Jacked (Trent Brothers #1)(37)
He was a mind reader. Scary how he knew. I berated myself for violating my patient/doctor ethics so effortlessly. “Yes.”
He bristled, instantly displeased. “Yeah, that’s not gonna happen. I’ll speak with Security before I leave. You won’t be walking out unescorted.”
Since when did it matter to him? I certainly didn’t need him making issues for me on top of things. I started filling out the last bit of required information on his discharge paperwork, tersely replying to his meddling. “That’s not necessary, Detective. I’m quite capable of looking out for myself.”
He took a step closer, invading my personal space. “Yeah. I get that. Still isn’t going to change my mind.”
I held up his copy of his discharge information, shaking it to make some sort of point. “Yes, well. You are free to go. Do you have any other questions for me?”
“Dinner. Tomorrow.”
“That’s not a question.”
He was smiling. What he found so amusing was beyond me, but I could stare at his smile all damn day. It sure beat the intimidating cop stoic glare he usually wore. “You work tomorrow night, Doc? Yes or no.”
I nodded, reminding myself I had no life beyond sleeping and the ER at University Hospital. “Yes, Detective. At seven.”
His lips twisted into a smirk. “Okay. Then we only have one option. Have breakfast with me.”
THE STITCHES IN my hand pinched as I slid into my usual booth at the Parkway Diner, making me wince from the annoying pain. The anesthesia had completely worn off, bringing back the throbbing ache and irritating reminder that I should have been wearing gloves last night. But my favorite leather gloves were in the trash back at the station, soaked with some other kid’s blood from the night before.
I tossed my truck keys onto the table near the overflow of sugar packets and ketchup, resolving that there wasn’t shit I could do about it now. It was what it was—a monumental screw up on my part and definitely one I wouldn’t be repeating.
I took my ball cap off and ran my good hand over my head while Kathy brought me my usual cup of decaf. She gave me a motherly pat on the shoulder, her seven a.m. hurried smile, and a mutter that she’d be right back.
Man, what a f*cking night. The kids running from the car they boosted really pissed me off. Amateurs—both of them—smashing out the back passenger window with a brick. It was crude but effective and gained them access quickly to take their little marijuana-filled joyride.
The one I chased was fast though; I’ll give him that. But not fast enough. I still got him, the little delinquent. I gazed at my bandaged-up hand, noting what it had cost me, but it was worth it.
Or was it? Fuck.
I knew going back to the station when I left the hospital would be a mistake, but I wanted to get the paperwork over and done with. Hearing that I’d be on desk duty for a few days was infuriating but at least it would allow me some uninterrupted time to dig deeper into the Mancuso auto theft ring. I was willing to bet the farm that Mancuso’s boys were the ones behind the diversion with the false call on the Doc’s car and the high-end thefts, but I’d yet to confirm my gut instinct. I knew I needed to check up on a few of my confidential informants and find out what the word on the street was, but tracking some of them down was like trying to nail Jell-O to the wall.
My CIs walked a fine line between good and evil, leaning heavily on the evil side, but those were their choices in life—not mine.
I checked my watch, noting that my sexy doctor was running ten minutes late. Part of me was already resigning to the fact that I’d probably be eating alone again this morning, which was also starting to aggravate me for some reason.
I glanced toward the entrance one more time, spotting another one of my mistakes—the diner’s newest waitress, Kara, who was scowling at me since I’d purposely sat in Kathy’s section again and not hers. My father always used to tell us to never shit where we ate, and for the longest time I didn’t know what the hell that meant—until now. Kara was twenty-something, cute, had been working the morning shift at the diner for almost a year, but unfortunately had zero goals in life. After dealing with Nikki’s lack of ambition for so long, it became a character trait I was unwilling to compromise on going forward.
Even though it had been a few weeks since we hooked up that one time, I knew Kara’s flirty smiles and glances were meant to entice me again, but that was a scene I had no desire to repeat. If I ever did decide to get serious again with someone, I sure as hell would strive a lot higher than some girl willing to give me a blowjob in my truck behind the diner where she works.
I did my best to ignore her but I knew what her longing looks meant. She’d been trying for weeks to make something more out of our superficial chats and meaningless encounter, find some comfortable acceptance that I didn’t just use her when in reality, I did.
It was all I was capable of.
The stitches in my hand started to throb in time with my slight headache. The suits from the network would not be happy with another forced absence from the show due to this new injury, especially since they wanted to make me their show pony, but to hell with them. They’d just have to deal with a bunch of close-ups and commentaries outa me like last time when I got stabbed.
I took a sip of the ice water that Kathy brought to me. Hah. Who knew a trip to the ER in the middle of the night might get me laid.