Her Doctor Daddy (3 page)

As she headed toward the reception area, a chuckle emanated from Lexi’s throat. Her father would have thought this scene was ironic since he’d recently accused her of having a checkbook register that resembled a fairytale
.
The young attractive brunette smiled as she approached. “Can I help you?”

Lexi nervously fingered the strap on her shoulder bag. “I was wondering if there were any job openings here.”

Reaching into her drawer, the receptionist slid a piece of paper across her desk. “You are welcome to fill this out now, or bring it back later at your convenience.”

“Thank you.” Lexi casually looked down at the lengthy application, promptly stashed it into her multi-colored embroidered handbag and did a quick pivot before exiting.

I should’ve known there would be questions regarding what math classes had been attended by the applicant.

Never having the love or aptitude for numbers, she peered up and down the street. Wondering where to stop next, she shielded her eyes with a curved palm and spotted a local diner on the corner.

I’ve never been a waitress, but what the hell.
Again, she took a deep breath and started anxiously walking toward the restaurant.

While holding the door open for an elderly couple as they exited, she spotted a fifty-something woman dressed in a pink shift with a white plastic name tag. After closing the cash register, the woman looked up at her and smiled. “Can I help you?”

“There’s a sign in the window. Are you still looking for help?”

“Harry, here’s another one for you,” Ruth bellowed in a raspy voice. A middle-aged man came out from the back, his name tag designating him as the manager. “Come back here with me,” he said, curving a bony finger. Lexi followed the tall, lanky man back to an empty storage room that he obviously used as an office. Waiting for her to enter the small space, he firmly closed the door behind them and grinned, showing a row of teeth that were yellow stained and crooked. Nervously, she clutched her purse and took a seat beside the desk.

“I… I was here to inquire about the opening,” she stuttered before peering around the musty-smelling room.

Harry pulled a pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket. “Do you have any experience as a waitress?”

“No, not really.”

“Not to worry, you don’t need much experience to work here,” he said, his tone deepening as he reached forward to touch her bare knee.

Recoiling, she abruptly pushed his hand away. “I’m out of here, creep!” Lexi immediately stood, opened the door, and rushed out. Brushing past Ruth at the counter, she mumbled, “How can you work for that weirdo?”

Ruth shrugged as she took a fistful of dollars from a customer. “He’s not so bad once you get used to him.”

Shoving the door open in a huff, Lexi raced down the street toward a large structure that stood about a block away. As she got closer, the large Pompano Regional Hospital sign came into clear view. It was where her sister worked and, hopefully, would be her last stop that day.

A little out of breath, she walked up the long winding road and smiled, gazing at the large emergency entrance sign in the middle of the circular driveway. Lexi approached the front of the automatic doors with a sigh of relief as they swung open to reveal a beehive of activity. Taken aback by the amount of energy in the expansive room, she quickly did a three-sixty turn to locate the information desk. Although her feet felt the pain of a misguided shoe selection, Lexi was instantly rejuvenated by the stimulating professional environment.

A young girl with a large stack of paperwork in front of her peered upward. “May I assist you?”

“I’m looking for the personnel department.”

“Are you here to apply for a job?”

A little weary and thirsty from the outside heat, she decided to swallow the first smart-aleck remark that popped into her head. “My sister is a nurse in this hospital, and she said there was an opening for a secretary.”

“Make a right at the green elevators and walk down the hallway. The personnel office will be on your left.”

“Thanks.” Lexi gave a friendly wave before turning toward the bank of elevators. After wearily traveling down two wrong halls, she eventually found the office.
Stay focused
,
she thought to herself, glancing at the department name etched on the glass door.

* * *

A few hours later, Lexi inserted her shiny gold key into the knob and pushed it open.

With a magazine in her hand, Katie was propped up on the couch. “Thank God you’re all right. I was starting to worry.”

Instead of answering, Lexi opted to plop herself down on the loveseat and rubbed the lids of her tired blue eyes.

“Should I assume things didn’t go well?”

Letting out a loud groan, Lexi tilted her head. “My feet hurt.”

“But you look very cool in those platforms,” Katie reminded with a smug grin.

“I know, I know, give me a second to recover.” Kicking off her heels, Lexi began to rub her toes. “On the bright side, it seems I’m going to be working in cushy, comfortable white shoes.”

Katie’s eyes instantly lit up. “Oh, my God. You landed a job today?”

Sitting up with legs folded underneath her, Lexi said, “It looks like we’re going to be working in the same place.”

Katie squealed with delight, running to give her younger sister a big hug. “The emergency department? What are your hours?”

Lexi coughed a couple of times. “Give me a second, I desperately need something to drink.”

Katie pointed at her sister. “Sit right there and rest those tired puppies,” she ordered, running to the sink for a glass of water before returning quickly. “Now, fill me in. I want all the details.”

Lexi took a long drink of the cool water, smacked her lips, and inhaled a deep breath. “After a couple of discouraging drop-ins, I wandered down the street and managed to end up standing in front of the hospital where you work. It was pure luck that I came across it.”

“Your sense of direction has always been a little off. Didn’t you use the map I gave you?”

“After a short interview with a creepy guy who manages the diner down the street, I got a little disoriented and never pulled it out of my purse.” Crossing her eyes, Lexi placed the glass of water on a nearby table. “My next stop ended up being the hospital’s personnel office.”

“Did you tell them I was your sister?”

“Why would I do that? I wanted to get the job,” Lexi deadpanned before breaking out in laughter. “Of course, and everyone I told seemed thoroughly impressed,” she continued, batting her eyes. “After filling out a bunch of paperwork, I met with a man in the personnel office who asked me some general questions. I can’t remember his name, but when we were done, he directed me back to wait in the reception area.”

“There are quite a few people who work in that department. Hmm, I wonder who the guy was?”

She shrugged. “Can I finish my story?”

“Sorry, please go on.”

“Well, after he made a few calls, this official-looking guy walked me down to the emergency room.” Lexi hesitated for a second as if a light bulb had gone off in her mind. “I remember now—Jim Backus was his name. Anyway, he introduced me around to a couple of the nurses and a very handsome doctor.”

Katie was on the edge of the couch, motioning for Lexi to talk faster. “Which one? There are five doctors that work in that department.”

“I think his name was Dr. Morales. Do you know him?”

Katie’s green eyes lit up. “I’ve worked with him.”

“Jesus. Your voice just went up an octave. Please don’t tell me you dated this man.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I never mix work with pleasure.”

“Funny, I always thought doctors and nurses were destined to have affairs with each other.”

Katie’s brows firmly knit together. “I think you watch too many soap operas. So, then what happened?”

“He took me into an office down the hall and asked me a lot of questions. I was surprised to be interviewed by a doctor.”

“Well, he
is
the head of the ER. What did he ask you?”

“Mostly things about my background. Then he explained what the job entailed. It was almost as if he was trying to discourage me.”

“I hear the last emergency room secretary was wonderful and has big shoes to fill. He was probably trying to see if you have the right personality for the job. The nurses in that department are great to work with, but the doctors can be really tough.”

Lexi nodded. “After our conversation, I was shuffled back to the PR office and waited for Mr. Backus to return. Surprisingly, he made me an offer right then and there. Honestly, I was shocked that it happened so fast.”

“There isn’t a department in this hospital that could run without an efficient secretary. Seriously, being hired on the spot is a huge compliment. So, what are your duties?”

“The way Mr. Backus described it, I’ll be ordering tests from the lab, working with the admitting office, calling the pharmacy to fill drug orders, getting in touch with the doctors of incoming patients, and filling out forms for x-rays. Dr. Morales said their emergency room is the city’s largest trauma center.”

“I hear it can get pretty hectic down there,” Katie offered.

“Dr. Morales stressed that too, which made me a little hesitant, but when they handed me an offer, it was one I couldn’t refuse. The pay was a lot more than I’d expected.”

Katie angled her head, obviously waiting for more. “How much?”

“Let’s just say I can afford this place if you decide to move out.”

“I don’t think you need to worry about that right now,” her sister said, raising an eyebrow. “What shift will you be working?”

“I’ll start with 11–7. They said the graveyard shift isn’t as busy as daylight, so it’s a good place to get my feet wet.”

Katie sat back into the sofa. “I’ll definitely be driving you to work. Don’t even think about walking anywhere that time of night.”

“How will I get home in the morning? That’s when you start your shift.”

Katie winked. “You’ll be in cushiony, comfortable white shoes, right?”

Lexi’s mouth formed a straight line as she rubbed her feet. “I guess that means I’ll be walking.”

Chapter Three

The loud click of his black leather platform shoes echoed on the sidewalk as he walked down the street toward the bar, ignoring those who threw stares his way. Lowering yellow shaded aviator sunglasses down to the tip of his nose, he finally reached his destination and entered.

“Oh, what a night,” he sang out loud to the tune of the Frankie Valli single that was blaring from the speakers before chuckling to himself, enjoying the double entendre.

Pressing through the mass assembly of young adults, his destination was an outside area where a few bamboo tiki lights glowed, and he reveled in the mood of the intimate, balmy bar scene. He watched intently as people moved slowly, disappearing into the dancing crowd as they paired up with strangers. Humming, he cruised with deliberation as a lion might search for his next meal and twisted through the sexy, gyrating crowd. His lips turned upward as the women gravitated toward him. Outwardly, he wore a smile, but inwardly he sported a familiar sneer.

Though the music stopped playing, the crowd paid no attention and kept moving. Without missing a beat, the DJ switched to his next selection, ‘Love to Love You Baby’
by Donna Summer—obviously trying to elevate the heated atmosphere with some musical electricity. Spinning his head to soak in the provocative ambiance, he suddenly spied a young cub with dark long hair, dancing by herself off to the side.

I think she ignored me last week, but tonight will be a different story.

Nonchalantly moving to the beat, he gently touched several women on the cheek with his fingertip while passing by. As the song picked up its tempo, a young lady moved in closer, blocking his path. Teasing her for only a moment by bumping his hip into hers, he continued working his way toward the shy girl dancing alone. His thought was singular as he focused on his prey. He made it to the dark area on the other side of the bar, and then he stopped.

Mmm, I’m definitely going home with you tonight, my sweet little lamb chop.

* * *

Squealing and giggling like a drunken college girl, the beautiful young woman inserted her key into the dull gold-plated lock and pushed the lightweight door open. He wasted no time maneuvering her across the room, finally pinning her small frame against the opposite wall. As he placed small kisses up and down her neck, she writhed and rubbed her rounded bottom onto the painted drywall.

“You never did tell me your name,” she purred in a whisper-soft voice.

“Names are so unimportant when it comes to love,” he responded in a low tone, pressing his lips against her neck. “Is this your place, doll?”

“I share it with a roommate, but she’s on the other side of town tonight—visiting with her boyfriend.”

He wanted to make a full night of it, but after hearing that information, time was of the essence. While lifting her embroidered bohemian top, she caught him off guard and unbuckled his belt. After quickly unleashing it from the hoops, her hand moved to unzip his pants.

I do like a rambunctious slut.

Leading him down the hall to her room, she pushed him onto the bed and reached to turn on her alarm clock radio. “How about a little music to get you in the mood?” she asked in a throaty, sultry voice.

Although his preference was to dominate in roleplay, he had to give her credit for attempting to take the initiative. It really didn’t matter who was in charge when the scene began. His stage productions all ended the same way.

She motioned for him to roll over onto his stomach, and he groaned as his engorged cock pressed against the hard mattress. Glancing over his shoulder, he watched her wriggle out of her low-cut bell bottom jeans and wondered why in the hell she would be removing her belt from the fabric loops. Trying to keep a straight face, he watched her double the brown leather and felt the edge moving up the length of his thigh right before a sharp crack fell onto his ass.