Prescription for Desire (8 page)

“
And I agree. You’re only
going to be here for a little bit. I would hate for us to start
something and you leave, then I never see you again,” he said
sincerely.

“
I agree as well. I’m not a
fling type of woman.”

He nodded understandably. “No, of
course not … because if you were, we wouldn’t be having this
conversation.” He leaned in toward her and raised the side of his
mouth into a cocky, yet serious smirk. “I’d have you laid out
across this desk.”

Her breath caught in her throat at his
seductive tone and she stood, grabbing her tablet and walking
around the desk with lead legs. The visual she’d imagined sent
ripples of heat rushing through her veins, and if she didn’t get
out of that small office and away from him soon, she would
definitely let him lay her across the desk to let him do whatever
he wanted.

“
Well … I’m glad we’re on
the same page,” she said, extending her hand to shake his. Instead,
he stood and pulled her to him. She gasped, but didn’t struggle
against him. She was perfectly comfortable in his warm embrace. If
he kissed her, she knew in her heart she wouldn’t mind at all and
definitely wouldn’t stop him.

His gray eyes appeared darker as he
stared down at her hard and dangerously. A shiver of anticipation
ran from her head to her toenails, and her heartbeat sped up. He
lowered his head, and his lips were just a mere half an inch from
hers.

“
Just to be clear, I’m not
on the same page, but sometimes you have to do the right thing even
when you don’t want to. I respect your wishes, that’s
all.”

Armand kissed her lightly, lingering
his lips on her trembling ones. He inhaled and let go of her as
quickly as he’d pulled her to him. Clearing his throat, he stepped
toward the door.

“
Good night,
Raven.”

After he left, she slumped into the
chair he’d just occupied, deciding to wait a few minutes before
leaving. She definitely didn’t want to be in the elevator with him,
for she’d have the urge to hit the emergency shut off and seduce
him.

Now she was in a state of
confusion. Something about never kissing Armand or being in his
arms again made her a little sad.
Perfect.
I find the one guy I could actually give myself to, but can’t
because I’ll only be here for a short time.

She stood and headed toward the door
with a sarcastic chuckle as she realized she was ready to start
dating again. While that would be great when she finally returned
to the States, it was too bad it wouldn’t be Armand.

*****

“
Are you okay, Catalina?”
Raven asked her sixteen-year-old patient who had just experienced
her first pap smear. As the girl squeezed her eyes shut, her mother
patted her daughter’s hand. Raven took her gloves off. “You can sit
up. I’m all done.”

Catalina opened her eyes and looked at
Raven, who was washing her hands.

“
Oh. Thank goodness.” The
girl sat up, took her legs out of the stirrups, and pulled the exam
gown down.

Raven dried off her hands and leaned
against the counter. “See, that wasn’t too bad,” she said with a
reassuring smile. “The results should take about a week. I’ll send
a card if its normal, but I’ll call you if it’s abnormal. Do either
of you have any questions or concerns?”

“
No, Dr. Arrington. You
answered all of my questions earlier,” the mother
replied.

“
Great. I’m going to let
you get dressed. Make sure to stop by the reception area to check
out.” She shook both of their hands. “It was a pleasure meeting
you.”

Raven opened the door, and collided
into a white-coated chest. Her hands rested on pure hardness that
radiated strength and power from him. Strength and power that she
could only imagine handling her exactly how she wanted in the
bedroom or wherever. He seemed the type of man that could get busy
whenever or wherever need be, considering he’d mentioned laying her
out on the desk in her office. She hadn’t been able to sleep for
the past two nights with that comment lodged in her
brain.

“
Excuse me, Dr. Phillips.”
Her hands balled into fists when she realized they were still
pressed against him. She immediately jerked them away, placing them
in the pockets of her white coat.

“
Sorry,” he said as his
eyes roamed over her before they settled on her face with a knowing
gleam. “Um … I was just going into the supply room.” He took out
his keys and stepped toward the door across the hall from her exam
room.

“
While you’re in there, can
you get me a box of hand sanitizer? I’m almost out.” She turned to
walk down the hall, but he gently grabbed her hand and pulled her
into the room with him.

“
What?” she whispered as
Armand closed the door.

He grinned. “Why are you whispering?
There’s no rule against us being in the supply room. You need hand
sanitizer, don’t you?”

Heat rushed over her face. A part of
her was glad that was the only reason he pulled her into the room,
but another part of her actually thought he was going to extinguish
the fire that blazed in her when she ran into him. Correction. That
had blazed in her since their tryst in his apartment.

“
Yes … I just …” She raked
her hair behind her ears. “I just thought you could grab them for
me, Dr. Phillips.” She tried to concentrate on the task of
breathing, but she wasn’t having any luck.

The side of his mouth etched into a
grin. “You have a patient waiting?”

He stepped closer, and she moved back
with a gulp, finding herself against a shelf.

“
No.”

He reached his hand out, and she
sucked in her breath. She thought he was about to caress her face,
but instead his arm passed her and slid something down from the
shelf above her. Backing out of her personal space, he handed her a
box.

“
Do you need more than one?
There’re four containers in here.”

She glanced at the box of hand
sanitizer in her hands and realized how paranoid she’d been.
Apparently he was keeping his promise of not mixing business with
pleasure. Deep down, she wanted to forget they’d agreed to
it.

“
No.” Relief swept over
her, and her breathing relaxed. “This should be plenty.”

“
Anything else you need
while we’re here?”

Was that a trick
question?

“
I’ll look around,” Raven
said, setting the box on a swivel chair, feeling much better and
comfortable. She laughed at the thought of them actually making out
in the supply room. She didn’t even know why that notion had
crossed her mind in the first place. Oh wait, it was because the
night in his apartment hadn’t left her mind, or that sensitive spot
that made her a woman.

She took a few moments to browse the
shelves and rack her brain for any other supplies her three
examination rooms were almost out of. They were usually well
stocked, thanks to the medical assistants, but she had a habit of
overusing sanitizer. She glanced at Armand, who stood by the door,
and she grabbed a box of gloves.

“
Am I keeping you from
something?” she asked, wondering why he was just standing there
watching her and not gathering whatever it was he
needed.

“
Nope.” Armand shrugged
nonchalantly with his hands in his pockets. “I have a conference
call with the board in an hour, so I’m good. Take your
time.”

She glanced around the small room
again before her eyes settled back on his handsome face. “I believe
I have everything I need. I’ll just leave so you can get whatever
it is you want,” she said, turning toward the swivel chair to
retrieve the box.

“
Then you can’t leave,” he
whispered.

Raven stopped in her tracks at his
words. Her breathe halted in her throat, and her pulse raced as she
waited with baited breath for his next move.

Armand’s hands reached under her coat
and pulled her by the waist to his body. Juicy, thick lips hit the
back of her neck and she exhaled a moan of relief. The warmth of
his mouth on her skin sent tingles racing through her. The box of
gloves dropped to her feet, and she clasped her hands in his to
hold on, for she feared she’d fall over just from the passionate
way his tongue ravished her neck uncontrollably.

“
How did you know I wanted
you to touch me? Kiss me?” Her breathing became unraveled
again.

“
You told me,” he answered
gruffly. His hands roamed over her breasts while his mouth
continued to press kisses all over her bare neck, reaching around
to her collarbone.

“
I never … said … a word.”
She could barely stand up straight; heat ran through her body,
lingering between her legs.

“
Remind me to have a mirror
the next time you’re in my presence. Your face told me everything I
needed to know. Oh, yeah, and your breathing was somewhat
staggered. Either you wanted me to touch you, or you’re having a
heart attack.”

“
What if someone comes in?”
she whispered as his lips moved to her jawline. She turned her body
to imprison his lips, winding her tongue with his in a fast
rumba.

“
Then we’re
caught.”

Normally a statement like that
would’ve had Raven pushing him away and sprinting out of the room
without her supplies. However, all logic and sensibility had
escaped her the moment she met him. For some reason the thought of
getting caught turned her on, and she kissed him more intensely,
meeting and matching his powerful kisses.

Raven was on a high she couldn’t
explain. The wild and crazy kisses were foreign to her, to say the
least. While she wasn’t a prudish, buttoned up, kind of a woman,
she wasn’t the type to get hot and heavy in the supply closet with
the chief of staff who was younger than her. However, he’d
unleashed a sexual side that she never knew existed. All of her
inhibitions no longer mattered, and she could just be free with her
emotions and feelings. She felt empowered, and more feminine than
ever.

“
You’re so damn beautiful,
Raven,” he said as his mouth traveled down her neck and back to her
waiting lips. He caressed her breasts through her blouse as the
other hand moved down to the belt of her slacks and unhooked the
clasp. He locked eyes with her as his hand lingered on the button
of her pants. She kissed him softly as she unbuttoned her pants and
slid the zipper down. Backing them up against the wall, she placed
his hand inside of her panties.

His finger twirled around her clit as
heat pooled in her center. Breathing escaped her and she began to
pant against him. She clutched his shoulders when his finger parted
her lips, running up and down against the slickness that he’d
created.

“
Shhh …” Armand whispered
against her lips as she let out moans, which were becoming louder
each time. She couldn’t help it. She was falling into an abyss of
erotic pleasure that stemmed from just his finger. The thought of
anything more sent a cold chill through her as she shuddered in his
arms.

Armand’s eyes grew wide, and he gently
removed his hand from her panties.

“
Wh—” she started, but he
silenced her with a finger to her mouth. He jerked his head toward
the door and mouthed for her to button her pants.

There were voices just outside and the
rumble of keys. Armand picked up the box of gloves off of the
floor, grabbed another box of hand sanitizer and a pack of copy
paper. Once Raven was buttoned back up and no longer flustered—at
least not on the outside—he opened the door, but not before giving
her a reassuring smile.

“
Do you need anything else,
Dr. Arrington?” he asked, looking back at her as she carried the
one box of sanitizer.

“
No. Thank you so much for
helping me,” she answered, walking out into the hallway where Dr.
Watkins and Kay were. “I would’ve had to make two trips.” She
glanced at the key Dr. Watkins had in his hand, pointed toward the
supply room, and she just barely contained her nervous
laughter.

“
No problem. I’ll just
place them in your exam room,” Armand stated, opening the ajar door
to the room and disappearing in it.

“
Kay, you’re just the
person I need to see,” Raven lied as she nodded to Dr. Watkins to
acknowledge his presence. “I wanted to know if you could go into
town with me to get some items for the princess party at the
orphanage this weekend.” Maria had called earlier to ask if she and
Kay were available to assist.

“
Sure. I can go tomorrow
evening.”

“
Perfect,” Raven said just
as Armand came out of the exam room. He took the box from her, but
handed her the pack of copy paper she didn’t even need. “Thank you.
Now I can print that report for you.”

“
Cool. I’ll swing by your
office before my conference call.”

Ten minutes later, Armand entered
Raven’s office. “That was close,” he declared, sitting in one of
the chairs across from her desk.

“
I’ll say. We should
probably stick to our agreement,” she said seriously.

He nodded his head. “Yeah … you’re
right.”