Maitland Maternity: Triplets, Quads and Quints. Kasey Michaels

be someone here now,” she whispered. “Shouldn’t we shout or something?”

      He sat upright suddenly, shifting Briana. “What?”

      “It’s after seven.”

      “After seven? Haven’t you heard anyone outside?”

      “I don’t know. Something woke me.”

      He stood abruptly, and Briana found herself held in his arms.

      “You—you can put me down,” she insisted.

      He let her slide down his body, an interesting trip to say the least, and suddenly she was standing on her feet.

      “Can you stand?” he asked, still holding on to her. “Of course. Can you, after I’ve used you for a bed all night?”

      He smiled, but Briana noticed the strain around his eyes and the weariness. “I think so. I’m just a little stiff.” He moved the stool away from the door and beat on it as he yelled.

      They both heard a startled exclamation. Hunter grinned at Briana like a caveman who had found meat for his family.

      “Who’s in there?”

      Whoever asked that question sounded more afraid of them than she was of the rats. “We’re customers who got locked in last night. Please let us out.”

      “Oh! Yes. Yes, I will!”

      When the door opened, they discovered an elderly woman wearing an apron, a look of horror on her face. “Who locked you in?” she wanted to know.

      Hunter took over. “The clerk who was working last night. He robbed us of what cash we had and put us in here before he left. He also cleaned out your cash register.”

      “So, it wasn’t a thief?”

      “No, it wasn’t. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’d like to get back to our hotel,” he said, gently moving the woman to one side. Then he reached out for Briana’s hand.

      She gladly gave him her hand. It made her feel under his protection, as she’d been all night. He pulled her toward the door.

      “Aren’t we going to stay and talk to the police?” she asked him in a low voice.

      “Do you believe it will help them catch the guy?” he asked.

      “No, of course not.”

      “Then what’s the point? If we stay, we won’t catch our planes, and I have to be back in Chicago for a special surgery in the morning.”

      He had a point. “Okay, we’ll leave our names and addresses and they can contact us if they need to.” They each wrote their information down and gave it to the owner.

      They emerged into a busy world. There were car fumes, noisy taxis, people everywhere, which seemed strange after there having only been the two of them for the past few hours.

      It was half a block to the conference hotel. When they reached the entrance, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “They’re going to think we’ve been out partying all night,” he muttered. “Hope we don’t see anyone from the conference or the rumors will fly.”

      She hadn’t thought of that. She certainly didn’t want rumors of her pulling an all-nighter with a handsome doctor. She was working too hard to prove herself. She ducked her head and both of them walked fast.

      They managed to snag an elevator at once and when the doors closed, leaving them alone, they both breathed a sigh of relief.

      “Glad to be alone again?” he asked with a weary smile.

      “Surprisingly, yes. This would’ve been awkward to explain.”

      “Awkward? It would’ve been impossible. Is there a husband around who is going to read you the riot act?”

      It was a little late to be asking that question, but Hunter had been a perfect gentleman from the beginning. She shook her head. “No husband.”

      He looped his arms around her, pulling her closer to rest against his body. “I’m glad.”

      “Any wife?”

      “Nope, not even a girlfriend.” He put a finger under her chin, and, before she realized what was going on, he kissed her.

       Chapter Three

      There were people waiting when the elevator door opened on her floor. Briana, who’d been enjoying the kiss as much as Hunter seemed to be, was grateful she didn’t know any of them.

      “Uh, out, please.” She kept her eyes lowered. She didn’t want anyone, even strangers, to see the effect of Hunter’s kiss. Her lips still tingled and she felt a surprising desire to repeat their behavior.

      Hunter followed her off the elevator.

      “Your room is on this floor, too?” she asked in surprise and uneasiness. She needed distance to avoid doing something unwise.

      “No, I’m escorting you to your room,” he assured her.

      Always a gentleman.

      “Look, Hunter, I know you must be exhausted. I certainly am. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

      ‘It’s kind of become a habit,” he said with a charming smile, “worrying about you.”

      She dug her plastic key card out of her jeans pocket where she’d put it only a few hours ago, though it seemed like a lifetime. “This is my room,” she assured him as she stopped in front of a door and inserted the key card. The small light turned from red to green and she shoved the door open.

      Hunter followed her in so that when she turned to thank him for his…whatever, he was there. And his arms were around her again. And he looked as if he was about to repeat the embrace they’d shared on the elevator.

      It had been an incredible kiss, one she’d felt to her very toes. Unlike any she’d ever had before. But that was probably because they’d spent so much time together, really together.

      She should stop him. But curiosity, wondering if it had really been that good a kiss, welcomed him. Her arms went around his neck, her body pressed against his. Her lips, when he touched them with his, leapt to mate with him.

      Three or four kisses later, Hunter, breathing heavily, managed to say “Briana.”

      She thought it was a good thing he could remember her name, because his kisses had scrambled her brain. All she could think about was him…and getting closer. It wasn’t like her to respond so completely to a man’s touch. But Hunter’s touch had a magical effect on her. “Hunter,” she murmured in response.

      “Sweetheart,” he muttered, “I need you.”

      Instead of bothering with words, she pulled him toward the bed. They fell on it with a sigh of relief and resumed kissing. He was the most incredible kisser.

      Tuxedo studs went flying as Briana’s fingers went to work. It occurred to her that later she might regret such abandon, but it felt wonderful now. As more and more of his muscular chest, with blond hairs winding their way down it, came into view, the happier she became.

      Each of them removed clothing piece by piece, exposing the other. But Briana never felt awkward or uncomfortable. She was too involved in what was going on. It seemed right that, after their night of togetherness, they should be completely together.

      As a lover, Hunter was as gentlemanly and considerate as he’d been all night. But there was an edge of need that made her heart beat faster. He stroked and urged her closer, his mouth consuming hers. When he entered her, she felt completely loved and cradled, protected, until an urgency began that drove her even closer.

      Then there was no conscious thought, just emotions, feelings, a consuming fire that left her exhausted yet sated. Hunter fell against her as he, too, reached the zenith of