12. Luke
“If I didn’t know better, I swear you’re acting like this because you haven’t gotten laid in a while.”
Not many doctors can say that to my face, not even the hospital’s director, but I suppose Kyle Malone is an exception. He’s not a resident doctor, but he’s trusted and experienced enough that he’s become the regular go-to when we have doctors on long leaves and the hospital needs a temporary replacement.
He’s also a childhood friend, who came from the same background as me and rebelled from his wealthy family to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor, which his family considered beneath him.
“I’m just knee-deep in work, that’s all.”
Kyle raises a brow. “When you’re that overloaded, you’re usually snapping at everyone and acting like a grump, not mooning over your desk with bags under your eyes. What’s up?”
Okay, so there’s no denying that I’ve been sleepless lately. And when I do sleep, it’s filled with dreams—and let’s just say those dreams are too raunchy to be said out loud. Besides, the guy would have a field day over my misery.
“Don’t you have work to do, Kyle?”
“Ah, avoidance. Another clue that this isn’t the regular I’m-so-busy-with-work phase.” His gaze narrows. “Wait. Did your ex attempt to contact you? Does she want to get back together? Is that what this is?”
For all his teasing earlier, his concern now is genuine. I shake my head. “No, she hasn’t contacted me. And she’s not looking to get back together.”
To be honest, I haven’t heard from my ex, Carol, nor have I thought about her in such a long time. And I don’t care where she is right now. Kyle looks like he has a lot to say, as he’s known her for quite a while, too, since we pretty much run the same circles.
In the end, he sighs. “Good. I thought she was the cause again.”
“Never.”
I get suspicious when his eyes gleam. “Which means it’s another woman.”
“Why does it have to involve a woman?”
“I told you, man. You look sex-starved.”
I scoff. “That’s just your imagination, Kyle.”
Except he’s not far from the truth. It’s not sex-starved but more of a sexual frustration, all because while I get to spend time with the woman I want because we share a daughter, I don’t get to touch her—and the torture of the constant interaction and close proximity is unbearable sometimes. It’s a miracle I haven’t broken yet and tried to kiss her again, but I guess her words resonate with me, and I respect her more for her dedication to Riley.
But yes, I have the blue balls. And it’s driving me crazy.
“You should find yourself a nice woman and ease that look off. I bet you could have your pick.”
I growl. “You’re still on that topic?”
Kyle grins. “Of course. It’s a good topic.”
“I’m not playing the field anymore.”
“It is because?—”
“It’s not because of a woman. It’s because I’m just busy as hell—and you should go back to work.”
Kyle keeps teasing me, but to my relief, he finally leaves before Olivia arrives and the man can see right through my fa?ade. When he’s gone, I recall his words and have to admit that he’s right. In the past, I usually slaked my lust through different women.
It didn’t even matter which woman. If we got along well and there was a hint of attraction—and if she wasn’t a work colleague—we would be falling into bed right away, though I never took one to my penthouse suite. But one night with them was enough, as I wanted to set boundaries that what we shared was nothing more than casual sex.
Lately, though, the appeal is lost on me and I can’t find myself participating in something that only feels hollow after. Olivia, however, is a different matter because one night with her doesn’t feel enough. I want to take her over and over.
I want her to moan my name and surrender herself to me over and over.
Except she doesn’t want it, bud.
“Here are the files, Luke. Your next patient appointment will be in fifteen minutes.”
Speak of the devil.
I watch as she prepares my needed tools and sets everything up the way I want them set up. It’s only been a few months, but I can’t deny that having her around has eased a lot of my work burden. I remind myself to mention to James what an impressive job she’s doing, hoping it will earn her a bonus or even a permanent raise.
“Thanks, Liv.”
She stays silent while sitting at her desk and typing something on her keyboard. She still avoids more intimate interaction, but at least she is comfortable enough to address me by my first name now. I don’t have time to mull over it further as the first patient arrives and she gets busy assisting me while I assess the patient’s progress.
Four patients later, Olivia leaves to take her break. I sit at my desk, bored as hell, and debate whether I should stay here or find something to do. Before I can think about it, I’m walking down the halls, unsure what I’m looking for…then, too sure and cursing myself for it.
She’s not at the cafeteria, so I check the office again. When she’s not there yet, I head over to the staff lounges and luck out when I find her in one—except she’s not alone.
Mark is with her, standing so close. Too close. My jealous streak rises before I can stop it, and my hands fist with the need to growl at him like some caveman.
The worst thing is that it’s just the two of them, with no one around. Anyone can walk in and assume this is an intimate moment. I’m not proud of this thought process, and it takes everything in me to control my possessiveness.
I will myself to take a step back and leave them alone…until I hear Olivia’s tense voice.
“No, Mark. I already told you I’m not interested.”
“But it’s just a date. Surely you can spare me one?”
“I’m busy…”
“You’re not even a doctor and we have the busier schedules. You work nine hours a day. I’m sure you have a free hour?—”
“No, Mark, I don’t.”
“But you already said yes before.”
“When I thought you wanted to be friends. Now you want to be more and I’m not ready for that.”
My ears perk and warning bells ring in my head at the insistence in her tone—an indication that he might have already asked her repeatedly before I walked in here. Because I was too preoccupied with getting jealous, I didn’t even notice the look on her face, which is as tense as her voice.
And nervous.
I don’t think. I immediately march over to them, my footsteps deliberately loud. Olivia jumps at the sound, her eyes widening when she spots me.
“Dr. Jennings.”
“Hey, there you are.” I don’t stop until I’m standing between them without inserting myself in the middle. Annoyance sparks when Mark doesn’t move away from her.
“Luke, hey.”
I don’t return Mark’s greeting. My gaze stays on Olivia. “Is everything okay?”
Silence. I don’t miss the nervous look that crosses Mark’s face. Finally, she nods. “Yes, of course. Everything’s fine.”
Mark smiles, relieved. “Everything’s fine, Luke. I don’t even know what you’re talking about?—?”
I turn my swift gaze toward him, cutting him off with a look. “Mark.”
He pauses. “What?”
“I would like to remind you that hospital liaisons are prohibited, especially between colleagues with no equal power…like a doctor and a medical assistant. Surely James told you about this?”
“Yes. He told me about it?—?”
“Good. Then you should remember that. It would be a shame to lose a doctor like you over harassment and liaison accusations.”
Mark’s eyes widen, and this time, I know what he’s seeing in my look. It’s a threat as much as a promise. He nods nervously, then finally takes a step back.
I should be amused that he’s now acting like Olivia’s a plague, but the fury is still thrumming inside me. I watch him like a hawk as he makes an excuse about being late for an appointment before finally leaving the lounge. Even then, I still watch the door, willing the man to return—because if he does, I don’t think I can suppress myself from punching him.
But he doesn’t return. When enough time has passed, I turn to Olivia, who now looks pale. Concern has me reaching out to touch her cheek.
“How many times has he asked you out?”
She gulps, about to downplay it. Then she seems to change her mind at my challenging look and shrugs.
“A couple. This is the second time he’s cornered me to ask me out. Third time if I count him asking me out during our first lunch together at the cafeteria.”
My rage intensifies. “Fuck. I should have punched the bastard?—”
A hand reaches for mine—the one on her cheek. She doesn’t let go as she gives me a pleading look. “No. Don’t. That will just get you in trouble.”
The muscle in my jaw ticks. “Then I should report him?—”
“No. Please don’t.”
“Why the hell not?”
“I don’t want to cause trouble.”
“But he harassed you.”
“It was more of him asking me out and me being too polite to say no outright. I should have said no right away the first time, but I didn’t realize he wanted more than friendship.” She squeezes my hand. “Now I do, so I said no. I think he got the picture and won’t do it again.”
I want to argue with that, but she looks so convinced that she will get into trouble.
“Liv…”
“Please, Luke. Let’s just let this pass. I’m still fairly new and I don’t want to be under scrutiny for this. This job means too much.”
Silence. Finally, I take a deep breath and nod. “Fine. But if he corners you again…”
“Then I’ll do something about it. Don’t worry.”
But I do worry. I turn my hand and connect our palms, then let my thumb brush over hers. The action and her lack of protest draw me closer until our faces are inches apart.
I search her face until I’m satisfied that she’s not bothered anymore by the incident. Then I sigh.
“Okay. If you say so.”
“I say so. Luke?”
“What?”
“It’s no big deal. I’m a big girl. I can say no if I don’t like something. Or someone.”
“Hmm.” I meet her gaze. “Just like you say no to me?”
A small smile plays on her lips. “Yeah.”
I’m locked in on that smile and how nice it looks. Then I’m locked in on her lips and how soft they look, and soon my thumb reaches up to trace the corner of it. Her smile falters, but her lips…they part.
My thumb trembles, but I keep tracing the seam and imagining licking in between to part them even more. My cock twitches, then hardens as the rest of my imagination goes wild. Before I know it, my mouth is inches from her, breath mingling with hers.
She doesn’t say no. She leans into my touch, her pulse beating erratically under my other free thumb that I rub over her wrist. It would be so easy just to cover the remaining distance of our mouths and take the kiss I’ve been aching for so long—the kiss that started in my apartment when we were dancing but we never got to finish.
But wouldn’t that make me no different from Mark?
It’s that final thought that fills me with horror and jerks me back abruptly. Olivia blinks at my sudden movement, then stares at me while looking so vulnerable and flushed. I swallow.
“I’m sorry.”
She swallows, too, then recovers from her flushed state. “Yeah. It’s…fine.”
We’re silent again, just looking at each other. I open my mouth. Before I can speak, the door opens and I hear a relieved sigh.
“Dr. Jennings, there you are. We have an emergency.”
I turn to look at a nurse I recognize.
“Pat, what’s the emergency?”
“It’s your patient earlier. The kid. He got into an accident and the doctor at the emergency room said that the operation might need to be moved today.”