Page 106 of Strictly Against Policy

“Dr. Lo,” I said his name again.

“Lina, please,” he groaned. “Just one kiss.”

“I’ll think about it.” My tone was firm.

He grumbled. “Fine.”

He strolled into the pharmacy around ten with a coffee carrier of Vietnamese iced coffee. The team eagerly greeted him, grabbing their coffees from him, as I stood by my computer station. I merely glanced at him for a moment. With a bandage still on his eyebrow, he looked relaxed and rather excited to be here. I quickly turned back to look over a possible drug interaction alerted by the system.

“Good morning, Dr. Lee,” said Jonathan, placing one of the iced coffees by the desktop monitor. “Glad to see the pharmacy isn’t burning down without my supervision.”

I scoffed, straightening my spine. I grabbed the coffee and took a sip of the robust and full-bodied drink as if I didn’t already consume something equally strong this morning. “Glad to see you doing alright after your doctor’s visit as well.”

The corners of his smirk tipped a tiny fraction tighter, and his eyes began to twinkle. He was practically begging me to kiss him on the floor in front of everyone. I simply stared at him as I took another drag of the coffee he brought.

He blinked slowly as his eyes flicked to my lips. Before he could stare any longer, I spoke up, “Dr. Lo, I suggest you to not engage in any strenuous work today—considering your delicate state and all.”

His good eyebrow quirked as his mouth coiled another centimeter higher. “Oh?”

“Take it easy, sir.” I smiled before lowering my voice quietly enough. My eyes darted to the healing laceration on his eyebrow. “As always, thank you for looking after us.”

Jonathan’s Adam’s apple bobbed with a thick swallow. His gaze softened. “You’re welcome, Dr. Lee.”

I wanted to look at his wound, bandage it back up, and lightly place a kiss over where I hurt him. Like Jonathan, I wanted to kiss him the moment I saw him. Yet, we stood there for a moment watching the other because that was all we could do. We were at work and had to stay professional, after all.

“Oh! Just kiss already!” Grace demanded all of a sudden.

We both turned to her, shock on both of our faces. Carmen and Sheryl were at her side. All three of them were giddy and grinning ear to ear.

“We promise we won’t say anything to John,” Carmen nodded, wiggling her brows.

“And we’ll also look away. Promise,” Sheryl added, giving the two of us a thumbs up.

“There are no patients here. Hurry! Kiss!” urged Grace, glancing out to the empty waiting area and doorway.

Jonathan and I laughed, turning to each other. Before I could react, he leaned in and gave me a soft peck on the corner of the lips. Carmen and Sheryl let out muffled squeals in the background. Feeling it was unfair I couldn’t kiss him back, I gave him another peck directly on his lips. A shaky breath escaped him, reminding me what we were doing was wildly inappropriate on the pharmacy floor.

I tugged away with red cheeks while Jonathan huffed a disappointed sigh.

“Glad to have you back here with us, Dr. Lo,” I said after clearing my throat and straightening my white coat.

He grinned with equally flaming cheeks. “I didn’t go anywhere, Dr. Lee. But I’m glad to hear I was greatly missed.”

I nodded as my own lips fought to mirror his. “Rightfully so.”

Just as Jonathan was about to walk past me, he leaned over and placed another kiss on my cheek as Carmen and Sheryl shrieked excitedly. Grace laughed out loud.

“Dr. Lo!” I yelled as he zoomed to the other side of the pharmacy. I turned to our two youngest pharmacy techs with a heated face. “You said you were going to look away!”

“We couldn’t help ourselves, Lina,” laughed Carmen.

“Free coffee and a free show? Sign me up!” whooped Sheryl.

“Me too!” chuckled Grace, waving her iced coffee in the air.

This was the first time since the incident that we had all laughed this much, the sounds of our shrieks and giggles cackling through the pharmacy. I didn’t usually condone this behavior—I preferred upholding myself to the most professional standards I could—but seeing our team this relaxed and ecstatic now, I allowed it.

After looking at each of our techs’ happy faces, I finally turned to my pharmacy manager as he turned to me. Across the floor, we shared the same loving smile.