Forbidden Prescription: A Stepbrother Romance Read Free Page A

the universe.
    “I’ll keep that in mind,” Isabella said dryly.
    Their conversation was interrupted by several anxious interns with too many questions. James spoke patiently, but it was clear that he wasn’t thrilled with the task of babysitting a bunch of new interns.
    Isabella picked at her turkey and cheddar on wheat while Jordan scarfed down a handful of chips.
    “You’ve got to eat something,” Jordan said between bites.
    Isabella humored her and nibbled on a baby carrot. “I just don’t have much of an appetite today.”
    She didn’t want to admit it, but she just couldn’t shake her case of nerves. Maybe James thought he was motivating them with his little speech, but it just piled on more pressure. It did feel good to know that someone was rooting for her, but it also added one more person who would be let down if she failed.
    “Okay, everyone,” James announced. “The hospital wants me to cover a few more points, so I’ll get this out of the way while you eat. Basically, don’t fuck things up. If you don’t know what you’re doing, please ask me or one of the nurses for assistance. Technically, you’re supposed to ask Doctor Jensen, but he’s probably not going to be available most of the time. So, I’m going to need you all to be on your best behavior. If some shit goes down, we’ll lawyer up, but we’d rather not do that. If you make a mistake, kill someone, and the family sues, the hospital loses money. The first budget they cut is the cafeteria, and if you cause Taco Tuesday to go away, there will be hell to pay.”
    The interns didn’t know whether to laugh or not. James seemed pretty serious.
    “That’s about it for orientation. Now, the real fun can start.”
    An excited chatter filled the room.
    “Settle down,” he mocked. “This is how it’s going to go: I will take you around to see various patients. I’ll ask you questions, and if you know the answers, you’ll get the pleasure of treating patients. If you don’t, you’d better study up because you’ll soon get left behind. Ready? Let’s start.”
    The interns jumped out of their chairs and followed James out the door like ducklings. Isabella dug her fingernails into the inside of her palm. This was the moment she had been waiting for since she started medical school. This was the time to prove that her hard work was worth it.
    As nervous as she was, Isabella was also incredibly excited. While she couldn’t practice medicine without close supervision, she was still a doctor. She had the ability to help the other doctors treat patients, and that was the first step toward achieving her dream. All she had to do was beat out six other interns.
    “Are you ready for this?” James asked Isabella, grinning.
    “You have no idea,” she replied.
    “Good,” he said. “Things are about to get crazy.”
    He raised his eyebrow at her, ever so slightly. He seemed like the type of man who was naturally flirty. He reeked of confidence and knowledge.
    Isabella found him mildly infuriating but particularly fascinating.

Chapter Three
    D espite her fears , Isabella made it through the first few days of her internship with no issues. She had answered tough questions just as well as anyone else in her group and earned the prize of getting to work hands-on with patients. So far, she had only sutured and placed IV lines, but it was better than nothing.
    By the end of her first week, she knew where everything was in the hospital and wasn’t mistaking supply closets for exam rooms anymore. The hospital was a chaotic place, but she felt a sense of calm working amongst the hustle.
    Isabella was taking a rare moment of free time to chug a cup of coffee in the nurse’s station. Jordan approached her, massaging her right hand.
    “I’m starting to think that they’re just rewarding us with the crappy jobs the other doctors and nurses don’t want to do,” she said in a hushed tone. “I’ve basically sewn a quilt’s worth of human skin