Bedside Manner

Chapter 4 – Carlisle

Jesus Christ.

I plop down in a chair at the nurses' station and log into a computer to transcribe my notes.

Get yourself under control, Cullen.

God, she smelled good. Those breasts … that body ... that ass.

Stop it. You're her physician, and this is all kinds of inappropriate.

I growl, tugging on my hair.

"Um ... excuse me?"

I look up, and there she is: wide-eyed and innocent looking. With that cute little landing strip and the glimpse I caught of a vine on her hip when I walked in on her, I doubt Bella Swan is all that innocent.

"Doctor Cullen? Are you okay?"

She licks her lips. I lick mine, too.

McCarty's booming laughter echoes down the hall and snaps me back to consciousness.

"Yes, Miss Swan. I'm excellent. Was there something you needed?"

Her throat bobs and I notice her wringing the hem of her shirt, but she takes a deep breath before speaking. "Will you point me toward the lab?" Her voice carries no conviction, yet the set of her jaw and eyes shows me she's determined. Good girl. I can't help the smile that breaks across my face, which she returns.

My God, she is breathtaking.

Clearing my throat, I point to the sign above my head which says the lab is on the other side of the wall.

She laughs, and I want to hear that sound again.

"You'd never know I made a career out of reading, huh?" she says through a nervous chuckle. "God, this is embarrassing." I barely catch that last bit.

I stand and make my way around the desk. "I've only been here a couple of months, I get lost all the time." I give her a wink, and that creamy skin pinkens. "Here," I push off the counter and offer her my elbow. "May I escort you? McCarty goes down best with a chaser."

She blesses me with another laugh, and my chest swells a little bit. Her hand hooks into the crook of my arm, and she squeezes. "So, you're the chaser?"

"Yep. He's harmless, though."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"You're probably the nicest guy—doctor—I've ever met. I know it's your job, and all, but I was super nervous, and you put me at ease. So thanks."

I look down at her to find earnest sentiment swimming in deep, dark pools. I hope she sees how sincere I am, as well. "It has been a great pleasure meeting you, Bella."

Our journey to the lab is entirely too short.

"Fresh meat!" McCarty breaks out in a sister laugh that makes Bella grip my arm tighter. I shake my head ever so slightly at Emmett. He cuts the act when he takes in the cowering woman on my arm. "Don't like blood, huh?" All joking aside, Emmett is in his element and coaxes Bella to loosen her grip ... but I don't want her to let go.

"It's mainly what will be used to get to my blood that I don't like."

He flashes those damn dimples and takes Bella's hand with easy confidence.

"She needs to make an appointment for a complete panel and—"

He puts up a hand to stop me. "Relax Doc. I'll pull up her chart, and she's got this nifty paper Shell gave her." Jackass shoots me a wink. "Let me get to know this little lady so I can make this the most enjoyable blood draw she'll ever experience."

Emmett leads Bella to a chair where she sits down. I take a step up beside her. "I'll just be doing some paperwork on the other side of this wall. If he gets out of line, gimme a holler." I lean forward and whisper, "he's big, but I think I can kick his ass."

Bella claps a hand over her mouth to quiet her laughter while shoving me away with the other.

Damn, I don't want to leave. I linger in the doorway.

"Get out of my lab, Cullen. Don't you have some love gloves to inspect?"

Bella's face falls at Emmett's words and her mirth dries up.

Shit.

What were you trying to gain with all that flirting anyway, ya moron. She's your patient.

Shit.

Shit.

Shit.

Shelly has a stack of charts that I should take back into my office to review, but I can't. Instead, I sit at the nurses' station and eavesdrop.

Emmett's deep bass rumbles, but I can't quite make anything out beyond the requisite interview questions. Then Bella laughs, hard, but then says that she's single. I scoot closer to the wall so I can hear better.

"How is a girl like you single?"

"A girl like me?"

"Yeah, you're hot—if you don't mind my saying. I just call it like I see it."

Bella giggles and dammit, I want to see what she looks like when she's coy. I hate McCarty right now. "Well, um. Thanks?"

"And you're hella funny. So what's the catch?"

"Catch? I don't know, Emmett ... things just didn't work out the way I expected them to." Her voice becomes distant as she speaks. I have to strain to hear.

"Well, even if you have a hairy back or ugly lemur feet, I know a few guys who would line up to have a chance with you," Emmett says, a little too loud.

"What are you doing?"

I jump back and knock a bunch of stuff off the desk. Tanya's by my side in a heartbeat, picking up my mess.

"I was just—I had paperwork, um …"

"It's okay, Doctor Cullen," Tanya coos and places her hand on my forearm and squeezes.

I quickly pull my arm back and snatch at the papers and folders I've knocked to the floor.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Tanya asks.

"See ya bright and early, Bella." I don't think I've ever been happier to hear Emmett's bombastic voice

I scramble to my feet just in time to watch Bella pass. "Thanks again, Doctor Cullen." She tosses me a cheery wave.

"Goodbye, Bella," the three of us say in unison like we're some kind of cult. .

Her gaze seems to linger on me for an extra beat, and she chuckles before exiting to the waiting room.

"She's just adorable," Tanya says, interrupting the stare down I'm having with the door.

"Yeah, so not like the painted ladies who traipse through here looking for attention," Emmett adds. "Right, Cullen?"

"Um ... right?"

Tanya sniffs a laugh. "Oh boy."

"Oh boy is right, huh, Tan?" Emmett gives Tanya a fist pound and then heads back into the lab.

Tanya laughs outright and grabs a chart for my next patient.

I don't get what's funny.

####

Emmett and Carlisle are neck-and-neck as my favorite Twi-guy to write. I hope you're enjoying this fic so far.

Thanks for reading.