Hush (Just This Once) Read online

  FIRST ORIGINAL EDITION, JANUARY 2018

  Copyright © 2018 by Deborah Bladon

  All rights reserved. No parts of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without written consent from the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used factiously. Any resemblance to actual person’s, living or dead, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.

  ISBN-13: 978-1984161130

  ISBN-10: 198416113X

  eBook ISBN: 9781926440491

  Book & cover design by Wolf & Eagle Media

  www.deborahbladon.com

  Also by Deborah Bladon

  THE OBSESSED SERIES

  THE EXPOSED SERIES

  THE PULSE SERIES

  THE VAIN SERIES

  THE RUIN SERIES

  IMPULSE

  SOLO

  THE GONE SERIES

  FUSE

  THE TRACE SERIES

  CHANCE

  THE EMBER SERIES

  THE RISE SERIES

  HAZE

  SHIVER

  TORN

  THE HEAT SERIES

  MELT

  THE TENSE DUET

  SWEAT

  TROUBLEMAKER

  WORTH

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Epilogue

  Preview of BARE

  Preview of THIRST

  Thank you

  Deborah’s Mailing List

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  Evan

  "I'm not a coward. I am not a coward." A soft, smooth feminine voice catches me off guard.

  I turn toward it and grab a quick glimpse of what looks like the world's most perfect ass in a pair of black lace panties. They vanish the second the woman in question stands upright again, the red umbrella in her hand mangled from the brutal wind.

  "You don't strike me as a coward, sweetheart." I raise my near-empty glass of bourbon in a mock toast because any person brave enough to venture out in January in a New York City blizzard, dressed like it's the middle of July, deserves a medal. This one earns bonus points for having an ass that can halt a snowstorm in its path.

  That may or may not be a fact, but the timing is sure as hell spot-on.

  The deluge of snow that has blanketed the city for the past five hours has stopped abruptly. That wasn't the case up until a minute ago when I was standing, alone, outside this hotel contemplating what my next move will be.

  Big picture stuff, not which-of-my-casual-hook-ups-should-I-call-tonight stuff.

  "Thanks, stranger." She smooths her hands over the short skirt of her frilly navy blue dress as she takes in the length of my six-foot plus frame. "I'm not your sweetheart, though."

  Wheat blonde hair, warm hazel eyes, glossy full pink lips, and an attitude.

  Forget the big picture. My next move needs to involve this woman.

  My eyes don't leave her angelic face even though I want to trail my gaze and my mouth over every inch of her body. "Fair enough. Introduce yourself, and while you're at it, I'd love to meet your imaginary friend too."

  I can't resist the urge to look when her nipples pebble into hard points beneath the airy fabric of her dress. As much as I want that reaction to be from the rich baritone of my voice, I suspect it's from the burst of wind that just picked up her skirt. There's a brief flash of sheer lace covering smooth skin before she yanks the hem of the skirt back in place.

  My evening just got a whole hell-of-a-lot better.

  "My imaginary friend?" She tucks a piece of her windswept hair behind her ear. My fist clenches in envy. I want those waves balled in my hand so tightly that the only noise she makes is one that tells me she wants my cock deeper.

  I crack a smile. "You were hell bent on convincing someone that you're not a coward. Since we're the only two out here and there's no phone in your hand, I take it that your imaginary friend is the asshole who thinks you're a coward. I'll argue your case if you point me in his direction, or is it her direction?"

  "Are you a lawyer?"

  I'll be anything she wants me to be. I'm a surgeon, vascular to be precise, and I have to be. Tonight, I don't want to be Dr. Evan Scott. I'd rather be the star of her future fantasies; that one awe-inspiring lay all women look back on for the rest of their life when they get themselves off.

  "Not guilty." I hold my hand up in mock surrender. "Your name, beautiful. What is it?"

  Her thickly lashed eyes widen as the heavy metal awning above us creaks under the weight of the wet snow. "It's Jane. Jane Smith."

  She's the third Jane Smith I've met this month.

  I'm not offended that the name offered is as fake as the smile plastered on the face of the doorman who is watching our every move from the warm comfort of the lobby. Experience has taught me that women in this town hide behind a false persona for just three reasons.

  One is that their wedding ring is tucked in a pocket or a purse and they don't want the night to seep into their two kids, bake sales, walking the dog in the park, day-to-day life.

  For the record, I avoid those women at all costs. They're easy to spot, even if they think they're fooling everyone, including themselves.

  The second reason women morph into Jane Smith, Jane Doe or just plain Jane is they're prepping to hand over a fake number.

  Eye contact is everything, and if a woman I'm after can't make it with me, I tap out. There are too many women on this island who are interested in what I'm offering. I'm not into wasting my time on someone whose type isn't tall with dark brown hair, blue eyes, muscular pecs, that cut V that women dream of, and a thick nine-inch cock.

  Yeah, I measured. Every man does. He's a fucking liar if he doesn't admit it.

  The third reason is why my new blonde friend tossed out the name Jane Smith to me just now. She's looking for the same thing I am. One night of no-personal-details, uninhibited, I-dare-you-to-walk-straight-after-that fucking.

  "It's nice to meet you, Jane." I extend a hand because in public I'm always the perfect gentleman.

  She takes a step forward, dragging her sorry looking umbrella behind her. Her hand lands in mine for a soft shake. It's just enough pressure to stir my cock. "What's your name, stranger?"

  I could easily be the Jack to her Jane, but I want to hear my name from those lips tonight. "Evan."


  The look on her face is all surprise and awe like I've already got two fingers inside her and I'm honed in on that spot that will etch my name into her memory forever. "Is that your real name?"

  I crane my neck to look at the lobby. The last thing I need right now is for anyone I work with to breeze past us and call me Dr. Scott. I have to get this woman into a hotel room and out of that dress now.

  "According to my driver's license, it is." I circle the pad of my thumb on her palm before I let her hand go. "I'm going inside to refill my drink and then I'm heading upstairs. Can I get you anything, Jane?"

  She reaches up to touch her neck. It's a subtle sign that she wants my hand, or maybe my mouth, there. "Are you inviting me up to your room?"

  Technically, I'm inviting her to a room I haven't rented yet. I was out here catching a breath of frigid nor'easter air. I did my time inside when I took the podium, ran through an off-the-cuff speech about the boatload of accolades my boss acquired in his career and then handed him a silver wristwatch courtesy of his wife. He threw the goddamn shindig on his own dime and then expected me to kiss ass in public to hold onto a job I'm not sure I want.

  "If you are, I'm game," Jane tosses that jewel out before I have a chance to offer a formal invitation to get naked with me. "I didn't notice you at the ceremony. Are you a friend of the bride or the groom?"

  It's the obvious conclusion to jump to. I'm dressed in a tuxedo. There's a wedding reception in the ballroom tonight. She has no clue that I was just in the hotel's five-star restaurant with a group that consists of primarily sixty-something-year-old surgeons all desperate to one-up each other with elaborate descriptions of their summer homes.

  At thirty-four I'm the baby of the bunch, hence the reason I'm standing in the bitter cold with a drink in my hand contemplating why I went to medical school in the first place.

  Jane marches on, nerves twitching at the edge of her words. "I'm a friend of Leanna. I'm actually one of her bridesmaids. I had to get the hell out of there when Henry started talking about how committed he is to her. It's bullshit. You know that, don't you? He totally screwed her over this past summer when he was in Vegas. She forgave him and now they're married. Can you believe that?"

  "Henry is a selfish son-of-a-bitch."

  Her eyes flick up to meet mine. "What's your room number?"

  The snow starts again, large flakes of unwanted inconvenience. I need a condom. My gaze darts up and down the street. Other than a restaurant a block over, every other storefront and business are locked up tight.

  Late Sunday night will do that to Manhattan. A snowstorm doesn't help.

  "You have protection, right?" Pretty Jane reads my mind like a sensual sorceress. "I didn't bring any condoms with me."

  Normally, I'd have at least a few tucked in my pocket, but I got dressed at the hospital. An emergency surgery this afternoon cut into my prep time for this hellish evening, so I had my rental tux delivered. I changed in the locker room and forgot one of the essentials. The breath mints made it into my pants pocket next to my wallet, but the condoms didn’t.

  Fucking great.

  I'm not sending this woman on a mission to get me a rubber. That comes with the risk of her bailing on me because she doesn't see the effort as worth the reward.

  It's worth it, in spades, or in her case, orgasms.

  "I've got that covered, or should I say, it will be covered," I quip with a tip of my glass before I down the last swallow. I'll go floor-by-floor and door-to-door in this hotel to find a condom if need be. "Do you need to say goodbye to Leanna before you bail?"

  She blows an adorable puff of air out from between her lips. "I do. I left my purse in there. What about you?"

  "I didn't have a purse that matched my outfit tonight," I joke. "I'll meet you in the lobby in thirty minutes. We can head up to the room together."

  "Make it fifteen," she counters, a challenge woven into her tone. "I'll take a Bellini."

  "Consider it done," I whisper as she breezes past me, the maimed umbrella dragging behind her.

  The doorman jumps into action and props open the heavy glass door. Jane steps into the vestibule just as the ugly winter wind gives not only me but the doorman, the early holiday gift of an eyeful of her luscious ass.

  Something tells me this night is going to be one for the record books.

  Chapter 2

  Evan

  "Your money is no good here, sir." The obviously exasperated hotel desk clerk pushes my credit card back at me. "I told you twice already that we are booked solid for the night."

  Well, shit.

  On any other night, I would have tipped my hat to fate and given up. The reason for that is simple. In my world, there's never been a shortage of no-strings attached fun. If I don't get my recommended daily allowance today, I'll make up for it tomorrow, or whenever my brutal schedule allows me the good fortune of enough time for a screw.

  I'm not a minute man. I take my time. I savor every second I'm with a beautiful woman because sex is my salvation. It's what keeps me sane in a world where I hold the keys to the kingdoms that are other people's futures.

  Tonight I'm off the clock and tomorrow is an all-too-rare day off for me, so I'm partying like it's my birthday since I spent most of that in surgery. I fought like a warrior to save the life of a man twice my age.

  He got his second chance. There's not a better birthday gift in the world than that.

  "We have another location in the East Village. I can inquire if there is a room available there for you." The desk clerk types something into the keyboard of the computer in front of him.

  I'm tempted to ask him how the hell he thinks I'll get there since the storm has forced the city to shut down but I refrain from flying my asshole flag tonight. There's always a work around when my cock is on a mission.

  "Thanks, but I'll figure something out." I scoop up the money that I thought would be substantial enough to bribe him into giving me a room.

  I've checked into enough hotels to know how it works. It's not uncommon for the staff to hold one room for the guy who shows up in the middle of the night. Generally, he's so desperate for a place to lay his head that he'll pay whatever the hell the ransom is.

  It looks like some schmuck beat me to the finish line tonight.

  "Evan, I thought you took off an hour ago."

  I smile inwardly at the sound of Dr. Jordan Whitman's voice as it carries through the lobby. Jordan's got a room key in his pocket and since the party has an open bar, he won't be going anywhere until the last drop of free alcohol has slid down his throat.

  "I need to borrow your room." I slap him on the back. "You owe me for handling that carotid stenting on Mr. Brilton last month."

  "I repaid that when I took on Judith Lancaster as a patient two weeks ago. She requested you and I agreed to see her to even our score. There's nothing wrong with her and she calls me every day at ten a.m. sharp." His blond brows pinch together. "What do you need my room for?"

  Jordan is a leader in the field of cardiology but he's the only thirty-eight-year-old guy I know who is lugging around a permanent set of blue balls.

  It started and ended his senior year of high school when he made his move on a cheerleader. He got head and then a quickie in the back seat of his car. That one and only encounter is the only action his dick has ever seen. It's not a surprise that he isn't putting two and two together.

  "I met a woman." I pull him into a half-assed man hug. Our shoulders bump. "The hotel is booked up solid and I need a room to entertain her in."

  "Entertain her?" His gaze narrows. "I don't get it."

  At any other time, I'd jump on the chance to throw his pseudo virginity back in his face.
I can't tonight. Time is running out and I need a room stat.

  "I'm going to screw her, Jordan." I lower my voice. "I need a room and a condom and if you help me out with the room, I'll owe you twice over. I'll take over the Lancaster file."

  He scratches the outer shell of his ear. "You need a condom? I've got one."

  Why?

  I don't ask the question even though I want to. I was prepared to go back into the restaurant to beg the bartender for a condom. The dude has serious game. There's no doubt in my mind he's got a half dozen condoms tucked in his back pocket. "Give me the room key and the condom."

  His mouth twists wryly. "Deal but I have two conditions."

  I'm so eager to get Jane Smith out of that frilly dress that I'll give Jordan my left nut at this point. I don't need it. The right one is that impressive.

  "What do you want?" I ask even though I don't give a shit what it is.

  "It's a two bedroom suite so don't use the main bedroom. I'm not sleeping in a bed you had sex on."

  "A two bedroom suite?" I have to ask. "Why do you need a two bedroom suite?"

  He stares at me for a minute, his arms crossed over his chest. "I booked a room here because I invited my mom to Manhattan for the party and my apartment isn't big enough for the two of us. I wanted her to meet the people I work with. Her flight was canceled because of the storm."

  I have compassion. I get where he's coming from. My parents are both doctors so impressing either of them is an impossible task. I gave up trying right around my twelfth birthday.

  "Fine. I'll do it in the other room." I look at my watch. "What's the other condition?"

  "Get Kylie to agree to have dinner with me."

  That's like asking the iceberg to politely get the hell out of the way of the Titanic. Dr. Kylie Newman won't budge on her stance to never date Jordan.

  I've been called a miracle worker in the past, so I won't say never when it comes to Kylie and Dr. Blue Balls.