Page 38 of Rookie Days

Janet looked into her eyes, still not completely clear of pain, and hesitated. Dying to stay, you bet. But still...

“I think you should get some rest tonight. Take a rain check, okay?”

Ellie held on, fixing her with a faint smile that was at once sexy and endearingly innocent.

“Janet. Stay for dinner. Please.”

Does she even realize how handsome and attractive she is?Janet was pretty sure that she must have no idea. And this was part of the attraction, for sure. Ellie James was totally and delightfully clueless about her own appeal. Now she looked a little bit tired, enticingly unguarded. And she was asking her to stay. Seriously, what was a woman to do?

“Ellie…”

Janet bit pensively on her lip and she raised another hand to touch her cheek. No longer a detached and precise physician’s touch. This one was simply for her own satisfaction. She brushed her thumb over the still heated skin, watched Ellie’s eyes sparkle in reaction. All of a sudden, her uncertainty made a surprising and furious comeback.

“What?” Ellie asked softly, noticing. “What is it?”

“I’m sorry.” Janet sighed. She dropped her hand. “I have no idea what I’m doing here.”

“Here?”

“I mean with you.”

The simple admission was hard to make, and totally out of character.I can’t believe I’m saying this to her…Ellie seemed rather nonplussed.

“Well,” she shrugged, and stood up. “It’s okay, sometimes, not knowing. Right?”

“Uh… You think so?” At a loss, Janet could only frown.

“Sure.” The sexy grin lingered. “I guess you’re not used to that as a surgeon. But maybe we can figure it out together.”

Well. Forget about the surgeon bit. Janet was used to being in charge, period. With other women, she always flirted smartly, pursued relentlessly, and seduced quickly. She did not court, do subtle, or figure things out together. But now she was totally out of balance, and talking the sort of nonsense that left her feeling baffled and apprehensive. Then, just as she took in a breath to regain control, Ellie did the last thing she’d have expected. She kissed her. Such a light and sweet brush of the lips… As much a reassurance, Janet felt, as a wordless hello. How such a simple contact could make her head spin so hard, she could not fathom, but oh, it sure did. The kiss was clean and gentle, almost too polite, but it worked better to empty her mind and excite her than the raunchiest snog she’d ever shared with anyone. Now she was left trembling and speechless, two extremely rare events in her experience. Ellie pulled back with another smile. Janet stared, noted how fierce her eyes were now. How brilliant. And no longer from pain.

“Sorry,” Ellie murmured, clearly tongue in cheek. “But you get me high on drugs, this is what happens.”

“I gave you two headache tablets.”

“Mmm-mm…”

Janet moved her hand to rest over the back of her neck. She watched Ellie drop her gaze and glance at her lips. Desire and temptation were written all over her face, and witnessing her slight hesitation was a joy. Janet initiated contact this time. Shekissed her the exact same way Ellie just had, finding incredible pleasure in self-restraint. This was a surprise. And nice.Very nice to do it like this…

“You don’t need an excuse to kiss me.”

“No?” Ellie stepped into her, cupped her face in both hands, and looked deeply into her eyes. “Don’t I?”

Janet smiled, curious as to where she might take this.

“Absolutely not.”

“Oh, good.”

It was all Ellie said before doing it again, only different this time. Lazy at first, intentionally teasing. She grew bolder, kissed her deeper. Janet could not help a shiver when she wrapped her arms around her.Damn... This was just like a kiss between two Hollywood stars in the old movies! Ellie’s body also felt hard, hot, and confident, pressed against hers, and Janet lost herself in the sensations. For once in her life, she held back on taking the lead and allowed herself to be kissed thoroughly. Expertly. She was annoyed when the moment ended, entirely too soon, though grateful for a gulp of air. And to take a good look at her kissing partner too. Ellie had been too pale before, but now her cheeks were beautifully flushed. Her smooth lips, moist to perfection, were already a bit swollen, something that Janet never failed to find impossibly attractive. Hot blood coursing through her made her translucent grey eyes sparkle like stars, and Janet realized one very obvious thing in that instant: she was truly, hopelessly, and deliciously hooked onto Ellie James. Her head still spinning from the kiss and the discovery, she laughed.

“Wow, Detective. Just… Wow.”

Far from eloquent, but the feeling was there. Ellie flashed a dazed smile in return.

“Yeah, you too.”

Janet took pleasure in the way that she went from sure and commanding to alluringly flustered and quiet in the aftermath of the kiss.

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