Page 43 of Doctor Bossy

There were so many things that made any relationship between us highly inappropriate, so many reasons why I shouldn’t do this.

Yet here I was.

Because despite all the reasons I shouldn’t be doing this, I wanted to. I hadn’t wanted anything this fucking much in a long time.

And since it seemed that I was already breaking my personal rules, what was one more?

“I’m about to make you an indecent proposal,” I said.

“Uh-huh.” She nodded. I had a feeling she already knew what I was about to say and seemed impatient to get to the point.

“It’s very wrong of me.”

“I’m sure it is.” Her voice was breathless.

“Feel free to slap me.”

“I won’t,” she said. “Just ask me.”

I sighed. “We’ll need to keep it a secret. Completely discreet.”

She nodded enthusiastically, her hand squeezing around my wrist. “Discreet. I can do that.”

“No one at work can know, especially. And I want you to know that whatever happens between us will not impact your job at all. Anyone is free to back out at any point.”

“You make it sound so clinical.”

“It has to be,” I told her and stressed the next point. “I also want you to know that this will be strictly physical. There will be no feelings involved at all. I can’t….” I thought about how to explain it to her. “I have never loved any other woman except for my wife, and I don’t plan on loving any other one. So, while I may show you affection, what we have will never translate into anything beyond this arrangement. Do you understand?”

She frowned. “You seem so certain that I’ll fall for you or something.”

I shook my head. “I’m not saying that. I’m just trying to avoid it preemptively.”

She appeared to think about it for a long while, her expression becoming thoughtful rather than offended. “And I still get to keep my job?”

I nodded. I had thought long and hard about firing her, but it didn’t seem appropriate, given the circumstances. “Your punishment has been outlined by Leila, and it will remain like that until we’re sure you won’t make a mistake like that again. If you do, though, or do anything even comparable, you will most certainly lose your job. Is that understood?”

“Yes,” she said, squaring her shoulders. “And yes to the other thing as well. Let’s do it. Let’s have an arrangement.”

19

BECCA

Ifelt like certifiable shit the next morning.

I didn’t know whether it was due to the alcohol I imbibed last night or the sleepless night I had after it, but I could barely get out of bed the next morning. Even cracking my eyes open was an effort, and pain bloomed in my head the minute the sun rays made it behind my eyelids. Not only that, but my throat was hoarse and dry like I’d spent the last three months in a desert and maybe swallowed a metric ton of sand along the way. That was without mentioning the way my bones felt—achy and creaky.

Even before my alarm went off, I knew there was no way I was making it to work today.

I felt bad about taking a day off so soon after messing up the samples, but I wouldn’t be of any use to anyone feeling how I felt. I wasn’t even sure I could make it to the lab in the first place, much less do any kind of constructive work. And Lord knew I didn’t want to make another colossal mistake like the last time.

So I simply reached for the phone on my nightstand and dialed the general lab line.

“Yello.”

I breathed a sigh of relief when it was Marco’s friendly voice that came on rather than Leila’s. As cowardly as it might seem, I didn’t want to deal with Leila this morning, and despite our awkward date yesterday, Marco seemed like a much better bet at this point.

“Hey, Marco.” I cleared my throat so he could understand my words better. “It’s me. Becca.”

---