Going Under (Wildfire Lake 2)

“Maybe we’ll get lucky,” Levi says, “and she’ll get both.”

“Ha,” I say.

Levi drops us at the doors to the emergency room and heads to the parking lot to leave the truck. The ER is quiet, thank goodness. I check in at the desk, and I’m taken straight back.

On my way past the nursing station, someone laughs, and the deep, rich sound of it replaces my spine with a hot spear. I scan the people behind the desk and spot the owner of that laugh. He’s wearing blue scrubs, and I sum him up in seconds. Golden-blond hair with a nice cut, tanned biceps, wide chest, flat abs. No telling whether he’s a nurse, a doctor, or some kind of technician, but I’ve never seen him in town, which is a very big tick in the pro column. After six months here, I’ve met all the regulars. The fact that I don’t know who he is means he doesn’t circulate much, and that means he could be a good candidate for extracurricular activities.

I pull one of Chloe’s millions of prayers out of my back pocket and send it silently toward heaven.

Archangel Chamuel, I could use a mini miracle in the sex department. We can totally skip right over the romance. No sense in taxing yourself any more than necessary.

I watch my prey as I pass, hoping to get a look at his full face, although his profile and the way he wears those shapeless scrubs is enough for me. Then bam, right before I follow the nurse into a glass-walled room, he turns his head and looks at me.

When our eyes meet, I suffer a solid sucker punch. He’s fucking gorgeous. And so totally not my type.

I deflate a little and look away. In my experience, guys that pretty are either insecure or arrogant. Generally, they’re tedious pains in the ass. I don’t need sex that badly.

Okay, maybe I do, but I don’t have the patience for high maintenance. And I’ve been with enough guys to know the best-looking ones are always the highest maintenance.

Laiyla sits in a side chair while the nurse takes my basic information and looks at the wound. She sucks air through her teeth before meeting my gaze again. “You’re in luck. Our new physician happens to be extremely skilled with a needle and thread.”

I smirk. “Lucky. That’s my middle name.”

“He’ll be right in.” The nurse exits and walks behind the counter to enter information into a computer.

The only “he” I’ve seen in this department so far is Pretty Boy. At least this happened when I was dressed to go out and not when I’m wearing the torn pajamas I normally use to lounge around the boat. I mean, these are my one pair of good jeans, knee-high leather boots Chloe and Laiyla talked me into buying on a shopping trip in Santa Barbara, and the new flannel button-down Laiyla gave me for Christmas, open over a fitted white tank. I even straightened my hair. Seriously, this is as good as it gets in my world. Of course, no one but Laiyla, Chloe, and Levi could appreciate my current blinged-out state, but it still gives me a little boost of confidence.

Laiyla pulls out her phone. “I’m going to tell Levi to go ahead without me.”

“No, don’t do that,” I tell her. “I’ve had so many stitches, I could put them in myself.”

An aide comes in and offers a clipboard with forms. Laiyla takes it, and I try to steal it away. When she gives me a what-the-hell look, I hold out my good hand and lift my chin toward the door. “Give them to me. I’ve got this, you can go. Don’t mess up your evening with Levi’s family.”

“But—”

“And tell Chloe to wait for me in the lobby.”

“Why?”

I give a little side-eye toward the hub of activity. “Chloe’s got her hot cop. I want my hot doc.”

Laiyla glances toward the nurse’s station, then narrows her eyes on me. “Isn’t he a little too pretty for you?”

“Absolutely. But he’s not bad fantasy material.”

She smirks and lays the forms on the gurney beside me. “Whatever you say. You know how to find me if you need me.”

Laiyla turns and almost runs into Pretty Boy, whose name I upgrade to Doctor Delicious, stopping just short.

“Sorry,” he tells her. “I don’t mean to run you out. You’re welcome to stay.”

“Nope. She says she’s good, so I’m getting out of the way. Thanks.” She’s shaking her head as she walks toward the exit.

I refocus as the doctor enters the room.

“Hi, I’m Doctor Latham.”

“KT.”