Thicker than Blood - Book One Read Online Free

they left a
bitter taste in his mouth.
     
    I stared at the floor and
nodded. Yeah, real professional.
     
    “Did you kiss him back?”
came the question I wasn't expecting.
     
    I knew the answer to that
question, but how do I respond? Guilt kept me from raising my head
to face my friend.
     
    “You did, didn't you.” It
was a statement, not a question. “Did you guys...” Matt didn't
finish.
     
    I met his blue eyes and
shook my head. “No, it didn't get any further than a
kiss.”
     
    “What happened then? He
just left?” Matt was being sarcastic, but how strange that he was
right on the money.
     
    I cocked my eye brows up
and laughed in disbelief at my own story. “Yeah, he
did.”
     
    Matt put his face in one
hand and raised the other to me. “Wait, let me get this straight.
This new guy, this doctor, whom you've never met, kisses you in a
patient's room and then... just leaves?”
     
    I nodded. “Yeah,
weird.”
     
    “I'd say so. Did he say or
do anything after he kissed you?”
     
    “Uh, he tried to tell me to
forget that it happened, and when I asked why, he asked if I was
taking Garlique.”
     
    “What?” Matt looked up;
concern hid behind his blue eyes. “He told you to forget that it
happened?”
     
    “Exactly.” I tried to
understand the look I was seeing. It was almost like... he knew
something and he wasn't telling me? What could he possibly
know?
     
    “ What's this guy's
name?”
     
    “Alex Amante.”
     
    “Wait.” The concern I had
seen in Matt's eyes twisted into furry. “Alessandro
Amante?”
     
    Alex could be short for
Alessandro. I shrugged. “I'm not sure, I guess it could be.
Why?”
     
    “Italian accent,
right?”
     
    I nodded. “Do you know
him?”
     
    “That blood... Ugh! That
fucker!” Matt's hands tightened to fists at his side. He stepped
towards the door, but then turned back, pointing a finger at me.
“Stay away from that son-of-a-bitch, you hear me? He's more than
just bad news, he's... toxic. Kenna, I'm telling you, stay away
from him.” With that, Matt stormed out of my house.
     
    I sat back on the bed
slack-jawed. Okay, seriously, what the fuck just happened? I
grabbed my phone and attempted to call Matt, but there was no
answer.
     
    Where did Matt get off
telling me who I could see? What did he know that I did not? Was
there really a reason for him to act so protective? What didn't he
want to tell me? I started to worry that he'd report the incident
to the charge nurse, but I didn't think Matt would want for me to
get in trouble.
     
    I sighed. So, what started
out as an attempt to quench the fires of lust turned into one, big,
damned mess.
     
    Changing from the robe into
pajamas, I climbed into bed. I stared at the ceiling, thinking
about the events of the last twenty-four hours until sleep found
me.
     
     
    *****
     
    “... like a wrecking ball. I never hit so hard in love, all I
wanted was to break your walls... ” The
alarm clock sang at 1730.
     
    “ What the shit...,” I growled and smashed the clock's buttons
with my fist. I needed to change the channel to something more me.
Biebs and then Miley? What noise to wake up to. Would have put me
in a bad mood if tonight wasn't my last night for a few
days.
     
    I stretched and yawned,
snuggling down into the warm sheets for a moment longer. My
thoughts went to Dr. Amante and then Matt. My hand snaked out of
the covers to feel around on the nightstand for my phone. I pulled
it down into the sheets and dialed Matt's number.
     
    “ Hey, this is Matt. Leave me a message.” Dammit.
     
    “ Hey, it's me. Uh, just wanted to say hey.” I paused, not
wanting to leave a long, stupid, 'I'm so confused' message. “Give
me a call.” My friend was ignoring me. I had to find out
why.
     
    I thought about taking a
shower, but I had one before I went to bed. My hair would be a
mess, but I could just pull it up and out of the way.
     
    My phone buzzed on the
pillow next to my head. I grabbed it