Page 58 of Caged Heat

I rolled my eyes. Jacob was the type of doctor that gave the rest of us a bad name. “Pretty sure you’re just as capable of checking. It might help you keep your dick out of one of them long enough to do your job,” I snapped.

“Whoa, harsh, man,” he said. “It’s not like they don’t enjoy it.”

My eyes widened at my outburst. I’d said all of that out loud. Shit.

“If I had to guess, they’re faking it,” a lyrical voice behind us said. A voice I knew in my soul.

I spun around, and there she stood—Steph.

“Hey. Hi. Hello,” I awkwardly stuttered.

Her green eyes twinkled, but I noted the dark circles under them and the smudged eyeliner and frowned. Her full lips were painted a deep red, drawing me in as they tilted up at the corners. Her blonde hair was pulled back at her nape, but a few strands had escaped. Her breasts were on display in the tight, silvery top, immediately grabbing my attention. But it was the short skirt glued to her curves, displaying her long bare legs, that had my eyes trailing all the way down.

My cock twitched, and I licked my lips. Damn, she was beautiful.

By the time I reached her feet, my brain had caught up to the fact that she shouldn’t be here, and I remembered the dark circles and smudged eyeliner. Crap! Something was wrong. My lust immediately transformed to concern, and I stepped forward, cutting off whatever Jacob was murmuring about.

“What happened? Are you hurt?”

My eyes scanned over her again for an entirely different reason. I clasped her hands, needing to touch her and feel she was okay. She squeezed them, her touch soothing the storm brewing within.

“I’m fine. Promise. I’m here with my friend. She had a little too much to drink and stumbled on her ridiculously high heels and cracked her head against a parked car.”

“Ouch.” I winced, my heart settling. Why had it raced? I barely knew her. But that didn’t seem right, either. Accurate, but not completely true.

“Yeah.” She smiled, sending fire racing through my veins. “She’s fine, thankfully, so I can’t wait to tease her mercilessly.”

I laughed. “It’s your right as a friend. Or at least that’s what I’m told.”

Fuck. Why had I said that? Now she’s going to think you’re even more of a loser! Way to go, moron.

“Don’t have stupid friends, or don’t do stupid things when drunk?” she teased.

“Um, both.” Again, shut the fuck up, dude.

Steph laughed like I’d said something funny, and I relaxed. I could handle funny. Pity was a different story.

“So, what do you say, hot shot? Want to grab drinks with these hotties?” Jacob asked, tossing his arm over my shoulder.

“Gross, Dr. Jacobs.” Yes, his name was Jacob Jacobs. I always thought his parents knew he wouldn’t be that smart, so they made his name easy for him. I had no clue how he made it through med school. My best bet, he fucked his teachers or had someone do his work for him and got lucky on the MCAT. Though, I wouldn’t put it past him to have someone take it for him. The guy had no work ethic or moral compass. “I think you need to go back through patient care.”

“Whatever, Dr. Lame Dick,” he cursed. “You wouldn’t know the meaning of fun if it hit you in the face.” He sauntered off, taking no responsibility for anything he said.

“Wow. That guy’s a walking sexual harassment,” she said, still holding my hands. She was still holding my hands!

“Accurate. I don’t see him making it as a doctor unless curing people with his dick is a real thing.” Steph chuckled, wiping away the dark mood that had fallen over me from Jacob’s presence.

“Do you get off soon?” she asked.

“Oh, um.” I glanced at the clock. I only had thirty minutes left of my miserable shift. “Yes, actually.”

I was supposed to get off at 8 pm, but the resident covering the rest of the shift had asked me to stay until 11 pm. I had no plans since I refused to spend it with my mom and her two boyfriends, so I’d agreed as long as I’d be home before midnight.

“Do you have any plans?”

Did microwaving a pizza and watching Space Balls in my underwear count? Yeah, I was not going to admit that.

“Nope. Um, do you? Will you need to drive your friend home?”

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