Chapter 8

CHAPTER

EIGHT

Oliver

I know it’s almost time to get up, but I need more time. I’m not ready to crawl out of this warm bed, not when she’s in it with me. My cock is aching for her, so I think I’ll have my breakfast before I get up to make hers. I'm greeted with cold sheets when I reach over to pull her into my arms.

What. The. Fuck?

My eyes snap open, and I blink a few times, staring at the empty spot on the bed next to me. She’s not here. Falling back onto my pillow, I stare up at the ceiling.

It was all just a dream.

Well, not all of it. I held her in my arms last night when we were at Willow Manor. My hands flex as if I can still feel her with me.

I was dreaming. It felt so real. I could have sworn she was here, that she went to sleep with my arms wrapped around her.

Disappointment washes over me.

My cock hurts.

I’m so hard.

She’s not here.

It really was just a dream.

Dream or not, my cock needs attention, and well, considering it’s only seen my palm since that night my life changed, I have to handle business on my own. Sliding my hands beneath the covers, I work my boxer briefs over my hard cock and fist myself. Feeling too restricted, I toss off the covers, spit in my palm, and go back for another stroke.

Much better.

Closing my eyes, I continue to stroke. Blakely immediately pops into my mind. I think about holding her close, how I ran my fingers through her hair, and how she did the same when her arms were locked around my neck.

Dancing. We were supposed to be dancing, but all I could think about was tearing her clothes off and doing a naked dance that looked altogether different from what we were doing.

I’m pretty sure we didn’t get a single item from her list marked off, other than hanging garland. I’m certain that wasn’t one of the things we were supposed to do or discuss last night. However, when I saw her tumble off that ladder, I lost about ten years of my life.

I hear her sweet voice in my head, talking about scruff and how women enjoy it. I knew exactly what she was referring to. I just wanted to hear her say it. Then she mumbled something that sounded an awful lot like porn, and my cock was as hard as steel. It was a good thing she pulled away. I don’t know where the night would have led us had she not.

I’m a man who likes control and for my life to be orderly and uneventful. I’ve had enough surprises for a lifetime. However, when it comes to Blakely Kincaid, I apparently don’t mind when things get… messy.

Speaking of, I squeeze my cock harder when I feel my balls tighten. Tingles race down my spine.

Blakely.

Blakely.

Blakely.

She’s all I can see as I spill over into my hand and all over my bare chest. I’m sated for now, but something tells me nothing except all of her will ever be enough.

Two hours later, I’m walking into the office. The staff is already here, bustling in the halls and getting ready to start our day. The smell of coffee fills the air, and although I’d love another cup, I’ve already had three.

“Good morning, Dr. Thompson,” someone greets.

“Morning,” I reply, my voice low. I don’t even turn to see who it is. I’m pissed off at myself. I can’t stop thinking about her. I don’t know what it is about her. Why, after all this time, four years later, she’s the first one to steal my concentration. The first one to pull my mind to her and keep it there.

Stepping into my office, I hang my coat on the hook behind the door before dropping my cell phone and keys to my desk and starting up my laptop. My eyes land on the Post-it note, and I pick it up, ready to crinkle it and toss it in the trash, but I just can’t make myself do it.

I’m well and truly fucked, and I don’t know what to do about it.

“Good morning,” Kathy says from the doorway. “Your first patient is a few minutes early. I went ahead and put them in a room. All the vitals have been entered.”

“Thanks,” I mumble, clicking on the patient’s name in the chart and skimming the history. Once I’ve reviewed everything, I stand, ignoring the Post-it and start my day.

I should have known with the disappointing way my morning started that today was going to be a complete shit show. I had two add-in patients, which is common, but on an already packed schedule, it was a lot. Other than my first patient, the others were all late. Normally, if you’re a certain amount of time late, we ask you to reschedule, but today’s schedule was all full of elderly patients, and damn it, I couldn’t turn them away and make them come out yet again.

I’m not heartless.

However, that screwed with my entire day. A pharmaceutical rep dropped off lunch. Thankfully, today wasn’t my turn to sit and listen to their speech about their medications for their required “meeting.” I share that responsibility with the other physicians in the practice. We all take turns, basically taking one for the team, so the staff gets free lunch.

Regardless, I was thankful for lunch because I had to eat between patients. I hate running behind with my schedule, but times like today can’t be helped and are inevitable in healthcare.

It’s finally the end of my shift. All my patients are gone, and I have a lot of charting to get caught up on. When there’s a knock at my door, I bite out, “Yes,” a little more harshly than needed. Did I mention that I’m over this day?

“Sally from administration called. They need your new wallet card for your medical license. Do you have it yet?” Kathy asks.

“I have it,” I answer, keeping my eyes on my computer screen.

“Great, if you want, I’ll walk it over now.”

“Who needs it again?” I stop and focus on the conversation, when all I want to do is finish my work and get out of here.

“Sally in administration. She handles all the credentialing.”

“Right.” I nod. Sally replaced Martha, who was the person I worked with to finalize all my credentialing when I started at Willow River General. I reach for my wallet, then stop myself. Blakely’s office is in administration. Glancing at the clock on my computer for the time, I see it’s a little before five. I don’t know when she wraps up each day, but damn if I’m not willing to do this myself just to get a glimpse of her. “I’ll handle it.”

Kathy looks surprised by my answer. Usually, this is something I’d hand off to her. Nothing about what I’ve been doing or thinking lately is anything near normal, not when it comes to Blakely Kincaid.

“Okay. Well, I’m going to finish up and head home if you don’t need me for anything else.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Good night,” she says and turns out of my office.

I’m on my feet, stalking down the hall and through the connecting hallway to get to the hospital side of things. I’m not a lucky man, as my past has shown, so I know my chances of running into her are slim, but I still want to try. I can chart at home or, hell, just stick around. It’s not like I have anything or anyone at home waiting on me.

When I finally reach the administration office, the receptionist isn’t at her desk. That’s fine. I know where Sally’s office is. I’ve been there a few times. I don’t know exactly which office is Blakely’s, but I do know which is Hilary’s, and lucky for me, I have to walk right past it to get to where I’m going.

I peer into each office until I find Blakely. Leaning against her door frame, I watch as she concentrates on whatever she’s looking at on her computer. “Is that something for the gala?” I ask.

She jumps and places her hand over her heart. “Oli—Dr. Thompson,” she corrects herself. “You startled me.”

“I’m sorry.” I step into her office, needing to be closer to her. I don’t understand it. What makes her so different?

“What are—can I help you with something?” She sits up straighter in her chair.

“I came to see Sally about some credentialing. I saw you in here and thought I’d say hi.”

“You wanted to say hi?” She tilts her head to the side, and her hair falls over her shoulder. I can still feel the softness of the strands as I ran my fingers through them last night.

“Yep.” We both know this is out of character for me.

“Hi.” She waves, and her face blushes. She’s fucking adorable. Sexy and adorable. How is that possible?

“Working on the gala?” I ask again, so I don’t come off as more of a creeper than I already am.

“No, actually. This is for the Tree Lighting Ceremony the hospital has every year.”

“Right.” I nod. “When is that?”

“The first weekend in December.”

“You’re in charge of that too?”

She points to her chest. “Marketing.”

“I know that. I just assumed the gala was your main project.”

“No. Hilary has most of the gala items complete, at least the pressing items. I’m just the follow through on what she’s already lined up.”

“We.”

“What?”

“ We’re the follow through.”

She looks surprised, and I admit, even I’m a little shocked at the words that just came out of my mouth.

“You want nothing to do with the gala.”

But I want everything to do with you. That’s not true. I know this can’t go anywhere, but until this gala is over, I have an excuse to be around her, and I’m taking it. Even if that means she immerses me in all things Christmas. I have a feeling the torture will be worth it, on all counts.

I shrug. “It’s in my contract, right?”

“You want to help me?”

There’s hope in her voice, and once again, I’m reminded that I’m an asshole. I never used to be, but life sometimes has a way of hardening your heart. “It’s my job.” And I want to see you . But I’m keeping that part locked up tight.

“Okay. Well, I need to go over the seating charts. You could help with that. I was going to do it at home this evening.”

“Are you being compensated for the extra hours you’re working?” It’s bullshit that they pile so much on her.

“I am. Hilary offered to take some of my projects when she gave me the gala, but I assured her I could handle it.”

“Right. So… tonight?”

She nods. “Yeah, we could meet at my place… or a restaurant if you prefer. My roommate, my best friend, Isla, won’t be home, not until later. She has a date.”

“A date on a Tuesday night?”

She smiles. “You’re showing your age, Ollie.”

Ollie. From anyone else, I’d correct them, hell, I’ve corrected her in the past, but there is a part of me, a very small part, that likes that she’s the only one that calls me that. Warning bells are going off in my head, telling me to back away and go back to my office. However, I can’t seem to get my feet to move. I’m rooted in place.

“My place,” I answer. “No roommate,” I add, as if that’s the reason. It’s not. Once the idea jumped in my head, it’s all I can think about. I want to see her in my space. I need to see her in my space. I have a very limited amount of time with her, and I’m not sure the opportunity will ever come up again. I have to take the opening while I have it.

“Your place.”

“I’ll take care of dinner.” I sound desperate even to my own ears.

“Dinner. Your place.” She nods. “Okay.”

Reaching into my pocket, I retrieve my phone and open a new contact before handing it to her. “Add your number, and I’ll text you my address.” She takes my phone, and I notice a slight tremble in her hands. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling. Good, I’m not the only one affected.

“Food allergies?” I ask, unable to hold back on the physician side of me.

“No. I’m pretty easy.” Her face heats, and I swallow back my smile.

She’s not easy, not by a long shot. “Lucky for me.” I wink at her. I fucking wink. Who am I? This is the old Oliver shining through. The one I left behind four years ago this year. I wish I knew what it was about this beautiful woman that’s bringing that side of me back to the surface.

“What time?” she asks.

“Let’s say seven. Is that too late? I have some charting to finish up.”

“No, not too late. I’ll have time to organize what we need to go over and go home and change.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her not to change. She’s wearing a green sweater today, and it brings out her eyes.

“Oh, Dr. Thompson.” I turn at the sound of my name. “I’m Sally. Did Kathy tell you I need your wallet card for your state license?”

“She did. That’s why I’m here.”

“Perfect. I was getting ready to head home for the day, but come with me, and I’ll make a quick copy. Thank you for bringing it over.”

I look back at Blakely. “I’ll see you later?”

“Later.” She nods.

It takes extreme effort to walk away from her. I don’t understand this pull. I’m hoping that by spending time with her, it will get better. That this need to be in her presence will fade, and life can go back to normal. As of right now, in my mind, it’s The Blakely Show , and I’m riveted to every scene.