Coded Love (A BWWM Romantic Suspense)

by Tiana Cole

  Dr. Newell took the podium and said, “Good Morning, ladies.” A smattering of ‘good mornings’ echoed back. “I understand if most of you are a bit confused why I am here today. Your daily morning briefings are usually conducted by Nurse Silva. However there’s a reason why my presence is required. We have inside our hospital building a VIP. That explains the presence of the media just outside the premises. I cannot reiterate clearly enough that no one among you is allowed to talk to them.

  No one. Whether they ambush you on your way out or stop you anywhere else, no one is allowed to give any information about the patient in question. Is that understood?”

  We all nodded in agreement as Chantal muttered an inaudible “shit.” I knew she was worried about what happened earlier when we arrived. If word reached Dr. Newell she would be in deep shit.

  I hoped nothing about that encounter would come out on TV or the newspaper. The other man took the stand and introduced himself. I was eager to hear what he had to say.

  “My name is Steve Truman and I am the manager of Gareth Westbrook, the patient that Dr.

  Newell referred to. I asked Dr. Newell for strict privacy about Mr. Westbrook’s condition. His health and wellness is a sensitive issue that I will personally address with the press after all the tests are done. As nurses, you are well aware that some injuries are evident. Although Mr. Westbrook seems to have suffered only a mild contusion, there are other soft tissue injuries not immediately apparent at the time of the accident.

  Dr. Newell and a team of specialists are observing him for signs of severe or chronic headaches, and even mild brain injury for the next few days. Ladies, on a more personal note, you may be aware that Mr. Westbrook is a famous race car driver.

  He has endorsements from some of the most well-known brands in the planet. We do not want to create panic among his sponsors.

  That is the reason why we are forbidding anyone to talk about his condition to the press as he is being observed for signs of post-traumatic stress. Is that clear to everyone?”

  We all nodded. Then Dr. Newell and Steve Truman left the room. Nurse Silva took over the rest of the briefing. Now that we were alone with her, the rest of the nurses felt freer to talk and gossip about the patient at the BHH floor.

  “I’ll take the first shift, Nurse Silva.” This was from Melinda, the nurse who often muddled her patients’ prescription. “I wouldn’t mind making it a double.” Swell, I thought. She would have two chances to kill the guy. “I’ve seen photos of him and he is a fine piece of ass.” I wondered where I could get hold of those same photos.

  “Dream on, bitch,” another nurse intervened. “We’ll draw lots and see who takes the shift.”

  “Is it true he is filthy rich…and still single? I wouldn’t mind being Mrs. Gareth Westbrook.” This made us all crack up. Wanda was the oldest nurse at 75 years old, widowed three times over, and obviously still had some life left in her.

  “I think he just signed an endorsement deal with an airline from Saudi Arabia. That must be the reason why his manager wants to keep everything hush-hush,” another nurse offered.

  There was an uproar as the nurses chattered, speculated, and ventured about what they’d heard or read of Gareth Westbrook.

  The gossip was tinged with sexual innuendoes that sent most of the girls swooning and giggling.

  “Ladies, ladies…” Nurse Silva raised her voice above the din. “Please, let me remind you that you are supposedly professional nurses and not a bunch of pussies in heat.” Laughter followed that remark. Inwardly I was hoping to get a chance to see Gareth again but didn’t have the guts to stake a claim.

  Besides, I knew Nurse Silva would assign nurses the way she always did… her way.

  Still, I was disappointed when his chart was not among those assigned to me that day. The squeal of delight coming from a young pretty nurse was all the confirmation I needed that his chart was assigned to her. She left the room like a rooster flapping its wings.

  “Oh well,” I consoled myself as I began my rounds, “maybe it’s for the best that I don’t see him again.” I remembered the erotic dream of him naked.

  I may just end up molesting the gorgeous bastard. I was glad I never mentioned to the rest of the nurses that I was first in his room when he was admitted.

  Nurse Silva knew that but she never mentioned it either. Thankfully Chantal was still worried about her faux pas earlier and was unusually quiet.

  I was determined to focus on my patients for the day, but I constantly battled with the desire to take the elevator to the BHH floor just to be near him again.

  Chapter 9 ( Sienna )

  I focused on my patients in the geriatric ward where I was assigned. I was happy to see that Mr. Taylor, who suffered from depression over his cat who died, was in great spirits.

  He smiled; glad to see me again as he showed me flyers of animal shelters where he could look for another cat to replace Damien. “That’s great news, Mr. Taylor,” I replied. He was being discharged the next day and I wished him well. “I hope I never see you here again,” I joked, and he replied back with a grin.

  I consulted with the psychiatrist who informed me that the depression was gone.

  I spent the next few hours writing reports and recording patients’ behavior. I stepped out for lunch, wondering where Chantal was. I knew she was assigned to the pediatric ward today.

  When I couldn’t find her anywhere, I reckoned she was making up for lost time and decided to get a bite to eat. I was back at the floor by half past one in the afternoon. I was ready to resume my rounds when I got a call from the nurses’ station. It was Nurse Silva asking me to see her in her office.

  “Nurse Silva?” I said as I stepped inside her cubicle.

  “Sienna, I need you to do me a favor.”

  I raised my brows, wondering what it was she needed from me.

  “Our VIP is giving everyone a hell of a time. Do you think you can haul your ass over there and find out what’s wrong? I really need to get these reports done.”

  “Y-you mean Gareth Westbrook?” I asked, keeping my voice normal while my heart did the cha-cha-cha inside my chest.

  “Yes…him.” She took a deep breath and added, “I appreciated that you made no mention at the meeting that you have already met him.

  That means I can depend on you to be discreet. And he seemed to think highly of you. After you left his room he asked a lot of questions about you.” Oh…that info made me want to dance the tango across the hallway. But I kept my cool. Miller, Sienna RN, professional to the core.

  Nurse Silva looked at me. I knew she was trying to read through my indifference. I gave in and lowered my eyes. I couldn’t fool this woman even if I tried. “Look,” she said, “I wasn’t born yesterday.

  I know about the bird and the bees. That guy has a thing for you and judging by how flustered you were when we arrived that night, I know you are not immune to whatever it is that makes all the nurses act like their hormones are in overdrive.”

  “I-I really didn’t know who he was, Nurse Silva, honest. It was only this morning when I heard the news on CNN and then…seeing all those paparazzi outside the hospital…”

  “Well…that makes it even more risky for me to send you.” Oh no, she was changing her mind about sending me there.

  “It’s alright, Nurse Silva. You can depend on me. I’ll take care of the problem with Mr. Westbrook.”

  I thought Mr. Westbrook was a nice touch. If I called him Gareth in front of Nurse Silva, she might just think I was getting too familiar. She nodded and waved me away. Thank God.

  I maneuvered with as much dignity the elevator ride to the BHH floor. I immediately spotted nurses huddled outside Gareth’s room. One of them, Mel, was in tears...again. “Did you get the meds all jumbled up?” I asked with concern, but she shook her head. “What’s the matter, then? Why are you all outside his room?”

  “He-he threw me out…demanded I left the room…said he wanted to take a shower…I s
aid he wasn’t allowed out of bed…but he threatened to throw me off the balcony if I didn’t leave. He’s mean, Sienna. He even locked the door from the inside.”

  Oh God. He could be dead by now. I knocked on the door, hard. “Mr. Westbrook, open the door. Please open the door.” No answer. I made a quick decision. “Mel, go to the nurses’ station and get the key to this room. Hurry!” Mel ran like her pants were on fire.

  “He wouldn’t take his medication either, said it made him feel woozy. I said he had to. Doctors order. I gave him water to take with it and he slapped it away from my hand,” one of the nurses revealed.

  I was starting to get really worried and hoped Mel was on her way back. God knew what might happen if he was inside the shower.

  He may lose consciousness and hit his head on the floor. I heaved with relief to see her come back with the key to the room. I opened the door as the other nurses fled like I was entering Chernobyl. He wasn’t in his bed.

  I heard the splash of water from the shower. I went near the bathroom door. My heart was thumping like a jackhammer as I knocked on the door.

  “M-Mr. Westbrook? Are you alright in there?” No response. “Mr. Westbrook, this is Nurse Miller. Sienna Miller? We met the other night.” The shower was suddenly turned off. “Mr. Westbrook? Gareth? Please open the door.” I prayed for a response.

  The door opened suddenly. Hallelujah! I jumped back in surprise. I knew I asked him to open the door but I didn’t expect him to come out dripping wet with just a towel around his waist.

  “Wh-what are you doing?” I knew it probably sounded stupid.

  “Taking a shower, obviously,” he scoffed.

  “I know…but you aren’t supposed to be out of bed yet.” I was on the verge of panic, but not for any qualified reasons. My nursing expertise took flight at the sight of him standing there half naked.

  I had never seen abs more pronounced on any man. A pool of water could literally form between the spaces in his chest. It didn’t help my composure that his chest tapered down to a narrow V line to a waist where the towel hanged just below his ‘happy trail.’ The towel was not thick enough to hide what was obviously an erect penis. That left me totally flustered.

  “Robe…robe…do you have a robe?” I heard myself mutter as I scrambled for the closet. Thankfully one was hanging just inside the door.

  I grabbed it and handed it to him. Without any consideration for my presence, he dropped the towel to the floor and donned the robe. I squealed and whirled away from him. Jesus H. Christ! The man had absolutely no shame.

  “You’ve never seen a naked man before?” he taunted as I busied myself with the bed and tucked the edges in. I fluffed his pillows and arranged them neatly.

  “Of course I have. I’m a nurse. But those patients were mostly inert, sick, and lethargic.” And didn’t have a hard on.

  “I wasn’t just referring to patients, Sienna.”

  I liked the way he said my name, like he knew me. His voice was coming from the direction of the closet where I found the robe. I gave a furtive glance in that direction. He reached in for something to wear, I assumed. His back was towards me. And then he dropped the robe and donned drawstring pajamas… but not before I got an eyeful of his firm ass.

  I slapped down my libido as it did a somersault and landed jubilantly on its feet. I summoned the certified nurse in me that had gone into hiding. “Get back into bed now!” The authority in my voice took him by surprise. I saw him waver from his cocky stance as I pushed my advantage. “If you do not do as I say, so help me God, I will order restraints on you.”

  I meant it and was relieved when he actually followed my order.

  “Are you usually this bossy with all your patients?”

  “Mr. Westbrook, you have no idea…”

  “Gareth…”

  “Mr. Westbrook, if anything happened…”

  “Call me Gareth.”

  “Alright…Gareth. You have absolutely no idea the repercussions of your actions. If you lost consciousness in the shower, you could hurt yourself and get a concussion.”

  “I feel fine.”

  “You were in a vehicular accident. There are internal injuries that have delayed reaction like concussion, whiplash, and brain injuries.”

  A worried look crossed his face. Good. Served him right for causing so much trouble.

  “There is a reason why you have prescribed medication…which I heard you refused to take.”

  He looked embarrassed, like a little boy caught being naughty. I found it rather cute, but still maintained my bearing.

  “But they make me sleepy. I don’t like it.” The whimper in his voice was rather endearing.

  “It is supposed to make you sleep. The body heals faster that way.”

  “Oh…alright. I’ll take the damned thing.”

  Winning! I went to his bedside table, got the prescription and some water, and brought it back to him.

  “There…happy now?”

  I smiled. Then he flashed a smile that almost knocked my socks off.

  “Thank you, Gareth. Why were you being difficult with the other nurses?”

  “I thought you’d be back sooner.”

  What? Was he waiting for me to come back sooner?

  “It was my day off.” I was fishing for more.

  “Hmmm…well…Okay. Tell the nurses I’m sorry, okay?”

  “I’ll let them know. They all ran away like you were biohazard.”

  He laughed. It was husky and sexy. I noticed his eyelids were starting to droop. He stifled a yawn and said, “I’m glad you’re here now.”

  “I’m glad I’m here too.” It was the truth. No harm in letting him know.

  “Sienna?”

  He was starting to slur. I knew sleep was coming.

  “Yes, Gareth?”

  “Tell me more about yourself.”

  He was probably groggy…and bored…but I humored him as I told him about my background, my family, where I came from, how I finished school and ended up as a nurse here in the hospital. I kept an eye on his breathing.

  “Shhienna?” Definitely slurring now.

  “Yes, Gareth?”

  “You snore in your sleep.”

  What the…Oh! The night I fell asleep inside this room. Was I snoring then?

  “I do not…” I protested lightly, not sure if he was mocking me.

  “I won’t tell anyone.”

  “Okay, fine. And I won’t tell anyone I saw you butt naked.”

  He managed a sleepy grin as his lids drooped even lower.

  “I need to take a pulse reading, okay?” I took hold of his wrist and counted the beats.

  “And you liked what you saw?” he asked.

  I didn’t really know if I should answer that. He twisted his wrist and somehow got hold of my hand. I should have removed mine from his grasp but I didn’t. His eyes were struggling to stay open as he waited for my reply. I threw caution to the wind.

  “You have a mighty fine ass, Mr. Westbrook and…yes I liked what I saw.”

  He smiled and then fell asleep in a snap with my hand still entwined in his. I knew I was crossing a line here somewhere. But…to hell with it. I was attracted to him. I’d take whatever I could get. Even if I was a nurse I was still very much a woman, and I liked the way it felt…holding hands with this man…even if he was starting to snore.

  Chapter 10 ( Gareth )

  When I heard her voice through the shower, I thought surely my brain had gone under. It was now playing tricks on me. I was going insane and was hearing voices.

  I must have brain damage. I had spent the last 48 hours waiting for her to show up. Since she left the room that night, I spent all these time waiting for her return.

  To be honest I wasn’t just waiting for her. I had done more than that. In my mind I had her standing in front of me…naked. I imagined running my fingers over that silky, chocolate-y skin and felt her shiver.

  I ran my fingers in her hair and marveled at the soft
twisty texture. I touched her nipples and delighted in the way they puckered under my attention. In my mind I have possessed her, controlled her, and fucked her. It was like a heat that consumed me.

  I was so annoyed that night with Steve and his posse of doctors that I had trouble paying attention to what they had to say. I gave brief, sullen answers. I just wanted them to go away. My mind was somewhere else. I wanted her to come back. Sienna, that was her name. Sienna Miller, and she was a nurse here. Which meant…I would see her again.

  I cheered quietly as Steve and the doctors hied off to a corner. I heard snatches of conversation. “…watch out for TBI…difficulty keeping up with conversation…brain scan…” I really didn’t care. The other nurse was checking my pulse and taking my temperature. I peeked at her name plate. Silva, Andrea, RN. CNE.

  “Err-Nurse Silva, that girl who was just here, Sienna Miller, does she work for you?”

  She gave me a surprised look. “Yes, Nurse Miller is one of my nurses.” Then a worried look crossed her face. “Why? Did she do anything wrong?”

  “Oh no! No! No! Actually I wanted to thank her but didn’t have a chance because she left so suddenly.”

  She seemed relieved to hear that and said, “Nurse Miller is one of my dedicated nurses. Poor girl. She reported for work this morning even if she was dead tired.”

  Dead tired? I happened to know that she was drunk the night before. She was out drinking with her friends. It was an impulsive confession because I caught her sleeping. But I didn’t say a word to the head nurse.

  “I was surprised to find her here. I told her she could leave after she checked on you.”

  I put on a grateful face and said, “That’s why I want to say thank you. Will she be back tomorrow?”

  I held my breath.

  “I-I really don’t think so,” the nurse replied. “The woman deserves to take a break.”

  I tried to mask my disappointment. Fuck. How long do nurses take a break? “Well…tell her I said thank you.”

  I waited the next day on the off-chance she was that dedicated to her work. No show. I wondered if she was with her family. Was she married? I didn’t remember seeing a ring on her finger. Boyfriend, perhaps? But she said she was out drinking with her friend. She could have said boyfriend. Did that mean she was single? My heart skipped a beat.