DR. DEVASTATING Page 14

  Clutching his broad shoulders for support, Lee wiggled her legs free, first one and then the other. He took the jeans and tossed them away, over somewhere near the potbellied stove.

  And then he was taking her panties away, too. She stiffened her knees, or they surely would have buckled. Her blood sang in her ears as he parted her with his fingers, touching her where no man had ever touched her before. Desperately Lee grasped his shoulders, her body moving without any conscious command from her mind.

  And then, at last, his mouth was there, where his hand had been. His tongue found her, stroking all along the wet, secret heart of her. She felt the end coming, rolling up, like some underground spring, bursting to the surface and bubbling over, so she trembled and quivered and cried out her joy.

  As the waves of pleasure faded, her knees did give out. She collapsed across his shoulder. He chuckled. She lightly pounded his back with a weak fist. "You're laughing—and I may never walk again."

  He made a low, satisfied sound in his throat. And then, very carefully, he stood, with her over his shoulder.

  She looked down at the floor. "Uh. This is what is known as the caveman approach, right?"

  Cans rattled outside again. Derek swung toward the sound.

  Lee said to the beautifully formed small of his back, "Do not even think about it. Take me to your cave. Now."

  He grunted and carried her to the bedroom.

  There, he dropped her on the bed, switched on the lamp—a table lamp, but still with the obligatory leaping trout on the shade—and took off all of his own clothes.

  She watched as he did it, enjoying the sight, wishing with one tiny corner of her mind that she was one-fifth as gorgeous as he was.

  But Derek didn't seem to mind her lack of beauty. Maybe he'd seen so many lovely women naked that he was enjoying the variety of having someone really ordinary in his arms. He came down on the bed with her and he stroked and kissed her as if she were the most fabulous woman alive.

  He had condoms with him. When he produced them, she teasingly accused, "So. You were expecting someone this weekend, after all."

  He replied, "I was hoping that a woman with interesting underwear would just happen to show up." He grinned. "And she did." His eyes narrowed a little. "And I'll bet you brought protection along yourself."

  She nodded. She was a nurse, after all. As he was a doctor. They'd both seen firsthand what lack of care in sexual matters can mean. "Let's use yours first," she suggested.

  He willingly obliged, rolling the thing down over himself. And then he stopped. He looked at her tenderly. "I guess this will probably hurt a little, for you."

  She sighed. "Probably."

  He was careful, and gentle. And slow. Still, it did hurt. At first.

  But then, gradually, since he took so much time with her, she felt her muscles begin to relax. He started to move faster then, and she wrapped her legs around him and went with him.

  The hurt came back, he pushed into her so hard. He seemed to have forgotten gentleness, as his own pleasure took him. Lee moaned and held on, aware of so much at once, the feel of his powerful body crushing hers, the smell of his skin. His broad chest, which was covered with a light pelt of crisp golden hairs, pressed so tightly to her breasts.

  He cried out. And then went still.

  Overhead, the rain drummed. The warmth from the stove in the other room had reached every corner of the cabin by then. The bedroom was toasty warm. And Derek's skin was moist against her own.

  Slowly his breathing evened out. He nuzzled her neck, whispered, "Lee … sorry … got a little rough…"

  She cradled him closer, stroked his muscular back. It really did feel good, just to hold him.

  But then he rolled to the side and slipped out of her. She sighed at the loss of him. And then she felt his hand, the left one, high up on her thigh. She looked down and saw the blood smears there.

  "Sorry," he whispered again.

  And then he moved, scooting down, laying his head on her thighs over the red smears. She put her hand on his head, threading her fingers through the gold strands. He turned his head. Beard-stubble scraped her lightly as he kissed the red stains.

  He looked up at her. Their eyes met. And she thought for just a moment that none of this was real. Because surely this had to be the ultimate fantasy: Dr. Devastating kissing the evidence of her recent virginity from her thighs.

  He slid up her body again, and pulled her close. She sighed and snuggled against him. He idly stroked her hair.

  For a few beautifully contented minutes, they just lay there.

  And then she realized what he was doing. Listening. "Forget it," she commanded, "that raccoon is gone."

  "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, sounding about as innocent as it was possible for a scheming man to sound.

  She grumbled, "Right. You don't know. Humph."

  And then he jumped from the bed and strode to the bathroom—my goodness, his buttocks were truly incredible. A couple of decades of squatting with a barbell across his shoulders had certainly paid off.

  He returned minus the used condom and carrying a damp towel. Gently and tenderly, he wiped the stains from her thighs.

  "Better?" he asked when he was done.

  "You're not fooling me, Derek. I know you're just buttering me up so I'll go outside with you and reconnoiter the raccoon damage."

  He stared at her for a moment, clearly trying to decide whether to keep up the considerate lover routine or just give in and admit the truth. The truth won. He tossed the towel back across his shoulder and held out his hand. "You're right. I want to see what that diabolical marsupial got up to. So come on. Put your clothes on."

  "A raccoon is not a marsupial, Derek. That's an opossum you're thinking of, I'm sure."

  "Who gives a damn? Get dressed."

  Five minutes later, they stood out in the pouring rain again, by the side of the cabin. In the spill of light from the cabin window, they saw a pair of overturned garbage cans and a little trail of soggy trash leading off into the trees. The smell of spoiled fish was very strong.

  "See?" Derek said, sounding terribly self-righteous. "It made off with my rotten fish." He turned accusing eyes on Lee. "If you hadn't distracted me—"

  She put up a hand. "Gotcha. Next time, no lovemaking."

  He reached for her then, pulled her close and rubbed his beard against her cheek. "Never say no to lovemaking because of a raccoon." She squealed and pretended to beat on his chest. "Never say no to lovemaking because of a raccoon," he growled again.

  "Okay, okay. I will never say no to lovemaking because of a raccoon. I solemnly swear I will not."

  "Good." He released her and grinned. "You're soaking wet, just like you were a couple of hours ago."

  "So are you." She let out a resigned little sigh. "And I guess we might as well pick up the trash before we go in and get dry. If we don't, more animals will get into it and drag it all over the place."

  Together, they slogged through the mud, picking up the rained-on trash. Then Derek trooped over to the Suburban and came back with a fistful of bungee cords. "This'll fix 'im," he muttered, as he hooked the bungee cords together, securing the lids tightly to the cans.

  "Derek, I think you're going a little overboard about this."

  "Next time, I swear I'm bringing my rifle."

  "Can we go inside now?"

  He linked the last bungee cord to the network of them he'd already hooked together. Then he looked up. "You need to dry off."

  "Thank you for noticing."

  His eyes had started gleaming. "I'm going to dry you off."

  "This could be interesting."

  "It will be. Wait and see."

  That time, they didn't need towels. They stripped off their wet clothes and got into bed. They were both dry within minutes.

  And covered with sweat a few minutes after that.

  Derek asked her to tell him her fantasies.

  She tried to pretend she did
n't know what he was talking about. But she couldn't keep up the fiction for long. He could be very persuasive when he had his hands on her.

  She ended up describing the one she liked to call the Maid and the Master.

  "I have on a black dress," she said—and had to pause to let out a moan. "Derek, if you're going to keep doing that with your hand, I'm afraid I can't—oh!" She moaned again.

  He said, "Go on. A black dress…"

  "But, Derek—"

  "A black dress."

  "All right. Umm. Yes. It's a maid's dress. High neck, long sleeves. A white frilly apron. I'm dusting the Ming vases in the library."

  "The Ming vases?"

  "Yes. They're … oh! Very rare. I'm using a feather duster. It's an extremely delicate job."

  "I'd imagine."

  "Oh, Derek…"

  "Go on. You're dusting the Ming vases."

  "And, um, you come in through the carved mahogany doors. Big doors. Double doors. But I don't hear you. You enter so quietly. Your shoes are of the finest, softest leather and you move like a cat. Carefully, so that I don't hear, you shut the doors."

  "And then what?"

  "You come up behind me."

  "Behind you." Very gently, he guided her over onto her stomach.

  Lee hitched in a gasp. "You pull up my dress."

  "Just like that, I pull up your dress?"

  "You're the master. That's what the master does."

  "Hmm…" His hand strayed slowly, over the curve of her bottom. She gasped some more. He commanded, "Keep going."

  "Oh, my!"

  "I pull up your dress…"

  "I'm … not wearing underwear."

  "You? With no underwear? What a disappointment."

  "You've ordered me not to wear underwear. In the past."

  "I get it. I'm a guy who makes my desires known."

  "Yes. Oh. You are."

  His hand was driving her crazy. "Keep talking," he whispered.

  "I can't … think. I can't … um…"

  He pulled away for a moment. She knew why but didn't turn to look. She heard him tear the foil pouch, felt the movement of the bed as he slid the condom on.

  He said, "Lee?"

  "Um?"

  "Go on, Lee. I come up behind you…"

  "Oh. Yes. You … come up behind me. And you lift up my black dress and I drop the feather duster with a small, surprised cry. It rolls away across the parquet floor. You say, 'You should be more careful, Marielle.'"

  "Marielle?"

  "That's my name, in this fantasy. Marielle."

  "Okay. Marielle. What happens next?"

  "I bend over."

  "You bend over."

  "I…" Right then, he slid into her. Lee cried out, "Oh!"

  "Like this?"

  "Uh-huh…"

  "Marielle?"

  "Yes? Oh!"

  "Like this?"

  "Oh, Master."

  "Answer me, Marielle."

  "Oh, yes. Oh, my. Exactly like that…"

  * * *

  Chapter Fifteen

  « ^ »

  They spent most of that weekend in bed. They did, however, get up to go fishing at dawn and at dusk. And to eat now and then. And to check out a disturbance that occurred in the basement on Sunday morning.

  It was the raccoon, or so Derek insisted, though by the time they got down there, whatever had created the racket had disappeared. There remained only a few cans of vegetables on the concrete slab at the foot of the stairs. They watched as one, caught in the flashlight's beam, slowly rolled off the slab and onto the dirt floor.

  Derek made Lee hold the flashlight for him so he could change the burnt-out ceiling bulb. "Next time, I'll catch that damn critter," he muttered, as the two of them stacked the cans back on the shelves.

  Then he took the flashlight and went around the perimeter of the basement floor, looking for what he called the "point of entry." He didn't find it.

  "Maybe you ought to tell Dr. MacAllister about this," Lee suggested. "After all, it is his cabin."

  Derek shot her a dark look and muttered, "This is between that raccoon and me."

  They returned to Honeygrove in the late afternoon, in their separate cars.

  Derek called her about five minutes after she walked in her door. "I've never seen your place, do you know that?"

  She felt a warm glow all through herself. An hour away from her, and he already wanted to be back at her side. "Are you angling for an invitation?"

  "No, I'm not angling. I'm asking straight-out. Let me come over."

  He spent the night at her place and left early enough the next morning that he could go home to shower and change.

  That day, at work, everything went just fine. They stuck to their roles of doctor and nurse. They kept things strictly professional. Or they tried to.

  But still, Lee had to admit, there was something in the air between them. A certain extra warmth. An electricity, a feeling of promise that hadn't been there before.

  Terry even remarked on it, when she caught Lee briefly in the copy room. "Something's going on between you and Dr. Devastating."

  "What makes you think that?"

  "Oh, come on. Another woman can see it. I'm green with envy. I mean, you're not even blond." Terry laughed. Lee could see the rest of what she was thinking in her eyes. And you're certainly no great beauty, now are you? She went on, "What is it with you and your friends, anyway? Three true hunks in this hospital, and you guys get them all."

  Luckily Paul came in then and Lee was spared having to come up with a suitable reply. Lee told herself not to let Terry's comments bother her. She honestly did feel confident that neither she nor Derek would let their affair interfere with their work.

  Derek was still doing rounds when Lee left for home. They'd made no arrangements to spend the evening together. And Lee told herself that was fine. They were having an affair, after all. It wouldn't last forever and they didn't have to spend every moment side by side.

  She stopped in to see Lenora and Maria. Lenora seemed different. Not happy, exactly. But more at peace, more self-possessed than Lee had ever seen her. Otto would be locked up for a while, and Lenora said she felt safe for the first time in years because of it. Whatever happened when he came up for trial, it looked certain that he'd be required to get counseling before he could go free. Lenora hoped that would help him.

  In any case, she was determined to get on with her life.

  Maria begged for a story before Lee left. She went and got the Dr. Seuss book and her friend named Gary. Lee read them two stories and then said she had to go.

  Lee drove home feeling good—at first. But then gradually, she realized that she felt a little sad. A little let down.

  Because Derek hadn't called.

  She wanted to pick up the phone and call him herself. But she hesitated. Maybe he wanted a little time alone. She could understand that. She would leave him alone.

  She called Dana, mostly as a distraction, to keep herself from calling Derek. But then, of course, Dana wanted to hear all about the weekend. And Lee told her everything—well, not quite everything. But enough that Dana ended up announcing, "You're long gone in love, I can tell it."

  "No, I'm not," Lee replied automatically, and wondered why she sounded so totally unconvincing.

  "You are."

  "I told you. We're having an affair."

  "Sure, you are. And you're also in love. And I expect to be hearing wedding bells—in harmony with mine and Katie's."

  "Dana. Stop it."

  "You know I'm right."

  At that moment—thank heaven—the line clicked. "Dana, gotta go. I have another call." She punched the flash button. "Hello?"

  "How about a Meat Lover's Supreme?"

  She felt so happy to hear his voice, she immediately forgot the question.

  "Pizza," he prompted. "Meat Lover's Supreme?"

  "Uh … sure."

  "Deep dish or regular?"

  "Deep dish."

>   "You have any beer?"

  "I do."

  "Be there in half an hour."

  "You're on."

  They sat on her couch and shared the pizza and drank their beer straight out of the can as they watched a TV movie starring Valerie Bertinelli. The movie was almost over and they had progressed to necking as if they were a couple of teenagers when the phone interrupted them.

  Lee would have let her machine get it, but Derek simply was not the kind of man who could bear to let a phone go unanswered. He pulled away regretfully, picked up her remote phone from beside the pizza box and handed it to her. "Lee. It's Mom."

  "Hi, Mom," Lee said cautiously, wondering why she already felt depressed when all Ina Murphy had said so far was hello.

  Derek, on the other hand, looked alert and interested. Too interested.

  "How have you been, honey?"

  "Fine, Mom. Just fine."

  "I don't want to bother you, but I thought I should, you know, give you a call. See how you're doing."

  "Well, I'm doing great. How about you?"

  A deep sigh. "Just tired all the time, you know? My back has really been acting up lately. And those migraines I get, well, I hope you never have to suffer with migraines. Some people just aren't as healthy as others. You know what I mean."

  Lee knew. Too well. All her life she'd heard it; some people aren't healthy. Some people aren't lucky. Or good-looking. Or successful. Some people—like the Murphys—just have no luck.

  "Well," Lee said, resolutely cheerful, "I hope you're feeling better soon."

  "We both know I won't be."

  Derek was watching, still showing an excess of interest.

  "Mom, can I call you tomorrow?"

  "You're busy. I knew it. I shouldn't have—"

  "Mom, it's all right. I have … company, that's all."

  "Company. Oh. Well, isn't that nice?" She sounded sad and very lonely. Lee felt terribly guilty. "I'll call you tomorrow. I promise."

  "That will be fine, hon. I'll talk to you then. Goodbye." The line went dead.

  Derek said, "Your mom, huh?"

  Lee pushed the Off button and set the phone down. "Yes. That was my mom."

  "Great. When do I get to meet her?"

  "Meet her?" Lee gaped at him. Dr. Devastating wanted to meet her mother.