Page 4 of Reasonable Doubt (Wounded Heroes: The Redemption #7)

“Surely there were lawsuits for malpractice and wrongful death at the hospital.”

“Not when I was in charge.”

“No more questions.”

* * *

“You’re an idiot.” Nick knew he shouldn’t be doing this. “What are you even going to say?” he asked himself aloud.

Still, he drove toward the clinic. From talking to Pax about the next steps in the lawsuit, Nick was aware that he wasn’t working today.

She was. Which is why he ended up going here. But no amount of rationalizing could keep him away. He was drawn to her.

He could still see her green eyes snapping in anger at the lawyer two days ago. And how she held herself through the entire testimony. When Nick questioned her, he was close enough to see her beautiful complexion heighten with color.

He arrived at closing time, parked in the newly paved parking lot behind the clinic and went around the front. Jon Anderson sat behind the receptionist’s desk. A new guard was present, sitting across the room. Stephanie was on her honeymoon. And only one patient waited to see the doctor.

“Hello, Mr. Redmond.”

“Call me, Nick, Jon. I’ve come to see Dr. Shannon. But I’ll wait until she’s seen her last patient.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

It only took twenty minutes until Noreen came out to the reception area.

Her hair was up in a knot on her head and she wore green scrubs.

She headed toward him with a frown on her face.

“What are you doing here?” Up close now, he noted the lines of fatigue around her eyes. Her unique scent wafted over to him.

“I’d like to talk to you.” He lowered his voice and added, “I’d have called but I was afraid you wouldn’t answer or would hang up on me.”

“Hmm.”

Jon interrupted them. “Dr. Shannon. It’s six. I’ll lock the front door and then leave by the back.”

“I’ll be going too,” the security guard said.

“Sure, Jon, Tom. Thanks for all you did today.” That sounded almost friendly. The woman was usually remote.

Alice, the nurse, also bade her goodbye. “I stocked the shelves, Dr. Shannon and made sure everything is clean. I’ll be going now, too.”

When they were alone, Noreen gave him a disgruntled look. As if he was a bother. “Let’s go to the office. I have to turn lights out in here or people will think we’re still open.”

Soon they were seated in the office she shared with Pax. He sat adjacent to her and she pivoted in a swivel chair to face him. “So tell me what you want.”

“I wanted to see how you are.”

Her eyes narrowed. They were accented by her color of scrubs. “Is this about the deposition?”

“Yes.”

Now she shook her head, loosening the knot at the top. Impatient, she yanked out the tie. And there was that beautiful auburn mane drifting to her shoulders. “The opposing lawyer was a jerk. I disliked him right away.”

“He was trying to trick you in order to portray Pax in a bad light.”

She watched him.

“You weren’t tricked, Noreen.”

“No, I wasn’t. And for the record, the questions you asked me were fairly mild. You said at the wedding that you’d have to discredit me.”

“Only if the opposing lawyer got you to say negative things about Pax and the surgery. You handled the direct questioning so well, I didn’t have to do much.”

Her shoulders relaxed.

He leaned forward. “So there’s no reason to stay away from you now.”

She toed the chair back a few inches. “Of course there is. My whole deposition would come under question if we…saw each other.”

“Not if we’re careful.”

She stood. “It’s time for you to go. I’m ready to leave.”

“All right. I—”

“Goodnight, Nick.”

Reaching out, he cupped her cheek. It was an intimate gesture but she allowed it. “Nick—"

“I’m leaving.” Unhappy, he nonetheless walked out the rear door. Soon he came back inside. “There’s no other car in the lot.”

“Mine’s in the shop. I took an uber. I hate rentals.” She held up her phone. “I was just about to call for a ride.”

“Let me drive you home.”

“Boy, are you persistent.”

“It’s only a ride.” He arched a brow. “You’re not afraid to let me drive you home, are you?”

Shadows crossed her face.

“Noreen, I didn’t mean anything by that. You know I’d never hurt you.”

“Of course I know that. All right, going with you is probably the safest.”

What an odd comment that was. Still, he didn’t question it as she gathered her things. He held out her gray cashmere coat and when she stuck her arms through, he squeezed her shoulders then let go. After she buttoned up, they left the clinic together.

* * *

“Thanks for the lift.” She turned the key in the lock and the click resounded in the still night air. “Walking me to the porch wasn’t necessary.”

He said sardonically, “You’re welcome.”

She pushed open the door, then turned back to him. He stared down at her in the light of a lamp off to the left. The car had been filled with his scent. And it was here now, between them. Was he wondering the same thing she was? She hoped her feelings weren’t obvious on her face.

Gently, he grasped her shoulders. Drew her closer. “Is this okay?” he asked.

She waited. Then nodded.

He lowered his mouth to hers. Pressed. She pressed back. Her lips were firm and warm. He took her into his arms. Teased open her mouth. Kissed her deeply.

She wasn’t a spectator. He explored her mouth with his clever tongue and she explored his. The kisses heated. High, higher, highest.

Finally, he broke it, bent down and scooped her up. She had to grasp onto his shoulders. “What are you…”

He resumed the kiss even as he walked inside and kicked the door shut. He eased her against the wood and clumsily pushed her coat off her shoulders to the floor. Then he cupped her face again. “You seem skittish so I have to know if this is okay. I won’t go further if you don’t want to.”

The this didn’t need explanation. “I want to.” She heard the hoarseness in her own voice. She didn’t want to deny him. To deny herself.

He hiked her up again and her legs banded around him.

They kissed and kissed and repositioned themselves. His body was hard against hers. His scruff, built up over the day, scraped against her neck, exciting her.

She was a lot slighter than he realized. The lemon scent of her hair was faint, but there. Its softness stirred up more than he wanted to give her.

She went for the belt on his pants. It jangled as she undid it. His hands gripped her hips, then pushed her scrubs and her briefs to the floor. They both kicked away their clothes.

He hiked her back up and trailed his fingers down her body and opened her to see if she was ready. She was wet. Still, slowly, he pushed inside her, noticing the tightness and restraining himself so as not to hurt her.

“More,” she whispered into his ear. He was full and hard and wonderful. “Don’t hold back.”

He gave her more but was careful with her. He got harder with the movements. Soon they both spiraled with each thrust. She went over first. She called out his name. Saw colors and fireworks and brilliant light as pleasure consumed her.

He joined her in a cataclysmic eruption that nearly knocked him out.