Forbidden Prescription: A Stepbrother Romance Read Free Page B

today.”
    “Better that than what Matthews was assigned today. He had to drain some old guy’s nasty abscess. I heard he still can’t get the smell out of his nose.”
    They chuckled, knowing too well that they could be in his position at any time.
    “Are you going out for drinks tonight?” Jordan asked. “The guys told me that we’re meeting up after we finish today.”
    “No one invited me.”
    “They probably forgot. Hell, I nearly forgot. Of course you’re invited.”
    “I don’t know.”
    “You’re going,” Jordan interrupted. “I’m not going without you.”
    “I might just stay in and catch up on my reading. I heard a rumor that we’d be quizzed on metabolic disorders next week.”
    “You can do that later. It’s healthy to socialize and to blow off some steam. Plus, what’s that saying about keeping your enemies close?”
    Isabella thought for a moment. She wasn’t interested in socializing while there was work to be done, but perhaps Jordan was right. It would be good to have some insight into the minds of her competitors.
    “Fine,” she submitted. “Just a few hours, though. Then I’m going to finally get a good night of sleep.”
    “I knew you’d see reason.” Jordan smiled.
    “Dr. Lopez, you’re needed in Room Two. Patient has a ten-inch laceration on their lower left leg,” a nurse said, handing a chart to Jordan.
    “Are we closing it with staples?” she asked hopefully.
    “The patient is an aspiring model with her stage mom in tow. They’re demanding the very best doctor to suture her. Everyone in Plastics is busy, so we’re just going to pretend that you’re the best fit for the job.”
    Jordan rolled her eyes at Isabella. “Okay, let’s get this over with,” she said, following the nurse back to the exam room.
    “Dr. Carter,” James said as he walked down the hall to the nurse’s station. “Are you busy?”
    “I’m finishing up some paperwork,” Isabella said, writing notes on her chart. “What do you need me to do?”
    “Come with me,” he said mysteriously.
    She gave him a quizzical look and followed him down several corridors. They walked in silence until James gestured to a small room. It looked like a supply closet, but Isabella didn’t remember seeing it before.
    “What is this?” she asked hesitantly.
    “You’ll see,” he said with a grin.
    The room was completely dark except for the blue-white glow of x-rays on the wall. They were in complete silence except for the soft hum of the light.
    “Are those . . .?”
    “Yep,” he answered for her. “We’re looking at a patient packed with balloons full of drugs.”
    “That’s a pretty serious intestinal obstruction.” She marveled at the x-ray.
    “Oh, most definitely. I guess he got greedy with the smuggling jobs and overdid it. Came in when he was unable to pass them.”
    “That was smart. Well, as smart as someone can be when they’re filled with drug balloons,” she added.
    “Yeah, he’ll be going to jail, but hopefully, we’ll get him there alive. If even one of those balloons bursts before we get them out, he will overdose.”
    She stared at the image. Little white orbs dotted the colon like inner tubes on the river.
    “Scrub in,” he said abruptly, breaking her from her trance.
    “Wait, what?” she stuttered. “You’re letting me assist?”
    He laughed. “I’m letting you observe. You might learn something.”
    This was so much more exciting than sutures and picking debris from wounds. Even if she was just observing, she was still excited to scrub in on her first surgery as an intern.
    James flicked off the lights from the x-ray. Isabella gasped at the sudden darkness. She was alone with her gorgeous mentor in a tiny, pitch-black room.
    “Not afraid of the dark, are you?” he teased, turning the door handle. She was disappointed and relieved at the same time to be surrounded by people again.
    “No,” she said. “I guess I’m a little on edge these days. Stress and