Masquerade (8 page)

Sophie stifled a yawn. The stresses of the day and evening were taking their toll and her morning shift would come around too soon.

“Do you want to share a cab?” Alex’s words were softly spoken.

“Isn’t it out of your way?”

Her breath caught and her heart skipped a beat as Alex reached out and pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. He let his fingers rest gently on her cheek.

“My car’s at your building.”

Embarrassment flooded her and she shifted back slightly, breaking the contact.

“Of course, I’d forgotten all about how you got to my place. I’ll call.”

Humor laced his voice as he spoke. “I don’t think we need to call. I’m sure one is bound to be pulling up shortly with someone who’s injured themselves at a bar or sports club.”

She laughed. His words were true. Some days there seemed to be an endless parade of cabs. More than you would see at an airport.

She stood and stretched. When she straightened, time stopped as she became aware of Alex’s look. Desire burned in the dark depths of his eyes and she was transported back to their one night. The hairs on her arm stood to attention. She wanted to walk into his arms, have their strength surround and comfort and soothe her.

Someone had to break the spell but she didn’t know whether she had the power to do it. She took a deep breath and turned toward the door.

“Umm it’s getting late, we should, ahh, get going.”

• • •

Words deserted Alex right at that moment. What he wanted to do was trap her against the office door and ravish her.

Once again, Sophie had surprised him with her excellent skills and unflappable demeanor. She’d handled the maître dꞌ as well as calmed Josh and Tim. She was a first-class nurse. Part of him wanted to get to know more about her on a personal and professional level.

He escorted her through the amazingly quiet emergency department; maybe a cab wouldn’t be so easy to get after all.

“It’s so quiet,” he murmured.

Sophie laughed and the sound was melodic like a spoon hitting the finest of crystal glasses.

“Don’t be fooled, generally it’s the calm before the storm. You think you’re going to have an easy night, then bam, five casualties come crashing through the doors.”

They walked through the doors she’d just mentioned and heard the distant wail of a siren.

He had to laugh at her I-told-you-so expression. He put a hand up in surrender. “I will never doubt your word again.”

Luck was on their side when a cab pulled up, depositing a man holding a blood stained towel to his nose.

Bar fight, Alex surmised. He caught the whiff of stale alcohol as the man walked past and into the ED. He turned to see Sophie turn up her nose in distaste.

“Do you want to go in this cab?” he asked.

She nodded her head tiredly. “I’m so beat. I’ll just wind down the window.” She then glanced down at her dress and saw the blood smeared down the front. “It’s not like I can really talk, either.”

Alex looked at his clothes and saw his were in a similar condition. With a wry grin, he held the door open for her. He gave the cab driver the address for Sophie’s building and sank back into the seat. Exhaustion fed his muscles and he could see fatigue had claimed Sophie. He slid over until he sat in the center seat. He slung his arm around her shoulders and gave a gentle push so she fell against his shoulder.

He closed his eyes and savored the moment. He never thought he would be able to hold Sophie in his arms again. After their night together, he’d consigned the yearnings of trying to find her to the depths of his soul.

He had to remember the vow he’d made to himself after his marriage collapsed. A relationship would never work with the hours he committed to his job.

But Sophie is a nurse. She’d understand.

He tried to ignore the little voice, but the words were true. If anyone could understand the hours of a doctor, it was a nurse. Eventually, though, she’d probably get tired of him being called out at all hours. What if something happened to Sophie and he wasn’t there? It had happened once before, it could happen again.

The cab stopping roused him from his thoughts. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, being careful not to disturb Sophie. But it was clear her years as a nurse made her a light sleeper — his slight movement had her scrambling to sit up straight and reaching for the door handle.

“Oh, Alex, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep and lie all over you.”

He followed her out and shut the door. “It’s fine. You looked uncomfortable so I tried to make it a little better for you. Believe me when I say it was no hardship.”

Color flooded her cheeks and he had to stop himself from chuckling softly. He found her blushes extremely attractive.

They stood for countless seconds just looking at each other. Thoughts flitted across her mind and he wondered what she was thinking so seriously about. He saw the moment she made her decision.

“Do you want to come up for a coffee?”

For a brief second, Sophie wanted to snatch the words back, but she then realized she did want Alex to come up to her apartment. Although it was late and she had an early start, deep down she wanted the night to continue.

“Sounds like the perfect way to end the evening.”

Happiness warred with apprehension as she made her way to the complex door. She was glad Alex had accepted her invitation, but would he expect more than just coffee? Especially after their last encounter?

She keyed in the afterhours password. The foyer lights were muted and Cliff’s desk was unattended.

“Security is really tight in this building,” commented Alex, as they waited for the elevator.

“Yes, it’s one of the reasons I chose to live here. Another one was the close proximity to the city and the hospital.”

“You mean you didn’t choose it for the view?” His words were teasing and she appreciated his humor.

“Well,” she laughed and gave a slight shrug of her shoulders, “I can’t lie — the view was a factor, too.”

The elevator arrived and she stepped in and pressed the button for her floor. She was conscious of the close confines of the small area. The last time she had traveled in an elevator with Alex had been the night they’d met. The tension surrounding them that night was completely different to the one surrounding them now.

“I’ve no expectations tonight, Sophie.”

Sophie was saved from having to make a reply as the doors opened on her floor. She quickly stepped out and made her way to her apartment. He was always so in tune with what she was thinking. Were her feelings written all over her face? Or had their night together created a connection between them that couldn’t be broken? But if that were true, why couldn’t she feel or see what Alex was thinking? Perhaps it was better that she didn’t. She had to try to sever their connection, otherwise working with him would be even harder than she thought it would be.

She held the door open for him and he indicated for her to precede him into the room. She turned the lights on, but dimmed them so they created a soft glow. The full moon created a ghostly pattern on the river and was shining in through her window.

“How would you like your coffee?” she asked as she made her way into the kitchen to turn her automatic coffee machine on. “I can give you an espresso, cappuccino, latte, or flat white.”

She tried to control the shivers coursing through her as he came up to stand behind her. Even after all they’d been through that evening, his aftershave wafted over her.

He whistled softly. “That’s an impressive machine. You must like your coffee.”

Sophie placed a glass underneath the nozzle as the self-clean process started. “A housewarming gift from my father. He’s the coffee aficionado and expects everyone to have his tastes.”

The machine finished its self-clean and she reached up to the cupboard above and pulled down two mugs. “Although I will admit I do enjoy the perks of the machine. It does make a mean latte.”

“Well, in that case, I’ll have one, too, but can I grab an extra shot with it?”

Sophie quirked her eyebrow and asked, “Planning on not sleeping tonight?”

She wanted the earth to open up and swallow her. If that wasn’t a suggestive comment, she didn’t know what was.

“Caffeine has never been a problem for me,” he replied blandly. “What about you, though? If you’re planning on having a coffee will you be able to sleep?”

That was the sixty-four thousand dollar question. Like Alex, she could have a coffee late and it wouldn’t hamper her sleeping habits. What could be a problem tonight, though, was the man standing in front of her. She’d managed to banish the dreams she’d experienced after their one night. But now, she had a feeling that the dream would be front and center again tonight. She wouldn’t let Alex know he could be the cause of a sleepless night. She gave him a bland look.

“Guess we’re the lucky ones. Caffeine has never been a problem for me, either.” She wanted to get out of the minefield their conversation was heading into. “Why don’t you go into the living room, I’ll bring in the coffees.”

Sophie breathed a sigh of relief as he took her up on her suggestion. As the coffees were being made, she gave herself a lecture on engaging brain before mouth. If she did that, she might say intelligent, not suggestive, things.

Sophie carried the mugs through to the living room and found Alex standing at her sliding door, admiring the city view.

She placed the coffees on the center table and picked up the keys she’d tossed down when they’d walked in. She walked over and unlocked the doors.

“It’s a nice night. We should sit out here.” She was hoping to make the invitation sound casual. She stood to the side as he made his way out.

Sophie went back in and collected the coffees. When she walked out again, Alex was leaning against the rail, looking at the view, but not really taking it in.

She placed the mugs on the small table and went to stand next to him.

“I find after a really tough day there’s nothing more magical than soaking in the view and remembering I’m a small fish in a huge pond.”

She’d given a little bit of herself away with those words, but this time she didn’t mind. If they were going to work together they had to feel comfortable around each other. It sounded good in theory — whether it was possible in practice, only time would tell.

Sophie went back and picked up the mugs, handing Alex’s over to him. She took a sip, letting the scalding liquid slide down her throat.

“We never did discuss how we were going to handle our work situation,” she mused.

Silence stretched between them and Sophie wondered if she was going to have to repeat what she’d said.

“It’s all I’ve been thinking about most of the evening,” he eventually replied.

Sophie watched as, with lithe movements, Alex replaced his cup on the table and came back to stand in front of her. He reached for her cup, taking it and placing it next to his. She wanted to take it back. She needed the security of holding the mug in her hand. It stopped the temptation to reach up and run her fingers across his broad shoulders.

“I think we could make this work, Sophie.” She held herself still as he reached out and ran a finger down her cheek. All she wanted to do was turn her face into his warm hand.

“Make — ” her voice squeaked out. She cleared her throat and started again. “Make what work?”

“A personal relationship between us.”

To prove his point he closed the gap between them and placed his lips on hers. No other parts of their bodies touched, just their lips. His heat consumed and warmed her. She clenched her hands to stop from reaching out and sinking her fingers into his hair.

Standing on a balcony underneath a full moon with a stunning city view as a backdrop was what romance was made of, and his lips were decadent.

They were soft and firm and she couldn’t fight it any longer. Sophie opened up beneath his touch. She needed to feel more. She gave into her earlier desire and wrapped her arms around his neck and let her fingers fulfill their wish. He gathered her close and she moaned in appreciation of the hard male body pressing against hers.

It would be so easy to give in to the chemistry between them. So easy to push aside her doubts, so easy to shout the word
yes
. But the fallout if anything should go wrong between them would not be so easy to deal with. One of them would have to leave the hospital. She’d didn’t want to be the person who had to move. She loved working with her colleagues. She’d been there since she’d graduated from college. She’d achieved her goal of becoming NUM. Getting involved with Alex couldn’t possibly work. No matter how attracted she was to him. No matter how much she wanted to take him by the hand and drag him into her room.

Sanity and common sense barged its way through her sensuous thoughts.

She pushed against his powerful chest and tore her mouth away. “No, Alex. No. I can’t do this again.”

His words sounded tortured, as if ripped from his throat. “Can’t do what again, Sophie?”

“This,” she waved her hand between them. “Us. I can’t do us. I can’t do another one night with you. I just can’t.”

She turned her back on him and gripped the railing. She sensed him wanting to reach out and grab her. “Don’t, please don’t.”

“Sophie, it wouldn’t be for one night, it would be for more. Can’t you at least try?”

She whirled around and faced him, anger at the world, at him, at the situation they found themselves in starting to build. “And if I try, what happens to me when it all ends? I’m the one who can be easily replaced. I’m the one who, as I said in our office earlier, has so much more to lose.”

She had to move away from him; being in close proximity to him wasn’t helping the situation. She made her way back into her living room, sensing him following her. Maybe she was more in tune with him than she’d thought. But she had to fight it. She kept walking until she reached her front door. Only then did she face him again.

“Look, Alex, I’ll have a relationship with you, but it will be a professional one. I’ve come too far in my career to jeopardize it by having a relationship with the director of emergency.” She paused momentarily before continuing. “I broke my engagement with a work colleague not long ago. Part of the fallout from that was dealing with the gossip around the hospital. I’m not going through that again. I’m not ready for a personal relationship with anyone. Can you respect that?”