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An Excerpt From: The
Blood Doctor
© Copyright
Kate Hill, 2002.
All Rights Reserved,
Ellora's Cave, Inc.
Chapter 1
“Last but not least, this is my oldest brother Matthew.” As
she spoke, Lisa tugged Dulcie’s arm, causing droplets of wine to splash
over the rim of her friend’s glass and onto her white powdered hands.
“Ah, the oldest of the Winter clan.” Dulcie turned her
smile to Matthew, deliberately licking the wine from between her thumb and
forefinger before extending her hand in greeting. She thought for certain
the tall, smooth-shaven, impeccably-dressed man would hesitate, but he
surprised her with a firm handshake. Dulcie’s heartbeat quickened.
His presence had touched her the moment she’d stepped into
the house to join Lisa’s father’s sixtieth birthday party. Dulcie had waded
through introductions to several aunts, uncles, cousins, and Lisa’s other
siblings before they finally reached Matthew who stood alone in his
father’s dark study, gazing out of the picture window. Everyone else mingled
in the well-lit dining and living rooms, but Dulcie had seen Matthew’s
silhouette through the half-open door. She’d caught his scent before
entering the house. It was wild, sensual, buried too far beneath soap,
shampoo, and expensive cologne.
“Matthew, this is my friend Dulcie. We’re in the same
photography class this semester.”
“Painting is really my thing,” Dulcie explained, stretching
her fingertips across his wrist as he released her hand, “but I took
photography to try something different. Have to keep life interesting.” She
grinned at him, as if sharing an inside joke. He smiled politely.
“Matthew’s a hematologist. Interesting isn’t in his
vocabulary. He’s the family pride and joy. Our parents’ own professional
egg-head. He’s a genius.”
“Jesus, Lisa,” Matthew muttered.
“It’s true. He was in med school at fourteen, got his M.D.
at eighteen, and now here he is, not even thirty, and at the top of his
field discovering cures for blood diseases.” The pride in Lisa’s eyes
belied her teasing words. “The rest of us are average, you know, but
Matthew was adopted, so he’s really got nothing to do with our gene pool.”
A half-smile played around Dulcie’s lips. “So you’re in
blood, Matthew?”
“I’ve never heard it put that way, but yes, I’m in blood.”
Dulcie nodded, her eyes fixed on his full lower lip. He
definitely had a mouth for kissing. The rest of his body was long and lean.
She wondered exactly what it looked like beneath his black slacks and shirt
that matched his dark blue eyes. He wore a tie of muted colors, the knot
perfect at his throat. His neck above the collar looked strong. Dulcie
gazed at the vein along the side of it, heard the rush of blood when she
concentrated hard enough. His scent grew stronger as his body heated. In
spite of his easy smile and calm manner, he was attracted to her. He wanted
her, and, Lord, she wanted him!
“What are you drinking?” Dulcie nodded to the half empty
glass in his hand.
“Water.”
Lisa playfully shook her brother’s shoulder. “Matthew
doesn’t drink. He doesn’t smoke, has never done drugs. He’s probably never
had sex either.”
“Well Lisa’s had it enough for both of us.” Matthew put an
arm around his sister, shining his knuckles on the top of her head.
Lisa laughed and pushed away. “I’m going to help Mum with
the cake. Keep Dulcie company.”
Lisa slipped out the door, leaving Dulcie and Matthew
staring at each other.
“Moon’s beautiful tonight.” Dulcie strolled to the window
and spoke, since Matthew obviously had no intention of keeping the
conversation going.
“It is.”
Dulcie’s buttocks perched on the window ledge, her legs
outstretched. A sleeveless dress of black spandex draped provocatively over
her rounded body. A slight layer of plump flesh padded hard muscles. She
had the body of a woman and a predator combined. It was beautiful in a
world gone mad with anorexia and breast jobs. Her body was strange,
primitive, and she knew it excited Matthew, though his sapphire eyes swept
over her only once before he resumed looking out the window.
“It’s carnal. The moonlight.” Dulcie shrugged, watching him
from the corner of her eye. “Sorry. I had to say that.”
“So you’re an artist?”
Dulcie sighed. A normal conversation. Lisa hadn’t been
kidding when she’d described her brother as “restrained.”
“I paint nudes, generally.”
“Good for you.”
Dulcie ignored his sarcasm. “Has anyone ever painted you?”
She heard his heartbeat quicken, felt his annoyance, and
something else, as he strode to the door.
“Well someone should,” she added quickly. “You have great…”
he shot her a look which momentarily stopped her breath, “lines.”
Dulcie gazed out the window for several moments, collecting
herself. Her own heart fluttered in her chest; her nipples were hard
beneath her lace bra. When she’d picked Lisa for a friend, she'd had no
idea about Matthew. The man was everything she wasn’t, and everything she
was. She’d thought she’d been attracted to her last lover, but he was
nothing—nothing—compared to Dr. Matthew Winter.
“Hey, Dulcie.” Lisa walked into the study, flipping on the
light switch with her shoulder since she carried a dish of cake in each
hand. She glanced around for Matthew. “He left you alone? Helluva
gentlemen, my brother is.”
“It was my fault. I think I made him uncomfortable. You
know how I can be.”
“Matthew’s great, but he can have a real stick up his ass
at times.”
“You could have told me he was gorgeous before you
introduced us.”
“Gorgeous?” Lisa wrinkled her nose. “Matthew? He’s kind of
cute in his own way, I guess.”
“I’d like to apologize to him for coming on so strong. You
think I could see him tomorrow?”
“What’s wrong with right now?”
“He’s gone.” Dulcie had known immediately when his scent
faded.
“He left?” Lisa stuck her head out the door. “That jerk.
Dad hasn’t even opened his presents yet.”
Dulcie truly wished
she could feel guilty. She knew she’d been the reason for Matthew’s quick
departure, but she’d also known that it wasn’t her words which had driven
him off. It was the attraction he felt for her. The stirring in his blood,
the ache in his teeth and in other places.
“He works at the research hospital near our college,” Lisa
said between mouthfuls of cherry cake. “Sometimes I meet him for lunch.
He’s always working, and no one ever gets to see him much. But we’ll meet
him tomorrow.”
“Good.”
Dulcie nodded, eating a mouthful of cake. The icing tasted smooth and
sweet. Not, she guessed, as sweet as Matthew’s lips...
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