Pesh tossed the syringe into the biohazard container and then turned around. “I advise you take some Ibuprofen for both the pain and for the anti-inflammatory benefits. I would also do a round or two of using an ice pack on your crotch. It would be my strongest advice that you never take anymore erectile dysfunction medication until you actually need it.”
“Whatever,” Mr. Robertson croaked, collapsing back onto the table.
“Give him about thirty minutes, and then he needs to head on home. We’ll need the exam room,” Pesh instructed.
“Okay, I will.”
He gave her a quick smile before exiting the room. After thirty minutes, she saw Mr. Robertson to the door of the ER. As he staggered into the waiting room, she shook her head.
“Megan,” Kristi called.
“Yes?”
“Go ahead and take your dinner break now.”
“Are you sure? I mean, I can work through it since we’re so busy.”
Kristi shook her head. “We’re fine. Besides, you’re going to need all your strength. Things are probably going to get even crazier after the sun goes down.”
Megan tried not to appear horrified at the prospect. Instead, she ducked into the break room to grab her purse. When she came out, Pesh was waiting for her. “Where are you going?”
“Oh, it’s my dinner break.”
Pesh gave an impish smile. “How fortunate. It’s mine as well.”
Realizing what he was intending, she slowly shook her head back and forth. “No dates.”
After crossing his arms over his chest, Pesh asked, “And how would it be a date if we happened to go to the cafeteria at the same time and sit at the same table?”
“You’re pushing it, and you know it.”
“After what we both just endured, how can you deny me the pleasure of buying your dinner?” A teasing twinkle flashed in his dark eyes—one she wasn’t used to seeing on him. For some reason, she found it completely irresistible. “Besides, how can I possibly have romance on my mind when I just held another man’s penis in my hands?”
Her eyes widened in shock at his words. “D-Did you actually just say that?”
“Yes, I believe I did.”
She shook her head. “I can’t believe you sometimes.”
“Don’t try to pin me as one thing or the other. Just take me as I am,” Pesh suggested.
“I’ll try.” As they started to the elevator, Megan chewed her lip with unease. Turning to Pesh she asked, “What will people say if they see the two of us together?”
“That we’re two single people having dinner,” he replied.
“You’re a physician, and I’m a clinical student. Couldn’t I get in trouble?”
“Doctors and nurses often have dinner together on their breaks. The cafeteria is a pretty inconspicuous place for us to be alone together. If someone came upon us in one of the medicine rooms or an empty patient room, then we might have a problem.”
“If you say so,” she mumbled, as he punched the down button on the elevator.
After they stepped on the car, Pesh eyed her. “You really are worried, aren’t you?”
She nodded. “My career means everything to me. I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize it.”
“Then I’ll make sure we don’t sit by ourselves.”
“Thank you. I really appreciate that.”
As the car started its decent down, Pesh threw his head back and exhaled a long breath. “Well, that was…”
Megan grinned at him. “The good doctor seems speechless. Surely in all your years in the ER, you’ve seen crazier or more mortifying cases.”
He cocked his head, appearing thoughtful. “A screwdriver lodged in a rectum is probably the tamest.”
“The tamest?” Megan questioned incredulously, as the elevator door dinged open.
Pesh laughed. “A man high on meth walking into the ER with his penis in his hand is probably the craziest.”
Megan’s hand swept over her mouth. “He actually cut off his…” She gazed around to make sure no one was listening to their conversation.
“Is the good nurse speechless?” he teased.
She rolled her eyes at him. “So what happened?”
“We got him sedated and into surgery as soon as we could. I heard they were able to sew it back on. I’m not aware of whether or not it was ever…fully functional again.”
“That is crazy.”
“I know.”
Pesh handed her a food tray. As they surmised their choices, Megan asked, “Was that your standard line of questioning in a situation like that?”
“I think we’ve established that I haven’t been privy to many priapism cases, but yes, any time there is an issue with the penis that is not related to the urethra or bladder, you would ask those questions.” After the food service worker gave them both an odd look, Pesh looked pointedly at her. “Why do you ask?”
She shrugged. “Just to be prepared for the next time.”
He cocked his brows at her. “Do you want to practice your line of questioning? You know, show me what you’ve learned?”
“Let’s get our food first, shall we?”
“Okay.”
After deciding that the grilled chicken salad was about the most appealing item in the food line, she grabbed a drink and some of the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Just as she inched up to pay, Pesh put his tray next to hers. He had chosen some kind of stir-fry that didn’t look appetizing to Megan. When she dug in her purse for her wallet, he handed a twenty to the cashier.
As he took his change, she shot him a look. “What?” he asked.
“You buying my dinner doesn’t look very innocent,” she hissed, as they started toward the tables.
Pesh shook his head with a smile. “I highly doubt she’s keeping the gossip mill going on how Dr. Nadeen bought the lovely new clinical student a salad.”
“You never know,” Megan countered. Trailing Pesh, she watched as he made his way over to a table filled with doctors and nurses. While the bottom half was filled with people, the top was practically empty.
“Mind if we take these seats?” Pesh asked.
“Go right ahead, Nadeen,” a bushy haired doctor replied.
“We’re expecting a few more to join us,” he said, before covertly winking at Megan.
“You play a good game,” she said, softly.
“Thank you.”