GRAYSON
‘I’m just a hunk, a hunk of burning love
Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love’
Crap!
What the hell!
I reach out to grab her before I bowl her over and smash her to the ground. Stopping my feet dead in the middle of running takes all the strength I have in my legs. We sway slightly, but I manage to pull her back towards me to stand her back up. Where did this woman come from? Looking down at the top of her head, I can’t tell if she’s okay or not.
She’s not moving or saying anything. It’s like she’s frozen still. I think I’ve scared her so much she’s in shock.
She’s not answering me, so I try to pull her out a little more so I can see her face.
Well, hello my little gorgeous one.
The sun is shining brightly on her face that lights her up with a glow. She’s squinting, having trouble seeing me. She opens her mouth to finally talk. I’m ready for her to rip into me for running into her. Yet all I get is sorry and she’s trying to escape my grasp. The taxi driver gives her the hurry along. I’d love to make sure she’s really okay, but I seem to be holding her up. I help her to the taxi and within seconds she’s pulling away from me, turning and watching me from the back window of the cab.
Well, that gave today a new interesting twist.
One gorgeous woman almost falling at my feet. Before I could even settle my breathing from running, I blink, and she’s gone. Almost like a little figment of my imagination.
One part I certainly didn’t imagine is how freaking beautiful she looked.
I take off running towards Dunbar Park and the basketball court where the guys are waiting for me. Elvis is pumping out more rock in my earbuds and my feet pound the pavement in time with his hip thrusts. I’m a huge Elvis fan, my music tastes stuck in the sixties. There is nothing like the smooth melodic tones of the King. My mom listened to him on her old vinyl records, and we would dance around the kitchen while Dad was at work. I think she was brainwashing me. It totally worked. Although I love all sorts of music, Elvis will always be at the top of my playlist.
“Oh, here’s Doctor Dreamy. What, some damsel in distress you couldn’t walk away from?” The basketball lands with a thud in the center of my chest from Tate.
“Like you can talk, oh godly one. The surgeon that every nurse in the hospital is either dreaming about fucking, or how she can stab needles in you after she’s been fucked over by you.” Smacking him on the back as I join the boys on the court, Lex and Mason burst out laughing.
“Welcome to the game, doctors. Sucks you’re on the same team today, doesn’t it? Less bitching and more bouncing. Let’s get this game started. I’m due in court at three and the judge already hates me, so being late won’t go well,” Lex yelled as he started backing down the court ready to mark and stop us scoring a basket.
“Let me guess, she hates you because you slept with her,” I yell back.
“Nope, but I may have spent a night with her daughter, who I had no idea lives with her mother the judge.”
“Holy shit, that’s the funniest thing I’ve heard today.” Mason throws his head back, laughing out loud. “That story is status-worthy.”
“You put one word of that on social media and I won’t be the one in court trying to get you out on bail, I’ll be there defending why I beat you to a pulp, gossip boy. Now get over here and help me whip the asses off these glamour boys.” Lex glares at Mason.
“Like they even have a chance. Bring it, boys.” He waves at me to come at him.
Game on, gentlemen.
My watch starts buzzing to tell us time’s up in the game. We’re all on such tight work schedules that we squeeze in this basketball game together once a week. These guys are my family, well, the kind of family you love one minute and want to kill the next. We’ve been friends since meeting at Brother Rice High School for Boys, where we all ended up in the same class on the first day. Not sure what the teachers were thinking after the first week when we had bonded and were already making pains of ourselves. Not sure how many times our parents were requested for a ‘talk’ with the headmaster, but it was more often than is normal, I’m sure. It didn’t matter we all went to separate universities or worked in different professions. We had already formed that lifelong friendship that won’t ever break.
Sweat dripping off all of us, I’m gulping down water from the water fountain. Not too much, otherwise I’ll end up with a muscle cramp by the time I run back to the hospital.
“Right, who’s free tonight?” Mason is reading his phone with a blank look on his face.
“I’m up for a drink, I’m off-shift tonight,” Tate pipes up as I grin and second him that I’m off too. It doesn’t happen often that we all have a night off together. The joys of being a doctor in a hospital.
“I can’t, I’m attending a charity dinner. It’s for that charity you mentor for, Mason,” Lex replies.
“Well, that’s perfect. Gray, you are my plus one, and Tate, your date is Lex. I’m now the guest speaker for the night. So, you can all come and listen to the best talk you have witnessed all year. Prepare to be amazed.” He brushes each of his shoulders with his hands, trying to show us how impressive he is.
We all moan simultaneously at him.
“Thanks for the support, cock suckers. My memory is long.” He huffs a little as he types away a reply on
