Her lips are just an air’s breath away – maddeningly distracting. I lean back, so her arms are trapped between my back and the headrest.
“Sit up, sir,” she says with a breathy sigh that one would use on an impudent ten year old. “I need to get the bandages around you.”
She still seems oblivious to my gimmick and thinks I’m just generally being restless. I duck my head so that I can look into her eyes. “Why do you keep referring to me as sir? Call me by my name. You obviously know it.”
She raises her eyes to mine, and I pin her gaze. Neither of us can look away. Neither of us can deny the sizzling attraction brewing between us. As if compelled by some unknown force, I begin to lower my head to hers. I only have a distinct idea of my actions but don’t fully conceptualize their consequences.
I just know that I want this moment to remain frozen in time. I want to zoom in on those lustrous green eyes and confirm the budding desire in them. I want to know and confirm that Abby wants me too, albeit reluctantly.
Suddenly, there’s a curt knock and the door swings open. Abby jumps away from me as Mandy enters the room. I feel a trickle of irritation run up my spine as Mandy sashays into the room, oblivious to her disruption.
“Hey, Boss,” Mandy says in a high-pitched voice that’s got me wincing. She walks toward the bed without sparing a glance at Abby. She leans forward to place a kiss on my cheek and sits on the chair by my bed, crossing her legs to make her skirt ride up effortlessly.
“I guess I should take my leave,” Abby murmurs almost to herself. She turns around and walks out of the room, giving me a good view of her backside. I was right about the generosity of her ass.
How is everything about Abby Smith so perfect?
“How do you like your nurse?”
My irritation only grows with every second that Mandy remains in the room. But I guess that the feeling can be attributed to the medications that have been pumped into my system over the past few days.
Mandy has been my secretary and trusted ally for years. She’s weathered a lot of storms with me and is an integral part of the smooth running of my businesses. At times, Mandy can be overly audacious and irritatingly snobby, but I’ve learned to ignore her shortcomings.
She’s good at what she does, and I honestly wouldn’t trade her for anyone else.
The fact that her presence annoys me right now goes a long way to show how affected I am by my current predicament.
“She’s fine,” I say in response to her question, careful not to reveal anything of my feelings for Abby. “She knows her job.”
I know what Mandy is capable of. If she has the faintest idea of my attraction to my nurse, she will waste no time in having her replaced. And I won’t be able to stop that in my current position, so it’s best to play it cool.
“I’m glad you approve,” Mandy says with an ironic snort. “It’s a good thing she knows her stuff, even if she’s not pleasing to the eye. I mean... How did she get so fat? Eww.”
I feel a rush of anger at Mandy’s words, but I manage to calm down the feeling. “Why did you hire her when you obviously don’t like her?” I ask through gritted teeth.
“It’s in your best interest,” Mandy says with a dismissive wave of her manicured hand. “I mean, I know all about your...virility. I don’t want you to relapse just because your nurse is so pretty you can’t think straight. But with an ugly nurse like Smith on duty, you can’t have your mind roaming to other things now, can you? She’s not your type.”
I almost snort at the irony of the whole situation. If only Mandy knew how wrong she was. If Mandy or anyone else thinks Abby is ugly, surely they need to undergo eye surgery or something. No woman has ever turned me on as much as Abby Smith just did within moments of meeting her. It’s surprising that anyone would think she’s ugly or refer to those gorgeous curves as fat.
“Let’s leave the talk about the nurse,” I say dismissively. “What’s the report on the outside?”
Mandy’s expression turns serious. She sits up in her chair, a sign that doesn’t bode well. I brace myself for the mental hit, leaning entirely against the headboard.
“It’s not good, Boss,” Mandy says, shaking her head. “Since the hit, operations have ceased, and most of our men have gone under. You know how the streets are loyal only to a steady stream of cash. Don Pablo has almost completed his takeover of downtown. He had men planted in our operation all this while. Anyway, with news of you being dead, the streets belong to Pablo now. And unlike you, he isn’t playing nice. I told you...I told you, Boss. I knew it would be trouble being nice and taking on all those charity cases. What kind of mafia boss plays nice? You carrying on with talks about leaving the streets and leading a better life. I knew the boys wouldn’t be motivated by such talk. There isn’t a better life for them except the streets. Look how easily Don Pablo took us down? It’s because we’ve got heavy leaks. Anyway, I’ve set plans in motion for your return. This time, we’re going to do it the street way. We’re going to....”