Their eyes widened in shame. Lost for words, they blinked before dropping their eyes to the floor, suddenly interested in their shoes.
“No ma'am.” All three spoke in unison.
“Well, please explain to me why you are doing it.”
“Gracie, he’s yummy, I mean look at him.”
Emma was the most senior of my staff and I couldn’t help myself, I laughed when she wiggled her eyebrows at me. It took me a moment to reclaim my sternness.
“He is also human and I am quite sure he would not appreciate being ogled.”
They shoved their hands into their pockets and mumbled they were sorry.
“It's handover in fifteen minutes, go to the station but I assure you, this discussion isn't over.”
I watched them hurry down the corridor and disappear behind the desk of the station. Now they could sit and wonder what I was going to do about their behavior.
I turned back to peer through the window and watched as his body was forcibly moved. Pain was etched on his face, sweat beaded on his brows. My hands itched to touch him, take away the pain, protect him. I couldn't go in there, I feared what I might do.
Love is like fire and sometimes, desire for that love burns even hotter. It will burn your soul if you're not careful. I worried that Kaden and I were about to burn each other. I continued watching the therapist work, I knew Chris was documenting progress and Kaden’s pain thresh hold.
I knew Kaden was masking his pain, a man like him would see it as a show of weakness.
My heart yearned to be with him. I ran my gaze over the length of his body, stopping at his neck. His pulse was beating rapidly under the taut skin.
When I lifted my eyes, they locked with his. His stare was intense, filled with need, filled with desire and loaded with questions.
Longing danced between us and I stepped closer to the glass window. My palms flattened against the cool glass, but it didn’t stop the sweat which beaded along my spine.
Worry washed through his eyes as they burned into mine.
My rapid breath fogged the glass. I felt more than Kaden’s eyes on me and when I looked across at Chris, his body was as rigid as stone, a scowl on his face.
Kaden’s eyebrows pinched into a frown and he mouthed out – “come back.”
I didn’t need to think about his request and nodded. The worry on his face instantly faded and he smiled.
For the first time in over a year, I was headed into the hospital on my night off. I was going to spend time with Kaden instead. I was excited to be with him.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Kaden
Snuff by Slipknot was playing on the sound dock beside my bed. I felt every piece of hurt falling from his words, every single haunt and taunt as Corey sang the song. I understood it in so many ways. I felt it. I am living it. Living with it. I understood it all.
I'd been anxiously waiting for Gracie-May. I knew her shift normally began at 11pm and even though she wasn’t on duty tonight, she said she would be here at the usual time. It was now 11.30pm and she still hadn’t arrived.
I needed to breathe her in and have her soothe my soul. My body was on fire after the rehab session with Emily. I didn’t like her at all. She was rude and spent a shit ton of time eyeing Chris off like he was a piece of candy, damn it was uncomfortable.
I’d love to know his deal. I think he's hot for Gracie-May and pissed she was showing me what he thinks only a guy of his grade deserves.
Doctor or not, he was a fucking dick!
I watched the stars in the inky black sky settle in for a night, their lights shining down over the world.
I vowed I would never let anyone close to me again, but Gracie-May, the lady, the small beautiful human is one I wanted. She has dried tears I’d shed without even knowing she had done so. I didn’t want to say goodbye to her – ever. I needed to find a way to spend more hours with her, but this damn place seemed to be finding ways to keep her away from me.
I could see the pain which floated inside her ocean blue iris’, I wanted to kiss it away. I wanted to know what had hurt her so badly and completely fucking destroy it. Eradicate it, so it didn’t touch her perfect soul again, so it no longer swam in her eyes. I wanted to show her how fucking insanely beautiful life could be beyond these walls, where she spent her life mending the broken, forgetting about her own soul and how much it needed to be nurtured.
