Doc steel, p.1
Doc Steel, page 1
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.
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Published by DL Gallie Author
First published 18th December 2019 as part of the Dirty Dozen, Alpha Edition anthology
Second edition, 21st April 2020
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Cover designed by Stacey Blake, Champagne Book Design
Edited by Karen Hrdlicka, Barren Acres Editing
Formatting and interior design by DL Gallie
Contents
A note from the author
Also by DL Gallie
Prologue
1. Griffin
2. Autumn
3. Griffin
4. Autumn
5. Griff
6. Autumn
7. Griffin
8. Autumn
9. Griffin
10. Griffin
11. Autumn
12. Griffin
13. Autumn
14. Griffin
15. Autumn
16. Griffin
17. Autumn
18. Griffin
19. Autumn
20. Griffin
Epilogue
Sneak peek at Falling for Dr. Kelly
Acknowledgments
Also by DL Gallie
Contact the author
About the Author
Returning to civilian life isn't easy for Griffin Steel, that is, until he runs into Autumn White.
She's stunning, vivacious, and has that same spark he fell for twenty years ago. Until he ripped her heart out and took it with him when he enlisted.
Picking up the remains of her shattered soul, Autumn found love again, and life was great for a while.
* * *
Until it wasn't.
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Now she's a single mom, finally getting her life together, and the last thing she expects is to run into the man who still holds a major piece of her heart.
The temptation is too strong as all those feelings Autumn had for Griffin, flare back to life.
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It's inevitable.
Magnetic.
Explosive.
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Everything they have been missing for the past twenty years, and more.
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It’s perfect.
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Until the father of her child returns.
He will stop at nothing to reclaim Autumn and his son as his own.
A note from the author
Doc Steel originally appeared in the Dirty Dozen:Alpha edition anthology.
Its the same sexy story but now has its own sexy as sin cover.
Enjoy Autumn and Griffin’s second chance military romance.
Also by DL Gallie
STAND ALONES
Out of Nowhere
Antecedent
Seven Nights
Falling for Dr. Kelly, a Falling novel
Falling for Dr. Knight, a Falling novel
Falling for Agent Cox, a Falling novel
The Rule Breaker anthology
In the Dark of Night anthology
Love is Contagious, a charity anthology
Doc Steel
THE CASTAWAY GROVE COLLECTION
Love has arrived in the Grove
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Oasis
Unequivocal Love
Five Words
Broken Rules - late 2020
…and a few more as well.
THE LIQUOR CABINET SERIES
Liquor has never been so disturbingly saucy
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Malt Me (Book 1)
Tequila Healing (Book 2)
Wine Not (Book 3)
The Final Shot (Book 4)
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The Liquor Cabinet: Series boxset
THE UNEXPECTED SERIES
When it comes to love, expect the unexpected
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The Unexpected Gift
The Unexpected Letter
The Unexpected Package
The Unexpected Connection
To Kay,
Thank you for putting together the Dirty Dozen anthology. Thanks to you, Doc Steel was created.
And I now have new found knowledge of chickens and the American Navy
Prologue
…Twenty years earlier
“Are you freakin kidding me, Griff?” she shouts, her voice laced with anger, shock, and sadness. “You accept this without talking to me first?” This is not how I expected her to react. I expected excitement and happiness. Not like this.
The ‘this’ Autumn is referring to is I just joined the navy and entered into their medical training program. I was amazed at what they offered in regard to the training and immediately signed up. Sure, I was shocked I enlisted, it was never on my radar, but it was too good of an offer to pass up. Not only will my degree be covered by the government but they will also pay me to study. I was so excited; I accepted immediately and couldn’t wait to tell Autumn the news. This will be a huge financial relief for us; the only downfall is I need to move to Portsmouth, Virginia. I was sure Autumn would be happy and excited for me. For us. I certainly didn’t think she’d react like this.
“I thought I was doing the right thing,” I plead, “My degree will be paid for, sure I have to serve, but in the long run, it will be great for us.”
“No, Griff, it will be great for you. While you are off sailing the high seas, I’ll be here. Alone.” She wipes her eyes, which are now glassy with tears. “I can’t believe you are going to walk away from us.”
“I’m not walking away from us. I’m doing this for us. Don't you see?”
She stares at me, the first tear falls and she angrily wipes it away. “No, this is all for you.”
With those words, she turns and walks away from me. Racing over to her, I grab her hand and spin her to face me. We stare at one another. Her eyes well with tears and she begins to sob uncontrollably. Lifting my hand, I wipe away her tears. Bending down, I rest my forehead against her. “Autumn, I promise this will all work out. I need you to trust me.”
“I do trust you, but I just don't see how you being a million miles away will work.” She swallows back a sob, “Please don't do this.”
“I’m sorry, I have to.”
She sighs deeply, I can finally see acceptance whirring around in her face. “When do you leave?”
My lips lift in a smile, I knew she’d come around. “In two weeks.”
“What?” she screeches. “I thought we’d have more time.”
“I know, me too, but now you see why I had to make this decision as quickly as I did.”
She nods. “I understand,” she mumbles but really she doesn’t, she just said that to appease me.
“I love you, Autumn,” I vow, placing a kiss on her forehead.
“I love you too, forever and eternity,” she whispers back to me.
Forever and eternity, that’s what we always said to one another, and I really hope that our love mantra is true.
The next two weeks, all we do is fight and bicker about anything and everything. I try everything to get her to see this is great for us. I even try to get her to come with me. She doesn’t want to leave Sandpoint, it’s her home. Her family and friends are here. I want her to be happy, so I stopped asking her to move with me. After a long discussion, we agree to stay together but I know we won’t, there is too much hurt in her heart.
The morning I leave, she is cold and distant. I know I’ve already lost her. On one hand I am excited for the venture ahead, but on the other, I am losing the one I love unconditionally. We kiss goodbye but there is no passion in it, it is robotic. She stands there and watches as I walk toward the plane. The plane taking me to Portsmouth, Virginia, where I will one day become Doctor Griffin Steel.
At the top of the stairs, I look back at her and my heart broke. She is crouched down, staring at the plane, tears streaming down her face. And I know: those tears and her heartbreak are because of me. In that moment, I start to wonder if maybe I’m making a mistake…career wise, it’s the best decision I ever made. In regard to Autumn; it’s a huge mistake.
1
Griffin
…Present day
Today is the first day of the rest of my life, or so they tell me. To me, it’s the first day in hell. The navy is—no WAS my life—and for the past twenty years, I knew what I was doing on a daily basis. Now? I’m free to do what I want, when I want…but I don’t know what I want.
Returning to Sandpoint, Idaho wasn’t what I wanted to do, but with Mom’s recent passing, Dad needed me. The timing was perfect, well as perfect as the death of your mother can be. Seeing Dad so heartbroken over Mom’s death is hard to deal with. She was his everything and when she died, a piece of him died too. Him wanting me to return here is the least I could do. So, after her funeral, I returned to Portsmouth where I handed in my retirement paperwork—something I didn’t expect to do so soon in my navy career. Then I packed everything up, and moved back to beautiful Sandpoint, Idaho. The place where I grew up. My childhood here was great, it was also where I let t
he best thing that ever happened to me go, Autumn White. I often wonder what she’s up to; where she ended up. Wherever she is, I hope she’s happy.
With my coffee in hand, I take a sip and the caffeine goodness warms my soul. With a newfound smile on my face—thank you, coffee—I step out of the coffee shop and a little boy runs into my legs. He falls onto his butt with a thud. Dropping down to his height, I stretch out my hand to him. “You okay, little dude?”
His eyes widen and he stares at me open-mouthed as I pull him into a standing position. His mother comes running along, “Oliver James White, what have I told you about running off?”
Now it’s my turn for my eyes to bug wide open. I’d recognize that voice anywhere, and when I lift my gaze from the little boy in front of me, my ears were correct. Autumn White is walking, no stalking, toward me, and she is just as stunning now as she was twenty years ago when I left, if anything she has gotten sexier with age.
She stops midstep when her eyes land on me. Recognition flares and her baby blue orbs pop open in shock. Her mouth drops open and closes a few times, but nothing comes out. She stops next to who I assume is her son, her eyes still locked on me. From my crouched position with the little boy, I crane my neck to look at her. I smile but she doesn’t return one. Standing back up, we continue to stare at one another, neither of us saying a thing. Just like it used to, the air crackles around us. Everything but her fades into the background. The silence is broken when a small voice says, “I’m sorry, Mom.” He steps to her and hugs her sideways.
Her gaze drops to the little boy. “You need to be more careful. You could have hurt Commander Steel.” She places emphasis on the word Commander, guess she’s still not impressed that I enlisted and left.
“Just plain old Doc Steel now, I’m retired.”
Her eyes bug open again, “You…you’re back for good then?”
Nodding my head, I don’t say anything but my eyes roam over her. She’s still petite but her breasts have gotten bigger. Her legs are still sexy as hell. That dimple on her left cheek is more prominent now and her eyes are as blue as ever; she’s just how I remember her but sexier.
The voice of the little boy, snaps my attention down to him. “I’m sorry, Commander Steel. I was just so excited.” His voice raising at the last part.
Dropping back to his height, I smile. “And why are you excited today?”
“Momma is letting me have a muffin AND a milkshake.”
“You must have done something really good to get a treat like that.”
He nods his head. “Yep, I slept through the night for three whole nights.”
“Way to go, little man.” The pride on his face and in his voice is remarkable. Offering up my hand for a high-five, his little hands slaps mine. I pretend it hurts and shake my hand back and forth. “You’ve got a good left hook there, buddy.”
“Actually, Commander Steel, it was my right hand.” He lifts his left hand and makes an L shape. “See, L for left.”
“I’ll have to remember that,” I say with a smile, “You’re quite clever, aren’t you?”
“Yep,” he proudly says. “Momma, can Commander Steel come with us?”
Her eyes pop wide open, her mouth drops but she remains silent. Giving her a reprieve, I shake my head. “Thanks for the offer, but I already have my coffee.” I lift my cup to show him, “Plus, I need to go meet with Doc Miller about possibly working with him.”
“You’re a doctor?”
“Sure am.”
“I thought you were a commander?”
“I was a doctor in the navy and I had the rank of commander.”
“Wow, that’s so cool.” He beams. “Can I call you Commander Doc Steel?”
I don’t get to answer because Autumn grabs his hand and pulls him away from me. “Come on, Ollie, it’s time for your treat.” She looks at me. “Goodbye, Griffin.” She called me Griffin, she only ever did that when she was angry. It seems time hasn’t eased the pain I caused. Before I can say anything, she turns and walks away from me. Her dismissal and retreat sting, I guess this is what she felt all those years ago when I left.
I stare at the door of the coffee shop as that day flits through my mind. Shaking away the memory of the day I broke her heart, I turn and walk toward Doc Miller’s office. I had hoped time would have healed the wound I left on her heart, and maybe, I’d get a second chance with her. After seeing her just now, it won’t be easy to win her over. Then again, she does have a kid now, and I bet Mr. Autumn dotes on her like the queen she is. Lucky bastard.
Looking over, I see her staring at me through the coffee shop window. She smiles shyly at me, I know from the look in her eyes she’s remembering our past too. Maybe she’d settle for friendship, but can I be just friends with her? Guess time will tell.
2
Autumn
Today is the first day in a long time that I can breathe easily. I haven’t felt this at peace in a long time, not since…no, I will not dwell on the past. My life’s focus now is on raising Ollie and giving him my everything. He is my everything and the only good thing to come from my time with Avon.
Avon Best was perfect, until he wasn’t. It took me far too long to remove my rose-colored glasses, and now that I have, I will never put them back on again. For Ollie, I will do it. I need to stay strong for him, and for me.
Bumping into Griffin today was a shock. I haven’t seen him in twenty years. The last time I saw him, he was leaving to start his degree and enlistment. He broke my heart leaving and I was broken, until I met Avon…and then Avon broke me and that was worse than Griffin shattering my heart. Avon broke me: mind, body, and soul. I vowed never to let a man break me again, to never let a man get under my skin and consume me. That was going well, until Ollie ran into Griffin. He has been at the forefront of my mind all day. Memories from our past keep playing on a loop in my head; we had so many good times, until we didn’t. That seems to be a trend with me and the opposite sex.
The hurt I experienced all those years ago when he left is still there, but there’s also the love I had for him. He was my first love, my first heartbreak. My first everything. I wonder if we will finally get our happily ever after. That sizzle between us is still there. When my eyes landed on him, my heart skipped a beat. He’s just as sexy today as he was back then. If anything, age has added to his appeal. Broad shoulders. Eyes that still set my skin on fire. Rough hands that know every inch of my body. Just thinking about him and his hands has my insides quivering. Closing my eyes, my mind drifts back to a happy time with Griff and I…
* * *
…Griff and I are spending the day at the lake. He stopped to pick me up a few moments ago, and when I walk down the stairs, I feel his gaze roam over my body. I’m wearing a red and black bikini, underneath a sheer sundress, and on my feet are my flip-flops with a jewel on the side. My sunglasses cover my eyes and on my head is a floppy hat. Opening the door to his black Bronco, I climb in. Dropping my bag on the floor, I turn to him and smile. “Hi, boyfriend.”
“Hi, girlfriend,” he says, as he leans toward me and presses his lips to mine. My eyes drop closed and I thread my fingers around his neck, pulling him closer to me. He breaks our kiss and rests his forehead against mine. “I love kissing you.”
