Let It Be Me Read online

  “I won’t let you down, sir,” I say with a spurt of confidence I didn’t know I had.

  He nods before he says, “I know you won’t. Come on, we’re having a meeting.”

  “We are?” I didn’t have a meeting written down. I look down at my appointment book, kicking myself for forgetting this. My first day and I miss a meeting!? Damn it.

  “Yup, it wasn’t planned; I have some news I need to share with the office.”

  Oh, thank God. “Oh, okay! I’m right behind you,” I say scrambling out of my seat to catch up with him since he was already halfway out the door. I follow behind him and smile when we reach our staff lounge. Last week, I got to meet my staff. We have three nurses that work with patients, two receptionists and four floating nurses. They help with patients, file and do anything else I assign. I love my team. Each one has different things at which they excel, and I know I’m going to enjoy them. The only thing that makes me nervous is that I’m the youngest person employed here; everyone else is in their thirties.

  But they seem to like me. I hope.

  Everyone returns my smile and one of our nurses, Tammy, scoots over so I can sit beside her. Leaning back on the couch, I look up just as Dr. McCloud claps his hands together and says, “Morning, team. I hope all is well with everyone. Did everyone have a good weekend?”

  Everyone answers back with smiles and one by one tells him about their weekend. It blows my mind how he is so concerned and even asks more questions about everyone’s family life. He is so in tune with his staff and it makes me nervous. It isn’t like I’ll be doing this. I’m not going to share my home life. I won’t even bring up it up, so all I’ll have to talk to him about is work. I hope that’s enough.

  After everyone’s finished with their weekends, attention returns to Dr. McCloud as he says, “Well, I’m glad everyone had a good weekend and well, mine was eventful. As lot of you know, my wife is retiring, and I’ve been entertaining the idea of doing the same thing for some time. After this weekend, I’ve decided that I’m going to leave the practice.”

  I gasped, along with everyone else. What the hell does he mean!? I just started here, just became comfortable in my new position. How could he leave? I know everyone is thinking the same. Even Ms. Lynda is crying and Tammy looks as if she is on the verge of tears. We love this guy! He can’t leave!

  “Calm down everyone, it’s okay. You all know me, I’m not going to leave you unless I have the best replacement and, to my delight, my son has finally accepted the task of taking over for me.”

  His son? What? I don’t want to deal with the son; I want Dr. McCloud.

  “So, help me welcome my son, Tucker McCloud, to our practice.”

  Oh, he’s here? I glance back up. Everyone starts to clap but my arms stop mid-air when my eyes fall on Tucker McCloud. For the first time in three years, I’m completely stunned by the man before me. My insides are clenching, and I don’t think I could form a word if someone asked me something. Especially if he did. He’s beautiful. Light brown hair that looks like he spent most of the day running his fingers through it, whiskey-colored brown eyes like quicksand. He has dark brown scruff on his chin and a little along his upper lip and oh Lord, his lips. They’re a full, a light-peach color and curved up in a way that makes my heart pound a little faster. He’s gorgeous and the mere act of gazing at him is turning me inside out.

  He is wearing black slacks that hug every inch of his long legs, showing off the curvature of rippling muscle, along with a white dress shirt that hugs his chest and arms, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, forearms thick and hard. He looks around the room, his smile intoxicating as Dr. McCloud introduces each of us. I’m last and when his whiskey-colored eyes land on me, the room fades away until we’re the only two people in the room.

  His smile falls, his eyes darken and everything inside me flashes white hot. I have never and I mean NEVER, seen such a gorgeous man. Not even Rob stunned me like this fine Doctor is, and he never ever made me feel this, even before the abuse started. It’s insane and freaks me out because this doctor is turning me on. No one and I mean no one has done that in a very long time. Not even my husband.

  After losing my baby, something went wrong inside me and when Rob would try to penetrate me, he couldn’t get in. I went to the doctor, not for his sake but for mine because I was tired of getting the shit beat out of me for not pleasing him, plus it scared me. Why couldn’t he get in? Was I broken down there? Had he done more damage than I thought when he caused me to lose the baby?

  In the end, I found out that I am suffering from Vaginismus. I know what you are thinking: What the hell is that? I thought the same thing but what it is, is where I am basically too scared to have sex. The walls of my vagina contract whenever anything tries to enter me and it is basically like hitting a wall, which is the reason it hurts anytime he tries. Of course the doctor asked me a whole bunch of questions about being sexually abused but I was able to deflect them and get the hell out of there. When I told Rob what was wrong, he told me I was stupid and worthless, not even a real woman since I can’t even please my husband. Told me no man would ever want my broken body. It sucked and I know he’s probably getting it somewhere else but to be honest with you, I don’t care as long as he stays off me. I have had no desire to have sex in months, I haven’t even been turned on but right now, that is all changing.

  And that scares me.

  “This beautiful young lady will be your office manager, son,” Dr. McCloud says, slapping Tucker on the shoulder as he reaches out to shake my hand. I take it as his father says, “Violet Moore, this is my son and he’ll be replacing me. He’ll take good care of you.”

  If only.

  “Violet, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  Oh. My. God. His voice is velvety smooth and deep and my name trickles from his lips slowly, deliberately

  Good. Lord. Almighty.

  Clearing my throat, I manage, “The pleasure is all mine, Dr. McCloud. I look forward to working with you.” My voice is shaky and high-pitched, and it sounds strange even to me.

  Tucker’s mouth curves up as he slowly nods. “As do I.”

  His eyes continue to hold mine and all I can do is stare back. I have no clue what’s happening, but as he slowly drops my hand, and steps back from me, His eyes say more than words ever could. My body reacts, contracting, closing in on itself. And that’s bad. Very bad. I’m married to an abusive psycho; what the hell do I think I’m doing lusting after my new boss? Do I want to die? Do I want him to die?

  But sweet Jesus, he is beautiful.

  No!

  I need to get these intense feelings under control before they blossom into something dangerous. The only problem is I don’t think I can.

  After scattering away from the meeting, I fall into my chair and take in deep breaths. My heart is still racing, my palms are sweaty and I’m having a hard time forming coherent thoughts. What the hell is wrong with me? I’ve encountered men before, I’m seen them naked; I’ve healed their wounds; I’ve nursed them back to health. What the hell is so different about Tucker McCloud?

  My reaction to him is baffling. I’ve never been this worked up.

  Violet.

  The way he said my name was sensual and smooth. He has an accent, a down home one that I swear was designed to talk girls out of their panties and, for the love of Christ, it works. I’m not sure if mine were going to stay on much longer if I didn’t get away from him when I did. Oh fuck, what am I going to do? I have to work with this man!

  A gentle knock sounds at my door and when I glance up, Dr. Sexy Pants is standing in my doorway equipped with one hell of a grin.

  “Hey, are you busy?”

  If fantasizing about stripping you down and licking every inch of you is busy, then, yes, yes I am. I’m so screwed. How the hell am I going to work here when I’ve only known of Tucker’s existence for maybe thirty minutes, and I’ve already had sex with him in my head? And it isn’t normal sex, it’s hang