Promises Part 1 (Bounty Hunters #1)(57)
“You make personal visits to all your patients’ ‘kin?’” Quick used air quotes around the word kin. “Or just the ones you want to shag? Are you that hard up, doc?”
Cayson could feel the warmth from embarrassment spreading across his chest and rapidly making its way to his neck, and then his face. He had to be red as fuck because his face felt like it was on fire. He was humiliated. Was he hard up? Yes. Was he lonely? Yes. But he didn’t have to be made to feel like a pathetic loser. He was too old for that. True, most of his colleagues were married and settled with families, and Cayson craved it, but he’d settle for someone that would just treat him nice. How hard was that? Ask him about his day when he got home. Make love to him after a hard day. Hold him and whisper words of encouragement to him when he lost a patient on the operating table. Those things happened to him regularly, but he dealt with them alone.
There was nothing else he could say. Quick wasn’t the man he thought he was. Cayson made to stand but he ended up awkwardly maneuvering around Quick, who was still standing over him. He hurried out of the room, vowing that no matter what, he’d never come back to his house again.
He took care of his patient and got the hell away from where he wasn’t wanted. Cayson pulled out his cell phone and called his office, letting the nurses know that Duke’s labs needed to be picked up from Cayson’s house. Since he didn’t have any more appointments and wasn’t scheduled for surgery until the following day, he figured a day off might not be a bad idea. He’d call his father and see if he wanted to go fishing or something. Since his mother passed a few years back, it’d just been him and his father. After a while I’d only be him.
Cayson’s phone chimed and the name he saw on the caller ID almost brought tears to his eyes. But he must be a glutton for punishment today because he picked up. “Hey, Joe.”
“Cayson, what’s going on? You busy?”
“Um. Not really.” Cayson pinched the bridge of his nose. “Actually, I was thinking of doing something tonight since I don’t have to get up early.”
“I was thinking of doing you. Come over,” Joe ordered. He was an anesthesiologist that used to work at the hospital with him, but right after their first casual hook up, the handsome man had gotten a job at another hospital across town. Duke thought that their few fucks were leading to more but he’d been gravely mistaken. Joe was adamant about not wanting to date, that he was too busy to be tied down. Even though they were both in their forties.
Cayson bit his lip again, afraid to ask his next question. He’d only admit it to himself, but he was terrified of more rejection. If he didn’t take control of his life, then it was going to pass right by him. “How about a movie tonight? Then we could go to this nice Italian restaurant I’ve been hearing a lot about.”
Silence.
“Joe. Joe are you there?”
“Yeah. I’m here. Look, Cayson I just realized that I’m on call tonight. I better not.”
Cayson gritted his teeth at the slew of curse that lingered on his tongue. “You called me, remember. You called to ask me over to fuck, but when I suggested a date, now you’re on call. That sounds—”
“I made a mistake. Got my days mixed up is all. I’ll talk to you in a few weeks.” And Joe hung up.
Cayson shook his head as he stared at the now black screen of his phone. Seriously. I can’t even get a basic dinner and a movie? He was going to be alone forever. He hoped Duke realized how good he had it. Because he not only had an amazing man like Vaughan to have his back, but his life was full of friends that adored him. How had Cayson ended up with no one?
I was a good kid. I worked hard at school. I was good to my folks. I’m not mean to people and I try to help anyone that asks me to. Cayson put his car in drive and headed towards his house. One question was in the forefront of his mind and probably would be for the rest of the night. Why doesn’t anyone want me?
“I like your place, babe.” Vaughan smiled, walking around Duke’s condo. It wasn’t anything that would make Ideal Home magazine, but it was his and it was clean. Duke dropped his own bag by the couch and sat down to look through his mail; Charlie had stacked it on his coffee table.
When he’d finished separating what was important from what was junk, he leaned back and linked his fingers behind his head, resting his throbbing skull against the back of the couch. Vaughan leaned in to read the spines on the vast collection of mystery novels on his bookshelf. He had biographies and documentaries lining the bottom shelves as well. Vaughan kicked his shoes off before coming and settling next to Duke.
“How you feeling?” Vaughan asked.
Duke pulled Vaughan into his side so he could bury his nose in his hair and breathe in his clean scent. “I’m alright. I’m just concerned about Quick. He’s fighting this and I don’t know why.”
“You really think my dad is attracted to men?” Vaughan slowly shook his head like it was inconceivable.
“No. Not men. At least I don’t think. It’s just Dr. Chauncey.”
“He is handsome, but they sure seem to be extreme opposites.”
“That’s the most fun. I don’t think you noticed how the doc looked at your old man when he came in dressed like that the way he was. Like the prim and proper man had always dreamed of dating a bad boy.”