Another exhausting day, but this one had been as much emotionally exhausting as physically – maybe even more so.
A body-tired day is a good day – the feeling of satisfaction that comes with pushing through the wall and not only getting through it, but also excelling. Completion. An emotionally tired day leaves one feeling unable to properly cope. Ill equipped. Lily may have gotten through the day, but she was feeling…vulnerable.
After checking on her patients and completing her charts, she grabbed her pack and started across the veranda to make her way back to her cabin.
Keeton hadn't been at the clinic when she, Cole and Mina had gotten back from their call, but had been out responding to a call of his own. They hadn't seen each other at all once he'd gotten back, as he'd gone straight into the OR with Cole and Tommy, and Lily had been busy with patients. Somehow she felt better knowing he was around – that thought gave her comfort. How his presence could reassure and ground her, while tempting and challenging her at the same time, she didn't know. All she knew was that she'd missed him today, but the current status of their relationship – if you could call it that – was unsettling.
She could have gone around the building to avoid having to pass in front of Keeton's office, but Lily Brenner wasn't a coward…plus, she couldn't shake the need to see him. She may not be a coward, but most certainly she was a glutton for punishment. Steeling her nerve, she approached his office and leaned against the door frame. Keeton was sitting at his desk doing paperwork, a bottle of scotch by his hand. As if sensing her presence, he raised his head.
"Hey," she said softly.
"Hey yourself," he answered back, a slight smile touching his lips. "How are you doing? It feels like I haven't seen you all day."
"Well, almost all day." Lily put down her pack and approached Keeton's desk. "I'm good – tired, but good. I didn't lose anyone today, so I'm feeling pretty happy about that," she kidded. "What about you?"
Pushing his chair away from his desk, Keeton stood up and rounded his desk. Sitting on the edge, he started to share his day with the woman in front of him. "I helped to bring a baby boy into the world today, a couple of villages over. He was breech, and about 6 weeks premature but he's a strong little guy – he's got a great set of lungs for his size." Keeton felt pretty good about his day, all except for the look on Lily's face when she saw him with Ryan.
"Look, Brenner…" he started.
"You don't need to say anything, Dr. Keeton. I really just wanted to clear up any weirdness between us and tell you that we're good. Things were a bit awkward this morning, but I'm clear on where things stand. We're good." Lily was feeling pretty proud of herself and her ability to downplay her internal turmoil. Mina would be proud of her.
"You're clear on where things stand?" Keeton confirmed, getting up from the desk and walking the few steps to stand in front of Brenner.
"I just mean that this morning I was a bit confused because of last night and you in my cabin this morning. Then there were the dreams and the way you kept looking at me…" Oh crap, she wasn't making any sense. Lily paused and tried to start again. "I was confused, but I'm not anymore. I understand now." Why was he standing so close?
"What do you think you understand, Lily?" Keeton raised his hands to remove the pins from Lily's hair, dropping them one by one onto the floor along with her headband, his hands threading themselves through her silky dark hair as it fell to her shoulders. Lily was getting confused again.
"You're with Ryan. I know that," she tentatively offered.
"You know that, do you?" he said. Keeton's strong fingers started to lightly massage her scalp, releasing the tension of the day before lightly combing through her hair to smooth it. Lily could hardly keep her eyes open; she couldn't stop herself from moaning aloud, the feel of his fingers was so exquisite. "Better?" his gentle voice nudged her out of her trance.
"Mmm…better. If you keep that up, I'm not going to be able to make it back to my cabin." The pleasure in her voice had Keeton smiling. He leaned in and whispered, "So don't."
And with Keeton's comment, Lily's eyes fluttered open, staring at him in confusion. "But you and Ryan…"
"Ryan and I are through, Lily," he clarified.
"But I saw you two…" she was having a hard time reconciling his words with what she'd witnessed in his office earlier on in the day.
"What you saw were two people saying goodbye. She'll still be working here, but our relationship is over. Realistically, it's been over for a while, now." Keeton looked into Lily's eyes trying to determine if his words were registering.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Keeton. Are you okay?" Ever the caring friend, Lily's concern was endearing, and yet another thing about her he was humbled by.
"Yes, Lily, I'm okay," Keeton replied gently, with a smile. "It was time. I mean, how could I be in a relationship with one person when I can't stop thinking about someone else?" There it was…his cards were on the table. He just hoped that Lily was coherent enough to grasp the meaning in his words.
Realization dawned on Lily like the sun breaking through the clouds, her body warming as the meaning of Keeton's words found a home in her heart. Buoyed by her awareness of Keeton's feelings, Lily teased, "Does Fuller know how you feel? You two would make a cute couple." She was completely unaware of the lengths he would go to in retaliation.
She squealed and tried to evade Keeton's grasp, almost making it to the door before he grabbed her and pinned her against the wall. Reaching to close the door with one hand while clasping both of Lily's wrists above her head with his other hand, Keeton said, "Funny. You're very funny, Brenner. But you're forgetting who you're dealing with here."
The feel of his body against hers immediately ceased her struggle – 6'1" of hard male against a woman will do that. "Refresh my memory. Who am I dealing with, Dr. Keeton?" Lily taunted, her breath quickening in anticipation.
"I'm the man who made you come last night, Brenner," he whispered softly in Lily's ear, his teeth grazing her earlobe before his mouth trailed fire down her neck, "…and I want to do it again."
Oh, thank god - they weren't just dreams!
Angling her head to give Keeton's mouth access, Lily begged, "Please…my hands." The need to touch him was overwhelming. Keeton's lips changed course, finding their way to Lily's jaw line, her soft sighs all the encouragement he needed. It was his turn to drive her crazy like she had done to him last night. When Keeton finally released the wrists he'd held captive, Lily buried her fingers in his hair to bring his mouth up to meet hers, her mouth swallowing his low groan of pleasure.
To Lily, the sensation of Keeton's mouth on hers was both familiar and new. With every stroke of his tongue, her memories of last night took shape, fueling her desire. Had their encounter at the waterfall been just yesterday? How could so much have changed between them in such a brief time? How could she want him so much when just two short days ago, he'd just been her boss and a beautiful fantasy?
Their mouths greedy, their hands desperate for the touch of each other's skin, Keeton made short work of the buttons on Lily's shirt, grabbing the hem of her tank top to pull it over her head. Cupping her face in his hands, he leaned in and gently kissed her, his fingers traveling down to play with the skin beneath her bra straps. Lily reached back to undo the fastening of her bra - even knowing that he was familiar with her body, Lily's nervousness caused her fingers to fumble slightly before the clasp let go. So much for sexy, she thought, but to Keeton she was beautiful.
Their gazes locked; Keeton trailed his fingers down her shoulders and across the soft skin of her breasts, lingering only for a moment at the hard buds of her nipples before lightly stroking their way to the waistband of her cargos. His green eyes sought confirmation in her blue ones as his fingers played with the waistband. Receiving it, his fingers efficiently undid the fastenings, his hands sliding under the fabric to cup her panty-clad bottom before pushing the material down her legs. Even though last night had made her body familiar to him, he was captivated by the vision of Lily before him.
Lily's fingers were unsteady at the buttons of Keeton's shirt. Finally undoing the last one, she ran both hands up his chest to his shoulders. The heat in Keeton's eyes at the touch of Lily's fingers made her bold, as she pushed the fabric down his arms to fall on the floor and leaned in to touch her tongue to his skin. Keeton's sharp intake of breath as she ran her tongue up from his collarbone to gently nip at his neck made her smile against his skin before he took charge and dragged her mouth up to his. He was ravenous for this woman, and couldn't fathom a future without her.
Their mouths parting briefly, Keeton searched Lily's eyes and said, "Stay with me." He wasn't only talking about that night.
A smile on her face, Lily's hands found the button to his cargos, "Just try and stop me," and unzipped Keeton's fly, pushing his pants down for him to step out of them. Lifting her up so that her legs wrapped around his waist, Keeton walked Lily over to the bed, his hands rotating her lower body against his erection. her soft moans all the encouragement he needed. Remembering the persistence and determination of this woman last night, he smiled, "I wouldn't dare."
