by Janice Lynn
She hadn’t said no, nor had she rolled her eyes and laughed. What she’d said had turned him inside out and shattered all doubts that they were meant to be a couple.
Anticipating the vision of Riley sleeping in his bed, her beautiful hair sprawled out on his pillow, he rolled onto his side and opened his eyes.
What?
The space where Riley should be lying was empty.
Was she already awake and hadn’t awakened him?
Listening for sounds in the bathroom, or coming from the kitchen, he didn’t hear the slightest creak.
With a rising sense of unease, he sat up and glanced to the bedroom floor where they’d stripped each other.
Riley’s clothes were missing.
Empty bed, quiet apartment, missing clothes.
Reality gut-punched him, wreaking havoc with his earlier post-phenomenal-sex euphoria.
Riley was gone.
Why hadn’t she woken him?
Getting out of bed, he grabbed a pair of shorts from a drawer, then made his way through the apartment, looking for some sign that she’d really been there and that he hadn’t dreamed the entire night.
Surely she’d left a note?
A glass slipper?
Something?
Nothing.
She’d awakened, dressed, and left.
Raking his fingers through his hair, he considered his options.
He didn’t have her phone number. Why hadn’t he gotten it last night when he’d had the chance?
Because he hadn’t expected to wake up alone. Not after the hot kisses they’d shared. The hot everything they’d shared.
Taking a pre-made bag of vegetables and fruit from his freezer, he dropped them into his blender, along with a scoop of protein powder, poured in some almond milk, put on the lid, then pressed the button.
Why had Riley left?
She’d enjoyed their lovemaking. She hadn’t faked her responses. Not the first time or the second. She’d have told him if he wasn’t pleasing her. She’d not been shy in saying what she wanted, and he hadn’t hesitated in giving her that and more.
No matter. He’d thought she was through denying the sparks between them, but now she’d made how she felt clear enough. He didn’t need a flashing neon sign that her being gone this morning wasn’t the making of a promising relationship.
He couldn’t make someone want him when they didn’t. He’d learned that almost before he’d learned to walk.
Feeling a fool, he raked his fingers through his hair, stopped the blender, then poured his smoothie into a plastic cup.
Rather than head downstairs to the condo complex’s gym, he pulled out a chair at his kitchen bar and contemplated his relationship with Riley—starting from the moment they’d met. Even before then...
From the outside looking in, he and Ashley should have had it all had they married.
Only their idea of “family” had varied.
Justin had always wanted kids of his own, but planned to adopt as well. Ashley had known about the foster boys Justin was involved with, but the week before their wedding she’d told him she wouldn’t be raising someone else’s kids—not even his “little charity cases” whom she barely tolerated.
Justin had called off the wedding and several months later had relocated his job. He’d thought he’d focus on the boys until he met someone who wanted the same things he did—to have a big family, which included adopted and—Lord willing—birth children, and maybe a few foster kids along the way.
Then he’d met Riley.
An orthopedic nurse full of curves and sass who refused to date him but ruined his interest in every other woman.
They’d seen each other out socially a few times. But, determined not to let her get to him, as he had no desire to chase someone who claimed she wasn’t interested, he’d done his best to stay away and had brought a date to each group event.
For the past few weeks he’d not even bothered dating because he hadn’t been interested. And he’d known the reason.
Riley.
He’d enjoyed talking with her last night—enjoyed how, while the conversation had flowed vocally, their eyes and body had been communicating in a whole other language.
When he’d asked if she was ready to leave the party she’d not hesitated, immediately taking him up on his offer to drive her home.
Only the moment they were in his car he’d half-jokingly invited her to his place for drinks, to sit on his balcony and enjoy his view of the river.
He’d expected a flat-out no.
Instead, she’d agreed.
He should have known better. Maybe he had. But he’d been caught up in the way she’d been looking at him. And he’d barely gotten the engine turned off in the parking garage before they’d been all over each other, taking their garden kiss to another level of intensity.
Thinking back, he was surprised they’d made it to his bedroom. Had the elevator ride to his floor taken much longer they wouldn’t have. The chemistry had been that powerful.
Probably because of how long he’d wanted her. How much he’d wanted her.
Frustrated, Justin downed the rest of his breakfast, then walked back into his bedroom so he could jump in the shower.
He’d really thought they had something special.
Too bad Riley had left.
* * *
“I wasn’t expecting you to stay at Cheyenne’s party after Sam and I left. How late did you stay?”
“Not too late.”
Riley eyed Cassie from across the table and took a sip of her coffee. The hot liquid scalded her tongue, but she gulped the drink down rather than give any sign of unease.
“Daisy slept in my room most of the night.”
“Did she?” Riley tried to make it sound as if it wasn’t a big deal that her dog had stayed in Cassie’s room. If Riley had been at home the dog would’ve been wherever she was. They both knew it.
“I’m not sure at what point she abandoned me,” Cassie mused. “I’m guessing whatever time you came home.”
Glancing down at the fluffy white dog, eyeing them in the hope they’d share some of their breakfast, Riley shrugged. “She met me at the door when I came in—” at the crack of dawn “—and she wanted to go outside. She crawled into bed with me after that.”
“Had Sam not had to be up early for work we’d have stuck around at the party, just so I could keep an eye on you and Dr. Brothers.”
Her friend waggled her brows suggestively.
“I was enjoying the fireworks exploding between the two of you.”
Ugh. Could they not just go back to talking about Daisy?
Reality had hit. Although Riley had been oblivious to everyone except Justin when they’d been talking, laughing, dancing, no doubt their friends and coworkers had seen them...had taken note of the fact they’d left together.
Double ugh.
“Was it him who gave you a lift home?”
“No.” A creepy I-know-what-you’ve-been-doing taxi driver had brought her home.
“Too bad,” Cassie mused. “You seemed lost in conversation with him when you waved me off and said you’d find your own ride.”
Staring into her coffee mug, Riley shrugged. “He’s easy to talk to.”
Easy to do a lot of things with. Things she regretted, yet wasn’t sure she’d have passed up, given the choice of a redo.
“Mmm-hmm?” Cassie teased. “Talk to.”
Knowing they were destined to have this conversation at some point, Cassie scooped Daisy into her lap, threaded her fingers into the dog’s soft white fur to rub her neck, then met her friend’s curious gaze.
“You two could have started an inferno with those sparks flying.”
An inferno was a pretty apt description of what they had started. Images of the n
ight were definitely burned into her mind.
“I drank a little more than I should have,” Riley admitted, searching for the words to appease her friend.
Sitting her coffee mug on the table, Cassie leaned forward. “You left with him, didn’t you?”
Riley grimaced. “Do we have to have this conversation before I’ve finished my first cup of coffee?”
Cassie clasped her hands together and made a gleeful noise. “Which means you did!”
Riley’s face instantly heated. Cassie was her best friend, knew all the details of her wedding gone awry. She understood when Riley said she wasn’t interested in going back down that road.
“We all make mistakes,” she admitted, thinking hers were typically super-sized.
“No!” Cassie gasped, her bottom lip going into a disappointed pout. “Dr. Brothers wasn’t any good?”
“He was—phenomenal—good.” She couldn’t bring herself to say otherwise. “Just...” she stroked Daisy’s fur “...I shouldn’t have had sex with a coworker.”
“There’s no hospital rule about dating coworkers.” Cassie dismissed her comment with a wave of her hand. “I’d know, since I’m dating a really hot emergency room nurse.”
There was that.
“Justin and I aren’t dating,” Riley pointed out, staring at Daisy as if she was trying to convince the dog. “Last night was a one-off fluke. Nice, but no big deal.”
“Nice? The man is gorgeous enough to make even me look twice, and I’m gaga over Sam.” Cassie shook her head. “I can’t believe you’re describing sex with Dr. Brothers as ‘nice!’ Guess he’d be too good to be true if he was the total package.”
Justin was the total package. Witty, kind, attentive, gorgeous...hot in bed.
Stop thinking of him that way, she scolded herself, her temples pounding.
Still, letting Cassie think poorly of Justin didn’t sit well.
“Last night was better than nice—way better. But it doesn’t matter. What happened was one night. Nothing more.”
Her friend sipped her coffee, obviously processing what Riley had said.
“I can’t say this doesn’t surprise me, because it does,” Cassie began. “I thought—Oh, never mind what I thought. If that’s all he wants it’s his loss. You’re a great catch.”
Even her best friend assumed it must be Justin who didn’t want to continue their relationship. Because no one in their right mind would assume a slightly chubby plain Jane wouldn’t jump at the chance to be with him anytime he crooked his talented finger.
They were probably right. But she wasn’t giving Justin the opportunity to be the one to say, Thanks, but no thanks.
She liked her life just as it was. She’d worked hard to get Johnny’s voice out of her head, and on most things had succeeded.
She liked not having to worry about making anyone happy but herself. Not having to walk on eggshells because of her many flaws, or worry about starting over if the person she’d built her world around found someone new and left her.
Riley reached for the small golden cross she wore at her neck and toyed with when she was nervous or agitated.
It wasn’t there.
Her stomach knotted.
It had to be.
She touched her neck again, feeling around on her throat. Panic gurgled from her belly upward. No! She hadn’t lost—
Riley’s airway tightened.
Her necklace was gone.
Sitting Daisy down, she stood, patted her neck, shook out her clothes, looked around on the floor.
Nothing.
Panic rose, clogging her throat.
“What’s wrong?” Cassie asked.
“My necklace.” Riley fought back tears, tracing back in her mind when she last recalled having it.
“The one your mother gave you?”
Riley nodded, feeling bereft, as if she’d lost a part of her mother. Had she had it on the night before at the party? She couldn’t remember—couldn’t recall if she’d put it on after changing out of her scrubs at the hospital. Was it possible she’d lost it there?
She’d check at the hospital, call Cheyenne, see if anyone had found the necklace at either place. She hoped so. She’d hate never to wear the precious gift again. It had been the last thing her mother had given to her.
Or she might have lost it was while she was with Justin. Had she still had it on in his Jeep? At his condo?
In his bed?
* * *
Justin scrubbed for surgery. He had two hip replacements on his schedule today. One on a fifty-two-year-old male with severe arthritic changes, and another on a thirty-year-old who’d had high-dose steroids administered repetitively in primary care that had resulted in necrosis of the hip joint. Both were total replacements, and would be mentally and physically demanding.
And emotionally. Because both meant being in the operating room with the woman he’d thought about almost non-stop since she’d left him.
Riley frustrated him. He kept telling himself to forget her. Then he’d remind himself that he’d been telling himself that for months and it hadn’t worked. Had he really thought it would after Saturday night? After their sweet garden kiss and how much fun they’d had at the party? How much fun they’d had after the party?
Even the boys had commented that he wasn’t his usual upbeat self during their fishing trip yesterday afternoon.
It hadn’t been a fish he’d wanted to catch, but a woman he’d thought he’d hooked, but who’d gotten away.
He’d already gotten involved with one woman who hadn’t wanted the same things as he did. Obviously Riley didn’t either or she wouldn’t have left.
He seriously needed to move on.
Maybe telling himself that would work this time.
Knowing he’d way over-scrubbed, Justin made his way into the operating room where he’d spend the next few hours.
Good thing Bernie Jones’ hip would require all his attention.
* * *
Riley had been dreading this moment since she’d left Justin’s. The moment they came face-to-face.
Well, not face-to-face, since they both wore surgical masks and were covered from head-to-toe.
Still, their eyes were visible beneath their protective shields.
Justin’s eyes were expressive.
Usually.
Exactly as it should be—even if it did sting a little—he’d not bothered to look her way yet. He’d just entered the operating room and asked to start the check-in procedure.
What had she expected? For him to say something directly to her?
Hello, Riley, so how about Saturday night?
She didn’t want him to do that—would have been mortified if he had. So why the disappointment that he was ignoring her?
Maybe it was lack of sleep making her crazy. Certainly, despite knowing she’d made the right decision, she’d struggled to keep her mind off Justin.
And off her missing necklace.
Yeah, that was why, when she finally had slept, it had been after tears shed over her lost treasure and nothing to do with Justin.
She needed to ask him if he’d found her necklace. No one had found it at Cheyenne’s party or anywhere else. When she could get him alone, she’d ask.
Not that she wanted to be alone with him, but she couldn’t very well ask if he’d found her necklace at his condo without raising a few eyebrows. They’d already caused enough eyebrow-raising on Saturday night.
She was working as the nurse overseer that day. Her job was to make sure everyone had what they needed, that a sterile field was maintained, and that everything went the way it should and was recorded accurately.
An anesthesiologist, his assistant, a scrub tech, a circulator, and a scrub nurse were also in the room, along with their patient.
“Bernie
Jones, age fifty-two. Controlled hypertension and no other known health conditions,” Riley informed the, starting the check-in while double-checking the patient’s ID bracelet. “No known drug allergies.”
“I will be performing a minimally invasive left hip arthroplasty,” Justin began, and then proceeded to give a one-minute synopsis of what the planned surgery entailed. Sometimes that changed, as unexpected issues arose, but for the most part the hip replacements performed at this hospital were uneventful.
The man was an excellent surgeon. The best she’d ever worked with. Many of the other orthopedic surgeons, although talented, were moody, sometimes socially awkward. Not Justin. Everyone on the unit loved working with him.
Always upbeat, he usually chatted while performing whatever procedure they had going. Thus far today, however, he’d been all business.
Which was fine. Only...
Oh, no—no onlys.
Justin needed his full focus on his job and so did she.
The scrub nurse had the patient properly positioned. The anesthesiologist had the patient completely unaware of what was happening to and around him. And, with the patient lying flat on his back, Justin made an eight-centimeter incision. Once he had the incision made, he placed soft tissue retractors in front of and behind the femoral neck, exposing the hip joint.
“Scalpel.”
The surgical tech handed Justin the cutting tool, which he took and released the capsule to expose the femoral head and the acetabulum. He studied the area a moment, made another tiny cut. When he was happy with what he’d done he used a protractor to work on the unhealthy acetabulum, removing bone spurs and diseased tissue.
Reminding herself that she was responsible for what every person in the room was doing, not just Justin, Riley pried her gaze away from his skilled hands and took in each member of the OR team. Anesthesia was closely monitoring vitals, and everyone else was attentively doing what they should be.
Her gaze went back to where Justin worked. He’d dislocated the hip and was inserting a large screw into the acetabulum. Once the screw was securely embedded in the bone he exposed the femoral head more fully and finished removing the capsule.
