“Whatever,” Jordan said skeptically.
They finished their breakfasts and left to meet up for rounds. James gave Isabella a slight smile that made her stomach flip.
“I’m not one to give compliments,” James addressed the group. “But you all did a good job last night. I left you alone and no one died, so we’ll call that a successful day. Let’s keep things that way.”
Despite their sleeplessness, the interns were in good spirits. Even a backhanded compliment was welcomed.
James was in good spirits, so after rounds, he let them go home. The guys were so grateful they looked like they were about to cry. They scurried off to the doctor’s lounge to grab their belongings before anyone changed their mind and decided that they needed the interns to stay.
Isabella purposefully took her time stuffing her change of clothes into her bag.
“Are you coming?” Jordan asked.
“Go ahead. I’ll see you on Monday.”
Isabella doubled back to look for James. She needed to put an end to the weird uncertainty surrounding their time together. He was sitting in Dr. Jensen’s empty office, flipping through charts and filling out paperwork.
“Can I talk to you?” she barely squeaked out.
“Sure, what’s up?”
She thought about shutting the door to the office so no one would overhear their conversation, but she didn’t want to be completely alone. Isabella compromised by closing the door halfway.
“I just want to clear things up about last night,” she started.
“I had a good night,” he interrupted.
“That’s the thing. It was a silly mistake to kiss you. It was unprofessional, and I don’t know why I did that.”
“I do,” he said. “The first real surgery is an incredible rush. I remember the first surgery I was involved in. There had just been a bad storm, and there were tons of injuries. We were swamped, and I got to assist in reattaching a woman’s severed finger. It was exhilarating. I was unstoppable.”
She nodded. At least he understood.
“So you agree when I say that we can just forget about this?” she asked.
“To be perfectly honest,” he teased, “I don’t know how to forget it when I can’t get the image out of my head.”
She scoffed.
“Don’t act all disgusted. You’re the one who kissed me, remember?”
“I remember, all right.”
“Was it really that bad?” he asked, genuinely curious.
“No,” she admitted. “But that’s just not something I do often.”
“You’ve never had a one-night stand? You are a goody-goody.”
“If you must know, I have. But that was during school, and it certainly wasn’t with any of my instructors.”
“I’m hardly an instructor, though. I’m not that much older than you. I’m just the go-between while the real doctor in charge of you is working.”
“You still have influence over my internship.”
“Is that what this is all about? You’re worried that I’m going to give you preferential treatment if you hook up with me? I promise that I can be impartial. If it really matters that much to you, I can easily get you reassigned.”
“I like working with you—professionally, that is. I wanted to clear the air so I wouldn’t feel weird around you anymore.”
“For the record,” he added, “I’m capable of being discreet. I have yet to let a fling get in the way of my career. It’s obvious that that’s a hang-up for you.”
She was tempted. He was incredibly attractive, and it wouldn’t hurt to have an in with someone higher up. Isabella loved the way he grabbed at her in the locker room. It felt so good to be desired, to be needed. It could never work, though. Not without it ending in disaster.
“I’m flattered, but I just can’t do this right now. I don’t remember the last time I slept or showered, and I have too much work to do. I can’t handle any more distractions. Is that okay?” she asked hopefully.
“I understand,” he answered. “But if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me.”
“So it’s not going to be weird between us?”
“I won’t make it weird.”
“Thanks,” she said. “I’m glad we can be adults about this.”
James gave a half-smile. He looked a little hurt, but he was trying his hardest not to show it.
“Are you going home soon?” she asked, switching over to harmless small talk.
“Nope,” he said, rubbing his tired eyes. “I’ve got a few hours of dictations to do, and then I’m going over some of Dr. Jensen’s research data.”
“You really do live here, don’t you?” she asked.
“Basically.” He sounded a little sad. “I know you’ll just go home and study, but I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend.”
She nodded.
Isabella left the office feeling a little better. She had some closure, and that was all she could ask for.
When she got home, she sent a quick text to Jordan:
Sorry for being so weird this morning. I talked to James. We agreed to be cool about this and that it would never happen again. I feel relieved.
Isabella finally took a shower and changed into a t-shirt and shorts. She felt much better.
Studying could wait. She slid under the covers for a quick nap. She had just closed her eyes when she heard her phone buzz. Jordan finally responded.
Yeah, okay. I’ll believe it when I see it.
Chapter Six
The next week, all interactions between Isabella and James were strictly businesslike. There was no teasing, no coy smiles, and definitely no touching. She was a little miffed when he chose other interns to observe surgeries, but that was to be expected from an attending that didn’t pick favorites.
“I’m quite frankly surprised,” Jordan said to Isabella one night in the doctor’s lounge. “He’s given you just as many shitty assignments as everyone else.”
“I told you that he could be cool about it. He’s just as career focused as I am.”
What she didn’t tell Jordan was that they kept running into each other, and it was getting hard to stay focused. She caught him walking out of the shower again and in various stages of undress in the changing area when she arrived at the hospital in the morning.
She rode empty elevators with him in complete silence. She always stared straight ahead at the doors so she never saw the smirk on his face. When they passed each other in the hall, she averted her eyes so she never noticed the way he checked her out. Isabella was oblivious to his wandering eyes because she was afraid of catching him looking. Avoiding him and staying ignorant were easier.
As the days went on, he was becoming more obvious with his advances. He would never treat her differently while others were around, but once they were alone, it was hard for Isabella to ignore him. The final straw for Isabella was when he pulled off his scrub top right next to her, practically shoving his toned abs in her face.
“What are you doing?” she asked, scrambling up from her seat on the bench.
“Just changing clothes,” he said, almost too casually. “Why? Is something wrong?”
“Why do you always do that? Nearly every morning, you come in here while I’m by myself and practically do a strip tease right in front of me.”
“Do you want me to wear the same clothes day after day? The better question is why you insist on showing up thirty minutes earlier than everyone else. If I change my clothes at the same time every day and you don’t like it, why don’t you arrive just fifteen minutes later and avoid me altogether?”
“I—I like to be prepared for the day. You’re right, though. I’ll do that somewhere else.”
Isabella was getting frustrated. She was normally good at holding back emotions, but she was too tired to stay calm. She blinked furiously as her eyes began to moisten. The truth was, she was mad at herself for putting herself in positions where she might be alone with James. She coul
dn’t help but want to be near him. She was strangely drawn to him.
James’s eyes widened. “Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. You’re right. Maybe I could torment you a little less, but you drive me insane.”
“What?” she spat. “I drive you insane?”
“You’re an attractive woman. I knew that you probably wouldn’t be interested in hooking up with a coworker, but I thought I’d wait and see if you showed any interest in me. Then, when we were on call and you kissed me, it awoke something in me. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I wanted you so badly.”
“Be rational for a second,” she interrupted. “You know that this is a bad idea.”
“I’m always rational. I’ve thought of just about every scenario where we are together. Admittedly, half of the possibilities end in disaster, but it could work.”
“How?”
“I’ve been at this hospital for a while. I’ve heard all about the staff hooking up with one another. These things just happen when you spend all day and all night together. Sometimes, it leads to a real relationship, but usually, it’s just a way to fill the time and relieve a little stress.”
“I don’t think I’m interested,” Isabella said quietly.
James sat down and looked her in the eye. His eyes were so gentle and comforting.
“Can you tell me, with complete honesty, that you are not attracted to me?”
“What? I’m not—” she sputtered.
“So when you were amped up after that surgery, you would have kissed anyone?”
“Well—”
“Like if it were Craig, or Justin, or Dr. Jensen, you would have stuck your tongue in their mouth?”
She crinkled her nose at the thought. “No, of course not.”
“So?” he asked, egging her on.
“Yes, I find you extremely attractive. Is that what you want to hear?” she nearly shouted at him.
He looked satisfied with himself.
“Then what are you so afraid of?” he asked gently.
Isabella could fill a book with the reasons she didn’t want a relationship, especially one with James. For starters, hooking up with coworkers was messy business, especially when he had some say in the future of her career.
Also, she didn’t need to be with a man at all right now, especially one with money and a high-powered career. In the long run, it wouldn’t work out.
Mostly, she was afraid of turning into her mother. She couldn’t give herself the option of a life where she didn’t have to work. She had worked too hard to get herself to this point, just to throw it away for a hot surgeon.
She didn’t want to argue with James. She wanted to let go of her fears and just touch him. He was wearing her down.
“How long until anyone else shows up?” she asked.
He checked the clock on the wall. “About fifteen minutes. Why?”
She lunged at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing her mouth against his. She felt his mouth move into a wide smile beneath hers.
“Come with me,” he said, hoisting her up. She wrapped her legs around his torso, her mouth exploring his freshly shaven face.
He took her to a small room with tiny metal-framed bunk beds and dropped her down on the mattress, shutting the door behind him with his foot.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked her as he pushed a strand of hair out of her face.
“Take off your pants,” she ordered.
He obliged, stripping completely nude. He was even hotter than she had imagined. She grabbed one firm buttock and squeezed.
James pulled Isabella’s shirt off over her head, and she threw her pants on the ground. She frantically pulled his body onto hers. She didn’t want to wait and definitely didn’t want to get caught.
“Hold on,” he panted, reaching underneath the bed. He dragged out a box of condoms.
“What—” she started.
He laughed. “I told you that hospital hookups weren’t uncommon.”
When he entered her, she was immediately overcome with pleasure. She’d been so busy with school and work that she’d sworn off men altogether.
James was eager to please, so she let him do the work, showing her delight with soft moans. He pumped faster, hoping to keep things quick. There was no point in trying, though, because their built-up arousal caused them to come in just minutes.
He hovered over her for a minute, watching the rapid rise and fall of her chest. He kissed her neck, sending shivers down her spine.
She wanted to lie there forever, but someone could walk in the lounge at any time, and then all hope of discretion would be ruined.
“See you for rounds,” he said, slapping her gently on the ass.
Isabella felt conflicted, but she felt too good to be upset at herself for letting her guard down. Besides, it was hardly a serious relationship. They were just two adults with a mutual attraction to one another. If they wanted to have casual sex on occasion, where was the harm in that?
She took a quick inventory of her feelings. When she thought about it, she didn’t have the urge to date him or bring him home to her mother. She didn’t like him in that way. All she had was a raw sexual attraction to him. Nothing more.
If she knew anything about men, it was that they were usually less attached than the women they chased. Perhaps James was right after all—they could make this work.
She hastily finished changing and met up with Jordan by the nurse’s station.
“Good morning,” Isabella chirped.
“You seem especially chipper this morning.” She eyed her suspiciously.
“I suppose I just got a good night of sleep,” she lied.
Isabella caught James’s eye. He flashed her a quick smile and she looked away quickly. Luckily, Jordan wasn’t paying attention.
“Gather ‘round,” James called. “I have an extra special pop quiz for you all today. Whoever answers the most questions correctly gets an exclusive opportunity.”
Isabella felt sharp and focused. She was always up for a competition.
James asked them a series of ten difficult questions. Isabella’s hand shot up into the air, often before he was finished talking. In the end, she had managed to answer eight of the questions correctly while her fellow interns sulked.
“Congratulations, Isabella,” James said. “Here’s your prize: Dr. Jensen needs extra help in his study, so you’ll be working closely with him next week. You’ll learn a lot, and as a bonus, you’ll get your name in a medical journal.”
The others groaned. Isabella beamed. This was a huge opportunity for her. She was a little disappointed that she would be seeing much less of James, but it would be worth it.
“When do I start?” she asked.
“Actually, you can go to his lab right now,” James said. “The other research assistants will fill you in on their work, and then you start research on Monday. He said he needs someone for at least a week, but depending on how things go, maybe longer.”
She didn’t know what to say. She really wanted to plant a sloppy kiss of appreciation on James’s face, but she knew that would be wildly inappropriate.
“Okay, I guess I’ll see you later,” she said to the group, but mostly directed at James. She walked to the lab with an extra spring in her step.
Once she got into the study, the rest of the day flew by. She was so busy learning about the brilliant research being done that she hardly even thought about her morning in the on-call room. At the end of the day, she left the hospital with a big stack of research to digest during the weekend.
She was psyched for the upcoming week. While her peers were slaving away in the ER, she would be in surgery, learning new techniques.
On Monday, she woke up early, and out of habit, went to the locker room, even though she could go straight to the lab. Perhaps it was just her subconsciousness guiding her to what she really craved.
Sure enough, James’s bag was sitting on the wooden bench. Steam was pour
ing out from the shower area.
“It’s like a sauna in here,” Isabella called out.
The water stopped. James peeked his head out from behind the curtain.
“Care to join me?”
“I’d rather not. I don’t have time to dry my hair, and if someone comes in here, I don’t want to explain why we were in the same shower stall.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right. Anyway, you’d be surprised how many shower sex-related injuries I’ve seen in my short career in medicine.”
Isabella bit her lip. She was still tempted to strip down and join him.
“Are you excited to work with Dr. Jensen? I hope you know how good of an opportunity it is.”
“Yes, I know,” she replied. “Although, I have a feeling that the other interns hate me now.”
“Probably.” He laughed. “Who cares? They should hate themselves for not studying and actually earning their opportunities.”
She smiled.
“I’m happy for you,” he said. “But I can’t help but be disappointed that I can’t check you out all day.”
Isabella giggled. She shared the same sentiment.
“Do you think we have enough time to revisit the bunk beds?” she purred.
Just then, a doctor entered the room to use the vending machine. That answered that question.
To avoid any suspicion, Isabella took off and went to the lab. Her body was pulsing with arousal, and it took a few moments for the feeling to wear off. Fortunately, work was always a stronger distraction for her.
Just as she was about to leave for the day, she saw James talking to Dr. Jensen. She was too far away to hear what they were discussing, but it looked serious.
“Dr. Carter,” Dr. Jensen addressed her. “Dr. Johnson needs your assistance. You are dismissed for the day. Have a nice evening.”
She followed James down different hallways until he led her into an exam room.
“What did you need my assistance for?” she asked.
He gave her a devilish grin and shut the door behind them, taking extra care to lock it.
“I think you know what I need. I think you need it, too,” he said, grasping her waist.
He was correct. She had been craving his touch all day, ever since she saw him in the shower. James picked her up and sat her on the exam table. The paper crinkled underneath her.
Forbidden Prescription: A Stepbrother Romance Page 4
