“Fill out this form and bring it back with proof of insurance and an ID,” she says, cutting us off.
“Can we just see a doctor really quick? I promise it won’t be a long visit. She just pulled her earring through her ear.”
The woman stares at me blankly before shoving the form in my hands.
We take a seat in the plastic chairs of the waiting room, Steph already bleeding through the tissues I’d grabbed for her.
“Let me grab a few more from the restroom, then I’ll help you fill this out,” I say, placing the clipboard on the chair and hurrying over to the restroom. I grab a huge handful of tissue paper this time, opening the restroom door and running back over to where Steph is seated, my heels clacking loudly on the tile floor. Only now, she’s not alone.
“Hey, I got a lo—Grant? I mean Dr. Rossi?” I trip over my heels and he reaches a hand out to catch me. “What are you doing here?”
“Well, I’m a doctor and this is a hospital,” he gestures around with both hands.
“I meant why are you here in the ER. Aren’t you a—” I pause. I have no idea what kind of doctor he is, but I remember August saying he wasn’t an ER physician.
“I was walking through the ER and recognized Stephanie. I was doing rounds up on three, and just needed to stretch my legs. Here, let me take a look,” he says, pulling her hand away. She winces again. “Okay, let me grab a room real quick and I’ll take care of this for you.”
“Thank you,” she says with relief as he gives her hand a squeeze and walks off.
“What are the odds?” I say, huffing in my seat as I hand Steph the tissue. “Such a pompous ass,” I mutter.
“Play nice, Leigh. He’s helping me so we aren’t stuck here for hours,” she whispers as he steps back over to us and ushers us into a patient room. He pulls out a small flashlight and takes a closer look at the situation as Steph explains what happened.
“Okay, nothing serious. I’m going to clean it, which will sting, but then I’ll put a topical numbing agent on it so I can pull the earring back through.”
I watch him maneuver around the room, wheeling over on his stool to the area where the supplies are kept. His long legs encased in black dress pants extend off the stool. If not for his dumpster fire of a personality, Dr. Rossi would be sexy as hell. He glances back over his shoulder, looking directly at me as his eyes leisurely take me in. My cheeks flush when he catches me staring and I have to reassure myself that I didn’t just think those thoughts out loud.
“Having a ladies’ night?”
“Yup,” I say, not elaborating.
“You both look stunning.” He smiles at Steph, who blushes and thanks him while I make no effort to hide my audible scoff.
He pulls his blue latex gloves on slowly, making eye contact with me as he snaps the edge of one against his wrist. “Well, I hope you’re being safe,” he says with a wink, and I can’t hide my repulsion.
I glance over at Steph, who gives me a confused look that’s instantly replaced with a string of curse words as he cleans the wound.
“Let’s give this a minute to take effect,” he says, placing the topical anesthetic to her earlobe before removing his gloves and tossing them in the trash.
“So, doc, you doing anything fun this weekend or just working?” Steph asks cheerfully and I want to kick her.
“As a matter of fact, no, I’m not doing anything fun and I’m not working. My shift is over in about,” he pulls his white sleeve up to look at his watch—a Rolex of course—“two hours.”
“You ever heard of a bar called Death & Co?” she continues on, and now I want to push her off the damn exam table. I cross my legs and my arms, pretty sure I couldn’t look more uptight, but between how cold it is in here and side-eye glances I keep getting from Grant, I’m extremely uncomfortable.
“Afraid not. You ladies hitting it up?” He leans back on the stool, his legs manspreading all over the damn place like a sexy daddy long-legs. What the hell did I just think? I grimace at my own thoughts.
Steph glances over her shoulder at me and I try to wordlessly convey my message of please shut the hell up and don’t you freaking dare invite this maniacal God complex asshole out with us, but instead I just smile at her.
“Yeah, if you’re free tomorrow night, that’s actually where we’ll be. We had planned to go tonight, but obviously not now.” She motions to her ear.
“Speaking of, can you feel this?” He pulls on another glove and gives her lobe a good pinch.
She shakes her head. “Nope.”
“Okay, let’s get this back in the right spot.” Using tweezers, he quickly pulls the earring back through her lobe and applies a bit of medicated ointment.
“It’s going to hurt when the anesthetic wears off, so to reduce that and any swelling or inflammation, take 400 milligrams of an NSAID every four hours. I’ll also send you home with some samples of this antibiotic ointment. If for any reason you do experience a fever or swelling, or if the skin is red and warm to the touch, call me.
He stands up and throws his gloves in the trash again and walks over to the door, placing his hand on the handle.
“You ladies be safe tonight. Have fun and don’t push it with that ear, Stephanie.” He nods and I offer a tight-lipped smile and hold my breath, hoping he didn’t even register her invite.
“Oh, and what time tomorrow night?” he asks and I can’t help but release the breath with a loud sigh.
“Eight. I owe you a drink,” she says, glancing over at me to confirm.
“I’ll see you then.” He winks at me again then closes the door as he leaves the room.
“What the hell?” I say, smacking Steph’s shoulder.
“Ow! Hey, I’m already injured here.”
“Why did you invite him?” I hiss.
“I was just being nice—something you should try a little harder at. Besides, you guys clearly have some weird sexual tension thing that you should just bang out.” I glare at her. “What? He’s hot. Just go for it. No one’s saying marry the guy, so just have a fling.” She wriggles her eyebrows at me and I can’t help but laugh.
She’s not wrong. Dr. Grant Rossi is the kind of hot that normally makes women lose their senses, and I’d be dead wrong if I said I hadn’t noticed. My wet panties would prove that.
“Let’s get you back to my parents’ house before you go offering to let him come over there too.”
2
Grant
I stretch my neck, rolling my head to the right and left as I take in a few deep breaths.
“Long night, Dr. Rossi?” Sherice, my head of nursing asks as I place a file on her workstation.
“Is it just me or are these 12-hour shifts getting longer?” My eyes burn and I’m running on fumes. That’s the funny thing about being a doctor: you need to be sharp and alert even though you’re fueled by caffeine and power naps.
“I think we’re just getting older,” she says, taking the file and spinning back to her computer. “Speaking of,” she pauses and I know what’s coming, “any new prospects?” She stares at me over the edge of her glasses that are perched on the tip of her nose.