A gay story: Jon Starting Over Ch. 03 ***I’d like to thank everybody for their comments and critique. It is REALLY helping me along. Though, I’d also like to acknowledge that I am being aided by another author whilst I write this. A special and very talented person who I shall thank in full in the final chapter of “Jon Starting Over”. In the mean time, very warm regards to LC. Much love, Billy***
CHAPTER THREE
Over the next two weeks, Jonathan started to find his feet in his new job. As good as his word, Jasper was professional yet polite when he showed him the research laboratory and introduced him to various members of staff. Jon felt comfortable going to Jasper with any questions or concerns he had; in trying to get a feel for the way things had transpired before his arrival.
When he’d arrived home at Sarah’s house that first night, he hadn’t said a word to Sarah about meeting Jasper. Sarah had hedged a little, asking how the day had gone-had he met any new and exciting people? Jonny had played it cool, deciding to keep Sarah in the dark for a little bit longer. Instead he’d eaten his dinner, played some kind of tennis game on the Wii with Sarah’s boys for half an hour and then headed to his room to settle down to the contents of his briefcase.
The evenings were usually hectic, with Jonathan not leaving the hospital until very late, only to be back bright and early the following morning.
“You’re working too hard.” Jasper told him one Thursday evening.
“I’m the boss, I need to work hard. How can I ask more of my staff if I don’t give one hundred and ten percent?”
Jasper eased himself into the chair opposite Jon’s desk and shook his head tut-tutting, “You’re still working too hard and you’re not going to inspire anyone if you end up sick. Or haven’t you noticed the bug which seems to be sweeping the hospital?”
“Of course I’ve noticed. Why do you think I’m working so hard?” His words had come out defensively and harsh, and the instant they were out Jon closed his eyes and sighed. “I’m sorry, Jasper.” He hung his head for a moment, rubbing his fingers in tiny circles around his temples before looking up once more. Jasper was such a nice guy and had been nothing but supportive during his time there so far; he didn’t deserve to incur Jon’s frustrations and insecurities. “I’m just eager to get all of this work done and up to date so I can settle down into a more normal rhythm,”
“Filling in for other staff and working yourself to death isn’t going to accomplish anything.”
“Then what do you suggest?” Jonathan indicated his desk, piled high with paperwork, as he spoke. Jasper heard a hint of mild desperation in the smaller man’s tone. “I was chosen for this job. It’s what I’ve been working toward for a very long time and I don’t want the powers that be to think I’m incompetent and-”
“They won’t think that,” Jasper interrupted as he stood walked behind the desk. He stood behind Jon’s chair and placed his hands on the smaller man’s shoulders. Jonathan jumped when Jasper’s hands first touched him, but relaxed as the warmth from those hands started to flow into his exhausted trapezius. “You are doing an incredible job and NO ONE is going to blame you for taking a night off and relaxing a little– rather than beating yourself with a stick and wearing sackcloth and ashes.”
Jon’s lips twitched at his words. “Sackcloth and ashes? I’ll have you know this is a Herringbone Sydney suit, thank you very much.” He was working very hard at ignoring the way his body responded to Jasper’s nearness. There was something about the man that appealed to Jon…in fact, if he was honest, there was a lot about Jasper that appealed to Jon and keeping his distance, making sure their working relationship was nothing more, was the only thing that helped keep his unwanted yet burning attraction for Jasper in check.
“You know what I mean.” Jasper leant down and spoke softly in his ear, “Listen. Why don’t we get out of here and go grab a bit to eat?”
Jon tried to reply but nothing came out, he cleared his throat. “But what about your girls? Don’t you need to get home to them?” Jonathan was concerned about LIlly and Lola, not wanting to take their father’s time away from them, but really, he was more concerned with being alone with Jasper for any great length of time. In fact, they were alone now…here, in his office…the rest of the staff either on duty or off home. They were more alone here than they would be at a crowded restaurant, a fact certain parts of his body were beginning to get excited about.
Jasper’s hand were moving slowly, working their magic and beginning to unknot his shoulders. He would relax too much with Jasper like this…secluded in his office. He needed to move. He needed to put distance between them. He needed to…
“Oh God, right there…yes.” Jon heard himself groan as Jasper continued the massage. It was good. So good. So warm and caring… So…fucking sexy.
At that realisation, Jon pushed away from his desk, almost knocking Jasper over in his haste to put as much distance between them as possible. His eyes were wide, his breath doubling in an instant from its previous relaxed rate, he started fidgeting with the papers he’d almost knocked from his desk.
“Jonathan?”
“Er…nothing. I mean, thanks for the massage. Did you say something about dinner?” He opened his desk drawer and pulled out his briefcase. “We can take my car if you like.” Focusing on searching for his car keys and quite unable to look at Jasper, he tried to pull himself together. When Jasper didn’t say anything Jon knew he had to meet the other man’s gaze. “Unless you do need to get home to your girls. Of course you do. It’s all right Sarah usually keeps leftovers in the fridge for me so it’s no trouble to-”
“Jonathan.” Jasper interrupted him again, a smile twitching at his lips. “The girls will already be in bed by now and are well cared for. Of course we can take your car, if you’d prefer, but just relax. Its only dinner.”
“Right, I know. I guess your words are finally starting to sink in.” He walked over to the coat rack and changed out of his lab coat. “Do you know anywhere close, that’s good?”
“I do.” Jasper walked to the door. “I’ll just get my things from my office, won’t be a sec.”
“Great, Sounds great.” Jon watched him walk away, his stride string and purposeful as he walked down the corridor to where his own office was. When Edwards was out of sight Jon closed his eyes and started to reflect on what had just happened. Jasper’s touch, the way the taller man had looked at him, that cute little smile playing about his lips. The heat of his hands. The nearness of his body. The scent of him overpowering Jon’s senses. Oh, lord- it was getting to be too much.
It had been so incredibly long since he’d been seriously attracted to another man that he wasn’t sure how to behave. Jon hadn’t been celibate since Arturo’s death, but pretty close to it; only opting for quick anonymous encounters to relieve the pressure every now and again. “You can do this. You can do this.” He muttered to himself as he locked up. “It’s just dinner with a friend, nothing more.”
But as Jasper made his way back up the corridor toward him, Jon knew he was lying to himself. Spending time one on one with Jasper probably wasn’t the best idea in the world but, Jon had to admit he was rather curious about the hunky doctor. Sure, Sarah had filled in a few gaps, but Jon had definitely been intrigued by him even before knowing Edwards true identity.
“Ready?” Jasper queried with a warm smile.
“As I’ll ever be,” he replied and they headed out of the hospital. They walked together to Jon’s car, but this time Jasper refused the keys, when Jonathan offered them to him.
“I’ll navigate,” His deep voice washed over Jon as they exited the car park and for a split second he wondered if Jasper was offering to navigate more than the car. Was Jasper also willing to navigate through the rocky waters of moving on with his life? Of course Jon had moved on in a professional capacity, but emotionally he knew he’d held onto the past for too long. It was one of the reasons he’d returned to Sydney. He needed to lay his memories of Arturo to rest once and for all. He needed move on. To date. To find someone new to share his time with. Otherwise he’d end up all alone… And Jonathan was so, so tired of being alone.
Jasper navigated extremely well and after Jon parked Miss Chief, they walked a short block to the local dining district. “The world is your oyster…Literally.” He said pointing to a nearby seafood restaurant. “What are you in the mood for?”
“Huh?” Jonathan was mildly startled by the question. He’d been intent on walking beside Jasper, on trying not to get so close that their hands touched, on calming his nerves because he was going out with a man, after so long… and not just any man at that.
Jasper only chuckled. “Good to see your brain’s starting to relax. How about here?” He pointed at an Indian restaurant that was warmly lit and furnished with intimate booth seating. Jon hesitated then nodded.
As Jon sat, he noticed that the seats were rounded and heavily cushioned, bliss. After considering the menu options he ordered, then eased back into the chair and sighed, a smile on his face.
“That’s better.” Jasper declared.
“What is?”
“You.”
“Me?”
“Yes. Now you’re starting to relax. It’s good to see.”
Jonathan nodded. “You’re right. I do tend to push myself too hard, too fast. Thank your for making me get out, Jasper.”
“Although I have to confess…” Jasper whispered and leaned forward, his elbows on the table and his eye’s on Jon. “I thought I was doing a pretty good job of relaxing you back at your office.”
Jonathan blinked once and stared at back into blue-grey eyes. Did that mean what he thought it meant? He swallowed unable to speak for a moment.
“Your shoulders are far too tight. I’d be more than happy to act as your remedial massage therapist, if you’d like.” Jasper waggled his eyebrows up and down in a suggestive manner, that gorgeous smile that managed to melt Jon’s heart touching his lips.
“Uh…I don’t…Uh…” He cleared his throat “…know if that would be the best idea, Jasper.”
“Why not? You were certainly enjoying it back in your office.” His voice was so rich, so deep, and it wasn’t just washing over Jon anymore- it was washing though him.
“Jasper.” Jon knew the other doctor was well aware of the effects he’d been having having on him, was still having on him. Jonathan decided not to play games any longer. “We can’t, we’re colleagues.”
“True, and no doubt we’re better off maintaining a friendship, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re the first man I have been seriously attracted to in a very long time.”
“Jasper!” His name was a tortured whisper as Jon shook his head. “Don’t say things like that.”
“Why not? It’s the truth, and I’ve found it a good policy to stick to the truth wherever possible.”
“So, you’re…you’re attra—” He stopped speaking as the waiter delivered their food. They both smiled their thanks and when they were left alone Jonathan found it difficult to look at the taller man again. Jasper was attracted to him and he’d admitted it. Just like that. John had a feeling he’d been out of the dating loop far too long if this was the way things were done.
“You have your family. I have…” he paused.
Jonathan sat up a little straighter and squared his shoulders. When he spoke Jasper met his eyes. “I have my job and while that might not sound like much to some, I’ve worked extremely hard to get where I am and I want to enjoy it.”
Jasper opened his mouth as though he was about to say something else but then changed his mind at the last second. “Fair enough, let’s eat while the food is still hot.”
Jon blinked once, a little surprised by his colleague’s acquiescence, but decided it wasn’t good to look a gift horse n the mouth. “It looks delicious ” he remarked.
“Me? Or the food?” Jasper asked, that teasing glint back in his eyes.
“The food.” Jon replied pointedly, wrinkling his nose in a manner Jasper found endearing. “Now cut it out, big guy, we’re just going to be friends.”
“Why?”
Jonathan’s expression and his tone were quite serious, “Because I don’t have many.”
“Jasper nodded as though accepting his answer. “Fair enough'” He raised his glass and held it up for a toast “Friends.” He affirmed as they clinked glasses before raising them to their lips-both of them hoping they’d be able to stick to this resolve.
***********
“I feel like I hardly see you,” Sarah complained when Jonathan called her late Friday afternoon to let her know he wouldn’t be there for dinner again.
“It’s only because I’m trying to get everything organised as quickly as possible. The workload will even out soon enough and then I won’t be burning the candle at both ends.” Or having impromptu dinners with Jasper, he added silently. He’d had a great time with the admittedly hunky doctor, simply being out with a man whose company he enjoyed.
“But what about trying to find an apartment?” Sarah’s words bought him back to the present. “I mean don’t get me wrong, Jonny, you’re more than welcome to stay here for as long as you need to, but I know you want to get a place of your own, have your own space. How are you going to have time to do that when you’re stuck at the hospital during daylight hours?”
“Actually, Ja— er. a colleague has told me of a place for sale which is near the hospital.”
“Great.”
“I’m meeting the owner in half an hour,” he said, checking his watch.
“The owner? Not the real estate agent?”
“It’s a private sale.”
Sarah’s tone was instantly wary. “I don’t know Jon, I don’t like the sound of this. It sounds a bit… I don’t know…dodgy.”
There was a knock at Jonathan’s door and he looked up, placing his hand over the receiver, and called, “Come in.” A moment later Jasper walked into the room. Jon ignored the little flame of pleasure that ignited at seeing the other man. Those sparks were becoming all too familiar of late.
“Should I come back?” he asked, but Jon shook his head and beckoned him in. He pointed to the phone and mouthed “Sarah.” Jasper nodded and sat down, his eyes starting to twinkle.
“Have you said anything?” he asked softly. Jonathan shook his head but smiled at him. Jasper felt the now familiar hit to his solar plexus. It occurred whenever Jon smiled at him like that and in his opinion, when he didn’t see the blonde doctor all that often he started to miss it. Last night, though, he’d had a fantastic time. For the first time in what seemed like an age Jasper had felt happy, free and single. Being the father of two meant he didn’t often get that much time alone, especially to spend with a sexy and intelligent man like Jonathan.
He had to hand it to guy though, he was not only dead sexy but was also a good administrator and a brilliant surgeon; and though he had ruffled a few feathers since his arrival at the hospital, it had all been necessary, and Jasper backed his new boss one hundred percent. The fact Jonathan was so bloody attractive, with his slim hips, perky butt and gorgeously deep and dark chocolate eyes- was just an added bonus.
“Don’t worry about me,” Jon said into the receiver, then switched the phone to loudspeaker so Jasper could hear what Sarah was saying. “The colleague who recommenced the property has known the owner for a long time.”
“Sure, but your hardly know your colleague.” Sarah’s concern was evident. “You’ve only been at the hospital for a couple of weeks. Perhaps you should get Jasper to check this guy out?”
“Jasper? You mean Lilly and Lola’s dad? What does he have to do with anything?” Jon grinned and winked at Jasper. Neither of then had said a word to Sarah that they’d figured out her little plan, and it was starting to drive poor Sarah absolutely crazy.
Sarah sighed with exasperation. “Jasper works at the hospital.”
“He does?”
“Yes, and I can’t understand why you haven’t met him yet. He’s in your department.”
“Why didn’t you tell me before now?”
“Well, I, er… Well, I didn’t want to…er… influence or prejudice you…?”
“Against a colleague?”
“You MUST have met him by now. You must have. He’s tall, dark and handsome and he told me he was expecting a new boss in the department.”
“Does he know I’m your friend?”
“No. I didn’t say anything to him either, and when he picked up the girls the day before yesterday I tried to sort of hedge around to see if he’d met you, but he didn’t say a word.”
“Why is it all such a big secret? I mean, why not let either of us know before I started in the department?”
“Because…” Sarah sighed again. “Well, because I thought— he might be perfect for you.”
“Perfect, eh? In what way?” Jon’s eyes met Jasper’s before he looked the taller man over. He took in the chambray shirt which fitted over his torso to perfection, highlighting those perfect arms and broad shoulders, his tie was his university tie and as Jon looked him over Jasper shifted and ran his fingers through his hair. When their eyes met Jon could see the humour displayed there as well a veiled hint of desire, indicating Jasper had enjoyed his appraisal. The larger man also gave him a wink, forcing Jon to try to ignore the way his heart-rate increased from just that one long look. Friends. They’d decided to be friends.
“You know what I mean.” Sarah’s exasperation was starting to build to an all time high. “Perfect for you to date.”
“Oh I see,” Jon couldn’t help but chuckle as Jasper put one hand behind his head and the other on his hip, striking a pose. The man was so free and funny, he liked it.
“Why are you laughing Jon-A-THAN?” Sarah’s tone was dark and Jon knew he was in trouble because Sarah rarely used his full name.
“Hi, Sarah.” Jasper said, his tone warm and inviting.
“Jasper?! You’re there!”
“I’m here.”
“Have you got me on speaker?!” Sarah demanded.
“Yes.”
“Jonathan Leonard Walker Thornegate! You are in a massive amount of trouble when I see you next! And don’t even THINK about staying at the hospital until two o’clock in the morning – ’cause I’ll be waiting for you when you get in! And IF I have to stay up late I’ll be even more pissed.”
“If you say so Sarah Elizabeth Jones.”
“So I take it you two have met and figured out I wanted to get you together, so you’d thought you’d have a little payback, right?”
“Right.” They said in unison. At that moment Jasper’s pager went off and he checked the number.
“A and E.”
Jonathan nodded. The next moment his own pager beeped. “Listen Sarah, We’ve got to go.” He checked the information his pager. A and E. “An emergency’s just come in.”
“A likely story,” Sarah grunted. “OK, but, listen, get Jasper to check out that colleague who wants you to buy the house.”
“I’m the colleague.” Jasper told her as he stood. “The house two doors down from mine is for sale.”
“Oh.” Sarah was surprised and then Jonathan heard smugness enter her tone. “Oh, well, in that case, go right ahead.”
“I’ll see you later, Sarah.” Jonathan rang off, rolling his eyes as he picked up his stethoscope.
“What?” Jasper asked.
“Did you hear her tone?”
“What tone?” They headed out of Jon’s office and down the corridor.
“That smug tone of hers that says, ‘Ooh, with Jasper and Jonny living within two houses of each other and working together and spending SOOOO time together my match making efforts will work and then I can take credit for them getting together.’ THAT tone.”
“Oh, well maybe Sarah’s right?”
Jon stopped short. “What? No. I’ve told you I’m not re–”
Jasper laughed and beckoned for him to follow. “I’m only teasing. Geez, you’re such an easy mark. Come on let’s see what sort of mess we’ve got today. What we need to fix up.”
They rounded the corner into A and E and walked over to Maryanne, the orthopedic registrar, who was expectantly waiting for them. “What’s going on?” Jasper asked.
“There’s been multiple MVAs reported. Ambulances are on their way and so are reports regarding the number of casualties and possible injuries.” Maryanne directed her comments to Jasper and then to Jonathan and then back to Jasper. It was as though she wasn’t quite sure who was in charge. Well, Jon knew it was up to him to make sure everyone in this hospital knew exactly who was in charge of Orthopedics.
“Right, Jasper.” Jon stated turning toward him. “Once Triage Sister has organised the patients, I want you and two of the regis’ the worst of the multi trauma cases, which will no doubt include a pelvic fracture.” He quirked an eyebrow at the taller man. “I’ve heard you’re an expert when it comes to them.”
Jasper inclined his head in a sort of how, acknowledging Jon’s words. Jonathan turned to Maryanne. “Have you called anyone in?”
“Mei Lei and Allen were just finishing their shifts so I’ve asked them to stay.”
Jonathan nodded. “You’re with me Maryanne, and the service regi’ on duty as well. Make sure the interns are being put to good use. I don’t want to see anyone standing around without a job to do.”
“Yes, Doctor.” Maryanne snapped to it.
“Jasper, you take Treatment One, I’ll go into Two. We’ll work from there. Now, if we could please take a look at the reports which are coming in please?” He held out his hand for the papers and was in the middle of scanning the third page when the wail of sirens could be hear getting closer.
“Actions stations.” He murmured.
“Nothing.”
“Yes, you did. You said, ‘Action stations'”
“Perhaps I did.” He put the pile of papers he’d been reading back onto the desk, than turned to look at Jasper, lifting his chin slightly, the action caused Jasper’s smile to increase. It wasn’t the first time Jasper had noticed Jon do that and he realised that the blonde man did it when he was uncomfortable. It was cute.
“What?” Jon asked as Jasper continued to look at him, making him feel slightly self-conscious.
Jasper shrugged a little and stood from where he’d perched himself on the nurses’ desk. “Nothing, I guess it’s just not something I’d expect you to say.”
“Why not?” Jon asked as they both headed over toward the treatment cubicles.
“Well it’s sort of… I don’t know… a military expression.”
“And don’t you see any resemblance between the military and a hospital?” Jon quizzed.
Jasper chuckled. “I’m not denying that, I was just surprised to hear the words come out of your mouth. That’s all.” He looked at Jonathan as though excited about some new discovery. “I like that about you. You’re so different from other… I like that you’re unpredictable.” With that Jasper headed into treatment room one, Jon shook his head in disbelief and entered room two.
While he sanitised his hands, Jonathan couldn’t believe how warm Jasper words made him feel. It had been an extremely long time since anybody had said such sweet things to him and it was wonderful. Although, working in such a stressful environment and being father to two sassy and confident daughters, Jasper was obviously used to giving compliments and boosting fragile egos, and Jon would probably do well not putting too much weight on what was said.
He’d come back to Sydney hoping to find healing, to find the REAL Jonathan again, and accepting Jasper’s easy banter was a good start. He had the ability to make Jon feel the way he had in med school, before the weight of the world was thrust into his shoulders. Arturo’s death had affected his life because when he died Jon felt as though all of the life had gone out of him as well. If it hadn’t been for close friends like Sarah and Matt, he might have faded away into nothingness. Thankfully, though, he’d held on and now, coming back to Sydney, back to where it had all begun, he was really starting to feel like his old self…. willing to get out there and try to find his life once again. And Jasper was helping him.
Jonathan’s first patient was wheeled in and he snapped on his gloves, pushing all thoughts of Jasper to the back of his mind. The hours tricked by and after he’d seen one patient, ordered tests and x-rays, he moved onto the next. Apparently a truck had lost its brakes coming down an embankment on the freeway, and had not only collected the cars in front of it but also a few on the other side of the multi-lane highway. Several cases had been transferred to Sydney Gen but as the cases had happened closer to the North Shore, the most urgent cases were coming here to the PA.
Eight hours later, just after midnight, Jonathan received a phone call as he was suturing just after having inserted a nail to stabilise the patient’s femur.
“DR Thornegate,” the nurse said. “I have Eddie on the line. He says if you’re free could you meet him in ET2, please? He needs your assistance.”
“Right. Thanks. Tell him I’ll be there in a little under ten.” Jonathan looked across at Maryanne. “You can close here, then you may as well grab a quick drink and check the status of future patients who may require our services tonight.”
“Yes, DR Thornegate.”
Jon stood back from the table and put the instruments down, leaving the staff to carry on while he pulled some extra energy from his already depleted reserves and went to assist Jasper.
When he entered Emergency Theatre Two, Jasper looked up from the table.
“Where have you been? I was told you’d be here in five minutes.”
Jonathan’s eyes widened at his tone. “I said under ten,” he glanced at the clock “we’re hitting nine minutes now.”
Jasper grunted.
He headed over, realising that if the taller man was quibbling over a couple of minutes things probably weren’t going that well. “What do you need me to do?”
“Hold this retractor,” Jasper ordered. The patient was a large man covered in tattoos, and from what Jon could tell from when he’d been bought in had suffered a comminuted fracture of the right femur and fractures to the scapula and humerus. The pelvis, according the x-rays that were illuminated on the light box, showed a dislocation to the right acetabulum and an undisplaced fracture to the left acetabulum.
“I thought you were going to wait to deal with the pelvis in a few days time, when the fracture had had time to settle a bit.”
“Oh, everyones a critic.” Jasper’s tone was heavy with fatigue and sarcasm.
“I was simply making a comment Jasper.”
“No. You were criticising. Suction.”
“Hardly, but if thats the way you want to take my comments, don’t let me stop you.”
“I won’t.”
“Well, in that case do you mind telling me what you’re doing? This sort of fracture is best left a few day or sometimes even a week.”
“This is you not criticising?” Jasper glanced up, and Jonathan saw that his earlier fatigue had been replaced by veiled humour. It was then that Jon realised Jasper needed to debate, to discuss, to enliven his mind through the fatigue, and that what the blue eyed man was saying wasn’t what he really meant. It wasn’t the first time Jon had come across this sort of method to help a surgeon stay alert. Personally, he preferred to have music on in his theatre, and not the soothing stains of classical music most of his peers preferred. He was a classic rock kind of guy.
“Yes, it is.” Jon retorted, lifting his chin in the way that Jasper liked. Ah gods, look at those brown eyes, this was quite a man. “Are you going to make something of it?”
Jasper could see in Jon’s eyes that he understood what was happening, that he knew he was helping Jasper to relax, and he thoroughly appreciated the effort. “I might,” he replied and chucked. It was a good moment. The atmosphere when Jon had walked in had been so taught he could have cut it with a scalpel, but now that Jasper had released his own tension, everybody else seemed to relax a little more, making it easier to concentrate.
“However, I’d like to state on the record that I hadn’t planned to deal with this pelvis right now but I had no choice. I need to pin this section to increase stability. I’ll revisit it in about a week’s time.”
“Fair enough. Retract further,” Jon said to the nurse. “Angle the light a little to the right, please.” Jonathan took a good look at the patient’s condition, “Can we have some music on?”
“Eddie doesn’t like to work to music,” the Theatre Sister remarked crisply.
“What do you like listening to?” Jasper asked. “Strauss? No, I know. How about Beethoven? His ‘1812 Overture’ would be enough to wake a patient up, let alone keep the surgeon alert.”
“Well, I don’t think we want the patient regaining consciousness just yet, Jasper.”
“Good point. So, what tickles your fancy? Er… I mean, as far as music goes,” he quickly added, and a few of the support staff laughed. Their eys met across the operating table and the look they shared in one brief second was enough to let Jon know that Jasper didn’t only mean music.
“Classic rock. You know Credence, Pink Floyd, Status Quo, Deep Purple…”
“Really? DR Thornegate you are FULL of surprises.” Jasper looked over at the scout nurse. “Brenda, do we have any old school rock for DR Thornegate?”
“We do, Eddie. DR Thornegate still has a CD here from yesterday.”
“But, Eddie?” The snippy Theatre Sister was taken aback by his request.
“It’s in the patient’s best interests.” His tone was calm yet clearly brooked no argument. “DR Thornegate needs to stay alert and awake so he can keep the rest of us in line.”
“Hmph.” Theatre Sister wasn’t at all happy, a few moments later a the distinctive opening riff of ‘Smoke on the water’ came through the speakers.
They worked on stabilising their patient’s fracture before Jasper did a final check and announced himself satisfied. He left Mei Lei to close the wound and headed out with Jonathan, both of them stripping their surgical gowns.
“Is there more?” Jasper slumped into a chair. “Please say there the answer is no.”
“I’m not sure.” Jon walked over to the phone on the wall and called down to the nurses station. “Is Maryanne there?”
‘I’ll put her on’ the nurse said. While Jonathan waited, he looked over at Jasper who had his hands laced behind his head and his eyes closed. He was stretched out across the chair, his long legs crossed at the ankles, but the way he was lounging made the top of his scrub shirt rise up and his scrub trousers dip down. Jon’s eyes were automatically drawn to the firm muscles of his lower abdomen. Nice. Very nice. Jonathan realised that although he liked the bulky arms and broad shoulders, the rest of him was just as fine. Jasper shifted and his package became more prominent. Oh God.
Jon stifled a groan and turned his head, averting his eyes as he spoke to the registrar on the phone, but Jasper couldn’t believe he’d just been given a thorough once-over. It had been brief yet breathtaking; careful yet caressing, sweet yet sensual, subtle yet fucking HOT. He may have been given a quick appraisal earlier when they’d been teasing Sarah, but this had been real. Desire had flared in Jon’s eyes and it had been obvious that he liked what he saw. Jasper felt like a teenager again, and parts of him were acting accordingly.
He watched Jonathan as he quickly reached for a piece of paper and pen and scribbled some notes down. Even in baggy theatre scrubs the blonde doctor looked good. His fair hair was adorably scrunched and messed up from his surgery cap, and despite his obvious fatigue his pale golden skin looked like it was glowing against the navy blue of his wrinkled scrubs. Jasper’s favourite feature however, was now perfectly on display as Jon bent over to take down Maryanne’s note- his pert round ass emphasised wonderfully as it pushed against the thin cotton of his scrubs. Delicious.
When Jon hung up, Jasper straitened in his chair. “What’s the verdict?”
“Theatre One. Patient requiring open reduction and internal fixation of three fractured limbs.”
“Really?” He groaned, his body heavy with exhaustion.
“I’ll take it.”
“No, it’s all right. I can do it.”
“It’s all right,” he repeated meeting Jon’s gaze. “Can’t have the new boss thinking I’m a wimp.”
Jonathan smiled. “Hardly.” He held out a fist towards Jasper. “I’ll play you for it.”
“Pardon?”
“Rock/Paper/Scissors?”
Jasper blinked doing a double take. Was he serious? First he discovered that this small delicate, well dressed and tightly buttoned man drove a car worth as much as a small house and didn’t view it as a status symbol and incongruously listened to rock while he operated. Now he was making a decision now he was going to make a decision about who was going to do an operation by using the Rock/Paper/Scissors approach. He was… Enigmatic.
“Is there anything else urgent that needs doing?”
“Just triage cases.”
He thought for a moment and nodded. “The regi’s can handle those.” He stood and held out his hand palm up. “Paper, and paper wraps rock. I win.”
“Hey, we hadn’t started,” Jon complained, but stopped short as Jasper actually wrapped his larger hand around Jon’s. The touch was enough to ignite the flame that had been on a slow burn for the past two weeks.
Jasper looked into his eyes, his eyes without moving. “Why don’t we both do it? We’ll get through it faster.”
“Uh… actually…” Jonathan sucked in a breath. Jasper’s hand felt warm and comfortable, and RIGHT. He was liking this far too much, he swallowed and cleared his throat. “Why don’t you head home? I can deal with it. Shouldn’t be too much longer and, well, you know, I have my music to keep me company. Go home and get some sleep. The girls will no doubt wake up bright and early tomorrow.”
“It’s fine,” he said, leaning in a little. It was as if Jasper could see Jon’s reaction to his proximity and he wanted to prolong it. “The girls are asleep and I’m more than used to being woken up bright and early after only a few hours’ sleep.”
Jasper’s eyes were becoming intense now and Jonathan knew he wasn’t strong enough to handle it. It was as though this thing between them was slowly increasing in the intensity. something that was more than being either colleagues or friends. He wasn’t sure what it was and he didn’t know if he wanted to find out.
Edging back, Jonathan removed his hand from Jasper’s charged touch, he took a few steps away, needing distance. His mind searched for something to say but for a few seconds it appeared to be blank. Thankfully, he recalled what Jasper had just said and almost pounced on it.
“Come to think of it, where are your girls? I mean, you’re here at work. do they have a day-care lady or a friend who looks after them at night?”
“They’re with my parents.”
“Oh, of course. I forgot your parents usually look after them. Sarah did mention that. So, do your parents live close?”
Jasper thought of them living on the first floor of his house. “Uh… you could say that.”
“So the girls have a room at their house and just sleep over as necessary?”
He shrugged nonchalantly. “Something like that.”
“Jasper, you’re being coy.”
“Coy?” Jasper laughed at that. “MEN aren’t coy. Only women are coy. I’m being… deliberately evasive.” He shook his head and chuckled. “Coy. What a word. You do make me laugh…Jon.”
“I think thats a compliment.”
“It is.” Jasper’s tone and look were equally as expressive; he stared at the smaller man for a long moment, as though not sure what to say next.
“Oh.” Jonathan wasn’t used to getting such direct compliments. In fact, he wasn’t used to getting compliments. Full stop.
“And, if you MUST know,” Jasper continued, “my parents live with us.”
“You still live at home?” Jon was surprised at that, his lips twitching with amusement.
“No. No,” he said firmly. “I said my parents live with us. There is a difference.” The blue eyed doctor looked around them but there was no one else about. “I’ll have you know that I moved out of home a long time ago. I bought my own house; got as married as this bloody government allows; ‘had’ a couple of kids, then when Eric died, I remodeled the house so that my parents could sell their big rambling home and move in. It’s an arrangement that works well for everyone. Especially the girls.”
“Fair enough.” Jon was touched that he’d explained because it showed he was willing to cross that line the professional world and the personal one; world’s they were both so desperate to keep separate. Jonathan knew he’d been crossing the line more often than not of late, and to know Jasper was willing to do it too made him feel a little more comfortable.
“So, are we going to get this next patient done so we can both do home?”
“I guess so, but honestly Jasper, you can go now and–”
“Paper beats rock.” Jasper took Jon’s hand in his, wrapping his fingers loosely around it again, watching the way those chocolate eyes flared with a spark of excitement before it was quickly veiled. “Remember?”
Jonathan’s breath caught in his throat not only at Jasper’s incendiary touch, but at the look in his. It was deep, rich and seriously intimate. Where his touch had been mildly playful before, this time it was as sensual as If Jasper had just stepped foreword and kissed him. Their bodies were close, closer than before, and as Jon’s heart rate increased, he found it was becoming increasingly difficult to breathe.
“Jasper?” The name was a confused caress on Jon’s lips and as intense blue eyes dipped to take in the lush fullness of his trembling lips. “Don’t look at me like that.” He whispered hoarsely.
“Why not?”
“Because you make me… sizzle… and I don’t know how to deal with that.”
“Sizzle?” Jasper’s resolve to keep things light, to keep on ignoring the enormous tug he continuously felt towards Jonathan Thornegate, was beginning to crack. He’d felt the tug of something new and exciting between them since the first moment they’d met -even before they’d discovered their external connection- and he’d worked extremely hard to ignore it. So, it seemed, had Jonathan. When the sexy blonde said things like that, it was enough to make his logical though processes shut down and instinct let take over. Instincts which were telling him to press his mouth firmly against those full, beautiful lips and show the other man what it would really feel like to sizzle.
The phone on the wall rang and both of them sprang apart, startled and jumpy. They stared at the inanimate object for a moment before Jasper snatched it up. “Eddie.” He said into the receiver.
It was the distraction Jonathan needed and he quickly walked from the room, heading to Theatre One, hoping Jasper would change his mind and decide not to join him; because right now, he wasn’t sure he could deal with man being so close when he was supposed to be concentrating on a patient.
Never before had Jon had this problem. Never had he been unable to focus his mind on work, as he’d experienced a few times thanks to Jasper Edwards and his overwhelmingly mystifying presence.
Jonathan had scrubbed and had just started working when the object of his earlier ruminations entered the room. Again Jonathan felt him before he saw him and was surprised at his intuitiveness where the big man was concerned. He found it difficult to meet Jasper’s eyes and kept his gaze down and on the job, wanting to get this night over and done with, so he could sneak quietly into Sarah’s house, wrap himself in blankets and just disappear.
Thankfully, at some time during the two hours they spent working on their patient, Jonathan began to relax. He realised that there was currently nothing he could do about the obvious attraction he felt towards his dead sexy colleague, he’d do well to simply push it aside.
“Finally!” Jasper pulled off his gloves, mask, and gown, putting them in the appropriate bins and heading out of theatre with Jon not far behind him. “Have we beaten the sunrise?” he wanted to know as they walked towards the changing rooms.
“Uh… I think we have. But not by much.”
They entered the change room and each went to walk down a different aisle of lockers, on the spur of the moment Jasper turned and grabbed a hold of Jon’s hand and looked down into surprised brown eyes. “Listen Jonathan, I know this is no doubt against the unwritten rules we seem to have made and I don’t want you to feel pressured at all but… would you like to come over for breakfast?”
“Over?”
“To my house.”
“House?” Jon’s brain seemed incapable of rational thought and it didn’t help when he saw Jasper lips tugging upwards.
“Sure. We’ve both been up all night long and could do with some breakfast.”
“Breakfast?”
Jasper’s lips beamed into a full blown smile and Jon wished they hadn’t. “Yes, obviously spending a busy night in and out of theatre effects your powers of speech- or at least the power or form ing sentences. Breakfast. The meal traditionally eaten at the beginning of the day?”
“Hmmm…” Jon nodded slowly completely mesmerised by that bright smile.
“Anyway, the girls would like to see you and after breakfast we could wander down and see if Mr Attenburgh is happy for you to see the house.”
“Oh!” Jonathan covered his mouth with his free hand. “The house! I’d totally forgotten about the house and my appointment.”
“I didn’t. I called him going into my first theatre case and told him we’d have to reschedule.”
“Thanks.” Jon sighed, unable to believe he’d forgotten and unconsciously gripping Jasper’s hand fraction tighter. He’d tried several times in the last fortnight to view the house but various obstacles and problems kept delaying him. Now he simply wanted to get it over and done with. If it was as perfect as Jasper seemed to think, hopefully he’d be able to settle and move in quickly.
But first things first. Jasper had asked him to come over to his house for breakfast. His first reaction was to accept instantly but his second was to weigh up the pros and cons. His nearness was starting to do things Jon wasn’t sure he could control in such a personal and comfortable setting. Control had been his close friend for many years, but it was also sort of exciting to have a little bit of spontaneity in his life. Besides, not only would he have the opportunity to see over the house and get that crossed of his list but he’d get to see Jasper’s girls again. He’d liked playing with them when they’d been at Sarah’s house and he had to admit he was becoming more curious about Jasper Edwards- the man, not the surgeon.
Jasper could see Jon’s internal struggle. “I’ll make you pancakes.” He whispered temptingly.
Jon’s eyes glazed over for a moment, and then Jasper saw the beginnings of a small smile. “Really?”
“I’ll make them light and fluffy.” Jasper almost had him. He knew he was reeling the blonde doctor in and he was loving every moment of it.
“They’re my favourite.”
“There you go then. I’ll even do bacon and eggs to give breaky a bit more of a… sizzle.”
Jasper waggled his eyebrows up and down as he spoke and Jonathan looked away his cheeks bright with colour.
“Don’t Jasper.” His words were barely audible, but Jasper heard.
“Don’t what?”
“Tease. I… I didn’t mean to say that.”
“What? That I make you sizzle? I liked it.”
“Stop it.” Even the taller man’s words, the way he was looking at Jon, made him start to sizzle once more. If he was totally honest with himself, Jon would accept that he wanted to spend more and more time with and that he wanted to do that away from his life at the hospital.
“Why?” Jasper checked the room, pleased to find it deserted. He bought their linked hand up for Jon to see, Jon’s eyes widened but he didn’t let go. He reached out with his other hand and pressed it lightly against the blonde’s brightly flushed cheek. Stroking. When he spoke, his tone was soft, intimate. “You’re the first man who’s ever said that to me. That I make him sizzle. I liked it.”
When Jon didn’t say anything else, he cupped his hand around the back of the smaller man’s delicate neck and gave it a light squeeze before dropping hands. “It’s just breakfast Jon. The girl’s will be there, so will my parents. It’s not as though its a date or anything. Think of it more as eating food together in a non-hospital environment.”
“Like the other night?”
“Exactly.”
Jasper was right. He was over-thinking things again, something he’d promised himself he’d try not to do. Jon wanted to have breakfast with Jasper and he wanted to take a look at the house. Spending of all that time with Jasper would just be an added bonus… And to top it all off Jasper had called him Jon. Wasn’t that the first sign of acceptance? the move from colleagues to good friends?
Jon’s responding smile was small but his eyes sparkled with interest. “OK.”
“Excellent.” With a matching smile, Jasper turned and walked around the corner of the aisle to his locker, leaving Jon feeling as though he’d just taken a very important step towards living. REALLY living.