by R. Lorelei
~13~
Today was an exciting day in my residentship because it was the first day I would enter the Cath Lab as more than just an observer. Bradley handed me a pair of surgical scrubs and said, “You’re going to have to change into these.”
“Right here, right now?” I quietly flirted so the Unit Clerk couldn’t hear what I was saying to Bradley. I had become far too bold with him since our last serious discussion and he didn’t seem to be shying away from it.
“No, Maggie, the UCA will show you where to go and be quick about it, we have a long list of people we have to get through today.”
“What are we doing today? Valvuloplasties?” Angioplasties? Angiograms?”
“Angiograms to begin with, now go.”
“I like it when you’re bossy,” I winked at him and then turned to catch Maggie was smirking at me.
She winked at me and whispered, “You have to be careful, he’s got a bitch ex-wife you need to watch out for!”
I shrugged nonchalantly, “Ex, is the key word!”
Maggie pointed to the door behind where I was standing, “Change room is behind you.” I turned around and headed through the door. The room was small and full of lockers, most with no locks on them. There was a bin for dirty linen and a small bathroom. I slid my clothes off and placed them in an empty locker. The pants had a pull string so one pair fit many sizes. I pulled the string as tight as it would go but they still felt loose. I put on the top and then headed back out to Maggie and Bradley.
“Do they fit okay?” He asked.
“The top does, but the pants are loose, I’m afraid they are going to fall.”
“I’m not, I wouldn’t turn away either.” He teased. Dr. Hart was flirting back. How delicious! I lifted the shirt to show him the slack in the waist. I knew there was nothing he could do for me because they were the smallest size.
He took me into one control room looking out into two different Cath labs. He pointed to one of the labs and said, “That’s where we’ll be working today.” The control room had a desk with a microphone and a telephone facing each Cath lab, so two cardiologists were able to work on different patients at the same time. The other Cath lab wasn’t being used currently so the lights were off and we had the control room to ourselves.
The nurses were already prepping for our first angiogram procedure. Bradley handed me a long heavy metal vest for protection from any unnecessary radiation, and he put one on him. He looked so hot in his surgical scrubs. I broke out panting with desire, but I forced myself to stop.
We joined the nurses and Bradley began showing me how to freeze the sight close to the groin before making the incision, then he inserted a long guide wire up into the patient’s artery, and when he had the wire in the exact position he wanted it in, he flushed dye through so we could get a good look at the patient’s arteries determining if there were any occlusions and by how much. We would then finish off the procedure and the nurses would take that patient away.
Bradley took me back to the control room where we reviewed the images we had previously seen in the Cath lab in greater detail, discussing the patient’s condition and determining the best course of action. Finally we dictated notes on that patient and filled in a diagram of the patient’s heart explaining on the diagram where the occlusions were if any, before moving onto the next patient.
Bradley and I did this repeatedly until the end of the day. With each procedure, he involved me a little more. By the end of the day I was almost able to do the entire procedure on my own. I was elated with my progress and tired at the same time.
We went in separate directions to change and then met back at Maggie’s desk to walk to the parking lot together. He gently took my hand in his and we strolled leisurely to Snowball. When we got to snowball, I introduced them, “Snowball meet Bradley, Bradley Snowball.”
“Pleased to meet you Snowball,” he played along. I liked this doctor increasingly, especially watching him do angiograms all day. There was something really sexy about a focused and intelligent man, operating big machinery, with people’s lives in his hands.
I wanted to be the person on that table that was getting all his attention and not for an angiogram. I was reduced to a drooling, horny mess. The only way to describe him was Alpha Sexy Male. You just knew to say yes sir and do whatever he wanted, with comfort knowing he would never hurt you; it was obvious by watching his interactions with his patients. He was so caring and compassionate.
We heard the double beep of someone unlocking their car door in the close vicinity of Snowball. We automatically turned to face where we heard the sound coming from and found Chase walking in our direction. Bradley instinctively dropped my hand at the sight of his brother. His brother being CEO and both of us working for him, he acted quickly, and wisely.
Chase nodded, “Chanel, Bradley.” Then he looked directly at me, “Chanel, could I have a minute with you?” I glanced at Bradley for approval and nodded okay to Chase.
“It’s okay Chanel; I’ll see you tomorrow, goodnight.” He headed for his car without looking back. All of a sudden the air around us became thick and tense.
“Aria mentioned you wanted out of the lease. Is that true?”
Okay, I wanted to disappear, “Oh, she said that, did she? Maybe, but that was ages ago.”
He casually stepped closer to me and I could smell his musky sent. Chase's black suit was flawless although he had probably worn it all day and his eyes made my knees go Jell-O. He asked, “So you don’t feel that way anymore?” My nerves were winning, so I pictured him naked and that didn’t work, because I was suddenly feeling very hot, everywhere.
He probably had the perfect body, his face and hands were a telltale indicator that his creature was to die for. My breathing became shallow and rapid; I was losing control of myself. I told myself, ‘stick to the brother, they’re identical and I like him, stick to the brother.’ Even that didn’t work. I was losing control of my autonomic nervous system.
“Oh heavens no, I don’t feel that way anymore. I’ve settled nicely.” A nervous laugh escaped me. I took a step backward now; I was almost pinned against snowball with nowhere to go.
“Glad to hear that.” I turned to open my door when suddenly I felt him rub against my behind, “Do you need help with your door?” I thought I felt hardness, I wasn’t sure. To know for sure he would have had to rub against me one more time. ‘Stop it Chanel,’ I yelled at myself.
“No, No, I’m fine,” I stammered.
I turned back to face him and well, that was a big mistake we were standing even closer and I could feel him through his pants pressing against me. Oh and Yes! He was hard. Holy shit! A bolt of excitement ran through my veins, there was such a spark with his touch, I wished for more but him being the beacon of professionalism, Mr. CEO stepped back when I would have rather him shove me into my car and take me, fill me with his hard dick and pound against me in some mind blowing sex. I knew I wasn’t thinking straight. I didn’t even like him, but I didn’t have to. My body, my sex drive, my vagina, just loved this man, wanted to eat him up for dinner.
I drove home all shaken up. I was tempted to text Nick a code purple, and then I changed my mind to a code grey. I had no idea what to do but I knew I only wanted Chase between my legs right now and that was just absolutely insane. Bradley’s words about how I was ‘devaluing myself’ weighed heavily on me and then I decided against calling a code completely. I called Aria instead.
~14~
We planned our girl’s night in for eight o’clock. Aria resisted inviting Nick complaining that, “It was supposed to be a girl’s night in!”
I argued for Nick, “He’s as close to one without being one, a guy can get!” I also added, “He also brings a male perspective to the table which enables us to understand men better.” We both knew the real unspoken truth why she didn’t want him over, he was going to be seeing her in a sweat suit, I won the argument though because she finally agreed to have him come, over that is.
Nick’s twelve hour shift ended at seven thirty, so he texted back saying he needed at least forty-five minutes to shower and change before coming over, which really meant an hour and a half in Nick language. I tapped on her door at exactly eight o’clock.
I wanted alone time with her before Nick showed up anyway. She answered the door immediately. Her hair was still wet from her shower and hanging in really cute ringlets around her face. Her porcelain skin and blue eyes were striking and she had on a beautiful rust colored lipstick that just made you want to kiss her perfect supple lips. She looked like she was in her late teens, it was the most beautiful I’d ever seen her.
She opened the door for me, acting all giddy and giving me a huge hug before cordially inviting me in. Her loft looked exactly like mine with different living and bedroom furnishings.
I called out, “Aria?”
“In here.” Her voice was coming from the kitchen, “Make yourself at home, do you want a drink?”
“Sure, what do you have?”
“Tassimo everything, Diet Coke, beer, wine.”
“Wine please.”
“Good choice, I was just given a bottle of Marcassin Estate Chardonnay, from the Sonoma Coast. I googled the price, it’s worth a pretty penny, given to me of course by a very happy client!”
“Real estate client I hope.”
“I don’t have any other kind, silly!” Aria grinned at me.
“How unfortunate for you,” I teased.
Aria handed me my wine and turned on a gas fireplace in the corner of the room, I hadn’t noticed it until now. Then she sat next to me.
“Give me the juice!” I ordered.
“I gave you wine, you want juice now too?” I could tell Aria wasn’t getting me.
“Juice, is my other word for scoop...
“Whatever are you talking about?”
“Nick. Are you interested in him?” Aria flushed, “I only ever met him the one time.” Her shyness was endearing.
“Do you think he’s cute?” I was hoping she would say yes, because I really thought they would make a cute couple, it would keep Nick away from the men!
“Totally, is he single?”
“He sure is, that’s why I asked you to invite him tonight, so you could get to know him.
Aria crossed her legs and started playing with one of her now damp curls before taking a sip of her almost filled too high glass of wine, “Okay, let’s say I was interested in him, would it bother you? Would it bother you if I started seeing your best friend? Would it be weird?
“Not at all, Nick and I have been friends for as long as I can remember. He’s more like a brother. I would love it if the two of you hit it off.”
“Chanel, he probably doesn’t even like me.”
“You don’t know that, his tastes are eclectic,” like on cue, there was a tap on the door. The tap wasn’t your typical tap, he tapped out a rhythm of an entire song until you answered the door or the melody finished whichever came first.
Nick breezed into the room like he owned the place. He had this unexplainable energy about him, everything just seemed more alive when he got there. Aria asked Nick what he wanted to drink and he chose wine too. He squeezed between us on the couch rather than choosing a seat by himself, and looking to the left and right he said, “Girls.”
He turned to me, “Kill anyone at work yet?” He was such a prick at times!
I didn’t have much of a comeback for him. I think the wine was slowing down my thought processes, “Bradley Hart is too good a teacher to let that happen.”
“The THROB is teaching you? How did you swing that?” Aria just sat back on the couch and listened to us go on, it had to be boring for her.
“THROB?”
“You know, as in heart throb. Every female cardiac nurse at the hospital gushes how much of a heart throb he is. Whenever the nursing station is busy, they give up their computers, their chairs, their pens, even their stethoscopes for him, anything he wants, just to get him to notice them. He’s totally not into them. He hasn’t dated anyone since his divorce. It’s sickening. Frankly, I think he’s overrated.”
“You’re jealous is more like it.”
“Whatever. I have it going on too, you know,” he started running his fingers through his short hair in an arrogant manner.
“You do, do you? Who’s got a big head now?”
He looks down at his groin and then smirks up at Aria, “Don’t listen to her, the only big head I have is hidden in my pants.” Jokingly, he whispers to her, “I’ll show you later,” just loud enough for me to hear.
“Throb might be interested in somebody.” I smirked at Nick.
“You?” He said sarcastically, pointing at me laughing, he said, “Unlikely! Have you seen his ex-wife? She is a breathtaking bombshell! No offense but you can't hold a candle to her.”
I felt defensive, “He held my hand in the parking lot at the hospital today, until we bumped into his brother.”
“You bumped into Chase? CEO Chase?”
“The one and only.”
“What did Throb do with your hand?”
“He dropped it like it was made of acid,” I grumbled.
“Didn’t want Chase the big CEO to see obviously.”
“I guess.”
Aria found a second to get a word in, “Chase has a brother?”
Nick looked at her, “Twin.”
Aria smiled, “Really?”
Nick rolled his eyes, “Oh God, not you too?”
Aria cast her gaze down and shook her head, “No, no.”
Nick focused back on me and said, “So then what happened?”
I took another sip of my wine, my glass was only half full, “Chase wanted to have a word with me so Bradley left.
Nick looked at me perplexed, “Why would Chase want to talk to you? No offense!”
“None taken dickwad, he’s my landlord, remember?”
Nick flushed, “Oh yes, so what did he say?”
I shrugged, “He just wanted to know if I still wanted out of my lease. I told him definitely not. That was ages ago and I’m happy now.” I looked at Aria, and finished what I had to say, “When I went to go open my car door, he accidentally rubbed up against my ass.”
Nick breaks in, “No guy does that by accident, and it was accidentally on purpose.”
I turned back to Nick, “That’s what I was going to ask your opinion about, do you think he was trying to make a pass at me?”
Aria took center stage, “I don’t know what Nick thinks, but I definitely do.”
Nick nodded in agreement before Aria continued, “What are you going to do now, you have two gorgeous men after you?”
Nick took a deep breath and slipped in, “Matter of opinion.”
My eyes opened more, “I don’t know, I guess nothing. I don’t like Chase. He has too many aces in his hand, CEO, landlord. He practically owns me for fuck sakes. He has too much power and money for my likings.
Aria questioned, “And Bradley?”
“He’s my teacher, hardly appropriate for me to enter into a relationship with him.”
Nick comments, “Leaves you alone Coco!”
I glared at Nick before turning to Aria, “Did I ever tell you how annoying brothers can be?”
Aria giggled and helped turn our attention away from each other by putting on Netflix. We chose a chick flick knowing Nick wouldn’t complain. I finished my wine and put all my attention onto the movie. When it was done, I noticed the time was nearing midnight, so I decided to leave. Nick got up and left when I did.
When I got back to my loft, I quickly changed into my jammy’s and went straight to bed, knowing I was getting up early tomorrow.
The incessant bang of the headboard from next door kept me up several hours after I had gone to bed. Obviously, Nick only pretended to go home after all.
~15~
The next day was rough. I was overtired thanks to Aria’s Ikea bed. If she had invested in a more solid f
rame like she did the mattress and box spring, I probably would have been well rested. Bradley and I spent the entire day minus food and toilet breaks in the cath lab doing angiogram after angiogram. I seemed to be getting quite good at them.
It was a treat seeing Bradley the entire day in sexy green surgical scrubs. The surgical top he chose today was V-neck accentuating his tanned skin and broad boulder like shoulders. Unfortunately his scrub top was covered by a heavy led apron which he wore during all the procedures. The pants, one size fits most hung loosely on his hips and I had a feeling he wore them like that intentionally, just to get attention. He sure had mine.
We were halfway through the last angiogram when Bradley noticed I was looking tired. He encouraged me, “You can take off early if you want, I’ve got this.”
I knew we would only be a few more minutes before I could watch him strip off his led vest, “I really don’t mind staying.”
“If you’re sure,” his dark eyes smiled at me, “you look tired.”
“I am,” I confessed.
We stayed quiet while he finished the last person and closed her up; leaving the patient in the able hands of the same nurses we worked with all day. The nurses took the patient with them, leaving Bradley and myself alone.
This alone time with him was very uncomfortable and different in comparison to the several other alone times we had in the past. The feeling of anticipation coursing through my veins was making my stomach do flip flops while my heart fluttered at the same time. I didn’t even know if the feelings I was having were in any way mutual. He only did just hold my hand, and criticized my relationship with Nick, which I still regret telling him about.
The silence of the room got really loud as I stared him down with raw insatiable sexual desire while he removed his led apron. I took mine off after he was done removing his and I felt his stare penetrate me and follow my every move. It was hot. If Nick was right and he hadn’t been with anyone since his wife, I wondered what he would be like. Right now it felt like he could fuck me without touching me, this man was a God.