The Storm (Fairhope) (6 page)

“Why are you there so early?” He sounded accusatory, as if I had done something wrong.

I took a deep breath, cringing as my hope of achieving inner serenity for the day started to evaporate. “I want to make sure everything is in place.” My cheeks were burning.

“You are acting irresponsibly,” he said harshly. “You had plenty of time to follow up with Dr. Tynes from yesterday’s case before going to the hospital to prep. Your decision making process needs work.”

Irresponsible?

Paralyzed in a temporary state of discombobulated shock, I drained every ounce of self- control in me so that I did not curse him out. No one in my life had ever even
implied
that I was irresponsible.

“Listen, Collin. I respect your opinions, and I am trying to meet your expectations as a partner. But it is important to me to make sure I am prepared for this case. I can follow up with Dr. Tynes later.” Furious at his controlling behavior, I wondered what he thought gave him the right to question every decision I made.

Spasms of pain shot out from my hands, and I noticed they were chalky white from relentlessly gripping the steering wheel. I stole a glimpse at my bitter expression in the mirror, my lipstick-less lips pursed in anger, and my skin buckled into a fierce grimace. I thought I could feel my synapses collapsing as my helpless neurotransmitters fired aimlessly, struggling to control the adrenaline coursing through my bloodstream.

“Jana, you need to get it together….” His voice was cold.

My boiling fury drowned out his menacing voice. I must have appeared as distraught as I felt. An older woman walked by my car, did a double-take after seeing my undoubtedly disfigured-looking face, stopped a few feet away, and mouthed,
Are you okay?

I nodded curtly, struggling to straighten my expression.

Calm down, Jana.

I cooled down long enough to chat with Dr. Jackson’s surgical nurse and prep for the case. Despite my best efforts to focus, all I could think about was the daunting reality that I had to do something about Collin’s refusal to cooperate.

Back in my car a few hours later, Chris answered on the first ring.

“Talk to Jeff.” Chris had no other suggestion.

“I’m not a tattletale.”

“He’s given you no choice. He’s an asshole, Jana. It’s not going to get any better.”

“I know. Last week, he neglected to tell me to report to a case with one of our most valuable surgeons. The nurse called me at seven AM, furious, demanding to know why I was not there. Collin assigned it to me without my knowing. I barely made it, and I looked like a slacker.”

“Jana.” Chris sounded disgusted. “That is more than unprofessional. That is unethical. Our job involves patient care. He should have been fired for that, or at least written up. Don’t think twice; talk to Jeff.”

“I miss working with you, Chris.”

“I know. I told you that you would.”

I should have thought twice about talking to Jeff.

After a solid two hours of espresso to aid my mental preparation for discussing Collin’s unwillingness to cooperate with me, I was still incredibly nervous. Regardless of how Jeff handled it, I knew he would be disappointed that conflict existed.
I
was disappointed conflict existed. I never dreamt I would be stuck in partnership drama.

God, is this going to go well?

No.
Okay, that was not good.

Maybe I was just being paranoid. Surely the whisper did not say
no
. That was just my imagination…

Mingling in a mixture of disbelief and paranoia, I began to wonder if I might be losing my mind. Maybe Grace’s bipolar disorder was contagious.

My fingers shook as I anxiously punched Jeff’s number as I drove home. I told him about the name-calling, the case we nearly botched because Collin neglected to tell me to be there, his desire to control my daily activity, and his refusal to compromise on important decisions that needed to be made.

“Jeff, I want to create a positive partnership. What advice do you have for me?” I was proud of myself for sounding so professional when I felt like crying like a baby.

“You did the right thing by telling me.” I couldn’t see his face, but I could hear the discomfort in his voice. “I can see that the two of you are not working cohesively. The situation definitely needs to be rectified. I will speak with Collin without him knowing you confided in me.”

Halfheartedly, I thanked him. I felt like such a rat.

Though Jeff was slick and loaded with excellent communication skills, I was smarter than his smooth. The underlying irritation in his voice was unmistakable, and he was careful not to place any blame on Collin. Feeling a bit dizzy as I drove home, I was left brimming with the uncanny sense that Jeff viewed
me
as the problem.

I gulped as I turned into my driveway, trying to swallow the burning dripping in my throat. The budding discontent that simmered throughout me had become way too familiar.

What if things got
worse
now?

Suddenly, I realized that my period was due the week before. Or was it this week? Now that I was off the pill, my routine was off.

I dismissed the thought and successfully suppressed a panic attack.

The weekend could not have arrived more slowly. The Saturday morning sunlight streamed in my curtain-less window, its glow landing gently on my favorite feather pillow. I opened my eyes lazily, drinking in the warmth on my face, stretching my legs and yawning. My silky, freshly cleaned sheets smelled like sweet perfume. I gathered a handful, bringing it to my nose and breathing it in ply. “Ahhh.” Owning a new home was exhilarating. I felt like a real “grown-up” now, especially as I grudgingly paid the first electric bill, which was astonishingly higher than the electric bills we paid during our stint with apartment living.

I quickly swung my legs over the bed. Overwhelmed with dizziness, I winced at the sharp pain in my lower abdomen.

“Ugh,” I groaned to myself, lying back down. Was I getting sick? My head was throbbing. “Please, not on the weekend. Not during my time away from all of the work drama.” Why was I talking out loud? No one was listening.

I started to drift back to sleep, ultimately slipping back into dreamland where I was free of Covington Company, when Andrew tapped lightly on the bedroom door. “Jana? You getting up any time soon?”

I blinked my eyes a few times and yawned again. “Yeah, I’m coming. I’ve been up, but didn’t feel well for a minute. I’m all right now, though.”

Bending down, he kissed me on the cheek, his lips lingering longer than usual. I warmed at his softness. “C’mon, sexy, it’s time for you to get up.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, reluctantly throwing off my silky covers and slipping on my favorite fluffy pink slippers. “You’re never up before me. And that sweet little kiss … what’s up? What do you want?” Sleepily, I rubbed my eyes, unsure if I wanted to hear what he wanted.

He shrugged. “Nothing, just wanted to hang out with my hot wife on a beautiful Saturday morning.”

“Couldn’t find anyone to go fishing with you? Or play golf?”

He rolled his gorgeous blue eyes, and I eyed the muscles that rippled down his chiseled back as he turned around. Hmm … maybe I
was
up for whatever he wanted. Before I could suggest anything, he disappeared.

I dragged my achy body out of bed and reluctantly followed him.

I gasped. A gorgeous bouquet of bright pink roses peeked out from my grandmother’s vase on the table, and a full breakfast of pancakes, sausage, fruit, and yogurt on our barely-used china lay in waiting for us. A card with my name written on it was propped up against the ornate vase.

My jaw dashed to the floor as he stood grinning, proud of himself.

I whirled to embrace him, nearly knocking over the heirloom vase. “Wow,” I breathed. “You’re the best. What a way to wake up and start the weekend.” I stood on my tiptoes and softly ran my lips and tongue over his ear, enjoying the fact that it only took seconds for his muscular frame to bristle. “Hmmmm … maybe if all your friends did this, they’d get laid any time they wanted, too.”

“They say you’re so willing because we don’t have kids yet.”

“They’re wrong.” I pinched his ass.

He held me tightly, tenderly tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “I know you’ve had a hard week, and I wanted to start the weekend off right for you. Read your card.”

I ripped the envelope open and began to read silently.
Jana, I know this has not been an easy time for you. I am sorry that things have not gone well at work, but I hope it will get better soon. I am so proud of you for working so hard, and I know it will pay off. I love you very much. You’re the most imperfectly perfect woman for me, and when times are tough, remember that we have each other. As always, Andrew.

I kissed him like it was the first time, our tongues meeting tenderly, but hungrily. Lightly trailing my fingers right above his boxers, I hinted at his reward.

The whole episode—the mushy card, the flowers, the fresh breakfast—brought tears to my eyes. “Thank you so much. I can’t name a single friend of mine who is waking up to a setup like this…”

He flashed his classic grin. “You’re welcome, baby,” he said. “What’s with the tears? You’re usually Miss Tough Stuff.” He raised one eyebrow. “I’m not used to this emotional display from you.”

Me either.
I laughed out loud. “I don’t know. I
have
been tearing up a lot lately. I guess all the problems at work are getting to me.”

“There is one condition that comes with this royal treatment. We are going to enjoy this weekend. No talk about work—not to me, Grace, and no calling to complain.”

We sat down to eat, and my spirits quickly perked up. We talked about our plans for the summer, and the upcoming political campaign his father was helping with. I would be lying if I said work didn’t cross my mind every couple of minutes … okay, every couple of seconds. If he noticed my furrowed brow, he did not let on.

“Fabulous,” I thanked him as I took our empty plates to the kitchen. “What a treat. Clean house to top it all.” I surveyed his efforts, lifting my eyebrows and nodding in appreciation. Silently, I marveled at my success in snatching up a rare man who mastered the
true
art of seduction.

Dropping my kidding tone, I looked up into the eyes of the man who was more than I had known to wish for. “You’re unbelievable. There’s no topping this.” Slowly, his eyes speaking to me in a language that belonged to only us, he wrapped his muscular arms around me and intertwined his fingers through my messy dark hair.

“Oh, but it can be topped…” His voice was laced with hunger, and in seconds I was moaning at his husky breath on my neck. I shuddered as he whirled me around and lifted my shirt, his silky tongue finding my inviting breasts. His eyes full of burning desire, he tasted each one teasingly, sparking shocks of electricity down my weakening body. He wasted no time, skillfully sliding his hand between my thighs. Overpowered with primitive arousal, I threw my head back as the stimulation became more than I could bear.

“Jana…” Our kiss burst into flames with an indescribable passion, a deep knowing that we belonged to one another. A knowing that no matter what life threw at us, our commitment and love were real.

“Hurry,” I gasped as I felt him stiffen against me, my knees shaking.

With lightning bolts of arousal illuminating his eyes, he swept me in his arms and carried me to the bedroom. We couldn’t get out of our clothes fast enough, our bodies needy for fulfillment. No spice of forbidden fruit could trump the satisfaction of the instinct that comes with true love.

He slipped inside me, and we both cried out, my body slowly stretching to wrap tightly around him. We moved together in perfect rhythm, feeling one another’s wants with the precision that practice creates. As the intensity mounted, I closed my eyes and willed myself to wait, but I couldn’t. Three more thrusts and I was fully there, yelling out his name with one shaky breath.

“God, you’re sexy,” he breathed, slowing slightly as I drank in the last earthshaking shocks of electricity. “Can you come again?”

I leaned up and lightly ran my tongue over his lips, smoothly, pulling away gently with a sly smile. I felt his body shudder as he struggled to control himself. “Oh, yes.”

We switched positions, and he clutched my hips as I slid on top of him. He cupped my full breasts in each hand, groaning as I slammed my hands on the bed posts, riding him hard until he could barely breathe.

“Jana…”

“You almost there?”

He nodded desperately, and I sped up slightly, the way he liked it when he was close.

With perfect synchronization, we climaxed together, exploding into a delicious aftershock that left us both reeling. After minutes of lying there, recovering and enjoying one another’s closeness, we disentangled until only our arms were left holding one another. Climaxing simultaneously didn’t happen every time, but when it did … it was like stealing a glimpse of heaven. Sighing, he stared deeply into my eyes, and we lay there communicating without uttering a single word.