Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
I’m giddy as I pull into the staff lot ten minutes early for my scheduled shift at the hospital.
Yesterday was a fairytale. Our Christmas adventure was the perfect first date, and ending the night with the sparkling displays of lights in Escondido was everything I didn’t know I needed.
Unfortunately, we said goodbye when he brought me home—he had to be up early to be at the hospital—but the kiss he left me with…
I fear my toes are permanently curled.
By now, Lincoln’s likely on his first break of the day, and I can’t help but wonder if I’ll catch a glimpse of him before I check in for my rotations.
I can’t believe that in less than forty-eight hours I’ve turned into a lust-sick puppy, clinging onto his every word and craving his presence like it’s the air I breathe.
I guess this is what they call the honeymoon phase—the beginning of a blooming relationship, shiny and new.
Except Lincoln and I haven’t had the relationship talk, yet.
In fact, there’s been no mention of whether this thing between us is casual and fun, or if it has the potential to grow into more.
He openly told me one of the reasons for him avoiding me was because he was afraid if we didn’t work out, it would affect Miller and Zee’s relationship, and while I completely understand his hesitation, I hope he won’t let it continue to drive his choices.
He and I could develop into something beautiful, but it takes two people to want to share a relationship, and if he doesn’t…well, that’s a reality I’ll have to accept.
Stepping off the elevator, I head to the nurses’ station to check in and grab my rotation schedule for the day. The desk is quiet, but as I flip through a patient's chart, the air shifts—electrifies—as the sound of footsteps approaches.
Glancing over my shoulder, I bite my lip when I see Lincoln sauntering up behind me in his white doctor’s coat and blue scrubs, looking cool as a cucumber with his hands in his pockets.
“Good morning, Nurse Nikolaou.” He looks up and down the hall before wrapping his arms around my waist, pulling me flush against him. “You’ve been on my mind.” His lips trail soft kisses down my neck.
My breathing hitches, and I rest my hand over his, leaning my head against his shoulder. “I could say the same.”
“Spend the night tonight.” It’s not a question—it’s a command. Just the thought of spending another night in his bed spikes my pulse.
But I can’t leave Pebbles again.
From down the hall, the elevator pings. Instinctively, we pull apart quickly, not wanting to get caught.
I round the desk, sinking into the chair, while Lincoln leans against the counter casually, pretending to read the file I abandoned.
“Doctor Stokes, have you checked in on the patient in room 602?” My eyes snap to his, voice lowering. “Come to mine instead. You can meet Pebbles.”
Nurse Edwin comes into view, smiling from ear to ear as she approaches the desk. “Good morning, Doctor Stokes! Nurse Nikolaou!”
“Good morning,” I greet just as cheerfully, forcing myself to focus on her, not Lincoln.
She busies herself with another stack of patient files, and Lincoln clears his throat. “I’ll check on that patient, Nurse Nikolaou. Thank you. I look forward to meeting her later.”
Pushing off the counter, he straightens his coat and winks at me before disappearing down the hall.
“Doctor Stokes is in a good mood today,” Nurse Edwin muses, not missing a beat.
I fight the smile tugging at my lips and reach for the tablet I’ll be using during my rounds today. Shaking off all thoughts of Lincoln, I wish Nurse Edwin a lovely day and head down the hall to my first patient's room.
The rest of the morning is normal—productive, even, but everywhere I go, Lincoln is there. Passing me in the hallway, standing too close as we share an elevator. The only time he’s not around is when I’m with a patient or hiding in the nurses’ locker room.
Yes, I’m hiding from him.
I have to—the amount of times I’ve wanted to fling myself onto him and kiss him senseless is embarrassing at this point.
When I finally have time to sit and take my lunch, I grab it from my locker and head down to the cafeteria. There’s an empty table in the corner, and it looks like the perfect place to decompress a little.
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I scroll through my mountain of unread messages, opening the conversation with Zee. Four texts await, each getting more irritated in nature.
COME AGAIN?
You can NOT drop a bomb saying “I spent the night with Lincoln” and follow it up with SILENCE.
Miller just confirmed what you said is true. YOU SLEPT OVER AT LINCOLN’S? HOW DARE YOU LEAVE ME ON READ.
I’m going to assume you’re either dead or at work, and I swear if it’s not the former I’m going to put you in the hospital myself and make you wish you were six feet under. BECAUSE WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU SLEPT AT LINCOLN’S? DID YOU SLEEP WITH LINCOLN?
“Care for some company?” Lincoln startles me, and I slam my phone down against the table so he can’t see the messages from Zee. “Whoa, Gen. Everything okay?”
“Peachy!” My voice comes out in an overexaggerated squeak, like Ross from Friends when he’s trying to convince everyone he’s fine.
His brows furrow as he pulls out the chair across from me, settling into it. “How’s your day going?”
“You should know,” I tease. “You’ve been following me everywhere.”
His arms cross over his chest, and he leans back. “I can’t help it if you’re assigned to my floor today.”
“Mmm,” I murmur. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”
Lincoln stands abruptly, pulling his chair next to mine. My eyes widen a fraction, looking around the bustling cafeteria.
“Lincoln—” I warn, but it doesn’t come out very stern.
His hand finds my knee under the table, gripping it. “Would you prefer we refer to it as something else?”
“Someone will see—”
“And?”
My breath catches in my throat. This is walking a thin line, and we both know it. But I can’t help but to lean in.
A hint of a smile touches his lips as he slides his hand up just a little higher toward my thigh.
“On-call room, fifth floor. Fifteen minutes.” Standing, he pushes in his chair and winds his way through the tables, stopping to say hello to a few people—both nurses and family members of patients—on his way out.
A rush of excitement bursts through me, and as calmly as I can, I stand, throw away my uneaten food, and try not to run out of the cafeteria to follow him.
It takes me less than ten minutes to make it to the on-call room, and thankfully, the hallway seems to be abandoned.
My palms are sweaty as I pace in front of the door, trying to convince myself this isn’t the worst idea ever.
As a first year nurse, I know this could jeopardize my career.
Not only is sleeping with a superior highly frowned upon, and most likely against hospital policy, sleeping with them at work is practically handing HR grounds to fire me.
I’m about to change my mind, when the door opens. Leaning against the frame, Lincoln crosses his arms over his chest. “I can hear you pacing from in here.”
“I guess the room isn’t very soundproof then.”
Tossing his head back, he laughs, then reaches for my wrist, tugging me inside.
The door clicks shut behind me, and the second we’re secluded, Lincoln’s hot lips are on me. Grabbing my hip, he presses me against the door.
“This is a bad idea.” I groan against his lips, melting into him.
His other hand glides down my arm, lifting it by the wrist to press against the wall over my head. Leaning his hips against me, he pins me in place. “The worst.”
“We’re at work,” I moan as his hard length rubs against my stomach. His tongue tangles with mine, and I grab a handful of his shirt, using my free hand to pull him closer.
“We are,” he groans, the vibration rumbling through our kiss. “Tell me to stop, Gen. You have the power here.”
Sliding my hand up his body, I wrap it around the back of his neck, pulling him closer. “Don’t stop.”
My words snap something inside him, and the kiss changes from soft and urgent to hungry and frantic. Untucking my shirt, he claws at the fabric, tugging it up until he’s forced to break the kiss so he can pull it over my head.
He shrugs his coat off next, then loosens his necktie, making quick work of tossing it to the side before removing his button down. As he connects our mouths again, he reaches behind me and locks the door.
Both of his hands grip my waist, fingers biting into the exposed skin just above my scrub pants. Walking backward, he pulls me with him until he’s seated on the stiff bed and I’m standing between his widened legs.
Leaning forward, he kisses my stomach and pulls my pants down, taking my panties with them.
Kicking off my shoes, I step out of everything I’m wearing, now naked in front of him.
“You’re so damn beautiful, Gen.” His fingers dip between my legs, parting me and exploring my arousal. “I can’t wait to be inside of you again.”
With one hand, he pulls his scrub pants down, his thick cock springing out, eager to join the party.
Placing his hands firmly on either side of my hips again, he guides me over him, pulling me lower until my center meets his length.
“I want every piece of you, Gen,” Lincoln rumbles against my collarbone, licking and nipping at it. “Anything you’ll give me.”
Wrapping my hand around his length, I guide it to me, pressing down an inch. “You can have all of me.”
We groan in unison, his fingers digging into me harder. As he pulls me down onto him more, I open my legs further, my knees sliding against the scratchy knit blanket. Then I sink down until I’ve taken him completely, his length stretching me at this new angle.
Catching me in a kiss again, he begins to guide my movements, sliding my hips forward and back so I’m riding him slowly.
Bracing my hands on his shoulders, I toss my head back in pleasure and find a rhythm that has us both panting.
One thing I love about sex with Lincoln is he’s vocal. He’s not afraid to moan, to whisper my name, and to use words to encourage me.
A layer of sweat coats our bodies, the old, worn down bed squeaking beneath us. It rattles against the wall, and for a brief moment, I worry someone walking by will hear us, but as quickly as I have the thought, it’s gone, lost to the pleasure.
Moving his hand between my thighs, Lincoln finds my clit. “Should we see how many times I can make you come before we have to leave this room?”
A gasp gets caught in my throat as he thrusts upward. “Not here. We have to get back.”
“Nonsense. I’ve got all the time in the world.”
“We’re on the clock.” My eyes roll back when his fingers begin to strum the sensitive nerve, spurring me to ride him harder.
Clenching around him, I milk his cock, sliding slowly up until barely the tip remains inside of me, then slowly pressing down until I reach the hilt.
“Fuck, Gen. I love when you do that.” He works my clit harder, rolling it beneath two fingers as he applies pressure.
My body convulses. “Lincoln, I’m going to come.”
Sucking hard on my neck, he licks it gently after. “Do it, baby. Let the hospital hear how sexy you sound when you’re coming on my cock.”
Oh my God.
His words are my undoing. My vision blurs, and a chat of illicit curses tumble from my lips. Trembling, the wave of pleasure hits continuously, crashing into me as it takes me higher.
I’m not sure I’ll ever come down.
I’m not sure I want to.
I still in Lincoln’s arms, our heavy breaths mingling for several heavy seconds. My chest is tight, and despite the euphoria my body’s humming with, I’m finding it hard to breathe.
Lincoln’s hands cup either side of my face, tilting me to look at him. “What’s wrong?” His voice is filled with concern as he uses his thumbs to wipe away tears I didn’t realize I had. “Gen, look at me.”
An onslaught of emotions swirls through me, clouding my mind even more so than it already is.
How do I explain to him that even though we just had mind-blowing sex in the on-call room, all I can think about is this ending.
I squeeze my eyes shut.
“Gen,” he consoles, wiping my tears as he leans forward and gently kisses my temple.
“This is too good to be true,” I finally mutter, hiccupping between the half-whispered words.
His head shakes with vigor. “It’s not.”
“It is.”
Wrapping his arms around my middle, he holds me close.
“I know this is just the beginning of something for us, but I can say this with certainty. I am not a man who’s ever wanted to be in a relationship before.
I’ve been content being on my own, enjoying the occasional fling.
No one has ever made me want more.” He dips his head, catching my gaze.
“You make me want more, Gen. I know this is crazy because it is happening so quickly, but in a sense it’s also been a slow moving process between us.
Now we’re just making up for lost time.”
“Do you mean that?” I hate how heavily the doubt weighs on my chest, and resent the neediness in my tone.
“I have no idea what the future holds—for us, or in general. We both know that anything can change in a single heartbeat, but that doesn’t negate how I feel or what I want. As long as we’re on the same page, I won’t let anything stand in our way.”
Another tear rolls down my cheek that he chases with a kiss.
“Let me make you mine, Gen. Be my girlfriend.”
I’m nodding when he grabs my chin, tilting my head up to press his lips softly against mine.
And this time, when he puts my mind at ease, he does it with his body and soul, letting the words he’s already spoken swirl between us until they embed themselves in my heart.