijah tilted his head as he considered his answer. “
I think the hospital is his home now.”

And his family. He still had a huge house and a daughter, but both seemed irrelevant now. She sighed. “I think I know what you mean.”

“Hel-lo?” Charity’s father called from across the hall. He stood in Elijah’s doorway a moment later. “You can work in my office if you’d like a desk, Charity.”

Behind him
, Elijah pointed to himself and then his desk. He mouthed, “
I offered
.”

“Thanks, but this is great.”

Her dad noticed the tray of baked goods on the table by her. “Are those from today?”

“I brought them in a bit ago. There’s coffee for both of you. Just not sure how hot it is.”

Both men came over and started eating the cookies. As they snacked, they talked about patients and procedures. Charity politely tuned out and went back to work on her laptop. The rest of the day continued in a similar manner. Elijah would come in, snack on whatever Charity had set on the table and then scoot out again when his pager went. Her father would do the same thing. He seemed to show up minutes after Elijah would walk into the room.

The heat between Elijah and her seemed
to hit a simmering level. Inside of Charity it felt like it would boil over at any moment. It didn’t and by the end of the day, she had caught up on everything she needed to do. Elijah was in surgery and she did not plan on sitting in his office waiting for him.

She
packed her things back into her briefcase and left him a note that said she promised to text him this week. She underlined the word promise twice. In the hall, she tried her dad’s door. It was locked. She could call him tomorrow morning.

On the way back to the hotel, she stopped and bought a bottle of red wine and a set of wine glasses. Plastic cups from the hotel would not suffice, she wanted to relax and enjoy a glass or two.

Chapter 17

Charity poured herself a glass of red wine and settle
d on the couch. She set her phone facedown on the coffee table and picked up her glass. She took a sip and then pressed the tip of her finger against her lips.
What was Elijah doing right now? Did she ever cross his mind?
Instead of taking another drink, she set the glass down and checked her phone.

Nothing.

Should she text him?

“Just leave it alone,” she mumbled, quickly setting the phone back down. She savoured the sip she had hesitated on. A few moments later she reached for her phone again and started to text a message. Halfway through, she deleted it. She got up and set the phone by the TV cabinet.
Out of sight, out of mind.

She walked to the window and stared vacantly through the glass, seeing more of the room’s reflection than outside. Images of Elijah ran through her head. The day they met in the elevator, dinner later that night, his piercing blue eyes looking so surprised when she had kissed him to save him from the crazy lady, and how handsome he had looked the night after on the hospital balcony. His face with its tender lips, high cheek bones and that scruff which always seemed to be playing sexy on his face; all it wouldn’t leave her head.

After she finished her glass of wine, she grabbed the bottle to pour another. Maybe burying her thoughts into a litre of Merlot would put her thoughts to rest. Her phone’s little red light flicked to say there was a message. She raced over and hit the screen with a slightly shaky finger. From nerves or excitement, she couldn’t tell.

Julie
.

Her heart dropped as she exhaled a disappointed breath. Julie just texting to ask if she wanted to come over for dinner tonight.

Charity didn’t. She’d rather be alone tonight.

Pacing the room was apparently next on her to do list. She stopped abruptly when an idea hit her.

No text. No more phone.

She walked to the closet and pulled out a sleeveless black dress she’d recently purchased. It was body hugging with enough of a v-cut to show a flash bit of breast. The skirt front hung short and the back ran longer with the hem just touching the top of her calves. It was the closest thing she had to sexy. She refreshed her makeup and went with a gloss lipstick instead of the red she always wore. Her hair had spent the day tied up in a bun and as she pulled it out, for once
it actually cooperated and fell against her shoulders in a wavy, windswept way.

She stared at the mirror’s reflection before slipping on a pair of black heels and grabbing her purse and keys. She slipped her coat over her arm, planning on putting it on as she left the hotel.

With purposeful steps she walked to the door. She pulled it open and stopped short.

There stood Elijah. The look of surprise left almost as soon as it showed, replaced instead with the same desired longing Charity had burning inside of her. His mouth hung just slightly open, like he wanted to say something but didn’t know what. Those bright blue eyes stared intently into hers.

She couldn’t move. Her breath lost itself after she sucked in a quiet gasp. How could he have known she was going to see him?

He stepped to her, his lips crushing against hers as his arms wrapped around to pull her tighter against him. Nothing tasted sweeter than his tongue finding its way into her mouth. Her hips pressed into him, trying to get closer.

Somehow they ended up just inside her room, Elijah turning them so the door wouldn’t hit them as it closed. Charity’s fingers crushed into his hair, tracing down his neck and onto his shoulders. She could feel her fingernails dig hard into the leather of his jacket, as if they had a mind of their own. Somehow her coat had slipped from her arm and lay tangled up between their feet.

Elijah pressed her up against the wall, their kisses growing more frantic. Charity pulled his coat down over his arms and dropped to the floor. Her eyes had closed the moment his lips had touched hers. She had no idea what he wore but the material of his short sleeve shirt was soft and thin against his skin.

His thumb traced along her cheekbone as his other hand splayed along her ribcage, just millimetres from her breast. He groaned; a hungry, lustful moan deep inside his throat.

It made Charity smile. She loved the sound.

Elijah pulled away slightly but continued to kiss her. His lips parted hers slightly as he began to whisper in a husky voice, “Are you… enjoying… my torment?”

She leaned her head back against the wall and opened her eyes. Inches away from that sexy face, she wondered how she had held out this long. He wore a charcoal grey shirt that nearly made her moan when she pictured what he would look like without it on.
Just black jeans with his belt and boots.
Her eyes closed voluntarily on their own; no willpower could have stopped them. She swallowed hard.

His lips brushed against hers. They still held their fire but the need was less intense, like a slow dance.

Charity’s fingers found their way again at the back of Elijah’s hair. The warm tremor deep inside her belly could only be relieved by pressing her hips against his. It helped but only a moment before the tremor begged for more. She could feel every inch of his hard body against hers. The warmness inside only grew hotter.

A terrified scream from the hallway split the air.

Elijah stiffened at the first scream.

A woman screamed again, crying, “Help! Someone please help me!”

Elijah sprang immediately for the door. Charity followed close behind, unsure of what she would see.

The shrieking woman lay kneeling on the floor beside a man about ten doors down from them. They must have just come from the hotel pool. She wore a yellow terry cloth robe and couldn’t be more than ten years older than Charity. The man on the floor lay on his back, arms and leg sprawled like he’d just dropped.

Elijah raced over, his voice calm and steady as he spoke to the woman. “I’m a doctor. Ma’am, what happened?” His head turned and he brought his ear close to the man’s nose and mouth.

Charity noticed the tattoo on his arm. Half of it lay hidden under the sleeve of his shirt but she knew exactly what the design was. Caduces. The medical symbol with wings and the rod of Asclepius, at least that’s how she knew it. There were loads of different versions. She blinked and focused on the prone, unmoving man.

Elijah stared the man’s chest. “What happened?” he repeated.

The woman hiccupped. “We-we just went f-for a swim. Tim was eating almonds—”

“Is he allergic?” Charity asked. She put her arm on the woman’s shoulder, trying to offer some kind of comfort.

“No. He eats them all the time. I was telling him some joke and he started laughing.” As she spoke, Elijah opened Tim’s mouth, looked inside and then stuck his finger inside to sweep it. “His eyes went big and I th-think he started choking. Then he fell down.” The woman started whimpering.

“I don’t see anything.” Elijah spoke quietly. Charity didn’t know if he spoke to them or to himself. His hands checked the man’s throat momentarily before he rolled the man on his side. “Help me sit him up.”

Charity rushed to his side as the wife leaned back against wall, her eyes huge. They sat him up and Charity stabilized his neck as Elijah tried the Heimlich several times.

“It’s not working.” Charity checked the man’s mouth and saw nothing. Med school natural tactics were kicking back in, but even though she knew what would happen next, she wasn’t prepared.

“Go back to the room. Call nine-one-one, Charity
,” Elijah said. He continued working on Tim. “Inside my coat is a pen, I need it. It’s a silver one.”

She ran to the room, grabbing his coat off the floor and then swiping her phone off the TV stand. She searched the inside chest pocket first. The heavy pen was there. When she pulled it out, she realized the silver pen was also a first aid kit. Under the cap was a sharp knife.

Opening the room door, she leaned into the bathroom and grabbed a straw sitting on the counter she hadn’t used. She raced back down the hall, kicking her shoes off as she ran. She dropped beside Elijah and pulled the cap off the pen, handing it to him handle first.

When the wife saw the blade, she started crying hysterically. “What are you doing? You’re going to kill him!”

Charity held the woman back and watched Elijah tilt Tim’s head back and use his fingers to feel for a spot along Tim’s throat. He made a half inch incision horizontally across Tim’s throat. Blood ran down his neck but Elijah ignored it. He pinched the incision with one hand, needing the other hand to hold the pen to his mouth so he could turn the blade and pull it off. The body of the pen was actually a tube which he stuck into the pinched opening.

He sent two quick breaths into the tube, intently watching Tim’s chest. He paused about five seconds and breathed into the tube again. He repeated and glanced at Charity. “Did you call?” He dropped his head to breathe again. Tim’s chest rose and fell with each breath Elijah gave him.

“Crap.” Charity hit the numbers and held the phone close to her ear, trying to get the woman to stop screaming beside her. She gave the emergency response the information they needed and relayed back to Elijah and Tim’s wife that the EMTs would be there shortly.

Tim’s hand twitched and his eyes flickered open and shut.

“Tim? This is Dr. Bennett. Everything is alright. You might be a little uncomfortable but you’re going to be okay. There’s a tube helping you breathe at the moment. An ambulance is on its way and your wife is right here.”

The woman stopped screaming and crawled over to Tim. “I’m right here, baby.” She cried and sniffed loudly. “You’re never eating nuts again. Ever!” She gave him a gentle hug. She sniffed again and looked up at Elijah. “I’m so sorry I yelled at you. Thank
you for saving him. Thank you.”

The stair doors opened and in rushed three EMT men with a cart and all their gear. Elijah helped them load Tim and explained everything he’d done. One of
the EMTs knew Elijah and clapped him on the shoulder. “Nice work!”

“Just at the right place, at the right time.” He wiped his bloody hands on his shirt. “I’m coming with you guys. Load him up and I’ll be there in a sec. Just need to grab my coat.”

“Sure thing, Dr. B!” The young EMT turned to Tim’s wife. “I’m sorry, I don’t know your name but would you like to ride with us or are you okay to drive? Tim’s going to be fine. You’re very lucky Dr. Bennet was here. He’s pretty much the best doctor in New York.”

“I’m Becca. I don’t know if I can drive. I’ve had a few drinks…” The two walked down the hall following Tim’s gurney.

Elijah, his hands on his hips, turned to Charity. He pointed to her left hand.

She glanced down and shrugged. “Straw. I didn’t realize your knife was also a tube.”

He nodded. “That’s pretty impressive of you.”

She scoffed. “Me? Impressive. Uh, you just saved that guy’s life with a freakin’ tracheotomy!” She jumped up
, excited. “That was awesome!”

He smiled and watched her pace around him. He reached out and held her wrist, turning her to face him. He pulled her close. “Not as amazing as what you were doing to me before we were interrupted.” His eyes gazed intently at her.

A tremor of longing churned deep inside her. She thought back to what had happened only a short while ago. Heat rose to her cheeks.

“I very much would like to kiss you,” he whispered, “but I’m covered in a stranger’s blood and my mouth ha
s been over his.”

She giggled and he laughed as well.

“Not quite the romantic moment I was hoping for.”

“Yeah, you being the hero definitely took the romance out of the moment for me.”

“Ahhh… and I had to offer to go back to the hospital with them.”

She playfully punched him in the chest. “You want to go. It’s okay. Go.” She stepped back out of his embrace. She faked a sigh. “I’ll just shower, then crawl into bed and dream up the rest of the evening.”

He groaned.

An image of them in the shower and then in bed crossed her mind.
Hot. Very hot.
She swallowed. “I fly back to Atlanta at seven tomorrow morning.”

“What? Crap!” His lower lip actually slipped forward in a pout.

She laughed, enjoying the look of torment on his face. “I’ll be at the hospital tomorrow morning so we might see each other. I’m also back in two weeks.”

“Two weeks? That bloody long?”

“Ohhh, you’ll survive.”

“I don’t think I can. How about I come back here, after I know what’s-his-name’s okay?”

She wanted him too but didn’t want to show how eager she was so she walked back to her room with him following close behind. She bent over to pick his coat off the floor and then tossed it at him. “How about you hurry to the hospital and I’ll shower and wait for you here?” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Hmm...” She pressed her lips to her fingers and blew him a kiss before closing the door.

The hunger in his eyes burned an image into her brain that would keep her awake until he returned.