Sweetest Obsessions - Anthology

by Anthony, Jane

  “I would definitely apologize first.”

  “You around if…”

  “I’m always here for you, Buddy.”

  “Thanks, West.”

  “Call me later.”

  “Will do.”

  Cassidy was sitting in the living room answering her patients’ emails when she heard Grady’s door open. Her stomach immediately went into knots.

  Grady stopped at the doorway. “Doc, can we talk now?”

  Cassidy closed her laptop. “Sure. Come sit down.”

  Grady made his way over to the chair beside the couch. “You’re on the couch?”

  “Yes, sit, there’s room.”

  “It’s ok. I’m good with the chair.” Grady sat.

  “Oh God. Grady, I’m so sorry.”

  “What? Doc, I’m the one who should be apologizing. I forced myself on you.”

  “No, you didn’t. I allowed you to and for that I am sorry.” Cassidy stood up and started pacing. “I failed you as your doctor. Grady, I spoke to a colleague of mine and he is willing to work with you.”

  “What? You’re leaving me?”

  Cassidy wiped a tear that escaped from her eye. “Don’t worry I won’t leave until my replacement arrives.”

  Grady stood. “So, this is my punishment for…”

  “Grady, no! It’s not a punishment. I’m your doctor and the way I behaved today was unethical. I only want what’s best for you.”

  Grady waved his hand in the air to grab a hold of Cassidy, but she moved away. “I’m blind but not stupid. I know you’re right here in front of me.”

  “Grady…”

  “No, don’t tell me that this is about you not being a good doctor. I know it’s because I can’t keep my hands to myself. If I could take it back I would. I’m sorry.” Grady turned and walked back toward his room.

  “Grady, wait.” Cassidy followed Grady down the hall. When Grady didn’t stop Cassidy wrapped her hands around his waist. “Please, Grady, I need to explain.”

  Grady reached down and held onto Cassidy’s hands. “You’ve helped me so much. I don’t know how you could ever think that YOU are not the best thing for me. If it wasn’t for you…I’d be dead.”

  “No, you’re strong. Grady, what you’re feeling…those feelings are gratitude.”

  “I know what I’m feeling, and it is not gratitude!” Grady pulled Cassidy’s hands from his waist and continued down the hall.

  Cassidy heard a crash. She jumped up from her bed and ran down the hall to Grady’s room. “Grady!” The door was open, so she looked inside but Grady wasn’t there. “Grady! Grady, where are you?” She continued down the hall, through the living room and into the kitchen where she found Grady. “Why didn’t you answer me?”

  “Because I don’t need you. You said it yourself.”

  Cassidy flipped on the light and that was when she saw the chards of glass surrounding Grady’s bare feet. “Don’t move, there’s glass everywhere.”

  “I don’t care.” Grady took a sip of his beer.

  “Well, I care.” Cassidy rubbed Grady’s arm. “If I was to be completely honest here…I care more than I should, and it scares the hell out of me.”

  “You do?” Grady grabbed Cassidy’s hand.

  “I do and I want to help you. I’m just afraid that I’ve gotten too close and maybe I’ll miss something or…”

  “But you won’t. Please don’t leave me, Doc. I need you.”

  “Fine. I’ll stay.”

  Grady leaned down and hugged Cassidy. “Thank you.”

  Cassidy knew that staying was a mistake, but she couldn’t handle the thought of being without Grady.

  12

  It had been a week since what had been dubbed ‘the shower incident’. Grady knew that his family would be back in a few days and he wanted to do something special for Cassidy to thank her for taking care of him.

  “Grady, are you sure you’ll be ok while I’m gone?”

  “Yes, go, meet Jess.”

  “I’ll only be about an hour and I will bring you home a pizza.”

  “You don’t have to rush home. If I need you, I will call you.”

  “Ok, I’m going to change and then I will head out.”

  “Say hi to Jess for me.”

  “See you soon.”

  Grady thought to himself, ‘sooner than you know’.

  Cassidy stood in front of the restaurant waiting for Jess for almost fifteen minutes before she sped by, honked, and turned into the parking lot.

  Jess got out of the car and took her time making her way over to Cassidy. She was praying that Grady's plan didn't backfire.

  “Hey, I’m sorry I’m so late.” Jess hugged Cassidy.

  “You're worth waiting for.” Cassidy smiled.

  “You seem awfully happy tonight.”

  “This last week with Grady has been amazing but I'm going to miss him.”

  “Why do you have to miss him?”

  “His family will be back in a few days and then I’m going to move back home.”

  “That doesn't mean that you won't ever see him again. You'll still be his doctor.”

  “Not for long. He is so close now. I know it won't be long before his sight returns.”

  “Then you can be his girlfriend.”

  “Jess…”

  “I’m starved. Let’s go inside.” Jess opened the door and walked in.

  Grady was a nervous wreck. It had been so long since he’d had a date. In fact, he couldn't remember ever feeling this way about a first date.

  “She is on her way in, Sir.”

  “Thank you, Lee, for helping me set this up.”

  “Anything for you, Grady. You're like family here.”

  “I appreciate that.”

  “I will give you some privacy.” Lee exited.

  Grady exhaled. He could hear Cassidy's voice in the distance and couldn't help but smile.

  Cassidy and Jess followed the hostess through the restaurant. “Jeez, where are they sitting us at a table next door.” Cassidy laughed.

  “Right through here, Ladies.” The hostess opened a door.

  Jess pretty much shoved Cassidy inside and then pulled the door closed.

  Cassidy looked up after she caught her footing and there, he stood…Grady in a black suit and tie holding a bouquet of red roses. The table beside him had candles and champagne on it. “Oh, Grady!”

  “I wanted to do something special for you. You've done so much for me, Doc.”

  “I…I don't know what to say.”

  “Well, say something because I can't see your facial expressions.”

  Cassidy walked over to Grady. “I can't believe you did all of this for me.”

  “These are for you.” Grady extended the roses to Cassidy.

  “Thank you!” Cassidy took the roses from Grady and placed them on the table.

  Grady felt for the chair and pulled it out. “Have a seat.”

  Cassidy looked down at the chair and then up at Grady. “You look so handsome.” Cassidy hugged Grady. “Thank you, Grady. I’ll never forget this night.”

  Grady leaned down and kissed the top of Cassidy's head. “You always smell so good.”

  “Peach scented shampoo.” Cassidy pulled back and sat down.

  Grady remembered Lee telling him that his chair would be four steps to the left. He smiled when he found his seat. “Champagne?”

  “Ok, shall I pour?”

  “No, you have the night off.” Grady raised his hand and the server came over to the table.

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “We’re ready for our champagne now.”

  “Grady, I know how I got here but how did you get here?”

  “Jess. Why do you think she was late?”

  Cassidy laughed. “That sneaky dog.”

  “She waited for you to leave and then she pulled around the block and picked me up. Then the owner’s let me in the service entrance.”

  The server handed them each a gl
ass of champagne.

  “Thank you.”

  “I will go get your appetizers now.”

  Grady raised his glass. “I know that I’ll never be able to truly express how much you mean to me, but I hope this gives you an idea, Doc.”

  Cassidy had tears in her eyes and a lump in her throat. She felt like Cinderella, so happy in the moment but when Grady regained his sight it would be like the clock struck midnight. She decided to do as Cinderella did and enjoy the time she had left with her prince.

  “Dinner was delicious.”

  “Wait until dessert.” Grady smiled.

  Cassidy melted every time Grady smiled and tonight, he did a lot of smiling. “You have such a beautiful smile.”

  “The thing I wish I could see most is your smile.”

  Cassidy looked down at the floor. “It’s not something worth wasting your wish on.”

  “I doubt that.”

  Cassidy needed to change the subject. “So, what’s for dessert?”

  “Cheesecake, tiramisu and cannoli cake with fresh whipped cream.”

  “Oh, my goodness.”

  Grady stood and extended his hand to Cassidy. “Dance with me, Doc.”

  Cassidy took Grady’s hand and Grady pulled her into his arms. “I haven’t danced with anyone for years.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Up until the accident I was always training or competing. I never had time to do anything else.”

  “Never had the time or never made the time?”

  “I guess maybe I never had a good enough reason to make the time.”

  “I hate to break it to you, but I don’t think that blindness is a good enough reason.”

  “You’re my reason.” Grady leaned down to kiss Cassidy.

  “Dessert is served!”

  Grady turned toward the voice. “Thank you.”

  Cassidy spent the car ride home thinking about how she would handle it if Grady kissed her goodnight. She finally decided to thank him for a night that she would never forget and then run off to bed.

  “Why are you so quiet? You’re not upset with me, are you?”

  “No, not at all.”

  “Good, because the night’s not over yet.”

  Cassidy immediately felt butterflies in her belly. How could she be upset at anything Grady did at this point. He’d spent the evening making sure she felt special and appreciated. “It’s not?”

  “I hope not.”

  “I was driving us home. Do you have another surprise?”

  “Home is good. I’m still not comfortable being out in public.”

  “You do realize that you were just out in public?” Cassidy giggled.

  “Lee is like family. He told me how many steps between chairs and how many steps to take away from the table to dance. He even reminded me which side the forks were on.”

  “I’m proud of you.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. You went out of your comfort zone for me.”

  “You have given up so much for me, it was the least I could do for you, Doc.” Grady reached out his hand.

  Cassidy took Grady’s hand and kissed it. “Thank you.”

  Cassidy walked up to Grady’s front door still holding his hand. Grady stopped Cassidy before she opened the door. “Doc, before we go inside, I just want to say that I don’t want you to feel obligated or pressured to do anything that you don’t want to do.”

  Cassidy was a nervous wreck. Grady basically just asked her for permission to have sex. She knew she should run to her own bed but instead the fire surging through her body must have short circuited her brain. “I don’t feel that way.”

  Grady waited for Cassidy to bring them inside and up the stairs. He reached his hands up and felt for her hair. “Turn around.”

  “Why?”

  “Please.”

  Cassidy turned around. “Ok.”

  Grady placed his hands over Cassidy’s eyes. “I’m just going to walk us to my bedroom.”

  “Grady, why do I have to have my eyes closed?”

  “I want you to see it all at once, not pieces of it as you near my room.”

  “This is weird.”

  “Not for me.”

  “I’m sorry. That was…”

  “The truth. It is weird maneuvering around in the darkness. It’s like you’re asleep but awake.”

  “Great way to kill the mood.”

  “I’m ok. I know that one day I will see again. Each day you give me more hope.”

  Cassidy smiled. “Never give up hope, Grady.”

  “We should be at my bedroom.” Grady leaned down and kissed the top of Cassidy’s head while inhaling her heavenly peach scent. “Ready.”

  “Yes.”

  Grady dropped his hands.

  Cassidy looked inside. Candles and flowers filled the room. There was champagne on ice and a roaring fire burning. “Oh, Grady, it’s perfect.”

  “Last chance to change your mind.”

  “I lost my mind tonight when you held me in your arms on the dance floor.”

  “I’m going to kiss you now.” Grady leaned forward.

  Cassidy lifted her head and met Grady’s sweet lips. There was no turning back now. She pulled him close.

  Grady stepped back. “Doc, are you sure you’re…”

  Cassidy kissed Grady. Grady reached around Cassidy and unzipped her dress. She shoved off his jacket, unbuttoned his shirt and pushed down his pants. Next, was her bra and then her panties. She was standing in the middle of his bedroom completely naked. It was only two months ago that she stood alone in her own bedroom and Grady O’Malley was just a name that went along with a beautiful face and a tall, hot body.

  Grady kissed Cassidy allover her body. “Mmm, you taste as good as you smell.”

  Cassidy felt as if she had died and gone to Heaven. How many times had she fantasized about Grady? She never imagined in her wildest dreams that she’d meet him, moreover… “Oh God…Grady…” Cassidy reached her hand down and grabbed Grady’s hair. She was wriggling about, arching her back and ready to explode. When Cassidy came, she let out a groan that sent Grady into a panic.

  Grady pulled away, he grabbed his ears and started to shake. “No…no…make it stop.”

  Cassidy leapt up to comfort him. She gently placed her hand onto his. “Grady, Honey, it’s ok. You’re here with me, Doc.”

  “Help me. I don’t want to feel this way.”

  Cassidy wrapped Grady in her arms and then she kissed his forehead. “I promise, you won’t always feel this way.”

  Grady exhaled a few times and the shaking stopped. “I’m so sorry. I seem to have a way of ruining everything.”

  “You didn’t ruin anything.”

  Grady lifted his hand and ran his fingers through Cassidy’s hair. “I wanted tonight to be perfect.”

  “Perfect is boring.” Cassidy let out a giggle.

  “Doc, I think I’m…”

  Cassidy couldn’t hear those words. She silenced Grady with a kiss. Once he relaxed in her arms, she started stroking him. When he was hard, she pulled her lips away, ran her tongue down his belly and greedily sucked all of him into her mouth.

  “Whoa, oh, Doc!”

  Cassidy smiled with every groan Grady ground out until Grady grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her up into his arms. “I want to make love to you, Doc.” Grady rolled with Cassidy in his arms.

  Cassidy looked up at Grady. His eyes were closed. Her heart broke for him. She reached up her hand and placed it onto his cheek.

  Grady opened his eyes. “I wish I could see you.”

  Cassidy cringed. Thank goodness he couldn’t see her. “Your sight will come back soon.”

  “Then I can look into your eyes while I make love to you.” Grady kissed Cassidy as he worked his way inside her.

  “Oh…” Cassidy silenced herself so that she wouldn’t set Grady off.

  “Kiss me.”

  Cassidy wrapped her arms around Grady’s neck and
kissed him.

  Grady started moving harder and faster until he finally came. Once he caught his breath he pulled out, dropped down next to Cassidy, and pulled her into his arms. After a few minutes Grady whispered. “I’m falling in love with you, Doc.”

  Cassidy wanted to say something but instead she pretended to be asleep.

  13

  Cassidy woke up and snuck out of Grady’s bed. She wished she could stay in his arms forever, but she knew that her time was running out and it made her so sad.

  She picked up her phone to call Jess and she heard a crash come from Grady’s room. She entered his room, flipped on the light, and grabbed Grady by the shoulders. “Grady! Grady!”

  Grady was thrashing about in his bed mumbling. “Can’t breathe. Help me!”

  Cassidy shook Grady. “Grady, wake up! You’re safe! Breathe, Baby, breathe!”

  “Doc.”

  “It’s me. I’m here.”

  “It was so real.”

  “Grady, it was real. It’s not a dream.”

  “I know but this time I could hear everything. Doc, I could see colors and smell the saltwater.”

  “Do you want to tell me about it?”

  Grady looked away. “I don’t know if I can.”

  In the past Grady always said no so Cassidy was surprised that Grady gave her what she considered a maybe. “You can, Grady. I know you can.”

  Grady turned back toward Cassidy. He rubbed his hands over his face. “Is the light on?”

  “Yes, why?”

  “Turn it off.”

  “Why?”

  “Please.”

  Cassidy leaned over and shut off the light. “It’s off.”

  “Turn it back on.”

  Cassidy turned the light back on and Grady bolted up from the bed and reached for Cassidy. “I can see the light!”

  Panic coursed through Cassidy. “Just the light?”

  “I can tell light from dark. That means that I’m getting better, right?”

  “It could, yes.”

  Grady hugged Cassidy and then pulled away. “I have to call West and tell him.”