Doctor's Delight (25 page)

Blowing out a
breath, she concentrated on slowing down her heart rate and
regaining control of her senses. Rick said something to her friends
while he walked around the car. Opening the door, he got in and
started the engine. Backing out of the drive, he pulled onto the
road and they sped away.

Cherry relaxed
back into the seat and watched the lights of the houses flicking
past. It was comforting, the purr of the engine, the smell of an
expensive car, and the warm presence of the man in the driver’s
seat.

“Well,” Rick
said into the silence, “That was fun.” He gave a short laugh of
amusement.

“You really
like teasing them, don’t you?”

“Oh yeah.
They’re a grand pair of girls. Unlike you.” When Cherry cast him a
startled glance, he smiled. “You’re a knockout.”

“Really? I
mean, thanks.”

Reaching out,
he caressed a finger down her cheek. “You look beautiful, love. I’m
proud to have you by my side.”

Pleasure
rippled through her. “I hope I don’t embarrass you tonight.”

“Embarrass? No,
you won’t.” He said it with complete confidence. “You never
embarrass me.”

“I’ll surprise
you one day.”

“Sugar, you
surprise me every day.” His teeth were a wicked gleam of white in
the dark. “In the most delicious ways.”

The man knew
just the words to say to get her all hot and flustered. Clearing
her throat, Cherry returned her gaze to the houses flashing by
while trying to get her suddenly hot, pulsing blood to a smooth
flow. “I wonder if there’ll be any normal people there.”

Rick’s bark of
laughter was pure amusement.

She groaned.
“See? I knew I’d say something stupid tonight. I have to keep my
mouth shut.”

“Oh, I don’t
know. I’d find it quite amusing to watch you say something like
that to a couple of the more obnoxious guests tonight.”

“Trust me, you
won’t find it amusing.” She started to twist the little chain on
her clutch. “The cream of the medical profession will no doubt be
at this dinner, seeing as it’s being held by one of the oldest and
richest of the families in this state, and the prestigious
paediatrician, Dr Margaret Clarke. I could ruin your career
chances.”

“Not a chance,”
he replied cheerfully. “There will be some of the medical
profession, as you label us, there, but there will also be other
rich people of non-medical background. Dr Clarke likes a variety
when she holds these dinners.”

“I’m out of my
depth.”

“Just be
yourself, love. You’re beautiful, you’re my girlfriend and date, my
lover, my sugar, my—”

She couldn’t
stop the half laugh, half groan. “Rick, be serious.”

“I am.” Another
glint of a wicked smile. “How about if I assure you that if you do
embarrass me – which would totally shock me and I don’t really care
anyway – I will punish you when we get home.”

That sent a
thrill shivering down her spine, even if he was joking, and she
tried for nonchalance. “You don’t say.”

“Dr Discipline
will be visiting Nurse Naughty, you can count on it.”

“I’ll be sure
to behave myself.”

“Oh please,
don’t.” There was a definite erotic edge running through his
lowered tone now, and a street light cast a gleam in his eyes as he
looked briefly at her.

Placing her
hand on her cheek, she shook her head. “I had no idea you were like
this.”

“Trust me,
there’s a lot to me you don’t know, but you soon will.” He winked.
“If we skipped the dinner and continued to my house, we could play
dirty—”

“I’ll tell your
mother.”

“Now that’s a
mood killer. I had no idea you could be so cruel.” Rick turned off
the road and onto a driveway that led up to wrought iron gates
guarded by a security guard. “Hey, we could always play security
guard and naughty trespasser who needs spanking. You’d be the
trespasser, of course.”

“Of course,”
she said dryly.

She had to
admit to disappointment when Rick pulled up and wound down his
window, giving the security guard his name. While the teasing had
her amused, it also fire her imagination. She was nothing if not
imaginative.

But then the
thought fled as they approached the mansion, and Rick pulled into
the area assigned for cars. BMWs, Volvos, Mercedes and fancy sports
cars were lined up neatly. It seemed as though lights spilled from
every window, and music drifted out into the still night air.

Rick got out
and by the time he got to Cherry’s door, she was already standing
beside it. She flushed when he quirked an amused brow at her.

“Sorry.”

“Oh baby, you
are so needing discipline.”

“Don’t start.”
She laughed, relief sweeping through her, feeling so comfortable
with him that if they hadn’t been standing in front of the mansion
and able to be seen by anyone, she’d have leaned into him.

Coming to her
side, he laid his hand on her back. “Come on, Nurse Naughty. Let’s
get you inside and drunk so I can have my wicked way with you
later.”

“I bet Dr
Clarke has no idea what a scoundrel you are.”

“Dr Clarke has
known me for years. Tim and I were school buddies, remember?”

“Oh yeah.” She
looked up at the mansion. “Does he live here?”

“Not bloody
likely.” He guided her up the steps. “Tim and his mother have a
history. I’ll tell you about it one day.”

They entered
the mansion and Cherry tried to appear cool and sophisticated,
managing not to stare with her mouth open.

Rick ushered
her over to Dr Clarke who was standing beside a strange man and
greeting the guests as they arrived.

“Rick.” Dr
Clarke leaned forward and air kissed him. “So nice of you to come.
And this is your dinner companion.”

“Hello, Dr
Clarke. This is Cherry Williams.”

His hand was
warm and reassuring on her back, and she was grateful for it as she
smiled at the tall woman with the haughty face. “Dr Clarke.”

Eyes narrowed,
Dr Clarke studied her closely. “Don’t I know you?”

Uh-oh. “I’m a
nurse at the hospital.” Please don’t let her remember, please don’t
let her remember. Please. Please.

“Ah yes, the
nurse who dared to question me about my treatment of a patient.”
Those cold eyes studied her like a bug on a pin.

Oh shit. A
hundred responses went through Cherry’s mind in a matter of
seconds. The flight instinct was strong, but more than conscious of
Rick’s supportive presence, and the fact that she was too old to
run and hide behind her mummy’s skirts, she summoned a small smile
and a calm reply. “That would be me.”

“Not many
nurses have the nerve to question me.” That ruthless gaze seemed to
pick her apart, sweeping from the top of her head, down to her
shoes, and back up again.

“I guess not.”
As much as she dreaded this, Cherry refused to back down. In
matters of patients, she knew where she stood. “But when it comes
to quality of care, I believe one can never be too efficient.”

“Once upon a
time, Ms Williams, nurses never questioned doctors.”

“Once upon a
time, Doctor, we never had lawsuits.” Oh shit, did I really say
that?

“Are you saying
I did something that could have resulted in a lawsuit?”

Hiding her
trembling hands in her skirts, Cherry lifted her chin and met the
prestigious paediatrician’s unwavering gaze. “Ma’am, you can tie me
up in knots with words. We can argue here all night. What happened
was simple – you did something that I would never discuss outside
of the hospital due to confidentiality clauses, and I questioned
you as is my duty as an advocate of the patient, and as a nurse
watching my own back. That won’t change.” She was going to add an
apology, but knew there was no reason for it.

Inwardly she
cringed, suddenly aware of the silence from the man beside her, and
the two elegant people standing before her. That silence seemed to
stretch for an eternity, although it could only have been
seconds.

Rick’s hand
slipped down to her hip, squeezing gently, and he stepped in behind
her, sharing his body warmth and at the same time showing his
unwavering support. She nearly sagged with relief, aware now of how
much value she placed on his opinion of her.

Unexpectedly,
Dr Clarke smiled. Coldly, admittedly, but a smile nonetheless. “I
admire your tenacity, Ms Williams, and your honesty. Do enjoy your
evening. Rick.” She nodded dismissingly at them.

The man beside
her smiled, introduced himself as Martin Shaw, and shook both
Rick’s hand and Cherry’s before he turned back to Dr Clarke to
greet the couple approaching through the doors.

Worried that
she’d embarrassed him, Cherry glanced up at Rick as he guided her
through into the main room. He drew her to the side and swung
around to face her, his shoulders blocking the room from view. With
relief, she saw the warmness in his eyes.

“Before you say
anything,” he said quietly, “You didn’t embarrass me, and I’m so
proud of you.”

“Really?”

“Yes. So you
can stop wringing the heck out of your gown.” He laughed when she
abruptly released her skirts.

“Dr Clarke’s
your friend.” She watched his face closely. “I don’t want to make
things bad for you.”

“Dr Clarke is
my friend’s mother, and my work colleague. You, love, are wholly
mine. Big difference.”

Her cheeks
pinkened, pleasure sweeping through her, and she smiled up at him.
“Thank you.”

“Plus I have
dirty sex with you. Huge difference.”

“Oh my
God.”

“That’s what
you say.” He leered. “Only louder.”

“I think my
friends are a bad influence on you.” Laughing and blushing at the
same time, she slapped him lightly on the arm. “Now stop it before
we’re overheard and both kicked out. And trust me, I will get the
blame for it.”

“Very well.”
Grinning, he turned and surveyed the room while tucking her hand
into the crook of his elbow. “Shall we stroll around and introduce
ourselves?”

Personally,
Cherry would rather stay in the corner with him, but she saw it as
her duty to be the agreeable dinner companion, so she smiled and
nodded and walked beside him.

As they did the
rounds of the huge room, she admired the elegant decorations.
Waiters appeared with glasses of champagne and she took one when
Rick handed it to her. Taking a sip, she wrinkled her nose, not
really liking it, and took the first opportunity she could to place
it back on a waiter’s tray when Rick’s attention was elsewhere.

He stopped and
spoke to people she didn’t know, introducing her and drawing her
into the conversations, but mostly she stood beside him and smiled
politely, murmuring appropriate words of agreement, for being
amongst so many strangers was something she personally wasn’t
comfortable with, nor accustomed.

Some of the
surgeons and doctors greeted her by name, and surprisingly, these
people she was able to talk to on a more even level, though again
she didn’t really feel comfortable. A couple of the surgeons raised
their brows at the fact that she was accompanying Rick and they
studied her, making her feel conspicuous in her beautiful gown. If
she’d been facing them in her nurses’ uniform, she’d have felt much
more comfortable. But again, for Rick, she wore a façade of polite
pleasantness.

The wives and
girlfriends of the men wore their beautiful gowns and jewelry with
ease, and she wondered if she looked like a fish out of water, for
she certainly felt it. It was small comfort to note that she wasn’t
the largest lady in the room, but there were far more slim women
whose gowns looked so much more elegant for their figures.

But Rick loves
me the way I am. He’s not embarrassed by me. If he’s okay with me,
I’m okay with me. After all, think about it, if any of these
beautiful people were in hospital and required a suppository, I’d
be giving it to them. That’d certainly level the playing field. The
unexpected thought made her give a muffled giggle, which she
suppressed as quickly as it started. When Rick looked down at her
inquiringly, she met his gaze with an innocent face.

“Everything all
right?” His hand rested reassuringly at the small of her back

“Absolutely,”
she replied, meaning it. After her irreverent thought, she was able
to look around at the elegant people with new eyes. Nothing like
the thought of suppositories to put things into perspective.

Relaxing, she
joined in the smaller conversations with some of the wives she was
introduced to, sharing inane gossip about celebrities mentioned,
the latest fashions, and general chitchat that didn’t require much
brainwork.

“Hello, Rick,”
a cool voice said from behind them.

Rick turned and
Cherry followed him, since his hand was still at her waist, and she
nearly swallowed her tongue.

Annabelle
Forbes stood before them, tall, blonde, beautiful, and elegantly
dressed in the exact same gown as Cherry’s. Only Annabelle looked
gorgeous, her hair upswept faultlessly, her make-up flawless, her
jewellery stylish and tasteful, and the dress fit her like a second
skin, framing her slender curves, cupping her breasts, the lace
throw trailing down to touch her narrow waist. Gold stilettos
showed her red nail-polished toes to perfection. She looked exactly
what she was – a beautiful, slim woman who made many male heads
turn in her wake.

In that second,
Cherry felt very small. Very small and very fat, a poor imitation
in a gown that couldn’t hide her voluptuous curves and now made her
feel a pathetic copycat of Annabelle. She could feel many eyes on
them, and fancied she heard whispers. Her cheeks flamed.

“Annabelle,”
Rick said pleasantly, though an edge of steel threaded through his
deep voice.

“And this
is…Cherry, isn’t it? The little nurse from the hospital?”
Annabelle’s smile was condescending. “My, what a lovely dress. It’s
the same as mine.” She looked down at herself, then back to Cherry,
sweeping her gaze over Cherry’s form. “You look…nice.”