Chapter Two
Esme
“Happy birthday!”
There was a small crowd gathered in the breakroom around a cake when I shuffled in for my “lunch” break at 3:30 a.m.
“Thanks, guys.” I smiled and leaned over to blow out the candle.
“Wish for something different,” Melissa whispered, and I looked up at her to see her sweet, beaming smile. She knew I always wished for the same thing. My gaze moved back to the cake in front of me, and I thought about making a new one. Just for this cake.
I closed my eyes and blew it out.
I wished for passion.
True love may not be out there for me in the time I had left, but if I could find an all-consuming passion, that would be close enough for me.
All six of the people in the room cheered then waited for their piece of cake as soon as I was done. Melissa handed me the first slice, and I sat on the small couch against the wall.
Our breakroom was nice as far as hospitals went—it had a microwave, a fridge, sink, and three tables with four chairs each. There was a comfy couch and a decent-sized TV in the corner. Simple but nice. Seahill Hospital was one of the top facilities in the world and the doctors here were rock stars of the medical community, so in shared facilities like this, there were some perks.
That first bite of cake was heavenly. Melissa Ann knew how to bake a great cake. I groaned in appreciation, and thenheappeared as if notified by the universe that this was the right moment to mess with me.
“Moaning like a whore in church over cake. Classy, Esme.”
I looked at the devil sitting next to me and stared right back into his brown eyes as I brought another big piece to my mouth, making a grand show of how much I enjoyed Melissa Ann’s handiwork.
“No wonder you can’t find a man to take the edge off. Your moaning and writhing over cake scares them away.” Dorian smirked, and I rolled my eyes.
“No man can compare to the heavenly taste of cake.” I licked the icing off my fork and went back to the rest of my slice for more.
He chuckled and then we were silent. He was sitting so close that I could feel his body heat.
“Is there a reason you’re here?” I blurted out. He was ruining my happy moment in one of the only breaks I’d probably get for the rest of the night.
“I’m quite partial to this couch,” he replied while looking at his watch.Yes, have some other place you have to be, please.
I’m guessing my thoughts were visible on my face because he got more comfortable on his cushion, hands going behind his head for support.
Ass.
“Okay, well, you’re ruining my happy space, so go save the world, Dorian.” I tried to shoo him away, and he caught the hand that was doing the shooing and studied the icing-covered fork gripped in my fist.
He wouldn’t.
His eyes met mine as he leaned in toward my hand and wrapped his lips around my fork.
My tummy fluttered at the sight of his mouth savoring the icing, but then my head shut down the flutter and replaced it with annoyance.
“Thanks for the herpes,” I hissed and jerked my fork away, looking around, hoping no one noticed what was happening over here. I’d never hear the end of it. Thankfully only Melissa Ann was watching, giving me the side-eye while talking to another nurse.
“They all know I don’t fuck where I work. Your sweet reputation isn’t tarnished.” It’s been a while since he’s messed with me about sex stuff, so I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise that he would bring that one back into rotation for a special occasion like my birthday. He usually kept with the incompetence lines.
“You can go now.”
I was usually an easy, down-to-earth woman, but this man dragged something nasty out of me every time. He hadn’t earned my niceness.
“I’m curious if your new friends know how dismissive you are to your coworkers. They might change their mind if they did.” He looked like the cat who ate the canary.
