The Scheme

Shit. I wanted this, but I didn’t.

I hadn’t gotten laid in a while, and all of me needed this. But I didn’t need complications, especially since my last relationship had failed. I wasn’t ready for anything serious. I didn’t have time for that with my responsibilities at work.

Judging from the smirk on her face, it didn’t seem like she was looking for a relationship either. We were the perfect detached duo looking for a little excitement.

I nodded. “Yeah, let’s get out of here.” I reached for her hand and sca

We were about to exit, when I jerked to a stop. I glanced dazedly behind me to find a massive, tattooed male in a leather vest, gripping Denise’s other hand and staring at me like he wanted to stuff my balls in my mouth.

Oh hell.

He shot daggers at Denise. “What’re you doing here? I thought you were staying in tonight.” His tone seethed with mounting rage.

I released her hand, unable to bite back the guilt. ‘Sorry, dude, you’ve just been played,’ didn’t even need to be said. I’d been there.

I turned, about to leave them to handle their business, when he twisted her arm and her face registered pain. “You fucking whore! Is this the guy you’re screwing?”

“Stop, Damon. You’re hurting me,” she yelped. “Let go!” She yanked her arm back, but couldn’t budge as the man, I assumed to be her boyfriend, crushed her ski

Watching him sobered me up real quick. Okay, so I wasn’t the most standup guy out there, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to witness this prick hurt her.

I stepped in between them, straightening my stance. “Listen, the lady said let her go.” My voice was firm as I squared my shoulders, sizing him up.

He released her with a growl, and I tilted my head to take in his height. He had a few inches on me, but we had the same build. I’d taken down guys bigger than him before, but I wasn’t expecting his aggression to escalate to a fight.

“Why the hell are you with my girl?” he growled, the veins on his neck bulging.

Before I even had a chance to respond—POW! In the face.

Surprised, I staggered back. My hand flew to my eye as pulsing pain rushed to the surface, the brass ring on his middle finger most likely leaving an indentation on my skin. The stickiness of blood gushed down my face.

Great, just fucking great.

I pulled back my arm, ready to fire back and beat the shit out of this bastard, but then Denise sheltered him with her body, saying to him in a panic, “I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry.”

He narrowed his eyes at me until she threw herself at him and started kissing his face, ru

I blinked and shook my head at the comedy of this scene, then let out a low, humorless laugh as the taste of iron hit my mouth.

When I felt someone behind me, I automatically brought up my fists, ready to spring into action in case his friends wanted to play ‘beat the nice guy.’

“Whoa, dude, it’s me.” Trey was behind me with his hands up as if he was about to be the victim of my aggression. “You’ll bleed dry if I don’t get you to a hospital.”

I groaned, knowing from the pain and the amount of blood oozing from above my eyebrow I’d probably need stitches. Having played football throughout high school and being the rambunctious kid that I’d been, I was familiar with the protocol. I unbuttoned my shirt, jumbled it into a ball, and applied pressure to the wound.

Shithead wasn’t worth it. I could’ve taken him, but I needed to get fixed up and head home. Shit, I should’ve just stayed home, in front of my damn computer. Less drama.

“You’ll need stitches,” Trey said, following me out.

“Yeah, I know,” I muttered.

Life was a bitch sometimes.

More recently, it seemed that bitch was intent on taking me down.

TWO

KENDY

I adjusted the Michael Kors watch on my wrist. The larger than life gold dial told me I still had six more hours until my shift ended.

Coffee was calling my name and, as I advanced toward the nurses’ station, I caught Sarah, my cute little friend, charging my way.

Her dark, pin-straight hair bounced as she rushed toward me. At five-four, half Hispanic and half German, she was a looker. When I’d met her on my first day, she’d slapped her ass and said that her big ole’ booty had come from her Spanish side. She functioned as my daily dose of laughter, something I especially craved since I was the newbie and didn’t know many people.

Sarah reached for my arm, catching her breath as though she’d just run a race. “What’re you doing tomorrow?” The enthusiasm on her face and suffocated rasp in her voice from ru

I noted her flushed cheeks and wondered if she was late to work. “Where are you coming from?”

She wheezed a short laugh. “I tried to chase down the late night burrito truck, but I couldn’t catch up.”

I couldn’t control the fit of giggles that escaped my lips. “That’s totally something I’d do.” I led us to the set of chairs against the wall. “What’s going on?”

By the mischievous look in her eyes, I knew something was going down.

“I have gossip.” She leaned in, her elbows resting on her knees, and I followed her lead. “So . . . I know where the hot doctors are going to be tomorrow.”

“Even my man?” I asked, my heart fluttering against my ribcage. I crossed my fingers and toes, waiting for her reply.

I trusted Sarah. She had been good about keeping my secret about my big crush on Dr. Klein.

“Even your man,” she cooed as she fluttered her lashes at me.

I didn’t even try to hide my cheeky grin as I bounced on my toes and shook my shoulders in a shimmy motion. “Okay, details,” I whispered to her, looking around to see if anyone could overhear.

Sarah always had the ins and outs of everyone’s love life in the hospital, another reason why I loved her.

I knew we’d be best buds for life when she’d made it her secret mission to help me achieve my goals in landing him. In return, I had promised her a spot in our wedding.

“Well, you know that bar right down the street, The Bartlett?” Sarah’s copper eyes widened with delight. “I know for a fact that your man and a bunch of other good-looking residents are meeting there tomorrow night.”

She gripped my forearm a little harder than expected, startling me. “So are you going with me?”

“Uh, yeah, hello?” I absently rubbed at my arms, lifting an eyebrow at the silly question. “You did say my doctor would be going.”

She chuckled and let out a hushed squeal.

Why hadn’t I thought to track him down outside of work? I’m surprised I hadn’t stalked him sooner. This would be the first time I’d see him out of the hospital.

Now what would I wear? My brain started going off on a tangent. I’d been working on getting him to ask me out on a date, purely by being my charming self, but now I had the chance to dress to impress. “Let me know the time and I’m there. I’ll be bringing sexy back.”

We gave each other a gri

My phone buzzed in my pocket interrupting our giddy session and indicating a new patient. “Hey, I’ll check you later. Let me know a time tomorrow.”

She reached over and gave me a hug, practically killing me with her squeeze. It was obvious she was excited to play cupid, a role she played often. “See you later,” she sang, turning to head down the hall.

I picked up the phone, the nurse informing me that my next patient was a kid with a busted knee. “Room one-oh-three? Okay, I’m on it.” I slipped the phone back into my pocket and rushed down the hall.

When I heard the high-pitched wails of a young child, I charged toward the room, ready to spring into action. “Hi, I’m Kendall Miller,” I said in my professional but warm nurse tone.