in his body.
Now, almost giddy, I placed the vase near the kitchen window. That’s when I noticed the card had fallen between the roses and near the water in the vessel. As I reached down between the flowers, a sharp sting made me yank my hand away. “What the fuck?” The prick on my finger had already produced a single drop of blood. I peered into the flowers, pulling them apart with more caution. From what I could tell, at least four flowers had sharp thorns covering their stems. Why would any florist leave thorns?
Growling, I grabbed a pair of tongs, finally able to yank out the card, the edge already damp. As I peered at the cardboard, the words written in red, blood red, I was shocked at the beautiful penmanship as well as the words themselves.
Danger is always lurking...
While I had a feeling that Michael enjoyed a good game, the saying was strange, although it certainly fit the conversation we’d had. Still, he didn’t plan on some florist being an idiot. I gave the roses another whiff before placing the card on the counter and backing out of the kitchen. I refused to allow a little blood to spoil my good mood.
Maybe I’d even put the top down on the Miata. What the heck? It was a glorious fall day. Laughing, I did just that, turning on the heater and enjoying the drive. As I passed by the jazz club, another smile crossed my face and I squirmed in the seat, feeling the effects of the spanking all over again.
The sensations were... delicious.
When I pulled into the hospital parking lot, I thought about texting Michael. Unfortunately, I was already late. It was going to have to wait. I rushed inside, moving quickly toward the locker room, still thinking about the roses.
“Hey, Carly. How are you today?” I asked the one of the nurses as I opened my locker.
“Careful, Doctor. Drake the Snake is looking for you,” she huffed before closing her locker door.
“Gee, I wonder why?”
“He’s been on everybody’s case lately. You have to remember, it’s budget time. As in making cuts?” Carly asked, half laughing. “You weren’t here last year, but three amazing doctors were let go. And all because their salaries were high. But if you ask me, it’s because he wanted a huge bonus to keep up with his lifestyle, if you know what I mean.”
“I know nothing about him,” I countered.
She shook her head. “He’s a bigwig and acts like it.”
Yeah, I knew the type all too well. Thoughts of Michael suddenly swept into me, leaving my mouth dry and my pussy wet. God, I still hungered to the point of being mad with desire. That just didn’t make any sense to me. “I’ve done nothing to that man.”
“Look, you stand up to him and he hates that. He’s very narcissistic. Plus, I think the constant questions regarding his performance riled him. I noticed a few of the board members sniffing around, which usually means trouble.”
“Let me guess, I was hired to be kept under someone’s thumb. The bastard could also get me cheap, but I haven’t said anything to anyone about my thoughts on his incompetence,” I said under my breath.
“Well, someone has. At least that’s the rumor going around. Just stay on his good side and it will all fade away in a month or so.”
We both heard a noise and she tensed.
I shot her a look, realizing that Drake stood in the doorway. Great. My day was quickly getting ready to turn to shit.
“Dr. Russo. I’d like to see you for a few minutes.” His eyes were colder than normal as he stood with his arms folded, the command biting.
Carly made a face that only I could see.
The sound of Drake’s voice did little to dampen my good mood. “Can it wait, Dr. Samuels? I have a shift ahead of me, rounds to make.”
“No, I’m afraid that it can’t. Meet me in my office in ten minutes.” When he walked out, Carly let out an exaggerated sigh.
“I told you,” she said quietly as she looked over her shoulder. “Just take my advice. Be nice.”
“That’s tough for me when he’s been nothing but a shit to me.”
“You didn’t hear this from me, but word on the streets is that the board of directors is unhappy with his performance.”
“Geez, I wonder if that’s because of his sparkling personality.” I glared at the door, wondering whether he was standing on the other side, somehow