A pink blush stained her cheeks. It took all his willpower not to cup her face, simply so he would know what she felt like. Fantasies about putting his hands on the wet, aching parts of her filled his head. He imagined her breathless and begging for him…
His cock gave an approving lurch.
“Are you in your first year of nursing school?”
“Yes.”
“Been tough?”
“It has, but it’s worth the effort because helping people is a passion. I just didn’t realize how much I’d have to learn.”
He smiled. “I remember feeling overwhelmed a time or two in medical school. If you ever need any help, just call. Here’s my card.”
When he pulled one from his pocket and set it in her palm, she raised her big eyes to him again. His heart fucking stuttered.
Get real, man, the voice in his head scoffed. She might look as scrumptious as Little Red Riding Hood, but once she finds out you really are the Big, Bad Wolf…
She’d run screaming in the other direction.
“Thank you. You’re so kind.”
Kindness wasn’t in his vocabulary, but he’d try if it would persuade her to get naked. He’d also have to think of some way—any way—to run into her again. Because fuck his rules. He wouldn’t stop pursuing Heavenly Young until she was his.
Thursday, December 6
“Heavenly, can you find Mr. Hammerman and Mr. O’Neill and update them on Raine’s condition? Then show them where they can get cleaned up. No doubt they need it. It’s been a damn rough morning,” Dr. Beckman said, barely taking his concerned gaze off the battered brunette in the ER bed.
Heavenly couldn’t stop staring at the woman, either. The black eye, the stitched lip, and the finger-shaped bruises circling Raine’s neck broke her heart. Heavenly had heard the whispers that Ms. Kendall’s father had beaten her—and that she’d had to kill him to survive. The horror and the shock of that stunned Heavenly. Her father was her person, the one who had always loved and encouraged her. How must this woman feel after being forced to take the life of the man who’d given her half of her DNA?
“Of course, Dr. Beckman,” she murmured. “I’ll be happy to.”
And she was…but she couldn’t stop wondering about his relationship with the victim. Obviously, Ms. Kendall was more than a mere patient because, despite not being her physician, he hadn’t once left her side. After calling his staff to say that he had a personal emergency and wouldn’t be in today—at least according to the hospital grapevine—he’d come flying into the ER and begun barking orders. He’d only let go of Raine Kendall’s hand when he’d acted as a buffer between her and the police. He watched over her with solemn dark eyes and a clenched jaw, staring as if her pain was killing him. And he called her princess.
Was he in love with her?
As she left the room, Heavenly silently admonished herself. She barely knew Dr. Beckman, other than the short ten-minute conversations they shared almost every day when they somehow managed to run into one another. Her crush on him was stupid. Of course the sophisticated, hunky doctor was in a relationship. So what? She was here to learn, not find a boyfriend.
Unfortunately, that didn’t stop her fascination.
According to the rumor mill, Ms. Kendall had stumbled into his office less than a week ago, seemingly distraught. He’d taken one look at her, canceled a whole afternoon of appointments, and shepherded her away almost immediately. Heavenly already knew he took his patients—and his career—very seriously. He wasn’t the sort to slough off on a Friday just because. He’d also been absent on Monday and Tuesday, at least according to gossipy Kathryn.
Had Dr. Beckman spent that time with Raine?
Probably. She was obviously important to him. Heavenly knew her pang of envy was silly. But unlike creepy Dr. Manning, the gorgeous vascular surgeon had never asked her out. Sure, he’d shown her professional interest, patiently answering her questions via email the night before a test. Definitely kind of him. And she thought once that maybe he’d stared a bit longer than professionally necessary. But the consideration he’d shown her was nothing like the focus and dedication he’d given Raine Kendall this morning.
At the end of the hall, she dismissed him from her thoughts and entered the waiting room. “Mr. Hammerman? Mr. O’Neill?”
A tall, bearded man whose rumpled suit was covered in blood zipped toward her, humming with a pent-up impatience that made his frame taut and his eyes something just short of wild. Another restless stranger whirled her way, his shirt also stained crimson. He zeroed in on her with narrowed eyes, his handsome face sharp with demand. Their intent stares made her nerves jangle. She bowed her head without knowing why.
“Yes?” the one with the beard barked as if he wanted to shove past her and stalk through the door.
“Do you have news?” asked the clean-shaven man. He had an accent of some sort. Irish? Hard to tell when he sounded frantic.
How did they know Ms. Kendall? Given all the blood, maybe they’d rescued her. Were they Dr. Beckman’s friends?
“Ms. Kendall doesn’t have any major injuries. She’s alert and talking. Dr. Beckman has been with her since she arrived. He’s personally ensuring she’s comfortable.”
The Irishman let out a huge sigh of relief. “Our girl is okay?”
Their girl? Heavenly frowned. Were they her…brothers? They didn’t look a thing alike, but she had no idea how else to interpret his question.
Heavenly nodded. “She’ll be fine.”
“When can we see her?” the first one demanded.
“Neither of you are family?”
“Technically, no. But…”
So they weren’t her brothers.
The one with the beard gritted his teeth and sent the Irishman another frustrated stare. “Why hasn’t one of us married her yet? That would have solved this.”
They definitely weren’t Ms. Kendall’s brothers. Dare she hope one was the woman’s boyfriend?
“That’s a good idea,” the other answered with a considering note in his voice and a wry stare.
