~*~
Cherry was making the bed when she felt someone watching her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Rick standing in the doorway, a patient’s file in his hands. His gaze slid over her warmly, but there was a shadow in his eyes.
Clearing her throat, she straightened and turned around. “This isn’t your patient.” Realizing how that sounded, she bit her lip, glad that said patient was in the shower with the door shut. “I beg your pardon. Did you want something, Doctor?”
His smile was easy, those green eyes crinkling at the corners in amusement. But there was still that shadow.
Immediately she wondered if he’d changed his mind about them, if he was regretting being intimate with her. Her stomach muscles clenched.
“Actually, Cherry, I was wondering if you could give me a few minutes in the treatment room.”
“Now?” Hell, their familiarity was spilling over into their work relationship. She wouldn’t normally answer a doctor that way. “I mean, certainly.”
He stepped back, allowing her to pass him, and she sucked in a lungful of the aftershave he’d used that morning. Yummy. Mentally shaking her head and girding her loins for bad news, she strode into the treatment room with Rick bringing up the rear.
A busy time of the morning, no one noticed them going in, and as the door swung shut behind them, she was so very glad.
“Yes, Doctor?” Facing him, she waited calmly for the axe to fall.
What he said instead floored her. “I didn’t use a condom last night.”
“Pardon?”
“A condom. A raincoat. Safety. Cherry, I got so carried away that I forgot to put on a condom before we made love.”
Made love. That sounded so…warm. It also made her blush just a little, but she had her wits about her. “That’s okay. I took the morning-after pill this morning.”
“You did?” He looked first surprised, then relieved. “Okay then.”
“So no harm, no foul.” She smiled a little.
“True.” His eyes took on a sudden gleam. “Mind you, I quite enjoyed spilling myself inside you without protection.”
Her heart skipped a beat. Trying to maintain her professionalism, she replied coolly, “Is that all, Doctor?”
He took a step nearer, making her back up against the shelf holding all the bandages. His gaze swept over her shirt and pants. “I’m having fantasies of a naughty nurse.”
“Rick!” she hissed, colour blooming in her apple cheeks.
“And I’m Dr Discipline.”
She gaped at him for several seconds, then started laughing.
Reaching out one hand, Rick grabbed the shelf and leaned forward, trailing his other hand along the collar of her shirt. “Tut-tut. Is Nurse Cherry laughing at authority?”
“This is a really sad fantasy.”
“But it’s my fantasy. It can be as sad as I like.” He dipped his finger into the crevice between her breasts, obviously enjoying her catch of breath. “But in my fantasy there’s no crying, just a lot of moaning and writhing.”
“I think I’ve heard enough.” Feeling flustered, she was grateful when the pager in her pocket emitted a welcome buzzing. “And saved by the proverbial bell.” She tried to push past him, only to be stopped by his body not giving an inch.
“There’s still tonight, love.” He pressed his lips to her brow. “How about wearing your uniform for me and we’ll play doctor and nurse?” He grinned. “I can bring my speculum, check out your—”
Her hand slapped over his mouth. “You’ve gone from sad to disgusting.” Her cheeks burned though she couldn’t stop the grin that curved her lips. “No more. Be quiet. Go and do your doctor thing and let me get back to work.”
He nipped her fingers, causing her to jerk them away. “Your wish is my command. For now.” Dropping a quick kiss on the top of her head, he stepped back. “But tonight, Nurse, be ready for me.”
“You are such an arse.” Tugging the door open, she peered out.
Coming up close behind her, he queried, “Safe?”
“No thanks to you.”
“Then venture forth, Nurse.” He slapped her voluptuous derriere heartily.
Cherry started, glared at him over her shoulder, and exited fast. She just hoped that no one would see her and Rick leaving the treatment room, though no one here would think anything of it. They’d probably just think they’d been discussing wound dressings or something mundane like that, not talking fantasies.
She couldn’t resist a glance over her shoulder to show a grinning Rick strolling over to the nurses’ station where he opened the file cabinet and searched for the files of his inpatients. She had to admit that regardless of the heavy workload the nurses were under at the moment from the influx of patients, her heart felt lighter and her day was irrevocably brighter.
A woman stepped in front of her and Cherry started to veer away, only to find a slim, elegant hand on her upper arm. Glancing up in surprise, she found herself looking into the cold, beautiful face of Annabelle Forbes.
The same woman that had wanted Rick, and whom he’d, well, not exactly dumped, but he’d chosen Cherry over this elegant beauty.
Pulling her professional demeanour around her like an invisible cloak, Cherry smiled at her. “May I help you?”
“You can tell me where my father, Dr Forbes, is,” Annabelle replied coldly. Her gaze raked over Cherry. “I know he’s visiting patients on this ward.”
“I’m not sure,” Cherry replied. “I didn’t see him come in.”
“And they say you’re a good nurse. Oh well.”
A little shocked, Cherry stepped back. “You can wait in the lounge and—”
“No need. I have important business to take of and can’t wait around. I’ll leave him a message on his pager.” That cold gaze raked insolently over her again. “What a nice uniform. It does hide some sins, doesn’t it?” Annabelle walked off.
Cherry stared after Annabelle for several seconds before glancing down at herself. Her uniform shirt was like every other nurses’ in the hospital, but it didn’t exactly drape down over her hips so neatly like Maxie’s, nor did it nip in at the waist like Susie’s. It was exactly what it was, a large uniform top made to fit a large nurse.
“What a mole,” Maxie said from behind her.
Turning, Cherry saw her friend glaring in the direction that Annabelle had taken. “She’s right. It does—”
“Bullshit!” Angrily, Maxie looked at Cherry. “You’re worth four of that cold-hearted bitch, and don’t you start doubting yourself, you hear me? You have more going for you than she does. Don’t let her grind you under her cloven hoof.”
Surprised by the vehemence in her friend’s voice, Cherry gaped.
“I wouldn’t pee on that walking skeleton if she was on fire,” Maxie, “But you I would…I mean…” She stopped and grinned sheepishly. “Well, you know what I mean.”
Unable to help it, Cherry started laughing and gave Maxie a hug. “I know what you mean, and I’d be grateful. I think.”
“Just you remember it.” Maxie’s pager bleeped demandingly and she stepped back. “Bugger. I better go and see what room twenty five wants.” She frowned warningly at Cherry. “You just remember what I said.”
“I wouldn’t be game to forget it,” she assured her. Watching her friend walk away, Cherry had to admit that she did feel a little better.
Doubts still assailed her but no more than normal. Except for Rick. Now she’d seen Annabelle again, she was full of doubts about Rick’s attraction to her. Did men like Rick really look past the surface like he was trying to assure her? How could she be sure she wasn’t just something new for Rick to occupy himself?
And why the hell was she letting Annabelle’s poisonous words upset her? Shaking her head, she went back to the patient’s room. Right now she had other things to concern herself with, she had time for self-doubts when she’d finished work.
The time went fast and it didn’t seem long before she was leaving the hospital, stepping
out into the warm sunshine. Looking up at the sky she saw clouds scudding past and wondered hopefully if they were finally in for some rain.
“Hey!”
Cherry waited for Maxie to catch up with her.
Maxie looked up at the clouds. “Rain?”
“We live in eternal hope.”
“Curtis’s Coffee Café.”
“What?” Cherry raised her eyebrows.
“We’re meeting Susie there.”
“We are? Why?”
“Because we’re plotting Annabelle’s downfall.” Maxie laughed at Cherry’s expression. “No, dummy. We’re going to bitch about the bitch, and spend some time loving ourselves. I’ll meet you there.”
“What makes you think I have time to go there?”
“Got a date with Dr Luscious?”
“Well, no, but—”
“Frizz and Sugar have no food?”
“As if! No, they have biscuits out and water, but—”
“You don’t want to play with us anymore?”
Cherry rolled her eyes. “Curtis’s Coffee Café it is. Let’s go.”
When they arrived, Susie was already sipping on iced tea and looking very cool and beautiful in white shorts and a pale blue top.
Maxie slid into the booth and Cherry slid in beside her.
“So, how are the slaves released from the sweat shop?” Susie queried.
“Relieved.” Cherry studied the menu.
“I don’t know why you bother doing that,” Maxie said. “You always order the same drink and food.”
Cherry frowned at her over the top of the menu.
“Bet you don’t do that with Rick,” Susie drawled.
“I do,” Cherry replied.
“Really?”
“I don’t take crap from him.”
“Really?”
“Or anyone else, for that matter.”
“Only Annabelle Forbes,” Maxie muttered.
“Ah, Annabelle Forbes.” Susie pursed her lips. “Rude bitch extraordinaire.”
“That’d be the one.”
Cherry shook her head. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Of course we worry about it,” Susie said. “You worry, we worry.”
“I’m not worried.” Cherry glanced up at the waitress who approached and gave her usual order. “A small hot chips and a glass of Diet Coke.”
Maxie smirked at Cherry as she gave her own order. Cherry stuck her tongue out at her.
“Children,” Susie admonished. “Enough.”
“To the matter at hand,” Maxie said. “Who thinks Annabelle has had so many face lifts that her belly button is now on her face? I always thought her lips were a little puckered.” She demonstrated.
“Oh, Max.” Cherry laughingly groaned.
“Oh, come on. After that put-down she gave you at the hospital? It’s the kindest thing I can say about her.”
“Do not tell me that you allowed her to get to you,” Susie said sternly.
“She didn’t.”
Susie looked hard at her while Maxie rolled her eyes.
Cherry shrugged. “Okay. A little. Just a little.”
“You were looking down at yourself in a not-friendly fashion,” Maxie stated bluntly.
“Do we really have to talk about this?”
“Yes.” Susie drained the last of her iced tea and smacked the glass sharply down on the table.
Cherry flinched, half expecting it to break, but miraculously the glass stayed in one piece.
“Repeat after me,” Susie said. “I am beautiful.”
“Oh, really—”
“I am beautiful.”
“For crying out loud—”
“I am beautiful.”
“I am not going to repeat anything.”
“Then I’ll stand up and yell it out and point to you.”
“I am not going to—” Cherry stumbled to a halt and grabbed Susie’s hand as she started to push upright. Knowing her friend had no shame, she hissed, “Okay okay! I am beautiful.”
Maxie smirked.
“I am luscious,” Susie continued.
“Oh, for—” Cherry grabbed her hand again as Susie started to push upright again. “I am luscious. Happy?”
“Exceedingly. I am sexy.”
“What? No- shit, okay, I am sexy.”
“Me, too,” Maxie chimed in. “Sexy as hell.”
“I deserve every hot guy’s attention.”
“I am not going to – I deserve every hot guy’s attention. Will you stop it?”
Susie smiled slowly. “I deserve Rick’s attention.”
Cherry went bright red.
“Say it.”
“I’m not playing this ridiculous- sit down!”
Susie arched one brow as she looked down at Cherry. “Say it.”
“I. Deserve. Rick’s. Attention.” Every word came from between clenched teeth.
Susie sat down and smiled widely. “And lastly – Dr Hot Stuff is boinking me with utter glee instead of Annabelle the Bitch.”
“If you make me say that, I’m leaving right now,” Cherry threatened. “I mean it.”
Susie laughed. “I added that last bit for my own amusement.”
“Speaking of bitches.” Maxie snickered.
“But you feel better, right?” Susie’s eyes twinkled.
Cherry looked from Susie to Maxie, and seeing the affection and laughter in their faces, she felt the weight of Annabelle’s nasty insinuations lift from her shoulders. There was no way she could remain down in her emotions when her friends were trying so hard to make her feel better.
She gave a small grin and pointed at Susie. “You’re paying for my food and drink.”
“Done.” Susie leaned back in her chair and while the waitress set out Maxie and Cherry’s orders. Once they were alone again, she said soberly, “You can’t let people like Annabelle get to you, Cherry.”
“I know. I don’t usually.” Picking up a hot chip, Cherry blew on it.
“You do,” Susie replied bluntly.
“Okay, but not all the time.”
“The ones who don’t matter, you let them get to you. You’re a nice person. You love animals, you’re nice to everyone, you’ll help anyone, and people like you. You need to get over this weight issue you have.”
“So speaks the slim lady,” Cherry said dryly, having heard the same lecture many times in the past.
Susie leaned forward, her gaze intent. “I’m serious. You can’t let this weight issue get between you and Rick.”
“Rick?” Cherry raised her brows in surprise. “I thought you didn’t like him.”
“That was before I knew he had the good sense to see you. Now I think he’s great.”
“Oh, that is such a relief. I can now boink him with an easy conscious.”
“Touch of sarcasm there,” Maxie cooed.
Susie tapped her fingertip on the table. “Rick likes you for who you are, Cherry. He’s not interested in what society thinks is an ideal woman. Don’t lose him because of your own hang-ups.”
“What makes you the expert on Rick?”
The smile that curved Susie’s lips was not comforting. Cherry’s eyes widened. She looked at Maxie only to find her also staring at their friend with big eyes.
“You didn’t—” Cherry began, both horrified and fascinated at once.
“I had a little investigation done by my cousin, who is a private investigator.” Grabbing her oversized shoulder bag from under the table, Susie drew a large envelope from it and proceeded to pull some photographs from it, which she dually handed over accompanied by explanations. “This is his mother, she’s a plumpy, right? His sister is no light-weight. He loves them both very much and isn’t ashamed of them. See that photo?” She handed over another glossy picture. “He took his sister to the school dance when her date ditched her.”
“So he’s a good brother and son,” Maxie said, studying the photos over Cherry’s shoulder. “So what does that prove?”
/> “A bit of his background,” Susie replied. “His dad is a hottie, even given his age.”
“Oh my God,” Cherry groaned. “I can’t believe you did this!”
“I can,” Maxie said.
“You’re my friend,” Susie replied. “Of course I did it. I don’t intend to let you ruin your life.”
“If Rick finds out what you did, it’ll be ruined anyway,” Cherry answered.
“Just look at the photos,” Susie continued blithely. “Admit it, his dad is hot, his mum is plump. Turns out she always was, and the same for him.”
“Tell me your friend didn’t ask someone that.”
“He keeps his contacts confidential.”
Cherry shook her head, fascinated in spite of herself at this glimpse into Rick’s life.
“His first girlfriend—”
“Tell me you don’t have her photo as well!”
“His first girlfriend was slim,” Susie said. “No photos. But he’s had a few girlfriends since then, and all of them have been of varying builds. Slim and large, Cherry, slim and large.”
“I get it.” She wasn’t sure what to think. Relief was a definite emotion, but… “What was his last girlfriend like?”
“I’ll hit you on the head with that bowl of chips in a minute,” Susie threatened.
“Just asking.”
“My cousin—”
“The private investigator,” Cherry said sardonically.
“—says that as Rick got older, once he got past that first flush of raging teenage hormones, his taste has been towards the larger female figure.” Susie held up one finger. “But it never affected his choice of girlfriend. If he was interested in a girl, be her large or not, he dated her. But his friends said his eye was always for a larger woman. He likes them voluptuous.”
“I can’t believe you did this.” Shaking her head again, Cherry returned the photos. “If he ever finds out, I’ll never live it down.”
“He won’t find out.” Susie cheerfully tucked the photos back into the envelope and replaced it in her shoulder bag. “I’m destroying these photos when I get home.”
Maxie leaned back on the booth. “I admire your mind, Susie, but sometimes you scare me.”
Laughing, Susie plucked a chip from Cherry’s bowl and bit into it. “Yummy.” Her gaze transferred to Cherry. “And so is Rick. Feel better now?”
Doctor's Delight Page 14
