Dani James sat down for a few minutes to rest her aching feet. It had been a grueling shift in the ER, and there was still an hour to go. New Year’s Eve was always a hectic night at St. Evangeline Hospital because people in this town tended to be idiots when it came to celebrations, and foolishness outweighed common sense.

She’d seen a variety of issues over the past several hours. Injuries due to car accidents that they’d been lucky to survive, severe burns from fireworks gone awry, and alcohol poisoning due to over-imbibing were the most common things she’d had to treat as an ER doctor on the busiest night of the year.

But the most intriguing had been a frostbite case that had a drop-dead gorgeous, good Samaritan sitting in one of the bays with his balls on a warm water pad at the moment. Dani felt sorry for the guy because he’d been trying to do the honorable thing and stick around when a woman had gotten her car stuck in the snow. He was walking home from a buddy’s house because he’d had a few and was avoiding the drink-and-drive nonsense without bothering to call an Uber. Apparently, he figured the walk would do him good, and he wouldn’t show up at home too piss-faced since he’d gone to the party alone.

Unfortunately, the woman he stopped to help wouldn’t allow him to wait with her in her car while the tow truck took forty-five minutes to show up. So, unwilling to abandon her in her time of distress, he waited outside in the cold and talked to her through the window to keep her from freaking out since her cell phone was dead and the charger was busted.

It was hard to blame the woman for being cautious, but the poor guy had a frosty sac by the time help arrived. He had called his roommate, a girl he was seeing on and off, to see if she would drive up to where he was waiting, but she told him he deserved to have iced nuts for going to the party without her.

Dani returned to bay eight shortly after midnight to check on Mitchell Walker and his chilly balls.

“Happy New Year, Mr. Walker; how are you feeling? Any better?”

“Please, call me Mitch. Mr. Walker is my father. I’m just some dumbass schlub who is ringing in the New Year in the ER; no need to be formal. After all, you’ve held my sac in your hands. Which are very soft, by the way.”

Dani laughed. “I’m guessing your girlfriend won’t be picking you up since I don’t see her here waiting with you.”

“That ship has sailed. I will be looking for a new place to live, it appears. Once you give me the thumbs up to leave, I’ll call my buddy Lewis and go back to his house. I can sleep on his couch until Melissa cools off enough to let me get my stuff. I should have just skipped the damned party.”

“Well, you’ve got another hour to go before I sign your release papers. I’m off shift then, so I could drop you somewhere if you need a ride,” Dani said, surprising herself.

“That’s above and beyond the call of duty, isn’t it, Dr. James?”

“Please, it’s Dani. And you don’t strike me as the serial killer type, so I’d be happy to drive you someplace where you’d be safe for the night.”

“What about your place?” Mitch teased.

“You wouldn’t be safe there,” Dani accidentally blurted out.

Mitch grinned. “I should probably just call Lewis.”

“Won’t Lewis be three sheets to the wind or passed out somewhere by now?”

Mitch shrugged and grabbed his cell phone. Getting no answer, he figured Dani was probably right.

At the end of her shift, Dani saw Mitch receiving his discharge papers from the nurse.

“Last call,” Dani said. “If you need a ride, I’m leaving now.”

“Lewis didn’t answer, so I’m afraid you’re right about him being passed out somewhere. I’d hate to have you drive me to his place only to find the door locked. Would it be a horrible imposition if I asked to crash on your couch?”

Just say no, Dani.

“Um, sure, why not,” Dani answered despite her good intentions to decline.

He followed her to her car in the parking garage and was grateful for the heated seats in her car. He looked over at her and noticed how pretty her eyes were.

Dani sighed and figured it would be up to her to break the uncomfortable silence.

“So, why didn’t you take your roommate/girlfriend to the party?”

“Melissa thinks Lewis is an idiot and said if I wanted to go to his New Year’s Eve party, I’d have to go without her. She added that if I went without her, I could start looking for a new place to live. I went to the party both to call her bluff and because, fuck it, I shouldn’t need her permission to hang out with my friends.”

“How long have you known Lewis?”

“We went to preschool together. Melissa and I have been together on and off for the better part of two years. Mostly on. But she’s been cool before when we’ve been off. This is the first time she’s given me an ultimatum.”

Dani said nothing. She just listened to Mitch defend his view and was left wondering who the real idiot was in this scenario. Was Melissa being bitchy? Or did Mitch act like a fool when he and Lewis hung out together? Why did any of this matter?

When they arrived at Dani’s apartment, Mitch looked around. “Nice place you’ve got here, Doc.”

Dani opened a bottle of Riesling and said, “Thanks. I’m going to have a glass of wine to ring in the New Year since I was a little busy when the ball dropped.”

“You were helping my balls drop right about then,” Mitch joked. “Sure, I’ll have a glass.”

Dani poured two glasses and wondered momentarily if she should forgo the alcohol. Imbibing often caused her filter to disappear. The last thing she needed was to fall into bed with this guy.

As they sipped wine and made small talk, Mitch watched Dani’s mouth when she talked and imagined his rod between her lips.

“Are you even listening?” Dani asked when Mitch failed to respond to her last sentence.

“To your mouth? Or to your body? Because you’re talking awfully fast about a whole lot of nothing while your body keeps asking me to touch you.”

Dani wasn’t sure whether to be irritated or aroused.

“You’re pretty horny for a guy with half-frozen nuts.”

“My mouth isn’t broken,” he said, grinning.

She shrugged. She had needs, and if this incredibly handsome man wanted to eat her pussy on New Year’s Eve, who was she to turn him down?

“And what would you like in return?”

“Just a blanket, a pillow, and some space on your couch.”

“Balls still hurting?”

“Not terribly so, but my offer of oral sex is to pay you back for taking me in for the night.”

“And what if I want more than my pussy licked?”

Mitch grinned. “Well, you did tell me I wouldn’t be safe here.”

Stop things here, Dani. You aren’t a one-night-stand kind of girl.

“I did, indeed.”

Fuck it.

“So?”

“Let me take a quick shower first. If you’re still awake when I’m done, we can discuss whether I need a robe or not.”

“I could help you shower,” he offered.

“I like to know guys for at least twenty-four hours before I invite them into my shower.”

Mitch chuckled. “Fair enough.”

Dani let her fingers linger over her breasts as she washed off the sweat and grime of her shift. It had been a long time since she’d had a man in her bed. It was clear that need was going to overrule common sense with this guy, so she would give herself permission to embrace it rather than fight it.

She dragged the cool blade of the razor across her armpits, legs, and most intimate parts. When she was done cleaning up, she towel-dried her long red hair, threw on the sexiest robe she owned, and headed back out to the living room, where she hoped to get lucky.

Mitch sat there sipping a beer he’d helped himself to, looking incredibly hot. He looked up at her and grinned. “I was beginning to think you were avoiding me in there. Any chance I could take a quick shower? That is if you’ve any hot water left.”

“Very funny. Go ahead; there are extra towels under the sink.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it.”

“There are some sweatpants and t-shirts in the closet that are my brothers. You are welcome to borrow them if you want fresh clothes after your shower.”

He nodded and headed to the bathroom.

Dani gulped her wine and poured another glass. Anticipation had her lady parts tingling and her heart racing. She hoped the condoms she had in her nightstand drawer weren’t expired. Using her phone, she did a quick search on the shelf life of condoms and sighed with relief. It had been a while, but not that long since the last time she’d needed to pull one out.

When Mitch emerged from the bathroom, he was wearing only a towel wrapped around his waist. Dani’s nipples stood up and sent signals to her clit to join them. It took every ounce of energy not to pounce on this gorgeous man.

Trying desperately to remain cool, Dani inhaled slowly to calm her voice. “Did the clothes not fit?”

Mitch lit up the room with his smile. “Do I need clothes?”

Dani’s mind raced.

Drop the towel, drop the towel, drop the towel.

He crossed the room to where Dani stood, lifted her chin to make eye contact, and said, “I’m thinking you don’t need the robe.”

She sat there, unsure of her next move. She didn’t need to worry because Mitch seemed to have enough moves for both of them. He dropped the towel, exposing his very impressive erection. She’d seen him flaccid at the ER, but this version of his cock made her mouth water and her pussy tingle.

Pulling her up from the chair, he untied the sash of her robe and eased it off her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. Dani felt instantly both aroused and vulnerable.

“I have condoms in the bedroom,” she blurted out nervously.

“Lead the way,” he replied, his voice smooth and sensual.

Dani took his hand and led him to her room. She turned on a small table lamp to provide some light and grabbed a couple of rubbers out of the drawer.

Mitch smiled. “Thanks. If it’s all the same, I’d like to thank my doctor for saving my balls by treating her to some spectacular oral pleasures before I need those.”

Dani felt her pulse quicken. “Well, if you insist.”

His answer came in the form of gently opening her legs. “Your pussy is beautiful.”

Dani closed her eyes and let herself experience the sensations of his hot breath on her freshly shaven mound.

“Mmm,” he murmured as he inhaled her scent. “You’re incredible, Doc.”

She tried to think of some appropriate response, but she was rendered speechless the moment his tongue made contact with her throbbing clit. He hadn’t lied about the oral sex being spectacular. His clever tongue and teeth were accompanied by two fingers doing unspeakable things and heightening her arousal. It had been far too long since anyone’s fingers beside her own had explored the pink folds and glistening honey that resided between her legs. She sighed and let her body react to his touch.

Her hips were already rocking when he added a third finger while his teeth nibbled erotically at her clit. She felt the build-up lift her and carry her away in her mind as he began to devour her like a man starving for weeks. Grinding her pussy against his hands and face, she bucked until her back arched, and she cried out, drenching him with her juices. He lapped up every drop and grinned at her with a glistening mouth and chin.

“You’re a squirter; I totally love women who can do that. It’s very erotic.”

She nodded, still panting, and hoped her facial expressions made it clear how much she enjoyed it because she was unable to form words quite yet.

“I’m guessing you liked that,” he teased.

“Mmm hmmm,” she managed.

“You’re a beautiful woman, Doctor Dani.”

Flattered, she somehow found the energy to offer to return the favor of oral sex.

“You can start me off in your mouth, babe. But I definitely want a turn in that delicious pussy.”

They shifted positions, allowing Dani access to Mitch’s cock. It wasn’t overly long but seriously thick and hard as a rock. She was careful not to touch his balls in case he was still experiencing tenderness there. He moaned as she licked a trail from the base to the tip and groaned sensually when she took the head into her mouth.

“Oh, God, that feels good. It’s been a long time since I’ve been properly sucked.”

Dani wondered what he meant by that. Did Melissa not give blow jobs?

Pushing the other woman out of her mind, Dani licked and sucked as Mitch thrust into her mouth. Her tongue swished and swirled as she wondered how long she should carry on before he was ready to move on to her greedy pussy.

Before she could make the decision, Mitch made it for her by pulling out and cumming on her tits. She wasn’t sure what she found more disappointing, the fact that he obviously wasn’t going to fuck her now or that he didn’t give her the opportunity to swallow. At least he didn’t cum on her face, she supposed.

“Sorry, babe, you’re just too good at giving head. I’ll make it up to you after we both get some rest.”

Suddenly, Mitch seemed less gorgeous and more like an asshole. She had initially considered letting him sleep with her in her bed but no longer felt that vibe. Instead, she motioned to the pillow and blanket on the dresser.

“The couch is pretty comfy; you should be able to get some rest there.”

Disappointment clouded his eyes, but he wasn’t a total dick. He thanked her for letting him stay and headed for the living room.

Dani went into her bathroom and washed his sticky cum from her chest. She slipped on an oversized t-shirt and climbed into bed. As she lay there, she reminded herself that this was always going to be a one-night stand and that any romantic notions about a budding relationship were ridiculous. Still, it was hard not to be disappointed, despite the incredible orgasm she’d had during oral sex.

Since she didn’t have to work on New Year’s Day, she didn’t bother setting the alarm. There was no point in being sleep-deprived over a lackluster hookup.

She woke to the smell of coffee and wondered if perhaps she’d been a little harsh in her judgment of Mitch. She wiped the sleep from her eyes and swished a little mouthwash before heading out to see what the day would bring.

Her jaw fell open as she saw Mitch sitting at her kitchen table, holding some other woman’s hand.

“Hey, you’re awake! Come and meet my girlfriend. Melissa, this is the ER doctor, Dani James, who was kind enough to cart my drunk ass home and let me sleep it off on her couch after she treated my frostbite. Dani, this is Melissa.”

Gobsmacked was the word that Dani felt floating around in her head. What the actual fuck?

“Hello, Melissa. Welcome to my home,” Dani said dryly.

Melissa looked Dani up and down and seemed satisfied that she was no threat. Suddenly Dani wished she had run a brush through her hair.

“Thank you for rescuing him. I was just too angry to deal with him last night. I appreciate that you didn’t leave him out on the street,” Melissa said in a cloying voice.

“Well, you know, I take the Hippocratic Oath pretty seriously,” Dani answered, trying to keep things light.

Melissa wrinkled her nose. “What do hippos have to do with anything?”

Dani shot Mitch a look.

Seriously?

Mitch’s eyes were pleading.

Please don’t rat me out.

Dani just shook her head. “Well, I appreciate you coming to collect your man.”

“Thanks for letting me crash here, Doc,” Mitch said sheepishly.

“Melissa, you’ll want to take it easy on Mitch’s balls. Maybe leave them alone during oral sex for a couple of days.”

“Ew,” Melissa responded, her face screwed up in disgust. “I don’t put that nasty thing in my mouth. He fucks my ass with that dick!”

Ahh, that explained so much.

“Gotcha. Mitch, don’t forget to make a follow-up appointment with me. I’ll let you see yourself out.”

Once she was alone, Dani decided this year’s New Year’s Resolution was to think with her brain, not her vagina.

A week later, Mitchell Walker wandered into the ER looking for Dr. Dani James.

Dani motioned for him to follow her into her office.

“I just wanted to apologize for my behavior.”

“No need. I knew you had a girlfriend. You said she’d taken you back before, so chances were she would do so again. I guess I just didn’t expect to wake up and find you holding hands with her and making up in my apartment, instead of the morning sex I’d been promised.”

“I suck. I’m a terrible person. I really did think she meant it this time. I was as shocked as you that she wanted to come over and talk. I never meant to hurt you, Dani.”

“It was a one-night stand, Mitch, and not one I’d care to repeat, so please don’t make it more than it was,” Dani said bravely.

Mitch winced. “I thought I gave you a pretty amazing orgasm.”

“You did, bravo. Then you came all over my tits without warning and promised to fuck me in the morning. I just didn’t realize that you meant fuck me over. But, if I’m honest with myself, I had no business hooking up with a guy whose relationship had ended only hours before I was sucking his dick. Now, let’s go out into one of the bays so I can examine your testicles.”

Mitch nodded and followed Dani out of her office. Once she was examining him, he embarrassed both of them by getting an erection.

“I’m really sorry,” he said. “I guess the sensation of your hands made me remember sliding between your lips.”

“Seriously? You’re a piece of work, Mr. Walker. Your balls look fine. No damage from the frostbite.”

“Dani, I promised Melissa we would work on our relationship. But if it doesn’t work out, can I call you?”

“Why?”

“Because I like you.”

“No, why are you working on your relationship with Melissa? You’re a man who obviously enjoys receiving oral sex, and she considers that gross. Why would you deny yourself that act for a woman who annoys you?”

Mitch shrugged. “I guess it’s easier than giving up. Besides, name another woman who would eagerly take my thick cock in her ass.”

Dani shook her head and signed off on Mitch’s chart. She headed out to the other side of the curtain but stopped and said, “Dani James.” Then she hurried off so she wouldn’t falter on her resolution.

Mitch’s eyes bugged out, and he tried to go after her. But she was already gone.