My Italian Doctor

Chapter Five

The magnetism that pulled me to him was more than a little difficult to resist. He was just so stiff beneath my kiss. I couldn't help but think we were polar opposites. I was wild and free and he was buttoned up and proper. It was a good job that it was just a bit of fun because there was no way it could ever work; we were just too different. We came from different countries, lived in different places and had completely different upbringings, and it showed.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me, deepening the kiss until I felt like I was falling into the depths of the earth. I felt a slight relaxation in his shoulders. I wanted to wish away the stiffness within him. For him to be free of the reservations holding him back. As though my inner monologue had pleaded with him, he seemed to push through his defences. Like a man possessed he grabbed for me, his hands hanging onto fistfuls of my hair.

The only thing standing in our way of being closer to one another was the centre console and no amount of wishing would banish that. I couldn't stop myself from sliding my hands down his torso, dragging desperately at his shirt to free it from the waistband of his trousers. I needed to feel his flesh against mine, to find his warmth. As it finally gave way to me, I could feel the almost purr-like sound vibrate against his lips.

I didn't know what I expected but the softness of his flesh seemed a world away from the stiffness of his soul. I needed more, so much more. As my fingertips reached his ribs, his shirt restricted my access to the rest of him. The flame of anger flared within me like it often did and before I even knew what I was doing I had forced my way higher. I heard the ping of several buttons as they escaped my wrath. I could see the smattering of chest hair that was revealed to me and I needed more. Everything about George seemed to make me need more. More touches, more kisses, more time.

I remembered back to seeing him in the hospital and how his scrubs had hidden everything beneath them. My curiosity spiked yet again and I had little choice but to abandon my quest and deal with the last few remaining buttons that stood between me and his flesh. I parted our lips despite my desire not to, deftly undoing the remaining three buttons. He was just as ripped as I had expected. No sooner had I connected with his pecks, he pulled me forward leaving me practically lying on top of him.

Apparently, it was his turn to investigate. As his hand slowly made its way down the front of my dress, the sensation that ran through me as he cupped my breast left me no choice but to kiss him more violently than before. I had always known I was wilder than I should be, but it was insane even for me. As I caught the horn with my elbow, we both sprang apart as though we were two teenagers who had just been caught by their parents. I glanced toward the house and saw the movement at the window. It was just enough reality to sober me up slightly, but I wasn't sure if it was the wine or the hormones that I was drunk on.

"I best go in." I didn't want to say it let alone do it, but I had little option. It was cheap enough getting it on in his car, let alone with an audience. I looked at him, his stiff demeanour was firmly back in place and a look of deep regret was plastered on his face.

"I'm sorry, I have no idea what came over me." Whatever his issues were they were deep-rooted.

"It's fine, it wasn't you anyway." I leaned over a risked kissing him goodbye. I half wanted him to continue our trist even in the car with an audience, but he had completely glazed over.

"I'll call you tomorrow." He didn't look remotely enthusiastic about the prospect. It felt like a brush off but I tried to ignore the nagging doubts. It wasn't even a big deal if it was a brush off, but in all fairness, I wanted to go further before he sulked off into the sunset.

"Text me, there are too many ears in that house for me to get any privacy. I don't want Rylie knowing, not with everything else she has going on." I could see him rubbing at the tops of his fingers absentmindedly and he seemed to only be half listening to me. I took my leave and climbed out of the car, straightening up my clothes as I did. I didn't stick around to watch him leave but heard him start the car and drive off within seconds of me starting to walk to the house.

It struck me as odd behaviour for someone who professed to be a gentleman but I ignored the thoughts and got myself composed ready to head inside. Remembering the state of my hair at the last minute. I smoothed it out as best I could and plaited it. Grabbing a band from my wrist and securing it in place.

As soon as I walked in the door, I faced a firing squad, but instead of facing bullets, it was questions. I had expected Aurora to be there, but Mamma took me by complete surprise.

They spoke in unison, “Well?”

“It was just dinner.”

“What did you have, his tonsils?” So, Aurora had been spying on me, I knew she would.

“It was just a kiss.”

“Dear, I think maybe you need to check the definition of a kiss because that definitely was not just a kiss.”

“Mamma! I cannot believe you were spying too.” She looked suitably told off, but I knew full well she would do the same thing again. Although, they weren’t wrong. After I had pulled him to me, it was as though we had lost our minds with lust. We narrowly escaped getting down and dirty in the car and that was only because I knew we had an audience.

I had been so desperate for him that even that very nearly didn’t stop me. I really couldn't understand what had gotten into me, it really was not like me. I even had a rule about not sleeping with a man until I had been on at least seven dates with them. Everyone thought I was ridiculous, but there was something about s*x that seemed so risky to even contemplate it with someone you barely knew. Yet with George that had gone completely out of the window. It wasn't even him that was driving it, it was all me. I was wild I always had been but not like that. The number of men over the years who had assumed I was easy because of my nature, but they were most disappointed when they realised how wrong they were.

“I’m not telling either of you nosey parkers anything else, it’s late. Aurora, I’m going to take you up on your offer to come to the office with you tomorrow. I’m hoping you will find something for me to do. If I don’t get put to work soon, tonight’s show won’t be the last you see.”

"That's no incentive for me to find you something to do, quite the opposite."

I left the room leaving the two of them giggling like schoolgirls. I couldn't help but laugh at their juvenile nature, they were supposed to be grown women but in fact, acted just as much like teenagers as George and I had. Maybe it was contagious. It had certainly left me more than a little giddy, well it had until he had turned to ice before my eyes.

I took the stairs two at a time, invigorated more than I had been in a long time. As soon as I was ready for bed, I slipped in beside Rylie who was already snoring away, grateful I wouldn’t have to answer any more questions before morning.

I couldn’t sleep for ages, just laid there thinking over the night. I knew I was being one of those stupid girls, but I couldn’t stop my mind from wandering over thoughts of him.

I didn’t sleep well and by daybreak, I was up dressed and desperate for something to occupy myself. It was stupid but I hadn’t heard from George since he dropped me back at the house and it annoyed me. I knew it was ridiculous and needy, but I couldn’t stop wondering why. He had been attentive, too attentive even then radio silence. It was too early to even be worrying about that.

Somehow, I had expected a message saying goodnight once he got back home, but it never came. It was too early for him to even be awake. The vineyard was always busy first thing, but even everyone there was still snoozing away. I needed to get a handle on myself and stop being so irrational. I hoped doing some manual labour would help relieve the tension that was building up inside me and headed off to the warehouse.