AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Karli’s eyes go rolling despite the giant smile on her face. “Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation,” she repeats slowly. “It’s called the RICE regimen, for reducing pain and swelling. Also, it protects your ligaments from additional damage and strain. R—I—C—E. Easy to remember. Got it?”
“I got it the first few times you said it. But it’s just so freakin’ cute when you say it.” The overgrown jock leans over and fucking bops her on the nose.
Karli laughs and shakes her head, like she’s enjoying it.
Really?That’sthe kind of guy she’s into?
Not my business. None of my business. At least that’s what I’m telling myself.
“Anyway, make sure to mention it to Felix during your appointment,” she says gravely. “Remember—I’m not a doctor. So mention it to Felix, okay?”
He chuckles lightly. “Jeez, girl. I heard you the first thirty times. I’ll mention it to Felix.”
I march forward to the cabinet where lab results are kept. As I pass by, Karli’s eyes meet mine for a brief instant. But she quickly looks away, returning her attention to the loser in front of her.
The dumbass gives her this cheesy, toothy grin, his eyes flicking approvingly down to her breasts. “I didn’t think it was possible, but you’re even cuter than you were in high school, Karli Brighton.”
Her eyebrows crinkle, the slightest trace of annoyance appearing. “How many times do I have to tell you—I’m more than just a pretty face.”
He hit her sore spot.
“You’re my dream girl, that’s what you are,” he shoots back. “You know I always had a crush on you.”
When he says that, my head snaps like a whip. I see Karli’s cheeks go pinker than the highlighter she’s twirling around between her fingers. “You say that to all the girls.”
He mutters something else under his breath, and she laughs again.
Fucking hell. She’s flirting right back.
“How much are you liking this new job of yours, Karls?” the guy asks. “Tell me you hate it so I can whisk you out of here to come grab a drink with me.”
I hear another giggle from Karli, and I lose it.
Okay. Enough.
I aim my eyes at the dumbass, all but snarling, “Hate to break this up, but Karli is on the clock.”
They both turn toward me, shocked silent for a beat.
Karli tilts her head sideways, studying me. Then her lips twitch and her gaze twinkles in realization. It’s like she’s figured out exactly what’s going on in my head before I even fucking did.
I’m jealous. She knows it.
Damn it all to hell.
Karli turns back to the dumbass patient, deliberately batting those blue eyes. “Thanks for asking, Cody. I love my new job, you know, except for that one grumpy coworker,” she says in a syrupy sweet voice, jabbing at me with her words.
I step up to the counter, grab an STD pamphlet and slap it down in front of the asshole. “Here. Have you heard, the Sin Valley itch is making a nasty resurgence? Being well-informed is the best way to stop the spread. Now, go brush up on your reading and stop bugging our employee who should be doing her job.”
Karli swings her chair around until she’s facing me. There’s a firestorm in her eyes and it’s all aimed right at me. Just how I like it. “What in the ever-fucking-hell is your prob—?!”
Before she can really get going with her tirade, Felix strolls into the reception area, waving his hands and hissing at the two of us. “Hey. Hey now. Break it up, you two.” He looks back and forth between us. “You all done bickering? We’ve got patients out there.”
“All good,” I lie through a clenched jaw. “Just teasing each other.” I glance around and find that dumbass boot guy must have wandered back to his seat in the waiting room. Looks like he took the medical pamphlet with him. Good riddance.
Felix seems to buy it. “Good to hear. I can’t have my favorite sister and my best friend not getting along.” He grins at both of us, and my gut twists.
If he only knew how well we’ve gotten along, he’d wring my neck.
