𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐎𝐍 (18+)

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄 - 𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐈 𝐒𝐄𝐄 𝐌𝐄.

Michael.
ER Lounge Room.
15:23

"Wait, wait, wait, you kissed her?!"

I shrug as Dante repeats what I told him. My fingers pressed against the bridge of my nose in disbelief as I sigh disappointedly, "I don't know what I was thinking okay? We had this miracle of saving a mother from PE and her oxygen-derived baby. I never felt this way about a save, and she was there and I was there and where we worked together...God, Dante, I can't even explain it. Maybe with everything with Lisa and coming back here...I just had to tell you. I feel bad considering how you felt about her."

Dante takes a sip of his coffee before smuggling a mischievous smile at my guilty conscience, "Cleo and I went out. Once. It's not like that between us and besides, we're friends if you're wondering. I like the dynamic of our friendship. It's refreshing. The only thing I should feel upset about is how I underestimated you and your balls to finally kiss her. How did she react?"

"She seemed a bit flustered...I mean she did kiss me back, but I'm afraid I scared her off," I looked away embarrassingly.

"Do you like her?"

"Ugh, of course, I like her. It's just...I never looked at her the way I did. It was different. I was different. I don't know if I like her like...you know, I'm an intimate setting."

"Do you want to kiss her again?"

I turn my head to him as he looks at me sympathetically, "Of course, I do. It felt so new and liberating. It was different from the way I kissed Lisa. I feel horrible because ugh, I haven't even talked to Lisa, and I'm kissing another woman. Ironically, the same woman she was afraid of taking me from the beginning."

Dante chuckles lightly as his pager went off, "Welp, I got to patients to save. Man, you got to live your life and focus on being happy. Fuck it all. Peace, brotha." I chuckle as he nudges me slightly before leaving the lounge.

Momentarily, the door opened as Cleo walks in. My head turns to her as she stopped in her tracks like a deer in highlights. It's been hours since we kissed and even now, her presence also brought heavy sexual tension to the room.

I turned my head to the coffee maker before asking awkwardly, "Want me to fix you a cup?" She walks over to me before nodding, "Mhm, uh, two sugars and a cream." I answer dryly, containing my newfound desire, "Of course. How was that patient you needed to see?"

She walks over to the couch and sits down, "Eh, they're going to be okay. Just been a long ride of surgeries with that one. Possibly heart stint. A case of arteriosclerosis. I see you're still here, did you finish those things you needed to do?" I rip the sugar packs with my teeth before pouring them into the dark cocoa liquid.

"Uh, yeah. Just boring stuff. Meetings."

I put the lid on the cup of coffee before walking over and sitting beside her. She looks at me before smiling gleefully as she takes the cup of coffee from me, "Thank you. Michael about earlier..."

I interject, "I was out of line. I'm sorry. I don't want our professional relationship to be ruined." Her face was solemn before answering, "I...I wasn't going to stay that. I was going to say, I don't want to do anything we will regret. I care about you, a lot. But, I know you're sorting your feelings out right now. It wouldn't be fair to you or me if you're not one-hundred percent sure about what you want. I don't just want to be an idea of a new woman or a new way of freedom to you, but I want you to look me in the eye and know that you want to be with me." I look at her quietly as she sets the cup of coffee on the small coffee table adjacent to the couch.