Page 36 of Tropical Heat

In the week and a half since Zak admitted his feelings for me, I could not recall a time when I had ever been happier. Not that it was all roses and sunshine. We both still had stressful jobs, which demanded long hours. This meant there were extended periods of time where we did not see each other.

But when we did, we more than made up for it. I’m not talking about sex; although there was a great deal of that, too. I mean the other things. The things which make a relationship worth being in. Cuddling on the couch and watching one of those old black and white movies Zak loves so much. Taking Oliver for a walk on the beach at sunset together. Or just sitting on the back deck, holding hands, without speaking; because we knew exactly what the other was thinking.

Friday night was such a moment. We were at the sink, washing the dinner dishes. Zak was wearing those tight running shorts that always made my dick hard, when I noticed the far off look in his eyes. He was thinking about her again.

How did I know this? Because I still thought about her all the time, too. She had danced into our lives, changed us both, and then with no warning or explanation, waltzed back out. Zak still believed she was coming back. But I knew she was gone for good. I saw it in her eyes when she snuck out of our bed.

Although we had only known Morgan for a short time, the mark she left on us was as indelible as a face tattoo.

My father had taught me that the person who cares the most in a relationship is the one who gets hurt the worst. I drifted through life, determined to never be that person again. But after half a dozen failed relationships, I met Zak, and he changed me. Sweet and caring, Zak, who always saw the best in people. For the first time in my life, I experienced unconditional love.

Had it not been for him opening my heart, I would never have been vulnerable to Morgan’s charms. She softened my sharp edges enough for Zak to feel comfortable expressing his affections for me.

I am sure this all sounds confusing and strange if you’ve never been in love with two people at the same time. The only way I can explain it that might make sense is to tell you that in their own ways, each had made me a better person, and expanded my heart wide enough to love both of them.

But then Morgan walked out of our lives as quickly as she had entered them. Her phone went unanswered. The responses to our text messages were always the same vague excuses—‘too tired, rough day at work’, ‘not feeling well, going straight home’, or ‘looking at apartments all day tomorrow’. Eventually, she stopped replying altogether.

You can not make someone love you, anymore than you can stop yourself from loving them. However, Zak, the eternal optimist, still held out hope. As I put the last plate in the cabinet, he said something I was not expecting. “I talked to her today.”

“Don’t tell me she finally called you back.” I was happy for him and jealous at the same time.

“No, I ran into her at the hospital. It was the first time since she spent the night with us.” Technically, she had not spent the night since she snuck out in the wee hours of the morning. But I didn’t think pointing this out would make him feel any better.

“When I stepped out of the rig, and she saw it was me, I got the feeling she would have rather been anywhere else but there.”

“Did you get the answers you’ve been looking for?” Zak was the type of person who needed closure before he could move on.

“While I was pulling the gurney out, I joked, ‘long time no see, stranger’. She didn’t even crack a smile. Kept everything professional and as soon as she had the patient's information, turned and went back inside. No nice to see you or even a goodbye. I don’t know what I did to make her hate me so much.”

“It’s not your fault.” I wrapped an arm around him and brushed a tear from his cheek. “She doesn’t hate you and you did nothing wrong.”

“Then why does it hurt so much?” He buried his face in my shoulder. As I stood there comforting him, my mind was turning the whole time. I understood what Morgan was going through and felt sorry for her. She was just as afraid of her feelings as I was of mine. But that did not give her the right to hurt Zak. All the man had done was love her unconditionally. Someone needed to set her straight, and I was just the man to do it.

But not right then. Zak needed me to be calm and strong for the both of us. I led him to my bedroom and held him until we both fell asleep.

The next morning I was in the barracks, going over arrest forms in order to prepare for court later in the week. I called the hospital to make sure Morgan was working and then went to the booking desk. When I found what I was looking for in the previous night's list of arrests, I grabbed the file and told the desk sergeant I was taking lunch.

With file in hand, I approached the nurses' station and was greeted with a broad smile. “Good to see you, Deputy Garcia. Let me guess, you have another suspect that needs patched up.”

“Not this time, Elenora. I am looking for the BAC report on a patient you stitched up last night.” I made a show of opening the folder and looking at the arrest report. “Last name is Haynes, first name Conrad, no middle initial listed. Crashed his car into a palm tree and smacked his head off the steering wheel. According to the report, Dr. Lewis was the one who treated him. Is she available by any chance? I need to speak with her.”

“You’re in luck.” She winked at me. “She’s just finishing in exam room three. Why don’t you wait over there? When she comes out, I will let her know you need to speak with her.”

Five minutes later, I heard her say, “Dr. Lewis, that cute deputy needs to speak with you about a BAC you ordered last night.”

“Tell him I’m not available,” I heard Morgan say as I walked around the corner and stood facing her.

“Is there somewhere private we can discuss this matter? I’d hate for you to get in trouble with HIPPA for discussing a patient's information out where anyone could hear us.”

“Come with me,” she hissed soft enough that no one else heard. But I knew she was pissed at being confronted at work. It was her own fault. If she had answered her phone at any point in the last eleven days, I would not be there.

She led me to one of those rooms they used to tell families their loved one had died. As soon as she closed the door and faced me, I looked her dead in the eyes. “You’ve been a bad girl.”

Twenty-One

Morgan

His words sent shivers down my spine. I already knew how Dante treated Good Girls. What did he do to the bad ones? Jesus, ten seconds alone with him and he already had me dripping with need. I put my hands in the pockets of my lab coat and pressed my nails into the palms so I could focus.

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