Page 26 of Night Shift

I took Sam’s hand in mine as we finished the last few yards of our hike.

“Atticus,” she said, breaking through my thoughts and pulling me back to the present. “I never thought I’d get to know you like this. This entire conversation has blown my mind. I’m not sure what to think…or how I feel about it.” She stopped right in front of me and turned to face me, forcing me to stop. For a moment, she chewed on her bottom lip. Then she raised her chin and rose up on her tiptoes grasping my hands for balance. We were so close that she was almost eye to eye with me. “Honestly, I’m shocked that a man so much older than me would talk to me like an equal or share his feelings, much less be so open about…well, other things.”

“Yeah, well, sometimes the most meaningful connections are the ones you least expect.”

Sam smiled and glanced down at our intertwined hands. “You know, your hands are so big and strong. I can only imagine how many lives you’ve saved with them.”

“Many years of working in the ED,” I said with a hint of pride. Then I added a little mischievously, “And they’re also quite skilled at providing…various forms of pleasure.”

“Really now?” She raised an eyebrow and flashed me a playful grin. “You’ve definitely sparked my interest, Dr. Thorin. Can’t wait to find out if your culinary skills are as exceptional as you say—and whether your other talents live up to your claims.”

Her playful sexual innuendo sent a bolt of electric current straight to my groin. Well, damn, maybe there was chemistry between us after all.

“Trust me, Sam, when it comes to making women hot, I’m as skilled in the kitchen as I am in the bedroom,” I joked.

“Is that so? Well, I suppose I’ll be the judge of that tonight.”

I wasn’t sure if she was talking only about my cooking or if she was perhaps interested in more.

When we arrived at the parking lot, I opened the passenger door for her. With a hint of a smile on her lips, she slid into the seat. I reached out to brush a stray curl behind her ear, letting my fingers linger on the soft skin of her neck. Her sharp intake of breath was all the invitation I needed to lean over and press a kiss to her temple.

“I’m sorry if I offended you earlier. You’re right; you don’t need a man to take care of you. You’re perfectly capable of handling yourself.”

Sam sighed, leaning closer to me she placed her hand on my chest and let it slowly trail down the plane of my abs before dropping it back to her lap. “I know you meant well. It’s just…I’ve spent my whole life fighting for everything I’ve ever gotten. I won’t be coddled or condescended to, even if the intention behind it is good.”

“You’re right,” I said, running my thumb along the edge of her cheek.

A smile crept across Sam’s lips. “Now you’re getting it.” She stretched up to kiss me, soft and sweet. “Just treat me right, and we’ll be fine.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I grinned, capturing her mouth with mine. Fuuuck, did she taste good, and boy, was I in trouble. “So, Nurse Sheridan, what’s my prognosis?”

Her eyes sparkled with mirth. “That depends, Doctor. How well do you follow orders?”

“For you?” I ran my hand up her thigh, relishing her shiver. “Implicitly.”

With that, I hurriedly rounded the car, jumped into the driver’s seat, and started the engine. This day had turned out completely different than I had expected. Sam beamed at me from the passenger seat, and my heart raced.

Chapter seven

Hadn’t she been bragging about being young and full of stamina earlier? It couldn’t have been more than five minutes after we started driving when I glanced over and found her sound asleep with the seat partially leaning back. She looked peaceful though, relaxed. There was no hint of the high-pressure stress that seemed to cling to her at work. Her face, usually so animated and expressive, was now serene. In sleep, there was a certain beauty about her, a kind of simplicity that was rare to see. Not that I didn’t find her easy on the eyes all the time. The girl could be exhausted from a hectic shift, with her hair up in a crazy bun and no makeup, and she would still make me stop in my tracks. This was the first time I’d seen her truly let her guard down, and she was—captivating. It struck me how different she appeared, almost like another person entirely, when she wasn’t on edge.

Traffic on I-5 was fucking terrible. All I saw was a string of red brake lights for miles ahead, but the exit to Highway 512 would come soon enough. I figured once we arrived in the Puyallup area, I could set the cruise control. From there, it would only be another thirty minutes down Meridian to the cabin.

Sam stayed asleep the whole way there. Fortunately for her, she didn’t miss out on much. It was a straight shot through the towns of Puyallup and Graham, and there wasn’t much to see. The radio played in the background as my thoughts wandered to how this day would end. I seldom spent time with women whose expectations for our time together didn’t match mine. But Sam was different—she had no expectations at all. I was sure the only reason she’d come today was pure curiosity, especially after Bethany had given her an earful. Judging by her behavior in the ED, Sam seemed like someone who liked having all the answers. However, when it came to sexuality—particularly her own—it was clear she was aware that she was in unfamiliar territory.

If there was one thing I appreciated about having a cabin so far from the city, it was the seclusion. Yes, there were other people with homes on the lake, but not many would be there this time of year, and the woods were dense, making for a good sound buffer.

As the road changed from smooth asphalt to gravel, Sam stirred.

I turned my head toward her. “Well hello there, sleepyhead. Did someone have a good nap?”

She didn’t respond. Maybe she hadn’t woken up. So I attempted to rouse her through other means. I placed my hand on her thigh. Her skin was soft as silk. The moment I touched her, her leg fell to the side, almost inviting me to play. Fuck. I was tempted to slide my hand further up her leg, but I resisted. Consent was important to me. It wasn’t only a part of my practice in medicine. I wasn’t the type to take advantage of a woman in any situation, especially when she was asleep. So I decided to wake her up quickly by clamping down on either side of her knee, knowing that would tickle her. She bolted upright.

“Atticus!” she squealed. “What are you doing?”

I laughed hard at her reaction. “Sammich, we’re here.”

She raised her seat up and ran a hand across her face to wipe off what must have been drool. “I slept the entire way?!” she exclaimed in shock.

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