"Caught in the Middle" - читать интересную книгу автора (Holt Desiree, Ladd Ashley, Dare Kim, Aidan Nadia, Smith Crissy, Illyvich Sascha)

Chapter Five

‘What now’ turned out to be nothing, except perhaps for an Academy Award winning performance of pretending she didn’t care that neither Dr. Hottie nor Dr. Hunky had professed their undying love and commitment. She also feigned blindness to all the snickers and sneers from co-workers. Even Beth had cooled off and avoided her.

Beth’s loss bothered her most. At least, Jody stuck by her side.

“She’s conflicted,” Jody tried to explain, making excuses for Beth. Or maybe not.

Char was too raw to discuss it, but she hugged Jody and clung a few seconds too long. “Thanks for being true blue.”

“Watch out for Amy and Simone. They’re out to get you.”

Not sure she cared, Char shrugged. “So what’s new? If they hit below the belt, I’ll give to another charity next year. This isn’t the only place that helps kids. I don’t need the money from this job.”

Jody cupped her chin on her hand and wistfully, stared into space. “I wish I could say that.”

The cafeteria door swung wide, and Dexter started to enter. Then he spied her. His eyes grew wide, he gulped, and he froze so that the swinging door hit him in the rump.

A loud chuckle arose in the room, and several gazes ping-ponged from him to her. He looked as if he wanted to turn tail and run, but instead, he squared his shoulders, notched up his chin and strode to the food line.

A few moments later, precisely eight minutes and thirty seconds, he re-entered the room carrying a tray with a mixed green salad and an orange juice. He angled towards their table, but his gaze focused beyond them.

Char swallowed hard but tried to look as if her world wasn’t crashing around her. She took a bite of food, but it was tasteless and stuck in her throat as she went through the motions.

Dexter paused at their table, gave each of them a noncommittal smile and asked, “How are you two ladies today? Good, I hope.”

Before she could do more than nod, he added, “Well, nice to see you. I see my lunch date’s waiting.”

He balanced his tray on one hand and waved to Simone who proprietarily waved at him.

When he was out of earshot, Jody hissed and leaned forward. “That witch couldn’t wait to get her hooks into him. They deserve each other. You can do much better. Forget the creep.”

Char nodded, but her heart sobbed. That part of her didn’t think he was a creep even if her head did. It didn’t want to forget him. God, she missed him and what could have been.

Jody jabbed her hard with her elbow. She whispered, “Stop starting at them.”

Yanked from her reverie, her side bruised and aching, Char scooted around so she couldn’t see the deadly duo. But her imagination was worse, picturing them in a scandalous clinch, tearing off each other’s clothes.

Her appetite gone, her nerves shattered, she pushed aside her food. Any moment, she was going to hyperventilate. “I gotta get outta here.”

Jody circled her arm in an iron grip. “You get up and run now, you’ll be mortified forever. Sit. Stay.”

Knowing the truth of her friend’s words, Char counted to ten and glued herself to her seat. “Don’t tell me what they’re doing. I don’t want to know.”

Jody nibbled her egg salad sandwich she’d brought from home. Around her mouthful, she muttered, “No you don’t.”

“Is it that bad?” Char’s knuckles whitened around her fork, and her heart trip-hammered.

Jody leaned forward and spoke very lowly. “Maybe he felt this jealous or more when you and Hunky did ‘it’ in front of him.”

Jody and Beth were the only ones she’d told about her wild night, and now she wished to God she hadn’t. But her heart aching, she wondered if Jody was right, and even if she was, what could Char do now to fix it? But Dex had said he was okay with it and that he wanted in on the threesome. The more she tried to figure him out, the more confused she became. Then anger flared at herself and she decided to shake it off.

Finally, Dexter and Simone left after bidding them goodbye.

“My my but he’s being very civil.” Jody watched them go. “Now I know why I could never stand her.”

Released, Char rose to go and collided into someone behind her. When she turned to apologise, Beth stared at her as if she’d seen a ghost. “Uh, hi. I didn’t know you were right here. Are you okay? Well, I gotta run. Bye.”

A knife in her gut, Char stared at Beth’s retreating back. She mumbled, “Guess I have cooties.”

Jody slid her arm around her and squeezed. “No, you don’t. Give her time. She’ll come around.”

Did she want a friend who deserted her in her time of need? She wasn’t going to hold her breath or shed a tear. She just thanked God for Jody.

Still, she felt as if she was contagious the way so many people glared, whispered and pointed. She held her head high and pretended she didn’t notice.

A few minutes later, she turned a corner and collided with a tall man in a doctor’s coat. His clipboard fell and when she bent to retrieve it, they bumped heads. She prayed to God it wasn’t Dexter. When she heard the man’s chuckle, she froze.

It was the other one.

She lifted her eyes, and they immediately clashed with Ben’s beautiful hazel ones. She forced a gaiety to her voice she didn’t feel, but it sounded brittle. “I’ve always said they should install mirrors at these intersections.”

“Are you okay?” Surprisingly, Ben’s voice was gentle and concerned as he curled his fingers around her elbow and helped her up.

Her heels slid out from under her on the ascent, and she would have tumbled again except Ben caught her against him and held her tight. His hot breath scorched her neck. “I’ve missed you. We should get together again. What do you say?”

A loud intake of breath alerted her to another’s presence, and her heart sank. Without looking, she had a good idea who it was and what he was thinking.

The truth blindsided her. She was deeply and desperately in love with only one man. One impossible, cranky, judgmental man who possessed her heart and soul but didn’t want her. After her little escapade, he never would.

Pain, fast and furious, sliced through her, debilitating her. If she could travel back in time, she’d undo everything. She’d never try to make Dexter jealous again.

Gently but firmly, she extricated herself from Dr. Hunky. She inhaled deeply as she readjusted her ponytail before looking up into his puzzled eyes.

Before she could recite her speech for Dexter’s benefit, she heard heavy footsteps swiftly disappear down the hall, and she cursed herself for caring.

She cupped her hand to Ben’s smooth, dear cheek and noted she wasn’t getting all tingly or going gooey in his arms. Her feelings for him didn’t run deep. They had been only of the moment. “Pippi Longstocking.”

When Ben gave her a blank look, she searched for better words. “Look, Dr. Hunk-Ben. You’re a great guy and an awesome lover and I like you a lot, but-”

He shushed her by putting two fingers to her lips then ushered her to a secluded corner. “But you want a committed relationship. A husband. Babies. House. A ring. I get that, and I do, too.”

Sucker punched, she was speechless. Her heart ached for him if he meant what she was afraid of. She splayed her hand on his chest. “Stop right there. Please don’t say any more.”

Surprise was quickly chased away by suspicion in his eyes. “So you’re stuck on Graham. Damn! I was afraid of that.”

“Yeah,” caught in her throat so she nodded and mad at herself, pursed her lips.

Ben slid a finger under her chin and forced up her face. He deposited a light kiss on her nose. “The dork doesn’t deserve you. He doesn’t know what to do with you. For such a brilliant man in the operating room, he’s a moron outside of it.”

She punched him lightly in his upper arm. “Yep. I’m afraid you’re right. But what’s a woman gonna do? I think I’ve already done way too much.”

Ben tweaked her ponytail, and with a rueful grimace, he said, “I will go on, and you will, too. Friends?”

Her heart fluttered a bit, and she cracked a grin. “Yeah. Friends.”

A leer stole over his handsome lips, and he leaned close. “With privileges?”

She rolled her eyes and gave him a gentle shove. “Don’t count on it.”

As she worked the kinks out of her shoulders and meandered down the hall, he called after her, “That wasn’t a firm ‘no’, was it?”

Since when had ‘no’ not meant ‘no’? After some heart searching, she wasn’t sure. Ben was a lot of fun, an excellent lover, and would provide a diversion to heartache but was that fair to any of them?

No!

She vowed to stop playing games with love. Ultimately, she was always the biggest loser. She rubbed her tummy. Thank God, she wasn’t pregnant. She’d been an idiot to forget to use protection with Dexter. Deep down, she’d been hoping he’d steal her away and make her all his.

Who was the dork now?

Rather unladylike, she snorted and didn’t give a damn who heard.

Love was for morons, and she also vowed not to be a moron any more.

Dexter had trouble keeping his mind on work and feared he’d make a life and death mistake. That wouldn’t do.

He barged into Amy’s office without an appointment or even knocking first. A huge racing fan, her walls were covered with NASCAR emblems and autographed pictures and model cars lined her shelves.

“I need a vacation. Now.”

Amy scowled and shook her head. “You’re booked up for weeks. You’re not scheduled for vacation for another five months.”

Five months!

He tossed up his hands and paced in front of her desk. “I can’t wait five months. I’m going insane now.”

She narrowed her eyes and punched more keys on her computer, amazingly fast for only using one hand. Each stroke rang out like gunfire and pounded like a bullet into his aching head.

“Is there a family emergency or are you certifiably ill?”

“No.” Unless a broken and battered heart counted.

She arched a pencil-thin brow, and her lips smirked. “Mentally ill?”

“No.” Or was being stuck on a woman who wanted two guys crazy? He couldn’t commit to her if she couldn’t commit to him. Him and Junior didn’t count. There was room for only one set of balls in his bed and that was his.

Hell, he was a mental case. Even dating Simone didn’t help. He just kept comparing her to Charity, and Charity always came out on top.

“Well, I don’t feel as if I can operate safely. Do you really want me in that operating room?”

Amy stood and leaned on her desk. “Need I remind you that your patients are depending on you?”

“Exactly.”

“Suck it up, Graham. Get over the bitch or whatever’s bothering you but no vacation. I have no one to replace you. Get out of my office and back to work.”

On his way out, Dexter muttered under his breath even as he waved and tried to make his “thanks” sound genuine.

He dug his hands deep in his pockets, and his head hung low as he wandered back to his office.

Simone perched on his desk, her silky legs swinging and her short skirt pushed seductively up to the top of her thighs. Her cleavage showed so much he could almost see her nipples. He wondered why the bottle-blonde bothered to dress at all. Did all women think him such a bimbo that they thought they’d attract him with skin? For once, he wished a woman would seduce him with her scathing intellect.

“What are you doing here? What do you want?” He tried to keep the sigh out of his voice, but one look at Simone’s disappointed moue told him he’d failed.

Simone pushed off her seat, purring, and sidled up to him. She swept her arm wide to indicate the wine, cheese and crackers spread over his desk. “I bring sustenance. I thought we’d be cosier having lunch in private here instead of that crowded cafeteria. You like?”

He pushed his hair off his face, gave her a wide berth, then sank tiredly into his chair. “Thank you but not today. I’m bone weary and not in the mood.”

She pouted prettily, rounded the desk, and climbed on his lap without invitation. Then she leaned so close his nose was between her boobs and her cloying perfume suffocated him. With hypnotising fingers, she kneaded his shoulders. “I know what my poor baby needs. I’ll get you fixed right up.”

When she nuzzled his neck, he’d had his limit and gruffly said, “Not now, Simone. I just want to be alone.”

She feathered kisses up his throat to his lips, and against them, she murmured, “You don’t mean that, honey pie. Mommy Simone can make you better than new.”

He hated babbling baby talk. When she popped open her shirt and let her breasts swing free, he grunted and shoved her off of him. “Get out and don’t come back. I don’t appreciate this.”

Simone blinked, dazed, as if she couldn’t believe anyone would reject her. “You’re dumping me? You dare?”

He leaned back. “Yes.”

He was ready when she screamed and stomped, but her screeches still made him wince. If he hadn’t been sure before that she wasn’t the woman for him, he was now.

“Please stop embarrassing yourself. It’s not at all appealing.” He poured himself a glass of her bottled water and sipped while he watched her show.

Finally, she stopped ranting and faced him. She slapped him with a resounding sting then fisted her hands to her hips. “Of course, I don’t turn you on. You’re gay. I bet you and Dr. Hunky are getting it on. You’re dirty little secret is blown wide open now.”

He laughed in her face at the absurd hypotheses. “Keep lying to yourself, sweetheart. You’re the only one who’s going to comfort you.”

A knock sounded on the door, a glorious noise to his ears. “Come in.”

Ben stuck his head in, but when his gaze landed on Simone, a blush highlighted his cheeks. “Uh, I see it’s a bad time. I’ll come back later.”

For once, he was happy to see the other man. “No, no. Come right in. Simone and I are finished, and she’s just leaving, aren’t you, Simone?”

Simone jutted out her jaw and huffed off. On her way out, she flung over her shoulder, “Fine! I’m sick of you gay guys leading us on.”

After she left, Ben closed the door and leaned on Dexter’s guest chair. He pointed to Dexter then to himself. “Did you tell her something I should know about? Am I missing something?”

Dex handed a bottled water to Ben. “Nah. She assumes any man who isn’t bowled over by her raging beauty and scintillating personality has to be gay.”

He lifted his glass to Ben in a toast. “Somewhere out there are nice women for us.”

Ben swished his drink and stared into it. Then he cleared his throat.

Dex looked up, and the hand holding his drink hovered midair. “Not that I’m not enjoying this male bonding surprisingly enough, but I get the inkling you have something on your mind. Spill.”

Ben gulped down his drink then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Well, yeah. You should know Char’s in love with you, not me.”

Dexter reeled. The last thing he wanted to talk about was Charity. She was right up there with Simone for busting his balls. He thought about not answering, but that was childish and a dead give away to how deeply he still ached for her.

A wry chuckle escaped his lips. Of all the people with whom to have this conversation, he couldn’t believe it was Ben. But then again, Ben was the only one with all the lurid details. “Okay, I’ll bite. What makes you think so?”

Ben tipped the bottle to his lips and poured the last drop of water down his throat. Then he stuffed cheese and crackers in his mouth. After he repositioned himself, he scratched his jaw. “Because she shot me down flat when I tried to propose.”

Dexter almost fell off his chair, and he stared at the younger man. “You what? She what?”

“Oh, yeah. Talk about the kiss of death. She still wants to be ‘friends’.”

“So what makes you think she loves me? She hasn’t told me.”

“The way she looks at you when she thinks no one’s looking. She’s still got it bad for you, buddy. If you feel the same, go get her. I’m not a threat.”

Dexter wasn’t so sure and besides, he was still smarting. “I don’t know. She’s wilder than me-”

Ben thumped his thigh. “She’s almost as big a prude as you. We all got caught up in the moment that night. Let me ask you something?”

Dex wasn’t so sure he wanted to answer, but he nodded and folded his arms across his chest.

“Do you love her?”

He searched his soul and couldn’t deny the answer. He stretched and stared at the ceiling. “Yeah. Unfortunately.”

“Then stop being a doofus and go get her, man. She’s too good to stay single long. Or are you the big dork I’ve always thought you were?”

“Gee, thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” Ben grabbed more cheese and crackers for the road and headed to the door. He saluted smartly and tapped his heels. “Oh, and take a shower. You reek.”

Char massaged her aching neck after another gruelling night in the OR. All she wanted was a hot shower then to fall into bed and sleep for a week. Unfortunately, she only had two days off, but it would have to do.

“Nurse Reynolds, can I have a moment with you?” Dexter blocked her way from the scrub room, an indiscernible look in his eyes.

God, he looked so tasty but so aloof she couldn’t stand it. Hot and sweaty and eager to get out of here and get human again, she tilted her head and looked cross-eyed at him. “Can’t it wait? I’m dog tired.”

Dexter leaned against the door and refused to let her by. He put his fingers up in a Boy Scout salute. “It won’t take long. Scouts’ honour.”

“Please be quick. I’m about to fall asleep on my feet.” For emphasis, she yawned and patted her mouth.

He crooked his finger at her then swaggered to his office and held the door wide for her.

She felt a trap and hesitated outside his door. “Am I in some kind of trouble? Is Amy waiting in there to ambush me? Can’t you just tell me here and be quick about it?”

He towered over her and crossed his arms over his chest. “Only if you want everyone to overhear.”

She checked both directions down the dim, deserted hallway and splayed her hands wide. She looked askance at him. “Yeah. It’s a real rush hour. Suit yourself.”

He cracked a charming, lopsided grin and bowed. “Entrez-vous, mon amour.”

Mon amour?

Her pulse raced, and she almost swallowed her tongue. She did a double take to make sure she was with Dexter and not someone else. But it was Dex. “Did I get sucked into an alternate universe? Or am I getting hard of hearing?”

Or maybe one of them had gone crazy? He couldn’t have called her ‘my love’. He wouldn’t do that. He’d hardly been able to look at her.

He put his hand at the small of her back and ushered her into a place that definitely didn’t look like his office. Rose petals blanketed the floor. Soft coloured lights and romantic music transformed it from an office to a den of…what? Love?

She bit back a guffaw and turned questioning eyes on him. “What’s this all about?”

He closed the door with a soft click, advanced on her and captured her hands in his. “Us.”

“What?” She choked on the word, disbelieving her ears, sure now she was caught in some cruel time warp or maybe she was delusional.

“As in ‘you and me’.”

A cynical laugh scraped her throat, and she heaved a huge, tired sigh. She rubbed her forehead. “There is no ‘you and me’.”

“I’d like there to be. Ben told me you shot him down and why. He thought I should know.”

Anger hummed through her veins. Was she ever going to repay her ‘friend’ Ben this ‘favour’. She backed up and came up short against his desk. “Okay, so I told him I wasn’t in love with him and just want to be friends. So?”

“And that you love me?”

She searched his eyes, but she didn’t find any answers. Not wanting to be humiliated, she said, “I didn’t say that. He was extrapolating.”

Dexter closed the gap between them and trapped her with his arm on either side of her. He leaned so close his breath mingled with hers and her eyes crossed to see him. “Well? Did he extrapolate correctly? Are you in love with me?”

As she decided whether or not to confess that she was madly, deeply, and crazy in love with him, he got down on his knees and extracted a blue velvet case from his pocket. In front of her astonished eyes, he opened it to reveal the most gorgeous, breathtaking diamond solitaire she’d ever laid eyes on.

“I love you. I’m in love with you and I want to spend my life with you, Charity. Will you do me the honour of being my wife?”

In shock, she couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t move or speak. She could only drown in his beautiful, intoxicating, deep-brown eyes.

“Char?”

That pulled her out of her reverie, and she took the box and gazed at it open-mouthed. “Do you think it’ll fit me?”

Dexter stood and pulled out the ring and held it before her. With a plea in his voice, he asked, “Is that a ‘yes’?”

In rapture, she smiled and nodded her head and squealed, “Yes! Yes! And Yes! I’ll marry you.”

He crushed her to him and took possession of her lips. After he’d drunk long and deep like a man dying of thirst, he pulled back just far enough to gaze into her eyes. “Will you forsake all others and be all mine?”

She took the ring and tried it on but it was too loose.

“It was my grandmother’s. We can have it sized to fit.”

Tears sprang to her eyes and a lump choked her. He really did love her. “So you forgive me about the auction and that night? You won’t hold it against me?”

He cradled her against his heart and rested his cheek against hers. “That was the past. From here on out, it’s just you and me, babe, forever and ever.”