Doctor Wolf’s Human Nurse (Fated To The Wolf #9)

13. Abby

13

Abby

A bby knocked on Sawyer’s office door the next morning and walked in since his door was open. She looked at his desk and saw her file.

Fury flew through her as she stared at the manila folder with her name written across the top.

“Why do you have that? If there was something you wanted to know about me, all you had to do was ask,” she said, through clenched teeth.

“I had to do a mandatory background check on all of the employees. You should know that. It’s nothing personal.”

It may not be personal, but I feel as though my personal space has been invaded.

Sawyer picked up the other folders he got from Sebastian and showed them to her. “See? I had a thorough background check done on every employee here.”

Abby looked at him through narrowed eyes. She was slightly mollified, but she had a feeling that he wasn’t telling her the entire truth.

Sawyer likely had everyone investigated because of the missing drugs. He knows it’s not me because I wasn’t here when the thefts started.

He gathered up the stack of folders, put them in his bottom drawer and locked it. “Was there something you needed?”

“No. I was just stopping by your office to tell you good morning and to let you know that Cindy made a breakfast casserole. It’s in the lounge.”

He stood. “I love her casseroles. Hopefully, I’ll have time to eat before our first patient comes in.”

“You have ten minutes.”

A sexy grin covered his face, making her heart skip a beat.

“I can eat a lot of food in ten minutes.”

She really wanted to pull him in for a hug as he brushed by her, but she knew that it wasn’t appropriate. Martha was already lecturing her about how inappropriate it was. Abby wasn’t sure how Martha figured out how Abby felt because she had tried very hard to keep her feelings for Sawyer hidden.

He put his hand on the small of her back, sending a thrill through her. She ached for more than just that simple touch.

Get yourself together, Abby scolded herself. He is your boss and this is your place of work.

Still, the thought of them sneaking off into one of the examination rooms and having sex on the table made her smile.

Martha was chatting with Georgia when they walked in. The older woman’s expression changed from a smile to a disapproving grimace, and Abby felt as though she was a little kid who had been caught by her mother stealing cookies from the cookie jar.

Doing her best to ignore her, Abby helped herself to some of the casserole and sat down at the table to enjoy it before the day got crazy.

Brent came in a few minutes later. He was extremely excited about his new Lexus with all the extras. It had leather seats and all of the technology that could fit into a car. He pulled out his phone and showed everyone pictures of the interior and exterior.

“Wow, that’s super nice. How did you afford that on your salary?” Martha asked.

Abby snickered behind her hand. Leave it to Martha to be so brash as to ask a question like that.

“My great-uncle died and left me some money in a will. Not enough that I can quit working, but enough that I could buy this car,” he said, grinning.

He sauntered away to his office.

Georgia watched him leave. “I wish I had as many rich relatives as he does. He’s been inheriting a lot of money lately.”

“He bought himself a new watch and a couple of other expensive items a few months ago. According to him at the time, it was because his grandfather passed away and left him money. I asked him why he didn’t go to the funeral. Brent told me it was because they weren’t close, but he was the only grandchild.” Cindy looked at her watch. “I have to get up front.”

“It is possible,” Martha said. “He has a lot of relatives in New York. Brent’s gone up there for vacation several times. Maybe he’s their favorite heir.”

Georgia shook her head. “I guess so. I don’t know how else he would be getting the money. He always seems like the straight and narrow kind of person, so I don’t think that he would be doing anything illegal.”

Abby and Sawyer exchanged glances and she left the lounge, leaving him to finish his breakfast alone.

Her mother called just as Abby was about to take her lunch break.

“Hi, Honey. I was calling to check in and see how things are going.”

“They are terrific, Mom. How are you and Dad?”

“We’re okay, but we sure do miss you. We were hoping that we could come for a visit this weekend.”

Abby heard the pleading sound in her mother’s voice that guaranteed that she was about to experience one of her mother’s guilt trips.

“I’m sorry, Mom, but this weekend just isn’t a good time.”

“It’s never a good time,” her mother said. “You just moved out to that godforsaken town and left us. You know how your father is. He’s never been the same since Kyle died. He dotes on you. Now that you’re gone, he mopes around all the time. I’m afraid that this is slowly killing him.”

Abby sighed and tried to not let her impatience show in her voice. “Mom, I just moved here, got a new job, and I’m starting to settle in. I need some time to adjust to everything.”

“You don’t understand how much we miss you.”

“I do, Mom, and I miss you, too. I’ll visit you as soon as I possibly can. I promise.”

“I guess,” her mother said petulantly. “I love you.”

“Love you, too, Mom,” Abby said.

Brent had been in the lounge when she took the call. “Parents, huh?”

Abby nodded. She looked at him for a minute, trying to decide whether to try to draw him out.

“They weren’t the same after my brother died. Kyle was fifteen when he overdosed on fentanyl. The drugs and the dealer stole him away from them and me.”

Brent looked at her and cocked his head as though he was analyzing her words. “I’m really sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine how much that hurts. You know, though,” he said slowly, “it wasn’t the dealer’s fault that your brother died. Kyle would have found a way to get the drugs, one way or the other. All addicts do.”

Abby clenched her jaws. “I think that all drug dealers should be charged with murder and attempted murder and get the death penalty.” Her eyes narrowed. “Of course, street justice, like what my brother’s dealer got, works just as well.”

Brent paled a bit and he left the room.

Watching him go, Abby thought, He sure does act suspicious. I’ve never met another person, especially in healthcare, who would be so willing to defend a drug pusher.

She rubbed her temples with her fingers. Of course, everyone sees life through different lenses, so I can’t accuse him of anything just because he has a different point of view than mine.

The afternoon went by just as quickly as the morning. Everyone else had left. Abby grabbed her purse and jacket and stopped by Sawyer’s office to tell him goodnight. Her heart went out to him when she saw him sitting at his desk, his shoulders slumped, and his face buried in his hands.

She walked in, sat in the chair in front of his desk, and asked quietly, “Sawyer, what’s wrong?”

He looked up at her. She could see the exhaustion and stress etched on his face. Abby reached out to hold his hand. Electricity ran through her as he clasped her hand.

“I’m just stressed. Things were a lot simpler when I worked for Doctors Without Borders, because, really, all I had to do was practice medicine. There was some paperwork and all that, but my main job was being a doctor. Somehow, I had this bright idea that coming back home and starting my own practice would be a good idea. Instead, I managed to land right in the middle of a hornet’s nest.”

“The town is lucky to have you. You caught the missing drug situation here when the old doctor didn’t. You and the witches are going to be able to find a way to cure the virus that’s affecting the shifters.” She rubbed his hand with her thumb, and he looked up at her and gave her a weak smile.

“I tell you what. I’ll buy the pizza and beer. You can come over and we’ll watch some Indiana Jones movies.”

“I’m a huge Harrison Ford fan. You have yourself a deal. What time?”

She grinned at him, her heart leaping in her chest at the thought that they could hang out and she could be close to him.

“Give me an hour.”

“Deal. I’ll bring the beer if you’re buying dinner.”

He was on her doorstep exactly an hour later. They ate pizza, both of them carefully avoiding any conversation about the missing drugs or the virus.

They snuggled together on the couch after she put in her Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark DVD.

“I have to say, I must agree with him about the snakes,” Sawyer said. “I encountered many different species of serpents during my travels, some extremely venomous and others not so much. None of them were on the top of my favorites list.”

“I like snakes. They’re just misunderstood. Like other animals, they just want to be left alone. A lot of snakes won’t bother humans unless provoked.”

Sawyer laughed. “Except anacondas. They are aggressive and will hunt a person down so they can swallow the person alive.”

Abby shivered. “That does not sound like a fun way to meet your demise.”

“No, it doesn’t.”

They snuggled close together. She looked up at him and stared into his eyes. He had the same look of passion and wanting that she felt.

Sawyer gently cupped her face with his hands and brushed his lips against hers. He nibbled on her bottom lip and then licked where his teeth had been. Moaning in the back of his throat, Sawyer pressed harder, consuming her. He thrust in his tongue, tasting her and tickling the roof of her mouth.

After a minute, he pulled back. “I think I’d better go,” he said in a husky voice.

She wanted to scream, “No, please stay,” but couldn’t find her voice.

He stood and she walked him to the door. Sawyer kissed her quickly and disappeared into the inky blackness.

Abby sank onto the couch and rubbed her eyes. She yelled at herself for not asking him to stay because she wanted him so much it hurt.