Page 16 of Bloom: Part 1

About Dr. Collier doing to me what they just did. My gut stirred at the thought of Dr. Collier pounding into me. My breath hitched.

“Wait!” I cried.

“What is it?” He stopped at the door.

“How did you get your brother to want to fuck you? Can you teach me how to do that?”

He stared at me wide-eyed for a few seconds, then shook his head slowly. “Hell, no. I can’t help you with that, kid. You can’t force someone to like you. Either they do, or they don’t.”

4

LOGAN

The insufferable boy was missing for four days. Well, not missing, but that was what it felt like when he didn’t show up at the hospital or pop up in front of me in the most random places. He stalked me, but I figured he was harmless, so I didn’t get the police involved, although Ben had suggested a restraining order when he was still the chief of police. He should talk now that he was shacking up with a biker.

I hated that I noticed his absence. Hated that my mood had soured during those four days, and most of all, I hated that my heart skipped a beat whenever a shadow appeared, only to find out that person was not him.

Maybe I’d finally gotten through to him, and he had given up. I should host a celebration at the hospital with all the people he’d terrorized and made uncomfortable. Instead, I was on the phone with James hemming and hawing while I tried to come up with a reason to visit the clubhouse that didn’t seem suspect.

“Dr. Collier, what’s really going on?” James said, sounding breathless. “In case I didn’t make it obvious, I was on top of my Daddy when you called.”

Thatwas an image I didn’t need in my head. How such a delicate femme boy topped the burly older biker was beyond me. He must have been damn good, since that man looked at him like he hung the damn moon.

“And you answered?” I asked.

“You never call me unless something crucial happened at the hospital and you need me. Who cares what I’ll be wearing at the charity gala? That’s still weeks away. I’m gettinglaid,and after this, I’m convinced you need to get laid too. Maybe the next time Bloom propositions you, you’ll take him up on his offer.”

I stifled a groan. Why had I confided in James about Bloom throwing himself at me when I’d last seen him? He’d stalked me and frustrated me to death. He kept on saying we were in a relationship, but until that day, he’d never gotten sexual with me. Well, there were the pictures—hot, naked pictures I should delete from my phone—but when we were together, he was more like an annoying baby koala who wanted attention all the time. The kind of attention I didn’t have the time to give anyone.

“That’s the last time I confide in you, James. Carry on with your…chore, then.”

I ended the call and ran my fingers through my hair. Stupid. Phoning James had accomplished nothing. The knowing smirk he wore every time he saw me since I’d told him what Bloom did would only get bigger.

What had I been thinking?

I hit the space bar on my computer twice to wake up the screen and opened the scheduling system we used at the hospital. With one of our staff members moving out of state, the rest of us would have to pick up the slack until we hired a replacement. Smoky Vale Gen was one of the least desirable hospitals in the state, and finding someone could take months. I’d promised to work as many extra hours as needed, so the rest of the staffdidn’t have to work longer than necessary. My life didn’t amount to much more than work anyway.

My pager went off and I checked to find one of the nurses needed me. I rang back the number.

“Dr. Collier.” If only I had a receptionist, but hospitals couldn’t afford such a thing. An entire wing was closed since some pipes broke and caused a flood, revealing some serious structural damages. Management had already started an extension work for VIP rooms and used it as an excuse to drag their feet on conducting the much-needed repairs to the wing. As if the regular people of Smoky Vale could afford VIP. To compete with Hargreaves, the private hospital, they were forgetting the reason for the hospital’s existence in the first place.

“Dr. Collier.” Nurse Riley’s voice was strained. “We have a patient wishing to see you, sir.”

“Dr. Otto is making the rounds. Ask her to see them.”

“She tried, sir, but the patient refuses to have anyone else treat him but you.”

“Then he doesn’t need medical attention. Send him home.”

Who refused help when they needed it?

“He’s rather difficult to handle, sir. Not only is he rude and insulting to the staff, but he seems rather dangerous. If you don’t show up, Dr. Otto says we should call security. After all, you’re the one who’s enabled him.”

I sat up straight, my chair creaking under the sudden movement. Bloom. He could only be talking about Bloom. I clenched my ass in my chair to keep sitting. Did they all think I enabled him? If I went, I would only prove their point.

“Like I said, Nurse Riley. If he doesn’t want to see a doctor, he doesn’t need help. Have security escort him out if that’s what it takes.”

Just what trick did he have up his sleeve this time? Medical attention. I scoffed. Once I closed the door to his room, I wouldno doubt find him naked, asking me to give him a voluntary prostate exam.

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