Page 19 of Dr. Do-Right
His chest shuddered against mine as he breathed once more, inhaling deeply. His fingers flexed, massaging my scalp before slipping downwards to cup the back of my neck, stroking over the sensitive spot behind my ear. I shivered.
“Hi, Mal.”
I grinned into his skin. There was a strong likelihood that my lipstick would smudge all over his collar and I didn’t give a fuck. Actually, the thought made me ridiculously happy. I nuzzled him once more, feeling territorial.
“Hi, Kitten. Christ, you smell…so good.”
I laughed, clenching him tighter to me. “I worked a ten today and barely had time to shave my legs. I smell like a hospital.” Anunfortunate fact: when you worked ten hours straight in the OR, you ended up smelling like latex gloves and alcohol wipes.
“Not true. You smell like flowers and Rija. My favorite.” His hand traveled down my neck, stroking over the skin between my shoulder blades. He grunted. I nearly purred.
“Rija,” he began. He had that tortured, if-you-don’t-move-the-vibrator-and-get-yourself-off-right-now-I’m-going-to-jump-through-the-screen-to-get-my-hands-on-you tone I’d heard from him many times before. Well, he had his hands on me, now.
I couldn’t wait to hear what he was finally going to do about it.
Chapter 7
“Malachi!” A man’s booming voice sounded from somewhere behind Mal. I glanced around to find its source. Instead, I saw a woman eyeing us from a huddle of people to my right. I guess I’d have to wait to find out what he was going to do now that his hands were all over me.
“I think we’re causing a scene,” I whispered, inching away just far enough to look up at his beautiful face. His dark eyes were nearly black. Sharp and hungry.
“I’m about to cause a scene, if someone tries to pull me away from you,” he muttered, his gaze skimming down my face to my chest where the silk fell in a daring vee.
“There you are, my man!” The voice came closer.
Mal’s eyes lingered on my skin. “Too late to ditch this place?”
“Aren’t you the keynote?” I murmured, even though I’d love nothing more than to drag him away to somewhere private and yank the tux right off his body.
“Ah, no wonder you took off in such a hurry.”
Mal sighed, his breath stirring a few curls laying across my shoulder. With one last, lingering stroke down my back, hestepped away, hauling me close to his side while we both faced the vaguely familiar middle-aged man who’d approached us.
“Frank, allow me to introduce my girlfriend, Marija Sanchez. She’s a nurse over at Ced…ar…” His words ended in an awkward cough. In the process of introducing me, Mal had finally gotten an eyeful of the rest of my dress.
It was little flashy without being totally slutty (not that I minded slutty, depending on the day). Thin straps held up the deep panels of the bodice, cinching at my waist before giving way to a fall of red silk and a slit that was, admittedly, a little on the sluttier side of flashy.
I barely had the wherewithal to enjoy the look on his face. My brain was still replaying him calling me his girlfriend. A shiver worked its way through me. Mal’s fingers clenched tighter on my waist.
“Well, of course I know Marija. Carl’s girl!” The man leaned forward to offer his hand, unaware of the delicious tension he was interrupting. “You might not remember me. Franklin Pearce.”
I blinked, wrenching my eyes away from Mal to the man in front of us. No wonder he looked familiar. He was the president of the medical school over at Northwestern and a prominent member of the Chicago medical scene. “Dr. Pearce. Of course I remember you. Lovely to see you again.”
He pumped my hand enthusiastically, his other clutching a nearly empty tumbler of amber liquid. “Sanchez. That man’s a machine. I was on the board with him at the Cancer Research Center. Did more in a week than most of us did all year. You want something done, you call Carl. Incredible man. Have you met him?” he asked Mal, finally letting go of me.
“I’m familiar with his work.” Mal’s fingers brushed the tie at my waist, words abrupt, gaze flat. I frowned at him. Mal was known all around the world for his warm, charismatic charm.Bring up my family, though, and he was suddenly frostier than a snowman.
“Amazing man.” Frank barreled on as if he hadn’t noticed the icy tone in Mal’s voice.
“Yes, amazing,” I repeated, glancing around. If he was going to extol my father’s virtues for the foreseeable future, I’d need another glass of champagne.
“You still involved with the research center? I hear good things,” Mal cut in, saving me.
Frank’s face lit up. “Yes, indeed! Just had some amazing trial results cross my desk…”
I slid my hand under Mal’s jacket to stroke his side, thanking him for the assist while Frank droned on. Malachi returned the favor in the form of a caress at my waist. A grabby one. Like he was clutching at me. Like he couldn’t get enough.
I bit my lip to contain the quickly spreading smile on my face. The earlier prickle of unease about my family vanished like magic. Mal and Dr. Pearce chatted some more about the research center before Mal spotted someone in the crowd.
