Turbulent Desires (Billionaire Aviators 2)

“What do you mean?” he asked, not agreeing to anything.

“There’s a get-together in a couple days at my friend Joseph’s place. You’re invited.”

Well, there really wasn’t a chance of him running into Lindsey at Joseph’s. It might be nice to catch up with old friends.

“Okay. I’ll come,” he told him.

Mav could practically feel Sherman smiling through the phone. Maverick couldn’t find a reason to take back his assent at going, though, even though he knew he was doing exactly as the old man wanted.

“Good, then I won’t keep bugging you tonight. I’ll see you soon.”

With that, Sherman hung up the phone before Mav had a chance to say his own good-bye.

Mav didn’t move from his easy chair for a long time, and when he did, it was only to grab a bite to eat and shower before he climbed into his cold, empty bed. Maybe one more visit with Lindsey wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

No! He pushed the weak thought out of his head. He couldn’t do that to her or him. Another good-bye wasn’t what they needed to move on with their lives.

If only that nagging feeling in the back of his mind wasn’t telling him that all he needed to feel better was to admit how he felt. It wasn’t going to happen. Once again, Mav didn’t sleep well at all.

CHAPTER FORTY

The hospital was hopping as Lindsey rushed from patient to patient in an attempt to keep up with the influx of people stumbling in through the large sliding doors. Exhaustion had become a constant for her. Sleep hadn’t been coming to her so easily since her last night with Maverick.

Even having Princess beneath the covers with her every night wasn’t helping much. She adored her dog, but it wasn’t the same as having strong arms pull you in close, making you feel protected from the entire world.

She was getting ready to suture a patient when the new intern turned too fast and cut her arm with a scalpel, making Lindsey’s eyes instantly start to water.

“I’m so sorry, Lindsey. I don’t know how that happened,” the new girl said, her own eyes filling and spilling over as she panicked and grabbed gauze, pushing too roughly when she placed it over Lindsey’s wound.

“It’s fine,” Lindsey told the young nurse through gritted teeth. Lindsey then moved away from the patient so her blood wouldn’t get on her. Both the patient and the nurse looked a little freaked out.

“I’ll send the other nurse in,” she told the woman before turning and walking away, the intern on her heels.

“Go get the nurse,” Lindsey told her as she moved to another exam room to see the damage.

She wasn’t in there for more than a few seconds when Dr. Stine walked in, his usual good-natured grin on his face.

“Peggy was gushing so much, I couldn’t understand half of what she was saying, but I’m assuming from the white face and the blood-covered bandage that you’ve been wounded,” he told her as he placed a hand beneath her elbow and led her over to the exam table.

“I’m fine,” Lindsey told him, her jaw set. “She just cut me, that’s all. I’m sure it won’t even need stiches.” Why in the world were her teeth chattering? It wasn’t like it was that big a deal. She’d been hurt at work before and certainly hadn’t been such a baby. She blamed lack of sleep on her heightened emotions.

“Let me look at it, and I’ll be the judge,” he told her as he attempted to get to the bandage she was holding in place.

“This certainly isn’t a matter for you, Dr. Stine. I’m sure you have patients galore,” she said, pulling her arm back.

“My schedule is all clear. You’re my patient right now,” he said as he took her hand and tugged her arm harder this time.

Dr. Stine still hadn’t given up on her even though she’d made it more than obvious she wasn’t interested in a relationship. He was the last person she wanted examining her. It wasn’t that she was repulsed by him or anything. He was kind, funny, and great looking. It was just that her heart was broken and she really wasn’t about to see if she could open that wound all over again with another male.

Without reason, her eyes suddenly filled up and spilled over as she looked into the doctor’s deep blue eyes. He gazed back at her with too much understanding. Dang it! Why couldn’t Peggy have sent in one of the nurses? She didn’t need to fall apart in front of the doctor.

“Come on, doll. Let me see,” he said.

This time she let him take away the gauze and then she cringed. The wound was worse than she thought. It was deep, with blood still trickling out and measuring about two inches long.

“This will definitely need stitches,” he said before squeezing her hand. He gave her another piece of gauze. “Hold this in place while I get what I need.”

“I can have Linda stitch it up,” she told him.

“Just lie back and relax. I’m doing it,” he said, still with a smile, but his firm voice coming through loud and clear. He wasn’t going to allow her to argue with him anymore.

She did what he said and laid back on the bed as he brought over a tray.

The stupid cut was pulsing and she began to understand a little more why her patients would moan and groan so much when the injuries appeared to be minor. There was no way for the medical personnel to get inside a patient’s head to know what they were feeling.

Dr. Stine gave her some medicine and a numbing shot before he cleaned the wound. Lindsey tried, but she couldn’t keep the tears in. What the heck? She hadn’t cried once since Maverick had disappeared out of her life. Not when Stormy constantly asked how she was doing and looked at her in that sympathetic way, not when she’d smashed her toe on her bed post, and not when she woke up from a dream of him holding her only to find herself alone. o;What do you mean?” he asked, not agreeing to anything.

“There’s a get-together in a couple days at my friend Joseph’s place. You’re invited.”

Well, there really wasn’t a chance of him running into Lindsey at Joseph’s. It might be nice to catch up with old friends.

“Okay. I’ll come,” he told him.

Mav could practically feel Sherman smiling through the phone. Maverick couldn’t find a reason to take back his assent at going, though, even though he knew he was doing exactly as the old man wanted.

“Good, then I won’t keep bugging you tonight. I’ll see you soon.”

With that, Sherman hung up the phone before Mav had a chance to say his own good-bye.

Mav didn’t move from his easy chair for a long time, and when he did, it was only to grab a bite to eat and shower before he climbed into his cold, empty bed. Maybe one more visit with Lindsey wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

No! He pushed the weak thought out of his head. He couldn’t do that to her or him. Another good-bye wasn’t what they needed to move on with their lives.

If only that nagging feeling in the back of his mind wasn’t telling him that all he needed to feel better was to admit how he felt. It wasn’t going to happen. Once again, Mav didn’t sleep well at all.

CHAPTER FORTY

The hospital was hopping as Lindsey rushed from patient to patient in an attempt to keep up with the influx of people stumbling in through the large sliding doors. Exhaustion had become a constant for her. Sleep hadn’t been coming to her so easily since her last night with Maverick.

Even having Princess beneath the covers with her every night wasn’t helping much. She adored her dog, but it wasn’t the same as having strong arms pull you in close, making you feel protected from the entire world.

She was getting ready to suture a patient when the new intern turned too fast and cut her arm with a scalpel, making Lindsey’s eyes instantly start to water.

“I’m so sorry, Lindsey. I don’t know how that happened,” the new girl said, her own eyes filling and spilling over as she panicked and grabbed gauze, pushing too roughly when she placed it over Lindsey’s wound.

“It’s fine,” Lindsey told the young nurse through gritted teeth. Lindsey then moved away from the patient so her blood wouldn’t get on her. Both the patient and the nurse looked a little freaked out.

“I’ll send the other nurse in,” she told the woman before turning and walking away, the intern on her heels.

“Go get the nurse,” Lindsey told her as she moved to another exam room to see the damage.

She wasn’t in there for more than a few seconds when Dr. Stine walked in, his usual good-natured grin on his face.

“Peggy was gushing so much, I couldn’t understand half of what she was saying, but I’m assuming from the white face and the blood-covered bandage that you’ve been wounded,” he told her as he placed a hand beneath her elbow and led her over to the exam table.

“I’m fine,” Lindsey told him, her jaw set. “She just cut me, that’s all. I’m sure it won’t even need stiches.” Why in the world were her teeth chattering? It wasn’t like it was that big a deal. She’d been hurt at work before and certainly hadn’t been such a baby. She blamed lack of sleep on her heightened emotions.

“Let me look at it, and I’ll be the judge,” he told her as he attempted to get to the bandage she was holding in place.

“This certainly isn’t a matter for you, Dr. Stine. I’m sure you have patients galore,” she said, pulling her arm back.

“My schedule is all clear. You’re my patient right now,” he said as he took her hand and tugged her arm harder this time.

Dr. Stine still hadn’t given up on her even though she’d made it more than obvious she wasn’t interested in a relationship. He was the last person she wanted examining her. It wasn’t that she was repulsed by him or anything. He was kind, funny, and great looking. It was just that her heart was broken and she really wasn’t about to see if she could open that wound all over again with another male.

Without reason, her eyes suddenly filled up and spilled over as she looked into the doctor’s deep blue eyes. He gazed back at her with too much understanding. Dang it! Why couldn’t Peggy have sent in one of the nurses? She didn’t need to fall apart in front of the doctor.

“Come on, doll. Let me see,” he said.

This time she let him take away the gauze and then she cringed. The wound was worse than she thought. It was deep, with blood still trickling out and measuring about two inches long.

“This will definitely need stitches,” he said before squeezing her hand. He gave her another piece of gauze. “Hold this in place while I get what I need.”

“I can have Linda stitch it up,” she told him.

“Just lie back and relax. I’m doing it,” he said, still with a smile, but his firm voice coming through loud and clear. He wasn’t going to allow her to argue with him anymore.

She did what he said and laid back on the bed as he brought over a tray.

The stupid cut was pulsing and she began to understand a little more why her patients would moan and groan so much when the injuries appeared to be minor. There was no way for the medical personnel to get inside a patient’s head to know what they were feeling.

Dr. Stine gave her some medicine and a numbing shot before he cleaned the wound. Lindsey tried, but she couldn’t keep the tears in. What the heck? She hadn’t cried once since Maverick had disappeared out of her life. Not when Stormy constantly asked how she was doing and looked at her in that sympathetic way, not when she’d smashed her toe on her bed post, and not when she woke up from a dream of him holding her only to find herself alone.