The Best Medicine (6 page)

Lauren put her index finger to her chin. “Well, let me see. It’s been such a frantic day I hardly know where to begin. I made some phone calls, stared at a computer screen blankly for about an hour, made some more phone calls, fetched the good doctor his lunch, watched him be surprisingly compassionate to a patient, and then stared at the computer some more.” Lauren bent over and rested her arms on the counter, hoping her mother
would latch onto the bit of information Lauren desperately wanted to talk about.

“Why would it surprise you that Dr. Scott’s compassionate?”

Bingo!
“I dunno. He seems pretty . . . cocky.”

“I guess he can come off that way.” Pam hadn’t looked up from the chart, and Lauren was thankful for it. She stood a better chance gleaning information if her mother was somewhat distracted.

“That’s the impression I got,” Lauren prompted even though she wasn’t being entirely honest. It was the impression Scott
wanted
to give, but she saw beneath that cavalier bullshit almost immediately. But Lauren sure as hell didn’t want her mom thinking she was asking for any other reason than vague curiosity.

“Hmm.”

Lauren widened her eyes and stared at her mother. “Hmm? That’s all I get?”

Pam’s lips quirked slightly. “Why are you so interested?”

Busted.
Lauren should’ve known that her mom would see through her feigned disinterest. She’d really have to stop underestimating the woman. “Because I have to work for him for the next few months. I’d like to know who I’m dealing with.”

Her mom closed the chart and appraised Lauren for a second. Anyone observing them would have instantly recognized where Lauren got her shrewd observational skills. Mother and daughter stared into each other’s eyes, searching for the words neither of them were saying aloud. “Scott cares more about his patients than any doctor I’ve ever worked with. And considering I worked for his father,
that’s really saying something.” Pam began to gather her things, but Lauren wasn’t finished with her yet.

“So Scott’s dad was a good doctor?”

“He was a great doctor. And an even better man. Scott inherited both traits from him, even if he likes to keep that fact hidden sometimes.”

“Pam, Mrs. Barton is here.”

Lauren had been so focused on her conversation with her mom that she hadn’t even noticed Betty approach.

“Thanks, Betty,” Pam called as Betty kept moving down the hallway. “Back to the grind. I’ll see you later, sweetheart.”

But before her mom could make it two steps, Lauren stopped her. “Why are the other doctors in the practice never in the same place Scott is?”

Pam stopped, but didn’t turn around. She let out a breath before responding quietly. “Because jealousy makes some people downright ugly.” Then Pam moved toward the waiting room to retrieve her next patient, leaving Lauren standing there wondering why the thought of people being ugly to Scott made her want to bitch slap them.

*   *   *

Lauren was sitting at her desk, head propped on her hand, staring at the clock on the computer screen. Ten more minutes and she could get out of there. Almost everyone had already left for the day. Only Lauren, Betty, Tammy, and Scott were left. The rest of Lauren’s day had dragged after she’d finished the menial tasks Scott had assigned to her. She considered going and asking him what else she could do, but he was in with patients all afternoon and she hadn’t wanted to bother him. Phyllis had told her that Scott would have a list of things she could do waiting for
her each morning when she arrived. But Lauren couldn’t bear another day like today, so she’d fired off an e-mail to Scott requesting a larger list. She bit back a smirk when she signed it:
Sincerely, Your Office Maid.

He hadn’t replied, which disappointed her. If she couldn’t bicker with him in person, she had at least hoped she could get some kind of cyber banter going. But so far, no such luck.

Lauren opened her desk drawer and started gathering her things so she could slip out of there as soon as the clock struck six.

“Excuse me, but is Lauren here?”

Lauren knew that voice.
Cass.
She jumped out of her chair, grabbed her purse, and practically sprinted toward the front desk.

“What are you doing here?” Lauren felt excitement bubble under her skin as her eyes took in the sight of Cassidy, Simone, and Quinn.

“We thought we’d take you out to dinner after your first official day,” Simone responded.

Lauren wasn’t falling for it. She knew damn well that her girls wanted to know all about her first full day with Dr. Scott. Lauren hadn’t told them about the smoldering hot kiss in his office on Friday. It wasn’t like Lauren to hold out on them, but she hadn’t felt right talking about it. She wasn’t exactly sure why. But she held it back all the same.

“Awesome. I’m starving,” Lauren said. “Oh, and Tammy, these are my friends: Cassidy, Simone, and Quinn. Girls, this is Tammy.”

They exchanged pleasantries, and then Tammy excused herself by saying that she had some things to take
care of in the office before she could leave for the day, though Lauren knew she was trying to give her some space to talk freely with her friends.

Cass spoke up. “So, you ready to go?”

Lauren looked at the clock on the wall. “I still have five minutes until my shift ends. Wouldn’t want my liege to get bent out of shape about me leaving early.”

“Your liege, huh?”

As soon as Lauren heard his voice, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Of course he was standing right behind her. Where else would he be? She watched her friends’ eyes widen as they took in the deliciousness that was Dr. Scott. She huffed out a small laugh as she smoothed down her skirt and turned to face him. “Yup. My feudal superior was
quite
specific in our text message correspondence. I am to stay under his rule until six, lest I be taken to the stockade for failure to comply.” Lauren was rambling again, but she couldn’t stop herself. She wasn’t caught off guard by
what
he’d heard as much as the fact that he
kept
overhearing her talk about him. He probably thought she discussed little else. The only way she knew how to deflect her discomfort over the whole “liege” thing was to act cool and unaffected, and yet she was doing the exact opposite.

As she finished speaking, her eyes locked with Scott’s, and in an instant she watched his normally bright green eyes morph into a stormy forest color. And it did things to her that made her glad she’d worn underwear.

“Well, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind you heading out”—Scott looked down at his watch—“three minutes early. My office maid can finish up any work she didn’t get to when she comes in tomorrow.”

She saw a glint of humor spark in his face.
He really
thinks he’s something else.
“Are you done for the day?” Lauren asked Dr. Scott as she rounded the reception desk and moved toward her friends, looking back at him once she reached them.

Scott appeared taken aback by her question. “Yeah, I just have some notes I need to write. Then I’m done.”

“Can that wait until tomorrow?” Lauren asked.

His eyes narrowed at her as he seemed to try to figure out where her line of questioning was heading. “I suppose.”

“Then hang up your white coat and let’s go.”

Scott stared at Lauren for a minute. He looked at her friends, who looked riveted by the interaction in front of them, and then back to Lauren. “Why would I go out with you and your friends?” he asked, his voice revealing his confusion.

“Dr. Scott, if you really think they’re here to see me, you’re not nearly as intelligent as I thought. Hurry up. We’ll wait for you.”

Scott stood there for another few seconds. Lauren could tell he was trying to figure out the best way to play this situation. If he declined, he’d show that he was too good to hang out with her beyond work, effectively putting her in her place. But she knew he wanted to accept her invitation. Otherwise he wouldn’t have hesitated. He probably wanted to give her a little taste of the real Scott Jacobs: man on the prowl. And part of her also believed that Scott wanted to know Lauren beyond the office walls, see what made her tick. She knew she was right when he plastered a broad smile on his face and replied, “Just let me get my things and tell Tammy I’m heading out for the day. I’ll meet you ladies in the hallway.”

*   *   *

Lauren wasn’t sure what the hell prompted her to invite Scott. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. She had wanted to wipe that smug look off of his face. Which she had. Until he accepted her invitation. Then his Prince Charming facade flew up like a shield as he prepared to win over the damsels in sexual distress. Her girlfriends were already practically drooling, and he hadn’t even spoken directly to them yet.

“Lauren, I swear to God, if you don’t jump on that like a trampoline, I’m going to have to rethink our friendship,” Simone threatened.

Lauren quickly ushered her friends out of the office. She figured that Scott had said he’d meet them in the hall because he didn’t want Tammy to know that he was leaving with them. And she was more than willing to comply. She didn’t want to become the subject of office rumors. Nor did she want that to happen to Scott. “Whatever,” she replied with an eye roll, hoping it came across as nonchalant, though she felt anything but. Lauren knew damn well that she wanted on Scott, like yesterday. But part of her—a large part—had liked it when he had initiated their contact in his office. She figured she’d leave it to him to do all the jumping.

Scott came into the hallway wearing his black slacks and a light blue button-down. He loosened his tie, and Lauren’s eyes were drawn to the way the fabric of his shirt clung to his strong, defined biceps.

“Ladies, shall we?” Scott asked as he extended a hand toward the door.

Lauren’s friends were reduced to giggling schoolgirls as they exited the office. Lauren couldn’t help but smile
as she shook her head at them. She craned her neck to look back at Scott. “So
now
I’m a lady, huh?” referring to his jibe from that morning.

“If we’re using a very broad definition, then yes. Especially if we’re pairing it with other words like bag and cat.”

“Your wit is astounding,” Lauren replied dryly.

Scott leaned closer to her as the office door shut behind them. “It’s not the only thing about me that’s astounding.”

She felt his breath hit her ear as he spoke, and the feeling caused all of the synapses in her brain to fire rapidly, sending messages of pleasure throughout her entire body.

Which gave her an idea.

Lauren quickly walked a few more steps before stopping dead in her tracks, causing Scott to barrel into her back. He reached his hands around her abdomen to catch her, squeezing her tightly to his muscled chest. Lauren couldn’t resist. She pressed her ass into him slightly, letting him know that not only could two play that game, but she was as willing to play as he was. She felt his body tense and his breathing hitch.
Mission accomplished.
Then she quickly began walking again, breaking free of his arms and trying to catch up with her friends.

She arrived at the elevator just behind them. Her friends jabbered away as Lauren leaned against the wall next to the elevator door, trying her damnedest to act casual. Scott made his way toward her, his mouth in a taut line, his eyes unwavering from hers.

He stopped beside her, leaning in slightly, but not enough to draw attention. “You do that again, and I’ll have you bent over in front of me. And I don’t care whether your friends are watching or not.”

Lauren tried to return his glare with cool impassivity, but there was no chance at success. She was practically panting as he maintained his proximity. The elevator dinged, signaling its arrival. Her friends walked on, oblivious to the sexually charged exchange that was happening not three feet from them. Once they had boarded, Lauren leaned into Scott, pushing her small, perky breasts into him. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Doctor.” Then she slid past him and stepped on the awaiting elevator, feeling incredibly pleased with herself.

*   *   *

Only a block away from the hospital, The Curveball was a loud sports bar that had been recently renovated in an attempt to deter the seedier crowd it had previously attracted, and instead lure doctors and nurses looking to unwind after a long day at the hospital. Though Lauren didn’t recognize anyone there, it was clear by the few nods Scott directed at various people that he did.

They were shown to a rectangular table against the far wall that had a giant baseball diamond painted on it. Scott hung back and allowed the girls to sit first. Lauren tried to covertly control the seating arrangement so that she was on the opposite side of the table from Scott. She had an overwhelming need to watch him interact with her friends, to observe every facial tic, smile, tremor, and eye movement.

Simone took the open seat on the end, so Lauren quickly threw herself into the chair beside the one Cass was claiming, forcing Quinn to move to the other side next to the only other open seat. Scott lowered himself into the chair and smiled at the four pairs of eyes that were trained on him. Lauren watched as he leaned back
slightly so that he could slide his hand into his pocket. She hadn’t noticed him do this since she called him out on it. Evidently, though Dr. Scott oozed confidence, there was still a hint of discomfort beneath it.

“This place has great burgers. I always get the mushroom and Swiss,” he said as he began leafing through a menu.

“Then why do you need a menu?” Lauren hadn’t even realized she was speaking until she heard the words.

“I like to know my options,” Scott said with a sexy smirk that made all the blood in Lauren’s body flow south.

Lauren tried to bite back a smile.
Well played, Doctor. Well played.

“So, has our little Lauren been a stellar employee so far?” Cass wasted no time steering the conversation in the direction that suited her interests. Namely, Scott and Lauren fucking like rabbits in his office.

Lauren wondered if Cass would have been so forward if she knew all that had transpired with Scott last Friday.