The Best Medicine (3 page)

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Lauren had spent all morning in the Pediatric Unit and had had a blast. Her proclivity for nonsense and random silliness meant that she was a breath of fresh air to the unit of sick kids. She hadn’t realized how much time had passed until one of the nurses stopped her from bouncing between rooms like a tennis ball and told her she could take lunch. Lauren hadn’t even noticed how hungry she was, but the mere mention of food caused her stomach to rumble.

Lauren walked back to Dr. Scott’s office to pick up the lunch her mom had packed for her. A lesser woman might have felt like a child—having her lunch packed for her by her mommy. But Lauren didn’t have that issue. If her mom wanted to pack her a lunch, far be it for Lauren to argue. She walked in and was surprised to find the office empty of patients. “What happened? You guys chase everyone away?” Lauren asked the receptionist, Carla.

“Ha, I wish. We close from one to two for lunch.”

That hadn’t occurred to Lauren, though she wasn’t sure why it would have. She continued around the desk and walked into the back office where the refrigerator was. The other nurses, her mom included, were gathered around a table eating. “Hey, Laur. How’s Pediatrics?”

“Freakin’ awesome. You guys are missing out working down here. They have Legos,” Lauren said with a smile as she grabbed her lunch and began to walk back the way she had just come.

“You want to eat with us, sweetheart?” her mom asked.

“Ah, so now I’m sweetheart again. Just a few days ago I was a felon, and now I’m sweetheart. You are a fickle woman, Pamela Hastings. But no. I’m going to go down to the cafeteria and make some phone calls. I’ll see you wonderful ladies later.”

The women all said their good-byes as Lauren left the office and made her way back to the elevator. She hadn’t spoken to Cassidy, Simone, or Quinn much since her unfortunate brush with the law, and she needed some gossip therapy with her besties.

*   *   *

Scott didn’t normally go down to the cafeteria. He didn’t quite fit in around the hospital, being too young to really bond with any of the attendings but finding himself often annoyed by residents. Even the two other physicians in his own practice avoided him at all costs, which was just fine with Scott. He had a job to do, not friends to make. But when he had overheard Lauren say she was going down to the cafeteria, he suddenly wanted to go too. He told himself that he was simply interested in figuring out what kind of person she was before he gave her
permission to work in his office, but he knew that was bullshit. Mostly since he’d already granted her permission to work there, but also because he couldn’t deny that he found her intriguing. Not to mention sexy as hell.

He tried to act natural, taking his time choosing his lunch so that he could watch where she sat without being obvious about it. He waited until she took a seat and pulled out her phone before he paid and walked to a table directly behind her. He could hear her perfectly as she began talking.

“Hey. What’s going on?” Lauren said into the phone. “It’s going well so far. I spent the morning up in Pediatrics and had a blast. It sure beat hanging around my mom’s office. I’m going to be bored out of my mind spending the next few months there.”

Scott couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment at her words, but he quickly reminded himself that her opinion didn’t matter. He wasn’t interested in her opinions. He was interested in getting her beneath him on the desk in his office. Though being interested in it and doing it were very different things. Scott knew better than to get sexually involved with anyone who worked for him. Since the relationships he preferred were typically short-lived, he didn’t need the awkwardness of seeing the other person every day after he broke things off.

“Well, now that you mention it.” Lauren lowered her voice so that Scott had to lean back slightly in his chair to hear her. “The doctor who owns the practice, Dr. Scott”—he ignored the snotty tone she adopted when saying his name—“is megahot. Like off-the-charts eye candy. He’s tall, though everyone is compared to me. I’d say about six
foot. It was hard to tell just how ripped he is under his white coat, but I could definitely tell he keeps himself in pretty good shape.”

Scott wanted to turn around and ask her if she’d like to find out for herself just how in shape he was, but he was too fascinated by her conversation to interrupt her.

“And his face. Listen, Cass, he’s straight-up gorgeous. Bright green eyes, short blond hair—just long enough to run your fingers through and give a good yank—square jaw. I think I saw a dimple in his left cheek. Really just surface-of-the-sun hot.”

Her comment about his hair caused his dick to jump in his pants. She wasn’t inhibited; that much was clear. And that held definite possibilities for him.
If
he had been interested in acting on his baser urges. Which he wasn’t. Not really.

“Uh, no,” Lauren giggled dryly. “He may be hot, but his personality negates most of it. You know the type: rich, good-looking doctor. He’s totally used to women falling at his feet. He probably has some serious control fetish that women think is hot because of Christian Grey.”

Goddamn it. Not that bullshit.
Granted, Scott had some control issues, but she’d only spent three minutes with him. Scott hadn’t even begun to figure Lauren out and she almost had his number; it was starting to annoy him.

The person on the other end of the line said something before Lauren spoke again. “No, he’s definitely not interesting enough to be into all that whips and chains shit. Probably just gets off on telling girls what to do. And I bet there are a ton of them more than willing to do whatever he says.”

It seemed to Scott that Lauren thought she held the
upper hand with him, thought she knew exactly what type of man he was. She wasn’t wrong when she said that he liked to be in control. But Lauren’s assessment of him, her keen perception, made him feel very
out
of control. He needed to take charge, restack the cards in his favor. So, before he could give it much thought, he stood and walked around her table and sat down across from her. “I figured that since you were talking about me anyway, I may as well join the conversation.”

Lauren’s eyes widened a fraction, showing her shock at seeing him. But instead of becoming embarrassed, she simply smiled and continued her conversation. Scott found himself surprised by Lauren. Again.

“He just sat down across from me actually. Seems we have quite the eavesdropper on our hands.” Lauren relaxed back into her chair, making it plain that Scott didn’t intimidate her. Quite the opposite. “He isn’t saying anything really. Just kind of staring.”

Scott kept his face neutral to show that he was just as calm and collected as Lauren was. “Is staring a crime?” he asked.

“No. It’s just super weird,” she said with the same playfulness he’d observed when he’d met her.

“Would you rather I not look at you at all?” he countered.

“No, I like a little attention as much as the next girl. As long as we’re clear that it’s just looking and no touching.” Lauren leaned forward in her chair, pulling up her free forearm to rest on the table.

Scott leaned in as well, making it easier for him to hear the person Lauren was talking to. “Laur, you want to call me back?” the voice asked.

“Not sure. Let me ask Dr. Scott.” She tilted her head slightly, directing her attention at him. “Is your interruption something that requires my undivided attention, or can Cass continue to listen in?”

Scott darted his tongue out over his bottom lip. Lauren’s eyes snapped to his mouth, lingering there for a moment before drifting back up to look at him. “I think you’d better call her back,” he rasped.

“My boss has spoken, Cass. I’ll have to call you back.”

Lauren hung up the phone without waiting for a reply, and Scott knew he had her where he wanted her. Well, maybe not
right
where he wanted her.

“So, are you always so strict about your looking-but- no-touching rule? I think that line could get a little blurred when dealing with drunk frat guys.” Scott’s eyes bore into hers. It was like a game of chicken, each one refusing to look away before the other.

Lauren smirked. “You’re right. As I found out last weekend, it is evidently a difficult rule for some guys to follow.”

Scott’s brow furrowed. “So you’re speaking from experience. Tell me what happens when someone doesn’t follow your rule.”

“Past history would indicate that I go to jail.”

Scott straightened.
Was she saying— Was that why she was arrested?
He willed himself to appear relaxed, but he couldn’t help the slight tightening of his jaw. He wasn’t sure what caused the protective feeling he was experiencing, but the thought of someone putting their hands on Lauren when she didn’t want them there made him want to put his fist through something. Finally, he realized that
she was waiting for him to say something, a curious expression on her face. “Is that why you’re having legal trouble?”

She looked thoughtful for a moment, choosing her words carefully. “Indirectly, yes.”

“Did anything happen to him?” Scott wasn’t sure why he cared about any of this, but he did. Fiercely.

Lauren huffed out a laugh. “Yeah, I kicked the shit out of him.”

Scott startled slightly. “You . . . really?” He didn’t mean to doubt her, but Lauren was a small girl. If she kicked the shit out of some guy, he must’ve been a real pussy.

Lauren smiled, a genuine one that lit up her eyes. Damn, he liked that smile. “I’m more than just a pretty face, Dr. Scott.”

“Clearly,” he replied matter-of-factly, making his comment lose some of its complimentary appeal. He figured Lauren’s words had been meant as a joke—an attempt to poke fun at her actions. But Scott couldn’t help but acknowledge the obvious truth in her statement. “Who was this guy? A blind midget?”

Lauren sat back in her chair again, appraising him. Scott didn’t like it. It was almost as if she could see through him, into the very essence of who he was.

After a few tense seconds, she spoke. “You don’t believe me,” she observed. “I’m a lot of things: free-spirited, maybe a little crazy and impulsive. And I’m definitely smarter than you think. But one thing I am not, and have never been, is a liar.”

“Good to know,” Scott replied, his voice deep, seductive. He meant what he said. Because the more he talked
to Lauren Hastings, the more he wanted her. And the types of relationships he engaged in required complete honesty. On both parts.
Stop thinking like this, Scott. Pursuing this girl will blow up in your face like napalm.

“Look, let’s cut the bullshit,” Lauren said. “I don’t have a skewed self-image. I’ve gotten my fair share of male attention ever since I hit high school and traded in my Coke-bottle glasses for contacts and track pants for skinny jeans. But I did all of that to feel good about
myself
. Not so some guy could feel that it’s his right to say and do whatever he wants to me.”

Scott wanted to interject, but she was on a roll. And damn if it didn’t turn him on.

“So if you think the low voice, the heated gaze, the sexual body language impresses me, you’re wrong. It may give me something to gossip about to my friends, but that’s all it is. Beauty’s only skin-deep. I’m interested in what’s under all of that.” Her voice never wavered. It remained even and calm. But there was fire behind her eyes. Scott could see it.

“How profound,” he replied.

Lauren stood, plastering a smile on her face. “Almost as profound as a man who tries to act unaffected, all the while gripping something in his pocket for the duration of our conversation. Enjoy the rest of your lunch, Doctor.”

Scott watched her leave before he looked down at his hand. He’d dealt with uncomfortable situations the same way now as he had when he was a child. It was the reason he normally kept that silver dollar in his pocket. How the hell had she known what he was doing? He’d almost convinced himself that he’d won that round, but how
wrong he’d been. Lauren was proving quite the worthy adversary. Scott would need to up his game.

*   *   *

Lauren plopped down into the booth and slid over to make room for Quinn to sit beside her. Cassidy and Simone sat across from them, eyeing her intently. Cassidy had arranged this impromptu dinner after overhearing part of Lauren’s conversation with Scott.

Lauren picked up her menu and studied it, trying to ignore the blatant stares from her friends. Finally, she put the menu down and looked back at them. “What?” she asked.

“Oh, you know what,” Cassidy replied with a huge smile. “Spill it. What happened with Dr. Scott after you hung up on me?”

“I didn’t hang up on you. I told you I’d call you back.”

“Which you didn’t,” Cass added.

“Only because you sent out a text to meet you here.”

“Girls,” Simone interrupted. “As fascinating as it is to hear about who called who, can we please get to the part where Lauren bangs a smoking hot doctor?”

Lauren’s eyes flew to Cass’. “You told them I banged him?”

Cass looked thoughtful. “I think I phrased it in the future tense.”

Lauren opened her mouth to argue, but Quinn spoke first. “Lauren. Doctor. Explain.”

“There’s nothing to explain. My mom works for a doctor who’s a total dipshit, and I plan on spending my time there driving him insane. End of story.”

Simone let out a laugh and shook her head. Lauren’s friends were all used to her antics, but they also knew
that she’d never made anyone miserable, not for a day in her life. If she were going to drive her new boss insane, it was most likely because, on some level, he’d enjoy every second of it.

“But he’s good-looking?” Quinn asked. Her dark red hair and smattering of freckles over her nose appealed mostly to mama’s boys, so she had thankfully escaped the dating cesspool relatively unscathed. Lauren knew that wouldn’t be the case if Quinn ever shacked up with Dr. Scott.

“Sure, in a Godlike kind of way. I have a feeling he’s got the complex to boot,” Lauren replied dryly.

“Don’t most doctors have a God-complex though?” Cass asked, clearly implying that allowances should be made for him.