“Chance for what?’
“To join the mile-high club. How much time until we land?”
“Not enough.”
“That sucks. Why didn’t you wake me?”
“Because you needed your rest. You haven’t slept more than ten hours in two days.”
“What did you do for three hours?”
“I read.” I motion to the medical journal on my lap.
Her face scrunches when she picks it up and sees the cover. “No wonder I was out. You’re boring.”
“Research,” I correct her.
“On what?”
“One of the instructors had a few studies in here. I wanted to get an idea of her knowledge and style.”
“Did you learn anything interesting?”
“Do you really care?” I raise an eyebrow.
“No, but I was trying to be a good girlfriend and act interested.”
I bend forward, swiping my lips across hers. “They were impeccably written, the cases were fascinating, the hypotheses were academically challenging, and the results were astounding.”
She smiles against my mouth. “I love it when Dr. Delicious turns into a medical geek.”
“Then you’re going to enjoy this week.”
“Ooh, am I going to be surrounded by other luscious medical nerds?”
A shot of jealousy shoots through me, and I grip the back of her head, lowering my voice to below a whisper. “I need you to behave, Claire. Some of these men think they are God’s gift to womankind. They’re egotistical to the point of obnoxious. Married or not, these events give them an excuse to chase a cheap thrill. You’re a prime target. Gorgeous, smart, funny, sarcastic, sassy—the whole goddamn package. It’s not going to take long for the first one to hone in and make a move. If someone hears you call them a luscious medical nerd with that voice, those lips, and looking like you do—all bets are off. Seriously, the size of their heads makes up for their pencil dicks.”
Her eyes begin to twinkle, and her hand slides up my chest and curls around my neck. Quietly, she whispers, “Lucky for me, Dr. Delicious has a normal head and a huge dick.”
My cock stirs as she scoots closer and wraps her ankle around my calf. The tip of her tongue darts out, tracing my lips, and I thread my fingers in the hair at the base of her scalp. “Jesus, I love you.”
“How long from the airport to the hotel?”
“Too long.”
The plane rocks as we hit the tarmac, and Claire straightens, pulling away but lacing her fingers in mine. I keep her close as we deplane and head toward baggage.
“Oh, look at that. Dr. Bennett is getting the red carpet treatment.” She spots our driver at the escalator holding a sign with my name.
“Why don’t you go greet him and I’ll get our bags.”
She releases my hand and waves as she walks to him. I maneuver through a large crowd at the carousel and wait. Our bags are close to last, and when I return to her, I realize my mistake immediately.
Our driver is clearly in a Claire daze by the expression on his face. He’s a giant man. She’s bouncing with excitement and rambling on about the sights. He towers over her, and with each word, his lips twitch. I step closer, and his eyes fly to mine, darkening to black in a protective glare. She leans in and lays a hand on my chest, still bouncing.
“Mathis, this is Tony, and he’s lived here all his life. He’s offered to be our tour guide!”
“Dr. Bennett?” His brows draw together, and his eyes only slightly soften.