Doctor For Hire

I don’t do that, however.

“I uh… I guess we should get to work,” I stutter.

“I’m scrubbing in on a routine surgery.”

“Oh… I’m with Dr. Campbell this morning,” I tell him foolishly.

“Lucky Dr. Campbell,” he smiles.

“You didn’t feel that way when I worked with you…”

“I was hungry. I’m not myself when I’m hungry,” he says with a wink.

“Are you quoting television commercials now?”

“Have a good day, Tab-Tab.”

“You too and in case you were wondering, it’s a hard no on that name too.”

“I’ll keep trying, gorgeous. I’ll keep trying,” he says as he walks away.

I stand there like a lovesick fool and watch his ass as he walks away. In my defense, it’s a really good ass…

Chapter Ten

Brody

“Are you hungry?” I ask Tabitha when she opens the door. I shake the pizza box at her to tempt her into letting me in. Today has been hell. I was so busy, I barely had time to look up. One of my patients coded on the table and I had to fight like hell to bring him back. I did, but it was close—too damn close, and he’s still critical.

When I have days like today, I usually want to be alone. This time, when I got off work, my first thought was to seek out Tabitha. I just didn’t want to go home to my empty house.

“You do know my sister left this morning right?”

“That’s good, I only brought one pizza and I’m starved.”

“But there’s no need to pretend now,” she says, her face confused.

She looks beautiful. Her dark hair, even darker eyes and her face devoid of makeup. She’s gorgeous without trying and she’s got an easy feel about her that makes me feel… comfortable. I’ve had women. I’ve not had to really work for any of them. Not to sound cocky, but I’m not bad looking and I’ve got money. Women come to me without even trying. Yet, not one of them has made me feel comfortable. I’d rather be alone than with them—more times than naught.

“Maybe I just want to spend time with you.”

“I—”

“And besides, if we’re going to make people believe we’re dating at this wedding, we need to spend more time together.”

“Oh… Yeah, I guess you’re right,” she says and she studies my face. I wonder what she’s looking for, and then I wonder if she found it.

“Are you going to let me in?”

“That depends,” she says, surprising me.

“On what?” I ask, cautiously.

“What’s on the pizza?” she asks and she smiles rather slyly.

“Pepperoni, sausage, and cheese,” I answer.

“No onions? I like onions,” she murmurs mournfully.

“Well, I must confess, I do too. It’s just I was hoping to kiss you and onions might have stopped that.”

“Kiss me?”

“Purely for research purposes. I mean I need to be familiar with your kiss if I’m going to make your family believe we’re truly dating,” I tell her easily.

“Oh… I never thought about that.”

“I like to be thorough. So… dinner?”

“What?”

“The pizza is getting cold and you still haven’t let me in the door,” I remind her.

“Oh! I’m sorry. Come on in,” she says, standing back from the entrance to let me in.

I smile as I make it inside, suddenly feeling a little lighter than I did just moments before. Being with Tabitha is exactly where I need to be tonight. With any luck, I won’t leave until morning.

Chapter Eleven

Tabitha

“For a man who came to my house with food and wanting inside, Brody…you’re kind of quiet tonight.”

“I’m sorry, gorgeous. It’s been a rough day.”

“I heard you almost lost a patient.”

“I forgot the hospital grapevine.”

“They said you wouldn’t give up on him though, Brody. That has to feel good. You brought him back.”

“He’s alive, but I can’t tell you if he will survive, Tabitha. He’s stable, but…”

“You’re not God, Brody. You can only do so much. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You gave your all in that surgery. Because of you, he has a fighting chance. That’s all you can do sometimes,” I tell him, and I reach out and grab his arm so he’ll pay attention. I don’t want him writing off my words as if I was just trying to make him feel good. I’m serious. I need for him to know that.

“If I were in that man’s shoes, it’s you I’d want doing the operating. You aren’t like some of these doctors who go in and see a new case or just one in a number of cases. You see a real person and you give one hundred and fifty percent each time.”

Brody looks down at my hand on his arm and when I’d take it away he caps his over it.

“You really feel that way?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t tell you that if I didn’t,” I respond, my voice quiet as heat from his hand spreads up my arm and through my body.