Surrender My Love (20 page)

“I love your hair. It’s beautiful.
You should always leave it down.”

“
Mmmm…” She smiled into the dark, hearing him repeat his action.

“Get some rest, Chloe. Everything will be okay.”

“Thank you for coming...” She felt his arms draw her tighter against his body. She listened as the even saw of his breath grew quieter and she almost wept because she knew she could live in the shelter of his embrace forever.

This man
touched her deeply. She never knew what to expect from him. There was a simmering intensity beneath every emotion. One minute he was a placid breeze and the next a turbulent storm. No one had ever so passionately held a mirror before her, or forced her to see beyond her preconceptions. For a brief moment, she had seen herself through his eyes. And whether she believed the image or not, she was moved that he cared enough to reveal it.

Everyone misjudged him
. His reputation was one of a tough, egotistical overachiever, but she saw another side to him. She believed it was the same side that Bea had alluded to. She also imagined he had a great deal of responsibility, people counting on him to literally save their lives. The pressure must be immense. She couldn’t fathom what that was like and still couldn’t believe that he’d carved time out of his busy schedule for her. He believed in her and she knew he’d help her through this crisis. The administrators had made a mistake and she was sure he’d help them see it. She didn’t want to think about her family situation and the dismal possibilities, so instead she burrowed into his enveloping comfort and believed that all would be well. It had to be.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Brad tried very hard to keep his voice modulated, but was growing increasingly frustrated with the person on the other end of the line. He’d explained that he had an emergency and couldn’t make the conference in Boston. No, he would not be flying in later today. No, he would not be making the trip tomorrow nor any other day in the near future. Yes, he was sorry to disappoint the people who’d looked forward to hearing him lecture, but he had urgent business to attend to. Yes, he understood that this was not a good move for his career. Yes, he still wanted to be number one. Brad scratched his chin and sighed, because he knew this tirade would be incessant. It was always the same.

Sinking o
nto the couch in Chloe’s living room, he tracked a ray of morning sunlight slicing across the brown shag rug. His gaze darted through the door of her bedroom to check on her sleeping figure huddled against a mound of pillows. He arched his aching back, wondering how she could sleep so soundly on that mattress of torture. It felt like he’d slept on a bed of rocks—rocks that a little man in the springs hurled at his back all night long! That, and the erection he’d battled had chased away any real sleep. He was glad when he heard the beep of another call. He’d been waiting for Bea to call him back and that would be her.

“Listen, Dad. I have to go. I guess I’m just as stubborn as you are. I’ve explained all I need to. Goodbye, I have another call.”

Shaking his head to clear the debris, Brad signed off and switched over to Bea. He’d spoken to her about an hour ago and explained a bit of the situation. She’d made some calls and was now getting back to him, hopefully with some good news. He held his breath as she spoke, hoping to eventually exhale the fumes of his worries and inhale deep cleansing relief, a relief he could share with Chloe. But as Bea talked, he felt his skin grow tight with mounting apprehension. There really was no Nigel. Brad had hoped the administrators were wrong, but Bea had made inquiries into almost every department in the hospital and come up empty.

He’d asked her to set up a meeting with the hospital administrators. Unfortunately
, the earliest time they could convene would be next Wednesday. Brad gritted his teeth, trying to control his frustration.
Next Wednesday?
Almost a week!
He wanted to take care of this promptly. He could just imagine what their investigation entailed. When it came to risk management, the hospital would be swift and exacting with its judgments. It would sever its right arm to save the entire body. The priority was always the institution.

He asked her to speed up the informa
tion he’d requested on Omega and send a note of apology to his more prominent colleagues who’d shown up in Boston for his aborted conference. He smiled when she told him she’d already done the latter—handwritten apologies with a small token. He reviewed his scheduled cases and local commitments for the upcoming week, and he listened as Bea related his emergency calls. He had her call in a few prescriptions and add several more patients on for him next week.

Throug
h the door he saw Chloe arch in a liquid stretch, the sheet rising high on the curve of a milky thigh. She’d felt incredible cuddled against him last night, which was surprising because he rarely slept with a woman. He shifted and a muscle in his shoulder cramped and complained, making him curse the bed of rocks. Signing off the phone, he made his way into the bedroom, smiling when he was greeted by radiant hazel eyes. As he drew closer, he saw tiny flecks of green dancing in their depths, and his stomach turned because he wished he could douse the anxiety he saw still hiding there.

“Morning,
beautiful.” He leaned over and brushed his lips against hers, loving the feel of her supple flesh.

He sat on the edge of the bed an
d gazed down at her, noting her hand clutching the sheet to her neck. Her degree of shyness surprised him because there were moments when she was so deliciously bold. It was as if she constantly battled with her inner self. Always willing to kick her out of her sexual comfort zone, and suddenly having the urge to view more than her pretty face, he pinched the sheet and dragged it down. He held her sparkling gaze as the edge slowly slipped over her body, the fabric gliding over her delicate shoulders, before revealing the beautiful mounds of her naked breasts. Her dark peaks puckered stiff as cool air caressed them.

“Never hide from me, Chloe.” He leaned over
and brushed his lips over hers, smiling at the breath coming faster from her lungs.

“I heard you on the phone,” she said hopefully and he traced his l
ips along her jaw, not ready to end the peaceful moment.

“Was that Bea?”

He straightened and she pulled herself up in bed, the sheet tucked at her waist. She folded her knees and leaned against them. Still hiding.

“Yes, it was.” He nodded
. “I had her make some calls. She couldn’t find a Nigel in any department.”

Her gaze faltered and landed on the sheets
where she traced a wrinkle with her finger. He could sense her disappointment, but the contemplative look in her eyes told him she was digesting the information and was working it out in her head, figuring out a game plan. He’d expected more tears, but could sense she’d awakened with a purpose.

He
cleared his throat. “I plan on speaking to the administrators at the hospital. I have a meeting set for next Wednesday, but I’m hoping to move it up. I can’t promise anything, but perhaps with me vouching for you and assuring them that I’ve already been through the charts and found no wrongdoing on you part, they’ll at least reinstate your position while they finish the investigation.”

Her amber gaze flew to his, and he could
tell by the fear in her eyes that resuming her duties was very important to her. Taking a deep breath, he continued. He needed to be as honest as possible with her.

“Listen, I don’t know what to make of this
Nigel thing. I believe he exists, but it’s a mystery. The administrators will probably want a full psychological evaluation before they agree to let you work again.”

She nodded, her features growing grim
as she bristled. “They had said as much. I don’t mind doing that. I’m not crazy!”

He smiled at her
rancor. Cupping his fingers over her bent knees, he caressed in small reassuring circles.

“You might also want
to seek legal counsel, you know, just get an opinion.” At this suggestion her eyebrows pulled in alarm.

“That…that…will be a lot of money.”

He took a deep breath, his eyes roaming her face. Her apartment was neat and efficient, though sparsely furnished. He’d been in her living room and kitchenette earlier and could tell from the worn condition and quality of items that she didn’t have a lot of money. He always thought nurses made a decent salary and it surprised him that she lived so modestly. It would only benefit her though and strengthen her position if she spoke to an attorney.

“Don’t worry about the money. I’ll take care of it.”

“No way!” She swung her head in protest. “I couldn’t let you do that. You’re already doing enough. You missed your conference because of me.”

“It’s no bi
g deal, really.” He could tell by the tight seam of her lips that she would never accede. He wondered if she’d overheard his conversation with his father.

“Don’t nurses have some kind of advocacy board that they can go to for support
and advice?”

She nodded and he could tell she wasn’t too thrilled with that idea either. “We do. I’ll look into it today.”

Sensing she was ready to end this discussion, he smiled and leaned in for a kiss, groaning when she parted her lips in invitation. He tasted her resolve and stubbornness, and loved how it flavored her shy personality. He let his tongue flow into her mouth, enjoying the sweetest nectar he’d ever experienced. His lips whispered over her jaw and down her neck. He inhaled her lazy morning scent and tried to lock the breath into his lungs, wanting it to saturate him. He could wake up to that scent every morning, and the thought surprised him.

She was sexy and sweet and delectable. He nibbled her chin and moaned, remembering
how she’d audaciously stood up to him the night of Mr. Barkley’s death, even though she’d obviously been shaking inside. He also loved how sexually aggressive she’d been the night at the club. Women who were comfortable with their sexuality were a big turn on for him, because he enjoyed every aspect of sensual exploration.

This woman
was strong. She was a fighter who wouldn’t simply allow the hospital to throw punches and knock her down. And he was determined to be in her corner every step of the way.

“I have a surprise for you,
” he announced, stealing one last lick of her delicious lips.

She favored him with a brilliant smile,
her breath skipping shallowly. Her eyes glowed expectantly, like the shimmering surface of a pond, and he had to pause a moment for a breath. Looking away awkwardly, he stood, adjusting his boxers when he followed her heated gaze and realized the opening in front was askew, revealing his goodies.

“Surprise?” she asked, and he chuckled.

“Breakfast.”

H
er gaze again landed at the front of his boxers. Laughing, he shot her a glance of mock rebuke. The look she was giving him created an explosion of activity beneath the thin cotton.

“I love it that your mind is always on sex, my little innocent.” He laughed harder at the blush
suddenly painting her face. “Oh, no! You don’t fool me, Chloe. I know how passionate you are. But, the surprise I was referring to is not in my boxers, it’s in the kitchen. Come.” He held out an arm and tsked with disapproval when she wrapped the sheet around her as she rose from bed. He leaned in and placed his lips against her forehead. “You don’t have to cover up. You’re beautiful.”

Before she could protest, he tugged
her arm and led her to the kitchen.

She gasped with delight when she saw the table he’d set up and he grinned like a school boy, glad
to have pleased her. He’d hated seeing her in tears last night. She fawned over the breakfast, reaching into her cupboard for two coffee mugs. He enjoyed cooking. That and going to the gym were the two things that truly relaxed him. And now he could add being with Chloe to that short list.

Being with her was different from being with other women. He didn’t feel the need to flee, to escape the smothering attention. His stress and overwhelming responsibilities were muted somehow. She dampened the noise in his head and gave him a chance to simply listen to the lulling rhythm of his heart.
He gave brief consideration to going back down on his dose of medication, but first things first. He wanted to get this business straightened out with Chloe.

He did worry for her.
He was convinced now the deaths at the hospital were not coincidental. There were just too many intertwining similarities between the patients. He was still not one hundred percent convinced, however, that Omega Pharmaceuticals was the culprit. That possibility was simply too outrageous. He’d made the inquiries but expected little yield as far as getting answers to this puzzle. His best bet was to continue collecting information and then go to the O&S committee, and have it further investigate.

A
s he pulled the chair out from the small table for her, he prayed that the information gleaned would help Chloe.

“These p
ancakes look delicious.” She beamed as he took the seat across from her.

He picked up his fork with a flourish. “Yes,
they’re not just
any
pancakes.”

Chloe pushed back her
loose hair and the smile she gave him caused something to shift in his chest. They weren’t homemade, and he couldn’t find any syrup, but he did find a can of whipped cream they could use for a tasty topping.

“They
’re heart shaped!”

He grinned at her
childish exuberance. “I’m a cardiologist. I can’t make them any other way.” He picked up the can of whipped cream and sprayed a dollop of white foam on her plate.

“They look
soooo good.”

Thinking the same about her, he took a bite and nodded for her to dig in. He
chuckled when she started to eat and almost lost the sheet from around her body. Grabbing hold of it, she pulled it tight and tucked a corner into the bodice wrapped around her. He stared at the unblemished smoothness of her bared shoulders, thinking she looked like a beautiful Roman goddess wearing a toga.

“Did you sleep well?” she asked.

“Yes,” he lied and smiled when she eyed him.

“Lia
r.”

“I had a comfortable pillow.”

She blushed and he took another bite and stared, suddenly curious about her. “Where’re you from, Chloe?”

“Born and r
aised here in Manhattan. Lower East Side.”

“Are your parents still here?”

She hesitated, then nodded and filled her mouth.

He waited f
or her to swallow, then pressed, “Your family has always lived here?”