Page 15 of Rounds (Love In Scrubs)

Diving in, I went from patient to patient, helping out where I could, ordering tests, stitching people up, ordering medications, and even helping with procedures to reset bones.

When I looked up, it was already five in the morning.

I headed to the lounge to try to get a nap in, but Delaney was on the couch, knocked out.

So instead of trying to nap, I went ahead and got a cup of coffee.

A couple of others had the same idea I did, so the noise woke her up.

I was sitting in a chair across from her, sipping my coffee.

She grabbed her phone, I thought to check the time, but she rolled her eyes, allowing a couple of tears to fall from them.

I didn’t make a move because, frankly, I wasn’t sure if she wanted me to.

I knew she’d seen me, but she had yet to acknowledge me.

She quickly stood and stretched as two other medical personnel left the room, leaving us alone.

When they did, she glanced at me. She looked nervous as hell, fidgeting and shit. I tilted my head as I stared at her. “Why you looking like you scared of me, Delaney? You good?”

She nodded. “I’m sorry for not responding to your texts. I have a lot going on. Thanks for the flowers. They’re beautiful. I just . . . I can’t entertain anything more than I have already with you. My emotions are going haywire, and my personal life is a fucking mess, excuse my language.”

I stood from my seat and approached her. “Your personal life doesn’t have to be a mess. You’re making it a mess. You have options, but until you realize them, you’re going to be in turmoil. Did you choose to stay with him?”

She lowered her head for a moment, so I just knew she was about to respond in the affirmative. However, she said, “No. I left.”

“Is he harassing you?”

“No, because I blocked him.”

I was confused. “Then what’s the problem?”

“I can’t talk about this right now, Doctor Israel.”

My head snapped back. Dr. Israel? That was a gut check.

I nodded repeatedly and walked out of the lounge, leaving her to stare at my back.

Instead of going home, I went to my office.

I had a shower there, and it was practically a home away from home.

It was the doctor in me that wanted to stay at the hospital in case I was needed.

Helping people was my passion, and I knew it was my calling in life, despite the uncertainty in my personal life. I was called to be a doctor.

When I got to my office, I no longer felt tired.

The coffee had kicked in, but I also knew my frustrations with Delaney factored into that as well.

While I had a lot of financial obligations, I didn’t allow that to affect my spirit.

I worked as much as I could, paying what I could pay, and asking for extensions on the rest. One thing I refused to do was wallow in depression about it.

Until she could see that we would be better together, there would be no hope for us.

I could help her emotionally as well. The old saying would ring true in this moment.

The best way to get over one nigga was to get up under another one.

I could help her forget all about that muthafucka.

I would shower her with attention, love, and devotion.

After a couple of weeks with me, his ass wouldn’t even be a second thought.

She would probably be angry at herself for wasting tears and emotions on that nigga.

Just like I was confident in my abilities as a doctor, I was confident in my abilities to cherish her.

I supposed she thought since I was a male whore that I wouldn’t know how to conduct myself in a relationship.

What she failed to realize was that I didn’t want a relationship.

It wasn’t that I didn’t know how to conduct myself in one.

I loved to fuck, and I didn’t deprive myself of that.

I refused to catch feelings with someone based on sex. That was why I didn’t dip back often.

Going to the bathroom in my office, I took a shower and felt somewhat refreshed and ready for whatever the day had to bring.

When I sat at my desk, my phone vibrated.

I was hoping to see Delaney’s name, saying she’d come to her senses, but it was Charleigh needing a tune up.

Apparently, the guy she was interested in was no longer interested in her.

I needed to think about this. If Delaney didn’t reach out to me before the day was over, I would probably take Charleigh up on her offer.

The problem was that I couldn’t get the night with Delaney off my mind.

I didn’t know if I would even be cool with sleeping with Charleigh.

There was only one way to find out though.

If I felt too much guilt about it, I wouldn’t do it again.

I didn’t know why I would feel guilty, since Delaney wasn’t mine.

That was her choice. I was a viable option, but I refused to be treated like one, especially after pouring my feelings all over her.

The words I spoke to her were real. If she couldn’t feel that, then it was apparent why it took her so long to figure out the nigga she was with wasn’t for her.

Instead of making Charleigh wait, I texted back now. Make plans for Friday night.

I grabbed the box of donuts I’d stopped and got before getting here and ate a lemon-filled one, wishing it was Delaney’s cream-filled pussy.

I found myself zoning out and sucking the shit right out of the donut.

When I realized what I was doing, I blinked rapidly.

She was taking over my thoughts and my damn actions.

She had me gone. I felt like a weak muthafucka right now, but I knew she would do this shit to me.

I knew she would turn my ass out and have me fucking begging her for her time.

I’d done that for the past three days. Time was up on that shit.

I would send her another bouquet, and that would be it.

I wasn’t built to chase for long. Rejection wasn’t something I could repeatedly deal with.

She’d rejected me a few times already. Her not responding to my texts was a form of rejection.

I can’t wait to see you. Thoughts of you had me cumming all over my damn bed last night.

My dick had awakened at just the mental picture I’d gotten from her words. Charleigh wanted to get fucked up. Although I’d said that I would be done with her, I needed some nasty shit to level me out and get my mind off Delaney.