Page 31 of Claimed by my Bestie's Dad

Ethan runs his tongue across his lips, and I am absolutely entranced by the way it moves. I feel like I could almost straddle him right now and make him pleasure me again.

But I don’t want to scare him off.

“As long as we both know it’s just sex and nothing more, then why would I not agree?” Ethan adds.

“Yeah, exactly. Just sex. Nothing more. And if you want me, you can just call me…and vice versa.”

Ethan nods. “But…I’m still going to help with the dogs, at least until those two giants leave.”

“You’re only saying that because you’d rather let them into your backyard than have them break into it.”

Ethan shrugs, but a little smile plays across his lips. I reluctantly find my panties and pull them on. It seems like the evening has concluded. Besides, if I don’t text my friends soon, they might think I’ve disappeared off planet Earth.

But I can’t help looking at Ethan’s naked body on the bed one more time before I head down the hall and out the front door. Suddenly, my whole life seems a little more exciting. I might not have money to start the surfing school I want, but I have a hot guy who is willing to give me sex whenever I want it.

15

ETHAN

The hospital smellslike a Christmas tree farm thanks to the absurd amount of garland lining the hallways. Every year, someone goes overboard with the holiday decorations, as if tinsel, pine-scented air fresheners, and fake snow are going to make the ER feel less like a place where at least a few patients burst into tears every day.

It’s barely noon, and the ER is already buzzing with the usual holiday-type injuries. A guy came in with a deep gash in his hand from carving a turkey. Then, there’s the kid who swallowed a Christmas ornament hook while they were decorating. I would think at three, they wouldn’t be putting things in their mouths anymore. But apparently, I’m wrong.

I always ask patients for their stories. Some of them don’t want to tell, but the teenager who comes in with a twisted ankle is all too happy to tell his story.

“I wanted to hang some mistletoe up all around our house. My parents are going out of town this weekend, and I’m having my girlfriend over.”

I bandage up his ankle quickly. “But now, your parents aren’t going out of town,” I guess.

“Oh, no. They still have to go. Someone has to show up at Uncle Steve’s house every year if they want their share of his inheritance.”

It’s going to be one of those non-stop days, but for some reason, it’s not getting to me today. I’m still thinking about what Madison proposed to me yesterday. The proposal I quickly accepted before she could take it back.

And anytime I have a break in the action, I think about what she’ll say if I text her after my shift and suggest I come over for some “relaxation” time. Twice is not enough. I want to be with Madison again and again, explore every inch of her body until I have it memorized. I’m not nearly there yet.

She’s younger, yes, but it’s not just that. She’s got this fire in her, and I like it. I genuinely like spending time with her, the time in the bedroom, yes, but also the time over dinner.

I head over to the nurse’s station to grab the patients’ charts, my mind wandering as I go through the motions.

I’m not the kind of man who lets someone get under his skin, but damn it, Madison is doing just that. I can’t stop thinking about her.

I hum something under my breath as I mark the correct charts.

“Dr. Taylor, you seem awfully chipper today,” a voice teases from behind the counter. I look up to see Janine, one of the head nurses, grinning at me with a knowing twinkle in her eye.

“Chipper? Me? I don’t think anyone has ever used that word to describe me.”

“Then they haven’t seen you in this mood before. I haven’t, clearly. Is something going on?”

“Going on. I’m trying to stay in a good mood while dealing with people who are idiots.” I look around to make sure no patients are close enough to hear me. “I mean…really? Sometimes, the injuries people come in with just don’t make sense.”

“You might be trying to change the subject, but you’ve been humming Christmas songs since you walked in. That’s not normal for you, especially on a busy day like this. Who is she?”

I chuckle, shaking my head as I scan the next chart. “You’re imagining things, Janine.”

“Oh, no, I’m not. We’ve worked together long enough for me to know when you’ve got something going on. You’ve got that look. The one men get when they’ve got a new lady in their life.”

I pause, meeting her eyes over the top of the chart. I know better than to try and lie to Janine. She’s been working with me for years, and she’s like a bloodhound when it comes to sniffing out the truth.

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