Page 52 of The Candle Palace (Jamison Valley 6)
tening to his single voicemail message.
I’m sorry. Call me.
The second I walked off hospital property, I was calling him. It was so tempting to go to his room, but I wasn’t pressing my luck.
Leaving the lounge, I went to the locker room to grab the jacket I’d left in there last week. If I had a week off, I wanted to take it home and add it to my laundry pile. With it in hand, I closed my locker and pushed through the door. Only I didn’t take another step. Instead, I froze, sucking in a sharp breath at the angry glare waiting just outside the door.
Dr. Vernon was standing in the hallway, his arms crossed and his back pressed up against the wall.
He’d been staring at the door.
Waiting for me.
“Oh, um . . . hi. I was just leaving. So I’d better . . . go.” I pointed down the hallway to where the lighting was brighter.
I took one step but stopped when Dr. Vernon surged.
He crossed the hallway like a lightning bolt, forcing me to shuffle backward. The door to the locker room hadn’t quite closed and he crowded me through. I retreated, nearly stumbling as I scurried around the bench.
I was out of room to run.
Dr. Vernon came at me like a lion stalking his prey until he’d trapped me against the bay of lockers. His hands slammed into their doors. The noise of shaking metal and rattling padlocks made me jump. Even as I yelped, he kept his arms bracketing my face, trapping me there as he bent low.
His nose brushed against the tip of mine. His hot breath skidded over my cheek.
I stiffened, ready for him to yell or curse or call me names. I wasn’t sure what I expected.
It certainly wasn’t a kiss.
He smashed his lips on mine so hard I winced. He licked my lip and I stayed frozen, my hands glued to my sides as I held my breath.
Then he was gone, backing away as he ran his hands through his hair.
Oh my God. He kissed me. The wetness from his tongue was on my lips. The bruising sensation of his mouth made mine hurt.
He kissed me.
And I did nothing.
I swallowed, sucking in some air through my nose. I was too scared to open my mouth and get a hint of his taste. And I didn’t dare wipe the kiss away, not with him stalking back and forth by the bench like a caged animal.
“We had something, Sara.”
I flinched at his voice and the lockers behind me rattled.
“I don’t—” He wiped at his face, shaking his head. “I don’t know if I can forgive you for this.”
Forgive me? The question stayed trapped behind my fused lips. I was too paralyzed to speak.
He kissed me.
I was going to vomit.
“We could have been something special.” Dr. Vernon stopped pacing and turned to me. The fury he’d worn in the hallway was gone. Now he looked at me like I was trash. “I can’t be with you now.”
I dropped my gaze to the floor, the urge to be sick even stronger. I wanted to cry. I wanted to hide and shower.
He’d kissed me without my permission, and I was the one who felt ashamed.
