Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 86710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
I was a fool to imagine that sleeping with Jace once would take care of the attraction I felt for him. If anything the first time we slept together added to the fuel. We towel each other off and return to my bedroom. It’s a new level of intimacy to dress and chat as if we’ve been together for years. After a cup of coffee, we leave my apartment with my weekend bag hanging from Jace’s shoulder.
At the clinic parking lot, Jace looks around, sees no one, and leans across the seat to kiss me. His hand snakes between my legs and cups my mound with his hand possessively. I inhale a sharp breath.
“You drive me crazy just by being you,” Jace says, pulling back to stare into my eyes.
“You do the same to me,” I tell him. I feel so much for him that it’s frightening. I thread my fingers through his silky soft hair and pull him back to me for a kiss that is long and leisurely. In the privacy of the car, Jace is all mine. When we get out, he becomes the CEO of The Anderson Clinic and is out of bounds.
“We really have to go,” Jace says and kisses my forehead.
It’s odd that just a few minutes ago, our lips were locked together in a passionate kiss and now he’s saying hello to passing staff and accepting respectful greetings back. I feel so special to know these two sides of Jace. The private one and the public one. We part ways at the elevator. I give him a wave and walk further on to the fertility wing. I walk with a confident gait knowing that I now have an official role.
“Good morning,” I tell Liz who is manning the reception.
“Hi,” she says. “What are you doing here on a Saturday morning?”
I tell her about my new role interviewing the patients who are willing to appear in the clinic brochure. Her eyes widen, as she shares my excitement.
“You must be really good at writing for them to give you that job,” she says.
Or you sleep with your boss, I add silently to myself. “Thanks. I hope I’ll do them justice.”
“We’ll all give you the help you need,” Liz says. “You’re timing is perfect. I’ll see whether Lillian over there wants to talk to you while she waits for her appointment.” Liz leaves her position behind the reception desk and walks over to the woman.
They converse for a minute or so, then Liz beckons me over.
“Olivia, this is Lillian Beacon. She’s a second-time patient of ours but I’ll let her tell you her story.”
Lillian and I shake hands then I sit down next to her on the couch. Liz excuses herself and winks at me.
“Thanks for agreeing to do this,” I tell her with the warmest smile I can muster.
“Of course,” she says enthusiastically. “It helps that I love to talk. My Jim says that I’ll still be talking when death comes for me.” She giggles and I laugh along with her.
Lillian and her husband had been trying for a baby for five years without success after which they decided to get themselves checked out. Turned out that her husband’s sperms were “slow swimmers” as Lillian put it and they opted to try for a baby with in vitro fertilization. It worked on the first try and now they have a three-year-old boy who asks for a sibling every day.
By the time she’s called for her appointment, we’ve covered most of her story. I have what I need for the first write-up. Excited by what I got, I say a hurried goodbye to Liz and some other nurses and head upstairs to my desk.
I lose track of time as I get Lillian’s story down. I only realize that I’m crying when tears spill onto my blouse.
“That must be quite a story.”
I jump, startled by the voice. I look up and relax at the sight of Jace leaning on the door frame watching me.
“It’s very emotional,” I tell him. “How long have you been standing there?”
“Enough time to admire you and to think what a lucky bastard I am,” he says and enters the room. He comes to me and kisses the top of my head. “Ready to leave?”
I nod and after sending the article to myself, I power down the computer and grab my purse. “Are you okay being seen leaving with me?” I ask him.
“Why would I not be?” Jace asks and I don’t make another comment.
I wish I were as carefree as he is. I look out the window as he drives. It doesn’t take long to figure out that we’re heading to the airport. “Where are we going?” I ask Jace as he pulls into short-term parking.
“It’s called a surprise. You are so impatient, Ms. James.”