Chapter 5 – Aston #2
I do, much to the disappointment of the other nurses.
It’s been a while since I’ve had this level of attention.
At my old hospital, the nurses and female doctors and staff stopped noticing me that way after my second year of residency and then completely after I got married.
After Astrid left me, I was the sad sack of shit and dove into all things work, and no one felt right about flirting with me.
They also didn’t know I was part of Hughes Healthcare, a chain of community health centers in the Boston area, the way everyone here does.
Alden runs it now since he’s the family provider and I’m the surgeon, but I’m still on the board and part of the charity it helps to run.
“She doesn’t like you, though all she said was that she knows you,” Michaela tells me bluntly.
“Her older brother is my best friend.” I tuck in my grin. I don’t elaborate. I have no idea how close she is with this woman, and I don’t want word getting out that Skylar and I technically live in the same house, even if it’s temporary.
“Did you earn her dislike?”
“Yes,” I admit. “But in fairness, she was never roses and sunshine to me either.”
She always thought I was an arrogant jerk—because I was—and I always thought she was a brat—because she was. But that’s not what this is. I’ve been around her plenty of times in the past, and we’ve never been more than indifferent.
This is her reacting because we kissed and it was hot, and it would have led to more if the situation and circumstances were different, and she doesn’t know how to manage that other than to be antagonistic and think of me as an asshole.
At least that’s my psych 101 analysis.
“She’s around the corner. Don’t make me have to suffer ice cream because of you. I’m lactose intolerant.”
I smile down at her. “No unnecessary emotional ice cream eating. I get it.”
“Good. Be nice to her.”
“That I can’t promise.” I grin at Michaela and find my cute little swan setting up an empty patient room. I enter and cross the room as she goes through the supply cart.
“I believe I told you to stay away from me. That wasn’t me being dramatic.”
I approach so I’m standing beside her but not close enough that I can smell her sweet fragrance. “I know. But I don’t think that’s going to work well with us. We live in the same house and work together.”
“How come Micha didn’t tell me you were going to be working here?” she asks as she closes one red drawer and opens another, sifting through packs of equipment.
I shrug. “Honestly, I don’t even remember if I told him. Our conversations are usually over text because of the time change. I told him I was moving to Boston, and he called and offered me his place, and that was kind of that.”
She closes the last bin, staring down at the red cart. “This is my job. I don’t want it to be weird.”
“Same,” I agree. “Nurses are too important, and I rely too heavily on them to have a problem with one.”
She nods slowly and turns to look up at me just as I look down at her.
“I don’t know what to say about Micha’s house other than I’m sorry,” I tell her.
She makes a dismissive noise.
“No, really,” I protest. “I am.”
“But you have no intention of moving out.” It’s a statement, not a question.
“If it were just me, I would. But Zoey loves that house, and she needs something that makes her smile right now.” Which reminds me. “Where did you stay last night?”
A smile curls up her lips. “Elsewhere.”
“Did he make you come?”
Fuck. The words slipped out. Angry and jealous sounding too. Awesome. This is why we can’t live together.
Her green eyes narrow. “That’s an unprofessional question, Doctor.”
“Did he?” I press, inching into her a little.
She laughs as if that’s the most ridiculous question in the world. “Why do you care?”
Because the thought of her never orgasming before has been silently killing me, and I don’t know what’s worse—the thought that no one has ever gotten her off before or that someone will, and it won’t be me.
Before I can come up with some sort of a response, there’s a knock on the edge of the doorway that has us both turning around to find a young surgeon. “Hey, Skylar?” His eyes are all over her with blatant interest. “I was looking for you. Got a second?”
She stiffens beside me. Is this the guy she was with last night?
Oh, hell no.
“Actually, Sky was going to show me around the floor,” I state, moving closer to her side and giving him a look a man shouldn’t miss. One that says fuck off. “I’m the new trauma surgery attending.”
He blinks as if he just realized I’m here and straightens his spine. And now his entire disposition changes, reforming into the arrogance of a surgeon and the contempt of a man who doesn’t like another man touching what he wants.
“You must be Dr. Hughes. I heard you were joining the team. Welcome. I’m Josh Wesley, an R-3 with trauma.”
Which means he works for me. “Excellent. I’m looking forward to working with you. If it’s nothing emergent, I’ll have Sky show me around the floor before she finds you for whatever you wanted to talk to her about.”
His gaze shifts back and forth between the two of us, narrowing ever so slightly as his jaw clenches. “No. It can wait.”
“Perfect.” I glance down at Skylar, who does not look happy with me. “Ready?” I place my hand on the small of her back, not even sure what I’m doing or why, but not stopping myself either.
“Of course, Doctor,” she all but snarls, and yeah, so much for calling a truce with her.