Dating Dr Notorious (30 page)

“That bad, huh?” Alexa squeezed her arm in support.

“Ben is gorgeous in normal clothes. In Sydney’s clothes, he’s. . .” Regina lifted her hand and motioned to the ceiling, drifting off without words to describe Ben’s allure.

“Can’t you even tear your eyes away from Ben for a few minutes?” Lauren teased, coming over to put her arm around Regina’s shoulders.

“Evidently not today. Every now and again I ask Ben, why are you with me? He just laughs. I think he enjoys my insecurities. It gives him some sort of power rush to know I worry about other women.” Regina watched Ben chatting to a woman dressed in a soft yellow suit who stopped by to congratulate him, or at least that’s what Regina hoped was happening.

“You’re an intimidating woman, Regina. I imagine Ben will use any kind of edge he can with you. By the way, you look flat amazing in that dress. Ben’s not the only one getting that level of attention today. My ego is positively deflated,” Alexa said, scanning the blue lace fantasy hugging every one of Regina’s generous curves.

“Ben picked it out, of course. What he doesn’t know is I look even better in what’s under it,” Regina said, looping her arm around Alexa’s waist. “Thank you for the best wedding present ever. Ben’s going to love the break-a-way snaps.”

Lauren groaned. “
Stop.
Please have some mercy for the unmarried old maid in the group who isn’t going to get to have sex tonight.”

“Heads up, ladies. Groom heading over.” Alexa smiled at the look in Ben’s eyes for Regina, completely sympathetic for the envy in the gazes of a dozen other women in the room.

*** *** ***

Across the room Ben had watched Regina laughing with Alexa and Lauren. She looked so incredible, and all he could think about was having her attention turned to him. He’d completely lost track of the conversation he was having with Jim and Casey and had to excuse himself.

Just like the first time he saw her, Ben was compelled to cross the room to Regina.

“Hi. Can I dance with the bride?” Ben asked Regina, ignoring the grins of Alexa and Lauren.

“I’m not sure how my husband would feel about me dancing with a notorious guy like you,” Regina told Ben smartly, butterflies fluttering when he smiled and took her hand.

“Let me worry about your husband,” Ben told her in his best sexy voice, pulling her along behind him as he hurried her out to the dance floor.

“My God, Alexa, you have no idea how much I want that,” Lauren said, frustration, envy, and a whisper of tears in her voice.

For once, Alexa in her red three-inch heels looked easily over Lauren’s head in her cute black flats. She patted Lauren’s cheek in sympathy.

“Hold that thought for about three more seconds, honey,” Alexa whispered, backing away.

Jim Gallagher tapped Lauren on the shoulder. “Ms. McCarthy, would you care to dance?”

Lauren stared at Jim for a long few moments before finally nodding.

He’d avoided her for weeks. Now he wanted to dance. She felt like kicking him, but seeing Ben and Regina waltzing weakened her. Lauren would have danced with the devil to quell the loneliness inside her even for a single minute. So she settled for walking to the dance floor two steps ahead of Jim before she allowed herself to finally touch him.

When she moved into his arms, they both sighed at the same time.

Again she wanted to kick him for the shared moment of perfect empathy.

Jim pulled in a deep breath and tried to think of some safe topic to talk about.

Lauren bit her lip to keep from asking why he was staying away from her. Since she didn’t want to make a scene if she didn’t have to, she chose to increase their mutual discomfort by stepping closer to him.

Take that
, she thought, her breasts coming to attention against his chest.

She felt his body tighten against hers, and then he moved slightly away, probably hoping she wouldn’t notice his reaction. Their silent fight had Lauren hissing at him when she finally spoke.

“If you say anything I don’t want to hear, I swear I will kick you the way I’m imagining right now. I am not above making a scene today. Regina would understand. So just dance with me and try not to look so unhappy about it. You asked me remember?”

Lauren continued to look over Jim’s shoulder, refusing to meet his gaze. She was not going to whimper, cry, or otherwise reveal how much she wanted to be just where she was in his arms.

Jim stared sideways at the set of Lauren’s jaw and the color in her face. She needed to date other men and forget him, Jim thought, reveling in her scent that grew stronger the madder she got. He closed his eyes and sighed against her hair, perfectly understanding her frustration. She had been all he could think about since he’d touched her.

“I missed you too, Lauren.”

Lauren swallowed the tears that threatened and let Jim twirl her around the floor.

*** *** ***

Ben and Regina were discreetly watching Lauren and Jim as they danced.

“That’s going to be a tough relationship to work out,” Ben said, watching as their painful emotions played across their faces for the world to see.

Regina nodded, but ethics required she refrain from the comment she wanted to make. She settled instead for what she could freely say about it.

“They really seem to like each other,” she said.

“I think it’s a bit beyond
like
,” Ben said, laughing. “I actually see the challenge all but shooting out of Lauren’s eyes. Jim’s not going to be able to resist answering the dare.”

“Think so, huh?” Regina said, hoping with everything in her Ben proved to be right.

Ben lowered his hand to Regina’s rear and stroked her bottom through the dress. What he found, or rather didn’t find, made him have to clear his throat before speaking.

“Regina Kaiser. You’re not wearing any underwear.”

Regina smacked his shoulder for announcing what he suspected to the other dancers around them.

“See? Fire. Irresistible,” Ben stated, his gaze darkening as the flames jumped in hers.

“It’s my wedding, Benjamin. Of course I’m wearing underwear. It happens to be a specially designed thong with snaps Alexa assures me can be undone with a single, hard flick of your thumb.”

Regina felt him press his hips to hers restlessly as she talked.

“Does Alexa design special underwear for all her friends?” Ben asked hoarsely, kissing her neck and making her giggle.

“Yes,” she told him.

Regina leaned against Ben until her breasts were beaded points against his jacket front. She had worn panties after a fashion, but the dress hadn’t required a bra.

Ben looked down at the evidence of her arousal, but managed to eventually meet her inquiring gaze.

“Jim doesn’t stand a chance,” Ben said.

He spun his new wife away to give them both a moment’s relief as he wondered how long it would be before he could get her alone.

# # #

Note From Author:
If you enjoyed this ebook, please consider leaving a positive review or rating on the site where you purchased it. Reader reviews help my books continue to be valued by distributors/resellers and help new readers make decisions about reading them. I value each and every reader who takes the time to do this and invite you all to join me on my Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads for more discussions and fun.

You are the reason I write these stories and I sincerely appreciate you!

Many thanks for your support,

~ Donna McDonald

Website:
http://www.donnamcdonaldauthor.com

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/donnamcdonald13

My blog:
http://donnamcdonald.blogspot.com/

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php - !/donnajanemcdonald

Dating A Cougar

Book One of the
Never Too Late
Series

Dating Dr. Notorious

Book Two of the
Never Too Late
Series

Dating A Saint

Book Three of the
Never Too Late
Series

Dating A Metro Man

Book Four of the
Never Too Late
Series

Carved In Stone

Book One of the
Art of Love
Series

Created In Fire

Book Two of
Art of Love
Series

Captured In Ink

Book Three of
Art of Love
Series

Commissioned In White

Book Four of
Art of Love
Series (novella)

The Right Thing

Single Title (non-series)

Excerpts available on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/donnajanemcdonald

Look in Notes

As a life-long romance reader, I have always been drawn to stories containing strong heroes and heroines who know their minds and live their truths. When I got the urge to write about older women and men, I did so with full knowledge some readers might not be interested in reading about mature characters in love. I knew there was a possibility the stories might not sell, but in typical
Baby Boomer
rebellious fashion, I said “screw it, I’m not making the characters younger, they need to be older”.

Why did I do this? Because my youngest child is twenty-six, not sixteen. Because I’ve had two, yes two, long term relationships where I continue to happily express my sexuality (first one for twenty-three years). I personally know people of many ages who are still falling in love as if they were seventeen and new at it. Being older just means you just get to the really profound sex part quicker, and there’s so much less fumbling in the dark. Thank heavens for experience.

My
Never Too Late
series characters are older, successful, mostly stable, and yet on the brink of starting over. Things have happened to them that color their judgments about life. They often hate getting older. Cancer has taken a loved one. Their jobs had ended or changed. Still life goes on somehow for them. Good thing too, or we would all be in a lot of trouble in this world. I don’t dwell on how they handle the trauma. I just show that they survive, and later thrive by finding happiness despite their setbacks. It is what I wish for everyone.

And I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading Book Two of the series.

Donna McDonald has been a writer all her life and managed to complete her first novel in August of 2010. Her idea of success is to be on an airplane and see a fellow passenger reading one of her stories. If the person is laughing or smiling, she will consider it a bonus.

Her work history covers everything from housekeeper to business owner to college English instructor. It also includes an eighteen-year stint as a technical writer, publications planner, and information architect in the corporate world. Her current career goal is to be a prolific, multi-published author for the rest of her life and write stories readers will love to read. She thinks a little travel and adventure would be nice, too.

She lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her fiancée, Bruce.