by Danube Adele
I popped another fry in my mouth and contemplated my choices, which weren’t really choices. Suck it up and go, or come up with an excuse. Of course, if I didn’t go, I’d feel like an ass because they were my parents, and my aunts had worked hard to create this wonderful party, and I didn’t like that option at all.
“You don’t get along with your family either?” He grimaced, obviously thinking of his own situation.
“Oh no. Just the opposite. We’re a tight group, but it takes energy and a clear head to navigate one of these parties, both of which I’m lacking as of an hour ago. They are all so well-meaning they drive me insane.” I grinned as I thought about the quirks of mi familia. “Everyone feels like they have the right to be in your business. No question is ever considered too personal. There’s no such thing as privacy or healthy personal boundaries.”
“You’re lucky. In my family, our get-togethers are short and painful. I have a brother with a stick up his ass who’s going to take over the family business and a sister-in-law who considers it a small crisis if a hair is out of place. My dad avoids us all by working in his home office until the meal’s ready, and there’s nothing to talk about over dinner, so it’s deathly silent.”
I gave him the expected grimace. “Ouch.”
“I think it’s nice that you have a lot of people who care about you.” Kevin stole one of my fries, and I bared my teeth at him.
“Only because you haven’t experienced it.”
“What can be so bad? It sounds kind of nice.”
“I preface this by saying that I totally love my cousins to pieces, am happy that I’ll be able to see them tonight, and we’re all great friends, but you have no idea. Okay, here are some examples. A couple of my cousins, Stephanie and Bailey, are hypochondriacs and will be hell-bent on show-and-tell, trying to get me to diagnose every ache and pain they’ve had since I last saw them. Even if it’s a hemorrhoid, they’ll try to show me right there at the restaurant.”
“No...” Kevin chuckled.
“Yes!” I nodded my head emphatically. “Once, when we were at lunch together, my cousin Bailey insisted she had a lump in her breast and made me feel her up right there at the table in a restaurant. You can imagine the looks we got. Even the waiter winked at me and wrote his number on the bill.”
“I would have paid to see that.”
“Exactly. I should have demanded tips for all the attention we got. So embarrassing. My other cousin, Cassie, is always trying to set me up on blind dates, but the guys she likes are these heavy-on-the-muscle, light-on-the-brain man sluts who just stare at my chest. The worst will be my grandmother. She will give me a lecture on finding a man, because God forbid if you’re twenty-six and still single. There must be something wrong with you.”
“It just sounds like she cares. It sounds like they all care.” He gave not an ounce of sympathy, which made it seem like he was actually a sad, lonely kind of guy. Maybe I needed to give more sympathy?
Affection for my oddball family softened my voice. “They do. I know they do.” I complained about them, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. “Anyway, Henry’s going to come get me later.”
“Your roommate’s going?”
“He’s no longer my roommate, because he found love, but he’s actually my cousin. My very cool, helps-keep-me-sane-at-these-family-functions kind of cousin. We’re both the odd ones in our very traditionally minded Latin family. We stick together and give everyone big smiles when they give us funny looks.”
Nicole, one of the cute, younger nurses on duty, handed Kevin a file and marched away. Her expression was frosty, which led me to believe she’d joined the funtimers’ club somewhat recently. I arched my brows at him. He had the grace to flush, his lips drawing tight. After a quick glance at the chart, he pushed away from the counter. “Better eat that while you can. You know what happens when it’s close to quitting time.” He left the file on the counter for me before moving on.
Usually, just when it was time to punch the clock for the day, a sudden crisis would have us all running, like a nasty pileup, or a drive-by shooting that left a number of people dead, or even a stabbing, and we would end up staying longer. Happened almost every shift.
I quickly texted back. Totally forgot. Been a day. Need clothes. Bring me some? He still had keys to my apartment.
I’ll find something for you.
Don’t make me look like a hoochie-mama! Come at seven.
Trust me, C. I’ll make you look good.
I know where you live. Must go. Lives to save...where’s my red cape?
Own it. Work it. Give someone a shot of something for me, would you.
You mean morphine or vodka?
What’s the difference? I’m about to get a massage. I’m out.
Is that what we’re calling it now? See you later.
“You better take a few quick bites. Broken arm in bay three.” Bree delivered the news along with a patient’s chart, setting it on the counter beside my food and stealing another of my fries before hurrying off to check on patients.
Of course, the moment I contemplated taking a time-out for some peace and quiet, just me and my lovely burger, shouts rang out. I quickly closed up the container and set it behind the counter, ready for action.
“Where is he? Did you see him?”
Two nurses and an orderly were hurrying as safely as they could down the corridor of bays, their eyes searching for something low to the ground.
One of the nurses, Katy Lynn, stopped at the nurse’s station where I was standing, her eyes scanning anxiously. “Did you see where he went?”
“Who?”
“Little boy, age three, mom fell in the garden and received several puncture wounds from a rake hidden in the grass. She didn’t have any place for the boy to go and had to bring him in with her. He ran off, though.”
“I’ll let you know if I see him.”
“Great. Mom’s a little worried.”
The informal manhunt continued, and I turned back to the nurse’s station to get my food, only to find it was missing. Walking behind the counter of the abandoned station, I frowned, trying to remember if I moved it, or put it back differently than what I remembered, but no. It was right there. Right in the hands of an adorable little three-year-old who had it in his lap and was scarfing it down under one of the desks.
“Hey little man.” I smiled down at him.
“Hi!” He grinned back, adorable freckles bridging his nose, merry laughing eyes peered up at me and a sweep of brown hair that had random curls framed his face. He ate the last of my fries in his next bite, and I had to choke back a groan. The dream of greasy goodness died. Oh well. It was for a good cause.
“You’ve got people looking for you.”
He whispered conspiratorially, “I was hungry.”
“Come out of there.”
With a firm grasp on the food, he worked his way out, and I picked him up. “What’s your name, punkin?”
“Billy.”
“Silly Billy?” I tickled his ribs lightly.
“No,” he shook his head.
“Funny Billy?”
He giggled happily. “Nooooo!”
“Superman Billy?”
He thought about that for a moment, decided he liked it. “Yes!”
“Well, Superman Billy, you can’t just take food that you see when you’re not at home. That’s not safe, is it?”
“It isn’t?” His face screwed up in an exaggerated expression of confusion, but I couldn’t laugh with him because I was trying to make a point.
“Of course it’s dangerous, punkin. You need to make sure you only eat food that your mom says is okay. What if she didn’t want you to eat this? Moms are always careful about what they give their boys. Don’t you think?”
; His lips pursed as he considered my words. “I don’t think she’d mind. I’ve had burgers before.”
“Yes, but always check in with your mom first. Always. Now, it just so happens that the food you’re eating is safe. It was my food, and I’m happy to give it to you. Still, we need to check in with your mom and make sure it’s okay before you eat anymore.”
He gave a long-suffering sigh. “Okay. But she’s going to say it’s okay.”
“You found him!” Katy and her counterparts caught sight of us as they were combing the territory in all directions. She gently reached over and took him onto her own hip.
“Behind the nurse’s station,” I rolled my eyes and shook my head.
“The food?”
“Mine.” At Katy’s apologetic look, I mouthed it’s okay and quickly followed up with, “Can you make sure his mom is okay with this?”
“Will do.”
And Billy was off, the food container in his little grasp as he rode Katy’s hip cheerily answering her questions. There goes my lunch. Oh well. Food would be plentiful at the party tonight.
My chart on the broken arm was still waiting for me, and I turned to grab it.
That’s when I saw the hot, gorgeous guy on the other side of the nurse’s station, watching me. It surprised a quick over-the-shoulder peek from me to see if it was actually someone else who was the subject of his scrutiny, but no. It was me. His hot, aquamarine eyes were staring at me calmly from beneath dark brows, not even trying to be inconspicuous. He was blatantly staring, a sort of silent dare was being issued, and for some strange reason, it was a turn on.
A slight shiver chased up my spine.
“Isn’t he gorgeous?” Bree suddenly scooted up next to me and pretended to study my chart, the words whispered out the side of her mouth. “Lord have mercy, I’m actually salivating over his muscles. Look at those shoulders! He could be one of those special ops kind of guys, sort of towering over everyone and being all commanding. He can command me to do anything any day of the week.”
I grinned at her, then looked down at my chart for Darla Walton, age 44, until I couldn’t take it anymore. I snuck another look. He was still watching me. My heart skittered a few beats. Why did I feel like the two of us were sharing a secret? My cheeks went warm and butterfly wings tickled my stomach—and this was completely crazy because I wasn’t a teenager and I did not react this way to random men, no matter how handsome they were.
She is an unexpected sweet spot... The words hung in the air between us, like he’d spoken them to me directly. My heart beat faster. Had he said them? I hadn’t seen his lips move.
I tried to slow my breathing before anyone realized I was out of sorts.
“I’d invite him to be in my calendar,” Bree murmured. It was the ongoing joke when we saw guys. On the hotness scale, were they worthy of a calendar pic. “I think Dr. Carson is working with his friend in Bay One. Do you think he’s an actor? He could totally be in Game of Thrones with that black hair he’s got tied back and that to-die-for body. He’s got a Norse kind of thing going on.”
“He does, doesn’t he?” My reply sounded normal again and not all breathy, though my heart was still hammering like I’d hit the treadmill.
“Maybe he’d like to play nurse and patient.”
That startled a laugh from me. I needed to snap out of it. I was still at work. There was some poor woman with a broken arm who was waiting to see me, and I didn’t have time to imagine the Viking and I were sharing some sort of mysterious, intimate connection.
“Seriously. Wouldn’t you just love to do bad things with him and keep the lights on?” Bree murmured admiringly.
For the first time since Carlos, I could honestly answer that one in the affirmative.
Kevin must have concluded whatever conversation they were having because he suddenly exited the bay with an older man who had striking silver hair that rode his shoulders. Long hair. Was that becoming an “in” thing? They were about to walk around the oval-shaped counter, past the nurse’s station where I was standing.
“Did you eat?” Kevin asked, pausing long enough to bring everyone close.
“It walked away,” I replied lightly.
I could feel the Viking’s gaze on me. My pulse kicked up again, so I kept my eyes on Kevin for my own sense of self-preservation.
“Is this one of your colleagues? She’s welcome to join us this evening.” The silver-haired man, who sounded British, held his hand out to me.
I shook it and was immediately struck by how cold it was. Creepy, or just poor circulation? My smile never faltered. “I’m Dr. Cecilia Bradford.”
“Frank.” I was glad to let go of his hand and take a step back.
Kevin slung a friendly arm around my shoulder. “She’s got a family thing tonight.”
“Already have dinner plans, then?” Frank inquired.
I thought of the restaurant we liked to have our family gatherings at, the fancy one on the hill that would have a buffet of so many good things to eat. Man, was I craving some Casa Margarita right this minute, especially since Billy-boy had likely already finished my lunch. “Oh, yes. I’ll likely go home feeling twice my body weight tonight.”
Frank laughed. “Very good. Perhaps another time.”
I finally let my eyes rest on the Viking and felt the full impact of his gaze once again. Electric. A hint of forest, pine or sage, touched the air between us, and I couldn’t help but breathe him in. He smelled so good. And being so close, I could see a long, jagged scar curving down the line of his angular jaw. I had the sudden urge to trace my fingers down the line, let them wander to those full, sensual lips that looked like they could do some wonderful things for a girl, but just as the thought crossed my mind, a surge of hot energy, wickedly sinful, hummed in the air, surrounded me. My nipples tightened, ached.
“Let’s get you checked out, Frank.” Kevin gave me a friendly salute and moved on.
The Viking gave me a final scorching look. Beautiful girl.
I would have sworn swear I heard the words uttered clearly in my mind, the voice deep and whisky smooth. Was I losing it? That vacation I was taking was coming at a good time.
The Viking moved on, and I was able to release my pent up breath, not realizing I’d been holding it. I watched him walk away.
“Oh, Lord,” Bree whispered under her breath. “Thanks and praise. His butt cheeks make for perfect handholds. Nice and round. Tight.”
Silent mental nod. Where was a fan when you needed one? Damn.
“He was looking at you, and you were playing it all cool. How do you do that? I would have been on my knees begging to let me give him children or something.”
No kidding. I’d never been so blindsided by arousal in my life. My breasts felt fuller, my blood thickening and pulsing down south. I had to admit that I liked it. It made me feel more alive, like I’d just discovered a new vibrant color of the rainbow.
An image of Carlos flashed in my mind, my Carlos, my own... Hey, Tiger. His warm, dark eyes twinkled playfully under a bright sun, playing with me. Guilt roughed up the nice edges of the desire I felt with a bit of emotional sandpaper. That heavy feeling of wrong splashed me with cold water, and I reluctantly forced myself to stop thinking of the Viking.
“He was totally looking at you.” Bree’s smiley, everything-is-wonderful-and-beautiful tone suddenly bugged the shit out of me for some reason, and I had to stop myself from making a sarcastic comeback. Somehow, I’d gone from being okay to bitch mode. It was definitely time to move on.
Impatiently, I muttered, “Yeah, but now he’s gone. Let’s get back to work.”
A questioning frown crossed her face, and I was sure she was wondering at my sudden change in attitude, but it wasn’t something I was going to explain. I couldn’t. She was just going to have to deal with it.
/>
“Well, he’s definitely a hottie. I could stand here all day watching that one,” Bree offered, “but we do have someone waiting.” Her eyebrows drew together as she frowned. “I tried to get a history on this woman, Darla Walton—” she tapped the clipboard I was holding, “—but her husband kept answering for her. I don’t like the look of that guy. She’s got the beaten puppy syndrome, and he’s got the same look as my ex.”
Thankfully, doctor mode came back online. “The abuser.”
“Yeah. They’ve got a story about the mom taking a fall, but I’m not buying it. Unfortunately, she wouldn’t say anything.”
“Well, let’s go have a look.” I braved another glance to where I’d last seen the Viking and was half relieved that he was no longer there to distract me. The other half, well, it wasn’t time to analyze that other half of myself except to note there was an unfamiliar pull of disappointment in my gut. I shut down the feelings instantly. No time for soft emotions. I had a job to do. I had no time for this silliness in my life.
A deep, cleansing breath and a glance around the room to see the lay of the land let me clear my mind and refocus.
I really loved my job. I never knew what was going to happen in the ER, but as I looked around, I admired the beautiful choreography of efficient motion within the scope of unplanned chaos. Everyone had something imperative that needed doing now. It was a never-ending ballet of nurses and doctors gracefully swerving, reaching, dipping, threading around and between each other in order to provide quick, competent care, almost as though it had been a rehearsed performance. Feeling lucky to be part of something that was much greater than myself, I tucked the clipboard under my arm and went to meet my new patient.
I joined the ballet of movement, winding and threading my way down the short hallway toward bay 3. I answered a quick question here, gave a reassuring smile to a frightened looking patient there, popped my head through the curtain to double-check that this patient or that patient was still doing well and didn’t need anything else before arriving at bay 3.