Nash (Marked Men #4)(29)

I wanted to argue that I liked the ring in his nose, it made his too-pretty face more masculine, but she kept going.

“Promise me, Saint. Promise that if Dr. Bennet asks you out, you’ll accept and stop doubting yourself. Please, as your friend, I need you to agree to do it.”

I didn’t have the heart or the correct words to try and explain to her that Nash was a far larger obstacle to me getting to a place of confidence and self-worth than any gorgeous and successful doctor could ever be. But because I admired her, wanted to keep her favor, I numbly nodded.

“Fine, Sunny, I promise.”

She squealed a little and gave me a one-armed hug.

“Great. The other guy looks like all kinds of trouble.”

I shook my head and shoved the card Nash had handed me in the front pocket of my jeans. Now I only had the weekend and the first part of next week to not talk myself out of going with him.

“You have no idea.”

He did look like trouble, but he also looked interesting and beautiful and I still wanted to know what the rest of that tattoo that covered so much of him looked like. I was telling her good-bye, wishing her luck with the rest of the shift because the roads were awful and cars were all over the place, when Dr. Bennet came around the corner. I saw Sunny’s eyes light up and I wanted to kick myself for not leaving five seconds earlier. He walked over to us, all handsome and confident, and I felt a rock of dread settle in my stomach. If he asked me out right in front of Sunny, there was no way I was going to wiggle my way out of it. I had promised.

He really was good-looking. He could easily play the role of handsome physician on any prime-time TV show. I think the thing that took away from his appeal was that he totally knew he was good-looking and acted like that entitled him to things, and to people.

“Well, hello, ladies. Sunny, I need you in room 313B. Saint, are you just leaving?”

I opened my mouth and then closed it. I just blinked at him like an owl for a full minute before Sunny interjected, “It’s her day off. I keep telling her that she needs a break from this place. Don’t you agree?”

He chuckled and it was deep and pleasing, but it made me wince. What was wrong with me? I cleared my throat.

“I had a few errands to run and this was my last stop. It’s nice to see you, Dr. Bennet.”

Awesome. That sounded pretty normal and socially acceptable. He laughed again and flashed superstraight, superwhite teeth at me. Everything about him was just blindingly perfect, so why wasn’t my heart tripping over itself the way it did when Nash’s odd-colored eyes landed on me?

“Andrew, call me Andrew. I would be happy to keep you occupied on your next day off, Saint. When might that be?”

I wanted to groan and go find a gurney or a counter to crawl under. Sunny didn’t let me waffle an excuse that I was always working, and it wasn’t fair that she was the one that did my schedule so she could tell him with confidence:

“She’s off on New Year’s Eve since she’s working Christmas Day. Right, Saint?”

I knew she was just trying to help, but I was going to strangle her.

“I am, but if you already have something planned, I’m sure we can work out something later on.”

I balked when he reached out and put a hand on my shoulder. I almost flinched but just barely contained the reaction. I really didn’t want this guy to put his hands on me. What was wrong with me?

“I would love to take you out on New Year’s Eve. Some friends of my friends are having a party, and I would love it if you would be my date.”

I was going to have an embolism. I barely had enough confidence that I was going to survive an evening with Nash and his friends, going to some swanky party on the arm of a doctor … I was going to have a nervous breakdown. I wanted to say no, wanted to tell him I wasn’t interested, but Sunny was watching me with undisguised glee. I shoved my fingers through my hair and reluctantly nodded.

“Sure, Doctor … I mean Andrew. That sounds lovely.” Only if lovely meant torturous and nightmarish.

His smile grew and he leaned over and gave me a buss on the cheek. This time I couldn’t help but cringe away. If he noticed, he didn’t say anything. He just handed me his card, much like Nash did, and told me to give him a call. When he walked away I had no desire to stare after him and there was an unpleasant taste in my mouth. I let out an oof when Sunny’s small frame slammed into mine as she gave me another one-armed hug.

“Sooooo happy for you. You’re going to have the best time with him. I just know it.”

I looked at the plain white card in my hand. It had the hospital logo on it, and Bennet’s name and contact information. It was boring. It was basic. It was exactly the opposite of the card Nash had handed me a few minutes earlier. One was tucked safely away in my pocket, I could feel it there almost like it was calling to me. The other I wanted to chuck in the trash. Too bad Sunny would never forgive me if I set the plain white one sailing.

“We’ll see.” I didn’t have high hopes for either venture, but I would force myself to go through with both of them. One out of fear of spending the holidays alone and something more I didn’t want to delve into, the other just to keep my boss happy. Neither was a great reason to go on a date, but considering it was me, it would just have to suffice.

CHAPTER 7

Nash

I think I was more nervous than Rule. Someone had brought a flask of Crown Royal to help him calm his nerves, but he kept waving it away and Rome wasn’t really drinking much anymore, so that left me, Asa, Rowdy, and Jet to do the damage. Rome and I were the best men. The big guy was taking Cora down the aisle, obviously, which left me with Ayden. I was teasing Jet mercilessly about it because I had seen her in one of the pretty, pale blue gowns Shaw had picked out and there was no question she looked beyond good. It was fun but left me wide open for him to poke at the fact that I had rolled into the venue with Saint. I wasn’t the type of guy who brought a date to an event like this, and considering the guest list for the wedding consisted of maybe fifty people at most, there was no missing her and the questioning looks coming from every direction.