Page 15 of Dr. Scandal Claus

"What do you say we get out of here? I heard the roads are getting slick. I was in the men's room and you know how men talk." I turned the stereotype of women traveling in herds and talking while toileting around on myself and it made her laugh harder.

"Sure … My feet are sore."

The hungry expression she had didn't say "my feet are sore." It said, "Take me home, Mr. Edwards." And that was a sentiment I could get behind.

"Think we have time to stop by my house?" I asked her and she pulled away, leaving her hand connected to mine, and lilted a shoulder with a seductive expression.

We found our coats and when I glanced at the time it was still only just after eleven. The night was young. We had all the time in the world…

Until we stepped out the door and Scarlett almost took a tumble. A sheen of ice covered everything, including the sidewalks. I steadied her and we moved very slowly toward my car. The weather was expected, but not this early, and I was glad we'd ditched the fundraiser in lieu of more exciting activities. The drive home would be very dicey.

I shut Scarlett into the car and walked around the front. I had to hold onto the hood of the car in order to stay upright, and when I pulled out onto the road it wasn't any better.

"Wow, Nick, the roads are really bad." Scarlett shivered as we waited for the car to heat up enough to produce warm air. I had to drive less than twenty miles per hour.

"Yeah, this isn't good. I hope people didn't drink too much. Drunk drivers on these roads will mean horrible accidents." I took a second to thank God I wasn't a trauma or ER doctor. Then I slowed the car even further and sighed.

"This is really bad…" I said, even as I was beginning to slide through an intersection. My house was twenty minutes from here, but Scarlett's apartment was less than five now. I glanced at her. "I might have to crash over at your place."

"Yes, please just go there. It's not worth risking your safety or mine." I saw the grimace on her face and knew she was feeling disappointed we wouldn't have alone time.

"Hey, it's okay."

"It's Ethan…What will he say if you are sleeping over?" I didn't have to see her face to know the worry. Her son and his safety and emotional well-being came first.

"I'll take you home and then go home. It's really okay." I didn't want to make anything difficult for her. It wasn't worth it. We could have sex anytime.

"Nonsense…" She sighed again. "Take me home, and you're staying. And that's final." She sat back with her arms stretched toward the heater vents and I couldn't help but feel another sense of satisfaction and hope rise up. I was definitely growing on her and she was growing on me too.

Even if all we did was watch a movie and I slept on the couch, it was a step the right direction.

11

SCARLETT

When I opened the door for Nick and we snuck in, the room was dark. The only light came from the glow of the Christmas tree in the corner of the room and the flashing phone screen in Tina's hand.

"Hi, Mrs. Moore!" she whispered loudly as she stood and walked toward me. It was dark enough that I couldn't see as my hands fumbled to take cash out of my purse, so I stepped into the hallway, leaving Nick standing inside the apartment alone.

"Thank you so much, Tina. When did he fall asleep?" I noticed Ethan dozing on the couch and figured he'd fallen asleep watching a Christmas movie. It meant there was no way for Nick to be a gentleman and sleep on the sofa, which didn't bother me one bit.

"Oh, right after the movie. It was before ten. I just shut the TV off and I've been scrolling." She smiled and held out her hand and I paid her the forty dollars I promised, being that it was a holiday, and she could've gone out with friends.

"Well at least he's asleep. Thank you again."

Tina snatched the money and wiggled her fingers in a goodbye before heading for the stairs. I backed into my darkapartment knowing if I turned any lights on Ethan would wake up and after having an hour nap, he'd be wide awake for hours. It was in our best interest to just tiptoe into the bedroom and unwind there.

"Come on," I whispered and I kicked my heels off and draped my coat across a kitchen chair before walking across the room to the Christmas tree. I heard Nick toe his shoes off and follow me, and I took his hand after I unplugged the tree and guided him into the bedroom.

When the door was shut behind us, I flipped on the light and shrugged out of the stole that had kept me warm all night. The chill made me shiver and Nick was there immediately with his hands on my shoulders. He stood behind me and kissed my neck. Then the top of my shoulder.

"I never intended to just invite myself here for sex, Scarlett. You know you mean a lot to me." His kiss warmed my skin and I turned and wrapped my arms around his torso under his suit jacket. He must've shed his coat at the door with mine, and now he stood in my bedroom looking as handsome as ever.

"The roads are horrible. I'm not letting you drive home. So you can sleep in a single bed in Ethan's room and hope he doesn't wake up in the middle of the night to find a stranger in his bed, or you can share with me…" I breathed him in and sighed happily. We really had had a great night together, and I wasn't at all disappointed that it was ending with a sleepover. If sex happened, okay, but Nick was right. I liked him for way more than just his amazing ability to make me orgasm.

"Help me?" I asked, touching the clasp for my necklace. I turned and Nick's nimble cardiologist fingers undid the clasp and he lowered it in front. The pendant slid between my breasts and tickled me and I imagined his fingers following the line. I smiled and took it from him, then walked away and laid it on my dresser. The earrings were next, and he stood with hands inhis pockets watching. I gave him a naughty smirk as I reached up the back of the dress and began unzipping and his eyes grew wider.

The sweetheart neckline already plunged low enough for him to get a full view of my cleavage, but his reaction when the dress fell from my body and the only thing I was wearing was a pair of silky blank panties was priceless. I saw the flash of lust in his eyes and smirked at him before twisting my nipples to points.