Secluded Heart

by Graysen Morgen

  “What time did you want to head back?”

  “Whenever you’re ready.”

  17

  Chase sat in the First Class cabin of the large plane as it flew over the Grand Canyon. They were high above the clouds so she couldn’t see much when she gazed out the window, but the Pilot had announced their position anyway. Chase tried to lay her head back and get some much needed rest, but flying always made her too wired to sleep. So, she opened the latest copy of the Medical Journal that she had in her briefcase under the seat in front of her.

  After paying a ridiculous fee plus a tip to the cab driver, Chase walked into the Marriot and checked into her suite. The entire conference was scheduled to start the next morning so she checked-in with the conference group then went to her room to drop her luggage off. She was in dire need of a drink and the hotel bar seemed decadent enough. Minutes later Chase strolled into the bar dressed in black slacks and a short sleeved burgundy blouse, she’d left the jacket to her pants suit in her room. The room was dimly lit and a large grand piano sat in the corner, an older man in a tuxedo was playing an unfamiliar tune.

  “What can I get you Ma’am?” The tall gray-haired woman behind the bar asked with a hint of a smiled as her eyes passed over Chase not once but twice.

  “Johnny Walker on the rocks, please.” Chase said as she sat on the stool.

  “Red, black or blue?” The bartender asked as she waited.

  “Blue.” The gray-haired woman nodded and began filling a small glass with ice.

  “Do you always get everything the way you want it?” Chase heard the sultry voice in her ear. She slowly turned to face the woman that slid onto the stool next to her. Oh no.

  “Dr. Centrino, how are you?” She asked nonchalantly. Running into the woman that she almost let seduce her at the last conference in New York had found her in a matter of ten minutes. How was she going to get through this week? And how the hell was she supposed to handle this gorgeous woman throwing herself at her all week?

  “Ah, you remember me. I was hoping you hadn’t forgotten. I never saw you again in New York. I very much wanted to see you again.” Sahara Centrino’s eyes were dark with desire, almost as black as her long hair. Her olive complexion contrasted nicely with the sleeveless ivory blouse she was wearing that showed a hint of cleavage since the first two buttons were open. Her tight black skirt stopped just above her knees. The matching jacket that she’d been wearing early that day was now lying on the bed in her room.

  How could I not remember you? I was practically fucking you on the dance floor! “I attended different meetings I guess.” Chase said as she sipped the golden liquid in her glass, refusing to meet her eyes. The slight burning sensation set her body on fire as the scotch washed down her throat. Her attempts at calming her libido backfired, she found herself physically attracted to the alluring woman next to her.

  “Maybe this time we’ll find ourselves on the same page.” Sahara sipped the Dirty Martini in front of her.

  My god this woman breathes sex! Talk about pheromones, holy shit! Chase knew it would be a bad idea going to bed with this woman. She did not need a one night stand right now, and she definitely didn’t need strings. Getting over Remy Sheridan was hard enough as it was, getting involved with someone else would escalate the situation. Nope, she’d say goodnight to the temptress and go take a cold shower.

  ***

  By Wednesday Chase had managed to elude Sahara for two days, she was succeeding on a third when she saw the ebony-haired woman walk through the doorway. Crap! She thought to herself as she saw the woman make a beeline for her. This was the last meeting of the day thankfully, Chase had a headache and now she’d have to contend with this woman.

  “Fancy meeting you here, I was sure you were avoiding me like the plague.” She smiled playfully.

  I am. Chase almost said. “I guess we just have separate agendas.” Chase shrugged, thankfully the room had quieted and the first speaker started.

  “Maybe we can go talk when this is over.” Sahara whispered as she squeezed Chase’s hand then let go.

  By the time the seminar on the latest line of artery stint technology was over Chase’s headache had subsided. Still, the velvety smooth scent of Sahara’s perfume tickled her nose and teased her libido. Chase gathered her notes and closed her briefcase. Sahara grabbed her arm before she could disappear again.

  “Walk with me.” She said with thirsty eyes. Chase blew out a shaky breath and followed her out of the large room. Once they were out in the hallway a few other women joined them.

  “Hi, it’s good to see you again.” One of the women gave Chase a quick hug. “Why don’t we all go to dinner together? I’ll round us up a Limo.” The auburn-haired woman disappeared. Great. Chase thought, now she was stuck with them for the night. She never really spoke to these women outside of the conferences that she attended.

  “I need to go change clothes. I don’t want to be in a suit all night.” Chase wrinkled her nose.

  “Me too!” Sahara followed her into the elevator, the door shut before anyone else could join them. “What room are you in?”

  To lie or not to lie. Chase weighed the pros and cons. She could have a night of unruly, lustful sex with this beautiful woman or she could throw her guard up and put her foot down. Then again, she could quickly change into jeans and go out dancing with the group.

  “I’m in 709, but I’m just going to change and come back down. I’ll see you in the Limo.” Chase said as she pushed number seven.

  “You were very different in New York.” Sahara said as she pressed number five.

  It’s now or never. Chase thought as she pressed the stop button on the wall. She wanted to slam Sahara against the back of the elevator and take her in one swift motion. Instead, she settled for reality. “Look, you’re a very attractive woman Sahara and I don’t deny my attraction to you, but I’m not looking for a relationship. I have too much on my plate as it is.”

  “Chase, I know we can’t have a relationship, you live in Miami and I’m in Chicago. I’m attracted to you too, I haven’t been with very many women since me and my husband split up and I haven’t come out to anyone back home, so technically I haven’t even had a relationship. I guess I’m still in the ‘have fun’ stage.” She sighed. “Do you have a girlfriend waiting for you at home?”

  Chase stared at the floor, and then met her eyes. “No. But, it’s complicated. I just don’t want to spend the night with you and then you expect more from me. I can’t have that, not now, not ever.” Chase knew she sounded harsh, but she needed to let this woman know where she stood.

  “Whoever she is, she hurt you bad. I can see it in your eyes.” Sahara put her hand on Chase’s cheek. “You’re in love with her.” Chase closed her eyes. ‘How about we go to dinner and have a good time tonight, whatever happens, happens and we take it from there, okay?”

  Chase nodded and opened her eyes.

  “I’m not going to stop Dr. Leery, I want you and I want you bad, but I’m willing to let it go this time.” She smiled playfully and Chase shook her head.

  ***

  The dance floor was full of sweaty bodies grinding along to the beat of Paradise by the Dashboard Lights. Sahara grabbed Chase’s hand and pulled her to the dance floor. Both women were smiling and dancing fast together. The group of women they were with had drunk a few pitchers of Sangria at dinner and switched to pitchers of beer once they arrived at the Moon Doggy. Chase could feel the sweat running down her back but she was enjoying herself and dancing her ass off with the rest of the crowd of men and women. Sahara playfully wiggled her eyebrows and ran her hands seductively over Chase’s chest and up into her hair and pulled her down into a smoldering hot kiss when the woman’s voice began the famous exchanging lines of the song. Chase broke the contact first and playfully pushed her away when Meatloaf started his part of the lines. Both women laughed and continued dancing.

  “I’m worn out,” Chase downed her glass of beer and poured he
rself another. “I’m too old for this shit.” She laughed.

  “I’m older than you honey!” One of the other women doctors said as she took off to the dance floor with a man that offered his hand. The DJ must have been doing a Meatloaf tribute because he played Anything for Love next and Chase felt her entire body shudder. She parked her butt on a stool and proceeded to cry into her beer. Lucky for her it was dark in there, no one saw the tears. Damn you Remy Sheridan! By the time the others made it back from the dance floor her face was dry once again.

  Eventually, the long songs ended and the DJ turned the heat back up with Michael Jackson’s The Way You Make Me Feel. Sahara grabbed Chase’s hand and led her back to the sweltering center of the room. They found that it was impossible to dance to this song unless they were grinding their bodies together. Chase felt her hips slid against Sahara’s causing the center of her jeans to dampen. She knew it wouldn’t take much, a few more beers and dances like this and she’d be begging for release. Sahara turned around at that second to rub her ass against Chase’s crotch. My god! I’m dying here! The woman was good, damn good. Chase couldn’t help feeling a sexual attraction, hell any sane woman with a heartbeat and a clit would be begging for this woman if she was doing this to them. Chase heard herself whimper when Sahara spun her around and again rubbed up against her back and ran her hands down the front of Chase’s body from her handful of breasts to the quivering muscles of her stomach. Neither of them noticed the song change to Dirty Diana, talk about seductive. Chase turned herself back around and pulled Sahara tightly into her arms their bodies welded together as their lips met a fused. Seconds later, both women pulled apart breathless as the song ended.

  “I thought we were going to have to turn the hose on you two.” One of the women stated with a laugh when Chase and Sahara sat at the table.

  “Oh please.” Sahara laughed.

  Chase kept quiet and poured herself another beer. I am turning into Gayle. She thought. “I don’t know about you ladies, but I’m tired and I’m still feeling the jet lag, so six o’clock comes early for me.” Most of the table agreed with her so they paid the tab and called for the Limo.

  18

  “Welcome home, wanna do lunch? You can tell me all about it.” Frankie said.

  “Thanks. Actually, that’s why I was calling. You won’t believe the week I’ve had.” Chase sighed and leaned her head against the back of her desk chair. Her scrubs were sweaty from the four hour triple bypass that she’d just completed. Her head was heavy and her eyes droopy. She was still on California time and the Florida humidity was already kicking her in the rear.

  “Can you get away?”

  “No, unfortunately I have about ten minutes to inhale a salad, and then I’m back in the O.R. I have two more surgeries today.” She unknowingly rubbed her temple with her free hand and closed her eyes. “How about dinner?”

  “That’ll work. I’ll meet you at Kojima around eight. I’m in the mood for Sushi.”

  “Sounds great, gotta go I’m being paged.” Chase closed her cell phone and picked up the phone on her desk.

  ***

  Chase was halfway through her last surgical procedure of the day and wrist deep in blood and human tissue as she sewed the new valve into place on the frail man’s heart. Her mind was usually clear when she was working, surgery had always been her escape from the world, for those four to eight hours it was like having an out of body experience. Except for this particular moment, Remy Sheridan had slowly poured herself into Chase’s mind. The blond blinked her eyes and shook her head blaming the jet lag for her lack of concentration. Thankfully, the operation was going smoothly, soon she’d close his chest back up and staple him down the middle, then send him back to the world to hopefully live a number of years longer.

  Chase walked into Kojima shortly after eight. She was freshly clean in a pair of tan khaki’s and a black short sleeve top. Her short blond hair was in dire need of a cut and stuck out in all directions. She spotted Frankie waving at her from a table in the corner.

  “Hey!” Frankie stood up and hugged her. “I’m digging the hair, it’s sexy on you.” She laughed. Chase rolled her eyes and sat down.

  “It’s getting cut tomorrow!”

  “Suit yourself. So what’s new? How was Cali?” Frankie ordered a bottle of Saki when the waitress came over to the table.

  “Boring as hell, typical seminar sessions of various MD's and PHD’s talking about the human heart, heart surgery, and the tools and equipment used during heart surgery. Blah, blah, blah. But, I did run into some other doctors I know. Do you remember my trip to New York a while back?”

  “Yeah,”

  “Remember the woman I told you about?”

  “The doctor from Chicago that you almost slept with?” Frankie said as she poured the Saki into two small cups. Chase downed hers quickly.

  “Yep. Anyway, she was there and just as hot and heavy for me. We practically picked up where we left off…”

  “No way! You were pinning for…”

  “I know, listen to my story. Anyway, I explained to her that it was only physical and I never wanted anything more. We both agreed and went out with a few other doctors and spent the night dancing all over each other.”

  “Wow.” Frankie poured both of them another cup. “Did you sleep with her?”

  “Surprisingly, no. I came very, very close though. It would’ve been raw sex with nothing else, and I already had that right here with Ronnie. I didn’t need another notch in my belt for no reason so I turned her down.”

  “I’m impressed. I don’t know if I could’ve said no at that point.” Frankie smiled.

  “It was hard, nearly impossible. Besides, you’re single and probably will be for life Frankie, when’s the last time you went on a date or got laid?” Chase smiled.

  “Between you, Ping and Gayle, I have plenty of action going on.” She laughed. “Who knows I’m too busy and wrapped up in work to see Mrs. Right unless she slapped me across the face. Maybe I’ll meet her in the Keys.” The conversation was broken up long enough for them to order.

  “Did you get the plans together yet?” Chase asked.

  “Yeah, everyone can go in exactly two weeks, so I booked us Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the hotel that’s not far from Duval Street. I also rented two scooters. You and I can drive the other two around.”

  “That sounds like fun. I’ll make sure I put in for no call from Thursday to Tuesday, otherwise they’ll screw up and put me on call.”

  “Yeah, we’re not coming back in the middle of the night so you can save someone’s life.” Frankie winked. As soon as their array of Sushi hit the table Frankie smiled and nodded towards someone sitting a few tables back from Chase. On instinct, the blond turned around to see who her friend was acknowledging. Chase felt the thorn twist in her side when she met Remy’s eyes. They held one another carefully. Chase felt her own eyes turn stone cold before she turned back around.

  “I’m sorry.” Frankie said.

  “Don’t be, I know she lives here too and I’m bound to run into her.” Chase swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to eat.

  “Let’s talk about something else shall we?” Frankie sipped her sake. “Ping has some woman at work chasing her around. She’s not exactly out around the office so it’s starting to annoy her. That’s all I’ve heard about for the past week.”

  “Hmm…nothing like a co-worker to shove you out of the closet head first.” She remembered how she was ‘outed’ during her internship when a nurse wanted to play with her during her break. It was good, until they got caught. Chase shook the thought from her head. It was hard for her to sit there and appear oblivious to the woman sitting fifteen feet away from her. Thankfully, her back was to the brunette that seemed to make her weak in the knees with only her eyes.

  “Yeah, that same shit happened to Gayle too. I never got it on with a co-worker so I didn’t have that problem.” She smiled.

  Their plate of sushi finally di
sappeared and they fought for the check. Frankie won out with the promise to let Chase get it next time.

  “I’m stuffed.”

  “Me too, I’m surprised I ate.” Chase said as she tossed her napkin on the table.

  “Maybe it’s a sign.” Frankie wiggled her rust-colored eyebrows.

  “I doubt it.” Chase sighed.

  Frankie smiled and gave a slight wave to Remy as they walked past her table. Chase didn’t have to look over at her she felt her brown eyes boring into her soul. Don’t turn around Leery, be the bigger person. God why can’t I get over her? I am so in love with her that it hurts to even think about it. Chase shook her thoughts away and continued to walk right out of the restaurant. She hadn’t even noticed Remy sitting with an unfamiliar woman.

  ***

  Chase was about to leave the hospital late Thursday night when there was knock on her office door. She was still in scrubs and tired from working a hundred and two hours for the week. Thankfully, she would be leaving for Key West in the morning and not looking back until Monday afternoon when she would arrive back home from her mini vacation. Too tired to get up and open the door, she called for the person to come in as she finished packing up her briefcase. It wasn’t until she heard the door click shut that she looked up to face her caller.

  “Remy? What are you doing here?” Chase asked. Her voice was barely audible. She felt as though she were looking into a dream or watching an apparition walk towards her.

  “Can we please talk?”

  Talk! You ripped my heart out and now you want to fucking talk to me? Ugh. “We have nothing to say to each other. At this point, I think we’ve said all we can. Now, if you’ll excuse me I’m tired and about to be on my way home.” Chase stood and maneuvered around the desk towards Remy who was blocking her path to the door. Remy reached out and grabbed her wrist softy. Chase’s skin was on fire from the contact, she dropped her briefcase unconsciously.