One of the nurses stepped over to me and smiled as she said, “That’a girl. I knew you’d get it.”
“I was in a car accident.”
“Yes, dear. We know.” One of the nurses stepped over to me and said, “The paramedics who brought you in told us everything. They also located your purse and phone, so we were able to contact your parents and let them know you’re here. They should be arriving soon.”
“My parents?” I was still in a bit of a fog, so it took me a second to register what she’d said. “Oh, yes. Thank you.”
“No problem.” When someone else entered the curtained area, my nurse announced, “It looks like we’re ready for that CT. My friend, Marcus, is going to take you.”
“And what’s your name again?”
I knew she’d already told me, and I hated to ask, but I simply couldn’t remember. She seemed to understand and warmly smiled as she answered, “I’m Judy.”
“Judy. That’s right.” As Marcus started pushing my gurney, I told her, “Thanks for taking good care of me, Judy.”
“Just doing my job.” She gave me a little wave. “Good luck!”
I felt like I was trapped in some horror movie as I lay there motionless while the orderly pushed me down the hall. I could hear people talking and moving around, but blinding lights and dated ceiling tiles were all I could see. I didn’t even want the damn CT scan.
I remembered how things played out the last time I had one and didn’t want a repeat of that. Unfortunately, I wasn’t in a position to stop it from happening. I could only lay there and pray it would all be over soon.
With the help of a nurse, the orderly moved me from the gurney and over to the CT machine. As the radiologist started prepping me for the scan, I could feel my anxiety rising. I didn’t want to dwell on what was happening, so I closed my eyes and tried to think of something else.
Conor was the first thing that came to my mind.
I pictured his handsome face, and the tension in my body immediately started to subside. I started thinking about all the time we’d shared as one memory fed into the next, and it wasn’t long before the night I’d gone to Stilettos with Haleigh wandered through my mind.
We’d had such a great time, talking and laughing, and then Haleigh had dared me to dance. That was when our night took a turn.
Conor had taken me to the red room, where we’d had the kind of sex that made all other experiences pale in comparison, and then we headed home. I thought we’d both just crash for the night—
We didn’t.
I’d just started unbuckling my skirt when Conor came up behind me and started trailing kisses along the back of my neck. “Um, what are you doing?”
“I think you know exactly what I’m doing.”
“But we just, you know, a few minutes ago.”
“What can I say? I can’t keep my hands off you.” Conor turned me around to face him, then put one of his hands behind my neck and pressed his mouth against mine. My lips parted in surprise as he backed me up against the wall.
“You’re just too beautiful.”
His tongue swept across my open lips before dipping seductively into my mouth. The kiss was urgent, and I quickly became lost in the heat of his touch. I gasped into his mouth when his hands grabbed my ass, pulling my hips closer to his. I could feel the growing bulge of his arousal even through his jeans. His mouth roamed over the curve of my neck while his hands wandered restlessly over my body.
“So fucking tempting.”
He didn’t realize that he was the tempting one.
With just one touch, my desire for him took over, and I was consumed with need. I reached for his t-shirt, pulled it from his body, and watched it fall to the floor. A wicked grin crossed his face as I bit my lip and lifted my arms over my head. He immediately grabbed the hem of my long-sleeved t-shirt and eased it over my head, tossing it to the floor.
His hands roamed over my bare skin, only stopping when he reached my breasts. His fingers slipped inside the cups of my bra, pulling them free. Anticipation surged through me as he leaned back, his eyes devouring me, and I couldn’t stop myself from squirming from the heat of his stare. A low growl rumbled in his throat as his hands ran up my back and unhooked my bra.
I was so wrapped up in my little fantasy that I could almost feel his hands on me, which was one of the reasons why I hadn’t heard the radiologist when she first spoke to me. It took her placing a hand on my arm and giving me a little shake. “Ms. Thomas? Are you with me?”