“Hmmm.” He adjusted my bra and stood up to buckle his pants. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow, Dr. Madison. Enjoy the rest of your day. No questions asked.”
“Really?”
He nodded and walked to the door — holding it open for me. “Really.”
I stood up and immediately grabbed the side of the chaise for balance, feeling just how weak and sore my legs were. I caught Garrett smiling as I slowly wobbled toward him.
Holding back his sarcasm, he pressed a kiss against my forehead before I stepped out of the room. “See you tomorrow.”
THE DOCTOR
New York, New York
Garrett
Subject: Thank you for the chocolate covered strawberries you had delivered yesterday.
I didn’t get a chance to see you at the office today, but I loved them. (Yes, that counts as being more ‘romantic’. The extra note about really enjoying how my pussy feels against your cock does not, though. O_o. )
—Dr. Madison
I laughed and set my phone down.
I shut my office door and headed down the wing, making sure everything was dark and in its place. The light at the end of the hall in the study room was still on, so I walked toward it, and when I stepped inside, I saw Natalie was reading and sipping a cup of coffee.
She immediately looked up at me and blushed. “I thought you were gone for the day.”
“Not yet.” I pulled out the seat across from her. “What are you studying?”
“The London family case,” she said. “They came up in research last week, so I pulled their files from your archives. You’ve been treating them for a long time and I found something odd. Something really odd.”
“Is there a question coming?”
“Maybe.” She picked up a few other files. “There’s actually something off about twenty percent of all your patients.”
“I’m still waiting for the question.”
“Every time I drop off certain files at the desk, they come right back within an hour, unmarked. There’s no payment method on file — yes, I checked illegally, but only because I was investigating.” She looked at me. “This month, not a single payment has been made for any person you’ve seen. Are you trying to go bankrupt or are you really just that generous behind closed doors?”
I smiled, but I didn’t answer.
“We’re talking about a loss of over two hundred thousand dollars here,” she said. “You can afford to lose that type of money?”
“It’s not a loss, but even if it was, yes. My father’s generosity rubbed off on me,” I said. “I run the practice the same way he did for the most part.”
She stared at me a long time before saying anything else. “Dr. Ashton—”
“Garrett.” I corrected her. “I believe we’re definitely on a first name basis now.”
“Yes, well, Garrett. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you don’t necessarily strike me as the super-philanthropist type at all.”
“What exactly do I strike you as?”
“An asshole.” She laughed and I narrowed my eyes at her. “An attractive and charming asshole, though.”
She laughed, rolling her eyes. “Good to know.”
“Thank you for that backhanded compliment.”
“You’re more than welcome,” she said. “But in all seriousness, it’s very sweet of you to follow in your dad’s footsteps.”
“Thank you.” I looked at her. “I take it my practice wasn’t your first choice for completing your residency?”
“You weren’t even on my list, no offense. Only Manhattan Medical, as that’s just always been my dream.”
“You’re still holding out hope of going back there?”
She nodded. “Not as a slight against you, though. It was just —”
“Your dream.” I leaned forward and kissed her lips, catching both of us off-guard. “Let me know when you have some free time in your schedule outside of the office soon. I really need to talk to you about something that’s been bothering me about ‘us’ for awhile.”
“Are you ending things with me already?” She looked suspicious. “Is that what this is?”
“No.” I kissed her again. “We’re just getting started.”
THE RESIDENT
New York, New York
Natalie
Subject: Your Manhattan Residency Application.
I stared at that subject line Monday morning, too anxious to open it, too nervous about what it would say. I distracted myself by opening every other email in my inbox — including the spam ones I never opened, and then I braced myself for the big reveal.
Subject: Your Manhattan Residency Application.
Dear Miss Natalie Madison,
Thank you for applying to the Manhattan Medical Residency Program. We truly appreciate your enthusiasm for our mission.
However, we regret to inform you that we are not able to extend you an offer for our program at this time. Please feel free to call our office if you have any concerns, and feel free to apply again during the next term.
Human Resources,
Manhattan Medical.
I forced a lump down my throat, and I didn’t let a single tear well in my eye. It just wasn’t meant to be for me, and besides, I was starting to truly fit in and fall in love with a certain doctor here at Park Avenue Wellness anyway.
I’ll just be happy and grateful for that ...
I deleted the email and left the break lounge, heading back to my shared space with Garrett. I picked up the appointment cards from Emily on the way and cleared my throat as I stepped into the office.
“Dr. Ashton?” I asked, walking over to his desk.
“Yes?”
“Um, have you looked at the schedule for the day?” I handed it to him. “This can’t be right. It’s a brand new patient and they’re booked for all three of our morning sessions.”
“No, it is.” He looked over the sheet and handed it back to me. “This is exactly correct.”
“It can’t be,” I said. “There’s not any information on this patient in our system. All we have are the patient’s initials: F.N.A.M. Is this code for an old friend of yours, then?”
“No.” He laughed and locked the door. “And those letters aren’t patient initials. They’re an acronym.” He pressed a finger against my mouth before I could ask another question. “Fucking Natalie All Morning.”
I blushed. “Does this fall under you being more romantic as well?”
“No, just horny and insatiable.” He laughed and pushed me against the desk.
THE DOCTOR
New York, New York
Garrett
Subject: You Have to Tell Me Something Important?
I rushed all the way here when I got your voicemail, so I’m sitting in your office now. Where are you?
—Dr. Madison
Subject: Re: You Have to Tell Me Something Important?
I’m in a meeting. I’ll be with you in a few, and it’ll only take five minutes.
—Dr. Ashton
“Well, Dr. Ashton ...” Dr. Laurel sat at the center of the conference table, flanked by every doctor who had a stake in the practice. “On behalf of everyone else here, I’d like to say we appreciate you for bringing this ‘relationship’ to our attention, and I respect you more and more every day by the fact that, even as majority owner, you truly put what’s best for the practice first.”
There were murmurs of agreement from the other doctors.
“That said, the rules we agreed on when we came aboard are quite simple. No doctor can engage in a relationship with any employee here, no matter their employment status or level, so you already know that one of you has to go.”
“I do.”
“I’m sure I don’t have to guess which one of you it’s going to be, but since this will affect our residency program, you’ll be responsible for working with the coordination team and getting a replacement for Dr. Madison.”
“Understood.” I started to stand up
from the table, but she raised her hand.
“And also —” She let out an exasperated sigh for dramatic effect. “You do realize that we have spent over four thousand dollars on your Twizzler supply over the past year, correct?”
“I did not know that.” I headed for the door. “But now that I know, I’ll aim to get it to five thousand.”
THE RESIDENT
New York, New York
Natalie
I leaned back in Garrett’s chair, waiting patiently for him to see me and roll his eyes about it, but when he entered the room, he looked as if someone had sucked the life out of him.
“Is something wrong?” I sat up. “Did you want to see me because something has happened to you?”
“Something like that.” He walked around the desk and pulled me to my feet, sitting down in his chair and then pulling me into his lap.
“I have some good news and some bad news, Natalie.” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “What do you want to hear first?”
I shook my head. I was suddenly having a bad case of déjà vu and I didn’t like the episode I starred in last time.
“I’m sorry.” I stood up. “What did you say?”
“I said I have good news and bad news. Pick which one you want first.”
“The bad news.”
“Okay.” He paused for a few seconds, pulling me right back down. “I have to let you go from Park Avenue Wellness. Effective immediately.”
“What?”
“For the record, I think you’re very talented, beyond intelligent, and you were literally born to practice medicine, but —”
“You’re firing me?” My eyes widened. “I just had sex with you less than twenty-four hours ago, and came all the way here to talk to you on my off-day. This is what you brought me here for?”
“If you would let me finish ...”
“I don’t have to.” I shook my head. “Are you firing me — yes or no?”
“Yes and no.”
“Wow. Just wow.” I crossed my arms. “You know, for a split second, I really thought that you and I could potentially work out. I’ve actually hoped that you would one day say that you wanted to date me and only me, but I would’ve never guessed that this is what you had up your sleeve.”
“I’ll address our personal life in just a minute.”
“We won’t have a personal life after we get done with this conversation.”
“I beg to differ.”
“Then I look forward to seeing you do that on your knees later.” He had the audacity to smile. “Can I finish now, or is there something else your smart-ass mouth would like to say, first?”
“There’s something else.” I gritted my teeth, lowering my voice as a nurse walked by his door. “I’ve fucked you, Garrett. Numerous times.”
“I can vividly remember each one.”
“You’ve had me in your car, on your chaise, all over this office and you ...” I could barely find the strength to finish. “I actually thought I meant something to you.”
“You do.” He clasped his hand in mine. “And as much as I would like to hear you talk more about all the places we’ve had sex, I do have a patient coming to see me in twenty minutes, and I did promise you that our meeting would only take five minutes.”
I looked away from him and stared out the window, waiting for him to say whatever he had to say.
“Natalie ...” He cupped my chin in his hands and tilted my head so I was facing him again. “I asked Manhattan Medical to consider you for their program again, and they’ve agreed to work with us again so you can go back.”
“What?”
“I had the chance to go where I wanted to complete my dream residency, and as much as everyone loves having you here, I think you should have the chance to do the same.”
My jaw dropped. “Oh ...”
“Yes, oh.” He smiled. “This has been in the works for the past few weeks when I saw you moping after you returned from lunch with your friend, but I can’t lie and say that’s the sole reason I worked hard on this deal.”
“Then what’s the other reason?”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I can’t focus for shit with you sharing an office with me.” He trailed his thumb against my bottom lip. “I can barely focus knowing you’re in the same building as me, and this is a way to remedy that.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.” He mocked me. “Yes, that is very so ...” He leaned forward and bit my lip, then he whispered. “And I think this arrangement will work out even better for us, since I don’t think I should work directly with a woman who I want to be mine.”
“Say that again ...”
“You heard me.” He smiled. “I would really like to date you.”
“Exclusively?”
“Exclusively.”
“Well ...” I bit my tongue to prevent myself from smiling. “I have some demands before I can agree to that.”
“I would be surprised if you didn’t. List them and I’ll think about it.”
“One, you have to delete all of those other dating sites you once told me about.”
He reached into his pocket and handed me his cell phone. “I’ve already done that.”
“Two, we can’t just have sex all the time. We have to go out to places outside your office.”
“We can do that. Three?”
“Three, you have to tell me ‘the good news.’ If that was the bad, then I’m really excited about it.”
“You shouldn’t be.” He smirked and picked up a piece of paper, handing it to me. “The good news was that I priced those vases that you knocked over and broke a few weeks ago during your tirade in my office. The good news is also that I received a very affordable invoice that will replace said vases and the Twizzlers.”
I gave him a blank stare.
“You owe me two hundred and eighteen dollars, along with thirty-four cents. That covers everything, including four bonus packs of Twizzlers,” he said. “Now, I can deduct this from your final check that you’ll be receiving today, or I can fuck the shit out of you on my chaise until you apologize for the damage.”
“Garrett,” I said, somewhat concerned about this sweets addiction. “Are you joking right now?”
“Not at all.” He smiled and leaned back. “What’s it going to be?”
“Well, they’re both quite appealing, but I think I’ll go with option two.”
“I thought so.” He kissed me. “I’ll cancel my appointment. Get up and lock the door ...”
A FEW YEARS LATER...
THE RESIDENT
(Well, THE DOCTOR because I’m licensed now)
New York, New York
Natalie
Subject: Anniversary.
I truly can’t believe that I’ve been dating this man for over four years...Can you?
I got your “Congratulations” card this morning, and I’ll bring you back a dessert from our celebration dinner later.
Goodnight.
Natalie
Subject: Re: Anniversary.
I can definitely believe you’ve been dating ‘this man’ for over four years. The way the two of you have kept me up almost every night with your ridiculous fucking has made time go by ever too slowly for me...
Don’t bring me back any dessert, just give me some sleep by spending the night at his place tonight. PLEASE AND THANKS!
Goodnight.
Shan-Shan
I laughed and slipped my phone into my purse, looking over at Garrett as he coasted through Manhattan’s streets.
“Are you going to continue to insist that we go to Per Se for every milestone and celebration?” I asked.
“Yes.” He smiled at me. “I think it’s important that we make this a tradition.”
“Or, your ego still has yet to recover from me standing you up, years ago,” I said. “It was years ago, Garrett. I really think it’s way past time for you to get over it.”
“I am over it.” He placed his hand
on my thigh. “Do you not want to go there anymore?”
I didn’t bother answering that. He knew that I loved everything about Per Se, especially since he’d made it his personal mission to take me there once a month ever since I returned to Manhattan Medical.
“You have yet to answer my question about moving in with me,” he said when we approached a stoplight. “You said you would decide right after you became licensed, so speaking of things that happened years ago...”
“I’ve only been licensed for one year.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that you promised to give me an answer.” He pulled the car into a spot the restaurant owner had long designated just for him. “I need an answer, Natalie.”
“Right now?” I’d been leaning toward yes, but I honestly enjoyed the state of our relationship as it was. Now that I was licensed and had steady working hours, I met him at his office for breakfast every morning, saw him for regular date nights every weekend, and he didn’t seem to have a problem staying the night at my place more than I stayed at his.
Until recently, that is.
“Okay...” He turned off the car and cupped my face in his hands. “What’s holding you back from saying yes?”
“Commitment,” I said softly.
“Commitment? I’m only dating you, and I’ve only been dating you for years.”
“No, I mean...More than that.” I admitted. “Moving in together is a big step, and I would just want to be engaged at least before doing that.”
“I see...” He let go of my face and leaned back in his seat, sighing. Then he unbuckled his seatbelt.
“In that case,” he said, smiling and tapping a small box that was protruding from the inside of his breast pocket. “I fully expect a ‘yes’ after dinner tonight...Two of them.”
**THE END**
COCKY
CLIENT
COCKY CLIENT
SYNOPSIS
Today is officially the worst day of my life ...
I woke up five hours late after a reckless one-night stand with the sexiest, cockiest, and most arrogant man I’ve ever met. (And this asshole actually left a note: “I think you were lying to me last night about being “experienced.” You orgasmed three times, and that was before we made it to your bedroom. I also find it hard to believe you “usually wear silk lingerie.” Your drawers are all full of cotton granny panties—The best man you’ve ever fucked ...”)