Chapter Twenty- One
Esme
“You look sexy.” I leaned up to kiss Dorian’s cheek in front of the nurses’ station before walking away to see my next patient, an elderly woman named Barbara.
She was a frequent ER patient. Her husband had died a few years ago and I think she came in more for comfort than anything.
“Miss Barbara, what did I tell you about picking fights with stairs? The stairs always win.” I smiled in greeting and went over to check her vitals.
Barbara was a petite woman in her early seventies, with short brown hair and green eyes. She was sweet as can be, but you didn’t want to get on her bad side. She said things like they were to whoever.
“I know it. The little dog just ran next to me, and I tripped on the last few stairs trying to avoid him. Hopefully nothing is broken. I have my last grandchild’s wedding this weekend to go to.”
I knew she had fractured something, not horribly, but she was going be out of commission for a while.
I knew I shouldn’t have done it—broken bones were easy enough to heal. But the heartbroken look on Barbara’s face did me in.
“Well, we’re going to get some X-rays to take a look, and we’ll go from there.” I placed my hand on her leg and pushed my power into her. She wouldn’t feel much of anything right now, since it said on the record she had taken something for the pain. When the X-ray came back as normal, she would only feel a bruise. Just the bone would be healed.
While I waited for radiology to do their thing, I checked on a few other patients then went back with Dorian to give Barbara the results.
She always liked to ruffle Dorian’s feathers, and I enjoyed every moment of it. A little old lady giving him a hard time, and he never really gave it back to her, which I always found surprising.
“Well, Ms. Barbara, it seems you are fine besides some bruises here and there. Just rest, ice, and try not to fall down anymore stairs.” Dorian checked her over just to be sure she was okay then wrote some things down for his notes.
“Thank you, Dorian. With that out of the way, I think you two have some explaining to do.” Dorian and I both looked at the woman with confusion on our faces.
She gave us a knowing look and shook her head.
“My eyesight may be going, but I can see what’s happening in front of me very clearly. You two are in love. I always knew it was going to happen sooner or later.” She smiled and reached over to touch my hand, giving it a little squeeze of approval.
Neither one of us said anything to deny or confirm her thoughts.
“Well, I hope to see this pretty lady on your arm in the newspaper pictures about that fancy function this weekend, Dorian. Call it a wish from an old lady. I could die any day, you know.”
Oh my God, this woman is relentless.
“Put your worries to rest, Barbara—she’s already on the list as my plus one.” He was smooth-talking her, and I tried not to let my face show that I was in shock. She winked at me and then said she was all set.
After we were done making sure she was good to go, I pulled Dorian into the empty room next to Barbara’s and closed the door behind me.
“What the hell, Dorian?”
He was looking up at the sky as if asking for heaven to grant him mercy. When he looked back down at me, he shrugged.
“I’m being honored at the hospital charity event this year, and now you’re coming with me. Especially since you’ve made this between us public in the hospital.”
I didn’t have a fuck to give on that one. I was never afraid of what people thought of me, and I was tired of hiding things with him. But going to one of the hospital’s big events was a huge deal. They were fancy, and the plates at the table were like a thousand dollars each. Every bigwig in Seahill would be there—even Phillip.
“I don’t think I can go. I mean, I think I’m working that night, plus I don’t have anything to wear, especially nothing that fancy.”
“These really aren’t things to stress about.” He looked at his watch, and I knew he was busy, but was staying in the room for this moment while I was freaking out.
“I can’t take off time like you can. I have bills, and I definitely can’t afford an outfit for the event.” I didn’t like admitting my financial situation to him, but this was an immediate concern. He’s seen my small apartment, so he should know I couldn’t afford it.
“One night off won’t make you poor, and I’ll buy your dress. You can pay me back by telling everyone I’m not your boyfriend and that we aren’t dating.”
I wanted to laugh, so I did.
“I’m pretty sure everyone knows that we are just being intimate. You have a reputation of screwing nurses around here. Now I’m just another pin on your white coat.” I rolled my eyes.
“I haven’t slept with anyone here. Don’t fuck where you work. It’s bad for business. Like right now, I have to go.” He started to leave, and I grabbed his arm, not letting him get too far. He looked down at my gripping hand and then up to my eyes.
“I’ll go with you.” I situated my body to fit in front of his and stretched up to kiss his lips, which quickly turned into a frenzy of passion and need.
“I’m coming over tonight, wear something I can rip off with my teeth.” He pulled back and groaned. I wanted more of his lips, but I knew he had to leave.
We separated, and he gave me one last look of pure desire before leaving me in the room alone.
The rest of the night, I was in a perpetual state of happiness. Dorian may not see it, and wouldn’t admit it, but we were dating, just without the formalities. His actions and his words just needed to find common ground on the subject.
