A Different Time (Guardians of Now Book 2) Read online

  Dusty shivered at her soft breath against his lobe. “I get the old, new, and blue,” he managed. “What’s borrowed?”

  She snickered softly. “I borrowed your account to pay for it.”

  He grinned down at her. “You wife, you!”

  She laughed out loud until his hand cupped her full breast, inhaling sharply when his thumb circled the sensitive nipple.

  “I think I’d rather appreciate it later.” He had already taken control of the clasp in the back. With a twist of his fingers, he had it unfastened and off.

  She stood in the circle of his arms, wearing her panties and a sultry smile. “You husband, you.”

  Her nimble fingers loosened his tie and tugged his shirt from his dress slacks, then burrowed beneath to caress his chest.

  The perfume of her arousal intoxicated him. Her scent, slightly tangier now, he put down to the pregnancy, and just as exciting.

  Dusty shucked his clothing quickly, kicking the pants and socks away, lifting her into his arms again. He fell back on the bed with her cradled against him, and just held her.

  Could simple words said over them in a garden make a difference? It seemed so. Dee was his forever now. He felt the old familiar buzz that had helped bring them together ramp up a notch.

  He trailed a hand down her side, to her most private place, and stroked the wetness there for him. She was ready, eager. Rising over her, he eased his way into her heat, and knew home. He pulled away to gaze at her for a moment and her hands grabbed his ass, bringing him tightly against her body.

  He thrust deep and she met him, one hand in his hair, the other tweaking his nipple. They fit together so well, their rhythm melding as she took him in with a gasp and a purr. He knew what pleased her now and he’d make special use of that knowledge.

  Their bodies moved faster as he brought his hand between them, stroking her where he knew only he was allowed. She moaned as he found that spot and brought her to peak again. His fingers conducted their own kind of magic until suddenly she cried out, and he felt her tight channel grip his cock, milking him of his very being. His balls tightened to near pain—

  Then he was spinning away from reality, from time, taking her with him. A final thrust and he filled her with his warmth.

  Boneless, Dusty sank against her as she shuddered beneath him.

  When he shifted, worried he was too heavy and he’d smother her, she tightened her legs around him. “Umm, no.”

  “Okay.” He relaxed fully in her arms, wanting nothing more than to remain right here for as long as he could.

  I already want her again.

  And he smiled to think they had all day, all night.

  Hell, they had the rest of their lives.

  ~ ~ ~

  After Dusty had taken her on three mind-blowing orgasms, Dee fought to regulate her breathing.

  Sprawled across her husband’s chest, she turned her head slightly to find him watching her, his hand lightly caressing up and down her spine. At least he had the energy for a twinkle in his eye. She wasn’t sure she could muster up enough vigor herself. She’d managed to wriggle around until she could use him as her own personal mattress, then collapsed, pretty much spent.

  “What’s going on in that mind of yours?” she asked sleepily.

  “I was remembering the first time we did it in this room.”

  “I was too easy.”

  His chuckle vibrated under her cheek. “Easy isn’t exactly the word I associate with you.”

  She swatted at him, though she couldn’t disagree because something had definitely drawn them together. Dee had broken all of her rules, allowing a strange man to pick her up in a bar when she was vulnerable. She could never make a case he had taken advantage. They’d had dinner, closing the restaurant down, and still been unable to part from one another. Her offer of coffee in her apartment had not been a come on. She’d just wanted to stay in his company.

  What happened when they arrived here had been unexpected, but as natural as sunlight. She and Dusty were meant to be together. And who needed a honeymoon when they had this? Though she was going to have to eat soon.

  She raised her hand to rest a palm on his chest and spotted the ring again.

  “I wanted to ask, where did you get this beautiful ring?” The gold band was adorned with four set-in diamonds, vines and flowers etched around the surface.

  “Do you like it? You said you couldn’t wear something with a diamond sticking out at work.”

  “It’s perfect. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “No, it was custom made, and it is an antique. It was designed in 1830 for a George Cannon to honor his bride, Sybil.”

  “Sybil? This is Sybil’s ring!” The image of her first-ever patient on a house call came back to her. Sybil had been in her eighties then, and feisty as a bulldog. Curing the abscess on her leg had added greatly to Dee’s esteem around town.

  “Yes. I started looking for jewelry from Braddock’s Crossing as soon as we got back. It’s a little hard to fin—”

  Her lips cut him off as she showed him exactly how much she loved it.

  Endless kisses later, she pulled away, both of them smiling. Returning her attention to her ring, Dee angled her hand to catch the flash of diamonds in the light. “I’m stunned Martha let it out of the family.”

  Sybil’s daughter-in-law, Martha had either not been as impressed with Dee’s skill, or bitter her cure had worked. Dee suspected the latter.

  “According to what I read, she never got it. I’m sure that didn’t go over very well. But Sybil lived to be ninety-three, so I think you wrestled her diabetes under control, and her daughter-in-law only lasted a couple of years after she died.” Dusty brushed a finger lightly over the diamonds adorning the band. “Martha’s son, the third George in the family after Sybil’s husband and her son, inherited it for his wife. I’ve got the whole provenance saved online.” He took her hand in his, kissing her fingertips. “I’d rather you not go read it now.”

  Dee cuddled in again. “No, not now.”

  Chapter 13

  In the hospital cafeteria Dee spotted the nurse she had worked with on their last patient. Because the nurse’s technique was familiar, Dee wanted to speak with her.

  Taking her yogurt to the table, Dee hesitated. All four nurses went quiet and looked up at her, their shoulders tense.

  “Hi, I’m sorry to interrupt,” she began, “we worked together on the boy with the broken leg earlier.” Dee smiled at the young woman, glancing at her nametag. Gail.

  “What did I do wrong?” Gail asked.

  Dee blinked, her smile fading. “Nothing. I wanted to ask where you trained. I was very impressed.”

  They all stared at her now.

  “May I join you?”

  “Of course, Dr. Stevens.” Both the answer and their demeanors were stiff.

  Dee took a seat across from Gail. “Please, call me Dee.”

  “Not if anyone in administration hears us,” one of the nurses murmured.

  Dee glanced around. “There’s no one from administration here now. I’m Dee. I was watching your stitching technique—”

  “I was trained that way.”

  “I know. I recognized it. Where did you train?”

  “Uh, Grant Hill.”

  Dee felt the smile grow on her face. Elizabeth’s technique, still in use. “Of course. I’ve heard wonderful things about the school.”

  “It’s the best in the country, in my opinion,” Gail said.

  “From what I’ve seen, I have to agree.” Silence surrounded the table. Damn, she’d probably worked with these women since she’d arrived at Georgetown shortly before her “adventure.” Did she have no relationship with them?

  Apparently not.

/>   That was about to change. What the heck was administration saying to these professional women?

  “I worked in a temporary practice for several months with a woman who attended Grant Hill.” Okay, not exactly true, but how could she explain the truth?

  “She and I were the only two health workers there, except for a midwife,” Dee offered. “I’d have to say the practice was quite rustic from the perspective of this place. This nurse and I taught one another, and I think we both learned a great deal.”

  “You and a nurse taught each other?” The nurse who spoke up wore a nametag that said Nancy.

  “We did. She was more familiar with the area. She stayed after I returned home, to work with the permanent doctor who took over the practice. I’m sure the new doctor learned quite a bit as well.” She chuckled at the thought for a few seconds before realizing the nurses were watching her.

  She took a bite of her yogurt as the others finally seemed to remember their coffee.

  “I’d love to hear more about Grant Hill. Did any of the rest of you graduate from there?” Dee asked the other three women sitting with them.

  “I graduated from Duke,” Nancy said. “Beth and Karen went to Chamberlain.”

  “That’s very impressive. I knew the level of nursing here was superior.”

  Again, utter astonishment showed on all four faces. Well, it was her fault for not spending time with them sooner. It wasn’t too late. She hadn’t known better before. She did now.

  “I’m sorry. I’m making you uncomfortable. Is there some rule I’m unaware of where we shouldn’t be fraternizing?”

  “It’s not written out.” Gail’s voice had dropped.

  “Then I’m going to ignore it. If you’d rather not talk here, I’d be happy to meet you somewhere to chat. I know I could learn a lot from all of you.”

  “Is this a trick?”

  The question took Dee a moment to process. “I swear it is not any kind of trick. I used to belong to a women’s group, while I was working at this rural location. I learned something from each of them every time we got together. The group included a professional cook, a boardinghouse owner, a teacher, and a store manager, not to mention the midwife and my nurse friend. I’m not going to push, but I’d like to get to know you better. If you’re not comfortable, I understand.”

  “I’d like to have a chance to talk about some things with you,” Gail mused. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to continue my education, but I’d be interested in discussing it with you.”

  “I would enjoy that immensely.” Dee looked around the table and saw the others nod, if reluctantly. “Where’s a good place?”

  “There’s a bar a couple of blocks from here. Thy have quiet tables in the back, away from the happy hour people.”

  “Sounds good. Is there a preferred day or time? Aren’t we on the same shift schedule?”

  “Yes. Wednesday right after we get off shift, we usually go there and unwind a little.”

  “I don’t want to intrude,” Dee said quickly.

  “No, let’s give it a try.” Gail’s smile was a little warmer now.

  ~ ~ ~

  “Yes, we changed a lot of things, but not human nature,” Dusty pointed out after hearing Dee’s description of her conversation with the nurses. “There’s less racism and sexism, even ageism, but they do still exist. Misogyny is obviously still around, if you look at the administration at your hospital.”

  “The problem there isn’t only men. Some of the women who lead there are insecure enough not to want other women to reach their heights. They’re the ones who don’t want me talking with these women,” Dee replied.

  “Are you going to do anything?”

  “Keep talking to the nurses.”

  He chuckled. “You go, girl.”

  “Until they can sit me down and tell me why I’m better than someone else and prove it scientifically, there’s no reason to change.”

  “You don’t have to convince me.”

  She suddenly waved her hands around. “We need a bigger place.”

  Dusty glanced up, startled. “Whiplash here. What are you talking about?”

  “We don’t need a house as big as the Tillman’s, but a larger dining room and maybe a great room. I’d like to have the nurses over sometime. Along with others we meet as we grow a group here. Six is about max around our table.”

  “True. A yard for the kid might be nice too.”

  Her bright smile took his breath away. Hell, for one of those smiles he might build a place by hand for her.

  ~ ~ ~

  Dee found herself quite nervous. It was almost like high school again, hanging out with the popular girls and not quite fitting in. Now was different. She no longer held on to those insecurities. She’d accomplished something only one other person had done and survived. These women might not like her, but that wasn’t the point anyway. She wanted to hear about Grant Hill.

  If a new women’s group grew from it, so much the better.

  Entering the bar, Dee spotted Gail waving. The women had a table for six, away from the loud activity near the door.

  Dee slipped into a seat at the end. A waitress appeared almost immediately. “I’d like some hot tea.”

  The woman looked startled when she took her order, then left. The others looked down at their wine.

  Dee smiled at them. “I’m not drinking right now. It’s not common knowledge, but I’m pregnant. I haven’t told administration.”

  The announcement brought startled and excited responses and for some reason seemed to relax the other women. They promised to keep her secret and seemed more than pleased to be part of a conspiracy.

  After that, the conversation turned lively. Dee was stunned when she checked the time to see an hour and half had flown by.

  Letting the others talk, allowing them to get used to her presence, Dee employed the same techniques she had at the previous women’s group. If Nancy reminded her a little of Mrs. Masters, it wasn’t in appearance. Nancy was quite attractive, and seemed to love playing devil’s advocate, which brought up good memories for Dee as she listened.

  “I need to get home,” she said regretfully at a break in the conversation. “I had a lovely time and if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to join you again.”

  “We come here every Wednesday,” Nancy offered.

  “Oh, I couldn’t intrude so often, but maybe the week after next?”

  Gail chuckled. “Sure. And we can talk more about Grant Hill then. We got sidetracked a couple of times.”

  “We did, but it was all interesting. I’ll see you guys at the hospital.” Dee made her goodbyes and left the bar, glancing back once to see the women had continued talking. She smiled to herself.

  Yes, this might be the beginning of a new women’s group.

  Chapter 14

  Dusty transferred dinner from the takeout containers as Dee changed into something more comfortable. The food might not be as good with both of them working full time and no Cook or Mrs. Masters to handle it. Still, this was better than those nights in Mrs. Tillman’s room.

  Coming home to a wife was a pleasure. No more returning to the lonely apartment he’d inhabited rather than lived in.

  Dee’s father was in touch not quite every other day. Ben’s guilt seemed to have lessened but Dusty suspected it would never completely go away. Dusty talked to his own father once every two weeks or so. They’d never been estranged, but this new closeness felt good.

  He looked up when Dee returned in drawstring PJ pants and a tank top. Her breasts were bigger, and he could see just the tiniest thickening around her waist. She looked wonderful.

  He turned toward the kitchen as his phone pinged. “Could you grab that, it’s probably Leonard Kagan.”

  Sh
e picked up the phone and stopped, looking at the screen. Her lack of movement caught his attention.

  “Who is it?” he asked.

  “A friend, I think.”

  The statement had him coming back to her. “Friend?”

  “Someone named Angie.”

  “Who’s Angie?”

  “She’s calling you, not me,” Dee reminded him.

  “I don’t know anyone named Angie.”

  “Maybe she’s one of your phone sex chicks.” Dee was grinning, thank goodness. She knew better than to be jealous.

  “I haven’t checked since we got back, but I don’t know if they still have 1-900 numbers.”

  “You paid for phone sex?” Dee sputtered. “I was kidding!”

  Was that amusement in her voice rather than condemnation? He sure hoped so. Dating hadn’t been his style before her.

  “I told you I wasn’t good with people. It was just easier.”

  “How do you know you weren’t talking to some grandmother with a husky voice?”

  “Oh, thanks a lot! Nice to know I married pure evil, putting that image in my head. You’ve been bad tonight. No ice cream for you.”

  “Are you saying you would deprive your future offspring of the calcium she needs?” Dee caressed her abdomen and looked up, batting her lashes.

  Dusty narrowed his eyes, containing his laughter as he continued on to the kitchen to the sound of her chuckles.

  He returned shortly with two bowls of black cherry ice cream and took the seat beside her on the couch. She cuddled in next to him to eat, though a stifled laugh occasionally broke through.

  “What?”

  “Sorry. I’m seeing Aunt Bee from The Andy Griffith Show sitting at a phone bank and—”

  “Will you stop? If you’re trying to ensure I don’t ever use them again—”