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That hadn’t been his plan when he’d suggested this affair. He’d been confident he could enjoy Helena while it lasted and move on without any repercussions. There had been no problem when he’d done that with other women. Unfortunately, he wasn’t so confident about the outcome now. Helena had gotten to him somehow. Her outlook on life. Her big heart. Her cooking. Despite how great their physical relationship was, it was the other elements of her personality that had hooked him.
He kissed the top of her head. She stirred. He was too aware of the treasure he would be giving up. Could they make it last longer? Did he dare try?
He didn’t want to give up holding her. With her next to him he could stay here the rest of his life, but they both had a shift to work at the hospital. He was already looking forward to being off and having her to himself again. It was Friday, and if the rule held true they would be busy in the ER and have little time to talk.
He shook her gently. “Hey, sleepyhead. It’s time to get moving.”
She moaned, rolled over and pulled the sheet over her head.
Elijah chuckled. “It’s going to be that kind of day, is it? I’m going to tell the boss on you.”
This time the sound coming from her was more of a groan. “I don’t care.”
“You might if he has to take action against you.” Elijah ran his hand over the curve of her hip in a suggestive caress.
“You tell the slave driver he doesn’t know how lucky he is to have me on his staff.”
Truer words had never been said, in more ways than one. He jerked the sheet away. It floated down around her ankles, leaving the rest of her nude body exposed to the chilly air.
She squealed as she turned to glare at him, reaching for the sheet.
Elijah admired her beautiful form before he gave her a wicked grin. “I plan to have you on my staff right now.”
Her mouth formed an “O” seconds before he pulled her over him so that she straddled his waist. “Take me, Helena,” he growled.
A tiny smile of a woman who knew her power formed on her lips before she did just as he’d demanded.
* * *
Less than two hours later they stepped through the hospital entrance, closing the freezing air out once more. There was another snowstorm brewing, Elijah was sure. It would make the next few days before Christmas even more interesting. This morning they had walked to the hospital from his place without Helena questioning them being seen together. Was she counting down the minutes until their affair was over? Would she like there to be more between them? For once in a long time he was thinking about the future.
“I’m frozen to the bone,” Helena complained as she unwrapped her scarf. She glowered at him. “Someone started the process by pulling the covers off me this morning.”
He gave her a self-satisfied grin. “And that same person warmed you up too.”
Looking down her nose, she said in a playful tone, “You don’t have to act so pleased with yourself.”
“Oh, I’m not the only one who was pleased.” There was a wicked gleam in his eyes.
She giggled nervously. “No, you weren’t.”
Helena had made her pleasure known, loud and long. She knew how to make him feel special.
They hurried off to put their belongings away in their lockers. Elijah thought back to their lovemaking in the on-call room. Just a few days ago they’d started their affair at work. Now it was almost over. His life had changed radically since then. He would have never dreamed that a woman could affect him so. Or that he would allow her into his life enough that she would have a chance to.
“Are you coming?” Helena asked from the open door.
He pulled her back inside letting the door close. “Not until I have one more kiss.”
* * *
Their kiss had been so hot that even a couple of hours later Elijah was still thinking about it. Whatever Helena had done to him to put him at her mercy, he had to get past it. He’d become obsessed with her. Thoughts of the future. Thoughts he didn’t want to have, had no intention of acting on. He stood at the unit desk, watching her coming up the hall toward him. She met his gaze and smiled, the one that was meant for him only. The kind shared between lovers.
“Hello, Elijah. I was hoping I could catch you.” His mother’s voice came from behind, startling him.
Her voice snatched him out of Helena’s spell. “Hi, Mom. What’re you doing here?”
“I had a hospital fund-raiser meeting this morning.” She said it as if she was asking why else she would be there.
His mother was a striking woman with dark hair that she wore in an elegant chignon who was intelligent and well respected. He’d often wondered why she had stayed with his father after what he had done to her. With my help.
“And what brings you down here, Mom?”
“I wanted to personally invite you to Christmas Eve dinner. I know we have no hope of seeing you on Christmas Day, but I hoped you might consider joining us on Christmas Eve.”
“I don’t think so, Mom. It’ll be pretty busy here.” The idea of another “warm family get-together” where his parents acted out their parts didn’t sound like fun. Their family hadn’t been a real family in years. He wasn’t interested in pretending they were any more than necessary.
“Surely after you’ve been head of the department for Charles all week the least he could do is see that you have Christmas Eve off.”
“He’s not even at home to ask.” His mother did this every year and Elijah had the same answer each time but she wouldn’t give up. Was that how Helena would be if one of her children made a point of not doing anything with the family? He was positive she would.
Helena walked behind them, around to the other side of the unit desk, and handed the secretary a piece of paper. She smiled at him and his mother.
“Hello, Helena. It’s nice to see you again,” his mother said.
“Hi, Mrs. Davenport. It’s good to see you too.” Helena glanced at Elijah as if she was wondering why his mother was there.
“Don’t you think Grace and Charles’s wedding was wonderful?” his mother asked.
He didn’t miss the dreamy look that came into Helena’s eyes. Elijah stopped himself from rolling his eyes. She’d spent almost a week with him and still hadn’t become jaded about weddings and marriage. Why would she? Far worse had happened to her with the loss of a baby and her boyfriend leaving her and yet she still believed in the perfect love story. Yet she’d not found one in all this time. What had she been waiting for?
“It was. I’m sure they’re going to be very happy together.” As Helena answered, her gaze held his.
Was Helena thinking that he and she could be happy together? And what did his mother know about happiness in a marriage? She hadn’t had that in years. What she did enjoy was the production and fanfare of a wedding event. He watched his mother closely as she and Helena discussed some wedding detail he could not even remember.
Why had his mother put up with his father all these years? Not having love in her life? Had she done it to save face or because she didn’t want to damage the Davenport name? Had things been bad between his parents even before his father had found another woman? At the time, Elijah hadn’t cared or thought to ask. All he’d been able to think about had been how hurt he was. Then later how much he had wounded his siblings.
Helen’s conversation with his mother ended and Helena said, “I have a patient to see. It’s nice to see you again, Mrs. Davenport.” She gave him a small smile and left.
Elijah watched her walk away.
“Nice girl,” his mother said. “You two seemed to be pretty friendly at the wedding.”
“Stop, Mom.” He needed to get busy. He had a list of things to do before Charles returned.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a mot
her wanting her son to settle down. Helena wouldn’t happen to be the woman you were kissing in the elevator a few nights ago?”
Elijah should have known that would come back to haunt him. At the time it had been funny, but now he didn’t like the idea of Helena being thought of as his plaything. He’d never given any thought to the reputations of the women he’d left behind. But having Helena marked as cheap because of him left a bad taste in his mouth. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
