The M.D. Next Door

“I don’t mind. I had an ovarian torsion. My left ovary became twisted, which cut off the blood supply. Unfortunately, by the time I sought treatment, it was too late to save the ovary. But the surgery went well and I’ve recovered with no ill effects, so I was fortunate.”

He winced. “Sounds like a painful condit

ion.”

“It was,” she admitted. “Especially since I waited so darned late to see about it.”

“I’ve heard doctors make terrible patients.”

“You’ve heard correctly,” she admitted with a short laugh.

“I’m glad you’re okay now.”

“Thanks. So am I.”

“Alice will miss seeing you almost every day.”

“I’ll miss her, too. I hope she’ll still come by some weekend afternoon when I’m home. My pool is always open for her. She knows the combination to the gate lock, but I’ve made her promise she won’t ever swim alone.”

“Thanks. That’s one of my rules, too. Maybe Jacqui will come with her sometime, if you really don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind at all. It would be nice to know someone’s enjoying the pool.”

“I told Alice I’ll consider putting one in for next summer. Too much going on to even think about it this year.”

“Um—” He’d shifted his weight as he spoke, bringing him a little closer to her. She found it suddenly more difficult to follow the conversation. Who could think about pools when Seth was sitting close enough that his thigh was only an inch or so from her own?

He must have seen something in her expression. He reached out to take her hand in his, lacing their fingers together. Scooting a little closer, he laid an arm along the back of the couch, lowering his face to hers. She rested a hand on his chest, feeling his heart beating beneath her palm. Steady—but maybe just a little accelerated? She’d hate to think she was the only one whose pulse was suddenly racing.

His mouth covered hers, slowly at first and then with more urgency. Even their kisses were becoming more familiar, she thought—the taste of his mouth, the feel of his arms around her, the spicy scent of his aftershave. She felt as though she had known him so much longer than three and a half weeks. And yet she was aware that there was so much about him still to learn.

One kiss led to another. One exploratory caress to the next. Buttons were loosened, heated skin revealed and kissed. Seth’s partially-bared chest was broad and smooth, only sparsely matted with brown curls. She spread her hand against him, feeling nice, firm pecs and abs beneath her palm. Though not bodybuilder ripped, the man definitely worked out.

She lay back against the arm of the couch with Seth draped half over her. The hem of her loose top was raised and his hand moved beneath it, carefully avoiding her healing scar, though he dropped a teasing kiss beside it to “make it all better” which made her laugh softly. He toyed with the lacy edge of her bra, then slid his fingers beneath to tease her into hard, aching peaks. Their legs were entangled, and she had no doubt that his body was ready to take these embraces to the ultimate conclusion.

She knew the feeling all too well, she thought, shifting restlessly against him. His lips moved against her throat and she turned her head to give him better access to the tender skin beneath her ear. Her hazy gaze fell on the phone she’d tossed onto the coffee table after her mother’s call.

Her hands stilled on Seth’s shoulders.

Sensing her change of mood, he lifted his head to study her warm face. “Meagan?”

She sighed regretfully. These past three and a half weeks had been idyllic—which was exactly the reason she hesitated now. She understood now why it had made her vaguely uncomfortable to feel that she was getting to know Seth so well. The problem with that was that she wasn’t at all certain the reverse was true.

She had seen Seth in his usual routines. Working every day, dining and playing with his daughter afterward. Networking at a professional social event. Dealing with a family crisis when Nina had fallen. Sometimes rushed or weary but always, apparently, himself.

Seth couldn’t say the same about her. The closest he’d come to seeing her at work was when she’d administered basic first aid to Nina. The only time he’d seen her called away was when her mother had called for her to go check on her grandmother, and that had not called her away from anything in particular. She had been at home almost every day since he’d met her, available to take his daughter shopping or to watch her after school, to interview housekeeper applicants and to prepare dinners for the three of them.

This wasn’t her life. This was so far from her life that she hardly recognized herself during the past month. So how could Seth know her?

Though he couldn’t possibly have followed her thoughts, Seth could see from her expression that their evening was coming to an end. She watched the resigned realization cross his face before he drew back, straightening her blouse with the movement. He gave her a hand to help her sit beside him.

She wasn’t embarrassed, she thought as she watched him shove a hand through his tousled hair and tug at his partially unbuttoned shirt. Nor did she regret anything that had transpired between them that evening. She liked this man very much and would like to think their developing friendship wouldn’t end when she returned to her career. But still it seemed best to proceed a bit more cautiously at this point, considering how many big changes were looming.

Seth drew a long, deep breath, as if steadying his pulse and his thoughts. “I guess it’s getting late.”

She smoothed her hair with a hand still prone to tremble a bit. “It is.”

“I won’t be around much tomorrow. I’m going to clear away some paperwork in my office in the morning, and I’ll be on the road four hours going after Alice and bringing her home.”