Page 9 of Playing Doctor

“Beth Roberts.” Her own introduction was short and terse, her eyes intent on Albert’s face as she pulled her fingers from his neck. “No pulse, agonal respirations,” she deduced, confirming his own observation of Albert’s breathing pattern. She was all business. Professional.

Nodding, Gabe laced his fingers hand-over-hand, placed the heel of his right hand on Albert’s sternum and began compressions. “Come on, Albert. Come on back, so I can beat the shit out of you,” he muttered under his breath.

That got her attention. Gabe counted off the compressions, noting Beth’s brief, wide-eyed glance before she ducked her head, resumed assembling the pocket mask and then fitted it over Albert’s face.

Ian slid in beside Gabe. With a quick glance at his uncle, he dropped the medical bag on the ground, unzipped it and rolled it out. Grateful for the SEAL’s calm, especially as it was a member of his family lying there, Gabe released the last compression as Ian applied the electro pads to Albert’s chest and a mechanical voice advised, “Analyzing rhythm, do not touch the patient.”

Everyone moved back as two hundred joules of electricity screamed through the tiny wires to jump-start Albert’s heart.

Chapter Three

“Oh, my gosh, you were so calm,”

“That man was dying and you brought him back.”

“It was like watching a scene from Grey’s Anatomy!”

“And we had our very own Dr. McDreamy…”

Beth graciously acknowledged the comments from the wide-eyed wedding guests and excused herself when she spotted Dr. North speaking with the Montgomery family. Albert had stabilized after one shock from the defibrillator and while being loaded into the ambulance, refused to allow his brother to accompany him to the hospital, demanding he remain at the wedding with his son.

After accepting a handshake—which evolved into an emotional hug from the father of the groom, Dr. North walked onto the dance floor where he stepped up to the microphone and called for everyone’s attention.

“I just spoke with the ER physician taking care of Albert and he’s in stable condition and doing fine. The EKG was negative for a heart attack”—he paused for the applause and comments of relief to subside before going on—“and they’re waiting to get the results of his blood tests. He’ll be in the hospital a few days for more extensive testing and asks that everyone continue with the wedding celebration and to drink one for him!”

Reassured of Albert’s wellbeing, the crowd began to disperse and the excitement of the medical emergency began to fade. The band was once again in full swing, drawing guests back to the dance floor. Caterers and wait staff circulated through the crowd with food and drinks, and the attention returned to the bride and groom. Summoned by the bride, Drew was taking some last-minute, impromptu shots.

Taking advantage of the quiet moment and the opportunity to get off her feet, Beth chose a table under one of the huge white reception tents and took a seat, then immediately wished she had stopped at the bar for a bottle of water. She pulled the band from her ponytail and gave her hair a quick finger-comb as she glanced around, hoping to catch one of the wait staff. Instead, she saw Dr. North, his long legs quickly eating up the distance between them with a sexy, loose-hipped stride that made her mouth water and start up a whole different kind of thirst.

He had a drink in each hand and an expression of pure male determination on a face that was melt-your-thong handsome, and yes, a faint cleft bisected his chin, as if his maker had reached out and gently tapped him with a let him be a hottie finger.

He stopped at her table and grinned, the same sex-you-up grin he’d given her earlier that shifted her hormones into high gear all over again.

Beth bit back a groan. Ground, just open up and swallow me whole. What in the world had she been thinking, doing that eye flirty-thingy with him? It was just a game, payback for the sizzling once-over he’d given her earlier. He wasn’t supposed to follow up on it for crying out loud, and he definitely had a follow-up-on-it look in his eye. There had been no time for embarrassment while working on Albert, but now here he stood, larger than life and twice as sexy.

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