My Salvation: A Contemporary Reverse Harem Romance

by Stella Brie

  After gathering plates, napkins, silverware and glasses, I set the table. I text Shaw and Lowell to let them know dinner will be ready in 10 minutes. Going out to the grill, I throw the steaks on for a few minutes on each side until they are medium rare and pull them off. Back inside, I set the platter of steaks down in the center of the dining table. Going into the kitchen, I grab the vegetables and bread out of the oven. Putting the bread in a basket and vegetables in a large bowl, I take those out to the table and sit down.

  Picking up my phone, I text Lowell again. When he’s in writing mode, it can take three or four texts before he pulls his head out of his fictitious world and back into the real world. I don’t text Shaw again. He should be walking in right about...now. Shaw enters the room quietly, with a beer in his hand, exactly ten minutes after the first text.

  For such a big man, Shaw’s stealth is impressive. If you aren’t expecting him, it can be startling to look up and see him standing beside or behind you. He can enter any room without anyone noticing. This skill has come in handy in more operations than I can count.

  While we wait for Lowell, Shaw sits down and studies me for a minute. He can always tell when someone has intel. He takes a drink of his beer and sets it down.

  “Let’s wait for Lowell,” I tell him.

  Piercing a steak, I place it on my plate before handing him the fork to do the same. Adding vegetables and a piece of bread, I pick up my phone to text Lowell a third time, but surprisingly, he walks in just as I start typing the message.

  As I take in his rumpled clothes and hair sticking out everywhere, I realize he’d been deep in the zone. It’s kind of a surprise he came down, but that usually means he hasn’t eaten all day and is starving.

  Lowell sits down, grabs the decanter, and pours a glass of wine. After taking a big drink, he fills his plate, and then glances at me and Shaw. He sits up straighter as he reads our faces. While he rarely expresses much emotion himself, Lowell is as good as Shaw at reading people and situations.

  “Go ahead, or it’ll get cold,” I tell them, my mouth full as I take a few bites. “It’s nothing urgent or bad.” Once they both start eating, I fill them in on the day, giving them the facts first. “Dr. Michaels arrived this afternoon. Unfortunately, a few patients were scheduled without our knowledge, so we only had a few minutes to go through the basics for the practice and the apartment before she had to jump in with both feet. I gave her the codes, made sure she could operate the keypads, gave her a tour of the apartment and Thayer’s office.”

  With his usual blank face, Shaw digests the information. “So, what’s your read on her? Can she do the job? Is she going to work out?” he questions to get a better understanding of the situation.

  After stating the facts, I debate how much information to give them, as I don’t want to color their feelings towards her. I decide first to tell them about the patient mix-up and her very capable handling of the situation. “She can definitely manage the practice. She is used to leading staff and took charge immediately,” I explain. “She’s thrilled about the apartment. Overall, she seems to be a genuinely honorable person, and more importantly, a competent doctor who will take care of everything until Thayer is back on his feet.”

  This is a tremendous relief for us, as the last travel doctor sexually harassed the staff and caused a huge uproar before we caught on to what was happening. We took care of him, though. He won’t be doing that to anyone else. Ever again. Unfortunately, it made us leery in asking the agency to assign another physician. So, this time, we completed our own background check on Dr. Michaels before agreeing to the placement.

  Shaw narrows his eyes. He knows I’m holding back but cannot figure it out. Lowell leans back in his chair, waiting for me to spill my guts.

  Rubbing my jaw, I think about how I should describe Kate. “She’s beautiful, but she’s full of pain or sadness or something. I think you or Lowell could probably read her better. She doesn’t look like she has slept in days, and while that could be due to the last-minute travel, I don’t think it is. I couldn’t remember anything in her background file coming back as unusual, but I want to go through it again. I wonder if we should dig deeper?”

  Shaw thinks for a moment. “We only completed an employment level background check on her. References, past positions, degrees, licensing and financials. We can go deeper. Do you think your gut is telling you she is hiding something that could be a problem for us?” Shaw probes intently.

  “Yes, and no.” I try to explain. “Yes, I think she is in pain, but I’m not sure she is hiding something that will become our problem. It’s just that I...my gut says we need to help her. And to be completely honest with you, I’m drawn to her. She pulls at me in a way I can’t explain.”

  Eyebrows raised, Shaw stares at me for a second. He looks at Lowell, and they communicate silently for a minute.

  “Let’s hold off on a deeper background check for now,” Lowell murmurs as he taps into his phone. “In the meantime, I’m planning to go by the practice tomorrow anyway to see who has ordered more supplies. We didn’t give everyone access to Thayer’s computer, but someone placed an order this afternoon. I assumed it was Sarah, but with your gut tingling, we should confirm.”

  Finishing our dinner, we quickly clean up and head out to visit Thayer in the hospital. Although he is still in a coma, we tell him all about Dr. Michaels and how well the practice is doing. We also take a few minutes to talk to his doctor. The swelling is receding, he assures us, which is excellent news. They still don’t know when he will wake up, though. Nothing we can do but wait and see. So, we all head home.

  Yawning, I undress and get into bed. Stretching out, my mind fills with the beautiful Dr. Michaels. She definitely seemed a bit interested in me, or at least interested in holding my hand. I chuckle as I think about how many times she shook my hand.

  My cock stirs when my thoughts wander to how it felt to have her ass brushing against me when she turned to face the keypad. So lush for such an athletic body. It made me want to push her up against the wall so she could feel every inch of me. My hips move restlessly as I imagine all the possibilities. Eventually, I fall asleep, still feeling her tight body against mine.

  CHAPTER 4

  KATE

  The remainder of my first day passes pretty quickly. Sarah and I work well together and keep things running smoothly and efficiently. After we treat the few remaining patients, she walks me through the layout of the practice, from the patient rooms to the supply room. We’re low on a few items, so I ask her to order more.

  She gives me a quick tutorial on the system they use for entering patient info, which I am thankfully familiar with, and finally we review the charts for the patients scheduled for tomorrow. It’s late by the time we finish for the day.

  I wearily climb the stairs to my apartment. Although exhausted, I can’t help feeling grateful for it. Busy all day and being surrounded by strangers helped keep away my demons. A minor, but significant, victory against the dark. Now I just want a hot bath, some wine, and a light supper, and hopefully a few hours of sleep before my nightmares start again.

  After keying in the codes, I enter the apartment and kick off my shoes. Heading towards the bathroom, I dump in a bit of champagne bubble bath and start filling the tub. Going back into the kitchen, I open a bottle of Malbec, pour a glass, then pad back to the bathroom. The tub is almost full. Setting the glass on the tub, I turn off the water and strip down. Putting my clothes into the laundry basket, I step into the hot water and lay down.

  Hmmm, that feels good, I think as my sore muscles relax.

  Taking a sip of the wine, my taste buds hum with appreciation, and I make a mental note to take a pic of the label.

  Whoever stocked the wine in this apartment has superb taste, I think.

  As my body relaxes, my mind drifts over the events of the last couple days. I never would have chosen to travel and work on these two days, but it has been worth it. While my body is sore from bot
h driving and the intense battle of keeping everything at bay, I can’t help feeling victorious for being lucid and sober both days. A miracle. I honestly didn’t think I could make it through this anniversary without numbing myself, but I made it. Not only did I make it, I was functional and productive for the first time in years. A win. My win. Sleep might be scarce, but this win makes me feel as if I might be...or at least might feel normal again someday.

  The practice and patients seem wonderful. I really like Sarah and can see us becoming close friends. She operates with professionalism, but also with an empathy and compassion that’s hard to find in some nurses.

  I hadn’t let myself get close to anyone since the hospital. Hopefully, I can let my fears go and have faith that she will like me even when she knows the truth about me.

  When I think about Lev, not just my hand, but my entire body tingles. It had been so long, I forgot what it felt like to be attracted to someone. Not just physically, although that’s certainly top of mind, I want to know him. Bask in his warmth. I don’t even know if he’s single, but he doesn’t strike me as the sort of man who would flirt if he was taken. When I look at him, words like “honor” and “chivalry” come to mind. Along with loads of laughter and fun.

  Maybe it is time to stop letting the past win, I muse.

  Getting sleepy, I pull the plug on the tub and get out. Drying off, I reach for my robe and slip it on. Grabbing my empty glass, I stroll into the bedroom to get into my pajamas. It’s cold tonight, so I pull on fuzzy socks, a pair of flannel pants, and a long sleeve T-shirt.

  As Lev mentioned, he stocked the kitchen with a few basic essentials. Looking into the fridge and cabinets, I opt to make a grilled cheese sandwich for dinner. Cheese always goes with wine, right? While I sit and eat dinner, I use my phone to snap a picture of the wine label so I can pick up some more later.

  After dinner, it’s time for bed. I grab my tablet to binge some Netflix, but I don’t last five minutes before I’m asleep.

  I SIT THERE IN THE first pew, staring at the picture of Dr. Collin Kennedy, beloved husband, son, brother and friend. It’s a wonderful picture of him. Smiling and alive. His parents fill the seats next to me, and his sister sits on the other side of them. Both his mother and sister cry delicate tears beneath their beautiful couture, black veils, while his father radiates sadness and quiet disapproval. Collin’s friends, significantly fewer than this time last year, sit scattered behind us.

  The eulogies have been said, the hymns sung. All that’s left is for us to go up and visit with him one last time. The procession led by his best friend Mark begins. As they go by, some touch Collin’s arm, others say a few words, but all say their goodbyes. Next, his family goes up, his mom breaking down as she kisses his forehead.

  It’s my turn. God, I don’t know if I can do this, but I must, because I need to say goodbye, not just to Collin, but to this period in my life. As I walk up to the casket, memories flash by. How we met, our first date, when he told me he loved me, finishing our medical residencies, our wedding, when he saved my life, when he told me he hated me, when he cheated on me, when he hurt me. All the important and first moments of our lives. I am at the casket, staring down. His face is calm at first, beautiful, just like the start of our life. He looks as if he will sit up and smile at me and tell me it’s all a colossal joke, not to worry, he will always love me. The man of my dreams.

  As I stand there, a hole opens up, and blood pours out of his head. His icy blue eyes open and fill with hate. A gruesome smile stretches across his face.

  “This is your fault,” he says. “I’m dead because of you. You ruined my life, and I will never let you go.”

  I stare at him in horror. There he is...the man of my nightmares. Straightening my spine, I turn and walk away.

  He is dead. He is dead. He is dead. I keep repeating it to myself as I walk out of the church and get in the limo...

  “HE IS DEAD!” I SCREAM as I wake up, heart pounding. Guilt lays thick on my tongue, but relief, too; so much relief. “Thank you, God, he is dead.”

  I get up, turn on the light, and lay back down. Sleep is far away as I think about Collin’s birthday and the day after, when he died. If I had made different choices, would he still be dead? Would he have changed? I don’t know.

  CHAPTER 5

  KATE

  TGIF. We have a full roster of patients lined up for today, but it’s Friday, and I can always sleep and relax for the next two days.

  Picking up the next patient’s file, I walk into my office to look it over before his appointment and find a stranger sitting at my new desk. A very handsome stranger, with a sexy smile and beautiful green eyes framed with black glasses, but still a stranger.

  “Can I help you?” I ask.

  He looks up, and I notice his eyes are very similar to the medium green color of my own. Frowning at me, he is silent for a few seconds. Uneasy, I slide back towards the door to call for Sarah or Paula when his words halt me.

  “How did you get into this computer?” he demands.

  “Excuse me? I’m not sure that is any of your business, Mr....?” I inject, trying again to discover his name. Failing to get an answer, I politely introduce myself. “My name is Dr. Michaels, and you are?”

  Removing his glasses, he runs a hand across his face, then gives me a hard analytical stare, like he is trying to figure out the best method to interrogate me. Now I’m getting nervous. I feel like he’s going to march me into the next room and torture me for information.

  Waterboarding is illegal, right? Who is he?

  I think it’s time to get reinforcements. I’m moving back towards the door when Sarah walks into the room.

  “Have you seen Mr. Henry’s chart...oh, hello, Lowell. How are you today?” she asks, eyes moving from me to him.

  Lowell looks at Sarah, and his eyes warm up a tiny bit. “I’m fine, thank you. Do you know who has access to this computer?” he questions her.

  “Dr. Bradford and I,” she responds. “Why?”

  “Have you accessed it recently?”

  “Yes,” she answers, now crossing her arms with irritation. “I ordered supplies yesterday after Dr. Michaels noticed we were getting low on a few key items.”

  He looks down and jots down a note on the pad beside the laptop. Tension eases from his shoulders. And yet he is still staring at me, as if he is trying to drill down to my soul. I cross my arms to ward him off. Looking at Sarah, I raise my eyebrows. She shrugs her shoulders.

  “Excuse me, Lowell, is it?” I huff, my patience deserting me. “Would you mind leaving the room so Sarah and I can discuss our next patient?”

  “Go ahead. I won’t bother you,” he replies, almost absently, as he looks back down at the laptop.

  “I’m afraid we cannot discuss a patient with non-medical personnel in the room. You must leave. You’re welcome to take the laptop with you, as I doubt Sarah needs it today, but we have a lot of patients to see, and you are causing a delay.”

  He says nothing and doesn’t look up from the computer. Frowning, I motion to Sarah, then to the laptop.

  “Dr. Michaels is correct. I won’t need the laptop for the rest of the day. Let me help you get it in the bag so you can take it with you.” She walks over to grab the messenger bag and places it on the desk. Shutting the laptop, she puts it and the cord in the bag.

  Walking over to the desk, I take hold of his arm and help him stand. As he stands, I notice my hand tingling. Hmmm. As he dips his head down and captures my eyes, I realize how tall he is compared to me. Wow, he must be 6’5” to my 5’9”. I rarely feel petite next to a man.

  What are they feeding the men around here?

  He seems slightly amused as he looks down at me but says nothing.

  Grabbing the coat from the chair, I hold it out to him. “Is this your coat?”

  When he shakes his head, I hand him his coat and guide him around the desk. Sarah puts the bag in his arms, and we walk him to the door. Once he’s through
the door, we close it and listen. As we hear him walk away, we look at each other and burst out laughing.

  “Did you see his face?” she crows. “Priceless.”

  Laughing, I agree. “Thank goodness you were here. He didn’t introduce himself, and I wasn’t sure what to do. Plus, he kept staring at me,” I add. “Once you said his name, I remembered Lev giving me a list of his contacts that included his brothers, Lowell and Shaw.”

  “They’re not brothers in that sense,” she explains. “They were in the Army together, and I guess it made them as close as brothers. They all live together on their ranch outside of town, like a family.”

  “Well, Lowell is definitely interesting. I thought he was going to torture me for information,” I admit, laughing.

  “That could still happen. Rumor is, they were all in a special forces unit and assigned to some of the most dangerous places in the world,” she tells me, shrugging. “I could see Lowell interrogating someone.”

  “Well, I’m glad he’s on our side. At least, I think he’s on our side. I have to say, after meeting those two, I cannot wait to see what Shaw and Dr. Bradford are like. You may not realize it, since you have lived your entire life in Montana, but the real world doesn’t grow men like they do here.”

  Sarah laughs. “We’re definitely spoiled, but when you have been around them all your life, they can be boring. I dream of a sophisticated city man who will fly me to Paris to wine and dine me. One who doesn’t wear boots or cowboy hats and appreciates going to museums and fine art exhibits.”

  “Hmmm, it might be tough to find that man in Montana, but I have faith in you.” I smile at her expression. “For now, let’s go through Mr. Henry’s chart and get ready for his appointment.”