PIERCED - A Stepbrother Romance by Maya Hawk Read Free Book Online Page B

shoulder where a line of people begins to form, mostly women, some looking much too young to be doctors. There are nurses, physician’s assistants, and nurse practitioners here. The booth across from us, which is touting estrogen patches and progesterone therapy, is empty. The booths flanking our sides are also home to bored-looking drug reps waiting for interested patrons. The party is clearly at our booth.
    “Hi.” I watch Lauryn attempt to talk to the second-in-line woman. “Can I help you? Were you interested in Arovag?” Lauryn lifts up a pen covered in the teal and hot pink logo and hands it to the lady. She takes the pen, but she’s still watching me. Lauryn leans into me, placing her palm on my shoulder and leaning into my ear. “Please tell me you’re not wearing some kind of pheromone cologne today.”
    I shake my head.
    “This is ridiculous,” she mutters out of the corner of her full mouth. “It’s like a bunch of goddamned feral alley cats in heat.”
    “Nice meeting you, Dr. Pierce,” I say, handing her my card. Only it’s not my card, it’s a card to the hospital with our general numbers printed on the back. She doesn’t notice. She palms the card and presses it against her chest, staggering away backward as if the sight of me makes her drunk with lust. “Next.”
    A young nurse in pale pink scrubs walks up, staring up at me with a goofy grin on her face as her fingers fidget with her long, brown hair. “So, what’s this new drug?”
    Lauryn rolls her eyes and steps back, and I catch her checking her watch. I want to tell her this thing ends in four hours. It’ll be over soon. I want to tell her the attention gets old. I want to tell her that a line of women all waiting to talk to me means absolutely nothing to me when the one I want is sitting right beside me wanting nothing to do with me.
    The young nurse saunters away with a stack of brochures and swag, and I welcome the next patron.
    Lather.
    Rinse.
    Repeat.
    I never should’ve signed up for this gig, but when the lady at the pharmaceutical company told me whom I’d be working with, I agreed without so much as a single stipulation. I’d have done it for free had she asked.
    The convention dies down in time for lunch, and Lauryn boxes up her things as if she has a plane to catch.
    “Let me help you,” I say, handing her handfuls of what little swag remains.
    “I got it.”
    “Let me carry this stuff to your car,” I offer.
    She zips the rollaway suitcase and pulls up on the handle. “No need.”
    “Can I walk you to your car?” I’m getting nowhere with her.
    She turns to face me. “Why?”
    “Because we barely had a chance to talk all morning.” That’s one excuse of many, but I’ve got plenty more if she continues to play difficult.
    “We’re not here to talk, Sutton. This is work. We’re working together,” she reminds me. She wheels her suitcase out and around our table and heads to the exit, her heels clicking on the tile in quick little ticks. I follow her, taking wide strides until I catch up.
    “Let’s get lunch. My treat.” I grab the handle of the rollaway from her hand, our fingertips brushing, and pull it behind me. “You’ve got to be hungry. We’ve been standing around for the last four hours sipping bottled water. I mean, it was loud in there, but I swear I heard your stomach growling.”
    “It’s probably not a good idea.”
    At least she isn’t saying no. There’s hope.
    “Do I need to run it by James real quick? Get his approval?” I snicker. It’ll be a cold day in hell before James approves of me hanging out with his girlfriend. But it’ll be an even colder day in hell when I give a shit about anything James says, thinks, feels, or does.
    Lauryn snaps toward me, her lips curled in disgust. “Leave James out of this.”
    I toss a hand up to apologize, but I’m not really sorry.
    “What happened with you two anyway?” Her tone has taken a softer pitch, a sure sign she wants