The V-Spot

She reached for the door.

“Please,” he said quietly.

She stopped but stared at her hand on the handle rather than look at him.

“I know I’m probably the last person you expected to show up tonight.” But did she have to come off so averse to the idea?

“You got that right,” she said, turning to face him. Something flashed in her eyes. Anger? Hurt? “Did you lose a bet? Is this some sort of joke? Have a good laugh at my expense? Are all the guys in on it?” She looked around the parking lot. “Did they come with you to witness my humiliation firsthand?”

What? “No. Of course not. Listen—”

She didn’t.

“Why are you here?” she snapped.

Brody spread his arms wide and smiled. “I’m your birthday present, with love from Sadie.”

“This is insane.” She started digging around in her purse. “Do you honestly expect me to believe Brody ‘The Bull’ Bullock, a wildly popular, good-looking professional wrestler who could get any woman he wanted with a sexy wink and a smile, actually wants to—” She wrapped her arm around her waist, rested her left elbow on her right forearm and dropped her face into her palm. “Oh, God. What did Sadie tell you about this date?”

Things were falling apart fast. Brody wasn’t sure how to answer. So he didn’t.

She lifted her head. “Tell me.”

Brody decided to go with honesty. “She told me every woman deserves a good—”

“Stop!” Emma threw up her hand between them and locked her beautiful blue eyes on his. “You came here tonight expecting to...” She swallowed. “...with me?” She hesitated before narrowing her eyes and adding, “The pit bull of the pediatric ward?”

Well, he shouldn’t be surprised she knew about that. Not much got past Emma. “Not expecting, exactly. But ready, very willing and able.”

“With me,” she clarified, as if she couldn’t possibly believe it.

Sadie was right. Emma had no idea how sexy she was. “Yes, with you. I can’t think of any other woman I’d undergo a physical exam and blood testing for.” He smiled.

Her cheeks blushed a sexy shade of red.

“For the record, pit bull was a term of endearment, for the protector of the pediatric ward,” he tried.

Yeah, she wasn’t buying it.

“Did you choose the location of our date?” she asked accusingly.

He shook his head. “No way. That was all Sadie.” Quite frankly, he’d tried to talk her out of it thinking once Emma found out what went on at The V-Spot she’d leave. Only she hadn’t and that intrigued him.

“Have you been here before?” she asked.

“No.”

“And you have no problem coming to a place like this for sex with a woman you hardly know? Why does that not surprise me?” She crossed her arms under her bodacious breasts, as if offering them up to him. Damn, that made it difficult to concentrate.

Luckily he maintained enough brain function to recognize it was probably not in his best interest to point out she’d come to a place like this for sex without even knowing who she’d be having it with. “We’ve known each other for four years, Emma. We see each other every couple of months.” Whenever he could squeeze a visit to her hospital into his schedule.

“As far as I recall,” she responded, while glaring at him, “and I have an excellent memory, in all those years we have never once had a meaningful conversation. You’ve given no indication you had any interest in me whatsoever. Yet here you are. Surprise! Let’s have sex.”

Granted, his interest hadn’t dawned until recently. “What do you mean no indication? I know for a fact I have complimented you, repeatedly, every time I visit.”

She tilted her head. “You compliment every woman you come in contact with. It’s like you can’t help yourself.”

Not every woman, but close. It made them feel good. He liked making people feel good. “With you I meant them.” Apparently his honestly didn’t impress her.

“That’s it.” She turned away. “I’m leaving.”

“No.” He reached for her arm. “Give me a chance to explain how this all came about.”

She turned, very slowly, and looked up at him with interest, waiting.

He cleared his throat feeling uncharacteristically nervous knowing whatever came out of his mouth would make or break their evening together. For some inexplicable reason tonight’s date with Emma mattered to him, more than any date he could recall. He wanted it to be a success. “About a month back I overheard you talking to Sadie at the Nurses’ station.”

“Spying, were you?” she asked with a set of raised eyebrows and another head tilt.

“Waiting,” he clarified. Truth be told it’d been more like lurking. Waiting he could have done anywhere, but he’d chosen to do it within earshot of Emma and her friend. “Sadie mentioned she’d narrowed down the candidates for your blind date. And you said...”

She hesitated.

He waited her out.

“Fine,” she snapped. “I said, ‘Make sure he’s good-looking, sexy and can handle a big girl like me.’” She put her hands on her hips. “For your information, I was kidding when I said that. I never thought—”

“What else?”

She looked away and quietly added, “I want to spend my twenty-fifth birthday doing exciting things I’ve never done before.” She stared off into the distance as if remembering the conversation. Something flashed in her expression, a look of longing, or a hint of desire to set some part of herself free. He could relate.

Brody stepped in front of her to regain her attention. “I saw my opportunity to take you out on a special date, and I took it.”

“Why?”

“Because I like you. Because I wanted to be the one to make your birthday special. Because you work so hard and care so deeply for each of your patients and their families. They all love you. I figured if anyone deserved to have their birthday wish granted you did.”

She stood there, watching him. So he went on. “When you left I pulled Sadie aside and told her to put me at the top of her list.”

“And she did, easy as that?”

He smiled. “If I’m to be totally honest, it took some convincing.” And sincere promises to make tonight Emma’s best night ever, to keep the specifics of their date private and to treat her heart with care.

“Come here.” She motioned him forward. Two steps and she reached up to his right shoulder and tugged. “Bend down.”

He did.

She placed both of her hands on his head, moving it from side to side as she checked his ears. An impromptu health screening? When she finished he said, “That was random. What were you looking for?”