Mind Games Read Online Free Page A
Author: M.J. Labeff
out.”
* * *
“Hardly,” he said, hoping she wouldn’t ask him about his sister. As it was, it’d been a difficult day with Dana’s funeral. He wasn’t ready to get into a discussion about Kat.
“How many hours have you worked today?”
He glanced down at his watch with a fancy name he could barely pronounce. The one expensive luxury he had allowed himself. Dealing with the rich and not so famous had its perks. The downside was that he had to invest in some ridiculous timepiece after being embarrassed when a male patient commented on his…“knockoff” was the word he had used. The only satisfaction he had in dealing with such a pompous ass was using the money he made to help those who needed it the most.
“I’m not sure. I’m a doctor—after pulling twenty-four-hour rounds during residency, you’re taught not to keep track. We’re not like normal people who punch a time clock from nine to five.”
“Let’s try this: what time was your first patient today?”
“I was out in Hollywood around five this morning.”
Sparrow looked at the ticking clock on the kitchen wall, counting off hours on her fingers. The tick, tick, tick echoing from the second hand reminded him he’d work an even longer shift tomorrow. Since the food on her plate was gone, and she hadn’t taken seconds, he pushed his chair back from the table and started to clear it, folding cartons of chicken, rice, and vegetables and putting them into her refrigerator.
She rushed over to him, taking the carton of food in the crook of his arm. She shoved it into the fridge. “You’re not leaving, are you?”
He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into his side. “Babe, I’m officially off rounds tonight.”
She tilted her head back and smiled at him. “Sweet. Let’s watch a movie.”
“What’s playing?” He kissed her forehead. From the look in her green eyes, he could tell she didn’t want to be alone, and neither did he. They’d both had a traumatic day.
He was ready to get cozy with Sparrow on her couch. Even in gray sweats and an oversized sweatshirt, she looked as tempting as a centerfold. He liked the way her ponytail swung back and forth when she moved.
“I just picked up this DVD with Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson.”
“Eye candy for two.” He flexed his eyebrows up and down.
She smiled at him and, with inviting eyes, grabbed his hand and led him into the living room.
Chapter 3
Loud growling woke her with a start. She opened her eyes, waiting for her sight to adjust to the black room. A guttural, low moan startled her. She gasped. A heavy arm had swung around her body, pinning her to the couch. Her heart pounded. Slowly regaining her mental faculties, she remembered inviting Derrick to watch a movie and…
That was his arm around her body and his body making those loud sounds. They’d fallen asleep during the movie. She must’ve turned off the DVD player and TV in her sleep. She’d managed to put herself in an awkward predicament with Derrick. He would not be happy when he woke up and learned he’d missed his nightly rounds in the Mobile Health Clinic RV. He did say he was officially off rounds, though. She wasn’t about to rouse him from his deep slumber.
She’d risk it and let him sleep. She slipped out from underneath his arm. The night had chilled the room. She ran her hands up and down her arms and then grabbed the blanket draped over the corner of the sofa and placed it over him. Derrick moaned. He stretched out his legs down the length of the sofa. His six-foot frame sprawled out. He tossed one arm above his head and pulled the pink blanket around his neck with the other.
She crept into her studio, throwing a sheet over her latest project. For whatever reason, she was wide awake. She would have preferred to watch TV rather than read a book, but she didn’t want to take a chance and wake Derrick. Turning on her
* * *
“Hardly,” he said, hoping she wouldn’t ask him about his sister. As it was, it’d been a difficult day with Dana’s funeral. He wasn’t ready to get into a discussion about Kat.
“How many hours have you worked today?”
He glanced down at his watch with a fancy name he could barely pronounce. The one expensive luxury he had allowed himself. Dealing with the rich and not so famous had its perks. The downside was that he had to invest in some ridiculous timepiece after being embarrassed when a male patient commented on his…“knockoff” was the word he had used. The only satisfaction he had in dealing with such a pompous ass was using the money he made to help those who needed it the most.
“I’m not sure. I’m a doctor—after pulling twenty-four-hour rounds during residency, you’re taught not to keep track. We’re not like normal people who punch a time clock from nine to five.”
“Let’s try this: what time was your first patient today?”
“I was out in Hollywood around five this morning.”
Sparrow looked at the ticking clock on the kitchen wall, counting off hours on her fingers. The tick, tick, tick echoing from the second hand reminded him he’d work an even longer shift tomorrow. Since the food on her plate was gone, and she hadn’t taken seconds, he pushed his chair back from the table and started to clear it, folding cartons of chicken, rice, and vegetables and putting them into her refrigerator.
She rushed over to him, taking the carton of food in the crook of his arm. She shoved it into the fridge. “You’re not leaving, are you?”
He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into his side. “Babe, I’m officially off rounds tonight.”
She tilted her head back and smiled at him. “Sweet. Let’s watch a movie.”
“What’s playing?” He kissed her forehead. From the look in her green eyes, he could tell she didn’t want to be alone, and neither did he. They’d both had a traumatic day.
He was ready to get cozy with Sparrow on her couch. Even in gray sweats and an oversized sweatshirt, she looked as tempting as a centerfold. He liked the way her ponytail swung back and forth when she moved.
“I just picked up this DVD with Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson.”
“Eye candy for two.” He flexed his eyebrows up and down.
She smiled at him and, with inviting eyes, grabbed his hand and led him into the living room.
Chapter 3
Loud growling woke her with a start. She opened her eyes, waiting for her sight to adjust to the black room. A guttural, low moan startled her. She gasped. A heavy arm had swung around her body, pinning her to the couch. Her heart pounded. Slowly regaining her mental faculties, she remembered inviting Derrick to watch a movie and…
That was his arm around her body and his body making those loud sounds. They’d fallen asleep during the movie. She must’ve turned off the DVD player and TV in her sleep. She’d managed to put herself in an awkward predicament with Derrick. He would not be happy when he woke up and learned he’d missed his nightly rounds in the Mobile Health Clinic RV. He did say he was officially off rounds, though. She wasn’t about to rouse him from his deep slumber.
She’d risk it and let him sleep. She slipped out from underneath his arm. The night had chilled the room. She ran her hands up and down her arms and then grabbed the blanket draped over the corner of the sofa and placed it over him. Derrick moaned. He stretched out his legs down the length of the sofa. His six-foot frame sprawled out. He tossed one arm above his head and pulled the pink blanket around his neck with the other.
She crept into her studio, throwing a sheet over her latest project. For whatever reason, she was wide awake. She would have preferred to watch TV rather than read a book, but she didn’t want to take a chance and wake Derrick. Turning on her
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