by Ann, Natalie
“I’m sure it’d be fine. It’s only a day and you know I never travel on the weekends.”
“Sorry, Mom.” She was thankful to have that reason to give in this instance. She wasn’t in the mood to see her mother right now.
“But I had a little work done and I’d love for you to see it.”
“Just because I’m a nurse doesn’t mean I need to see what you had done.”
“Don’t you want to know what it is?” her mother asked.
“Not really.”
“Fine,” her mother said. “I won’t bother you and make sure I get a direct flight when Ricardo makes the plans.”
Ricardo. That was a new name. She wouldn’t ask even though her mother wanted her to like an addict needed his next fix.
“Have fun on your trip,” she said and hung up a few minutes later.
Damn it. Now she was all by herself all worked up for nothing. At least it livened up her otherwise dull Saturday.
10
Cold And Lonely
“So what do you have planned this weekend, Fierce? Friday night, you must have a date for sure. Probably one tomorrow too.”
Adriana glanced up from the computer where she was typing notes to see how Wyatt answered Dr. Miller. It’d been a few weeks since she’d talked to Wyatt. Since he said he was going to wait her out.
If she’d been dying for him to make a move she wasn’t letting on.
They hadn’t had another surgery together since she’d given him a piece of her mind for asking to show her around on what she’d thought was a date in front of people.
Nope, more like a misunderstanding and her temper got the best of her and she turned him down. She should have taken him up on it and she wouldn’t be so bored all the time.
Talking to her mother last Saturday only frustrated her more. She’d spent the rest of the day checking out hiking trails online. She’d love to play racquetball or tennis, but she’d need a partner for that. So that was out.
She had her bike with her, but it was a pain to put it in her car and drive to trails. She lived too far away and wasn’t one to ride in the road. So right now it was just taking up space in her spare bedroom.
“I’m going to the Hornets game tonight.”
“With one of your brothers?” Dr. Miller asked. “I can’t see you bringing a woman to a game.”
Wyatt looked over and caught her glance. The surgery was wrapping up, Dr. Miller closing his patient, Wyatt getting ready to bring the patient back around.
“I know plenty of women who would love a game. Even Sam proposed to Dani at one.”
Dr. Miller laughed. “I remember that. Right on the jumbo screen.”
Adriana couldn’t imagine being the center of attention quite like that. “It shocked everyone and since they were married last weekend, I guess it worked out well.”
“So game tonight,” Dr. Miller said. “Date tomorrow?”
“Nah,” Wyatt said. “Not sure why you are so obsessed with my dating life. I think I’m going to hit Duke Forest and the hiking trails. Get out in nature.”
Dr. Miller laughed. “Trying to find yourself out there?”
Wyatt laughed, caught her glance again. She had to stop looking at him if he was going to keep catching her doing it. “Sure, if it makes you feel better to think that.”
Dr. Miller finished up, Wyatt did too, they left the room and she went about closing it up before she moved onto another surgery.
By the end of the day, she was ready to go home and stretch. She was used to being on her feet, but for some reason today she’d been tense.
Why? Because she’d had another surgery with Wyatt and she kept waiting for him to say something to her.
Did he? No, he didn’t.
Was she disappointed? Yes!
But she’d made her bed and she had to lie in it no matter how cold and lonely it currently was.
* * *
Wyatt knew he piqued Adriana’s interest with the hiking comment. He really hadn’t been planning on it until Ryan Miller asked him.
He hadn’t made plans at all other than going to the game with Sebastian. The kid was thrilled and Wyatt was grabbing him right out of school, then going straight to Charlotte and getting dinner at the game. He was looking forward to this night as much as the kid was.
Plus it gave Noah and Paige a night to themselves and his older brother had pulled him aside and thanked him for that.
Had he caught Adriana looking at him through both of those surgeries today? He had.
But he had no intention of talking to her. The last thing he wanted to do was get the steel rod in her spine to stick out and poke through the top of her head when she lost her temper again.
He said he’d wait her out and he planned on it. But she’d have to make the first step toward him.
It seemed he didn’t have long to wait either.
He was standing around in the hall outside of the OR talking with another doctor about a procedure next week that Wyatt had been requested on. He was requested on a lot it seemed. For someone that many didn’t think had it in him to do this job, he was pretty well respected and wasn’t that what he’d wanted all along?
The minute he was done talking, he looked up and caught Adriana looking at him. Again.
His tongue was itching to come out and ask her a question. Say hi. Talk to her. Anything. But all he did was grin and nod his head.
He heard her sigh when he turned and tried his hardest not to laugh.
When there were footsteps behind him, he knew beyond a doubt it was Adriana.
He turned to the stairs rather than the elevator. He’d always rather walk than stand.
“Something on your mind?” he asked her without turning around.
“How did you know it was me?”
“Your smell.”
“I smell?” she asked, her voice higher than the whisper she’d started with.
“Not bad. Like citrus. I can smell it over everything else in the OR. It’s refreshing.”
“Oh,” she said. “Thanks.”
“Again, something on your mind?”
“Can we talk in your office?”
He smiled knowing she couldn’t see him. “Sure.”
The minute they were there, she closed the door. “I was wondering if I could tag along with you hiking tomorrow. If you’re going alone,” she rushed out to say. “If you’re not, no worries.”
“I am. Hiking is always more fun with someone else, but I don’t mind going alone.” That was pretty much a lie. He hated going alone but did it if he was dying to do something. Thankfully he didn’t have to do much alone. There was always a cousin or brother around if not a woman.
Unfortunately he found his brothers and cousins all had more plans now than ever before.
“What time did you plan on going since you’ve got a game tonight to get to. I won’t hold you up.”
“You were listening to my conversations?” he asked. “One might assume you are interested in me.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You know I am. We had this discussion already.”
“We did. So it’s a better time then?”
“I’m not asking you for a date. I’m just asking if I can go hiking with you. That’s different.”
“It is. I stand corrected. I’ll probably get home late tonight, but I’ve never been one that needed a ton of sleep. We can go whenever works for you,” he said. Might as well be accommodating since she did make the first move.
“I’m going to go to hot yoga at eight. I should be ready to go no later than nine thirty.”
“Hot yoga?” he asked, hoping he didn’t gulp. Images of her covered in sweat bending and flexing were filling his mind in a way that had no business being there at this moment.
“I do it on the weekends. My splurge to exercise outside of my apartment.”
“So yoga is all you do?” he asked.
“So far. I’d rather get out and hike, play tennis, racquetball, soccer, basketbal
l. Anything other than downward dog in a quiet apartment.”
Damn, she was like him. “And why haven’t you yet?”
Her stiff shoulders dropped. “Because I don’t know that many people. Or those I talk to at work don’t have a lot in common with me. I suppose I could ask others in the yoga class, but I’m not too interested in them. You’re the first person to mention hiking...”
“If you’d taken me up on my offer weeks ago you wouldn’t have been all by yourself until now.”
“Sure, rub it in. I was wrong. I misunderstood and now it’s my fault. But it’s driving me nuts not getting out and doing things.”
“You sound a lot like me.” He hadn’t dated a lot of women who wanted to do those things.
“I’m not sure if that is good or bad.”
“Good in my eyes,” he said. “So do you want to meet or have me pick you up?”
He’d love to pick her up, but she was standing firm on the no date thing so he was going to honor that...as much as it was killing him to do it.
“We can meet. I’m sure I can find it easy enough if you just verify the time.”
“Why don’t we say ten so you aren’t rushing,” he offered.
“That works. I’ll let you get ready for your night out with...”
He laughed. He found it funny she slipped it in there to find out who he was going with. “My soon-to-be nephew Sebastian. The kid idolizes me. What can I say, I got two tickets and decided to ask him over someone else.”
“That’s nice. Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said.
“Wait up,” he said when she turned to leave.
“What?”
“Is it too much to ask for your number? What if one of us is running late? Or gets the stomach bug? Or maybe will change their mind because they misunderstood and decides to chicken out.”
Her eyes narrowed again, but she pulled her phone out and asked for his number. He gave it without his lips breaking into a smile then he heard his own phone go off, assuming it was her sending him a text.
“Don’t abuse it,” she said.
She opened the door to leave, but he couldn’t help himself after that last comment. “I understand why you don’t want people to see us talking in public, but don’t you think leaving my office might raise more eyebrows? This is the second time too.”
She shut his door with more force than necessary but not enough to slam it and draw eyes, he was sure.
11
Who I Am
Wyatt yawned and stretched, then rolled out of bed when his alarm went off at eight.
He had plenty of time to get ready but didn’t want to be rushing either.
There was no message on his phone yet so he was assuming he was still going to be hiking with Adriana in a few hours.
He hit the app on his phone to start his coffee brewing, then grabbed some clothes and went to the shower.
By the time he was dressed and in the kitchen, the coffee that he drank strong enough to plaster cracks on the wall was ready to go.
He was on his second cup when his phone went off and he felt his stomach pitch.
Thankfully when he looked at it, it was just Sebastian thanking him again for the night.
By nine thirty, he figured it was safe enough to head to Duke Forest and see if Adriana showed up or not.
She did. Ten minutes before ten. And he almost didn’t recognize her.
Her dark brown hair was down and loose and flowing in soft waves to the middle of her back. She had aviator sunglasses on shielding the emotions in her eyes, but he was hoping she reacted to him just the same.
It was the first time they were seeing each other outside the hospital wearing something other than scrubs.
He had on cargo shorts, a fitted T-shirt, and his hiking sneakers.
She was wearing a pair of olive-colored cargo shorts that should be illegal. A navy T-shirt was tucked into her waist, some serious hiking sneakers on her feet.
Yeah, he was right. She had one hell of a body full of curves on display.
She walked, and the muscles in her thighs flexed. Her calves were tight and toned, and her arms the same. This was the body of a woman who spent a lot of time moving.
“I’m not sure we need our sunglasses,” he said, “but I’ve got mine too.”
She took hers off and slipped one arm into the top of her T-shirt like his. She looked up at the clouds. “I guess you’re right. Maybe I’ll put them back in the car. I’ve got some water in a backpack I normally carry. Thought I’d check with you first.”
“I’ve got some too. No reason we both have to carry one unless you want to,” he said.
“How long do you think we’ll be on the trails?” he asked.
“Couple of hours,” he said. “These are moderate trails and can get pretty busy.”
“A few bottles of water should be good enough then,” she said.
He watched her walk back to her car and put her sunglasses in there, his eyes going right to her ass. Holy shit, even her hamstrings were toned. He was almost self-conscious with what great shape she was in.
He opened the door to his Mercedes, grabbed the backpack from the passenger seat and put it on. It was small enough, held three bottles of water and a few protein bars. He was always prepared even if everyone thought he didn’t take much seriously outside of his career.
They’d been on the trail about two minutes when she asked, “How was the game?”
“It was awesome,” he said. “The Hornets won so that makes it better. Sebastian had a great time so it was worth it.”
“How old is he?” she asked.
“Fourteen. Soon to be fifteen. My older brother Noah just got engaged to his aunt, who has custody of him. They are in the process of trying to adopt him. Or she is, but they might wait to finalize until after they are married so Sebastian can take Noah’s name. Noah will never give up a shot at being the first in the family to do something.”
“First off, that’s really sweet that he is willing to do that. Second of all, what does that comment mean about being first?”
“Drake is the oldest by a few minutes. Drake got engaged first. But Noah insists he’s giving my parents their first grandchild.”
“Is there a lot of competition in your family?”
“Yes and no,” he said. “Not in a bad way. We all live our own lives and do our things, but we are close too. How about you? Any siblings?”
“No,” she said. “Only child. Which sucks.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I’m sure you can tell I’m not always someone that likes to be alone. I told myself I wanted that when I moved here and found that it’s not what I want at all. It’s not who I am.”
He wanted to ask more about that but knew she’d say what she wanted and when, so he let it drop and continued to move along the trail.
“Doesn’t seem too busy here today for some reason. I expected more people.”
“I didn’t look at the weather. Do you think that is keeping people away?”
“It’s just clouds,” he said. “Guess we aren’t wusses like them.”
She laughed and he realized it was the first time she’d done that. “What?” she asked when he stopped to look at her. They’d been walking side by side.
“You’re just stunning when you smile. A genuine smile and laugh. You should do it more often.”
She looked at him for a few seconds. “I haven’t had a lot to smile about lately.”
She kept dropping these little hints and it was driving him insane that she wasn’t saying more. But he couldn’t stand the silence so he changed the subject. “How do you like the area?”
“It’s nice. Different than San Diego.”
“I’m sure,” he said. “Did you do a lot of outdoor activities there?”
“I did. I was in some basketball and soccer leagues a few years ago. It’s harder to do now though. Plus my job made it harder when I was on second or third shift. First shift Monday th
rough Friday is pretty sweet. So once the leagues weren’t much of an option I was always biking or hiking, playing tennis. Things like that.”
“Days are sweet,” he said. “Except it gives you nights and weekends with time on your hands.”
“There is that,” she said. “Before I used to fight to find time to do things. Now I’ve got so much on my hands it drives me insane. I’ve been thinking of offering to be on-call more, but it sounds like most just stick to their scheduled two weeks in a row, then three weeks off.”
“It seems it to me. We normally have one solid week a month unless we switch with someone. I had to for Sam’s wedding so I’ll be hit with two weeks in a row too. Does your mother live in California?”
She frowned, but he didn’t care. He was keeping the conversation flowing but simple. Not too personal or anything that would cause her spicy temper to make an appearance.
“She does. We aren’t close, before you ask. Well, she wants to be close, but I don’t.”
He wasn’t sure what to make of that. “Okay.”
“And you want to know more about that, but you won’t ask,” she said.
“I don’t want to pry or overstep myself. I figure if you wanted me to know, you’d tell me.”
“You’re right. There are things I’m not ready or willing to share, but when it comes to my mother, I guess I don’t care enough.”
Or she cared more than she wanted to say and this was her way to vent and get things off her chest without telling her father? He almost said that but decided not to. “I’ve got good ears for listening,” he said.
“My mother wants to be best friends. She doesn’t want to be a parent. She wants to look like she’s in her twenties; she wants to act like it too. She wants men that age but hasn’t gotten that lucky. At least I don’t think so. I don’t ask those things because I don’t want to know those details.”
Interesting. “She doesn’t sound much like you.”
“She isn’t. She cheated on my father. That’s unforgivable to me. I don’t care her reasons. I don’t care if she was unhappy. I don’t care that they had marital problems. Those weren’t my concern. What I care about was she was selfish and careless with her actions and words and hurt my father.”