With each word he read he felt himself getting angry. Rachel was quitting on him. He was reading her letter of resignation.
The sandwich held little appeal to him. Throwing the food away, he tore up her letter. At the same time, Tammy walked into his office. The nurse was smiling, and he saw her hair was down. He’d fucked her a couple of times a year ago. Chris only touched her because Rachel was on another date that he couldn’t stop.
“Hey, Chris.” He didn’t like her tone at all.
“What?” he asked.
“I, erm, wanted to see how you were doing. It has been a long time, and I guess I’ve been worried about you.” Tammy walked farther into the room.
He didn’t like the sway of her hips or the provocative way she was looking at him. Fucking her had been a big mistake. Claire always warned him that he would mess up by not thinking. For a doctor, he certainly knew how to stop thinking.
“Why do you even care, Tammy? There’s nothing for you to worry about.” He hoped Rachel hadn’t figured out who he slept with. Chris wasn’t going to apologize for the life he led prior to being with Rachel. He was a man and did whatever he wanted to do.
“We meant something to each other, Chris. Don’t pretend we’re not important.”
Standing up, he glared at her. “What did you say to Rachel?” he asked.
There was a time when he thought Tammy was a kind woman. The glint in her eye said different. Rachel didn’t deserve scorn from her or the other women he’d slept with.
“I didn’t say anything to Rachel. She was leaving, and I simply told her that you needed a real woman. She’s a girl compared to what we had.” Tammy circled the desk, standing in front of him. “Come on, Chris. You know I can make you feel good.”
Before he could stop her, Tammy had her arms around his neck and was kissing him passionately.
Grabbing her arms he shoved her away. “What the fuck did you do?” he asked, growling.
He couldn’t handle her. Sex was sex. Tammy was the one to agree with him when he’d slept with her.
Tammy glared at him. “So I really was just a fuck?”
“I’m in love with Rachel. I’ve always been in love with her.”
In one swift move, Tammy shoved the items off his desk. The computer crashed to the floor. “You’re a fucking pig falling for that fat bitch. She’s better off without you.” Tammy slapped him around the face.
Staring around the room, Chris knew this wasn’t good. What if the women had been picking at Rachel behind his back? Crap. He’d never even thought about what continuing a life with her would mean.
He took his coat and walked out of his office. The women he’d fucked stared at him. He was embarrassed by how many he’d used. The walk he took was one he needed to live through.
This is what you did trying to heal.
Chris kept his head held high. They wouldn’t make him feel anything for the way he treated them. They wanted sex with him, and he’d supplied it.
Never had he given them any kind of promises.
Letting out a breath, he walked, trying his best to think of where Rachel would go. It was raining, and he was drenched in a matter of seconds. Pushing the cold and the wet from his mind, he focused on Rachel. She didn’t deserve the treatment the women at the hospital clearly gave her.
So fucking stupid.
If he could kick his own ass he would. The only thing he could do was curse his stupidity.
She’d try to get as far away from the hospital as possible. Picking a direction, he headed in it. When he was far enough away, he stumbled onto a bar. Going through the door, he shook the rain from his hair. Rachel was the first woman to make him walk in the rain to get to.
He saw her immediately. She was wearing the tight pencil skirt and white buttoned blouse he’d pulled out for her that morning.
Every now and again the barman would approach her. The smile on the man’s face made Chris angry. Without thinking he walked to her side.
Rachel turned to look at him. When she saw him, her smile disappeared.
“David, this is my man, Chris. Chris, this is my new boss, David.”
She made the introductions slowly.
“How much has she had to drink?” he asked.
“Not enough.” Rachel spoke up before David could get a word in.
“I haven’t given her a lot. She’s nursing her second brandy if that. The tequila is looking a little lost.”
“I’ll take a black coffee,” Chris said. He’d be the one driving them home.
David nodded and left them alone. Sitting beside Rachel, he gave her all of his attention. She looked ahead, not giving him even a glance.
“You’re not going to say anything?” he asked.