Page 14 of The Doctor's Promise
“Three…”
“Months? Fuck, get on it.”
“… years,” Noemi finished. “Not since before the accident.” Not since before Thomasina died.
Ally was flabbergasted. “Years? Three years, Noe? How is that possible?” She grabbed Noemi’s arm and made her look in the mirror. “Look at you. You look like a freaking supermodel, you have curves to die for, I want your boobs, and every man in this place would kill to fuck you. Jesus, Noe, after everything you’ve been through, live.”
Ally seemed to realize she sounded angry and smiled ruefully. “Sorry, but you’ve been on a deathwatch for years now. You’re thirty years old and gorgeous. Go for him, whoever he is. Leap.”
She patted Noemi’s shoulder and left her alone. Noemi stared at her reflection. Ally was right. Work was her passion, but she needed something else too.
When Ally invited her to the bar with Kit, Dieter, and some other people that night, Noemi agreed. “I have to go home first to walk Mouse, but I promise, I’ll join you later.”
When she got home,Mouse greeted her with wild abandon, and Noemi hugged her dog to her. “Gonna get a life, baby,” she murmured. She walked the dog for an hour, then went home to shower.
Deciding what to wear, she chose a simple spaghetti-strapped mini dress, showing off her long legs for once, light makeup, and a simple gold chain which hung between her breasts. She left her dark hair down, clouding around her.
Kit whistled,and Ally beamed at her as she made her way into the bar. “Damn, girl.”
Noemi flushed pink and distracted them from all the compliments by asking what they were drinking. An hour later, a beer down, and she started to relax, enjoying the company of her friends. She and Ally chatted, then watched in amusement as Dieter tried to play power games with Kit at the pool table. Good-naturedly, Kit conceded every point to Dieter, and Noemi watched as Dieter gave up his games, and instead began enjoying the company of the other man.
“So, you never really did that?” Ally nodded at Kit, and Noemi chuckled.
“I really never did. I wasn’t exactly in the right headspace when I got over there, and believe me, sex was the last thing on everybody’s minds.”
“Understandable. But what about now?”
Noemi smiled at her friend. “I told you. You want to go for it, do it. Kit and I are firmly in the Friend Zone. Almost like siblings now.”
“Eww, sexy sibs. Like Angelina and James Haven.”
Noemi looked blank, and Ally rolled her eyes. “God, watch Bravo now and again. Or read The Enquirer. One or the other.”
Noemi was amused. “Any other tips for this old lady?”
“Yeah. You look a million dollars. Try to find someone in here to hook up with, would you?”
“Baby steps, Al. Now, look. Kit’s on his own. Why don’t you go work your magic?”
Dieter was at the bar, chatting to a pretty blonde woman, and Noemi took some time to check out the rest of the bar. Too many hospital folks here for any random under-the-wire hookups, and Noemi felt out of practice. When Dieter came back to the table, she excused herself and went to the restrooms. She splashed water on her face, feeling the effects of the beer. She was such a lightweight when it came to alcohol. She shook her head, smiling.
Going back out, she walked along the dark corridor that led back to the bar. The men’s restroom door opened towards her and she froze.
Rafael Genova stopped, blinked. They stared at each other for a long moment…
… and then his lips were on hers.
8
Chapter Eight
Noemi barely had time to take a breath before they kissed, but she didn’t care. It was everything she had dreamed of: soft, then rough as they both moaned with pent-up desire. Rafael picked her up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he pushed out of the side-door and into the back alley of the bar.
Noemi’s fingers were tangled in his hair, and she had no idea where he was taking her, but she didn’t care. She could not get enough of his mouth on hers, his fresh, clean cologne flooding her senses.
Then, in a flash, they were in his Mercedes and driving through Seattle’s streets. Neither of them said a word, but their fingers linked. Rafa drove to Noemi’s apartment and, hand-in-hand, they walked up the stairs together.
He followed her in, slipping his hand onto her waist. “Are you sure?” He said at last and she nodded.
