Patricia jerked open the passenger-side door before he could get it for her. “Just take me home.” She slumped in the seat. Exhaustion clung to her like grime. She wanted to go home, take a hot shower, and climb into the crisp, clean sheets of her bed. Mrs. Dudley, her cleaning lady, would have been by today, so her bed would be fresh, at least.
David parked his car in front of the house and followed Patricia to the door. She unlocked it and turned toward him. “Thank you for the lovely evening.”
“May I come in?”
Patricia was too well bred to let the snarl in her throat out. “I don’t think tonight is good. I’m very tired. Maybe next time.”
David stroked her cheek. “You’re not mad, are you?”
“No, just tired. I’ve been up since five, and it’s been a difficult day.” She tried to sound firm, but right now she was considering skipping the shower and going straight to bed.
“I hope you’ll think about what we discussed.”
Patricia stared at him for a minute. Having just spent an hour talking to a woman who might be dead within the year and her soon-to-be widower, she couldn’t remember what had happened over dinner. Oh yes. First Lady. “I will. I promise.”
David tilted his head and leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers. If she’d been firing on all cylinders, Patricia would have turned so he would have kissed her cheek instead. He pulled her into his arms, and she had to put her hands on his shoulders to keep her balance. He was in good shape, his body lean and lightly muscled. Not as powerful as Ryan’s. His kiss was tentative and nervous, not the possessive, demanding kisses of Ryan. He didn’t bend her back with the force of his desire, taking complete possession of her. His hands supported her as though he might hurt her if he held her too tightly. Ryan never hesitated to crush her against his solid chest. One of David’s hands slid down to the small of her back, pulling her against him, but still without any real pressure. David’s tongue brushed against her closed lips.
Patricia jerked backward. “David.”
“I’m sorry.” David backed away. “You’re just so desirable, Patricia. If I had known when we were kids how you would look now and how much I would want you…” He drew an unsteady breath. “I’m sorry if I was too aggressive.”
“Good night, David.” Patricia stepped through the door, pushing it closed behind her. She leaned on the heavy oak panels, listening as David started up his car and drove away. His kiss had left her cold. Actually chilly. She remembered CPR dummies displaying more passion.
He was also the one who could make her First Lady.
And Mrs. Magyar might die within the year because she had taken the woman at her word and not bothered with a complete physical the first time she’d seen her.
Patricia closed her eyes. She hadn’t even been a real doctor for a year, and she had already killed someone. She’d already failed. But David could help her make up for it. If he succeeded with his political ambitions, she could help the whole country. Her parents approved of David, and her grandfather would respect her desire to help the entire country. If Mrs. Magyar was any indication, she might be a better First Lady than doctor.
Chapter Five
Ryan watched David’s Audi pass through the gates. He hit the button to close them just before the Audi’s bumper cleared. In the amount of time it had taken David to drive to the house and back, he couldn’t have gotten past first base. David’s head jerked to look at the twelve-foot-high iron gate closing in his rearview mirror. Yeah, you little snot, you’re locked out . After David pulled out into the street, Ryan dropped his flashlight in his pocket to do the final check on the house for the night.
The night sounds closed around him. Growing up in the city, he’d never seen so many stars or heard so many crickets. It hadn’t taken long to fall in love with it all. Over the years
David parked his car in front of the house and followed Patricia to the door. She unlocked it and turned toward him. “Thank you for the lovely evening.”
“May I come in?”
Patricia was too well bred to let the snarl in her throat out. “I don’t think tonight is good. I’m very tired. Maybe next time.”
David stroked her cheek. “You’re not mad, are you?”
“No, just tired. I’ve been up since five, and it’s been a difficult day.” She tried to sound firm, but right now she was considering skipping the shower and going straight to bed.
“I hope you’ll think about what we discussed.”
Patricia stared at him for a minute. Having just spent an hour talking to a woman who might be dead within the year and her soon-to-be widower, she couldn’t remember what had happened over dinner. Oh yes. First Lady. “I will. I promise.”
David tilted his head and leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers. If she’d been firing on all cylinders, Patricia would have turned so he would have kissed her cheek instead. He pulled her into his arms, and she had to put her hands on his shoulders to keep her balance. He was in good shape, his body lean and lightly muscled. Not as powerful as Ryan’s. His kiss was tentative and nervous, not the possessive, demanding kisses of Ryan. He didn’t bend her back with the force of his desire, taking complete possession of her. His hands supported her as though he might hurt her if he held her too tightly. Ryan never hesitated to crush her against his solid chest. One of David’s hands slid down to the small of her back, pulling her against him, but still without any real pressure. David’s tongue brushed against her closed lips.
Patricia jerked backward. “David.”
“I’m sorry.” David backed away. “You’re just so desirable, Patricia. If I had known when we were kids how you would look now and how much I would want you…” He drew an unsteady breath. “I’m sorry if I was too aggressive.”
“Good night, David.” Patricia stepped through the door, pushing it closed behind her. She leaned on the heavy oak panels, listening as David started up his car and drove away. His kiss had left her cold. Actually chilly. She remembered CPR dummies displaying more passion.
He was also the one who could make her First Lady.
And Mrs. Magyar might die within the year because she had taken the woman at her word and not bothered with a complete physical the first time she’d seen her.
Patricia closed her eyes. She hadn’t even been a real doctor for a year, and she had already killed someone. She’d already failed. But David could help her make up for it. If he succeeded with his political ambitions, she could help the whole country. Her parents approved of David, and her grandfather would respect her desire to help the entire country. If Mrs. Magyar was any indication, she might be a better First Lady than doctor.
Chapter Five
Ryan watched David’s Audi pass through the gates. He hit the button to close them just before the Audi’s bumper cleared. In the amount of time it had taken David to drive to the house and back, he couldn’t have gotten past first base. David’s head jerked to look at the twelve-foot-high iron gate closing in his rearview mirror. Yeah, you little snot, you’re locked out . After David pulled out into the street, Ryan dropped his flashlight in his pocket to do the final check on the house for the night.
The night sounds closed around him. Growing up in the city, he’d never seen so many stars or heard so many crickets. It hadn’t taken long to fall in love with it all. Over the years
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