Zeke, Elizabeth Lennox [readnow .txt] 📗

smiled unconsciously as he considered options for dinner tonight. He’d struggled to sleep last night, so he’d woken up and started cooking, getting things ready for tonight. But what should he make for dessert?

Chapter 5

Abby paced across her small apartment, skimming her hands down over the jeans she’d pulled on after she’d finished her shift. Was her sweater set okay? Was the red too…sexual? Maybe she should change into a different color. She had several sweater sets because they were easy to coordinate with her skirts and slacks. Maybe blue? Yes, she should change into the blue sweater set.

But before she reached her bedroom, the doorbell rang and she froze. “Zeke,” she whispered. He’d promised not to kiss her last night, but that promise didn’t carry over to tonight.

Okay, maybe she should hold off on the kissing until his back was healed a bit more. She glanced over at the supplies she’d grabbed from the hospital earlier today. The gauze and ointment rested on her coffee table, seeming innocuous and simple. But the reality of those materials meant that she’d get to touch Zeke’s back once again. And that…that was a problem.

The doorbell rang again and she sighed, accepting that she didn’t have time to figure everything out. Better just to confront the issue head on.

“Hello…” She trailed off as she took in the man himself. He wore a pair of jeans that hugged his hard thighs and trim hips, but the tee shirt. Goodness, the tee shirt was…oh my! His muscles were on full display, the sleeves tight around his bulging biceps and…oh my!

“If you keep staring at me like that, I’m going to do something against my doctor’s orders,” he murmured, his eyes glowing with heat.

Her eyes snapped higher, taking in his handsome features and those blue eyes that…sighing, Abby stepped back, allowing him to come into her apartment.

“Let’s change your bandage.”

He stepped into her apartment and everything suddenly felt much…smaller. Tighter! It was all because Zeke’s shoulders were so wide and so amazingly…delicious!

Darn it, she was a doctor! She saw men’s bodies all the time. It was just bones and muscles, tendons and…!

Nope. There was no way Abby could compare Zeke to the other men that came through the emergency room. He was…better. Bigger, better, sexier, taller, more delicious, and just…!

“You’re doing it again,” he said, his voice low and grumbly. Zeke moved closer, resting his hands on her hips as he gently pulled her closer. “And guess what?”

“What?” she whispered, holding her breath as she waited…waited…for him to kiss her.

“I don’t have to stop myself from doing this,” he said. Then his lips covered hers. Slowly, gently, he teased and coaxed her into responding. Abby didn’t need much encouragement. At the first touch of his lips against hers, Abby released the breath she’d been holding and leaned in, her hands tentatively sliding up his chest as she tilted her head back to return his kiss with interest. That was all the encouragement he needed and the kiss went from soft and coaxing to full out seduction. She felt one of his hands cup the back of her head, holding her in place so that his lips and tongue could ravish her own. It was glorious!

And over too soon.

“If we keep this up,” he growled, “we’ll never have dinner.”

Abby almost asked if they really needed dinner, but stopped herself. “Right.” Stepping back, she looked around, trying to remember what they were doing. Why were they in her apartment instead of heading out?

The gauze on the coffee table caught her attention and she grabbed it with both hands. “Um…if you’ll…” she stared at his tee shirt… “take off your shirt, I can…” she waved the gauze in the air.

“With pleasure,” he said teasingly, then pulled the navy tee shirt up and over his head.

Abby gasped when his chest and all of those rippling muscles were revealed. Would she ever get used to him like this? Probably not!

“Feel free to touch,” he stepped closer.

Abby closed her eyes, shaking her head with exasperation and…lust. Seriously, she needed to regain control of this situation. “Turn around, Zeke. Let me get this over with.”

“Take your time. I like having you touch me.”

He turned and sat down on the edge of her sofa, otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to reach him. For a long moment, she simply stared at him, admiring his wealth of muscles.

Finally, she carefully peeled away the bandage and was surprised to see how much the man had healed in just the past twenty-four hours. “It looks much better,” she announced. “You must be healthier than the average person. You’re healing better than normal.”

“I hope so. I’m ready to get these things out. They’re itching like crazy!”

She smiled. “I’m sure that you have the self-discipline to not scratch.”

“Most of the time. But it would help if you gave me something else to think about,” he said, glancing over his shoulder at her.

There was no way she could misinterpret his glance and she smiled. “Give yourself a couple more days, he-man. Then you can resume your normal activities.”

“Two more days, Abby. And then we’re working on an activity that is near and dear to my heart.”

Abby knew she should tell him that he shouldn’t make assumptions. But in truth, she was looking forward to that moment as much as he was. She was thoroughly sick of denying herself the pleasure of Zeke and these little teasing touches on his back made it difficult to sleep.

“No comment?” he asked, looking up at her.

She suppressed a shiver, and shook her head. “None.”

He stood up and had her in his arms before she knew what had happened. “Damn, Abby!”