Page 9 of Lie for a Lie

“Seth?” the barista asks, meeting my eyes before sliding the drinks slowly in front of me.

I smile softly.

“No, Paige.”

I step back and retreat into myself slightly. I notice the male figure standing behind me. So close that if I back up anymore, my ass will be in his lap.

His tanned forearm appears around me, and I attempt to sidestep in the opposite direction. As I twist towards the mess of shaggy, dirty blonde hair and gem-like blue eyes meet mine, causing me to freeze.

I’m not sure if it’s this man’s audacity and violation of my personal space or my body’s reaction to his presence that concerns me more. I’m incapable of anything but letting my eyes settle on the stranger’s full lips as he smiles a devastatingly handsome grin.

“Excuse me, gorgeous,” the handsome stranger says in his deep, slightly raspy voice.

I feel my cheeks flush and bite my lower lip as I meet his stare again. Shear panic begins to race through me as his eyes drift to my lips briefly, and I let the feeling of this moment sink in.

I can’t take my eyes off him as he turns away from me with his two coffees in hand and winks at the two older women, still deciding what to order. Both women giggle with pure delight as the doorbell chimes again, in tune with his exit. We all stood stunned as we watched him continue walking down the street with the two coffees.

The taller one of the two women says, “Well, damn.”

The second woman laughs before looking my way and pointing past me.

“I think your coffee is ready.”

I snap my attention to the short woman before letting out an uncomfortable laugh and grabbing my drink. Heading towards the door, I am sure I will dream about those gem-like blue eyes and that beautiful mouth tonight.

By the time I have gotten back to my car, I have convinced myself the whole thing has been some sort of delirious horny daydream. That guy is not real. No one person can ever have such a demanding presence and leave a woman just groveling in his wake.

I sit in my car, confused by the whole interaction, and when I finally look at the clock on my dash, I am officially a minute late to work. Letting out a sigh of defeat and saying fuck it, I pull out my cell phone connected to my Bluetooth and call Bre.

It is nearly three a.m. before I can take a break at work. I need an energy drink, and part of me wants to check on Katherine.

She was admitted last night, and I decided to peek in on her. Heading towards the third-floor vending machine, I grab my favorite energy drink before heading down the hall to her room.

Last night, I thought Katherine and I might have gotten off on the wrong foot. I know my charming personality sometimes doesn’t help the situation, and chances are that Chris and Graham will be around for a while, so I owe them to make amends with Katherine. Bre seems so happy right now, and having a boyfriend isn’t exactly a consistent thing for either of us.

I have only had one long-term boyfriend, and that was in high school. Everything since has been inconsistent and just disappointing. It’s why I have stopped even just hooking up for a little over eight months now. Eventually, I expanded my personal toy collection and got into some weird romance novels.

I see Katherine’s assigned room and look around to see most of the staff at the other end of the hall. Perfect for sneaking in and out quickly. I don’t want anyone to know I have come up here. One of the cringier hospitalist is Katherine’s admitting doctor, and he has asked me out over a dozen times in the past few years despite having a wife, including last night.

I don’t know why I am surprised when I knock twice lightly and hear a familiar male voice say softly come in. I hesitate momentarily before letting out a soft exhale and opening the door. Graham stands from his chair, and it is clear I have woken him. His thick black curls are a mess, and his eyes are still heavy with sleep. He’s wearing a black hoodie and a pair of basketball shorts. And my god, he is sexier than I remember. This sleepy look is working in his favor.

“Hey.”

He grins softly, and I have to clear my throat.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you. I just had a break and wanted to see if she needs anything.”

I look toward Katherine, who is thankfully sleeping. I can’t help but think she looks peaceful, minus her messy appearance. Slowly, I allow myself to look at Graham again. I am met with an exhausted stare, but just beneath the surface, I swear I see his eyes dilate with what looks like longing. I take a large sip of my energy drink, wishing it was something stronger.

“She will probably be going home tomorrow. She slept most of the night but has needed some medications for anxiety. The doctors seem to think I can handle her from home.”

“Good. That’s good to hear.”

I look towards Katherine again and feel over me, and suddenly, I am grateful I opted to wear my favorite gray scrubs that make my curvy-toned figure look rather impressive.

“I should get back,” I say, taking the final sip of my energy drink before leaving.

“Paige.”

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