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“I’m waiting,” he says.
I swallow. “Right.”
What am I doing, acting all star-struck and dazed? I have to hurry and tell him everything I want to before he gets called into an emergency.
“You didn’t tell me you were a doctor here,” I tell him.
“And you didn’t tell me you were an intern here, so we’re even.”
Even? I open my mouth. “But – ”
“And you didn’t tell me you were a virgin.”
I shake my head in disbelief as I lift my hands. “Why does that matter?”
Rainier’s arms fall to his sides. “Because I wouldn’t have slept with you if I knew you were a virgin. It’s one of my policies.”
What the hell?
“Well, I wouldn’t have slept with you if I knew you were my boss,” I tell him.
He shrugs. “It seems like we both did something we shouldn’t have.”
I can’t believe this. I thought he was just trying to be professional and mature, keeping his cool about the whole thing while I was falling apart. But I was wrong. He doesn’t care. He regrets what happened and he hates me.
“We should both just forget about it,” he says.
I frown. “So what? You’re just going to throw me aside because you’re done… playing with me?”
“I never said I’d keep you, Ellis,” Rainier answers.
No, he didn’t. But I thought he’d at least care. I thought he’d at least look back at what happened between us and not think of it as some failed surgery.
“What? Were you expecting me to marry you?” He rubs his nape. “See, this is why I don’t sleep with virgins.”
I glare at him. “No. I was expecting you to not be an asshole about it.”
“We both agreed it was a mistake, okay?” he tells me. “We made a mistake. We should forget about it. That’s all there is to it.”
“You seduced me,” I point out.
“Great. Now you’re trying to accuse me of sexual harassment?” Rainier’s eyebrows furrow. “Ellis, you invited me to your apartment.”
“You invited me to dinner hoping I’d invite you to my apartment.”
“And you said yes.”
So he doesn’t deny it.
He draws a deep breath. “Listen, Ellis, I know that it was your first time, but it was just sex, okay? Nothing more. Just forget about it.”
He starts to walk towards the door.
So that’s just it? We just forget about it, pretend it was an accident that never happened?
I know this is for the best. I know we should pretend nothing happened between us and not tell anyone about it. What I can’t bring myself to accept is how Rainier’s going about it, how he’s making all this seem like my fault, how he’s treating me like a tumor he can’t wait to be rid of. What happened to that sweet, caring man I met last night? Did I just imagine him?
I shake my head. No. I can’t let things end like this. Not like this.
I go after him without thinking and grab his arm so I can force him to look into my eyes. “I…”
Just then, the door to the supply room opens. I freeze as Chief Gordon steps in. His gaze rests on my hand around Rainier’s arm and his eyes narrow.
“What’s going on here?”
Chapter 4 ~ Hard Pill To Swallow
Rainier
“Tom.” I hold my friend’s gaze. “Everything’s fine. I was just trying to explain to Smithson here why I kicked her off my service today.”
I glance at Ellis, who lets go of my arm and says nothing.
“Is that so?” Tom crosses his arms over his chest. “Care to share that reason with me?”
“Sure. Her mind just seems elsewhere today. That’s all.”
Tom looks at Ellis. “Well, given the fact that you gave that poor man in the ER four stitches too many, I have to agree. Is something wrong, Smithson? You’ve been doing well until today.”
“I’m fine, Chief,” Ellis answers, though without much confidence.
Tom sighs. “Well, at any rate, you know attending physicians have the right to kick interns and even residents off their service. Although I do encourage them to provide their subordinates with plenty of chances for learning, even second chances, considering this is a teaching hospital.”
He catches my eye and gives me a meaningful grin.
Shut up, Tom.
He clasps his hands. “Well, it seems that the two of you have a bit more to talk about. I’ll let you end this conversation.”
He grabs a box from a shelf and starts walking backwards.
“Oh, and maybe next time, have this conversation somewhere else? Other people might get the wrong idea.”
Again, Tom addresses that remark to me. I ignore it. After he leaves, the room falls silent. I draw a breath and speak first.
“Ellis, if you can put the past behind and act like a doctor, I’ll let you back on my service.”
“I can do that,” she answers. “But with all due respect, Dr. Knight, I don’t think I want to be on your service.”
