4. CHAPTER 4
“Clear the way!”
I jump out of the way just as a pair of paramedics comes rushing in with a new patient. They are aiming straight for the trauma room, and I turn to follow them but catch Dr. Smith’s eyes, and he shakes his head.
“I got this one,” he tells me over the commotion, and I nod.
It’s probably for the best because I seem to be a bit distracted today. My mind’s been all over the place, and I’ve dropped more instruments in the last hour than in the last two years put together. Lack of sleep is not an excuse this time because I spent most of yesterday curled up in bed, alternating between reading a book and taking a series of power naps.
My clumsiness has nothing to do with Grayden or the fact that I brought him home. Not even my friends have seen my apartment. My coven doesn’t even know where I live, and I’m in no rush to invite anyone over.
I duck behind a corner and bury my face into a medicine cabinet, pretending to be busy as I struggle to keep the flush from spreading across my sensitive cheeks. I should never let Grayden use the shower because now I can’t stop imagining him standing in my bathtub, washing himself, and...well...being naked.
“Helia.”
I jump as Liam sneaks up behind me.
“Hi, sorry,” he says, his brows furrowing as he gives me an apologetic look. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“Yeah, no, you didn’t,” I say too quickly, then force a smile and briefly look into his blue eyes. “I should go back to work.”
“I was actually hoping to talk to you,” Liam says as he follows me down the hall. “There’s something that I’ve wanted to address for a while now, but there never seemed to be a good time, and then I figured that there’s no time like the present.”
My body tenses, catching onto his tone long before my mind can guess the topic. He’s going to ask me out, and I’ll have to reject him, which will make working here a nightmare. Liam is an incredibly popular, loved, and well-respected doctor. Everyone will hate me for breaking his heart. I have to come up with a solution to avoid all that, to reject him without actually saying no, and to stop his advances without being mean.
From behind me, Liam gently grabs my arm, forcing me to stop. With a sigh, I turn toward him. My time has run out, and I have to face the music.
As I lift my gaze to look at him, my eyes widen when I catch sight of a familiar figure over Liam’s shoulder. Improvising my ass off, I plaster a wide smile on my face and push past Liam and run into Grayden’s arms.
Grayden’s body stiffens against mine, his arms hanging limply by his sides. I wrap my hands around his neck, pulling him lower as I bring my lips up to his ear.
“Play along,” I plead, hoping that he’ll get the hint.
Grayden’s arms snake around my back, and he lifts my feet off the ground as he embraces me. I let out a little joyful cry as he rotates on the spot, and I bury my face into his neck to keep me from getting nauseous.
“I didn’t know you were coming by today,” I say a little loudly when he sets me down.
“I wanted to see you,” Grayden replies with a smile on his handsome face. He tears his attention from me when Liam walks up to us. Grayden narrows his dark eyes at him, and I wonder if he remembers how Liam grabbed him that night.
“Oh, Liam, I don’t think you two have been properly introduced,” I say, my brain rushing to find words that would make this scheme believable. “I mean, no one wants to introduce their boyfriend when they’re drunk like Grayden was the other night.”
“Boyfriend?” Liam asks, his brows flying high up on his forehead.
“Yes,” Grayden confirms, saving me from spinning my web of lies. He offers his hand to Liam who shakes it with a confused look. “Helia and I have been together for a few months now, and when she told me that she’s going out with her friends, I wanted to see her.”
“So you showed up drunk out of your mind,” Liam says, making it sound like an accusation.
“It was his friend’s bachelor party,” I say, coming up with another lie on the spot. Grayden agrees with a nod, which I also take as an encouragement to keep going. “We’ve never been separated for longer than the duration of my shifts, so I was happy when he offered to stop by.”
“You know I’d do anything for you, baby,” Grayden says, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek that sends shivers down my spine. Way too soon for my liking, he turns his attention to Liam. “It was nice meeting you, man. I hope you don’t mind if I steal my girl for a minute.”
“Nice meeting you, too,” Liam replies, his voice barely above a whisper.
I suppress a pang of guilt when I notice a flicker of hurt in his eyes. It’s not my fault. I did everything I could to make it clear to him that I wasn’t interested, but he just wouldn’t take the hint. I didn’t lead him on, and I didn’t do anything to encourage him.
“I really was hoping to speak to you for a moment,” Grayden tells me when Liam’s out of earshot.
“Do you mind if we step outside?” I ask, gesturing with my head toward the exit. “I could use some fresh air.”
Grayden nods and lets me take the lead. As we move past the patients, he puts his hand on the small of my back as if in guidance. My toes curl in my shoes at the electric-like jolts his touch sends through my body. I’m glad that I’m not wearing flip-flops and can go on pretending that I’m completely unaffected by him and his closeness.
A fresh breeze caresses my cheeks, its coolness hitting my reset button. I take several deep breaths as I move toward the wooden bench on the right side of the entrance. Being out in the open helps me steady and reconnect with myself. It’s a witch thing that would work even better and stronger if I went to the forest instead. Green nature trumps cities made out of concrete.
Grayden sits close enough that our thighs touch. Even like that, he easily towers over me. I glance at him, his dark eyes slightly closed as if he’s squinting to keep the bright light away. His stubble has been recently groomed, but I don’t think he did it himself. His watch screams money, and so does his tailored black suit. He must have people to do his bidding. Hell, he probably doesn’t even style his own hair but pays someone to do it every morning.
“What’s so funny?” Grayden asks, making me realize that I’m smiling.
“Nothing,” I reply with a slight shake of my head. “I got lost in thought.”
“Oh, yeah?” he asks, suddenly alert. His dark eyes shine with a newfound interest. “Mind if I ask what about?”
“This and that,” I reply rather cryptically before quickly changing the topic. “Did you come to get checked out?”
Grayden ruins his handsome face with a frown. He doesn’t need to shake his head for me to know that he’s not here for that.
“I’ve actually come to thank you again,” he says, and I wave my hand in dismissal, but he doesn’t let it go. “And I also wanted to apologize to you.”
I tilt my head to the side, my brow furrowing with interest. “What for?”
“For being a class A asshole. I shouldn’t have talked to you the way I did,” he says, then hesitates for a second. “I’m also very sorry for breaking your shower curtain.”
I laugh at the utter silliness of his words. Grayden gives me a quizzical look, but I just smile, wordlessly letting him know that I’m not upset.
“I scratched your back, and you scratched mine,” I tell him, referring to Liam. “I’m pretty sure that makes us even.”
“Good,” Grayden says, offering me a devastatingly handsome smile of his own. He leans back onto the bench and spreads his legs wider, which presses our thighs together even harder. “What was that all about?”
“Nothing really,” I say, not wanting to get into details. When Grayden raises his brow, giving me an expectant look, I have no other choice but to spin some bullshit for him. “Liam’s a good guy and a great doctor.”
“What’s the problem then?” he challenges. “Bad in bed? Not your type? Oh, wait, do you swing the other way? Because if you do, that’s totally okay with me. I mean, if you’re ever looking for a watcher, I’d be more than happy to volunteer for the role. I promise I can go without touching—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, that’s so not what I was trying to say,” I interrupt him, then burst out laughing when he looks somewhat disappointed. Grayden brightens his face with a smile. I find his friendly presence calm and relaxing.
“In fact, I do think he’s handsome,” I continue, giving him a pointed look. “It’s just that he and I aren’t compatible. He doesn’t know it yet, but I do, which is why I’m trying to avoid mixing our personal and work lives. I’d really rather not become a pariah for breaking the heart of the hospital’s most wanted bachelor.”
Grayden leans closer, his breath tickling my ear when he whispers, “Between you and I, he doesn’t seem that special.”
“Most of the staff wouldn’t agree with you,” I counter, but he only shrugs.
“If you ever need a fake boyfriend, that’s also a role I’ll be happy to fill,” Grayden says, his low and sensual tone bringing all sorts of fantasies to my mind.
“Thanks,” I say with a thick voice, hoping that he won’t notice the strange effect he has on me.
His face is so close to me, leaning down enough that I wouldn’t even need to move much to close the distance between our lips. His dark eyes are shining with an emotion I don’t recognize, but it lights a fire deep in my belly. The part that his thigh is touching is burning with the need to move closer and extend our area of contact even more. I curl my hands into fists, digging my nails deep into my palms. The pain doesn’t do anything to break me out of this trance. I even lick my lips as if I’m actually going to go for a kiss.
“There you are!”
My attending’s voice effectively pulls me out of the spell that Grayden weaves around me. It’s weird to be bewitched when I’m the witch in this scenario. Humans don’t have powers like that. Grayden is handsome, but he’s not the first attractive guy I’ve been close to.
“Dr. Smith,” I say, and then point at Grayden in panic. “Have you met my boyfriend?”
Dr. Smith raises his bushy grey eyebrows for a moment, but quickly recovers and gives Grayden a warm smile. “I didn’t know Dr. Payne had a boyfriend. It’s so very nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, too, sir. Doctor,” Grayden says, standing up to shake Dr. Smith’s hand. “I’m Grayden.”
“Doctor Matthew Smith,” the attending introduces himself. “It’s a lucky coincidence that you’re here, Grayden.”
Grayden cocks his brow in question, then turns to me but I shrug my shoulders. I have no idea what this is about. I’m just hoping that this is the last of the lies. There have been way too many of them, and my stomach is beginning to hurt.
“As Dr. Payne probably mentioned to you,” Dr. Smith starts, glancing at me and I do my best to force a nod, “the hospital is organizing a charity dinner. A gala of sorts, if you will.”
Shit. I did know that. Please Mother Nature don’t let this be what I think it is.
“While we’re trying to make it a fun weekend getaway for our doctors, we’re also using the opportunity to raise money,” Dr. Smith says. Then he leans closer to Grayden to continue in a conspiratorial whisper, “I’m sure you’re aware that we have a staff shortage, which is why Dr. Payne has been asked to work many more hours than should be allowed.”
“She did mention it, yes,” Grayden confirms with an equally grave tone. “I’d be happy to help in any way I can, especially if that means me spending more time with my baby girl.”
I suppress a cringe at the term of endearment he chose to use in front of my boss. The pain in my stomach is escalating, and I’m nowhere near coming up with an idea on how to get out of this mess. Grayden will be expected to attend the gala, and we’ll have to pretend that we’ve been dating for the last few months. I can’t just tell Dr. Smith that it’s all a big fat lie. Admitting this lie would be even worse than breaking Liam’s heart. I have no other choice but to see it through to the end. Hopefully, Grayden will be on the same page.
“We did have to cut back on our date nights,” I say, giving Grayden a sad smile. He puts his arm around my shoulders and tucks me closer to him, pressing the entire side of my body against his.
“I’m truly sorry to hear that,” Dr. Smith tells us, sounding genuinely sorry. “I’m hoping that the gala will change that, and we’ll raise enough money to be able to hire a few more doctors.”
“That would be great,” Grayden agrees, then adds the weirdest thing. “Humans are so fragile.”
I don’t have a chance to ponder on his choice of words because Dr. Smith laughs and pats Grayden’s shoulder.
“It will be a pleasure to have you there,” Dr. Smith tells Grayden. “I’m looking forward to getting to know you better.”
“Sure,” Grayden replies. “Me too.”
Dr. Smith throws a nod my way before returning inside. I should go back to work myself, but first, I need to clear the air.
“When’s the gala?” Grayden asks with a tone that makes me think he’s actually considering going.
“You don’t need to come. I can come up with an excuse about how you had to work or something,” I say, although I don’t sound too convincing even to my own ears. “You and I are nothing, and it is rather short notice.”
“When’s the gala?” Grayden repeats the question, ignoring my rambling.
“This weekend, San Francisco,” I reply, trying to get a read of his face. He’s a closed book with zero spoilers on the cover. “But you don’t need to come.”
“No sweat, blondie,” Grayden says with a wink. He reaches into his pocket and hands me his card. “Text me the details, but don’t bother organizing the trip there. We’re using my family’s jet.”
My brows shoot up, and I want to object, but nothing comes out. Instead, I glance at the black business card with only his first name and phone number on it. If I hadn’t known better, I’d think it’s shady. Maybe I don’t know better, and I’m just trying to convince myself that Grayden’s legit.
“You should probably go back to work,” Grayden says with a nod at the entrance. “I’ll see you in a couple of days.”
Before I can react, he leans in and gives me a kiss on the cheek. The scent of his manly cologne hits me with full force, luring me into taking a deep breath to inhale him in. The kiss is over too soon, not giving me a chance to properly get a feel of his lips even if it’s only against my cheek. The wave of warmth that washes over me by his presence is intoxicating, and I ache to curl myself into him.
Seemingly oblivious to my inner turmoil, Grayden walks away without even a quick glance back. My stomach falls with disappointment, and I have to violently shake my head to clear it. Grayden is a distraction, one that I don’t need right now. There’s too much going on with my sister, and I can’t afford to fall in love with a human.
Unfortunately, I have no other choice but to take him to the charity gala. It’s either that or losing my job. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.