LITMIR.BIZ

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Chloe’s mind as Brad guided her to the first row of seats in the observation room. Angel’s was a teaching hospital so it stood to reason that there would be a room like this one, but she was surprised by how big it was, the transparent glass in front of them stretching from side to side like a giant screen.

      No one else was in there but them at the moment, and Chloe found herself torn between wishing others would join them and hoping they wouldn’t.

      “Can they hear us?”

      “Only if I turn on the system. It would be distracting to the surgeon if he could hear everything that went on in this room.”

      The words bought things to mind that made a wave of heat wash up Chloe’s neck and collect behind her cheeks. Surely he’d never—

      “The glass is two-way, though. We can see out and they can see in.”

      Was he setting her mind at ease or giving her a subtle warning not to get any ideas about practicing her flirting?

      No fear of that. Her soul still showed the scorch marks from the last episode. Brad was way out of her league. While he could brush off that kiss and never think about it again, she was having some serious problems putting that chapter behind her.

      What had she been thinking to suggest it in the first place? All Brad had to do was look at her sideways, and her heart started thumping like a jackrabbit’s back leg when danger was near.

      Like it was doing this very moment.

      Cade entered the surgical area, where the patient and anesthesiologist were already waiting. He glanced up and nodded towards them. Chloe felt a strange kind of detachment looking down at the scene, almost as if she were having an out-of-body experience and was actually standing on the surgical floor.

      But she wasn’t. She was here with Brad.

      If only she could detach from him as easily.

      “Does the patient know other people could be watching this?”

      He nodded. “It’s disclosed in the admissions paperwork.”

      “I can’t help feeling like a peeping Tom sitting here, though.”

      Brad leaned closer and their shoulders bumped. “It’s the best way for surgical residents to hear and see exactly what goes on during surgery. They can observe how the team works together, learn new techniques or how to manage any complications should they arise.”

      It made sense, and it wasn’t like the patient saw a crowd of people staring down at her. It just seemed intrusive somehow.

      But so much less so now as Brad’s shoulder was still touching hers. A steady stream of warmth seemed to be flowing from that connection, traveling down the length of her arm, settling in her belly.

      Cade’s voice came through the speakers, causing her to jump. “Are we ready?” He glanced at each person in turn and received an affirmation.

      Soon caught up in what was happening, Chloe kept her eyes glued to the monitor to her left as it provided a better view than actually looking down at the floor. “Ablation of the shared blood vessels is done laproscopically?”

      “It’s safer that way. No reason to make a large incision in the uterus in this case.”

      It was almost like watching a movie with a running commentary. She just hoped there were no twists involved in this particular storyline, and that things ran smoothly.

      Cade introduced the fetoscope into the opening, feeding it through the hollow tube until he reached the blood vessels in question. She could now see the rich red vessels that were starving one twin and oversupplying the other. “Getting ready to close the vessels.”

      A couple of quick bursts later, Cade proclaimed the ablation a success. The only thing left to do was drain some of the excess amniotic fluid from the recipient twin’s sac. Then they’d close the small incisions. Chloe only realized she’d grabbed Brad’s hand and squeezed hard when she felt his other one cover their joined fingers.

      “Sorry.” Her words came out on a half-laugh. “I guess I got caught up in what was happening.”

      She let go, and Brad gave his hand a shake or two. “It’s okay. I don’t use it much anyway.”

      “Surely you’ve had worse things done to you?”

      “Surely.” He was still smiling, but his tone wasn’t quite as light as it had been a minute ago.

      She glanced back down at the room below to avoid looking at him. “Will both twins survive?”

      “That’s the hope. We should know within the next couple of days.”

      Minutes later, Cade exited the room, snapping off his gloves as he pushed through the door. “The hospital’s lucky to have him on staff.”

      Brad’s mouth tightened. “That’s what they tell me.”

      “Don’t you like him?”

      “He’s good at his job. I don’t have to like him.” He glanced at her. “And what about you? Do you like him?”

      Chloe shrugged. “I don’t really know him. The other nurses seem to think he’s attractive, though.”

      There was a pause then Brad stared through the viewing window at the people still working around the patient, cleaning up the site and getting ready to transport her to a recovery room. “I’ll bet they do.”

      She couldn’t tell if the words were sarcastic or if he was merely agreeing with her. “I think you two are a lot alike.”

      That got his attention. “You think so?”

      “I do.”

      His eyes searched hers. “And what about your ex? Am I a lot like him as well?”

      A few seconds went by before she answered him.

      “No. You’re nothing like him.”

      His fingers came out and stroked her jaw and he decided her skin felt just as soft and silky as it had the day of the picnic. “Don’t be too sure of that.”

      He saw her swallow then her gaze went back to the floor. “Believe me, you’re not. He cheated on me. More than once.”

      He cheated on me. Brad’s eyes closed as myriad emotions churned to life in his gut—outrage, anger, along with a sudden realization. “You found him with someone else the night you showed up at my apartment.”

      “Yes.” The tip of her tongue moistened her lips, and she opened her mouth like she wanted to say something else but clamped it shut again.

      However bad he might be, Brad thought, he’d never cheated on anyone he was with. He kept his relationships clean and simple. Only one woman at a time. One short-lived fling after another. “What else did he do?”

      Chloe’s eyes skipped away again. “Besides cheat? Isn’t that enough?”

      “More than enough.” He studied her face, trying to see past the pink cheeks and averted eyes. “But there’s something else. Something to do with this whole flirting business. Did he say you were unattractive?”

      Her teeth came down on her lower lip. “No.”

      He waited, sensing there was something inside her fighting to come out.

      “He said I was...frigid.”

      Brad wasn’t sure what he’d expected her to say but that hadn’t been it. He kept his voice very even, trying to push past the growing fury in his chest. “Excuse me?”

      “W-well, he didn’t say it. The woman he was with did. Said he was right about me...that I even looked frigid.” She took a gulping breath and for a second he was afraid she might burst into tears. “I wanted to talk to someone about it, but it’s just so...so...” her eyes went back to the floor “...humiliating.”

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