Just One Touch - Leo & Jasmine (Crossroads Book 16)

by Melanie Shawn

  “Oh, right.” How could that have slipped her mind? She’d been looking forward to finally meeting Leo because Kitty talked about him all the time. He was practically a saint in her eyes. Jasmine wasn’t sure how any human could live up to that hype. “How is he? Is he nice?”

  Meg leaned forward and spoke in a whisper. “He’s definitely nice on the eyes.” Her friend waggled her brows. “We went to high school together and he was always cute. A little dorky, but cute. But, holy hot sauce, the years that he’s been gone have been good to him. Let’s just say he’s grown into his six-foot-two frame.” Meg pretended to fan herself.

  Jasmine forced herself to smile, even though the last thing she cared about was how good the years had been to Leo and his frame.

  Meg bent down and picked up a tote bag. “Well, Cam, bless his heart, brought me the girls’ lunch instead of mine, so I have to go drop it off at their daycare.” She stood and Jasmine’s eyes shot to her round belly, straining the limits of her Garfield scrubs.

  That was going to be her in a few months. Seeing what her future held in 3D caused a wave of lightheadedness to wash over her. She set her hand down on the counter to balance herself and took a deep breath.

  Meg reached out and touched Jasmine’s hand, concern brimming in her eyes. “Are you sure you’re okay, sweetie?”

  No! I’m definitely not okay. I’m pregnant and Corbin is cheating on me.

  Since she couldn’t tell the truth, she just nodded. “Mmm, hmm. Just tired.”

  “You need to slow down. I keep telling you that if you burn the candle at both ends, you’re not going to have any more light left. Did you forget to eat again? I’m gonna grab lunch after I drop this off. Do you want anything?”

  Yes. I want you to stay because my life is crumbling around me.

  “No, I’m good.” Jasmine felt her bottom lip quiver, but she bit it.

  Meg was already supposed to be on maternity leave, but she’d come in because Doc Taylor’d had a stroke the week before. Her friend might only be ten years older than Jasmine but she’d always been a maternal figure to her, and she needed her now more than ever.

  Since her first day at the clinic, Meg had taken Jasmine under her wing.

  She’d been the first person Jasmine had told that she and Corbin were engaged. And she was the person she wanted to tell that she was pregnant and being cheated on…but she couldn’t. She knew it wasn’t the time or place.

  “Are you coming back after lunch?” Jasmine’s voice cracked.

  “Yep. I’m going to hang around for a few more days just to make sure everything is running smoothly while Leo gets settled in. Then I’ll be back after I pop this one out.”

  “Are the girls getting more excited?” Jasmine babysat for Meg’s three daughters on a pretty regular basis. Her friend had twin daughters named Poppy and Penelope who were two, and a four-year-old daughter named Phoebe.

  “Phoebe is, but she did request that I only have one this time instead of two.”

  Jasmine smiled. Phoebe took her role as a big sister seriously, and she could only imagine the earnestness in which that request was made.

  “I’m not sure the twins really get it.” Meg continued as she rubbed her hand over her belly. “I can’t believe I’m going to have four kids, all under the age of five.”

  I can’t believe I’m going to have one.

  “I told Cam either he gets snipped,” she made a cutting motion with her fingers, “or he’s going to be practicing celibacy, it’s his choice. Mama’s closed for business.”

  Meg and her husband Cameron had known each other since they were in kindergarten, but they’d only gotten together five years ago. When they first started dating, Jasmine had been shocked. Cam was larger than life. He was loud, and tended to draw attention anywhere he went. He was a bull in a china shop. Meg, on the other hand, was calm, thoughtful, and funny. She liked to observe people, not be the center of attention. They were the poster children for opposites attracting.

  Maybe that’s what the problem was in her own relationship. Maybe she and Corbin were too much alike.

  No. She dismissed that theory. They were nothing alike. She wasn’t a cheating liar who made empty promises, for example.

  Meg scooted between the counter top and the wall, clearing the space by only an inch. “I feel like I’ve been pregnant for the past five years.”

  “You sort of have been.”

  And now I am.

  “Yeah, I guess so.” She chuckled. “You sure you don’t want anything? I’m going to grab a club sandwich from The Grill.”

  “No, I’m good. Thanks.” Jasmine had no appetite. She wasn’t sure if her lack of hunger was because of symptoms from her pregnancy, or if she’d lost her appetite due to the shock of seeing her fiancé having sex with another woman on the table that they’d had dinner on the night before. Either way, the thought of swallowing even a bite made bile rise in her throat.

  “Okay. Dr. West is out today. Dr. Randall is in exam two and he’s working with Lulu. Leo’s in room four.”

  “Leo?”

  “Yep.” Meg shrugged. “He doesn’t want to be called Dr. Taylor.”

  “Not by anyone?” She wasn’t sure if it was staff only or if she was to refer to him as Leo to patients as well.

  “Nope. Just Leo.”

  “Okay.” Jasmine had been looking forward to meeting him but was now dreading it. Kitty talked about him like he walked on water, and that biblical reference was correct. What sort of an impression had she made already, even before meeting him, by coming in late?

  “So, anyway. Dr. Randall is in with Lulu and Leo’s with Ruby.”

  They had two patients with the first name Ruby. Ruby Dee, a six-year-old cat and Ruby Tuesday, a three-year-old boxer. The boxer was a regular thanks to her over-friendly disposition. “Ruby Tuesday?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did she try to make friends with another porcupine?” Last month Jasmine had spent the better part of a Saturday painstakingly removing porcupine quills from the dog’s snout and neck. The poor baby thought everyone and everything was her best friend. She’d also been skunked a half dozen times and had a close call with a snake.

  “No, this time it was a spider. She got bit and it turned into a cyst.” Meg shifted her purse strap higher on her shoulder. “Leo’s draining it now, he has it under control. Angie will be back from lunch any minute now. Can you cover the front until she gets here?”

  Angie was the office manager/goddess who ran the clinic with military precision. Normally, Jasmine was nervous when she covered for her because she worried she’d file something, or input something, wrong…AKA, not The Way Angie Wanted It Done™. But today, sitting in an ergonomic chair sounded like heaven, the possibility of screwing up clerical systems notwithstanding.

  “Absolutely.” Jasmine lowered down into the seat and was immediately grateful not to be on her feet.

  “See ya in a bit.” Meg waved.

  “See ya.” Part of her wanted to scream out, Wait!, and tell Meg everything, but she knew she couldn’t.

  So instead, she stayed silent and tried to process how different her life was about to be. A list began to form in her mind.

  There were so many things she needed to do. Break up with Corbin being number one. Then, she’d have to find a new place to live. The house they shared had been gifted to him, so it would definitely be her moving out.

  Then, she’d have to prepare to be a single mom. She would get as many books on the subject as possible. Maybe even join a support group. Did she need to look into babysitters now, or was that too soon?

  She did her best to picture what her new normal would look like, she really tried, but she just couldn’t seem to get a clear image in her brain.

  Frustration at her lack of imagination caused moisture to gather in her lower lids. If she couldn’t even envision what being a single mom would look like, how was she possibly going to do it?

  She wasn’t sure how long
her brain had been running on the hamster wheel of worry when she heard voices coming from the hallway and the familiar clickety-clack of nails coming down the tiled corridor. Sitting up straighter, she did her best to compose herself. Her hands swiped along her damp cheeks, hopefully wiping away the evidence of her tears.

  When she felt a wet nose nudging her arm, the smile that she’d been prepared to force spread naturally. Bending down, she kissed Ruby on her head. “Hello, Ruby girl.”

  “Oh good!” Mrs. Kern exclaimed as she rounded the corner. “I was scared that she wasn’t going to see you today. Whenever we come here and she doesn’t see you she goes all Anne of Green Gables on me.”

  “Anne of Green Gables?” Jasmine questioned.

  “Yes, she plummets straight down into the depths of despair.”

  “Aww!” No matter what was going on in her life, working with animals made everything better. The unconditional love that they gave was soul-filling.

  Jasmine had wanted a dog of her own since she was a little girl, but had still never had one. When Nan had adopted her, she had a no-pet policy because after having four biological children, fostering countless kids, and growing up on a farm, she said she was tired of picking up shit. Which was understandable, of course. But still disappointing from Jasmine’s point of view.

  At eighteen she’d moved out of Nan’s and straight in with Corbin, who was allergic to dogs and cats. It was strange to her, after the events of today, but that had been the only red flag she’d considered in their relationship. It had almost been a deal breaker for her.

  Well, silver lining, she thought grimly. At least now I’ll be able to have pets.

  “I got this!” Angie arrived, setting her bedazzled tumbler filled with water on the desk. “Thanks for covering.”

  “Of course!” Jasmine stood and Angie sat and took care of Mrs. Kern’s payment.

  She said goodbye to Ruby and then took a deep breath. It was time to get to work. She headed to room four to clean it and get it ready for the next patient. As she rounded the corner her head was down, expecting to walk into an empty room. But instead, she walked straight into someone.

  The collision caused her stomach to lurch and the next thing she knew she was throwing up. It was happening before she could stop it. By the time she clamped her hand over her mouth the damage had already been done.

  The blue scrubs worn by the man that Kitty had said was a saint, and who was her new boss, were covered in vomit.

  “Oh, my God, I’m so sorry!” she gasped, horrified.

  “It’s fine. Here sit down.” Placing a large hand on Jasmine’s back, he guided her to the chair beside the counter. Once she was seated he grabbed a Dixie Cup from the dispenser and filled it with water. “Here you go. Sip this, slowly.”

  He then pulled several paper towels off the roll and ran them under cold water, folded them, brushed Jasmine’s hair to the side, and pressed the makeshift cold compress to the back of her neck.

  “Thanks.” The cool cloth actually did make her feel a little better. Her hand shook as she lifted it to her neck to hold it in place.

  “I’ve got it, just breathe and sip water.”

  His deep voice was as soothing as it was seductive, and her body responded in a completely inappropriate way. She should be mortified, embarrassed, humiliated—but instead, she was feeling all sorts of tingles and jingles of the aroused variety. That was totally out of character for her in and of itself, never mind the circumstances.

  For her, attraction was something that built over time. It wasn’t something that snuck up and overwhelmed her. So to feel this way over a man that she’d never even met, and especially in this situation, was totally unacceptable.

  “I’m so sorry about… about being late and then,” she pointed to the shirt. “You know, throwing up on you.”

  “It’s fine.” With one swift movement he reached behind his back and pulled his top up and off his head and dropped it on the counter, briefly removing the cold compress from her neck before reapplying it.

  The movement caught her eye and she looked up to find a chiseled chest, muscular arms, and washboard abs staring back at her. Now she understood her uncharacteristic reaction. This was no mortal man. This was a Greek god in the flesh.

  Holy hot sauce, Meg’s voice sounded in her head.

  Jasmine seconded that holy hot sauce and raised her a have mercy ala Uncle Jesse from Full House.

  “I’m Leo, by the way.”

  “Hi, I’m Jasmine.” Her eyes lifted to meet his and for a split second she forgot where she was, who she was, what planet she was on. She found herself drowning in his dreamy whiskey stare.

  “Hi.” His full lips curled up in a half-grin and her stomach did a flip that had nothing to do with nausea. “You’re still a little pale. Do you want me to call someone? Your fiancé, maybe?”

  She blinked, and realized he was waiting for her to respond. It took her a second to replay what he’d said. “You know Corbin?”

  “No, I just saw the ring.” He motioned to her hand.

  In slow motion, like a scene from a movie, Jasmine looked down at the ring she’d been wearing for three days. The ring she’d waited a decade to get. The ring that now meant nothing.

  Seeing the sparkler on her left hand broke the dam of emotions she’d been successfully keeping at bay. The floodgates opened and tears began flowing down her face with Niagara Falls force. She tried to pull herself together, but it was no use. Laying eyes on that symbol of the dream she’d had for her life, the one that was now destroyed, was the straw that broke her emotional camel’s back.

  * * *

  Seeing her picture had felt like a punch in the gut, knocking the wind out of him. Seeing her cry was like a kick in the balls.

  Leo felt like an ass for pointing out the ring. He’d done it because he’d wanted to know if she was engaged, which was none of his damn business. And now, he’d upset her.

  Taking one step, he reached out and shut the exam room door to give her privacy, then grabbed more paper towels and handed them to her. It was everything he could do not to pull her into his arms and promise to take care of her. His heart was breaking for her.

  He was a fixer, when he saw someone in pain, he wanted to do what he could to help them. That was a big driving force behind his career choice, in fact. But with Jasmine, it was even more than that.

  He didn’t just want to do what he could to help her, he wanted to take her pain away from her.

  “I’m so sorry,” he apologized lamely.

  “No. I’m sorry. It’s just been…” she sniffed. “It’s been a really bad day.”

  “What happened?”

  “Nothing, it’s fine.” She waved her hand and started to stand up.

  Not wanting her to leave, Leo kneeled in front of her and took her hand in his. The moment their hands touched, a charge of electricity rushed through him. He wondered if she felt it too, then instantly wanted to smack himself for even thinking that. This wasn’t about what he was feeling. It was about her.

  Pushing down the intense connection he felt with this woman, this angel, he refocused his attention on making sure she was okay. “Just sit for a minute. Breathe. Everything is going to be okay.”

  “I’m fine. Really. It’s just…” She exhaled slowly and more tears fell down her cheeks. “Today’s just been a lot. I went to the doctor’s office and I hate doctor’s offices,” she explained as words came rushing out of her mouth. “And it was just supposed to be a simple appointment, but I found out I was pregnant and then I went home to tell Corbin and I walked in and—”

  “You’re pregnant?” Leo blurted out.

  He hadn’t meant to, but that information had been a shock.

  Her eyes widened and it was clear she hadn’t meant to reveal that information.

  “Oh, um, yeah…I am…I haven’t told anyone yet. I mean, except you.”

  “You didn’t tell your…fiancé?”

  “No.” She snif
fed and pulled her hand out of his to wipe her nose with the paper towel he’d given her. “He was busy.”

  “Busy? Busy doing what?” Leo was pretty sure whatever he was doing could’ve waited.

  “He was um…having sex on our kitchen table with someone else.”

  “Holy shit…” Leo sat back in shock. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

  “Yeah. I know.” She shook her head and straightened her shoulders. “Anyway, that’s why I was late today. And now not only was I late, I threw up on your shirt…”

  Jasmine trailed off in another wave of tears and Leo placed his hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay. I’ve never liked those scrubs.”

  A small grin tilted the corners of her mouth and Leo felt more pride at making this woman, this angel, sitting in front of him smile than he ever had in his professional or personal life.

  He was doing his best to process the information he’d just been given, but it was a lot to take in. He couldn’t imagine how she was dealing with it. As much as he hated the thought of her leaving, he knew what the right thing to do was. “I think it’s probably best if you take the rest of the day off.”

  “No.” Jasmine wiped her eyes and sat up straighter. “I’m fine. Really. I don’t take off work. Ever. I don’t cry either, just so you know.”

  Leo knew that it was none of his business, but he wanted to insist that she take a personal day. If anyone deserved one, it was her.

  A knock sounded at the door.

  “One minute,” he called out.

  “Come in,” Jasmine said at the same time.

  She stood and Leo did as well.

  When the door opened Angie stuck her head in. She glanced between Jasmine and himself and he realized that he was shirtless and she was crying. It was not a good look.

  Jasmine must’ve had the same thought because she said. “I got sick on him.”

  “Mmm, hmm.” Angie grinned and then looked at Leo. “The lab is on line three with Pixie’s results.”

  “I’ll be right with them.”