I said a quick goodbye to the room and made my way out to wash my hands at the tiny scrub sink area. This operating room had no windows, so I couldn’t see back in, but I heard Chase mumble something about being right back. I smirked. Ten seconds later, warm arms wrapped around my waist as Chase nuzzled deep into my neck.
Mmmm. He smelled crisp, all man. “H-e-y ... you just wasted a surgical gown. They cost a fortune you know.” I giggled. Like I cared about a wasted gown. All I cared about at this very moment were the warm lips brushing against my neck, igniting my fire. Pure heaven.
“Fuck it, I’ll buy the hospital a year’s worth of gowns.” Huh. He probably would. “One more kiss, baby.” Kiss. “Drive safe.” Kiss. “I’ll call when I’m done here.” Kiss. “I love you.”
My lips were suddenly jealous of my neck, so I turned and snaked my arms around him. He was so much bigger than me, but we fit perfectly. “Love you too.” Kiss. “See you later.” Kiss.
His hands automatically found a comfortable resting spot on my ass. I squealed. Not an attractive sound, but it slipped out. “I’m going to be late if I don’t leave soon. I have to stop back at my office first.”
“I just love this ass.”
“It’s all yours ... but later!” I gripped his chiseled cheeks and gave him one last hard kiss. And with that I turned and wiggled my ass all the way down the long corridor. Leanne would have been so proud. Chase chuckled. Best sound ever.
I pit stopped by the recovery room to say a quick hello to Kate. I felt bad she missed my birthday party. She never gave Chase a reason for bailing last minute, but it had to be CJ bullshit, I was sure. She looked awful, like she hadn’t slept all night. And if I had a minute to spare, I would have tried harder to get her to talk to me, but now I really, really had to go. Like now. I gave her a super tight hug and she finally cracked. “I’m sorry, Lil, it’s so screwed up. Can we talk later?”
Damn that sounded cryptic, but then again her whole relationship with the loser was cryptic. Kate needed a LiliSierra-vention stat. Maybe she finally had enough. Good for her, she was too amazing to waste another minute. She deserved her Chase.
I did a quick change out of my (yes, I was still wearing them) hideous brown scrubs and crocs (yes, I caved and got a pair) and back into my solid black pencil skirt (yep, still wearing that too) and heels (ok, those were new).
The elevator was up on eleven. Push. Push. Push. Evidently pushing the button repeatedly didn’t affect the speed of anything. My dad hadn’t called or texted yet. He obviously wasn’t as stressed about missing his flight as I was. Anyway, what was the worst that could happen? They’d miss their flight and have to take the next one, giving us a little extra time together. Time I could use to share my big news.
I took a step back from the elevator and smiled. Huge. What was I going to do with my crazy, sweet, possessive, jealous, bossy, sexy, intense, playful, brilliant doctor? No brainer. Marry him one day and live our HEA. My cheeks hurt I was smiling so big. I backed up a little further. Heels and stairs weren’t so bad. Who needed an elevator? And since I’d taken a running hiatus, my calves and ass could benefit from a little toning.
Were his ears burning? His ringtone echoed in the silent stairwell.
“Hi, Dr. Sexy.”
“Hey, baby.”
“What, you missed me already? I just left you, what twenty minutes ago?” He laughed at me. “Guess where I am, you’ll be so proud.” Four flights to go, ouch. “I’m only doing it for my ass though.”
“You’re taking the stairs, in those fucking heels. Baby, you trying to kill me?”
“What, before you take me to see our new beach house this weekend? No chance.”
“You say the word, baby, I’ll fly us up there tonight, as long as you promise to keep those fucking shoes on when we christen every damn room. Don’t tempt me. I’m a man of my word.”
I loved how aroused he sounded and that I was the reason.
“Mmm. Sounds tempting. Too bad we have these pesky jobs and all.”
“Who said anything about taking off? I’ll have us back by sunrise tomorrow. That gives you enough time to test the acoustics of half the rooms, depending how loud you scream my name, that is.”
“You’re crazy! We can’t do that!”
“Which part? Getting us back in time tomorrow, or making you come ten times? Because,
Now who was aroused? “Uhh…” For some reason I couldn’t find anything witty to say, my mind was a little preoccupied playing the NC-17 trailer of Chase’s fantasy. Freaking Oscar worthy if you asked me.
“Tell you what, Blue, since you can’t function without sleep the way I can—and don’t even try and deny it, baby—let’s stick with the original plan for this weekend. Better yet, I’ll get us out of here early on Friday, if you promise me one thing?”
“Name it?”
“When I get home tonight, I want you in nothing but those heels and a crotchless thong.”
“Dr. Crazy, that’s two things.” I felt sassy.
Chase made a throaty sound, that seriously sexy noise that shot that delicious ache straight between my legs. “I love that fucking sassy mouth of yours. I’m going to…”
“CJ ... CJ!” Kate’s shrill voice cut Chase off and echoed like nails on a chalkboard through the stairwell. My stomach plummeted. She kept screaming. “Please, please don’t do this ... you need help ... where the hell are you going? CJ ... no!” Her voice was laced with pure fear.
Chase’s voice deepened with the panic I felt. “Blue, what the fuck is going on? Who’s screaming?”
I paused as the sick feeling in my stomach rose.
“Answer me, Blue.”
“I ... I don’t know. I think it’s ... Oh FUCK...”
Kate’s screaming intensified. The heavy steel door crashed against the tile.
My cell slipped from my hand. “Blue!! What the fuck is going on!” Chase’s voice sounded so distant when the glass face shattered in a million pieces. I needed a pause, a fast-forward, a stop. An extra second to process.
His familiar eyes were bloodshot, completely glazed over and about to pop out of his head. They were colorless and frantic. He was so close, too close. His wretched trench mouth mixed with drenching sweat churned the bile rising in my chest. The smell, his stench, was vile. Vomit mixed with body odor. I gagged. Dry heaved. I was so confused. I involuntarily strained my ears, attempting to decipher the mumbling crazed gibberish coming from his mouth.
Wet noodle. Useless.
Dr. Jennings ... Carl Jennings ... Fucking CJ. It all made sense. Horrible sense.
Pearl size sweat beaded across his forehead. His skin was pale, a putrid shade of green. He looked rabid, like a sick animal. Crazed and high.
As quickly as the door slammed shut, his body slammed into mine, but with a force ten-fold that of steel. It all happened in slow motion.
I closed my eyes. Tight. I imagined stepping onto one of those amusement park rides where I strapped myself to the wall. The lights would go out, the music would start blaring and I would spin. And spin and spin. Faster and faster. No time to feel nauseous. It was too fast. My head cracked against the cold tile. Then the music stopped. Everything stopped.
Epilogue
