Page 15 of Boss with Benefits

After Lexi left, Derrick walked in with his hands over his eyes. “Are you decent?”

“Never,” I said.

Derrick kept his eyes shielded.

“My top is securely in place,” I finally said.

He peeked out from his fingers, then dropped his hand.

“Lexi felt the lump too, so I’m calling the doctor.” I pulled out my phone and left a message with my doctor at East Village Practice for Obstetrics and Gynecology. Then, I sent a text to Eva. She immediately responded that of course she’d go with me.

She might have been lost in Ethanland right then, but I was relieved she’d show up when it was important.

* * *

Except,she couldn’t come.

The East Village Practice for Obstetrics and Gynecology had squeezed me in for a next day appointment, and Eva was still on a business trip in San Francisco for some tech charity thing and she wouldn’t be back until the weekend. Eva had said she’d take a red-eye, but I told her not to be ridiculous.

My alarm buzzed on my phone, telling me it was time to leave to get felt up by my doctor.

I grabbed my crossbody tote from behind Derrick’s office door, where I’d been sorting and organizing all morning. His office now had several inches of cleared floor space.

I shot him a text that I was leaving and walked to the bank of elevators. When I stepped in, Derrick stepped in behind me.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Coming with you.” He raised his hand when I began to protest. “I won’t come into the room with you. I’ll stay in the reception area. But someone should be with you, and Lexi is recording right now, and I know Eva’s out of town.”

I blinked back tears that suddenly popped into my eyes and ducked my head, embarrassed by the sudden emotion. Oh God, could this be some weird cancer hormone? Was that a thing? I was never emotional like this. What was going on with me?

It didn’t help that my boss had to step up and be my emotional support animal. How did I have no other friends in this city? I mean, I loved my Derby teammates, but we’d never hung out beyond drinks after a bout. If this lump turned out to be nothing, I was totally working on getting more friends.

Derrick must have seen my distress, because he put a hand on my shoulder softly, like I was made of glass.

I batted it off.

“I’m fine, Zaddy,” I said, covering the immense gratitude I felt for him at that moment.

“What’s a Zaddy?” he asked as we walked through the lobby and into a waiting Uber.

I sucked down another wave of gratitude as I realized Derrick had ordered the car for me.

“A sexy older man,” I said, sliding into the backseat.

Derrick screwed his face up, and despite my nerves, I laughed.

“You’re straight out of Central Casting,” I said, shoving my bag at my feet. “All broad-shouldered, bearded, tattooed, grumpy, rich, and let’s not forget, old.”

“I’ve got a few years until I’m in the grave,” Derrick grumbled.

“You’re prime Zaddy age.” I stuck my thumb in my mouth and sucked on it like a baby, batting my eyes.

“You’re weird.”

“I know.”

The East Village Practice for Obstetrics and Gynecology was a quick ride over to the East River near the Williamsburg Bridge. After I’d checked in at reception, I sat next to Derrick and madly googled “lump in breast.”

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