Page 48 of Embrace
Our gazes remained locked until we kissed each other tenderly, keeping it short and sweet so we wouldn’t lose track of time again.
He went on to tell me about more of his plans to upgrade the hospital.
“So, is this what you’re going to be doing instead of surgeries?” I asked as we walked up a ramp that led to the main hospital.
He shook his head adamantly. “No. But Si is right about one thing—I can’t be on staff here. I’ll perform high-risk and experimental surgeries through EBHI.”
“Ooh,” I said, feeling the excitement light up my eyes. “Fun.”
We were in a more crowded hallway when he winked at me and said, “You’ll be with me.”
I bumped into him flirtatiously. “Oh... You’re not hiding your surgeries from me anymore. Remember the last time we were in the OR together?”
He sniffed. “Yes. That was very difficult for me.”
I was about to say something witty, but I suddenly noticed how people stared as we passed them.
“However, I want you to work closely with Roland too. In my opinion, he’s the best neurosurgeon in the world. You’re going to learn a lot from him, babe,” he said as if he didn’t notice how everyone was staring at us. He probably didn’t care.
“I would love to work closely with him. I mean, just stick me in his armpit twenty-four seven.”
He smirked. “As long as there’s room for me.”
Being self-conscious about all the eyeballs on us didn’t stop me from batting my eyelashes at him. “There’s always room for you.”
We beamed at each other, wearing silly grins.
“Asher Nathaniel Christmas.” The woman had a silky voice and almost sounded as if she had an English accent. Perhaps she was attempting to sound elegant and above us mere mortals.
But I knew exactly who she was when Asher grew stiff. He turned to me, closed his eyes, and shook his head.
“I thought we should talk sooner rather than later, don’t you?” she asked even though neither of us had turned to face her.
“I don’t want you near her. Go. Now. We’ll meet up later,” he whispered.
It was as if my feet were on autopilot. My head was climbing a stairway to the moon. His words sat in my brain like a weightless object. That was why I turned to see her. My eyes expanded at the sight of a well-dressed woman in a tight black suit. She wore a red silk shirt under the jacket. Her heels were high, and her skin was dewy and blemish-free, and her makeup perfectly applied. Her long dark hair lay across her shoulders—the strands were silky and soft like she had just left the salon. In a few ways, I saw how we could be related. Our hair color was the same and under all her makeup, I guessed, so were our complexions. I was taller, though. My features were more Ross than whatever she was. However, in the grand scope of it all—her outfit, shoes, fake accent, and the way she stood there, smirking at me—I had glimpsed more differences than similarities.
And she watched me with the same penetrating and assessing glower as I had given her. For a moment, I wondered what she thought.
Asher rubbed my shoulder gently. “Penina, please go.”
I looked up at him. He was still facing away from her.
I wasn’t one to run from confrontation, but I saw no reason not to respect his wishes. I put my small hand over his large one. “Okay.”
His lips came toward mine, and we kissed once, but that wasn’t enough, so we did it two more times quickly. We said we’d see each other later, but I wasn’t sure about that. I took another quick glance at Julia. Her arms were crossed, and she smirked at us as if she thought we were putting on a show for her. A sense of dread gripped me because he would be alone with her soon.Will he kiss her? Remember he loved her?Those were the questions I asked myself as I walked away.
Chapter Thirteen
Asher Christmas
She could’ve at least changed her perfume, but it was still the same syrupy scent that made my stomach turn. She wore the same hairdo too, like a woman who couldn’t picture herself without the long tresses of a little girl. Penina was different. She embraced womanhood, and that was sexy as hell. Not only that, but Julia also had the same fabricated walk where she intently put one foot in front of the other. Our pace was brisk, but she didn’t miss a beat. Nothing could stop her from strutting like a sex kitten.
“So, Asher, why didn’t you return my call?”
I narrowed my eyes, refusing to engage in even the slightest conversation with her. I realized she was taking my temperature and testing my willingness to engage with her.
“Was that my sister? She’s… plain.”
