Turbulent Desires(37)

He carried her to his room and laid her down. He made love to her again  before he opened the door and let both dogs in to come up in the bed  with them.

And that's when she realized she had fallen in love with the man.

She was going to enjoy every minute she had left with him. And when it  was time to go, she would take only good memories with her.





CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

What is it that people always said? That when you're having a great  time, it passes far too quickly, but when you're in misery, it drags on?  Lindsey was sure the saying was more than true.

The past couple of weeks had passed by in a blur for her. She was . . .  happy. Maybe she was too happy. She and Maverick had been working  nonstop on the fund-raiser by day and then spending nearly every night  locked in each other's arms. It made her think that maybe, just maybe,  he didn't want their time together to end. That's how she felt.

It was foolish of her to want to continue the relationship, but when a  person was thinking with her heart, she didn't always make the best  decisions. She had a feeling she was going to learn that the extremely  hard way.

Even though Maverick wasn't talking about the two of them ending  whatever it was they had going on, the reality was that all good stories  eventually ended. There was a small nagging bit of her brain that told  her some things worked out. Look at Cooper and Stormy. They were in love  and so happy it was almost difficult to be around them sometimes.

They were the exception to the rule, though, and she was more than aware  of that fact. But if she dwelled on the negative, then she would be  letting the positive slip right through her fingertips. That wasn't what  she wanted either.

Her coworker, Katie, walked up to her, looking incredibly excited. She  waited for Lindsey to finish making notes on a patient's chart and then  spoke.

"I am so excited for the fund-raiser you're throwing, Lins. There's been so much buzz in the papers lately."

"Yes, it's been a lot of work, but I've really enjoyed doing it."

"What are you wearing to it?" Katie asked.

"I'm not sure I'm even going," she told Katie. Just because she was  chairing the event didn't mean she had to be there. It was a lot of  fancy people that she really didn't feel she fit in with. She was one of  the workers, not one of the elite.

Sure, her brothers were millionaires, but that didn't mean she was  riding along on their coattails. She didn't want to take advantage of  anyone else's rainbow. She wanted to make her own.

"You have to come. It's going to be so much fun," the very young nurse  said in her usual singsong voice. "Of course, you know that, since  you've been in on every little detail."

"It's a bit over the top, actually," Lindsey said with a laugh.

"No way. It's like a real-life ball. How romantic is that?" the girl sighed.

"Are you hoping one of the doctors will ride in on a white horse and  slip a glass shoe on your foot?" Lindsey asked her with a smile.

"Only if it's Dr. Stine. That man can slip anything he wants on any body part of me," the girl told her with a giggle.

"Yes, Dr. Stine is a good-looking man," Lindsey admitted.

The new doctor had all the staff drooling, even those who were married  or in committed relationships. Lindsey wasn't in either category. So why  wasn't she attracted to the successful surgeon?

Maybe because Maverick had broken her. Or maybe it was because she was  happy-for now. Either way, she wasn't interested in the new surgeon who  seemed to have a minor in flirting.

"Did I hear my name?"

Even though she hadn't been gossiping about the man-not really-Lindsey  still felt her cheeks heat the slightest bit as the man of the hour  walked into the break room. His killer smile was in place and he sidled  right up to the girls.

Katie, of course, giggled nervously and began shifting from foot to foot.

"Yes, we were just talking about what a blessing it has been to have you  at our hospital. The patients really respect you," Lindsey said.         

     



 

"Ah, I thought it might have been about something else." He was gazing  right at her, the look of interest clear in his eyes. That was something  she needed to nip in the bud immediately.

"Nope. Sorry." She turned to leave, but he gently grabbed her arm. She  stopped dead in her tracks, having to control her breathing. Though she  knew it wasn't logical, she still didn't like strangers touching her.

"Are you going to the ball, Lindsey?" The intensity of the question shocked her.

"I'm not sure yet," she told him as she tugged firmly on her arm. Thankfully he let it go.

"I hope so. Save me a dance."

She was so shocked by his request she didn't have time to respond. She  just nodded her head and quickly fled. She wondered if poor Katie was  able to survive in there on her own with the good-looking doc. Guess  Lindsey would know if the girl didn't show up soon.

Moving to the reception desk, she sat down and decided to finish her  charts. That part of her job she could easily do without. It was boring  and took forever. Without the horrific caffeine the hospital provided,  free of charge, she would most likely pass out from paperwork.

"I can't believe you left me in there with Dr. Dreamy. Ugh. I went all  red-faced and ended up sputtering something unintelligible before I ran  out the door," Katie said as she came and perched herself on a corner of  the desk.

"You're a nurse, Katie. I would think you would have a bit more control over yourself," Lindsey said with a laugh.

"Well, I know one thing-he sure as heck was flirting with you. It's  really not fair, you know. You have that sexy pilot guy who comes in  here all the time, and now you have the dreamy doctor drooling over you  too. Please share your secrets," the girl whined.

"I don't have any secrets," Lindsey told the girl with a laugh. "Don't you have work to do?" she finished pointedly.

"Ugh. Nothing. My patients are good. It's just been so dang quiet in here today."

Two other staff members were walking up as the young nurse said this,  and all three of them shot a look of horror her way. It was such the  wrong thing to say in the ER. Completely taboo. And they all knew it.

As if on cue, the emergency room doors flew open as two guys carrying  another came limping inside, blood pouring from all three of them.

"You had to say the Q word," Lindsey snapped as all four medical  professionals rushed forward to catch the men before they toppled to the  floor.

There was no more time to sit around. They got to work sewing wounds,  administering antibiotics and painkillers, and setting a broken wrist.  The guys were lucky. They'd been performing some Jackass-style stunts  that had gone severely wrong-or maybe right. Wasn't the point of those  movies to humiliate oneself while causing the most damage possible? Why  would people find that entertaining? Okay, she had to admit, she might  have watched it once or twice. But still, it was a terrible pastime.

No sooner did they get their young victims treated than an older couple  walked in. Both of them looked one knock away from heaven's door. Each  of them complained of chest pains.

"Both of you?" Lindsey asked, surprised. Neither had any color, and their breathing was almost nonexistent.

"Yes, dear," the woman replied, still polite even in her pain.

"What happened?" Lindsey asked as they began running tests on them.

The old man wasn't as polite in his pain-induced state. "We aren't that  old, you know. I'm not even seventy yet," he spluttered, completely off  topic. What did their age have to do with anything?

"I wasn't trying to call you old, sir," Lindsey quickly said, helping him lie back in the bed.

"Darling, you'll be seventy in two days," the woman pointed out. "I was  giving him his birthday present a little early, you see-" Her cheeks  turned pink as she looked at Lindsey in horror.

Lindsey had no idea what was going on. "What was the present? Did it frighten you both?" she asked.

Right after she asked the question, Dr. Stine's soft laughter could be  heard behind her, and she turned to give him a glare. She didn't find  this situation in the least funny.

"I think they were having sex, Nurse Helm," he said before winking at her.

Now it was Lindsey's turn to sport red cheeks. She whipped back around  to the elderly couple, who were both looking at the floor. Their tests  confirmed they were indeed having heart attacks.

There wasn't time to dwell on the fact that they'd been doing the nasty.  It was an image she would never get out of her mind again, not even if  she drank bleach. But then again, when was it too old to be having sex?  The thought of ever having to give it up in her lifetime wasn't  appealing.         

     



 

"Good for you, Mr. Bardon. Happy birthday," Dr. Stine said after they stabilized the husband and wife. The old man grinned.

Lindsey was free to go at the end of her shift, but the afternoon  wouldn't slow down. Nope. All because Katie had uttered the Q word.  Lindsey tried not to even think of the Q word while in the hospital.