Page 1 of Save Me

Chapter 1

“This wound is healing nicely,”Dr. Eric Tam said, squinting at the mostly-closed hole in the billionaire’s arm. He kneeled down on a Persian carpet that probably cost more than he made in a year.

Eric was in Oxford, England. He had been sent by his employer, Calen McLachlan, to check on his friend Gio Morgese after the man was hurt saving his fiancée, Sophia.

Though he was from Rome, Gio was currently living in England to be close to her. Their home was a luxury penthouse in the center of the city.

He’d met quite a few of his boss’ friends but not the Italian banker he’d gone to school with. So far the man was as kind as his reputation. He was certainly being very patient considering this checkup was largely unnecessary. The banker had an entire team of medical staff at his disposal.

“That’s what my doctor said,” Gio replied, with a faint smile on his face, but he wasn’t looking at him. His attention on his fiancée, who moved around in the kitchen behind Eric’s back. “Calen didn’t have to send you all the way out here,” he added, watching Sophia with a slightly dazed expression.

“It’s not a problem,” Eric assured him. “He just wanted to make sure you were okay since he couldn’t fly out to visit himself.”

He was about to explain what was keeping Calen in Boston, but decided not to bother. Gio wasn’t listening to him. Eric didn’t blame the man for his distraction. Sophia, a curvaceous Hispanic woman, was the definition of a Latin bombshell.

He turned his head briefly to find the woman in question had also stopped what she was doing when she sensed Gio’s gaze on her. The two shared a private glance filled with a heat so intense, Eric was surprised his hair wasn’t singed in the crossfire.

Across the room, Sophia blushed and put her head down. Feeling warm himself, he turned back to Gio, focusing on putting a clean bandage on his arm…but a heavy weight started to collect in his chest. It grew until it was too difficult to ignore.

Andie.

He hadn’t thought about her in months—had forced himself not to. Seeing Gio and Sophia share a private moment brought it all back. Overwhelmed by a wave of pain and regret, he tightened the fastening on the bandage too much. Hurrying to fix his mistake, he readjusted it until it was perfect.

“Are we done here?” Gio asked softly.

He glanced up to see his patient’s golden-brown eyes were on him now. Though Gio was still being polite, he could feel the man’s frustration to be alone with his smoking hot fiancée.

Eric coughed. “Of course,” he said, trying to think of something else to add. When he couldn’t, he focused on gathering his gear.

Since his physician’s assistant had taken a job that required less travel, he had to pack up his equipment on his own. It wasn’t a problem this time. His medical bag wasn’t big. Working solo was only an issue when he needed to have special equipment shipped out, like a sonogram or portable x-ray machine.

Gio stood to walk him to the door. “Thank you again for coming all this way. I told Calen it wasn’t necessary, but he insisted.”

“It was no problem,” he repeated. “I was just across the pond in France doing health insurance exams for Calen’s new restaurant employees in Paris.”

“Are you exclusive with McLachlan Inc. now?” Gio asked as they crossed the expansive foyer.

Warming to the subject, he nodded. “I am. I left the concierge service I was with when he threw his support behind me to start my own. I’m supervising a few other docs. We tag team to cover all of Calen’s clubs and restaurants. He prefers to handle his staff’s healthcare needs personally, rather than having them solely depend on local resources. Calen is our only commercial contract, but we keep busy with a lot of volunteer efforts as well and will be expanding to the Caislean group next year. I spend a lot of time on the road these days.”

Going everywhere except Vegas.

“Well, I think that’s great. And I’m glad you’re in a good place now.”

Tensing, Eric whipped his head back to Gio. “Oh…thank you.”

Where had that come from? He stared at the other man, who appeared to be biting his tongue.

Oh,no. The Italian knew about his past. Had Calen told him?

Gio reddened and put his hands in his pockets. “I’m sorry. I thought you recognized me. I was with Calen when he met you. Don’t you remember?”

He didn’t, not at all. Of course, he had been blackout drunk at the time. Eric shifted uncomfortably and two of them stared at each other. Half-expecting a recriminating lecture, he exhaled when Gio watched him with nothing but awkward discomfort.

“It was impressive how you saved that young man, considering the circumstances.”

Wishing he could sink through the floor, Eric smiled till it hurt. “Oh, sorry. Crazy night. I don’t remember all the details anymore.”

Admitting that was the most difficult thing he’d done in a long while. Gio was polite enough not to dwell on his discomfort. “I’d never seen an emergency tracheotomy before. I thought there would be more blood…”

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