There was no picture on file either. No profile and limited patient history, this was going to be a “fun” experience.
I knocked on the door, looking at the triage vitals and the main complaint, I pulled back the curtain, “River Brooks?” I asked, having not looked up from the chart.
“Peaches,” a deep voice rumbled.
I stopped dead in my tracks as that familiar voice rattled me. The level of annoyance had only increased tenfold. I looked behind me, finding Sarah and Jennie peeking over the station. I closed the door but also pulled the curtain back around. I slammed the iPad on the table. “This is a whole new level to our relationship, Shooter.” I hissed out his name.
I knew the man was crazy, but this was a new level.
He curled a smile. “We have a relationship, peaches?”
I huffed out, “Stop calling me that.”
“Didn’t answer my question,” he teased, settling back into the bed. I noticed another man sitting beside him, looking confused. Shooter noticed. “This is Stray.”
That’s what he did, he teased. Under all the tough exterior and the dangerous look in his eyes, he could tease and watch for the colors on your cheeks to darken.
“Brother I take it. Thought you looked familiar. You were in the waiting room when Melody was here.” I turned back to Shooter. “Out of all the hospitals you could have gone too and be seen quicker, you chose this one?” I glanced down at his leg. “And for a man that “fractured” his leg you don’t seem to be in pain.” I forwent the iPad and scanned into our computer system.
He just laughed. “I’m a lot tougher than I look.”
“And beginning to be a real pain in my ass. Why didn’t you let my triage people do what they needed to do?” I grumbled.
“Dumbass refused.” Stray’s voice chimed in.
“Of course he did. Why?”
“Maybe I just wanted you to care for me.” Shooter tried to charm his way through this.
Fucking dumbass was right.
“Mr. Brooks.” I started but he cut me off. “I like the way you say my name.”
“If you won’t let me do my job, then I’m getting my charge nurse in here and I’m not above getting your ass in restraints to comply,” I threatened, though a dose of benzodiazepine would not have been a bad idea at the time.
“You make it too easy to tease you.” he shot back. “I’d like to see you try those restraints.”
And yet my mind went somewhere. Bad Amelia.
“Do you mind shutting him up for a second?” I looked to Stray for some assistance.
“He’s his own man.” Stray raised his hands up in surrender.
Truly no help.
With a sigh, I tried to push through, trying to shove down the annoyance that was bubbling inside me. The last thing I needed was for someone to report me because my last brain cell was ready to throttle him out the door. Yet, the pleaser in me wanted to follow through and make this right, get him the care he needed.
Even laying in a hospital bed, the man still looked like an Adonis, strong arms that could crush a man’s skull, a tall muscular body that probably was defined under all his clothes. I swear the man looked like God had a favorite and gifted him to the world. Inside I was drooling and if that man walked out of his room, all the women and maybe some men would stop deadin their tracks. In the end, I wouldn’t blame them. He looked like he wasn’t afraid to throw someone over his shoulder.
“Seriously, what do you want? I have patients in worse shape than you.” I tried to show him, gesturing to the med floor. I tried to stay strong. But the smile with the little dimple in his cheek and the way he looked at me like I was the only person with him just shot butterflies in my belly. The way he stared at me like he was a hungry animal ready to devour their meal.
“Well, you may think that, but I bet that they can walk.” He settled back into bed.
I shook my head. “You can’t walk?” I rushed to his bedside, forgetting to take the simplest of patient history. I reached to grab at the pant leg, and he tensed up.
“Jesus! Is this your bedside manner?” He raised his voice, showing his colors of what I knew him to be, the man that everyone usually feared. I tried to ignore him, because either he was good with masking the pain or he was lying.
His reaction told me otherwise.
