Page 11 of Written in the Charts

“Sir?” I felt a tap on my shoulder and realized I’d been staring at the door long after Serah was gone. I turned to see Private Yates back from the run, now wearing his shirt. “We’re done.”

I sighed. It was going to be a long day, and I hoped I could find her to apologize later.

CHAPTEREIGHT

Gypsy

I hated giving people a needle. It was the worst thing I had to do in this job. And I probably could have passed it off on a nurse, but this was Evan. Any time he was in this office, I wanted to be around him. It had been a week since his last visit—the cortisone shot—and he was now taking the PRP treatment. The steroids had helped with the pain, but they couldn’t reverse the damage. This platelet infusion was said to help repair the tendon, not just make it stop hurting.

Evan winced, gritting his teeth and gripping the edge of the exam table as the fluids pushed out of the syringe into his knee. “I’m so sorry,” I told him, wincing with him as I finished the injection. “It has to go right into the affected area or it does no good.”

He closed his eyes and shook his head, still with a death grip on the table for a few more minutes. I busied myself tossing the needle into the sharps container and peeling off my gloves. His treatment was finished for the day, but I hoped he didn’t just jump off the table and leave. We’d spoken several times by phone, but his work schedule and mine had made it near impossible to see each other.

“Fuck, that was painful.” He shimmied his pants leg back down and scooted to the foot of the table.

“I’m sorry. It’s really the best treatment option for you. If this doesn’t work, we’re looking at surgery. There are several viable options when it comes to surgery, but really, you don’t want your knee cut up. You only get one set.” I smiled, hoping he picked up on my joke, but he scowled. I’d never seen him so broody, but maybe he was just having a bad day.

“Yeah, I don’t want any reason for them to boot me.” He crushed his cap in his hand and pursed his lips. His army career was really important to him, about as important as my doctoral degree and finally achieving my childhood dream was to me.

“I’m not telling a single soul, Evan. I’m just giving you options as your doctor.” I winced again as I said the words. He didn’t seem like my patient. He was my friend—more than a friend. That conflicting feeling churned in my stomach, upsetting me enough that I didn't hear when he said my name. All I could think about was the hot sex we’d had on my kitchen counter, the sex in my bed, again in my shower, and how I wanted it again so badly, but how guilty I felt as soon as he’d woken up the next morning and left.

“Gypsy.”

I looked up at him, and he had his hand held out to me, so I rose and took it, glancing at the door to make sure it was shut all the way. When I looked back at him, I felt connected, like nothing else in the world mattered. It was a strange feeling, and scary. If Dr. Marshal knew I was treating him and I’d had sex with him, I’d be fired immediately. State ethics board policies were no joke. I could lose my CNP certification too, not just the job or the residency. It would make me permanently unable to be a doctor. Just his fingers lacing through mine was dangerous.

“Evan, I’m so overwhelmed by guilt. I can’t keep seeing you and being your doctor.”

“But this office has handled my healthcare since I was a teenager. If I transfer now, I’ll have to report the change to Veterans Affairs, and if I do that, they’ll wonder why I’m seeing a doctor off base and not going to MTF.” His brow furrowed. I had upset him.

“I’m not saying you have to switch practices. I just have to figure out how to make Cameron take you back on as a patient. He has no clue that we used to see each other—”

“Used to?”

The words stung like a slap to the face. The disappointment in his voice was palpable.

“You know what I meant.”

“Did I?” He pulled his hands away and frowned. “Like, I get it. It’s risky. But I’m taking huge risks every day too. You think that doesn’t affect me?”

“Yes, but your risk of seeing a doctor off base is hardly the same. It involves only you. It affects only you.”

“You think the risk you are taking, or maybe not taking, doesn’t affect me?”

I winced again. I was fucking this all up. I didn’t want to hurt him at all. I just wanted him to understand that I was staking my entire career on him. I could lose everything. But when I looked into his hurt expression, I realized what he meant. He stood to lose everything he’d worked for too, not because he was dating me but because he was breaking protocol.

“Then I’ll try to find a different place to do my residency.” I tried to take his hand, but he moved it away.

“No, Gyps.” He sighed. “I’ll just go see Captain Jones.”

“And get medically discharged? No.” I shook my head firmly. “There has to be a way to sort this out.”

Evan’s eyes flicked to the door before he cupped my cheeks and kissed me. His kiss was dirty and rough, just the way I liked it. He had me weak in the knees and wanting him. When he pulled away, I had to calm myself and catch my breath.

Without hesitating, I walked to the door and locked it, turning back to him with both hands on the doorknob. “I want you.” Evan’s grin was priceless. He didn’t move a muscle as I walked toward him. “But we have like less than ten minutes.”

“No problem.” He winked, sliding to the end of the exam table. As his feet hit the floor, his hands pushed into my scrubs and panties.

“Fuck,” I hissed the moment he found the moisture pooling between my legs. I’d felt it growing since this morning when I looked at my schedule and saw he was listed for this afternoon.

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