Read His Bidding (The Best Medicine #1) for Free Online

Brynn’s own voice surprised her. What a time to finally offer him reassurance. For his part, Sam looked taken aback that he’d said the last bit aloud. After a few beats, though, he spoke again.
    “Thank you,” he said softly. His tone made her pulse quicken. “I... Okay, here’s the thing. I already know who’s going to win this auction.”
    Instinctively Brynn said, “Dr. Mills.”
    “How did you –“ Sam’s eyes widened just as Brynn’s had. Then he shook his head, looking amazed. “You seem to know everything that goes on around that hospital before I do. Does that mean I’m terrible at my job?” He forced a chuckle with his last few words.
    “Nurses are known for gossip,” Brynn offered by way of explaining, then hastily added, “but it’s not one of my personal favorite pastimes.”
    That elicited a more sincere laugh from Sam. “Well. I’m glad to know that, after I’ve said as much as I have.” Seeing her smile shyly, he continued. “That might make my job of explaining this a bit easier, actually. You knowing so much, I mean.”
    “I...think I understand at least part of where you’re going with this,” she replied, voice quiet. “But I’m not sure what any of this has to do with me...”
    “Tell me what you understand,” he requested of her. It made her uneasy – what if she was wrong in her assumptions? What if Lisa’s opinions on the subject had influenced her unduly? – but she knew she didn’t have much of a choice.
    “You don’t want to waste a night with Dr. Miller. So you want to fix the auction.”
    Her manner of saying it so forthrightly made him smile. “Good. You spared me saying it.”
    Brynn had to wonder why he wanted to avoid her, though just from what she and Lisa had experienced on a professional level with the woman, she could imagine Dr. Miller would be unpleasant company at best, and an unshakable stalker at worst, if she thought she had her hooks in a catch like Sam.
    “What I was going to ask you,” he carried on, “was if you’d be willing to swoop in at the last second – with my money, obviously – and take the win out from under her. That way everyone wins. The charity. Me. You.” He blushed again, and Brynn was sure she would never stop being surprised that this man was capable of being embarrassed. “Well, I mean, you’ll be compensated.”
    She felt a frown settling on her brow. “Compensated?” Like an escort, she thought. She felt mildly nauseated.
    Sam must have realized how that sounded, and he quickly backtracked. “I just mean that I’d be happy to consider it a work function and pay you accordingly, if you were comfortable with that.” He paused. “I didn’t think me just taking you out for the evening like the auction offers would be much of a prize to you.”
    His humility was baffling to her. “Dr. Miller doesn’t win,” she said, distracted, not having processed the conversation quite up to the minute yet. He chuckled.
    “Not really at the top of my priority list, Brynn.”
    Hearing him say her name always did funny things to her heart. And then she absorbed what he’d said a sentence ago. Her pulse rate took off like a wild horse. She didn’t know if he’d just given her an invitation, but she did know it was an opening. It was just a matter of whether she had the guts to walk through it.
    “Why me?” she asked. It wasn’t quite as ballsy as she needed to be, but it was headed in the right direction.
    He tilted his head to one side, as though surprised by her question. “I trust you.”
    Was that all? She couldn’t help but feel a tinge of disappointment.
    “And...” He paused for a long moment before continuing, and Brynn thought she might have seen him swallow nervously. “I thought that, at the very least, as part of your...compensation...if you were willing to spend that evening with me – you know, as the winner – at least I’d know I would have a nice time.”
    Brynn’s heart ceased its wild