Promises 2 (3 page)

“You okay, Doc?” Duke asked, reclining on the table and lifting his black t-shirt. Vaughan stood on the opposite side, absently stroking Duke’s large biceps with one hand while his other hand flew across the keyboard on his phone.

Duke smiled shyly. “Lawyers, huh?”

Cayson smiled, but was still distracted as he pressed a few tender spots on Duke’s abdomen before working his way over his ribs. Duke was right. They most likely weren’t fractured, but the man needed to be careful out in the field. He may look gorgeous, but his body was still its age and it had taken a hard setback last year. Vaughan and Duke both took great care of themselves and exercised regularly, but he worried about the aggressively physical nature of Duke’s work.

“Duke, I need you to be more careful, man. If the bruises weren’t already healing, I’d have you downstairs getting some images taken, but I’m pretty confident you’re just bruised.” He palpated a few more areas, which Duke seemed fine with, then told him he could get up. All the other tests and bloodwork were good on both of them. Life after a transplant could be difficult if you didn’t have a good case manager to watch for signs of trouble. It’d been almost nine months since the surgery, and Cayson couldn’t be happier with the results. He’d hate for all his hard work to be undone because of a perp who skipped bail. But that was Duke’s life.

“I promise, Doc. More careful, and no more dancing with men bigger than me.” Duke pulled his shirt down and climbed off the table.

Although Cayson’s back was to them, he heard their kiss and whispered promises to each other before they rejoined him. Settling back behind his desk, he tried to play uninterested when he asked, “So, um. Roman got hurt. Did he see a doctor?”

“Yeah, right. Since there were no protruding bones or visible blood, he felt no need. But, personally, I think his ribs might be worse off than mine. Stubborn bastard took on three men, ignoring my call to pull back.”

Cayson squirmed in his chair. Thinking of the big, bad bounty hunter caused reactions in his body that he had no control over, often leaving him embarrassed and ashamed. But Quick fighting three men, that sounded like damn good jerk off material. There was no denying the exceptional amount of lust that snaked through him when it came to Quick, no other way to describe it. It wasn’t love. He didn’t know him well enough for that. But it was electric, for sure. Facing Roman, especially going to his home again, wasn’t a good idea at all.

“I would feel more comfortable if he got it checked out. His cheek is still swollen, too.” Vaughan nodded, agreeing with Duke. Cayson peered at booth of them over his paperwork. “I can recommend someone.”

“Quick would never agree to that.”

“I doubt he’ll agree to me treating him, either.” Cayson focused on keeping his expression blank, even though saying that out loud hurt like a bitch. It was how he showed himself, how he shined. By caring, healing. It really was the only thing he was good at. But Quick hadn’t let Cayson touch him since he’d stitched up the gash in his arm, months ago. Cayson tried to pour as much care into that menial procedure as he could, but Quick had still left the ER without as much as a “See you later,” or “I’ll talk to you soon.” He got nothing but a canceled follow-up appointment.

“Dr. Chauncey, please go check on him. He’s as stubborn as the day is long, but I don’t think he’d react the same way he did before.” Cayson knew what Vaughan was referring to. He groaned and closed Duke’s file, digging the pads of his thumbs into his dry eye sockets. He checked his watch. It was almost four. Duke was his last appointment, but they didn’t know that. He could make up something. Only thing was, he was a terrible liar and his gut gnawed at him to go check on the big man.

“He’s probably not home,” Cayson said quietly, checking his watch again.

“Yes he is,” Duke and Vaughan said, in perfect unison.

Damn these two.
Cayson hadn’t been able to resist either one of them since they’d barged into his life. Looking into Vaughan’s concerned eyes; he sighed and reached for his intercom button. “Nania, are you still here?”

“Yes, doctor. Just getting ready to head out. You need something?” She sounded tired. Cayson had a hectically full schedule. He was one of the managing board members of the Nephrology transplant team in addition to being a well sought out surgeon. Not to mention the number of hours he volunteered in the ER to let the doctors who had families have some time off.

“Do we have a radio portable available to check out?” His question was met with curious gazes from across his desk while he waited for his nurse to respond.
Those things are never available.
The hospital only had four of the tablet-style portable X-ray radios, so the odds of him….

“We actually have two available, Dr. Chauncey. Do you want me to check one out for you?”

Cayson cleared his throat in surprise. “Yes, please. Thank you, Nania. You can go on home now.”

“Good night, Doctor.”

Cayson stood and began packing a small bag with supplies he thought he’d need from the cabinet behind his desk. He even got a heat wrap, maybe Quick would let him massage some of the strained muscles he must have.
Wishful thinking
. He’d grab the radio tablet on his way out.

“I really appreciate this, Cayson.”

He didn’t know what to say to Duke or even how to look him in the eye. Did he tell him how scared he was to face Quick? Particularly an injured Quick. Tell him that he wasn’t sure he could control himself, or his bodily fluids? His fucked up whatever the hell it was with Joe was becoming increasingly silly and immature. All the humping and grinding made him feel like he was a nervous virgin, too scared to go all the way. He needed to be touched, loved, fucked hard up against the wall. Didn’t he deserve that as much as the next man?

“We’ll walk you out.” Vaughan stood and buttoned his jacket. Cayson watched Duke appreciatively scan Vaughan’s entire six-foot frame before he stood himself.

Feeling the warmth from the men in his office, his jealously was there, riding him, making him edgy, quick to get upset and cop an attitude, because he knew he was deserving of the same treatment Duke was getting. Where the fuck were all the men like Vaughan? Cayson tried to remain calm as he threw a couple files still on his desk into his vintage cowhide messenger bag. He wouldn’t act like a ridiculous child with these great men and piss on their picnic basket. He just needed to find his own picnic.

He tossed a couple more files in, just in case Quick threw him out on his ass again, giving him time to do some work at home. The thought made him want to change his mind. He was done with the mistreatment – if it meant being alone, so be it – but no more allowing men to walk all over Dr. Cayson Chauncey.
There. Oath to self, made
.

Quick

Quick finished his long shower. He’d let the scalding hot water beat on his back and side for as long as he could stand it. His ribs screamed in protest any time he turned too fast, squatted or bent over, and he was beginning to think he may have fractured a couple. His chest ached when he breathed, but again, he self-diagnosed, contending it was only tenderness… nothing more. He reached into his top chest drawer and pulled out some boxer briefs, but when he thought of bending twice to put on his underwear and pants, he opted for his thin cotton lounging pants and no shirt. Lifting his right arm, he gingerly touched the black and purple bruises all along his torso.
Fuck me.

What had he been thinking? What was he trying to prove? Watching Ford and Brian toss men around and beat them like it was a sport had Quick wanting to show off his shit, too. He was martial arts trained since he was a teen. Three fuckin’ men were barely a challenge, but he always had to remember to keep his anger from rising to levels that caused him to act without considering the consequences. He’d easily taken the first two, kicking one in the nuts while he held the other in a tight chokehold. Then the third scared bastard had slammed into him from behind, sending all of them crashing down the apartment building’s concrete stairs. Those damn steps had to be what had done the most damage to his body. But, still high on adrenaline, Quick ignored Duke’s orders and got back on his feet, stomping bodies until he reached their bounty.

Now he was home hiding, because Duke was pissed off at him for taking unnecessary risks, which he no doubt had told his son by now, so he knew without checking what all the missed calls and angry texts from Vaughan were about. It’d been almost five days since the bust, and he couldn’t ignore his son or his best friend forever. However strong he considered himself to be, there was no way he was going back into the field right now. A few more days of recovery were definitely needed.

He’d just tied his still-wet hair back in a loose ponytail at the base of his neck. Rubbing on a thin layer of deodorant and a little aftershave, he was slowly making his way downstairs when he heard a firm knock on his front door.

“Oh, no,” he grumbled, not in the mood for Vaughan or Duke’s antics tonight. He frowned when the knock became louder and more persistent. It couldn’t be them. They would’ve used their key after the first knock. He couldn’t run down the stairs, so whoever was at the door had better be patient. That thought wasn’t even done before there was another knock… more like a banging.

“Stop knocking on my damn door like that!” Quick shouted from the second landing. He was trying to navigate the short distance between him and the front door, but was moving slowly. Using his leaf blower in the yard earlier today probably wasn’t a great idea, but he’d never been one to sit around and wallow in pain. He came from a long line of tough men. His father worked their farm through every ailment he ever got, so did his grandfather. Surely, Quick could do the same.

When he unlocked the bolt, he twisted the knob and was almost knocked back off his feet when he saw Dr. Chauncey – um, Cayson – standing there on his porch with his large medical bag at his feet. He had on a puffy, mid-thigh, black North Face parka with the large hood trimmed with tawny brown fur. He looked adorable all bundled up and rosy cheeked from the brisk temperature.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to knock like I’m the police. I got a little worried when it took a while. I came… um… Duke told me… he said maybe I should come by. Totally his idea. I promise I’m not just swinging by. As a matter of fact, I think it’s rather rude to stop by unannounced, but Duke said—”

“Cayson, would you like to come in and get out of the cold for a bit?” Quick smiled, pulling the door open wider. The man was blabbering like a silly fool. But Quick new exactly why Cayson was nervous about coming into his home again. He’d make sure the man felt welcome this time.

He wasn’t typically an asshole, especially to nice doctors who saved his best friend’s life, but damn if Cayson didn’t catch him off guard that afternoon he’d come home to find the sexy doctor in his personal space. He was supposed to be there to check up on Duke and Vaughan’s recovery, but Cayson was examining everything but his patients when Quick had come in wearing his bounty hunting gear. Those focused, blue eyes brazenly surveyed him like he was a piece of USDA prime rib in a butcher’s window. He could see Cayson’s chest rise and fall with his elevated, lustful breathing. But to do it right in front of his son and Duke, that wasn’t cool. He was a private man. If the doctor was interested in him, then he should’ve approached Quick privately and asked him out like a real man, not used trickery.

He’d been attracted to men in the past – very deep past – but he’d married a woman and had dated a couple more after the divorce. Now, this handsome, sexy, slightly nerdy in a charming way surgeon was rapidly igniting embers that hadn’t burned in a long time, and Quick had handled it badly, scaring Cayson off. He’d promised Duke and Vaughan that he’d fix it. He’d call the doctor and apologize, make things right, but he hadn’t. He’d copped out. Nerves. Anxiety. Maybe even fear had gripped and held him fast.

“Actually, I wouldn’t mind coming in. Thank you.” Cayson took a breath between ramblings and hefted his large bag to step across the threshold.

Quick immediately noticed Cayson scanning his chest as he walked by, but he didn’t take offense this time. The man was a doctor and Quick was riddled with bruises. It was clear Cayson had been sent by his son or Duke to check him out. “I already know why you’re here. Thank you for coming.”

Cayson was in the process of pulling off his thick coat. He looked a little shocked, and Quick suppressed a grin. Seeing the doctor confused and uncertain was quite entertaining. “I thought I’d have to wrestle you down to examine you.” Cayson closed his eyes and grimaced at his choice of words, but this time, Quick couldn’t hold in his chuckle. “That’s not what I meant. I just… I thought… I wasn’t sure, I mean, if you’d let me examine you. I swear I can be professional. I won’t make you uncomfortable. I really think we got off on the wrong foot last time I was here.”

Quick went into the living room and didn’t stop until he was standing close enough to the doctor for him to smell his aftershave. Cayson hastily diverted his eyes from Quick’s, like he was being extra careful how he looked at him, and he began to nervously dig in his bag, coming up with a device that looked like a twelve-inch tablet.