Friend, Fling, Forever?. Janice Lynn

better things to do than mess with the likes of you.”

      Looking as if she’d said exactly what he’d expected her to say, he chuckled. “Or maybe I want you to buy my bid because I know I can ask this huge favor and not worry about you freaking out down the road when I break things off.”

      Yeah, there was that. She wouldn’t freak out over a man. Never had. Never would. She’d watched her mother do that one time too many.

      This time it was she who gave the pointed look.

      “If I ever gave you the privilege of dating me—” she stared straight into his blue eyes, held her chin a little higher than normal “—who says it would be you to break things off?”

      Although she adored his friendship, his arrogance irked. Then again, was it arrogance if it was true he’d been the one to end every relationship he’d had during the time he and Kami had worked together? Probably his whole life?

      Gabe chuckled, then surprised her by tweaking his finger across the tip of her nose.“You might be right, Kam. Only a fool would break things off with you. Speaking of which, how is Baxter?”

      Ha. Talk about turning the table.

      “Our breakup was a mutual decision,” she reminded him, not that she hadn’t already told Gabe as much a dozen times previously. “We aren’t talking much these days, but he’s fine as far as I know.”

      Just as she was. Baxter had been sweet, only she’d realized continuing their relationship was pointless. When he kissed her, she felt nothing. No sparks. No butterflies. Nothing.

      Kami wasn’t so delusional she thought someone would come along, sweep her off her feet, and give her a fairy-tale romance. But she wasn’t going to settle for nothing, either.

      Good friendship and sparks—it could happen.

      Not that it had, but she was only twenty-seven. There was plenty of time for someone special to come into her life.

      And, if not, she’d rather be alone than like her mother and with the wrong man over and over.

      “Keep telling yourself that he’s fine. Dude was devastated last week when I bumped into him.”

      Baxter hadn’t been devastated. When she’d broached the subject of their relationship not working, he’d seemed relieved. Obviously, he hadn’t felt any sparks, either. On paper they were a good match. In reality, there had been little chemistry beyond their initial attraction.

      “When did you run into my ex?” Baxter, an accountant for a law firm, and the usually laid-back man in front of her didn’t exactly move in the same social circles.

      “At the gym.”

      Kami’s jaw dropped. “Baxter was at the gym?”

      She shook her head to clear her hearing because she couldn’t have heard correctly. Not once during the time she’d known Baxter had he ever gone to the gym. To her knowledge, he’d not even had a membership.

      “Pumping the iron in hopes of winning you back.” Gabe’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Too bad you aren’t up for grabs at the auction ’cause he could buy a night to remind you of all you’re missing out on. You, him, Debbie and me could go on a double date and reminisce about the good ole days.”

      Kami rolled her eyes.

      “Baxter is a great guy,” she defended the man she’d dated for over six months. He truly was. He’d been steady, quiet, dependable. She’d wanted to feel something, had tried to convince herself she did because he’d make a good husband and father someday, but nada.

      “Just not the guy for you?”

      “Exactly. Now, was there a reason you interrupted my work other than to whine about Debbie?”

      “As if she isn’t enough of a reason.” He gave an overly dramatic sigh that should have put him up for an award or two. “I can’t believe you’re refusing to help, Kam. You know I’d do it for you.”

      “I wouldn’t want you to.” She curled her nose and shuddered at the mere thought. “Can you imagine the rumors that would start around the hospital?” She gave a horrified look. “Uh-uh. No way. I can, however, put out word you’re hoping someone outbids Debbie at the auction. I’m sure there’ll be a few takers.”

      He shook his head. “I’m disappointed in you, Kam. I was sure I could count on you to save me.”

      “You have the wrong girl, but no worries. You’ll find someone over the next few weeks to outbid Debbie.”

      * * *

      Gabe disagreed. He had the right girl. The perfect girl.

      Kami wouldn’t get happily-ever-after ideas. He always had fun when she was around. And, best of all, she already knew the real him. The him who had no intentions of settling down anytime in the near future.

      But he changed the subject instead of pursuing the topic further. As she said, they had a few weeks before the fund-raiser. A lot could happen during that time.

      Like his convincing Kami to buy him.

      Not that he couldn’t deal with Debbie. He’d just rather not have to.

      She was great, but had gotten too clingy too fast and he’d started feeling claustrophobic in their relationship by the end of the first month. At the end of the second, he’d been done. Too bad Debbie hadn’t been.

      “How is Racine Mathers tonight?” he asked to change the subject.

      Apparently, the fragile elderly woman had arrived by ambulance in hypercapnic respiratory failure earlier that day. Yet again. She’d been admitted to the medical floor, which neither Gabe nor Kami had anything to do with, but he knew Kami would have checked on the woman prior to clocking in for her shift. She cared about people and that big heart was one of the things he liked most about the perky little blonde who’d quickly become one of his closest friends.

      At the mention of their patient, her green eyes filled with concern. “Her arterial blood gases are still jacked up. Her CO2 level remains in the upper fifties.”

      “I was hoping once they got her on BiPAP her numbers would improve.” He logged in to the computer, began scanning messages in his inbox.

      “That makes two of us, but apparently she hasn’t wanted to keep the mask on and the day-shift nurse caught her with it off several times.”

      He shook his head. “Racine knows better than that.”

      Kami nodded.

      The woman did. This wasn’t her first respiratory failure rodeo. Then again, Gabe suspected the elderly woman was tiring of her inability to breathe and the medical community’s failure to do much more than Band-Aid her back together until the next episode.

      “I’m going to swing by and see her. If I’m needed before I get back, page me.”

      She arched a brow. “You think I wouldn’t?”

      Gabe grinned. No, he never doubted that his favorite nurse would do the right thing and get him where he needed to be when he needed to be there. Kami was an excellent nurse. There was no one he’d rather spend his shift working with. Fortunately, their schedules were on the same rotation and he got to spend several nights a week in the emergency department with her.

      Whether it was busy, slammed, or on the rare occasion slow, he was never bored. Not with Kami around to keep him entertained with her quick wit and sassy mouth.

      Which was yet another reason she should be the one to rescue him from Debbie. Not only would Kami not get the wrong idea, but Gabe would truly enjoy their “date.” Not that they’d ever gone anywhere just the two of them, but when the work gang gathered, he gravitated toward Kami and they almost always ended up paired off.

      There was just something about her that made him feel good on