Page 11 of Crash
She fought the urge to fidget. She had on just the T-shirt. Belatedly, she wished she’d at least put on a bra or panties. Hell, even a bathrobe would have her less exposed than she was at that moment.
Griffin cleared his throat, and she glanced up from beneath her lashes. He no longer looked as angry, but the frown was still present on his handsome face.
“I didn’t have your number. Otherwise, I would have texted instead of waking you up.”
She offered him a small smile at the concession.
“I really appreciate it. Thank you.”
At her words, his eyes softened. His green eyes were especially striking in the early morning light. She tried to ignore the way his tightly fitted Henley clung to his muscled chest. His hair still looked damp from his shower this morning, and he’d trimmed his beard. She should not have noticed how his dark jeans and boots made him look absolutely delicious, like a wet dream standing on her doorstep.
It would be so easy to jump into his arms and demand he take her to bed. Right now. It wouldn’t take much since she wasn’t wearing any panties. All he needed to do was take his cock out of his tight jeans and…
Quynh jumped when Griffin coughed. Fuck, she must be tired if she was imagining climbing the grumpy man like a tree and mounting him like a cat in heat.
Her libido was out of control.
She stepped back involuntarily as if the small distancewould keep her from acting on her impulsive thoughts. She watched as Griffin raised an arm and ran his hand through his hair, muscles flexing with the movement.
“If you need me, I’ll be downstairs.”
He left without waiting for her response.
She realized belatedly he probably caught her checking him out. Shutting the door a little more forcefully than necessary, Quynh stood with her forehead pressed to the hard surface. Groaning, she smacked her head against the wooden door a few times and prayed it would knock some sense into her.
She needed coffee.
And pants would probably help.
The sun was fully out by the time Quynh found suitable pants to venture out of her temporary lodging in search of life’s essence: coffee. She’d done a quick search on her phone and found a small cafe just a few minutes away on foot. Quynh found the nerve to text Ruth to see if she’d be up to meet her there for the day.
The coffee shop was located right on Main Street. Quynh smiled at the catchy name, Sip Happens. Thetantalizing aromas of freshly brewed coffee beckoned her to enter. Bells chimed as she walked into the small but homey space. The shop boasted modern decor with Art Déco vibes throughout. The colors were a muted blend of neutral and earthy tones. And there, shining like a beacon, were the multiple, no doubt expensive, coffee brewing contraptions which kept her sustained throughout most of her adult life.
Quynh before coffee and Quynh after coffee were two very different people. Many people have not had the misfortune of meeting the former. Usually, by the time she’d stepped foot out of her apartment, she’d consumed at least two cups of coffee and was well on to her third. It’s what kept her awake and alert as she powered through her workday.
But today, she did not have work to worry about. No, something far worse awaited her. A potential meeting with her estranged stepsister, whom she’d only ever met a couple of times before. Unfortunately, none of those instances were on good terms.
Quynh didn’t blame Ruth for disliking her. Hell, she’d probably hate herself, too, if she were in Ruth’s shoes. The scandal rocked the neighborhood when the truth came out was enough to send her to therapy for several years. Thankfully, she learned some healthy coping mechanisms. Well, healthy according to her own scale.
Sure, she was probably a workaholic who buriedherself in work and caring for others instead of caring for herself. Quynh did not kid herself into thinking she was unique. Many healthcare workers often experience compassion fatigue when they spend their whole lives and careers caring for other people. It left little time or energy to ensure self-care.
She would never change a single thing about the past few years. She had plenty of regrets, though. Devoting her entire life to her career and caring for her ailing mother in her final years of life meant little time for dating. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had sex. It wouldn’t surprise her if there were actual cobwebs sealing her shut with its years of neglect.
But, first, coffee.
She’d realized she’d been standing in the coffee shop’s doorway, staring longingly at the menu for an inappropriately long time, judging by the uncomfortable look on the young barista’s face. Shaking herself out of her reverie, Quynh approached the counter with a bright smile she hoped didn’t make her look deranged at this hour and before coffee.
“What can I get you?” Jodie said, her name tag displaying her name.
“Can I please have a large quadruple shot caramel latte with extra pumps of caramel, please?” She almost sighed at the thought of the rejuvenating nectar as it was about to enter her bloodstream. She really should see ifthey made caffeine in intravenous form and just have the damn thing injected straight into her body instead of having to drink a large coffee multiple times a day.
“Sure thing.” Quynh paid for her coffee and left a generous tip. “Have a seat, and I’ll bring it to you.”
Quynh ambled off and found a seat just outside of the sun’s reach by the window. She loved to people-watch but didn’t care to be in direct sunlight. At her age, the sun’s damage to her skin would be irreversible. Besides, she rarely even needed to try for her brown skin to tan. Her body loved the sun, and she loved sunscreen. It was a win-win.
When Jodie came over with her coffee, Quynh wrapped her cold hands around the hot cup and relaxed. This was her favorite part of the day. The quiet moments between getting her day started were precious to her. All too soon, she’d have to hit the road running. Most days, she barely had time to eat, choosing to work through her lunches so she could fit in more patients, but also because the administrative tasks never seemed to end. There never seems to be a stop to the amount of notes to sign, prescriptions to refill, phone calls to return, results to review, etc.
If she hadn’t loved what she did day in and day out, Quynh probably would have found a different job a long time ago. But helping people who live in chronic pain gave her a sense of satisfaction no other specialty would,even if it was emotionally and mentally draining. It was worth it.
