Play Doctor: Dream Machine Part 9

"Yes. We'll try this again, maybe four or five times, to obtain an average reading." As though he expected her to accept the decree instead of rebelling at the idea, he patted her head. Before she could object, he gave her a quick peck on the cheek then headed back to his chair.

"Now you've had a chance to rest, let's start over."

"What?" Her incredulity shone through once she found her voice. She couldn't come again so soon. He couldn't expect her to when every nerve still tingled, resonating with violent relief.

"Again, Becca. You know it's impossible to create a reliable baseline from a single data point."

"Doctor," she objected, trying to think of an explanation to make him understand. "I'm very sensitive right now. I can't..."

"You've never had more than one o.r.g.a.s.m in a night?" Peering over his shoulder, he scrutinized her reaction, making it impossible to obscure the truth.

"Never before yesterday." She flinched at the suggestion of her deficiency then averted her eyes, turning her head away from him.

"Still hiding from me, Becca?" He returned to her side, reached out and gripped her jaw between his thumb and strong fingers, forcing her to face him. "I asked you a question. You promised to be open. Remember, total honesty? Nothing you tell me will make me think less of you. If anything, I'll pity the men who were too inept to deserve you. I'd never judge you. There's so much I can show you, sweetheart." He stroked his thumb in a shallow arc over her cheekbone.

"Starting with this..." Reaching down, he gripped her forefinger then dragged it to her p.u.s.s.y, tapping it against her c.l.i.t. A startled yelp escaped her throat. He only grinned.

"Don't worry, Becca. Keep rubbing. It'll start to feel good again, I promise."

Kurt guided her finger in the slow circle she had traced around her c.l.i.t earlier until her muscles relaxed and the probe readings began to climb once again. With a wink, he took his seat for act two.

Chapter Nine.

After the fifth o.r.g.a.s.m, Kurt admitted he couldn't stand anymore even if Becca could have. Her limp body collapsed, exhausted. The straps alone held her on the table. Eyes closed, oblivious to the world, her breath sawed in s.e.xy little pants through parted lips.

He was dying to sample her sultry slickness wrapped around his aching erection. Several rounds self-gratification behind cover of his clipboard hadn't diminished his arousal in the face of her utter abandon to her pa.s.sion. She'd always been his best student.

Unable to help himself, he'd soaked in every detail. Like the way she feathered her fingertips on her c.l.i.t for a moment before stroking along the side of the bundle of nerves then around the bulge of the probe. He'd studied every movement, tucking the knowledge away for the time when he could take her.

He wanted to discover every way possible to please her.

By a comfortable mile, today had replaced the time during his wild college years he'd spent the night with three very willing bis.e.xual women as the highlight of his s.e.xual experience.

Once he'd provided a safe environment for exploration-free of recrimination in her career-and a dash of control, she had blossomed. Self-imposed restraints had melted before his eyes. Her abandon stirred wicked ideas of what to show her next.

But he had to be patient.

Restricting himself to a snail's pace, he refused to risk overloading her senses and frightening her away.

He'd waited this long already. He'd continue to be patient until the time was right to escort her into deeper waters.

Kurt collected the last of her fluids, still marveling at her responsiveness. He disengaged the probe and nipple rings, placing the equipment in the cleaning bins according to protocol. Then he restored the table to its base configuration before releasing the bonds coc.o.o.ning Becca's legs. She rolled onto her side, curling into the fetal position with a weak moan.

"Come on, baby." He lifted her from the table, savoring her blissful trance. "We need to get you cleaned up, then you can take a nap. Not too long though, I need you to sleep well tonight."

"Am I awake now?" Her scratchy whisper was a side effect of her earlier vocal responses.

He chuckled, taking absurd pride in her repletion, though he hadn't had much to do with it. Like a cat, she nestled against him, ensuring the highest possible percentage of her skin made contact with his bare chest. His c.o.c.k stirred. In total disbelief, he wondered if he'd ever have enough of her.

"You were starving, weren't you?" he whispered into her hair, inhaling her floral scent. She nuzzled her face against the side of his neck but didn't answer his question.

"You're so strong. You'd never drop me, would you?" Becca's complete transparency, both physical and emotional, made a drastic change in the guarded woman he'd come to know so well. The fierce emotions her reliance instilled made him swear to protect her, fulfill her longing for security, no matter what the future held.

"Never."

He fanned his fingers across the cooling skin of her back and around the ultra-smooth spot under her knee.

Though she wanted to relax now, she'd be sore tomorrow if he didn't take care of her as he should. Kurt refused to let her suffer.

He brought her into his adjoining studio apartment then set her, like a priceless vase, in the steamy bathwater he'd started running before he released her. The tenderness seeping through his heart as he bathed her unsettled him. Desire, he understood. Even caring was a part of his normal interactions with women, but never before had the urge to shelter and nurture overwhelmed his rationality.

As a rule, the thrill of the chase and the eventual submission of a spirited woman brought him complete satisfaction. Now, he'd developed a sudden, infuriating craving for Becca to turn to him, to trust him, to want him-the man behind the doctor, the mentor and the boss.

What the f.u.c.k? Kurt didn't believe in this s.h.i.+t, or anything he couldn't generate conclusive proof of for that matter.

Emotions are symptoms of complex chemical reactions, which science can't yet explain. Nothing more.

Don't make this more than it is.

His rationalization rang false but the vision in front of him derailed his train of thought.

Becca lounged in the water lapping across her torso, blissfully unaware of her destructive impact on his lifelong hypothesis. He empathized with the confusion Einstein must have endured when he postulated the existence of black holes and their capability to distort the laws of physics.

Her eyes remained shut but the goose b.u.mps dotting her skin faded when the heat, and the restorative ions of the bath salts, soaked into her delectable body. He washed her with his bare hands, lathering the soap across her smooth skin and pebbled nipples, scrubbing her more than necessary for hygienic purposes. All the while, he spoke to her in a stream of calming nonsense. Unsure of the words himself, he knew she heard but didn't understand his soothing litany.

Kurt didn't need a response to comprehend the implications of the moment. She would never let him care for her this way if she didn't have absolute confidence in him, if he hadn't reached some part of her psyche previously locked away.

Her surrender was a touching gift. It threw him off balance. That had to be the reason for the emotional vertigo disrupting his judgment.

He dried her silent, pliant body with a plush towel before returning her to his personal quarters. He placed her on the bed, taking a moment to light a few of the candles scattered around the room before moving to her side. He folded back the comforter then positioned her on her stomach on the flannel sheets. She rubbed her cheek against the fuzzy fabric but didn't rouse from her sensual daze. Popping the lid on a bottle of oil, he began to rub the mild muscle relaxer into her creamy skin.

He stared at his hands spanning her back with ease. Though she had a pet.i.te build, he'd never thought of her as such a little thing before. Her eagerness to learn, her confidence in her abilities and her determination to succeed made her seem larger than life despite the vulnerability he'd sensed lurking within.

When he cupped her voluptuous hips, ma.s.saging the joints he'd kept stretched earlier, Becca groaned.

Unwilling to break the spell of their shared calm, he leaned over her back to whisper in her ear.

"Are you doing okay?"

"Mmm." She managed a tiny nod.

He finished kneading her legs, working her thighs until the knotted muscles beneath his fingers slackened.

Accepting his reward, he lay down beside her then tucked her back against his chest. He brushed a stray lock of hair off her face, wondering why he hadn't seen how beautiful she was from the first moment they met. Drowsy himself, he murmured, "You did so well, Becca. I knew you would be amazing but today surpa.s.sed my highest expectations."

"Thank you, Doctor," she mumbled from the murky fog between sleep and waking. She placed her hand in his, which engulfed it, where it draped across her subtly rounded abdomen.

"Kurt," he corrected, nipping the side of her neck. A sigh slipped from her lips. After holding himself distant all these years, he fought the exhaustion sweeping over him. He wanted to relish this rare time but he couldn't stay awake much longer.

He set his alarm clock to ensure they didn't take more than a brief nap before lifting the downy comforter over them. Only then did he allow himself to drift off, holding tight to Becca's lax form beside him.

BEEP BEEP BEEP.

Rebecca startled awake from a deep, disorienting sleep then crashed into a solid wall of muscle in her attempt to locate the source of the racket.

"Calm down, sweetheart."

Kurt?

She blinked then realized several things at once. She was naked, in a bed other than her own and he had dragged her close, wrapping his arms around her flailing limbs. From the searing heat of his flesh branding her with his obvious desire, she a.s.sumed he didn't have any clothes on either.

"Where are we? What happened?" Her hoa.r.s.e voice attested to the depth of her sleep. After running on so little for so long, she was exhausted. Her mind struggled to restart as she desperately thought back.

"My quarters, off the laboratory." The mellow timbre of his s.e.xy voice rea.s.sured her. When she looked up, he met her questioning gaze with a satisfied smile. His hands still stroked her back, soothing her.

"You had an intense afternoon. Your body isn't used to it." As he spoke, his palms traced a route down her spine, then up her sides, pausing to circle her hips as though he enjoyed outlining the dip and curve there. "I'm sorry I can't let you doze longer, Becca. I have to make sure you sleep well tonight."

"I don't think that's going to be a problem." She almost purred in contentment.

Her mind began to function. The details of their intimate situation became clearer. While she wanted to enjoy it, she was too nervous about the newness of the relations.h.i.+p and how she would avoid the potential awkwardness between them. Lounging in the crook of Kurt's leg, the brush of his aroused c.o.c.k against her hip startled her. She froze. Uncertain of his expectations, she didn't want to appear to be encouraging him or inviting a more personal encounter.

Where did this afternoon leave them?

Before she could decide what to do, he withdrew his hands, pushed up from the bed and effected his usual charm, giving her s.p.a.ce to sort things out and catch her breath. She flashed him a smile of appreciation for his intrinsic understanding.

"Come on. Let's grab something to eat then we can come back here and discuss what's going to happen tonight so you're prepared."

Trying to clear the distractions from her mind, Rebecca swiped her hands over her face. When she opened her eyes, Kurt stood before her dressed in a pair of sweatpants, looking as rumpled as she felt.

She couldn't prevent the laughter from bubbling out of her chest.

"What's so funny?" The uncharacteristic moment of insecurity had him glancing down at himself to make sure everything was in order. The gesture inspired her mischievous streak. He didn't look anything like his usual, confident, unflappable self. Their earlier work had affected him too, which rea.s.sured her in some odd way.

"I've never seen you have a hair out of place before." She grinned and couldn't remember the last time she'd been this lighthearted. "You look cute."

He grimaced at her declaration. For a moment, she wondered if she'd overstepped her bounds but Kurt returned her grin.

"Normally, I don't think I'd be all that happy with cute." He shrugged. "But letting you tease me seems a small price to pay to see you like this."

She drew the covers up over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. The mention of her wantonness still unsettled her. Her humor faded. No longer a matter of professionalism, she scolded herself for entangling her affection in this crazy experiment. She couldn't afford to care for him.

"Don't hide from me."

"But, I'm naked!" The sense of outrage filling her didn't result from being displayed in front of him. Not physically, anyway. She feared he would laugh again. After all, an hour ago she'd been bare, pleasuring herself and going wild before him. They both understood they'd moved past those barriers.

He refused to let her disguise her discomfort. Stalking to the side of the bed, he didn't give her the chance to avoid him. As she picked up the edge of the blanket to mask herself further, he yanked it out of her grasp then flung it onto the floor behind him.

"I will not allow you to chastise yourself for your reactions earlier or how they make you feel now. I've told you how much you pleased me. I enjoy the new facets of our relations.h.i.+p and your honest reactions. That should be all that matters to you at this point. Act accordingly."

Harsh breaths echoed in the otherwise quiet room as Rebecca stared at him in shock. This was not the man she knew. His authority compelled her to slide into acceptance of his will, to embrace the luxury of being at his command. Instead, she forced herself to remain aloof and protect her heart when he spoke only of pa.s.sion or professionalism.

"I'm not ashamed of my performance in the study. Sleeping naked next to you in our off hours, Kurt, is another matter. I'm going to get dressed." With all the dignity she could muster, she brushed by him then swept into the bathroom, leaving him gaping in her wake.

She perched on the side of the tub while the water from the shower drummed the other side of the curtain behind her. Though clean and relaxed from her earlier bath, she'd needed to buy some time to reflect. This would have qualified as the longest shower in the history of the planet.

She had a lot to think about.

With her dream to become a partner in the university clinic realized, she floundered without purpose. The next step on her life path was uncertain. She struggled to separate her experiences during this exercise from her emotions for Kurt. The more they progressed, the more she worried she wouldn't be able to do it. Could she hide her feelings from him forever?

The way he'd cared for her today swamped her with affection and longing. The magnitude of her desire to submit made her feel weak. It would be too easy to let him take over all the time. Her mother had taught her better than that.

A loud bang on the door startled her from her thoughts.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes!" she yelled from behind her hand to maintain the illusion of her fictional shower.

"I know there isn't that much hot water in there!" Kurt bellowed, hopefully to make sure she heard over the noise of the spray and not because he was angry.

She didn't answer.

"Waking up next to me must have really turned you on to make you freeze yourself in a cold shower for d.a.m.n near thirty minutes."

His arrogance almost inspired her to abandon her stronghold. Instead, she breathed deep and concentrated on suppressing her initial reaction. She didn't want him to get the wrong idea.

After a pause, he yelled again. "If you're not out of there in five minutes, I'm going to rip down the curtain and lick every drop of cold water from your-"

The mental image destroyed her resolve. Now she'd never get it out of her head. She wrenched the door open, cutting him off before he could make the threat any more vivid. The infuriating man grinned.

"You were hiding. d.a.m.n." He backed away from the door, ushering her out with a swing of his hands.

"Since your grand exit didn't seem to indicate a desire to go out to dinner with me, I took the liberty of ordering a pizza. It's getting cold."

The smell of fresh dough and gooey cheese punched her in the gut as she emerged from the bathroom bundled in a luxurious robe she'd found laid out for her. Kurt had stocked the small area with almost everything they'd need for a few days. With the exception of her clothes.

Her stomach rumbled.

"Dig in. I got your favorite."

As she debated refusing, he went into the bathroom and shut off the shower. She thought she heard a low chuckle but chose to ignore it.