Dex sidled up to her, and his warm breath coasted along the nape of her neck. “Let me stay. I’ll let you sleep. I just want to hold you.”

Her heart, weak and traitorous, yearned to say, “yes”. Instead, she asked, “How long do you want to stay, Dex? Forever? As in ‘til death do us part’?”

His silence killed her.

“Get out of here. Please.”

Both men dressed, murmured their goodbyes and left.

Alone in the suite, she hugged herself and angrily swiped away a tear. “I can’t face them again.” Or anyone else at the hospital. Why hadn’t she thought of this before she’d gotten herself into this mess? “What now?”

Chapter Five

‘What now’ turned out to be nothing, except perhaps for an Academy Award winning performance of pretending she didn’t care that neither Dr. Hottie nor Dr. Hunky had professed their undying love and commitment. She also feigned blindness to all the snickers and sneers from co-workers. Even Beth had cooled off and avoided her.

Beth’s loss bothered her most. At least, Jody stuck by her side.

“She’s conflicted,” Jody tried to explain, making excuses for Beth. Or maybe not.

Char was too raw to discuss it, but she hugged Jody and clung a few seconds too long. “Thanks for being true blue.”

“Watch out for Amy and Simone. They’re out to get you.”

Not sure she cared, Char shrugged. “So what’s new? If they hit below the belt, I’ll give to another charity next year. This isn’t the only place that helps kids. I don’t need the money from this job.”

Jody cupped her chin on her hand and wistfully, stared into space. “I wish I could say that.”

The cafeteria door swung wide, and Dexter started to enter. Then he spied her. His eyes grew wide, he gulped, and he froze so that the swinging door hit him in the rump.

A loud chuckle arose in the room, and several gazes ping-ponged from him to her. He looked as if he wanted to turn tail and run, but instead, he squared his shoulders, notched up his chin and strode to the food line.

A few moments later, precisely eight minutes and thirty seconds, he re-entered the room carrying a tray with a mixed green salad and an orange juice. He angled towards their table, but his gaze focused beyond them.

Char swallowed hard but tried to look as if her world wasn’t crashing around her. She took a bite of food, but it was tasteless and stuck in her throat as she went through the motions.

Dexter paused at their table, gave each of them a noncommittal smile and asked, “How are you two ladies today? Good, I hope.”

Before she could do more than nod, he added, “Well, nice to see you. I see my lunch date’s waiting.”

He balanced his tray on one hand and waved to Simone who proprietarily waved at him.

When he was out of earshot, Jody hissed and leaned forward. “That witch couldn’t wait to get her hooks into him. They deserve each other. You can do much better. Forget the creep.”

Char nodded, but her heart sobbed. That part of her didn’t think he was a creep even if her head did. It didn’t want to forget him. God, she missed him and what could have been.

Jody jabbed her hard with her elbow. She whispered, “Stop starting at them.”

Yanked from her reverie, her side bruised and aching, Char scooted around so she couldn’t see the deadly duo. But her imagination was worse, picturing them in a scandalous clinch, tearing off each other’s clothes.

Her appetite gone, her nerves shattered, she pushed aside her food. Any moment, she was going to hyperventilate. “I gotta get outta here.”

Jody circled her arm in an iron grip. “You get up and run now, you’ll be mortified forever. Sit. Stay.”

Knowing the truth of her friend’s words, Char counted to ten and glued herself to her seat. “Don’t tell me what they’re doing. I don’t want to know.”

Jody nibbled her egg salad sandwich she’d brought from home. Around her mouthful, she muttered, “No you don’t.”

“Is it that bad?” Char’s knuckles whitened around her fork, and her heart trip-hammered.

Jody leaned forward and spoke very lowly. “Maybe he felt this jealous or more when you and Hunky did ‘it’ in front of him.”

Jody and Beth were the only ones she’d told about her wild night, and now she wished to God she hadn’t. But her heart aching, she wondered if Jody was right, and even if she was, what could Char do now to fix it? But Dex had said he was okay with it and that he wanted in on the threesome. The more she tried to figure him out, the more confused she became. Then anger flared at herself and she decided to shake it off.

Finally, Dexter and Simone left after bidding them goodbye.

“My my but he’s being very civil.” Jody watched them go. “Now I know why I could never stand her.”

Released, Char rose to go and collided into someone behind her. When she turned to apologise, Beth stared at her as if she’d seen a ghost. “Uh, hi. I didn’t know you were right here. Are you okay? Well, I gotta run. Bye.”

A knife in her gut, Char stared at Beth’s retreating back. She mumbled, “Guess I have cooties.”

Jody slid her arm around her and squeezed. “No, you don’t. Give her time. She’ll come around.”

Did she want a friend who deserted her in her time of need? She wasn’t going to hold her breath or shed a tear. She just thanked God for Jody.

Still, she felt as if she was contagious the way so many people glared, whispered and pointed. She held her head high and pretended she didn’t notice.

A few minutes later, she turned a corner and collided with a tall man in a doctor’s coat. His clipboard fell and when she bent to retrieve it, they bumped heads. She prayed to God it wasn’t Dexter. When she heard the man’s chuckle, she froze.

It was the other one.

She lifted her eyes, and they immediately clashed with Ben’s beautiful hazel ones. She forced a gaiety to her voice she didn’t feel, but it sounded brittle. “I’ve always said they should install mirrors at these intersections.”

“Are you okay?” Surprisingly, Ben’s voice was gentle and concerned as he curled his fingers around her elbow and helped her up.

Her heels slid out from under her on the ascent, and she would have tumbled again except Ben caught her against him and held her tight. His hot breath scorched her neck. “I’ve missed you. We should get together again. What do you say?”

A loud intake of breath alerted her to another’s presence, and her heart sank. Without looking, she had a good idea who it was and what he was thinking.

The truth blindsided her. She was deeply and desperately in love with only one man. One impossible, cranky, judgmental man who possessed her heart and soul but didn’t want her. After her little escapade, he never would.

Pain, fast and furious, sliced through her, debilitating her. If she could travel back in time, she’d undo everything. She’d never try to make Dexter jealous again.

Gently but firmly, she extricated herself from Dr. Hunky. She inhaled deeply as she readjusted her ponytail before looking up into his puzzled eyes.

Before she could recite her speech for Dexter’s benefit, she heard heavy footsteps swiftly disappear down the hall, and she cursed herself for caring.

She cupped her hand to Ben’s smooth, dear cheek and noted she wasn’t getting all tingly or going gooey in his arms. Her feelings for him didn’t run deep. They had been only of the moment. “Pippi Longstocking.”

When Ben gave her a blank look, she searched for better words. “Look, Dr. Hunk-Ben. You’re a great guy and an awesome lover and I like you a lot, but-”

He shushed her by putting two fingers to her lips then ushered her to a secluded corner. “But you want a committed relationship. A husband. Babies. House. A ring. I get that, and I do, too.”

Sucker punched, she was speechless. Her heart ached for him if he meant what she was afraid of. She splayed her hand on his chest. “Stop right there. Please don’t say any more.”