A gasped fell from her lips. “You’re taking me off Molly’s case?”
“Yes.”
“N-no. You can’t!”
“You can’t treat her when you’re so involved.”
Savannah sank down onto the couch and wrapped her arms around her middle. She rocked back and forth for a moment before she raised her gaze to his. “Please. Don’t take me off. I need to see this through.”
Brandon sat next to her. “Doctor Gibson...”
“Savannah.”
“Huh?”
“My name’s Savannah.”
“All right—Savannah. You’ve had a rough day if our collision earlier was any indication. You were apparently upset then, too. I think you need to take a step back from Molly’s case and let someone else take care of her. You seem to be too involved.”
Coming to her feet, she started to pace. “Doctor Cooper.”
“Since we are passing out first names, you can call me Brandon.”
“Brandon, I’m sorry about our run in. Yes, I was upset because of something someone said about my ability to be a physician.” Her bottom lip disappeared between her teeth and she chewed it for a moment before she continued. “I feel close to Molly. I sat with her. I held her hand, but I couldn’t tell her that her mother died. Now I feel responsible.”
The warmth of his hands on her shoulders, made her tense before she relaxed. Firm and steady, the heat of his skin seeped through her lab coat and her scrubs to spread down her arms and back again.
“Are you sure that’s what you want?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“All right, then. Do what you need to, but if at any time I feel you’re getting too personally involved, I’m pulling you from the case.”
Savannah turned to face him and looked up into his eyes. His baby-blue gaze stared back. His long eyelashes curled out from his piercing stare that seemed to look right into her soul. Dark brown hair framed his face and a five o’clock shadow of whiskers had just begun to coat his jaw. She had the insane urge to run her fingers over the stubble on his cheek and see if she could coax the dimple she’d seen earlier to reappear. Her lips parted instinctively when she focused on his full lips.
He cleared his throat and stepped back. “I’ve got patients to see and you’ve got a father to talk to.”
She nodded sharply and mentally kicked herself.
He’s a cowboy, damn it! The last kind of guy I want. It doesn’t matter whether he’s drop-dead gorgeous or not.
Squaring her shoulders, she grasped the doorknob and pulled.
Marie stood on the other side with a worried expression as her gaze shifted back and forth between her and Brandon. “You okay, Doctor Gibson?”
“Yeah. I’m fine. Doctor Cooper and I had a bit of a disagreement on Molly’s treatment, but it’s okay now.” She shot Brandon a glance. “Right?”
Frown lines appeared between his eyebrows for a moment. “Yes. I’ll be in exam one if you need me.”
“Sure.”
Striding purposefully down the hallway without a backward glance, Savannah couldn’t help notice his ass in his scrubs and wondering what they looked like in tight Wranglers.
Marie waved a hand in front of her eyes, bringing her focus back from his butt.
“Damn girl, you’ve got it bad already, too.”
“What?”
“The 'hots' for Doctor Cooper.”
“Whatever Marie. I do not. He’s just another overbearing, cocky, arrogant… cowboy!”
Marie laughed so hard tears sprang into her eyes and Savannah frowned before she left her standing in the hall and headed for the conference room to talk to Molly’s father.
Inhaling a fortifying breath, she opened the door. “Mr. Sanders?”
The man spun around and Savannah’s heart skipped a beat when she met the eyes of the man she'd given her heart to in high school.
Oh my God! Not Tony!
“Savannah?”
Ah shit! “Tony? What are you doing here?”
“A cop called and said my wife and daughter are here. What are you doing here?”
“I’m doing my residency and I’m working in the emergency room tonight.” Savannah took a deep breath. “Molly’s your daughter?”
“Yeah. She’s okay, right? What about Stacy?”
She closed her eyes until she felt his hand on her arm.
“Savannah, tell me.”
Her gaze met the green of his and flashes of their youth came rushing back. Tony had been the love of her life when they were in high school. The two of them had been inseparable for over a year, but when she’d been accepted to Vanderbilt University to start pre-med and then medical school, the distance got to be too much. He’d stayed in Destiny working his father’s cattle and playing football—or at least that’s what she’d heard.
“Sit down, Tony. This isn’t going to be easy.”
“Just say it, Savannah.”
“Tony—God! How do I say this?” She focused on his rumbled hair where he must have run his fingers through it while he waited and she forced a small smile. He had always done that. “Stacy is dead. She died on impact. I’m not sure of the particulars of the accident. The police will have to tell you. Molly is okay for now, but she probably needs surgery. She was awake, but she crashed and we had to code her.”
“You’ll have to speak English, Savannah. Not doctor talk.”
“Her heart stopped.”
“Oh, God.” He sank into a chair and put his hands on his knees.
Savannah crouched on the floor and took his hands in hers. “She’s alive, Tony, but she’s on a ventilator. I’m not sure what happened yet. I’m headed back down there to see her.” She fought the awkwardness of the fact that she’d given this man her virginity and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “I’m sorry, Tony.”
Tears rolled down his cheeks and she pulled him closer while he wrapped his hands around her and sobbed.
* * * *
Brandon pushed open the door on the conference room and then backed out, softly closing it. He ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head. The sight of Savannah comforting the distraught father of her patient bothered him and he wasn’t sure why.
Hell! I just met her for crying out loud!
Once he reached the nurses’ station, he glanced at the variety of woman hanging around. There were several pretty females and he knew if he showed any interest, he could hook up with one of them. It didn’t take too much effort on his part if he wanted to get friendly with a girl. He didn’t think he was conceited, but when a woman found out what he did for a living—that he rode rodeo in his spare time and owned his own small ranch—he usually didn’t have to work very hard at getting her into bed. Savannah didn’t seem to be that type of girl.
“Doctor Cooper?”
Brandon spun around to find the object of his thoughts behind him with the man she’d been comforting standing to her left. “Yes?”
“This is Anthony Sanders. He’s Molly’s father and Mrs. Sanders in room three is his wife.”
“I’m sorry for your loss, Mr. Sanders.”
“Can I see Molly?”
“Sure. Savannah? I think it would be better if you took him into her room. I’ve called surgery for the consult. They should be here shortly.”
She cocked her head to the side before he realized he’d let her given name slip from between his lips.
Damn!
“Thanks.” She turned to the other man and said, “This way, Tony.”
Tony?
She disappeared through the door of the exam room where Molly still lay and he turned back around only to find several sets of eyes looking at him rather strangely. “Don’t you people have patients to take care of?” he grumbled and returned to his chair.
Brandon spent the rest of night between patients and watching Savannah from a distance. He didn’t trust himself to get too close to her. She’d already wormed her way into his thoughts before he co
uld stop it and he didn’t like it. Not one bit. He had to admire her work ethic, though. He knew she’d spent the day in surgery, but still jumped in and stayed throughout the night. She worked on getting the patients from the accident stabilized, getting Molly off to surgery, and comforting Molly’s father when he had to face the body of his wife.
The sky turned bright purple, pink, and then orange while the sun struggled to rise over the hillside. Morning had come and he was beat. It had been a long, laborious night and he wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep for about twenty-four hours. He’d already given a report to the oncoming physician, grabbed his bag from the lounge, and reached his bike when Savannah came around the corner.
She stopped at the side of her car and looked across the parking garage before she moved toward him.
Hers must be the old Volkswagen.
“Doctor Cooper...”
“Brandon.”
She sighed before she started again. “Brandon. Thanks for helping me tonight. I haven’t had that rough of a shift in a long time.”
“You’re welcome. It’s never easy losing a patient.”
“No it’s not. It’s even worse when you know the family—or sort of.”
His eyes narrowed. “Care to explain?”
Her shoulder lifted in a half shrug. “I know Tony from back home.”
He didn’t like the way his heart clenched when she said the other man’s name. “Back home?”
“Texas. We went to high school together, actually.”
That makes sense.
“I see.”
Her stance shifted from foot to foot before her gaze met his again. “I guess I should get going. I’ve got a plane to catch in a few hours and I need some shut eye.”
“Going somewhere?”
A dry chuckle left her tempting pink lips. “Yeah. Home. Texas, that is.”
“Ah.”
“I guess I’ll see you around the ER.”
“Yeah. I guess so.” She took a couple of steps back. He couldn’t help it. He had to ask. “When are you working again?”
“Wednesday next week.”
He nodded and smiled. “Me too.”
Her lips lifted at the corners, showing off her even white teeth and she dropped her gaze to her feet for a moment before it returned to his. “I’ll see you then.” She turned around and walked back to her car, but shot him a look and a small smile before she slid inside.
Brandon unzipped his duffle, pulled out a t-shirt, and lifted his scrub top over his head. The v-neck pieces of material drove him crazy and he hated them with a passion. A nice t-shirt fit his personality much better and he loved the feel of the soft cotton against his skin.
The Volkswagen started with a grumble and he glanced over just in time to see Savannah run her tongue across her lips while she stared across the expanse of concrete separating them. He wasn’t sure, but he could have sworn her face flushed with color before her gaze slipped down his chest then snapped back out her windshield.
He chuckled softly and watched her back out then disappear around the corner.
Doctor Gibson might be attracted after all. Interesting thought.
Once he had his shirt on, he pulled out his helmet and then straddled the heavy Harley Davidson. The bike turned over with the tell-tale growl when he hit the ignition.
* * * *
Savannah reached out and smacked her alarm clock to shut it off before she squinted in the light streaming through the window.
God I’ll be glad to get home so I can sleep in. Shit!
She groaned when she thought of the dinner party her parents had planned for tonight after they all arrived.
Taking a deep breath, she forced her body to sit up and throw her legs over the side of the bed. Her head swam from lack of sleep. “Why the hell did I ever decide to become a physician?” Hair hung in her eyes and she swept it out of her face as she struggled to stand on her feet. "I need a shower. Five hours just isn’t enough sleep.” Grabbing the clothes she’d laid out across the chair by the window, she headed for the bathroom.
Once the water ran hot, she slipped beneath the stream and sighed. “Good Lord, that feels heavenly. Now if I just had a gorgeous guy to wash my back...” Her eyes snapped open and she cussed when the water dripped into her eye. The image of Brandon Cooper swam in front of her before she shook her head, grabbed her shampoo, and started to vigorously scrub her hair. “The last thing I need is to get involved with him.”
When she finished her shower, and dried off, she got dressed and then headed back into her bedroom for her shoes. “I’m glad I packed before I went to sleep.” Savannah checked her watch, grabbed her bag and car keys, and headed for the door. “I’ve got just enough time to stop for a coffee.”
Several minutes later, she stood in line at Starbucks tapping her foot impatiently. The twenty-something young woman behind the counter was taking forever while she openly flirted with the guy in front. Savannah looked at the time and then shot an exasperated frown over the shoulder of the customer in front of her.
A small tap on her shoulder drew her attention. She sucked in a sharp breath when she met the startling blue eyes of Brandon Cooper.
“Hi. I’m surprised to see you here. I thought you were catching a plane to Texas.”
“I was—I mean, I am. Five hours of sleep doesn’t do a body good.”
He cocked an eyebrow and did a thorough once over before his gaze returned to her face. Heat flushed up her neck and splashed across her cheeks. “Mmm...you look pretty perky for five hours of sleep.”
“I’d be even perkier if I had some caffeine.” She shot a look over her shoulder, noticing the man in front had finally moved. “I’m kind of shocked you’re here, too. You couldn’t have gotten much more sleep than me.”
“Haven’t been to bed yet.”
“Ah.” She moved to the counter and ordered a venti mocha latte before she turned back around. “Do you live close by? I mean, I know this isn’t on the way to the hospital or anything.”
His lips lifted in a smile and she almost sighed when the dimple peeked out of his cheek. “Actually, yes, I do. I moved into a house not far from here.” He stepped toward the counter and ordered his coffee.
She picked up her drink and said, “Listen. I’d love to sit and chat, but I need to catch a plane. I’ll see you on Wednesday.”
“Sure. Have a good time in Texas.”
“Um...probably not.”
“Oh?”
She shook her head. “It’s a long story. Maybe I’ll tell you someday, but not now. I don’t have time.” She smiled and pulled out her car keys. “See you later.”
“Yep. Be careful.”
Frown lines settled between her eyebrows for a moment before she nodded and headed for the door. Slipping inside her car, she stuck the key in the ignition and turned it. Nothing happened. She smacked her hand against the steering wheel. “Shit. I don’t need this right now!” Closing her eyes, she leaned her head against the leather cover and sighed. “Just my damn luck.”
Tap. Tap. Tap.
One eye peeled open and she turned her head. Brandon stood next to her car.
She grabbed the crank handle for the window and rolled it down.
“Need a hand?”
“Are you any good with cars?”
His nose wrinkled. “Some. What seems to be the problem?”
“I don’t know. It ran fine coming here, but now it won’t start.”
“Did you turn the key?”
Her lips pursed and she fought the urge to growl in frustration.
Stupid man.
“Of course I turned the key. When I did, nothing happened.”
“No noise or anything? It didn’t try to turn over at all?”
“Nope.”
“Mmm...pop the back and I’ll take a look.”
She pulled the release and after she heard it pop open, she opened the door and stepped out. Brandon had his head under the rear hood and she had
the most luscious view of his ass in jeans.
Holy hot damn!
“Anything I can help with?”
“Nope.” He stepped back. “Sorry to tell you this, but it appears to be a cracked distributor cap. Simple fix, but requires a trip to a parts store.”
“I don’t have time for that. My flight leaves in like ninety minutes.”
He cocked his head to the side and the dimple peeked out again. “I’ll give you a ride to the airport and you can pick up your car when you get back.”
“You’d do that?”
“Of course. Why not?”
She shrugged and brushed a curl out of her eye. “Well, it’s kind of out of the way and I guess I didn’t expect it. That’s all. I mean, we just met.”
“I’m not doing anything at the moment and even though we haven’t known each other long, I can help you out. It doesn’t hurt to be a friend. I don’t have too many here in Tennessee yet.”
A friend? Friend with benefits? I need to get that thought right out of my head!
“I would appreciate the lift. I guess my car can stay here until I get back. Hopefully they won’t tow it.”
“Don’t worry about it. Leave me the key, I’ll fix it and take it to my place so it doesn’t get towed anywhere. I’ll pick you up at the airport when you get back into town.”
She shook her head. “Really, Brandon. It’s very sweet of you, but I...”
“You don’t have time to argue with me about it, Savannah. You need a lift to the airport so you don’t miss your plane and piss off your family.”
“All right, all right.” He smiled and her heart skipped a beat. “Let me grab my bag.”
A few moments later, she sat next to him inside his truck, headed for the airport.
He glanced at her for a second before turning his attention back out the windshield. “How long are you going to be gone?”
“I’m flying back in on Monday afternoon.”
“Perfect. I’m not working either of those days, so I can pick you up at whatever time you fly back.”
Strictly Professional: Stud Services Page 3
