Page 54 of Night Shift

Bethany chuckled. “Looks like the dance floor is the place to be tonight.”

Conan clapped his hands together and rubbed them back and forth, a smile playing on his lips. “I say we grab a drink, sample some of the food, and then see where the night takes us.”

The four of us moved further into the room, mingling and chitchatting with coworkers and some of the upper echelon of the hospital’s management.

Conan, who was already in a buoyant mood, made a beeline for the bar. “First round’s on me!” he declared, returning moments later with a drink for each of us on a server’s tray.

Eagerly, I took one of the pretty little martinis and thanked him. Soon we were all laughing as the buzz started to go to our heads. At one point, Conan playfully spun me around. “You look so beautiful tonight, Samantha. How are you feeling?”

I chuckled, the compliment catching me off guard but warming me all the same. “Thanks, Conan. I’m feeling mostly better, but I still look a bit Frankensteinish with all these bruises and the cut.” I gestured toward my arm. “Hence, the long sleeves.”

Conan smirked, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Well, I think Frankenstein’s monster never looked so good.”

He bolted over to the hors d’oeuvres table and returned grinning. “You have to try all this,” he said, offering me a bite from his plate. His boyish excitement was charming, and I found myself enjoying his insistence that I try a bite of everything as he fed it to me like I was a little bird.

Our conversation flowed effortlessly, the topics ranging from the trivial to the deeply personal. With Conan, it was easy to laugh.

He dashed over to the dessert table and returned before I even realized he’d left. “So, now you have to try the chocolate eclairs. They’re to die for,” he said as he popped the entire chocolate-covered confection into his mouth.

“With a recommendation like that, how can I refuse?” I asked, accepting the treat he offered. We continued with our light and easy banter, enjoying being in each other’s company.

It was only when I glanced around, looking for Bethany and Brad, that I realized they had slipped away to the dance floor, leaving Conan and me absorbed in our own world. “Looks like we’ve been abandoned,” I noted, a smile playing on my lips.

Conan followed my gaze to where our friends danced near the band. “Seems like it. But hey, more eclairs for us, right?” he joked, his laughter mingling with the music.

The ease of his company, the shared jokes, and the gentle way he made sure I was having a good time made the evening unexpectedly delightful.

As the evening progressed, Conan’s flirty demeanor became more pronounced. His hand lingered on my arm a little longer, and his glances got more cheeky. The band shifted gears, and a moment later, the opening chords of John Legend’s “All of Me” filled the ballroom with a romantic melody that seemed to slow time itself.

Conan leaned in. “May I have this dance, milady?” he asked, his voice soft yet holding a hint of mischief. He offered his hand with a theatrical flourish that drew a laugh from me.

“Of course, kind sir,” I said, playing along and accepting his hand. With one graceful motion, he led me onto the dance floor and twirled me into his arms in a move that was straight out of a fairy tale.

I was immediately taken aback by his skill as a dancer. Despite his muscular frame, he moved with a gentleness and precision that made it easy to follow his lead. He masterfully guided me through the dance, tucking his thigh subtly between my legs in a way that was both respectful and sensually charged.

Being so close to him while we moved in perfect harmony with the music was intoxicating. I became lost in the moment, the rest of the world fading away as if we were the only two people in the room. Conan kept his eyes fixed on me, and his look of genuine infatuation made my heart flutter.

Around us, people seemed to take notice. Our fellow partygoers were starting to stare, but I didn’t care. In that moment, Conan made me feel like a princess, cherished and adored.

As the second slow dance began, he pulled me closer to him, wrapping me in his muscular arms. My entire body pressed against his, and I couldn’t deny the heat that radiated between us. He leaned down, his breath warm on my ear as he whispered wickedly, “You have no idea how much I want to take you back to my hotel room right now, Sam.”

A deep blush bloomed across my cheeks, and my heart raced in my chest. Conan’s lips brushed the hollow of my neck, nibbling gently and sending shivers down my spine.

Slowly, with an almost unbearable sensuality, Conan kissed me—long, hard, and deep. His hands cradled my face tenderly. When he finally pulled back, it was as if a haze had descended over me. I was lost in lustful longing—eyelids heavy and lips slightly parted.

“Ahem.” The sound of someone clearing their throat loudly next to us broke through the spell that had been cast. Startled, I looked up to find Atticus standing beside us, Vanessa at his side. He was close enough for me to see the anger that burned in his usually unemotional eyes. His jaw was clenched tightly, his hands curled into fists at his sides.

Conan’s response to the interruption was a low, almost imperceptible growl. Caught between the two, I found myself at a loss. The kiss lingered on my lips like a promise, but it was now overshadowed by the shift in the atmosphere brought on by Atticus’s appearance.

“Really, Atticus?” Vanessa scoffed in annoyance, her gaze darting between the two of us. “Your obsession with this girl is so obvious. You’ve barely taken your eyes off her all night. Watching her with Conan like some sort of voyeur…” She sneered at me and then turned her icy gaze to Conan. “You’d better watch out. He might just steal your date.”

With a huff, she turned on her heel and strode away from us, her red gown billowing behind her like a flag of war. Atticus watched her leave but remained where he was. His eyes met mine once more, a storm of emotions crossing his face before he turned and hurried after Vanessa, leaving a slew of whispers and speculative glances in his wake.

“Wow,” Conan chuckled as his brother disappeared from sight. “Guess we really got under their skin, huh?”

Stunned, I stood there trying to process the whirlwind of emotions that had just played out before us. But I couldn’t shake off the feeling of shame that had settled over me, nor could I ignore the lingering confusion in my heart. I was torn between the tender passion I’d experienced with Conan and the memories of the dark hunger Atticus had awakened within me. No matter how hard I tried, it seemed I couldn’t escape the tangled web of my own emotions.

Conan gently placed a hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay?” he asked.

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