Dangerous Therapy: O'Connor Brothers (Volume 1) (2 page)

John felt helpless because there was nothing he could do to fix this. All he could do was be there when James, just like the whole family. John and his other five brothers, Ian, Keith, Mike, Nick and Aaron took turns watching Mason or stayed with James to make sure he took care of himself. Their parents and Sarah’s family spent time with Sarah at the hospital so James could get away and take some time for himself.

At least three times a week, John dropped by with coffee for James and to visit with Sarah. He really planned on seeing her today but since James was on his way out he didn’t feel comfortable visiting. The last time he saw her, he could barely contain his emotions. The beautiful woman James married was now pale, thin and her voice was barely audible at times, but she still wore a bright infectious smile when anyone walked in her room. It amazed him how she could still keep a smile on her face.

“Hey,” John stepped back from the elevator so the other people waiting could go around him.

“You didn’t have to come today,” James replied.

“I know, but I’m just returning a purse someone lost.”

“Why are you returning it here?” James raised an eyebrow.

“Long story.” John wasn’t getting into that conversation with his brother because James was a cop too and knew the protocol. “How’s Sarah today?”

“She’s okay.” James took a slow deep breath and shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. “She’s in good spirits, but you know Sarah, she never lets anything get her down. I honestly don’t know how she’s keeping it together.”

He gave James shoulder a gentle squeeze and it was filled with tension. John knew James was frustrated because it seemed like the worse Sarah’s health got, the more upbeat she became.

“Sarah may not be an O’Connor by blood, but she fights like one,” John said with a forced smile. “You just need to keep the faith, bro.”

“I’m trying.” James sighed. “Ian was here earlier.”

Ian was a doctor, and the only one of the seven brothers to follow in their father’s footsteps. He worked in emergency, and would spend his breaks with James and Sarah. He also kept the family up to date on any changes with Sarah’s medical conditions since their father worked private practice.

“That’s good,” John said.

“Yeah,” James whispered and John waited for him to speak again, but he didn’t. Sometimes a little silent support was what was needed.

“Where are you going?” he asked after a moment.

“Out to Mom and Dad’s. I need to check on Mason. Sarah’s mom is with her now and I wanted to give them some alone time,” James said.

“Okay, give that nephew of mine a hug for me.” John pulled him in for a quick man-hug and stood back, then watched James walk out of the hospital.

His brother was in so much emotional pain, and there was nothing anyone could do. They weren’t identical twins, but they still had a connection and he felt his brother’s pain like it was his own. It made him angry that this cancer was an enemy the O’Connor brothers couldn’t bring down. None of them could lessen James’ pain one damn bit. All they could do was pray James could carry on if she didn’t win her fight.

Once the elevator arrived again, John walked inside and pushed the button for the third floor. It was insane, but the closer he got to the floor, the more his heart raced. It pounded in his chest as he stepped off the elevator and walked directly to the delivery rooms.
This is fucking ridiculous
. He pushed the buzzer for the case room nurse and glanced through the small window in the door. The place looked deserted, then a loud shriek echoed through the door. It certainly didn’t sound deserted.

Damn, how did women do this? Why did they do this?

“Can I help you?” A woman’s voice crackled through the speaker.

“I’m looking for Marina Kelly.” Better to ask for the woman in labor.

“Are you the father?” Her tone seemed angry.

“No!” he shouted, his heart taking a loop around his ribcage. “I mean, it’s actually her sister I need to speak with. I found her purse.” John sighed and plowed his hand through his hair. “It’s a long story, but it was dropped in all the commotion.” The buzzer sounded, and he pulled open the door. Another scream echoed down the hall, as a short plump nurse walked toward him.

“Wait here, officer,” She ordered, glancing over her shoulder and hurrying back down the hall toward the screeching. John gained a whole new respect for his mother. Another shriek. Yeah, Mom really deserved a day at the spa. He’d have to call his brothers about a spa day and now that he thought about it, her birthday was coming up in February.

The nurse returned and motioned him to come further down the hall to a waiting room. “She’ll be right out.”

A man about his father’s age glanced up from a book he was reading when John walked into the room. His eyes moved to John’s hand and he smirked. As if that wasn’t embarrassing enough, a younger man entered the waiting room but at least the younger man gave him a sympathetic look. At twenty-nine, John had never stepped foot in the delivery rooms of the hospital. Even when Sarah delivered Mason, he only visited the day after and she’d been moved to the maternity ward.

John peered around at the posters on the walls but that didn’t help his discomfort. Posters of pregnant women and new mother do’s and don’ts covered the walls. He really didn’t need to know why pregnant women weren’t allowed to shave before giving birth or the best way to stimulate milk production.
I need to get the fuck out of here.
He bolted out of the waiting room and was headed down the hall, but the sound of a soft voice stopped him. He turned to see Stephanie standing behind him dressed in blue scrubs. The top hung from her dainty shoulders and the pants dragged on the floor. They were much too big on her, but she still looked incredible.

“Hi!” She smiled as she twisted the ring on her finger. She looked as nervous as he felt. “The nurse said you were looking for me.”

John couldn’t find his voice. He swallowed against the dryness at the back of his throat.
What is wrong with you?
Her eyes were hypnotizing and he struggled to remember how to form words.

She clasped her hands in front of her and spoke again. “Did you change your mind about giving me the ticket?”

“No.” Was that really his voice?  He held up her purse as he cleared his throat. “This must have fallen out of your car. I found it after you drove off, and I thought it would be less of a hassle for you if I dropped it off.”

Her hand went to her mouth. “I didn’t even realize I’d lost it. With everything that happened, my head was spinning.”

He handed her the purse and yanked his quivering hand back.
Get a fucking grip
.

“Totally understandable.” John shoved his hands into his pants pockets. “How’s your sister doing, by the way?”

“Better than I’d be in her condition.” She laughed and John’s heart jumped because the sweet sound was like music to his ears. “She’s close so I really need to get back to her, but thank you so much for returning this.” She held up her purse.

“No problem.” He turned to head back to the door, feeling like a teenage boy who just tried to talk to his biggest crush. What the hell was wrong with him? He heard her voice again and turned as she walked toward him.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t get your name,” she said.

“John.” If she asked for his last name, he was screwed because there was no way he could remember it with her staring into his eyes. Stephanie held out her hand and he shook it. The softness of her tiny hand sent a wave of desire through him and he released her hand as quickly as he’d taken it.

“Thank you for everything today, John,” she said. “I really appreciate it.”

He locked his eyes on hers, and the array of beeps and screams from the rooms seemed to disappear for a moment.
Breathe!

“I guess I’d better go.” She broke the gaze and hurried back down the corridor. He couldn’t help watching the way her hips swayed. The scrubs were big, but it didn’t hide her cute ass. Stephanie reached the door then turned and waved to him.

Damn it!
Hopefully, she didn’t see where his eyes were focused.

“Jesus, you’re acting like a horny teenager,” John mumbled when she disappeared into the room. The tightness in his groin proof of what an asshole he was. Okay, she was cute. Well, cute didn’t really describe her. She was gorgeous with a sweet little body that was bringing his to life.

All those times he’d given his three youngest brothers shit about the way they ogled women and here he was lusting after a woman he’d only just met. Much to his mother’s and grandmother’s dismay it didn’t look like any of the O’Connor boys were into long term relationships. Except for James. Stephanie didn’t deserve to be treated like that. Was he really like Aaron, Nick, and Mike?
No!
Maybe he missed Kim?
Hell no!

Why was a woman he spent no more than fifteen minutes with making his heart pound and his dick ache? It wasn’t like he’d ever see her again. “Get over it!” He sighed as he plowed his hand through his hair.
Forget about her
. That should be easy. Right? 

Stephanie smiled at the tiny bundle in her sister’s arms. Daniel Douglas fed from Marina’s breast as she stroked his soft brown hair. The whole scene was so beautiful a lump formed in Stephanie’s throat threatening to choke her. She didn’t know where Marina got the strength to go on after her ass of a husband left three months ago, she’d told Stephanie she didn’t need Marc O’Reilly; she could do it on her own. Although, Stephanie had no doubt of her sister’s strength, she was still going to be there for her.

When Marc left in October Stephanie insisted Marina move in with her. She’d just rented a small three-bedroom bungalow close to the university with plans to rent the other two rooms to students for extra income, but all that changed when Marina needed her. Stephanie didn’t want her sister alone with a new baby in the tiny hole in the wall Marc left her in. The apartment was barely big enough for Marina and Marc. At first Marina was against the idea, but after her parents talked to her, she agreed.

“Isn’t he perfect?” Marina smiled as a tiny hand wrapped around her finger.

“He’s beautiful, Rina.” The beautiful baby was the only good thing to come out of Marina’s doomed marriage.

“Thank you for everything, Steph.” Marina’s eyes were filled with tears and Stephanie did her best to keep her emotions in check. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

“I’m glad I was here,” Stephanie said. “Besides, how many people can say they saw their first nephew being born?” 

“True, or get pulled in by a beefcake in uniform.” Marina wiggled her eyebrows.

“Rina!” Stephanie laughed. “How did you notice anything with the pain you were having?”

“I certainly didn’t lose my eyesight or my sense of touch.” Marina sighed and fanned herself. “His arms were pure muscle, and believe it or not, there was something calming about his gorgeous blue eyes. He was calm and made me feel safe.”

“Well, you didn’t seem very calm. I think you scared him to death.” Stephanie laughed. “At one point, I thought he’d jump up and run.”

John was definitely gorgeous with those blue eyes, dimples, and flawless skin. Dimples were a weakness of hers. His body. Well, all that could be said about that was, wow. Then there was his scent. She’d never been so aroused by a man’s scent before but when he wrapped his jacket around her she almost had an orgasm right then and there. That was a bit of an exaggeration but whatever body wash the man used was damn hot. It smelled like sandalwood with a hint of spring. It was arresting.  

When the door of Marina’s room slammed opened their giggles came to a sudden stop. “Oh, sweet heavens. Look at him, Doug.” Janet Kelly ran into the room, her hands pressed against her chest. Her mother kissed the baby’s tiny feet and ran her hand over his dark hair. Stephanie smiled because how could you not smile at the whole scene? A grandmother seeing her first grandchild would make anyone smile.

“We finally have our boy.” A large arm wrapped around her shoulder and the scent of old spice gave him away. Doug Kelly was beaming. After two girls, he was ecstatic to have a boy in the family.

“Such a handsome boy.” Janet cooed.

“I love my girls, but it’s good to have another male to fight against all that estrogen.” Doug was a loving father, but he’d always wanted a son. He joked with her and Marina all the time.

“You finally have a fishing buddy, Dad,” Marina said.

“I guess we can stop trying to have one of our own, Janet.” Doug winked at Janet.

“Dad, you’re too old to have babies.” Stephanie rolled her eyes.

“It’s always fun to practice.” Doug chuckled and squeezed her.

“Ugh, Dad!” Stephanie and Marina said together.

“Just look at him, Princess.” Doug grinned. “What a big guy.”

Stephanie lay her head against her father’s chest. He was the only man in her whole life who never broke her heart. He was her rock.

“He’s definitely a Kelly.” Janet cooed.

“Marina did great,” Stephanie said. “I was terrified.”

“I’m sure I would’ve fainted.” Doug kissed the top of her head.

Stephanie glanced down at her watch.
Damn!
She needed to get home and sleep because for the next three days, she was on night shift. If she sat with a patient in the hospital all night without sleep, she wouldn’t make it through the first hour.

Stephanie hugged her family and gave her new nephew a kiss then she hurried out of the room. She hugged her purse close.
He touched it
. Just thinking about John touching her purse made her belly flutter. What was she, ten? She was acting like a silly school girl with a souvenir from her favorite celebrity. It was so stupid, but thinking of his hands on something that belonged to her was erotic.
You’re so pathetic
!

Stephanie’s mind wandered while she waited for the elevator. What would his lips feel like against hers, or his hands touching her body? She was lost in the fantasy when her mother’s voice brought her back to reality. When she turned around, Janet was hurrying toward her.

“Something wrong, Mom?”

“I just wanted to tell you how proud you’ve made us, Stephanie.” She had a huge smile across her face. This was confusing. It wasn’t uncommon to hear that very comment from her mother, but Stephanie didn’t understand why she was being praised at the moment.

“I didn’t do anything, Mom.” Janet took Stephanie’s face in her hands.

“You were there for Marina when that sleveen walked out on her.” Sleveen was a term only Newfoundlanders understood and it was her mother’s polite way of saying asshole. “Even while you were going through your own heartbreak.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Stephanie blinked back the burning tears in her eyes and swallowed the lump forming in her throat.

“I love you, Stephanie.” After a soft kiss on Stephanie’s cheek, her mother turned and walked back down the hall. A tear trickled down Stephanie’s cheek.
No
! She wasn’t going to cry over him again. Brad King wasn’t worth any more of her tears. With an angry swipe of her hand against her cheek and a deep breath, she turned and bolted into the elevator.

Stephanie had to completely compose herself before she could even drive out of the hospital parking lot. This was the last time she’d shed a single tear over Brad. She needed to get on with her life. There were plenty of fish in the sea.
John
. His face popped into her brain far too quickly but what a face it was.

The traffic was terrible. How were so many people on the road in the middle of a work day? Shouldn’t everyone be at work? The lack of sleep and the rush of earlier was starting to get to her. She was ready to scream when she finally turned onto her street.
Thank god
.

Stephanie arrived home exhausted. Dead on her feet was a more accurate description. Her shift started at midnight and it was already mid-afternoon. She’d need at least five hours sleep to get through a long overnight shift. Her plan that morning was to get her laundry done by noon so she could sleep the rest of the day. She’d been in the middle of sorting her laundry earlier this morning when Marina screamed and all hell broke loose.

Stephanie opened her bedroom door and groaned. Piles of laundry were still where she left them and her room resembled the aftermath of a tornado. As a personal care attendant at The Janeway Children’s Hospital working twelve-hour shifts, her time for housework was limited

“Well, another day isn’t going to matter.” She was too damn drained to care so she changed into a tank top and lounge pants and wrapped herself in her favorite homemade quilt. She flopped down on the bed and hoped sleep came quickly.

The events of the day had her adrenaline running so high, she struggled to relax. Even trying the relaxation techniques, she suggested to some of her patients, wasn’t working. Her body may have relaxed, but her mind was another story.

The entire day flashed through her mind like she was watching a movie. Frantically running around when Marina’s water broke and then speeding down Prince Phillip drive while Marina screamed bloody murder. Then barely missing a truck when she ran a red light and getting pulled over by him.

John.
The most beautiful man she ever laid eyes on. It was so hard to concentrate on Marina when he stood next to her. She’d completely lost her mind and hugged him and she could still smell his scent of sandalwood and spring. The hug was supposed to be a thank you for not giving her a ticket, but the feeling of his hard body pressed against her was startling.

Then, he showed up at the hospital to return her purse in uniform. A man in uniform always made her panties wet, but John made her feel like she’d ignite into flames. His smile and those damn dimples made him so attractive that she could hardly breathe.
Argh
! It wasn’t fair he made her feel this way. She didn’t even know the man’s last name because she was in such a spin she’d forgot to ask and didn’t even have sense enough to look at his name tag. It was weird, because Brad never made her feel this way then again, he probably saved his charm for the other women he was screwing.

“God, what the hell’s wrong with me?” She grumbled and flopped over onto her stomach. Sure, he’s good looking, but so was Brad and look what he did. Look what Marc did to Rina. She closed her eyes and sighed. Good looks didn’t mean he was a decent man but something told her John was nothing like Brad or Marc. “He’s just a guy,” she mumbled as she drifted off to sleep.

The buzzing alarm jolted her out of bed. Ten o’clock. It seemed like she just fell asleep and the energy to move didn’t seem to exist. The thought of a twelve-hour overnight shift twisted a knot in her stomach. She liked being a private personal care attendant, but the long hours were boring. Especially when the patient slept through most of it.

Stephanie wished she could get a full-time job as a physical therapist. She’d only completed the personal care attendant course to give her resume a boost. Heaven knew the rent for this beautiful house was steep and with Marina still in school, what little money she was getting from her part-time job needed to go to Danny. Marina needed her and she wasn’t going to let her sister down.

There was no way she could afford to miss this shift. She dragged herself out of bed, took a shower and headed to work.

Children were her favorite patients, but working with the ones who weren’t going to leave the hospital was difficult. The little boy she was assigned to was Tristin and he was six years old with William’s Syndrome. She didn’t know much about it, except it was a
genetic condition he was born with. He had medical problems too, including cardiovascular issues and developmental delays with learning disabilities, but he was the sweetest little boy and loved listening to music. H
e’d sleep through the night, but someone needed to be there twenty-four hours a day just in case. Her favorite part of caring for Tristin was when he woke up in the morning. He had an infectious smile and expected a hug as soon as he woke. When his parents arrived in the mornings he would get so excited. Tristian was the reason Stephanie talked her father into making a regular donation to the children’s hospital.

“You look tired, Steph!” Donna Green sat behind the nurse’s desk. Donna was one of her closest and oldest friends. They’d met in high school and remained friends ever since. They didn’t get the same shifts very often, so when they did it was catch up time.

“I’m exhausted! Marina had the baby this morning.” Stephanie flopped down in the chair behind the nurse’s station.

“So I take it Marc hasn’t come back.”

“No! The asshole better not.” Stephanie tried to cover a yawn. “I think there’s more to the story, but Rina’s not ready to tell us exactly what happened.”

“I’m sure she’ll tell you when she’s ready,” Donna said. “By the way, I applied for a position with that place I was telling you about last week.”

“You did?” Stephanie wasn’t really surprised. Donna didn’t really like working in the hospitals. She’d tried for a long time to land a private nursing position.

“Yeah, and they’re hiring at least six registered nurses.” Donna held up her crossed fingers. “And they’re looking for full-time personal care attendants and physical therapists. You should apply.”

“Why?” It was too frustrating applying for jobs that she never got.

“It’s only eight-hour shifts, and you only have to do four night shifts a month.” Donna handed her a piece of paper with the website.

“That would be perfect.” Stephanie swiped her time card. “Is the money good?”

“This place pays almost double what you’re getting here,” Donna said. “The nurses pay is about the same, but it’s better hours.”

Stephanie couldn’t remember the last time she worked an eight-hour shift. It sounded like a dream job, but dreams didn’t always come true.

The entire shift Stephanie was fighting to stay awake. She was so tired. Applying for that job was sounding better by the minute. It would definitely be a change, and she’d be home more to help Marina. She pulled out her phone and tapped in the website Donna had given her.

Nightingale’s Private Care and Therapy catered to people who were in need of around the clock home care. They also provided physical therapy for people who wanted to complete their therapy in the comfort of their own homes. The comments left on their Facebook page raved about their service. It was also Newfoundland owned and operated. That was definitely a plus. What did she have to lose by applying?
Nothing!
She’d have better hours, more money, and get to do what she loved.