Bedside Manner (The Midas Touch Book 1) Read online

  Finding parking around his downtown condo was impossible, and she ended up walking another fifteen minutes to his front door. It wasn’t until she was faced with the concierge that it finally occurred to her that she’d hadn’t really thought this through.

  “I’m here to see… uh, yeah, I’m here to see Nathan Midas. Dr Nathan Midas,” she added unnecessarily.

  “I’m sorry miss, he’s just stepped out a few minutes ago I believe. You can wait here in the lobby if you’d like, though I don’t know how long he’ll be. I know it’s awfully cold out,” the man said, taking in how frail she looked.

  “Thank you,” she said, walking backwards to sit down on one of the hard leather vestibule chairs. Looking out the window at the snow swirling, she wondered how long it would be until Nathan came back. What if he wasn’t alone when he returned? What if he had a date with him? The thoughts and worries crashed through her head, but she held steady. Joanna was tired of doing simply what was expected of her.

  Looking down, she considered what she was wearing for the first time. In an oversized dress shirt (her dad’s) and long wool peacoat, she hoped the effect was one of simple elegance, instead of “kid playing dress up.” Her long blonde hair flowed down her back, cascading in waves.

  Her phone started to die, and she was running out of excuses for Porsche when Nathan finally returned, thankfully alone, with many grocery bags in tow.

  “Joanna,” he said, shocked at the sight of her, stopped in the middle of the doorway. He dropped all his bags, and came striding towards her, pulling Joanna into a warm hug. Quickly, he thought better of it, and stepped away in awkwardness. “Sorry, sorry I didn’t mean to-”

  “No, don’t apologize, I-” she started, catching her breath.

  “Are you, did you-”

  “I got your letter,” she said finally, putting an end to their bumbling exchange. Both of them became silent, looking into each other’s eyes for the first time in months. He hadn’t changed too much, though most of his mop of curls had been cut off. The sheared, professional style he had now suited him, and he looked more like the doctor he was. Joanna missed his longer hair, but thought, maybe he really has changed.

  “You look amazing. Healthy, I mean,” he said, still tripping over his words. She’d always thought of him as so smooth, it was charming to find that her presence had caught him off guard.

  “Thank you, I- I mean you too,” she said, glancing over to the concierge who was staring at them both.

  “Do you want to come up? Or do you want- I mean we can go out, there’s a cafe around the corner. If you have time of course. I don’t actually know why you-”

  “Yes! I’d love to come up,” she said quickly, jumping at the chance to see how he lived.

  “All right. Well the elevators are this way,” he said, picking up his bags again. She leaned down to help him, and their hands bumped in an adorable way. They both laughed, painfully aware of the tension that still existed between them, stronger now than ever before.

  Once safely inside the elevator, they really looked at each other, safely out of the way of the concierge’s prying eyes. His cheeks burned red, but she was sure that hers were glowing just as bright.

  “You cut your hair,” she said.

  “Yes,” he replied, self consciously running a hand through his shorn locks. “All part of my attempt to reform myself I suppose. I get a lot less questions about my age this way.”

  “Well don’t worry, you still look like a lady’s man,” she said smiling, though his smile disappeared.

  “Do I? I was hoping to have left that life behind,” he confessed. He was caught off guard at her knowledge of his past conquests. Hmmm. It occurred to her that in coming here, to his apartment, she may have put his career in jeopardy again. Though it was unlikely that they would be caught, if anyone from the hospital saw her here, there was a chance he would get in trouble all over again. Because of her.

  “Is it all right that I came here? I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble or anything,” she said nervously.

  “Don’t worry about that, I-I’m, everything is okay. It’s just so nice to see you. I hope you didn’t think that I was asking you to talk to me though. I really didn’t mean for my letter to make you feel bad.” The elevator door dinged open, and he let her walk out first before leading the way to his door close by.

  It was exactly the kind of apartment she’d expected him to have. Masculine greys and black leathers, massive bookshelves filled with more books than any one person could read in a lifetime. Sophisticated beyond his years. He hung up her coat, and she quietly took off her boots.

  “Please, have a seat, make yourself at home. Sorry for the mess,” he said, though there really was no mess at all. “How have you been? Is your breathing back to normal now?”

  “Um, yes, breathing just fine.”

  “Sorry, once a doctor always a doctor,” he said, handing her a glass of water and sitting down beside her. Close enough that their knees could touch if they wanted. He seemed to notice, moving away slightly.

  “That’s okay. Thank you for the water,” she replied. She’d come all this way, but all of a sudden she had no idea what she wanted to say anymore.

  “You’re welcome.” The silence stood between them like a wall they couldn’t see over the top of. Joanna looked around the apartment, and out the floor to ceiling windows in the front, anywhere to avoid looking into his eyes. Suddenly she felt so stupid for coming. He didn’t feel the same way anymore. He had moved on with his life, and she should’ve too. “Are you back at school now?” he asked, cutting through the quiet.

  “Yes, I managed to catch up pretty well, despite losing a few months.”

  “That’s very impressive,” he said, the silence returning.

  “Your place is very nice,” she said, trying to think of an excuse to leave now, even though she’d arrived only a few minutes before. Nothing came to mind.

  “So you got my letter,” he said finally, and Joanna almost let out a sigh of relief. She hadn’t known how to bring it up, caught between running away and moving to hold his hand. The small talk had been paralyzing.

  “Yes, I did. I’m sorry, I don’t really know why I came all this way. I just… when I read your letter, I felt like I needed to see you. Desperately. Knowing that you were thinking about me too, thinking that maybe you felt the same way, despite everything…” She’d started off so well, but she didn’t know where to go anymore, her self-consciousness catching up with her.

  “I meant for it to be an apology. I didn’t want to infuse it with too much of my- my attraction to you in it, but I guess I couldn’t help it. I selfishly needed you to know how I felt,” he said, finally looking at her. “It’s just another sign of my weakness. I can’t seem to be able to keep myself in line, and I hate myself for it. Why can’t I just do my job like everyone else? I keep pushing and pushing into places that I shouldn’t, and it makes me hurt people. I’ll never forgive myself for what I did to you Joanna, never.”

  “Well, I forgive you. That night was one of the best night’s I’ve ever had. You treated me like a friend, not like a fragile girl like so many doctors do. You saved my life, and one close call doesn’t change that. My life has been, and will always be filled with close calls. I can’t afford to be so precious about it anymore, or else I risk dying without having ever experienced anything. What I felt for you after that night, is unlike anything I’ve ever felt... for anyone. I want you, I want to be near you Nathan.” Just then, Joanna gathered up all the bravery she had, and moved her hand to his leg, the feeling of their touch electrifying her.

  He didn’t move, but she could tell by the warmth of his leg under her hand that he wanted to reach out to her. The next few seconds felt like hours. Eventually, he turned his head to look at her, his eyes saying everything his voice couldn’t. They were going to kiss, she could feel it, at her pulse quickened as their faces got closer and closer. Just before their lips met however, he pulled aw
ay, and stood up quickly, leaving Joanna stunned. She’d never tried to make a move on anyone before, and this is what happened when she did?!

  “I’m sorry, I just… I can’t. I’m trying to do things properly, and there’s a reason I got into so much trouble for acting towards you the way I did. You were my patient, under my care”

  Joanna couldn’t listen to another word. It was so unfair of him to write her a letter like that, a love letter really, and then reject her like this, so coldly. She stood up, and stormed towards the door, trying to put on her boots quickly even though her fingers were trembling.

  “Don’t go like this, wait, just wait, let’s talk more,” he said, trying to stop her, but she didn’t stop moving, grabbing her coat and heading towards the door.

  “You know, I’m not that much younger than you,” she said, before attempting to exit, cringing at how lame her chosen parting words were. Nathan bounded across the room, closing the distance between them and putting his hand on the door before she could leave. Turning around to face him, Joanna once again found his face inches away from hers, only this time, he wasn’t backing away.

  “I know you’re not that much younger, I’m just trying to find any reason I can not to kiss you right now. Please don’t leave like this,” he said softly, the low grumble of his voice resonating through Joanna’s body.

  “I’m not your patient anymore,” she responded, matching his quiet tone.

  “Joanna…” he trailed off, running out of excuses.

  “What?” She inched closer to him, less nervous than before.

  He couldn’t turn her down anymore and gave into the urges he’d been fighting for so many months. Gently, he brought his hands up to her face, feeling her impossibly smooth skin against his hands and kissed her sweet mouth. Feeling his soft lips against hers, Joanna’s entire being awoke, as if she was covered with nerve endings she’d only just grown. Moving an arm around her waist, Nathan pushed his hand up under her oversized shirt, touching the skin of her back while softly kissing down her neck. She moaned lightly, a rush of warmth beginning to pulse between her legs.

  “We really shouldn’t be doing this,” Nathan said, though his right hand was still working on her bra clasp.

  “I think I might die if you stop touching me now,” Joanna responded, lifting up his shirt and pulling it over his head before starting to work on the buttons of her own. Looking at his lithe body in front of her, restrained muscles tensed, Joanna wanted nothing more than to feel his skin against hers. Why was he still holding back?

  “I don’t want to hurt you,” he said in that same low, vulnerable voice that drove her crazy. It seemed like a voice he saved just for her, like it wasn’t one that most people got to hear.

  “You can’t hurt me. Don’t be gentle with me now, please. I’ve gone through my whole life with people tip toeing around me. Hold me like you mean it. I know you get around. Fuck me like you fuck all those other girls,” she said, dropping her shirt to the ground, and bra along with it. She was vibrating with a new kind of energy, wanting to experience all that life had to offer while she still could, wanting to experience all the pleasure Nathan could give her.

  Seeing her standing there, her perfectly pink nipples erect and chest moving up and down, her skin catching the light, Nathan acknowledged to himself that he’d put up all the fight he had. He approached her slowly, running his hand softly down her breast, taking in the beauty of her scars, his touch causing her to breathe in sharply.

  “You’re nothing like any girl I’ve ever fucked. But that doesn’t mean I think you’re frail.” Swiftly and unexpectedly, he wrapped his arms around her legs and picked her up, pushing her against the door. Joanna gasped.

  Now this was exactly what she was looking for.

  They kissed passionately against the door, until Nathan carried her to his bedroom, letting her fall back onto the bed. He took her pants off so quickly she could tell he’d had some practice in the area. The observation only turned her on more. No more was she some fragile patient, but instead she was a worldly woman, the kind that would attract attention from the likes of Dr. Nathan Midas, a certified genius. More than that, I turn him on, she thought, relishing the hungry look in his eyes as he climbed over her, kissing her once more.

  With his hand, he urged her knees apart, moving up her thighs to touch her needy, silken folds.

  “You’re so wet already,” Nathan said, surprised at how ready she was for him.

  Joanna couldn’t respond however, too distracted by the incredible sensation of his fingers on her clit. Joanna’s desire washed over her, opening her up to Nathan completely and without reservation. The display of her pleasure clearly had an effect on Nathan, and she could feel his erection growing against her.

  Nathan took his hand away, leaving Joanna halted on the edge of bliss. “No, don’t stop,” she begged.

  “I wasn’t planning on it,” Nathan replied, bringing his mouth down to where his hand had been. Joanna’s moans turned to screams of satisfaction, as Nathan’s tongue sent her legs quivering, and her mind into a haze of ecstasy.

  “I’ve waited so long to enjoy your body,” he said, when he came up, kissing his way along her trembling skin towards her lips once more.

  “I want you inside me,” Joanna said when she was finally able to speak once more. Looking into his eyes, and feeling him against her, she knew there was nothing she desired more than to possess every inch of him, to be connected to the man she was quickly realizing she was in love with. The fog of lust had set in on her, and she couldn’t see past it. Looking back at her, Nathan’s eyes were telling her that he felt the same.

  “Are you sure?” he asked patiently despite the way his cock was throbbing, pressed up against the burning warmth of her sex.

  She nodded, and while holding her gaze, he slowly found his way inside her, surrendering to the moment. Fingers interlocked with hers, Joanna watched the muscles of his hips work, driving into her, currents of intensity running from him through her entire body. She bucked against him, back arching, as they enjoyed the fusion of their beings. They continued like this until Joanna thought she might faint with pleasure, and eventually Nathan exploded inside her, releasing himself and riding out the wave of orgasm before collapsing down on the bed beside her.

  Breathless, they held each other. Neither had been expecting this, though both had wanted it for so long.

  “You’re incredible,” Nathan said, turning her face towards him to kiss her.

  “Really? I want to make you feel as good as you just made me feel,” she said, enjoying the afterglow, half of her ready to experience it all over again.

  “Believe me, you did.” The warmth of his skin felt so good against hers, and she wanted to lie there forever. But Nathan’s brow was furrowed, and she could tell he was deep in thought.

  “What are you thinking about?” she asked, propping herself up on her elbows. He didn’t respond for a few seconds; enough time to start Joanna worrying.

  “I think I need to leave Mt Sinai.”

  “What? Why?”

  He turned to look at her. “Because of you. Because I want you more than I want that job. I can’t have both. I can work at any hospital, but I can’t really be with you if you’re still a patient there. And you are still a patient there,” he said, running his fingers along her scar. She moved away, more out of reflex than out of any embarrassment. “Unless you don’t want to see me again,” he said, misinterpreting her flinch.

  “Of course I want to see you again. I need to see you. I don’t know how I’ll tell my father, but now that I’ve had you… I can’t go back to life as it was. Could you?”

  “Not even if I tried.”

  Chapter 4

  They spent the rest of the day and night in bed, exploring each other, and Joanna felt as though she would never want for anything else ever again. She’d never need food, or water if she could just spend every waking moment with Nathan. Joanna texted Porsche and told her eve
rything, mostly so her friend wouldn’t worry when she didn’t come home, but also because she was the one person she could confide in. Porsche was wonderfully non-judgemental, and sure enough, was over the moon to hear about this latest development in the Nathan and Joanna saga.

  Falling asleep with his arms wrapped around her, they woke up the same way. The morning brought no regrets with it, a feeling that Nathan was admittedly unfamiliar with. Normally, he never wanted anyone he’d spent the night with to stick around, but he never wanted Joanna to leave.

  “Do you have to go to work today?” she asked, the film of sleep still over her eyes.

  “No, I have the day off. Do you have classes today?”

  “I think I can miss a day. I’ve never purposely skipped a class in my whole life, and I think I ought to experience new things, don’t you?”

  “I heartily agree,” Nathan said, pulling her in towards him for a kiss.

  He made her breakfast, enjoying the sight of her sitting at his kitchen island, wearing his shirt and nothing else. Joanna read out the morning headlines to him, her hair swept up into a casual top knot.

  “Oh, your phone is ringing. Do you want me to answer it?” she asked jokingly as Nathan grabbed the phone from her quickly, enjoying her teasing.

  “Not sure if we’re quite there yet. Watch the eggs for me, will you?” He gave her the spatula, and walked into the adjoining living room to take the call. It was Dr. Michaels.

  “Nathan! Good morning.”