by M. C. Cerny
“Summer, I love you.”
She shuddered, gripping me tighter. Maybe it was the heat of the hot tub, or my brain, drunk on the soft skin against me. She was mine, and I wasn’t holding back my feelings anymore.
“Never let me go, Ryland.”
“I wasn’t planning on it.”
I’d waited years to say it. I would have given anything for a taste of her sweet lips and carob chocolate chip cookies. Nothing was going to pull us apart, not big brothers, best friends, or nosy coworkers.
Heart
A PARAMEDIC SHORT STORY
1
Dana
“On the count of one, two, three.” My partner and I got the guy moved from the stretcher to the gurney with minimal issues because he was out cold. Jimmy nodded leaving me to take care of any transfer paperwork that came with dropping off our patient. We were only six hours in on a twelve hour shift and this was our third delivery to the emergency room tonight. My back let out a tiny sigh of relief as I stretched as tall as I could. Being a professional paramedic was fulfilling but hard work. I still wasn’t sure this was my forever career, but for now it made me happy.
We were slammed back to back with calls, and I would be singing a different tune once my shift was over. I’d be so tired by the time I got home the odds were pretty high I would slip into my bathtub fully clothed to drink a glass of wine with no shame. It had to be five o’clock somewhere and I didn’t give a darn where in the world I was mentally spending my time off. It was probably somewhere in Australia and my mind already jumped like a kangaroo into action mode.
We had two major car wrecks and then this guy; an elderly dementia patient who fell in his bathroom with no pants on. We found him sprawled out and there was no hiding his shriveled nuts and berries which would give me the willies until the next patient came along with some new visual to block this one out. Some days I couldn’t get over how glamorous my job was with every call a new adventure into the weirdness of humans.
“Ms. Rossi, tell me what we have here.” Dr. Brandon Avari sauntered into the patient room for an update and I couldn’t get out of there quick enough. It wasn’t that I didn’t like the good doctor, it was more of a case of I liked him far too much. He was hot in a chiseled jaw and panty melting way that was reminiscent of General Hospital, something I’m not ashamed to say I grew up watching. But his good looks clouded my judgement and made me afraid I’d screw up patient care with the way my tongue tied being around him.
My eyes transfixed on his tan bear paw of a hand reaching for the patient chart as his other brushed against the small of my back shifting me deeper into the room. It wasn’t overly sexual but tell that to my lady parts downstairs that flooded at the mere contact. His hands were powerful instruments that saved lives and made me shiver thinking about other things he could competently take care of I’m sure. His physical body blocked me in and the faint aroma of his cologne sucked me down the rabbit hole of fantasies I harbored about him. My senses overloaded and suddenly the room was too warm, too closed in, and my uniform shrunk at least two sizes rubbing me in all the right and wrong places.
My friend Ryland, a firefighter I did my medical paramedic training with teased me mercilessly about my crush on Dr. Avari. It served me right since I gave him equal amounts of grief after finally hooking up with Summer, the love of his life. We joked about the doctors here being complete douches like the one Summer used to date when she worked in the ER. My problem was that Dr. Brandon Avari was no Dr. Beau Lassiter. Of all the times I saw him in the ER he was kind, respectful, and genuinely interested in what I thought about the incoming patient. He specialized in cardiology, and fixing hearts which left mine aching. When he was down in the ER on rotation it was a real treat to work with him and watch his calm expertise handle most anything that came through these doors. Lord knew he made my heart go pitter-patter at a dangerously high level.
The last time I saw him was nearly a month ago and I jilled myself off to fantasies of him checking my blood pressure directly between my thighs. It sustained me for the last three weeks and four days, not that I was counting or anything because that would just be weird. I bet that while he was a perfect gentleman in person, behind closed doors his fine peach of an ass was down and dirty. At least that’s how all my fantasies played out. I’d never know because I wasn’t brave enough to cross the line no matter how much Ryland encouraged it or I saw my colleagues hook up and find love.
I dated. I was twenty-four years old, but when you twisted the original hot cast of ER with Grey’s Anatomy to get the love child that was Dr. Brandon Avari, I didn’t have a dry set of panties. A part of me knew we were doing this delicate dance where he asked me questions, professionally of course, and now teased me subtly, in my fantasies at least. There was only so much a girl could take before I pushed him against the counter and hopped on the obvious bulge in his scrubs like a rock star groupie. Those pants didn’t hide shit and if my last anatomy refresher certification taught me anything it was that the good doctor was packing down below unlike my last transport.
I swallowed answering him, “Male in his late eighties, dementia, and recent fall. We arrived at the residence and found him in his bathroom on the floor unconscious.” I moved to fix his IV line as the nurse came in to take over for me switching the saline bag to a pole.
Dr. Avari lifted the sheet, “Ah no pants, huh?”
“Nope.” I grimaced not wanting a flashback to the shrunken balls when a perfect specimen was less than a foot away from me. Dr. Avari was my untouched sacred statue of David and the hospital was the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence. No touching, only discrete peeks when no one could see.
He dropped the sheet and moved on to his head poking around as doctors were wont to do. “I’m not a neurologist, but I’m guessing head trauma, possible concussion.” He used a pen light checking his pupils and sure enough one was larger than the other indicating head trauma.
“I agree.” The cut on the back of his head bled all over the floor where we had found him. Jimmy, my partner nearly slid in it and for a hot minute I thought we might have to call Ryland and the guys to get the doorway cut open wider so we could get him out.
“Good, I’ll have them page Dr. Masin then.” He scribbled notes on the chart and I took that as my cue to leave right after I watched him click the pen and his broad fingers flexed making my lady bits quiver.
Clearing my throat, “Okay then, see ya around.” I moved to exit the room as blasé as possible. I planned on heading straight back to the truck where Jimmy waited probably chomping on his ham sandwich while he had the chance. Dr. Avari grabbed my forearm and pulled me back into the room.
“Not so fast, Ms. Rossi.”
“Dr. Avari, what the heck.” Startled by his action, but no less impressed by the firm grip of his hand around my bicep he stopped me from going anywhere making me shiver. I’m on the shorter petit side and his digits wrapped fully around my arm, almost loosely like a cuff. Even through my uniform I felt the heat and my center danced with excitement. This was either a deeply kept secret fantasy coming true or the closest thing to what I wanted most.
“Can you give me a minute?” He asked directing me away from the hallway and pulling the privacy curtain closed. I looked down to see our unconscious patient and he turned facing me away. Last thing I wanted in my peripheral vision was a bloody head of white hair and the smell of urine. The chaos outside the room seemed to slow down as he directed me to look at him and only him.
“Dana.” His deep voice muted everything out but the beating of my heart that seemed extra loud.
I picked my head up to look in his eyes that seemed bent on telling me something. Startling blue eyes captivated mine and I gave him my undivided attention praying I didn’t ruin the moment or shit the proverbial bed with my mouth.
“Yes?” I squeaked.
He seemed to pause considering his words.
“Dana Rossi, I want to take you out on a date.”
<
br /> “Right now?”
He chuckled, lips pursed and the sound carefree reminding me of U2’s Beautiful Day. It had been an exceedingly long one and my last few days working blurred together until this moment in his presence. “While I don’t think our patient would mind. I do. I’ve been wanting to see you in a dress and heels since I met you.”
Words I never expected came from his grinning mouth throwing caution to the wind with a fuck all to the world. It was Jack and Rose on the deck of the Titanic and I was sinking fast. It was demanding, hot, and I couldn’t for the life of me get my head together to give him a proper answer.
“Uh, what?” My eyes nearly popped from my head and his megawatt smile made my legs unsteady under the bright florescent lights. If one of the cops here had asked me to walk a straight line and concentrate I would have failed miserably with all the blood rushing to my head thinking about Dr. Avari and how close he kept inching toward me.
“A dress, Dana. The uniform is hot, but a guy has fantasies and I want to know how long those legs of yours really are, not what you have hidden in all those pockets.” He smirked flicking his fingers at my hip and I was toast.
“And I need to wear that for…” I said taking in a deep breath and hopefully my sanity.
“Dinner, conversation, a drink, maybe a kiss at the end of the night?” He outlined an adult evening. At least if my heart stopped I would be in good company because neurologically I was sucking at this.
My mouth moved on autopilot and I could have, should have smacked myself, “I know what a date is Dr. Avari.”
His blue eyes twinkled and I wished sinking into the floor was option B because I was embarrassed at how ridiculous I sound.
“Did you need–” He checked the chart glancing at the patient, “Mr. Pineda’s permission?” He crowded me into the wall, his face scrunched into a smirk that made my mouth dry up and my tongue thick with disuse in normal human conversation. When had I last dated? I couldn’t recall but I was certain it had been months ago ending in disaster because here I was single and with no fly moves.
“No. But–”
The white coat over his scrubs brushed against me and I couldn’t see around him with him blocking everything out. I focused on the black script stitching of his name on the coat. His right hand rose to lean on the wall near my head and his other reached into his pocket pulling something out.
I gulped back dry air.
“Dinner, Ms. Rossi. Call me, text me, send a smoke signal, but for the love of god don’t leave a man hanging.” He winked slipping his card into the pocket over my left breast. He didn’t so much as graze me inappropriately and I whimpered wishing he had. He turned walking out. His white coat covered his ass leaving me to ponder its worth with Mr. Pineda whose unconscious state pretty much summed up my life right until now.
2
Brandon
Standing in front of my bedroom mirror I contemplated the color of my tie like a prom night asshole looking to get laid. I wasn’t opposed to the idea, but that wasn’t the outcome I stressed over tonight. Sure I wanted Dana underneath me writhing in pleasure while I kissed my way down her adorable pocket sized body, but this wasn’t a one night goal. I had a marathon’s worth of positions I wanted to explore with a woman who I thought would make a permanent mark on my life.
I finally worked up the balls to ask Dana Rossi, Paramedic extraordinaire out on a date after the better part of six months. The nurses paged me for a rowdy client in the emergency room. I had been expecting a man strung out on drugs or an anxious kid with a broken leg. Geraldine Kent was seventy-three and suffering from an angina attack. Now that didn’t stop the meddlesome blue haired former Miss St. Louis and closet burlesque dancer from telling me to go ask out the pretty lady. The one who brought her in on a stretcher and held her hand the entire ambulance ride. Ms. Kent went on and on about how Dana sweetly told her about her own grandmother’s miraculous recovery. Not that I needed an elderly lady to do my dirty work for me, but I selected a tie in a steely shade close to her signature hair color. She reminded me that time was short and hearts needed love so my tie was in deference to her pushing me in Dana’s direction.
After slipping my card into her pocket clearly aware of her petit curves accentuated by carefully constructed utility pockets, I waited two unbearable days before Ms. Rossi texted me back. It was the most agonizing forty-eight hours of my life. I waited to pursue her because she seemed skittish at first but I now knew she was shy making the first move. I would have preferred a prostate exam as opposed to waiting, but this little miss kept me on tender hooks with anticipation. Had she waited to text me any longer I probably would have begged the St. Louis County Ambulatory Company she worked for to give me her number, or that fireman friend of hers that visited the ER with a bum leg. I remembered him from a running injury he had a while back and since I knew he was also dating one of my favorite nurses he probably wouldn’t have minded helping me out, unless he was the big brotherly type… I would have been screwed because let’s face it, my intentions were only half honorable until I had Dana Rossi locked down.
Dana agreed to meet me at a restaurant not too far from her apartment near the hospital. I didn’t care where we met as long as it meant I could spend time getting to know her outside our professional environment. She’d featured in my fantasies for too long for me to let this go. Once my tie dilemma was solved, I jumped into my convertible and drove over to the hipster BBQ place that offered live music and endless pitchers of sangria. I didn’t have many nights off like this with a stretch into the next day, but I was hoping to capitalize on it. I made reservations even though it was a low key place making sure we could have a table in the back away from the crowd and speakers. I genuinely wanted to get to know Dana. Yes, she was hot but she was sweet, funny, and intelligent from what I saw of her, and I needed to know what made her tick.
“Avari.” Dana walked up to me wearing a cute little jumpsuit that tied around her neck and ended at her ankles in a jaunty swing and platform wedges. Seems my saucy paramedic got her groove back because it wasn’t a dress and those weren’t spindly heels. I barked out a laugh because I knew she was teasing me. Only this girl could take my demand for a dress and spin it into something that would leave me panting like a dog at her heels.
“Couldn’t follow simple directions could you, Rossi?” I crowded her space and wrapped an arm around her low pulling her tight against me. I especially liked her bare back and feeling the knobs of her delicate spine under my fingers that would definitely be deserving of further exploration later. She fit perfectly into my side and I wanted to keep her there all night if she let me.
“I don’t know what you mean?” She winked at me and I leaned down to let her know what I thought of her smart ass move. This girl was topping from the bottom and didn’t even realize it.
“You just made this more challenging for me to slip my hand under you skirts during dinner and drinks. How the heck am I supposed to get to know you now?” I nipped her ear lobe as I guided her inside the restaurant. She smelled like fresh cut flowers, dainty, and perfect. Tonight she was the antithesis of my life inside the hospital. Devoid of antiseptic and chaos she was my breath of fresh air and had the capacity to understand that driving part of my life making me appreciate her even more.
Shrugging she said, “This might be as good as it gets. I pretty much live in my uniform you know.” She ran her hands up my chest adjusting my tie that felt like a noose around my neck right then. “I love hiding stuff in all my pockets.” She flashed me a smile that let her eyes sparkle under the hanging Mason jar lights inside the bar. I was a goner with this girl.
“So many surprises, Rossi.” I murmured letting my hand take a risk traveling down to cup her ass. Just as I suspected, her uniform accentuated every curve, but feeling the real deal let my mind wander back to medical school and Anatomy 101. Her glutes were perfection filling my hand and I squeezed earning a breathless pant and shy blush on her cheeks. I
wanted to see how that blush looked against my bed sheets, but there was time for that if I lasted long enough to do this date justice.
My hand snuck down the back of her backless jumpsuit. I had just enough space for my thumb to stroke against bare skin because my little imp was wearing thong panties teasing me mercilessly. I dipped a finger under the string of lace and tugged letting her feel the sharp sting of fabric pulled against her clit. I could tear them with the right amount of pressure, but then she’d be bare the rest of the night and I would be in agony knowing I couldn’t have her. Tonight was supposed to be about getting to know her, not fucking her right out of the gate.
I groaned restraining my baser needs, “I just love all the secret pockets your uniform has. I’d like to explore each and every one given half the chance.”
She made a demure sound that was more challenge than acquiescence.
“Perhaps we could start with an appetizer?” She whispered back, her lips grazing my chin and I half dragged her to our table following the hostess.
“Anything my girl wants.” Heck, I would have ordered the entire menu if it meant I’d get more time outside of work in an official capacity with this lovely woman.
We ordered drinks and a sampler platter. She let me feed her and hold her hand the entire time never letting go. Watching her lips covered in pink gloss close over my fork nearly sent me into a cardiac event. It made me think about her lips around other things and I put the fork down to focus on actual conversation. I asked her what interested her in becoming a paramedic. Dana confessed it was a quicker way to enter the medical field than attending medical school and going into massive debt which I respected. She liked the action up front and the adrenaline rush of getting to the scene first which I could understand. It was exactly why I chose the ER next to my specialty of cardiology. The pulse of chaos spoke to us both in a way few people would understand.