Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 29460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
“Oh.” She peered up at me through her lashes, and the sweet pink blush I was beginning to love appeared on her cheeks. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, sunshine,” I replied warmly.
“Um, what did you mean when you said I was off-limits?”
Fucking hell. Yeah, I probably shouldn’t have said that. “You’re too young for anyone here.” It was the best I could come up with other than to tell her she was mine.
Then I wanted to kick myself because her face fell, and she took a step away from me. Rather than pull her into my arms like I wanted, I let my hand fall to my side and mentally sighed in frustration.
“I'll show you around now,” I muttered.
I walked her through the area where women came to give birth and areas limited to hospital staff before we headed to the window to the nursery. She stared at the babies excitedly, but there was also a look of such longing that I almost caved and told her she’d be marveling over our own child in there very soon. Instead, I just smiled. “You’re going to be a wonderful mother.”
She glanced at me, blushing. “How do you know that?”
I winked and tapped my name tag. “Mothers and babies are my expertise.”
Her laughter made my dick—which had barely softened—harden again. I vowed to make sure I heard it as often as possible for the rest of our lives.
We both washed our hands thoroughly, then donned hospital gowns, gloves, and masks. When we entered the nursery, a nurse sitting behind a small desk to the side of the door greeted us. “Dr. Sutton. I wasn’t expecting you today.”
“I’m just showing around our newest volunteer,” I explained. “Jenna, this is Doris. Doris, meet Jenna.”
Doris, a woman in her early fifties with shoulder-length, springy brown curls, and twinkling gray eyes, smiled at my girl. “Welcome. It’s so great to have you here. We’re always in need of volunteers.” Then she looked up at me. “Do you want me to page Regina?”
Regina was in charge of all volunteers and the person I had originally intended to pass Jenna off to. “I’ll take her over and introduce her after we’re done here.”
Doris studied me curiously for a moment but didn’t comment on my unusual choice.
“I think Jenna will be most useful as a Cuddler,” I told Doris, though my attention was on Jenna and the way she lit up like a Christmas tree. “She’s amazing with babies.”
Doris frowned briefly, then smoothed out her expression when she caught my narrow-eyed gaze. “Um”—she cleared her throat—“Regina usually starts our volunteers in the open playroom and recreation activities. Then—”
“Doris,” I grunted, making it clear she was overstepping. “I’ll handle things with Regina. Now, I’m going to go over the duties with Jenna, then I’ll let her get acquainted with my patients while I do my rounds.”
“Yes, Doctor,” Doris mumbled, looking down at paperwork sprawled on the desk in front of her.
As we walked away, Jenna leaned in and quietly said, “I don’t want to cause any problems. Maybe I should—”
“Relax, sunshine,” I murmured reassuringly. “I’m the head of the department. When it comes to volunteers for the NICU, in particular, I have the final say.”
“Okay, but I don’t want to upset Regina by making her think I went over her head or am getting special treatment.”
We stopped beside the crib of a little boy who was born at five and a half months. He was doing well and would hopefully be moved out of the NICU in a few weeks. “Stop worrying, sunshine. I want you taking care of my babies.”
She glanced up at me in surprise, and I cleared my throat before correcting my statement. “My patients.”
“Oh. Right.” A little laugh escaped her perfect lips, and her face flushed, making me fight back a smile.
I loved how transparent she was. Although, seeing her interest in me was a double-edged sword. It would make things easier after her birthday, but until then, her sweet and innocent looks of interest would make it so much harder to stay away from her.
3
CHASE
“Dr. Sutton?”
My head whipped up at Jenna’s sweet voice, completely forgetting about the stack of paperwork in front of me. I had a sense of déjà vu from that morning, and the same zing of pleasure zipped over my nerve endings and hardened my dick.
“I told you to call me Chase, sunshine,” I reminded her with a teasing frown. We’ll save Dr. Sutton for when you’re on your knees, sunshine.
She smiled and shrugged adorably, her cheeks turning pink. “Sorry. Um…Chase…you asked me to come to your office when I was done for the day.”
Right. Because I was a glutton for punishment and couldn’t stay the fuck away from her. “I’m ready to leave now.” That was a complete fucking lie because I still had a ton of work to do. But I didn’t give a shit if it meant I got to spend extra time with Jenna. “I’ll give you a ride home.”