Chapter 2 #3
“Do you need a ride home?”
“Why? Are you offering?”
“Are you saying yes?”
“I would rather walk into traffic with a blindfold on.”
A soft chuckle leaves my mouth. Funny Holly. I set the coffee mug down. “Has anybody ever told you how incredibly rude you are?”
“Maybe you’re just easily offended.”
“Men are more attracted to women who are mean to them.”
She scoffs. “Thank you for that completely random and untrue fact. Now move.”
“It’s not untrue. You’re mean to me all the time.”
“I’m not mean, I’m honest. And if you’re attracted to my honesty, then maybe I’m not being honest enough.”
“Maybe not. Where’re you headed after this?”
“To dive headfirst into the Hudson. Wanna come?”
“Sure, but if we are planning on going skinny dipping tonight, might I recommend the pool at my flat? It’s arguably better than the Hudson.” I lean in closer, savouring her sweet, lavender scent. “Cleaner too.”
“Are you inviting me?”
“Why? Are you saying yes?”
The anger in her gaze increases tenfold. “I would rather ingest a bucket full of radioactive waste than go anywhere with a man like you.”
“There aren’t any men like me.”
“Really? Raging narcissists with the emotional depth of a single petri dish are that hard to find? Who would’ve thought?”
Despite my efforts to contain it, my smile widens further.
My palms, as if possessed by a will of their own, slide against the cool counter, caging her in, my fingers aching to trace the curve of her waist. She remains composed, but I detect a subtle hitch in her breath and a darting glance between my hand and my face. “See? So fucking rude.”
I watch as she swallows hard. My eyes trace her throat, and I feel the stupidest need to wrap my fingers around it to see if it’s as soft as I imagined.
My fingers trace the edge of the counter, a fleeting touch against her side, and I lean in closer.
Her gaze involuntarily drifts to my lips, and when she looks up again, I give her a knowing wink.
Her face turns red. Flustered Holly. My favourite.
Her gaze flickers down, catching on the chest pocket of my coat.
I don’t know what she’s looking at, but I see her take in a slow, deliberate breath.
Her shoulders shift slightly, as if bracing herself for something, before her eyes lift back to meet mine.
She swallows once like she’s trying to push down whatever she’s feeling.
I lift my mug to take a sip of my coffee. “You all right, love?”
She smiles and tips my mug over with her dainty little finger, spilling the hot liquid all over my white coat.
“Much better now,” she says.
I glance down at my coffee-drenched clothes, then back up. “Nice. Very mature.”
“I recommend white vinegar for the stains. Probably sooner than later.” She pushes past me, storming out of the room.
I grab a tissue from the counter and blot furiously at the stains, dabbing the warm liquid before it has a chance to set, then quickly follow her out — well, of course, I do. And as soon as I turn the corner, I catch the tail end of her apologizing to someone who’s already gone.
“Well, at least I know you’re capable of saying the word ‘sorry’ without bursting into flames.”
A pause.
Then she glances my way and snaps, “I was talking to her.”
“And now you’re talking to me. All is well in the world.”
“Considering that you’re still breathing and talking in front of me, I’d say all is not well in my world.”
“That’s a bit dramatic, Hollister. All I ever do is try to make your time at this hospital a little more entertaining.”
“You call this entertaining? Irritating me and trying to get a reaction out of me day after day like some kind of an incessant mosquito?”
“Well, it’s certainly entertaining for me,” I say. “And who knows, maybe you'll find it entertaining too. Once you loosen up a bit.”
“Unfortunately, my definition of entertainment involves seeing you horizontal.”
Oh, yes. “In your bed?”
“In a grave. Preferably decapitated.”
My grin falters, replaced by a frown. I open my mouth to say something, but right then a nurse walks past us.
She looks at me and I acknowledge her presence with a courteous smile.
The nurse giggles and scurries off. Once she’s disappeared out of sight, I turn my attention back to Holly.
“I’m sorry, Dr. Moore. What were you saying? ”
Holly’s expression darkens. “Get fucked.”
“That’s a strange way of apologizing for spilling coffee on me.”
“My bad. Next time I’ll be sure to switch it for sulphuric acid. Now, get out of my way.”
Of course, I don’t. “Why don’t you try that again? This time with the word please?”
I can practically feel the anger rising off Holly’s skin like heat. Her mouth twists. “Theo, please get out of my way so that I’m not forced to punch you in the throat.”
At this point, I’m physically unable to stop smiling. I feel like an idiot. But that’s okay. I’m her idiot. “That desperate to cop a feel, huh?”
Holly is not amused by my sense of humour. “Oh no. Am I that transparent?”
“What can I say? I can read you like a book.”
“I’m surprised you can read at all.”
“It’s one of my many, many talents.”
“In addition to what? Being a gigantic pain in my ass?”
“Causing you pain is the last thing on my mind, Hollister. But if that’s what you’re into, then I have no qualms about asking you to bend over for me.”
A crimson flush goes up her neck. “Really? A sex joke? How professional.”
“Not joking at all, love. Who knows? You might just hate how much you love it.”
“Funny. I have the same theory about kicking you in the balls,” she snaps.
“Ask nicely and I might allow it.”
Holly’s jaw clenches. She stares at me for a beat too long, then squares up her shoulders and she takes a step back.
“As much as I’d love to take you up on that offer, I think I’m going to head back home and get some rest. A six-hour-long surgery is exhausting enough, I don’t need to stand here and listen to your soul-sucking voice. Good night, Dr. Carter.”
My smirk wavers for a second. “Good night? Shit, Holly, did I break you?” I lift a finger to poke at her head.
“Is it because of the sex joke? Oh, come on. If I knew you were that desperate, I’d be more than happy to oblige.
Of course, you’d have to buy me dinner first and an expensive bottle of champagne for me to even consider having sex with you, but I can see it happening —”
She takes a deep breath in.
“But in all honesty, if things have gotten that bad for you, I understand. But just this once, all right? And only because you’re asking so nicely.
We can’t make a habit out of it. On-call room down the hall is free if you want to go ahead and get started, Hollister.
I’ll be there in a minute to give you a helping hand —”
Something inside her snaps. She takes a step forward and jabs a finger into my chest. “Stop calling me that.”
The vexation in her voice goes straight to my cock. “There she is. There’s no need to pretend to be this holier-than-thou person in front of me. I’m already familiar with the devil that hides underneath.”
A disgruntled sound grumbles out of her, and it does nothing but turn me on more. “Fuck. You.”
My muscles tense with purpose. “There’s also no need to beg for it, love. I already know that’s what you want. I’m quite hard to resist.”
“I would rather pluck out my own eyeballs with a rusted spoon than beg you to fuck me.”
“Lying isn’t a good look on you.”
“Neither is wanting to waste my time faking an orgasm.”
My eyebrow arches in amusement and every cell of my body aches to prove her wrong.
She goes on staring daggers into my face, eventually shoving past me, a childish attempt to push me away, the force barely registering. My smile fans out. God, I love how feral she is.
She marches away from me. I watch her go, her shiny blonde waves bouncing to the side with every step and it’s not until she disappears from my view that my phone buzzes with another text message. I take my phone out. It’s for Holly.
One from a few minutes ago.
UNKNOWN: Roses are red, violets are blue, aren’t you glad I found you…
And two from right now.
UNKNOWN: How DOES it feel? Killing someone?
Attached below is a picture of her friend bartending.
UNKNOWN: Want me to show you?