“Are you a psychiatrist?Or just listening to your uncle?Because what you just said was some pretty smart shit.”
I dropped my forehead to his chest and laughed.“Well, I’m not a psychiatrist.But I am a doctor.At least, I will be soon.”
My whole adult life had been moving toward the singular goal of claiming the title.Years of studying.Loads spent on tuition.Endless hospital shifts.Thankless hours at the beck and call of an attending.
And still, I’d been too afraid to say it out loud.
Until this moment.
Until Dylan.
I propped my chin on my hand and looked back up at him.“I’m almost done with my residency, and then it’ll be official.I’ve been waiting forever to call myself a doctor.”
“I knew you were too fucking smart.”His fingers found their way into my hair, and he began picking out the pins, one by one.“Doctor Chantel Cotê.”
The way that word and my name rolled off his tongue was pure seduction.Wonderful, ruthless seduction.A shiver skated down my spine as the pins continued falling.
“Fuck, you’re hot,” he murmured as my hair fell from the sleek updo I’d spent a fortune on.
But let’s be real—I’d let him undo me a million times over.Any way he liked.
“Actually...”I cuddled closer, enjoying the heat radiating off him.“I’m a little chilly.Maybe we should crawl into the tent?”
His stomach tensed.“No, not the tent.”
I raised a brow at him, but his hand smoothed down my back, and he relaxed again.
“Let’s go inside.”His fingers traced circles at the base of my spine.“It’s been a long day.I’m ready for bed.You can stay over if you’d like.”
If you’d like.
As if I’d driven over in a cocktail dress and hijacked his night because I was thinking about staying anywhere else.I almost rolled my eyes.
Instead, I leaned into his touch and kept my voice casual.“I’m not here to force myself on you.I just wanted to make sure you weren’t alone.I can leave if you want.”
God, I was such a liar.I just hoped he couldn’t see through me.
“Chantel, I want you to stay.”His voice dropped, tipping into something almost obscene.“Don’t make me regret having asked you so nicely.I don’t have the energy to spank you tonight.”
Oh.Oh.
Heat sliced through me.My core pulsed at just the memory of what he’d done to me in that kitchen.
I jumped to my feet before I did something undignified, like lifting my dress and begging him to do it again.
“Come on, then,” I said through a forced laugh, sticking my hand out to him.“Let’s go.”
He took my hand, but instead of getting up, he pulled me back down and wrapped me in his arms.“Just because I’m tired and being nice doesn’t mean you’re in charge,” he murmured in my ear.
“Oh, fuckd’ostie,”I moaned, having given up trying to contain my reactions.
His mouth found mine.His hand cradled my jaw, his thumb resting against the corner of my lips, holding me exactly where he wanted me.His tongue traced the seam of my mouth once before dipping inside, tasting me like he was memorizing something.My whole body went soft against him.
When he pulled back, he slapped my ass lightly and stood.
“I got you,enchanté.Don’t worry.”And then he picked me up like I weighed nothing at all and carried me into the house.
Finally.
I closed my eyes and let my head rest against his shoulder.Three months of pretending I wasn’t thinking about him, a whole day spent telling myself this was a bad idea, and none of it mattered now.I was exactly where I’d wanted to be.
