“Right.” I laughed and walked out into the hall as my heartbeat quickened. I was headed toward a new adventure, a new journey, and whereas I was completely thrilled, I was also terrified.
Good thing Stephanie would be there with me.
* * *
I pushed my way through the apartment door with my arms full of overflowing paper grocery bags.
Stephanie was in the kitchen with her head buried in the open door of the refrigerator. When she heard me come in, she extracted herself from the fridge, and her eyes flicked from mine to the grocery bags I set down on the kitchen counter. “What’s all this?”
I shook out my aching arms. I hadn’t expected to buy so many groceries. “Lunches for the week. I had a feeling you and I were going to be too busy and too stressed to properly nourish ourselves while at the hospital.”
“So you thought you’d buy the entire grocery store?”
I chuckled and started unpacking the first bag of produce, cucumber, spinach, peppers, , apples, bananas, broccoli. “I thought I’d do us both a favor and try my hand at some meal prepping tonight.”
Stephanie leaned forward to rest an elbow on the counter and her chin in her palm. She arched an eyebrow as I started setting out all the food, including a couple packages of chicken breasts. “Meal prepping, huh?”
“I don’t know about you, but I can’t focus when I’m starving. And this week is not the time to drop the ball because I have a grumbling stomach.”
“That’s fair. Can I help?”
“You’d better help,” I said, shooting her a challenging look. “I didn’t spend all this money to have to do it myself. Besides, it’s not like either of us are going to fall asleep easily tonight. This will give us something to keep our minds busy.”
Stephanie grinned and went about pulling out cutting boards and frying pans and baking sheets. She preheated the oven for the chicken, and then the two of us worked together to cut up some veggies and heat up some rice.
I believed in setting myself up for success. I also knew I could not afford to each lunch in the cafeteria every day or go out for lunches with the other residents. At this stage of the game, I still had to make sacrifices for the life I wanted, and that was what this was. It was also a strategy to make sure I was on my A-game and well nourished. If I could control what was going in my body, I could control how much energy and focus I brought to the table.
And that was going to be crucial.
“You didn’t buy any treats?” Stephanie pouted as she peered down into the now empty grocery bags. “Not even a single cookie box? Or some chips?”
“Nope. Not a priority. And not brain food.”
Stephanie rolled her eyes. “Yes, Mom.”
While the rice and veggies cooked on the stove and the seasoned chicken baked in the oven, I pulled out all the Tupperware containers we would need for our lunches for the upcoming week. Stephanie cleaned the kitchen, and within forty-five minutes, we had everything neatly packed up and tucked in the fridge.
Stephanie planted her hands on her hips. “Now what?”
I glanced at the clock on the stove. It was only seven o’clock.
With a cheeky grin, I tugged open the fridge and pulled out our already opened oversized bottle of Moscato. “Wine o’clock?”
“You read my mind.”
We threw on comfy sweaters and took our glasses of wine out onto our balcony. We were lucky. We faced another condo next door that was only four stories high. From our balcony, we could look down at their rooftop pool and admire the couple of good-looking guys who liked to frequent the spot for an evening swim. Their bodies were lit up by the pale blue glow of the pool lights. I sighed with contentment as the sweet white wine tickled my tongue. “Everything changes after tomorrow, Steph. Are you ready?”
“I’m going into this with my best friend. Of course I am.” She kicked her feet up to rest on the balcony railing and slumped in her chair. Then she rolled her head to the side to look at me. “What about you? Have you crossed all your t’s and dotted your i’s?”
I shrugged.
Stephanie giggled. “You know, I bet Dex wishes he was the one spending tonight with you. Not me. This is a big deal. And you’re leaving him on the sidelines.”
Guilt swirled in my belly, and I stared down into my glass of wine. “I know.”
“How long are you going to keep stringing him along? He’s got to know the end is coming.”
“I don’t know if he’s that intuitive.”
I swirled my wine glass in slow circles. The wine kissed the glass, and I thought about Dex. He was probably sitting at home mindlessly watching television or playing video games.
Sometimes, I envied him for his more relaxed lifestyle. He made decent money and hadn’t acquired a ton of debt like I had for following my passion. He had free time coming out of his ass, and he wasted it away, day in and day out.
“We’ve been over for a long time,” I muttered. “All that’s left is to say it out loud and empty my bathroom drawer at his apartment.”
Stephanie reached over and put her hand on mine. “I know it won’t be fun, Elizabeth. But you have to do it. And what better time is there than now? You’re not going to have the time or the energy to deal with him after tomorrow. The sooner you put an end to it, the better. For both of you.”
“I don’t want to hurt him.”
“The longer you wait, the more you’re hurting him.”
She was right, of course. And she wasn’t saying anything I didn’t already know.
Stephanie lifted her wine glass. “A toast. To new beginnings. And a pact.”
“A pact?”
“That you’ll set Dex loose by the end of next week. No excuses.”
I gnawed at my bottom lip.
Stephanie tapped her glass against the side of mine. “Deal?”
“Deal.”
4
Aiden
I was grateful for the group training that I was in charge of the next day. It kept my mind busy and helped me stop thinking about Max and his wife sharing their last week together. If I wasn’t concentrating on their loss, then I was thinking about Elizabeth. I even enjoyed the sound of her name as it moved through my head. I was being ridiculous, but no one would ever know my thoughts, especially not the girl. If she was to be under me as a student, then she would get only the best and most demanding mentor she had ever had.
“This is the last part of your coursework for this class today.” I passed out a handful of quizzes to the doctors sitting in front of me. “Score an eighty or less, and you won’t receive credit toward your continuing education. Simple really.”
A few groans resonated around the room, but I ignored them and walked to the front of the room to drop down into my chair. A pretty young nurse stuck her head into the classroom and gave me a worried look.
“Dr. Crawford, we’re having a code blue, and they need you now.” She moved back as I jolted from my seat and took off down the hall behind her.
“Why the hell didn’t they use the intercom system? How long did it take you to get down here? Shit.” I growled in frustration, not caring about anything but saving whoever was going under.
“The wiring is messed up from the storm last night. It’s almost fixed. I’m sorry. I—”
I moved past her, ignoring her as I rounded the corner that led to the ER. I sprinted the rest of the way, stopping by the OR as Peter stepped out of a room and shook his head.
“He’s gone.” He let out a sigh and moved past me as I jogged into the room.
Max Burns was on the table, his flesh pale and body lifeless.
“No. Wait.” I moved toward the table and pressed my hand to his chest as I scanned the machines around him. “Talk to me. Tell me what happened. There should be something we can do.”
“We’ve been trying to bring him back for twenty minutes. They couldn’t remember which room you were in.” Karen, one of my favorite nurses, reached out and touched my chest. “He’s gone, Doctor
. I’m sorry.”
I pursed my lips and moved back. “Right. Has anyone spoken to his wife?”
“She left about ten minutes ago. Said she couldn’t deal with everything.” Karen shook her head. “I hate this part of our job. It seems like there’s always five deaths to two lives saved. Why is that?”
There were no words to offer, so I didn’t try. “Call my cell if you need me to talk with Mrs. Burns. Something tells me that she’ll be back up here.”
“All right, Doctor. Take care, and we’ll see you back down here tomorrow.” Karen gave me a sad smile. “You’re running the ER tomorrow, right?”
“Yes. It’s my turn.” I walked out and pulled my phone from my pocket, wishing I could call one of my sisters. I just needed a quick pep talk to be reminded that everything I did was for the greater good. At times, it felt the exact opposite.
Darkness worked to settle around my heart and drag me into a pit of despair, but as always, I pushed against it and forced myself to put one foot in front of the other.
Max Burns wasn’t a friend, or family, or anyone I even really knew, but he was my patient. A life I’d lost because I didn’t have a solution to fix the damage his younger years had done to his heart. Now at forty-one, he was gone.
“We weren’t cheating.” One of the comical, jock-type guys in the back called out as I walked back into the classroom. They all chuckled, and I gave him a cocky smirk, faking my way through the performance like I did in front of almost everyone.
“Yeah, right. The only way you’re going to pass is by cheating, Vinny.” I clapped my hands. “Time’s up. It’s almost seven o’clock. We’ve had a long day. Turn your test in and get out of here.”
They groaned and got up, some of them still scribbling furiously. I moved to take my seat again and gave up on trying to force anyone to bring their tests up just yet. I didn’t have anywhere to go or anyone to see. I could stay there all night and most likely would. Peter would have my ass for picking up extra shifts, but the other doctors on staff had families to go home to, wives to make love to, and kids to tuck into bed.
“Thanks for doing this today. You were brilliant.” A young female doctor stopped by the desk. The look in her eyes was one I’d seen too often in my time at St. Mark’s.
“Thanks. I’ll have these back to you guys by tomorrow afternoon.” I took her test and nodded. “Good evening.”
“I was talking with some of the other doctors on a break today, and they said everyone was getting together at Johnny K’s tonight for a few beers. Do you want to maybe join us?” She nibbled at her lip as she shifted from foot to foot. She was cute but off limits.
“No, but thank you for the offer. I’m old, if you guys hadn’t noticed.” I gave her a cheeky grin and turned my attention to a guy who moved up to hand me his test.
“You’re not old. That’s silly.” She leaned against the desk and cleared her throat. “I think it would do you some good to get out of here for a while. Word on the street is that you basically live here.”
I glanced up at her. “Is it now?”
“Well, I mean…”
“Good night, Dr. Vincent. Thank you for the offer, but I’m not interested.” I pulled the tests toward me and ignored her soft huff as she walked out of the classroom. The last few doctors dropped off their tests, and I sat there in stony silence for a few minutes. Going home to a glass of wine and my couch sounded great, but so did stopping by my favorite bar for a beer. I could find a pretty woman to take back to my place and then spend the night making love to her like I cared. It was a pipe dream, but it was bliss while it lasted.
“Hey. What’re your plans?” Parks banged out a rhythm on the door as he gave me a quirky smile. His spiky dark hair and green eyes had him front and center for female attention, but I was glad for him. It took it off of me.
“I was thinking a bubble bath and glass of chocolate milk. You?”
“Fuck that. You were not.” He lifted his hands. “Wait. If you really were, please don’t tell me that shit. I already have very little respect for you.”
I stood up and laughed. “Oh yeah? Why is that?”
“I can’t stand a man who’s smarter than me. There’s a reason you’re so smart.” He walked into the room as his eyebrow lifted. “Did you sell your soul to the devil?”
“Um, no, but if I did, then I got gypped. Smarts aren’t worth the trauma of burning in hell forever. At least, not in my opinion.” I tucked the tests and remaining training guides into my briefcase. “And stop being intimidated by me. Just because I can run circles around you and my dick’s four times the size of yours doesn’t give you the right to be upset all the time.”
He laughed loudly and clamped his hands down on my shoulders. “I don’t know why I hang out with you. You’re one fucking insult after another.”
“I bring the ladies your way. You’re using me. Everyone does.” I chuckled and walked to the door. “I’m not going to have beers at Johnny K’s. Hanging out with these people that I just spent all day ignoring does not sound like a good time waiting to happen.”
“Aww, come on. There are some beautiful nurses who were just hired. I’ll let you pick first if you just come.” He caught up to me as I walked down the hall.
“Nope. Thanks, though.” I walked into my office as Parks stopped at the door.
“All right. What if I admit that you’re dashingly handsome and that I’m jealous?”
“Still no date. Get out. I’ll see you tomorrow, and no boning the new nurses.” I glanced up and smiled at the guy. He had far too much personality. I, alone, enjoyed it. It often overshadowed his potential in the eyes of our colleagues.
“You’re no fun. You know that?” He walked out of the office as I nodded. I was well aware of my lack of fun status. It was purposeful and kept me safe in my bubble of indifference to my own pathetic love life.
I walked through the hospital with my head tucked down, pretending to be on my phone as if I had something important to do. No one would know the difference, and it would save me from having to deny everyone who requested my presence at the bar.
My car was at the front of the parking lot, and I got in before letting out a soft growl. I wanted to go to the bar, but not the one where everyone knew me. I needed to find a new place to hang out where I could be a nobody, unimportant and unneeded like the rest of the world. It was ridiculous, seeing as how I’d worked my whole life to matter, to serve, but now that I was important, it was exhausting.
I stopped by the bar near my house and was glad to see a few girls I’d taken home before. It was easier than leading some poor woman on. Taking a seat at the bar, I was greeted by the bartender, who was new to me.
“What’ll it be tonight, sir?” The guy leaned down and dropped a cocktail napkin in front of me.
“He likes Jack and Coke. Double shot. On the rocks.” Lily slid onto the seat next to me and leaned in close. “I’ve missed seeing you around, Doc.”
“It’s been crazy, but you’ve been missed as well.” I let my eyes run down her scantily dressed form. She was a pretty girl and could have been a beautiful lingerie model, but she lacked confidence and class. I wasn’t one to judge, though. I was a doctor with several million dollars in the bank, sitting at a rundown bar, looking for someone to fuck for the night. It was so far out of my persona that it was humorous, and yet, there I was.
“Oh, yeah? Need some company tonight?” She touched my arm gently.
“I’d love some. You free?” I took my drink from the bartender and drank it down quickly, enjoying the burn. I would need at least two more to loosen myself up enough to sleep with the wild woman next to me. It was a good thing I was willing to burn a few liver cells in order to feel the high of gripping Lily’s hair tightly as I fucked her hard from behind.
“For you? Any time.” She got off the stool and moved just behind me, pressing her hands to my back and rubbing softly before she slid her arms around me and pressed her chest to my back. “I ha
ve to be somewhere at eleven, though. You wanna just have some fun here?”
I finished my drink and lifted my glass to the bartender. “Another, please.”
“You sure?” He lifted his eyebrow.
“I asked for it, didn’t I?” I stood up and turned in her arms, wrapping mine around her shoulders and leaning down as I pressed my lips firmly to hers. She tasted like liquor and peppermint, which teased my senses. “Here’s good.”
“I’ll be in the back. Come find me.” She nipped at my lips and moved back. Her nipples were budded, and my body woke up at the thought of flicking my tongue across each of them rhythmically while she cried out from the pressure I was going to apply to her pliable, tight body.
“Right.” I turned and took the glass, pressing it to my lips and lifting it to drain it in three gulps. I let out a long growl and pulled out my wallet, dropping a twenty on the bar and walking toward the back.
The image of Elizabeth moved in front of my vision, and I groaned. I wanted to find out just who this girl was who had everyone at the hospital buzzing. Was she shy or outgoing? Funny or dull? Needy or content?
“In here, handsome.” Lily stepped out of a small closet and grabbed my shirt, pulling me in with her. It was pitch black, and I was grateful. I could let her be anyone I needed her to be.
She worked on my pants, reaching my cock with efficiency. I leaned against the wall behind me as she ran her hands over my erection at first, and then the warmth of her mouth wrapped around me.
The small whimpers she made were cute at first but quickly got on my nerves. I let her suck at me for a few more minutes before pulling her up. The liquor caused my blood to boil, my skin to warm, and my body to crave carnality.
“Tug your dress up and press your chest against the wall.” I leaned over and pulled a condom from my pants pocket before working it onto my swollen flesh.
“Come here.” She reached for me, trying to press a kiss to my lips, but I spun her around and gripped her hips tightly before impaling her.
Between The Sheets Page 3
