Stone was left standing in front of me with nothing but underwear and socks. Normally, it would be a funny image, what with the socks, but nothing on this man was amusing. He was pure, raw sexual energy. Wanting to check every part of him, I reached down and discarded the fabric covering his feet.
I knew the next part was going to test both of us, and even though I would have preferred for him to remain somewhat clothed, I had to inspect his entire body to ensure I’d done my job thoroughly.
Or maybe that was just what I was trying to tell myself.
Hooking my fingers in the sides of his black boxer briefs, I drew the material down his legs, his ever-impressive cock rock-solid and springing back against his stomach once he’d been freed. I tried my hardest not to look, but I failed big time. What I hadn’t realized was that I licked my lips, entranced with the sight of his naked body. I’d seen him bare countless times before, but I swore each time was like the first.
“Wanna taste it, Addy? ‘Cause you keep lookin’ at me like that and I’m gonna put you on your knees and make you suck my dick.”
It took a few seconds for his words to register, and when they did I had the audacity to feign surprise over why he’d said such a thing. But I knew I
had
just been visually raping him. He had every right to say what he did.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I mumbled, moving toward the drawer to find what I was going to need to stitch him up. When I was ready, I held up a needle, preparing to tell him it was a local anesthetic to numb the area when I remembered he didn’t need it. It was still very strange knowing a person who had his condition. He was lucky in a way, but unlucky in the fact he pushed himself beyond his limits most times, never knowing what damage he was causing inside his body.
Pain was the body’s way of telling us there was something wrong, but in Stone’s case he never knew if there was a problem. Other than seeing blood pour from him, as it was right then.
Focusing on the worst wound, I gestured for him to sit down so I could finally begin to work on him. He’d refused to put on the hospital gown I’d handed him earlier, and I simply didn’t possess the mental energy to argue, realizing it would be utterly useless.
He never said a word while I worked, which I believed was more unnerving than him speaking. There were a few times when my hand brushed against his cock, and we both stilled for a brief moment before I continued.
It was pure torture.
Once he was all patched up, and I’d effectively wiped away the blood smearing his face, I stepped back to inspect my work. Everything looked good. I opened my mouth to speak but the air left my lungs when he pulled me hard against him, his rigid thickness pressing into my belly as he held me impossibly close.
“What are you doing?” I asked, afraid of the answer.
“I can’t take this anymore,” he growled. “And don’t tell me it’s easy for you either. I see the way you look at me. You still want me. I know you do.”
I shouldn’t have admitted it, but the words left my lips before I could stop them. “Of course I still want you. But that doesn’t matter. You know that.”
“No, I don’t.”
“You do,” I confirmed, trying my hardest to break free from his hold. But he was much too strong.
“Kiss me,” he demanded, licking his lips and leaning forward. His breath mixed with mine, a heady euphoria settling over me as I inhaled his air.
“No,” I whispered breathlessly.
“Please,” he begged. Stone never begged. He must have been desperate. Did he know I was just as anxious?
“I can’t.”
“You can. You know you want to. Don’t deny me.” His tongue teased my bottom lip. “Don’t deny
yourself
.”
Then, right there, in the middle of room number four, behind a thin green curtain, I gave in to a naked Stone. My hands gripped his shoulders while I attacked his mouth, nipping and tasting him with unbridled passion. I was like a woman unhinged. Every second since I’d ended things between us had been pure torment for me. I’d dreamed of his mouth on mine, his hands possessing every inch of my body while his cock filled and stretched me into pure bliss.
I missed his kisses.
I missed connecting with him, writhing around with each other for hours on end until we finally collapsed from sexual exhaustion.
I missed the security he offered me.
I missed his friendship.
I missed being able to tell him when I’d had a tough day at work.
I missed quoting our favorite movies together.
I missed laughing with him.
I just missed
him
.
Placing his hands on the sides of my face, he pinned me while he returned my hunger. His tongue danced with mine, sucking and gently biting the tip while he groaned in pleasure. The rumble from his throat excited me because I knew where such passion could lead. I allowed myself to give in, even if it was only for a kiss.
Breaking away, he panted as he looked deep into my eyes. “Come back to my house, baby. Let me love you,” he enticed, kissing the corners of my mouth before devouring me whole again. Before I could muster up enough strength to answer, he pulled a bold move. Reaching for my hand, he circled my fingers around his cock. Talk about jumping the gun. But secretly, I loved it. “Feel what you do to me,” he growled. “It’s all for you. Every thick inch. All for you.”
I realized if anyone walked in on us I would be out of a job, but right then I didn’t care. All I cared about was the next few minutes, until I regained my senses enough to put an end to it. Gripping him tightly, I stroked him once from the tip to the base of his arousal before allowing him to fall from my hand.
Finally, when I knew I was surely testing fate, I withdrew completely and stepped away. “You need to get dressed before someone walks in.”
Even though his face had fallen for a brief moment, the sad look in his eyes breaking my heart, for once he didn’t argue, dressing quickly before settling back on the edge of the bed.
“So? Will you do it?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Do what?”
“Come to my house. We need to talk and finally hash this out.”
“There’s nothing to hash out,” I argued.
He jumped off the bed and stalked toward me. Running his thumb across my lip, bruised from his kiss, he cockily asked, “There isn’t?”
No sooner had he dropped his hand when Dr. Weber pulled back the curtain. My heart fell into my stomach at the sight of him. I’d been ignoring him for what felt like forever, and seeing him standing in front of me made me feel really guilty.
“Adelaide, there you are,” he said, glancing from me to Stone then back again. “Are you almost done with this patient?”
“Yes, I am,” I answered quickly, giving him my full attention.
“Good. I want you to come to my office when you finish up.”
“Okay,” I conceded.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Stone tense up next to me, but thankfully he didn’t say anything. I also counted myself lucky for the fact he had no idea who this man was. Not until Carol burst in, that was.
“Dr. Weber, you have a call on line two,” she said, smiling at me before openly gawking at Stone. She caught herself and turned her eyes back to me before making a hasty exit.
“Thanks, Carol.” Patting my shoulder, he said, “Duty calls. But I’ll expect to see you shortly.” Dr. Weber left before my next breath.
I was still turned to the side, so I couldn’t fully see Stone’s face, but I sensed he was putting two and two together and would be giving me the third degree very shortly.
“
That’s
Dr. Weber,” he said through clenched teeth. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
“What?” I tried to play ignorant, but I knew the reason he was about to blow his top. Working against Dr. Weber in Stone’s eyes was that he was a man, first and foremost. The second thing was the man was movie star good-looking. Jet-black hair and bright green eyes were his finest attributes. Add to that his full lips and a Romanesque nose and he was quite enthralling.
But for as handsome as he was, I wasn’t interested. Never mind he was married to a woman he happened to adore immensely.
“He’s married, Stone. So don’t get yourself all riled up.”
“Since when does being married mean he’ll keep his dick in his pants?”
“Stop overreacting. I mean it.” I stared at him, preparing to have yet another fight over something which wasn’t even worth discussing.
But surprisingly, he listened. His breathing turned heavy, but he didn’t say another thing about Dr. Weber.
Pulling on his cut, he brushed past me, but before he disappeared from the room, he barked, “If you’re not at my house later, I’m comin’ to get you. I’m done with this shit.” He narrowed his gaze. “Don’t test me,” he warned before walking out.
Adelaide
Sitting across the desk from Dr. Weber was extremely nerve-racking, to say the least. I’d been avoiding him like the plague, but I knew I couldn’t stay away from the news any longer, whatever it might be.
Busily looking at something on his desk, he shuffled through the paperwork as if he were trying to buy more time. Maybe I was reading into something which wasn’t there, or maybe I’d just hit the nail on the proverbial head.
“Adelaide,” he started. “I’m not sure how to tell you this.”
My heart instantly rammed hard against my chest.
I remained silent, petrified if I spoke my fate would be sealed even quicker, which was such an asinine thought to have. Whatever he was going to reveal would be the truth, whether or not I said anything. And that was one of the shittiest parts, that I had absolutely no control over what was going to pour from his lips. Bracing myself for the inevitable, I linked my fearful eyes with his hesitant ones and counted the seconds.
Instead of him remaining in his seat, he stood and walked around his desk, choosing to sit directly next to me. When he reached out and grabbed my hand, I couldn’t hold back any longer. Tears dripped down my cheeks while I waited for the verbal blow.
“I’m so sorry, but your test results revealed you have stage two ovarian cancer. And while it’s rare for a woman your age to be diagnosed, it does happen.” He squeezed my hand for comfort, and for a moment I allowed his support to envelop me. When he’d conducted his exam a short time ago, he’d informed me there was a tumor on my right ovary, and he’d convinced me to let him do a biopsy, to make sure we covered all bases. Especially with my family’s history. I readily agreed, even though my consent had instilled instant fear. Almost as if by saying yes I was agreeing to the diagnosis somehow.
I permitted his devastating words to swirl around inside my head, thinking of all the things I needed to do as well as who I needed to break the news to. Then a ludicrous statement came crashing over me. What if I kept the news a secret? What if I just dealt with it myself, sparing my family—and Stone—in the process?
Resigned to the idea I would brave the scary waters alone, I felt a little better. I knew I would do whatever Dr. Weber suggested; I trusted him and knew he wouldn’t steer me wrong. I would see whatever specialists he had in mind, and follow a strict regimen if need be.
Stage two was a better diagnosis than stage three or four, the chances of survival increased. I knew because my mother didn’t find out until she was at the last stage, and by that point there wasn’t much the doctors could do for her but make her as comfortable as they could.
Because of what my mother had endured, I’d been very diligent in getting tested, and I’m glad I was. The sooner the cancer was detected the better, all things considered. Of course, I would rather have had Dr. Weber give me a clean bill of health, but it wasn’t to be. So I had no other choice but to keep my chin up and forge ahead. There would be good days and bad days, I was sure, but hopefully the good outweighed the bad.
“There’s one more thing, Adelaide.” He shifted nervously in his seat next to me.
“What is it?” I asked fearfully, wrenching free from his hold and tucking my hands underneath my legs.
“As if the news isn’t bad enough, I hate to add another thing in the mix. I can’t believe I have to tell you this, but . . .” His words trailed off before he could finish, my fear spiking higher the more he remained quiet.