SCANDALOUSLY YOURS
ALESSIA
Although the sun had recently set, there was still a Caribbean breeze coming off the nearby ocean. I was in the Bahamas at a tropical paradise, the exotic setting making me forget all about the fact that I was only there for work. Having recently finished my last residency, I’d accomplished the one dream I had ever had, so I decided to treat this professional retreat like a vacation as well. With the long hours I would soon be working at New York Presbyterian, I might not get the chance to visit a place as beautiful as this for some time.
The days were filled with various medical conferences, so many that it honestly had my head spinning. I’d learned a little about so many things but not a lot about anything in particular. With the panels shut down for the night, I had time to walk along the shoreline and prepare myself for tomorrow’s grueling schedule. As soon as my feet hit the sand, I decided to worry about them when the time arrived. For now, I wanted to be one with nature.
I bent down and removed my flip flops, and let my toes sink into the warm, white sand beneath my feet. I was wearing a pair of bright yellow, boardwalk pants and a striped T-shirt I’d knotted at the bottom off to the side. My long, dark hair was pinned up in a ponytail, but it didn’t stop a few errant strands from coming loose and those soft tendrils being moved gently by the breeze.
The island was a private one outside of the massive resort situated at the north end of it. The property was owned by Courtland Hospitality Group, which was a brand that epitomized luxury. I had looked up the hotel before I booked the trip because I’d wanted to know what amenities it had. I’d come away impressed, not because it had a lot of activities, but because it highlighted the true beauty of the island. As gorgeous and vibrant as it was during the day, it was almost ethereal at night. I’d only been here for two of them, but both were spent a lot like tonight. I walked along the shoreline, my hand with the flip flops swinging lightly in the breeze.
“You shouldn’t be out here alone this time of night,” a voice said, breaking into my thoughts.
I spun around to see where it came from and who it belonged to. My breath hitched in my throat when a sliver of moonlight fell between us and illuminated the space. The man was physically imposing, his height alone causing him to tower somewhat over me. He was also shirtless and no matter how hard I tried to look elsewhere; I was foolishly gawking at him. I didn’t get out very often, so it wasn’t everyday that I ran into someone so attractive.
As my eyes remained glued to his hard chest, I did notice what looked like dark stars which began under his arm before trailing lower. My eyes followed them, each one getting larger until I was now staring at the waistband of his swim trunks. I briefly wondered whether they continued lower, and that was when I shook my head to clear those impure thoughts.
“What makes you think I’m alone?” I asked, then inwardly winced when he responded.
“I don’t see anyone else out here. Are you waiting on someone?”
His voice was deep, the husky baritone making me somewhat shiver. “No, but I could’ve been.”
“True,” he responded as his gaze slid slowly down my body, heating my skin. “But since you’re not waiting for someone, I go back to what I first said.”
My eyes flickered up to his and I could see amusement on his face. Damn, this man was hot. He was for sure a better sight than many men I had met on the island. The resort had been rented out specifically for this convention which meant he had to be involved with medicine in some way. Finally, I exhaled, then smiled brightly.
“Duly noted. I just wanted some air.” I was about to leave, but then a thought struck me. I looked up at him. “Would you like to walk along the shore with me?”
He took only a few seconds to answer. “How could I turn down an offer like that?”
His smile made me somewhat weary, but I didn’t feel any sort of fear with him. I was honestly glad to just have someone to talk to, even if it was fleeting. “Great. I think I want to head north. There’s a small stretch of beach fully encased by palms.” It then struck me that he might think I had ulterior motives with that location, so I quickly added, “I noticed it earlier, and there are a few logs that might make a good bench.”
“Ahh,” he replied. “I know exactly which place you’re talking about, but it’s this way,” he told me as he pointed behind me. “It’s a good thing I came along when I did before you got yourself lost.”
His tone had changed, but I couldn’t really describe it. It wasn’t a bad sort of thing, but I got the impression that when this man spoke, others listened. I would likely be no exception, but wanting to just enjoy some companionship, I didn’t read too much into his tone and focused on the words instead. Since I did have occasional problems with misdirection, I turned around. We began to walk, and he kept his pace light with me, even once or twice overstepping mine with his long strides. The moonlight seemed to follow us. I hadn’t had a date in months, and while this was just a walk with a stranger, it was more company than I’d had in some time.
Dating for me was hard because I’d been extremely busy with medical school, then residencies, and most relationships tended to fizzle out quickly once I mentioned my past. I obviously couldn’t tell anyone who I’d been a surrogate for, only that I had been one, and it seemed to turn many men off. It’d never really bothered me much until I had gotten here. This island was paradise, and the type of place where romantic lovers flew off to for weekend getaways and vacations. Me, I could only come to a place like this for work because I had no significant other, and if the past was any indication, I doubted that would change anytime soon.
I looked over at the man and realized that there was an awkward sort of silence between us. “My name’s Alessia. What’s yours?” I asked as I tried to break the ice.
“Kris,” he responded. “Are you a nurse?”
“A nurse?” I repeated, then shook my head. “No, I actually just finished my residency and will be practicing at New York Presbyterian.”
“Really,” he replied. “I’ve recently started practicing there myself.”
“What a coincidence.” It seemed almost too good to be true, not that seeing someone this unnerving everyday would be so great. It also wouldn’t be so bad. “Maybe we’ll run into each other there some time.”
He grabbed my swinging hand, then placed it in his so naturally. “I’d like that.”
I genuinely smiled as we continued to walk. I wished I had more things to talk to him about, but medicine had been my focus since high school. Thinking about the place where I’d soon begin my career, I decided to bring up the hospital for no other reason than to have a conversation topic. Since I hadn’t technically started there yet, I decided to mention the only thing I had been warned about. “Me too, however, I heard the Chief of Staff is a real dick.”
“Hmmm?” he responded, seeming genuinely surprised.
“I mean, I haven’t met him or anything, but it’s just what I’ve heard.” I then took my free hand and used it to tuck the loose tendrils back behind my ear. “Have you met him?”
“Met him,” Kris said, then chuckled. He stopped suddenly and I hadn’t anticipated it, so I ran right into him. Large hands reached out to steady me which kept me from falling to the sandy earth below. “You wouldn’t be talking about Chief Kristopher Simon, would you?”