Beautifully Awake(63)

“Yeah, I got ya,” Jackson replied, steady and focused while Guy backed through the door with dripping wet hands.

“So, Colton, what’s this hypothermia catheter unit everyone keeps talking about ... cute sales rep talk you into being spokesperson or something?” Guy wasted no time asking questions, oblivious to the tension in the room.

My nervous stomach awakened. Not that similar questions weren’t ruminating in my head. Minus the cute sales rep crap.

“I developed it a few years ago.” His grey gaze captured my attention, searching for my reaction.

As in, invented? So this was the company Asher mentioned in Boston, maybe. I must have had disappointment written all over my face. Seemed like an interesting tidbit of information one would tell someone they worked with and spent several hours a day naked with.

How much longer could I sit around and wait for him to open up? About anything. About everything. I knew so little about this man.

The man who a week ago held me tighter than I have ever been held, kissed my hair all night long, and never uttered a word because he knew that’s what I needed.

The man who didn’t push or ask what happened at Sierra’s that same night to turn me into a bitchy texter.

The man who arranged romantic lunches at different quaint restaurants all over Center City because he knew I wanted to be discreet until this rotation was over, while he made it perfectly clear he couldn’t care less who knew about us.

The man who added an evening run to his workout routine so I wouldn’t be alone—even though he woke up at four to hit the gym, leaving me to sleep in until my personal Starbucks delivery arrived.

The man who scheduled a full spa day for Sierra and me this past Saturday while he was on call, as long as I promised to spend the entire next day with him, naked. Hard bargain.

Not to mention he was the man who made me lose count somewhere after forty-something. Were my expectations really that high?

Maybe I needed to give the man a break. Not everyone held a dark secret. Not everyone was me.



He suffered a devastating loss that he wasn’t ready to talk about, or at least not with me. And he invented some crazy piece of medical equipment. No surprise there. He was exceptionally brilliant and insanely wealthy.

“Colton, that’s sweet.” Jackson’s enthusiasm drew me out of my head. “Had a patient hooked up last month, worked like a charm. Bitch of a machine to work though.”

“How’s it work? You really invented it?” Guy followed, looking genuinely interested.

Chase, on the other hand, not so much. His eyes darkened while his chest rose and fell at a slightly faster rate. Long moments of silence filled the room before his authoritative teaching tone deteriorated to condescension. “It’s not a new fucking science, Hunter, just better equipment. This shouldn’t be news to you as a third year. It’s a metal-lined catheter and a control unit used to induce therapeutic hypothermia. Helps minimize brain damage after traumatic head injuries. You can also use it for cardiac arrest, strokes and newborns. Lowers body temperature, less chance of longterm injury. You obviously need a brush up.” I tensed and looked away cringing. He really was being mean to Guy. “I expect you at surgical grand rounds tomorrow morning for my inservice.”

The circulating nurse cut in, “Dr. Colton, sorry to interrupt, but the call just came in—the helicopter will be here in three minutes.”

“I’ll be back as soon as I can. Then we’ll finish the awake part of the case.” They both nodded in agreement. “Carl, do me a favor, if it’s not too much to ask, try and do your fucking job and make sure my patient stays asleep.”

I hated to say it, but Carl really was such a wet noodle. He kind of disappeared into the background. No wonder Chase was on edge. He made it perfectly clear he didn’t trust Carl’s judgment or like working with him. Chase basically banned him from all his cases. Obviously vacation schedules trumped surgeon’s requests.

Chase ripped his gown and gloves off and stormed out of the room without a glance back.

The last awake OR case I sat in on was the god-awful bloodbath almost two weeks ago. Who would have thought something so terrible that ended with the kiss of all kisses would lead to whatever the hell you would say we were doing. Secretly dating, fucking, semi-cohabitating. Keep telling yourself that’s all it is, Lil. Believe it or not, I looked forward to today after I saw an awake case on the schedule. Chase, in his element, was awesome. Intense, focused, and dominant. It reminded me of him in bed. I hoped the heat in my cheeks was hidden under the mask. Not the time or place for those thoughts.