Cynda and the City Doctor - Theodora Taylor Page 0,18
place.
I instinctively raised my hand to my neck to measure my pulse rate as I conceded, “I know you told me, and I should have listened. I thought it would be easier. You being a doctor and all.”
“Human anatomy makes sense. The way you’ve constructed your traffic rules does not. It’s all the other way around in England, you know.”
“Yeah, you’ve told me that, like each time you tried to turn into oncoming traffic.”
Rhys glared. “You’re making fun of me.”
“I’m not. I swear I’m not,” I answered, trying but failing to suppress a snicker.
“Yes, you are, and I’m going to make you pay for that.”
A new tension popped up between us. Electric and crackling.
“Oh yeah, how?” I asked, my voice husky.
“Well first, I’m going to grab you around the neck like this.” He curled his hand around the back of my neck. “Then I’m going to apply a very forceful pressure.”
Doing just that he pulled me closer until our lips were almost touching but not quite.
“Now what?” I asked, my heart beating hopeful.
He pushed his lips into mine, invading and taking at the same time. As usual the fire was instantaneous. Hot desire licked through my body.
I didn’t just kiss him back, I pressed my whole body into his, wanting more, demanding more. Needing more.
This was why I’d continued dating him for over a month, I realized as we kissed.
No, we weren’t on the same page sexually, but our chemistry was off the charts.
And the truth was that if he told me this car was where First Sex was finally going to go down, right here in the alley where anybody, including a policeman, could walk by and see, I wasn’t sure my answer would be no.
Not sure at all.
But then he broke off the kiss and expelled a long breath. “Right then, I’ll let you drive to brunch.”
And he didn’t give me a chance to answer before climbing out of the car to go around.
My whole body crumpled over for a few moments, completely deflated. But really, I had nobody to blame but myself. I’d been letting him not yet me for over a month. Now here I was again, frustrated as a big dog after trying to teach this ridiculously hot fool how to drive.
I heaved myself out of the car with a sigh and crossed in front of the hood as Rhys went around the back.
“Right, now that the question of teaching me to drive is settled, why don’t we turn our minds to eating,” he suggested as he slipped back into the passenger seat. “It’s too early for our original reservation, but there’s a little French restaurant called Brassiere by Niche just a few blocks down from my flat. They might not be too busy to let us in.”
Without answering I reverse out of the alley and easily blend into traffic, this time going the right way. A few minutes later we stop in front of the luxury apartment with views of Forest Park on one side and the rest of the Central West End on the other. Unlike my typical four-story brick apartment in the Grove, Rhys’s building is sleek and so high, I can’t see the top of it from inside the car. I had come to know the sight of it well after picking him up and dropping him off for a few of our dates. But he’d never invited me up to see where he lived.
“No, love, the restaurant is a few blocks down,” he said when I put the car into park. “This is my flat.”
I killed the engine and answered, “Get out.”
“So you prefer to walk?” he asked into my resentful silence.
“Get out,” I repeated, staring straight ahead.
“What about brunch?” he asked. “I was rather looking forward to that.”
“No brunch. The only thing I’m serving up is a huge ol’ plate of we’re done here. So please get out of my car.”
Rhys didn’t move. “Is this about the kiss in the alley?”
“No, it’s about all the kisses, Dr. Prince,” I answered, throwing up my hands. “It’s about all the things we haven’t done because you’re too busy playing mind games with me.”
“I’m not…” He let out a harsh breath. “I’m not playing mind games with you.”
“Then why won’t you just fuck me already?” I asked, nearly yelling.
“Because I want you to understand,” he answered, his voice almost as angry as mine.
“Understand what?” I demanded.
“That you like me. Even without the sex. The sex will make it even more wonderful. The