A Nurse to Tame the ER Doc

He knew the sex had been. For him, too.

Best sex of his life.

Why hadn’t Taylor told her best friend they’d gotten together at the music festival? Was she ashamed that she’d had sex with him?

If anything, she should be ashamed of what he’d said to Duffy. He was. He hadn’t gone into Taylor’s tent because he’d wanted to protect her. Instead, he’d cheapened what they’d shared with defensive words spat out at the man who knew more about him than any other person.

Taylor was in Warrenville. As she’d done from the beginning, she’d fascinated him. But Duffy had been right to question him.

Sure, mentioning Courtney’s name had thrown his hackles up, just as Duffy had known it would.

Jack had enjoyed a lot of relationships over the years, but no one had interested him the way Taylor did.

No one had even come close. Not since Courtney.

Wild, fun-loving Courtney who’d been his soul mate at the tender age of seventeen.

She’d been his first.

He’d been her last.

His eyes blurred and he blinked to clear them.

He was a rambling man, would only be in Warrenville for two more months.

Taylor had been hurt in the past.

Whatever he did, he had to be certain not to add to that hurt. He’d watched her confidence grow throughout the week, knew it was telling that she’d come to his tent, and could kick himself for his words, meant only for Duffy’s ears, as he’d watched her deflate.

He’d also been proud when she’d lifted her chin and put him in his place.

Glancing up from the desk where he sat, he realized Amy had still been talking. He hadn’t a clue what she’d said, or had asked apparently as she seemed to be waiting for an answer.

“Jack, have you heard a word I’ve said?” Amy demanded, hands on hips and giving him an expression she usually reserved for uncooperative patients.

Fortunately, he was saved from answering by a new arrival. Not that Amy didn’t give him a knowing look before she took off to triage the patient.

A knowing look with a big smile.

A look she’d given him multiple times since Rockin’ Tyme.

* * *

Taylor made her way down the Warrenville Hospital hallway to start her new employee orientation early on Monday morning.

A month had passed since she’d worked Rockin’ Tyme.

A month in which she’d ended her apartment lease, packed her belongings, given what she wasn’t taking with her to charity, and moved to Tennessee.

No. Big. Deal.

She had this.

The move had been accomplished over the weekend and she’d semi-settled into Amy’s apartment.

Now she had a week of orientation prior to starting work in the emergency department. Even then, she’d be partnered with another nurse for the first few weeks for training on the electronic medical record system and hospital protocol. Then she would be on her own.

She’d worked the intensive care unit since graduation, but had enjoyed her emergency room rotation while in nursing school. She wasn’t worried about her nursing skills. She was a good nurse and would take good care of her patients.