Sean stepped off the elevator onto the cardiac floor of the hospital with coffee in hand. His stomach growled. At the hospital since seven that morning, he forgot to eat breakfast, and now his body let him know it was pissed off for not feeding it. He went to the nurse's station to say hello to the staff before diverting to the cafeteria.
"Doctor Millen," Jessie, a recently graduated nurse, enthusiastically greeted him.
Sean smiled. "Miss Denala."
"Oh, you know you can call me Jessie." She blinked rapidly.
Yeah, that wasn't happening. This girl had been trying to get into his pants since her first day of employment. He was not about to hit that. Though Ryan had. How his brother managed to get his hands on the nurses at this hospital was confounding.
"Doctor Millen," nurse Roberta asked for his attention professionally. "Mr. Horne's family would like to speak with you regarding his condition."
Sean nodded. "I'll be in a minute."
Breaking the news that there was nothing that could be done for a family member whose body would never make it through a transplant or an artificial heart, never got easier. He needed the backup of a social worker.
"I've called social," Roberta said.
That woman was a dream come true nurse. "Thanks."
"Doctor Millen," Joey interrupted, "your brother is on line three."
What the hell did Ryan want? When he'd left this morning, he could hear his playboy brother pounding the hell out of some chick. When he'd brought her home, who knew? Thank goodness their walls were solid. That solid oak headboard of Ryan's could've caused them to need some carpentry maintenance.
Sean picked up the phone. "Hello?"
"Hey, what time are you off today?"
"Great. Fine. How are you?" he asked sarcastically.
Ryan chuckled. "Sorry. How are you feeling this morning?"
"Better," he answered. "I get done at five."
"Dinner?" Ryan asked.
"Where?"
"How about with Court at Murphy's?" Ryan suggested.
"Did she call?" He knew his cousin too well. If anyone could have laid a guilt trip him, she could.
"Yeah," he said softly. "I feel bad. We haven't stopped by to see her or the babies in over a month."
Had it really been that long?
"Okay, but not Murphy's. Somewhere else," Sean insisted. Murphy's was her husband's bar where he was positive frequent laundering occurred.
"All right, I'll text you where," Ryan said, his voice suddenly lighter. "See ya later."
His brother disconnected the call before Sean could reply. He grinned, shook his head over Ryan's normal antics, and placed the receiver back on the cradle.
When he looked up, Jessie stared at him all starry eyed. Sean internally rolled his own eyes. This girl needed to get over him. Sean pulled his pen out of his pocket and took the Horne chart off Roberta.
"The social worker's in his room," she said.
"Thanks." Now off to break the horrible news to a desperately hopeful family.
Beth silently slid into the cafeteria before the lunch hour crowd descended like vultures. It was just plain easier for her that way. She stepped into line without grabbing a tray. She'd eat at her desk … again. While she carefully examined the less than appetizing food, she took note of the price for each item to be certain to pull out the correct amount of cash. A bottle of water, a tuna fish sandwich, a fruit cup, and an oversized chocolate chip cookie would cost her absurdly fifteen dollars.
As she approached the cashier, she felt the presence of someone behind her, but didn't bother to turn around. They'd end up engaging, and she didn't want that to occur. When it was her turn to pay, the portly woman behind the register looked past her to whoever stood behind her and smiled brightly. A large body stepped around Beth and held out a fifty dollar bill. She followed the large frame up and up and up to find Sean Millen grinning down at her.
"Hi," he said.
She smiled shyly.
"I've got your lunch," he said.
"Oh, no, please, no thank you," she said quickly.
He smiled wider, showing off a set of perfect porcelains, which made his features look years younger, and if possible, even more striking. Square jaw, clean shaven, distinctly sharp facial features. He should have been on a movie set somewhere, not cooped up on in a hospital donning scrubs.
She stuck her twenty out towards the cashier, who shook her head. "No, no, Doctor Millen wants to pay for your lunch, dear. We never argue with the man or his brother."
Beth sighed and sagged. She saw Sean chuckle and looked his way, her eyes narrowed.
He held up his hands. "It's not that big of a deal, Beth. Let me buy you lunch."
"All right," she relented.
"Great, now you have to sit with me since I bought you lunch." He spun and darted towards an empty table.
Gaping, she wanted to argue, but he was already too far away, and all she'd do was create a scene. A tray magically appeared in front of her. She looked to the cashier, who grinned and nodded for her to take the plastic germ harborer. Sullenly, she snatched the thing and sulked over to Doctor Millen. Did everyone in this hospital know him?
When she approached the table in the corner – how he snagged that prime one she had no idea – he stood beside a chair, waiting. Gallantly he pulled out the chair for her to sit. She slid into the seat feeling self-conscious. How was she ever going to pull this off?
His fluid movement around the table caught her eye. Thankfully he took the seat across from her, but not before greeting two middle-aged nurses who wandered into the cafeteria. Flirt.
"So we meet again," he said.
She tried to focus on what he said, but that mouth of his was far too sensual for a male. A full bottom lip and a top lip that wasn't too full but not thin. What would that mouth feel like on her overheated body? Oh, lord.
His mouth quirked knowingly.
Busted.
"I'm sorry, what did you say?" she asked quietly.
"We meet again," he said.
Desperately she tried to focus on him and not look at the table to avoid eye contact. Somehow she managed a polite smile. Maybe.
"What do you do here at the hospital?" he asked.
She jumped on the opportunity to disconnect from his mesmerizing gaze. Instead she focused on positioning and unwrapping her lunch on her tray. "I work on charts and billing to make certain everything is correct to get the highest re-imbursement from the insurance companies."
A quick glance up, she saw his eyes light up with mirth. "So you're the reason I get into trouble with the department head."
"Aren't you the head of the cardiology department?" A slight tilt of her head. Did she is misread a document?
He laughed. "Yes, and I'm constantly in trouble with myself."
Unable to help it, she laughed. Not only good looking, but a sense a humor as well. Whatever woman held his attention at home sure was lucky. Wait, was he married?
"Are you married?" she blurted.
He spat out the sip of coffee he took. "Um, no. I wouldn't be sitting here if that was the case," he answered.
For some odd reason, she felt relieved.
"Are you?" he asked.
She shook her head and bit her bottom lip. Four years ago she thought she'd be engaged, married, and have popped out two kids by now. But life had had different plans for her.
"Are you dating anyone?" he asked. He reached across the table and tugged her bottom lip from her teeth. A quick brush of his thumb over her lip caught her off guard. His hand slowly dropped back to his coffee cup.
"No," she said softly.
That answer caused his features to brighten. "Perfect," he said. "How about dinner with me tonight?"
"Oh, I can't‒"
"Why?" he interrupted.
"I don't think that would be a good idea. You're a doctor here and I'm just a‒"
He held up his hand and interrupted her. Again. "Don't even finish that sentence. There's no reason or hospital policy that prevents me or you from going out with each other."
A cocked eyebrow challenged her to come up with a retort. She had nothing.
"Shit, wait, tonight's no good. I'm having dinner with my brother and cousin. She'll murder me if I cancel on her," he smiled indulgently. "How about tomorrow night?"
A Friday night date? That might be too much pressure for her. Why couldn't they do a Saturday lunch or Sunday brunch?
"I can't do tomorrow," she said. "How about Saturday afternoon?"
He studied her, not responding for a long minute. "You don't want to do Friday night?"
She shook her head.
"Do I make you nervous?" he asked.
How very blunt and astute.
She nodded. Might as well be just as straightforward.
His features went soft. "Don't be," he said. "If it's too much for you, we can do Saturday afternoon. I won't push."