The Bear's Mate by Vanessa Devereaux Read Free Book Online Page B

find.
    “See
you later then,” he said.
    “Looking forward to it.”
    He
pressed the end call button and leaned back in the chair. He’d never made love
to a human before. That was assuming he and the good doctor would be having sex
tonight. Well, just in case it came down to that he’d need to start doing some
research on what exactly turned them on.

Chapter Six
     
    “Doctor,
can I have this blood pressure cuff taken off my arm now?”
    “What?”
The patient’s voice had startled Charlotte who had been staring out the window
in a dream-like state since she’d taken the call from Aiden. She hadn’t realized
the cuff was still wrapped around the arm of an elderly gentleman until he’d
spoken up. Lucky for him she hadn’t continued to inflate it.
    “I’m
sorry. I didn’t sleep very well last night, and I was miles away.”
    Liar, liar, it’s
all to do with a handsome man.
    “So
how’s my blood pressure?” he asked rolling down his sleeve.
    “It’s
much lower, so the medication is working. I’d like you to keep taking the
tablets, and continue with the low sodium diet too.”
    “I
hate that. Nothing tastes the same now.”
    “Better than having high blood pressure
and another stroke.”
    “Yeah, yeah.”
    “Do
you want me to write a prescription for a refill while you’re here?”
    “Might
as well. It saves me coming back.”
    Charlotte
swung around on her stool and reached for her prescription pad, wrote it up,
tore it off, and handed it to the man.
    He
looked at it and squinted. “My first name’s John, not Aiden.”
    Floor
open up and swallow me now. Mr. Renner had more of an effect on her than she’d
initially thought, or would like to admit.
    “Guess
it’s the bad night’s sleep,” said the man handing it back to her.
    She
tore it up, threw it in the bin, and then wrote another one checking she’d gotten
the name right this time. God, what must he think of an incompetent doctor like
her?
    She
stood and walked him through to the reception area.
    “Was
Mr. May the last patient of the day?” Charlotte asked Ginny, the receptionist.
    “Sure
was.”
    “Let’s
lock the door and not tempt fate like I did last night,” said Charlotte
hurrying toward the front entrance. She slid the bolt across and turned over
the sign that said the clinic was closed and gave the directions to the nearest
ER. Of course, last night had brought Aiden into the clinic…
    “So
you have anything fun planned for tonight?” asked Ginny putting away the
knitting she often did when things got slow at the front desk.
    “Actually
I do. I’m going out on a, well, I’m not sure if it’s a date or what you’d call
it. A guy who was in here late yesterday wants to take me out for a meal as a
thank you for looking after his brother.”
    “Wow,
but shouldn’t it be the brother doing that?” Ginny slipped on her raincoat and
tied her scarf around her neck.
    Ginny
had a valid point there. Maybe Aiden wanted to ask her out, didn’t have the
nerve, and had used Christopher as the perfect excuse.
    “So
is he cute?” asked Ginny.
    “Oh yeah.”
    “Your
eyes glazed over when you said that, so I take it he’s very attractive.” She
put on her gloves and picked up her purse. “Well, I’ll see you in the morning,
and you can tell me all about your date or whatever it turns out to be.”
    Charlotte
walked with Ginny to the employee’s entrance and reached for her own coat as
she closed the door shut. Just one thing she needed to do before she left.
Charlotte went to the supply cupboard and pulled out a box of condoms. Wishful thinking maybe? She put them into her bag. Hopefully
they’d get some use sometime soon.
    ****
    Aiden
had booked a table for two at Portofinos. It was the first place he’d thought
of and wasn’t sure why. After all, it was a romantic hole in the wall type
place that you took your lover, not someone you’d just met. And definitely not
a woman who you’d only asked out because you had a