Taming the Wolf Read Free Page A

hand, cupping my chin softly for a second. “I promise you won’t regret this decision,” he says, a serious look on his face.
    Is he gonna kiss me? What is happening? I feel shy, but I actually want him to.
    “Meet you here around 7pm tomorrow?” he asks, smiling pleasantly again and slowly taking a step back.
    “I’ll be here,” I promise. His lips did not meet mine, it’s like the world kept spinning around and left me behind, waiting for him to finish what he started.
    Jared takes my bandaged hand with precaution, and slowly bows to place a kiss on it. “I look forward to it.”

Chapter Three
    When I arrive at work at eight the next morning, my boss is not happy.
    “What happened to your hands?” he says, half preoccupied with me, half preoccupied with his business. “You can’t work like that!”
    “It’s a little bit harder, yes, but I can do my job, Paul,” I say, trying to appease him. “It’s just bandages, it’s not like my hands were amputated.”
    “Don’t joke like that, Missy! You have no idea what an untreated wound can lead to. Necrosis! Worse! Leprosy! Did you go see a doctor?”
    I look at my feet in defeat, knowing perfectly well how this is going to go. “A medical student… Does that count?“
    “Stop right there. You need to see an actual doctor, young lady. Now go immediately get yourself checked out, and don’t come back until you do. I’ll call Danielle and she’ll take your place this morning.”
    “But—“
    “Shoo!” he waves me off, chasing me away. Paul is not the most patient, nor the most affable, but I know he genuinely cares about all his employees.
    “All right, all right,” I huff, not wanting to show him that I appreciate his concern. It’s a bit we have. It’s how we roll.
    Still, I hate to lose my Saturday shift. The bank is one of the liveliest spots in town today, and I enjoy seeing my Saturday colleagues and the chance to deal with some of the clients face to face. I’m going to miss out on a lot of social interaction.
    I take the bus to the county hospital. It’s not too far from where I work, thankfully, but I didn’t feel like walking there, instead I wanted to zone out and think about Jared and our encounter last night. The morning is bright, and I’m still ten thousand feet high on my little cloud, thinking how wonderful he is, and how much I wouldn’t mind getting in his pants.
    But my Jared-induced high is trampled when I arrive at the hospital. The urgent care waiting room is packed, and it looks like the staff is very busy with real emergencies. Broken bones, fresh cuts, concussions… those real emergencies are waiting here with me, and I can hear the staff bustle around in the background while the more severe cases are brought in by ambulance and wheeled through another door on a gurney.
    I try not to resent Paul too much for making me go to the hospital and lose a whole pay day. I try not to watch the wounds of the people around me too much. I try not to feel too queasy. Try, try, try.
    “Paige?”
    I look up in surprise when I hear my name.
    I should have thought about it. I should have known.
    Jared is standing in front of me, in a white jacket, holding a cup of coffee in his hand. A stethoscope lays around his neck, and he’s holding a chart with his other hand.
    “Oh, hey.” I’m feeling so stupid it’s all that I can say. What is he going to think? That I’m stalking him? That’s not good.
    Ha!
    Who the fuck just laughed? Who is making fun of me? I heard a laugh. I glance around quickly only to realize no one is even paying me attention. Good thing I’m at the hospital, maybe I can get my head checked out.
    “Are you— Are you all right?” Jared asks. I get how weird I must look, mute, glancing around like a crazy person for someone who laughed at me… someone who obviously doesn’t exist in the real world.
    “Oh, yes. Yes. I’m good, all patched up,” I say, trying a smile, which thankfully he matches with his