Beautifully Awake

Gotta sit w a patient during surgery

I’m freakin out

“Oh good, I caught you.”

I popped my cell back in my pocket and turned to see Guy heading down the hall. He slapped me on the back and gave me a wink.

“Blue looks great on you, doll.”

I blushed. “Thanks.”

He sort of always knew how to make me feel better.

“So here’s the deal if you don’t throw up or pass out ... we’re gonna celebrate tonight, my treat.” He smiled and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me in for a hug.

“You two look cozy.” Sam chuckled, pushing through the swinging door with my crap.

“Whatever, Petit, give me that shit.” Guy grabbed the hat, mask and booties from Sam’s hand. Really, shoe booties?

“Am I interrupting something?” Chase growled.

No joke, he growled. My heart leaped into my throat. The sound of his voice did something crazy to my insides.

“Just getting her ready,” Sam interjected.

My pocket vibrated with a new text. I spun around to face Chase standing directly behind me, totally invading my personal space. I inhaled a sharp breath and my heart rate doubled again. I resisted taking a step back. The distraction of his faded blue scrubs hugging so many of the right places glued me to the floor. With his white lab coat missing, this man standing in front of me was truly a sexy chiseled masterpiece. My nipples peaked and everything lower clenched. This reaction was foreign to me. Nothing in my lower regions ever clenched. Period.

His piercing gaze scanned my body and oozed intensity. “Blue scrubs, really, Sam?” He was angry. “Get her another fucking color now, any color but blue.”

Sam and Guy stood motionless with puzzled faces. I was just as confused as they were. No, actually more.

“I said another color now, Hunter, make this happen.”

Looking startled, both residents turned and quickly walked away with not a word.

Embarrassed and aroused was not a good combo. The heat between my legs was slowly rising to my cheeks. I started to ramble, “Oh my god, I’m so sorry, I should have known—blue is totally a doctor color. I should have never put these on, I’ll go change...”

He put his pointer finger to his lips then motioned me to follow him through the first set of swinging doors. “Come.”

I followed, unable to resist his magnetic pull. He grabbed a blue cap from the shelf on top of the scrub sink and tied it around the back of his head. The veins in his forearms sliced through his defined muscles. It was sexy as hell. Then he grabbed his mask and pinched it at the bridge of his nose. He proceeded to reach up and tie one set of strings at the top of his head and the other set at the base of his neck. My eyes fixated on the tiny strip of skin peeking out from under the bottom edge of his scrub top. The tease of rock hard abs and bits of dark brown hair trickling below his waistband was enough to almost put me over the edge.

“Did you eat?” He washed his hands and arms with a scrub brush. I didn’t reply. He turned to face me, his dripping wet arms held high in the air. Only his damn eyes exposed. How was it possible to be that hot in a pair of scrubs? “Lili, did you eat anything today?”

“Yeah.” Did coffee count? “I’m good, thanks,” I lied. Like hell I ate.

“I’ll feed you later.” He shook his head, turned and bumped the swinging door with his ass disappearing into the operating room.

“Huh?” I looked down at my blue scrubs as Sam barreled into the tiny scrub sink room with another pair of scrubs in hand.

“There you are, here, go change before he goes postal on my ass.”

“Thanks.” I needed a pause. A big one. In record time I made it to the locker room, changed into the new pair of scrubs and splashed cold water on my face, hoping to refocus. Did he say he was going to feed me? I pulled out my phone. Sierra was good at distraction, and I knew there would be a text waiting.

So rumors were right huh?

He’s a dick.

A dick, yes. A jumpstart to my libido, yes. Together not a good combination. I silenced my ringer, dropped my cell back in my pocket and headed toward the OR. Staring down the empty long hallway I wondered what the hell I was doing on about a million different levels.

Guy rounded the corner and jogged toward me, interrupting the tailspin going on in my head. “I needed to see it for myself. Sam wasn’t lying when he said they were shit brown.” He laughed. “I would have paid to see you in there. I’m jealous of Jackson.” He bumped my hip, but this time I was ready for him. Also helped that I was in flats. Holy hell. Fuchsia ballet flats with shit brown scrubs ... just lovely. It just kept getting better.

“Oh shut it, Guy, not helping!”

He chuckled. “You always look great, show them who’s boss, remember our deal ... just no puking or passing out.” He placed the bouffant blue hat on my head, securing my hair inside. He really was so sweet.

“Thanks, Guy.”

“Now go before he gives you shit for being late, seems something crawled up his ass and died today.” He pushed me toward the door. “Wait, Lil, your mask.”

I so didn’t belong here.

“Don’t give me that look. Turn around.” He tied my mask at the top of my head and at the base of my neck.

“I can’t breathe.”

“Yes you can, pinch the mask at your nose, go get ‘em, doll!” He slapped my ass and pushed me through the swinging doors. It was too late to protest. I was staring at a sea of blue, and I was the only one looking like shit.

After the case, Chase followed me into the little scrub sink room, tore his mask from his face and ripped his cap from his head. “Lili, go change and meet me in the lobby. And don’t get lost in the recovery room.”

Really. After seven hours of pure adrenaline, I was exhausted and just wanted to go home. “Um, okay.”

“And don’t worry about Mrs. Peterson. I have her heavily sedated for tonight, you can see her in the morning.”

How did he know that’s where I was headed?

Jackson popped his head into the tiny room. “Kiddo, you rocked it! You were a pro, you totally kept her calm.” He squeezed my arm.

“Thanks, Jack, appreciate it. The talking definitely lowered both our anxiety levels.” I smiled, remembering our conversation. Kelly relived their last beach vacation and gushed about how adorable her toddler twins were splashing in the water and playing in the sand. A memory I could only wish for.

“Totally.” Jack smiled and looked over at Chase. “Brilliant, man, sick job in there, great call having Lili sit for the case.”

Chase half smiled. At least he took a compliment gracefully.

“Lil, I’ll catch you later, I’m gonna take her to the recovery room and write her orders.”

“Jack, I’ll take her down to recovery, you just write her orders. Don’t be cheap with the pain meds either, I want her comfortable.”

Jackson looked confused; maybe attendings didn’t usually roll the patient to recovery. What did I know?

“Lili, I’m going to get her situated and find her husband. Meet me in the lobby.” His gaze locked with mine as he waited. “Yes?”

I just wanted to change and go home, but “yeah, fine” came out of my mouth.

He kept staring until I couldn’t take the awkwardness any more and looked down. Crap, these tan scrubs