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I jerk back fro short I shake my head to clear it “I mean, thank you, but… you can’t” Whereas yesterday, I started flirting with Russ specifically so Dad would find out and get angry about it… now I don’t want Dad anywhere near this “I told you, I can’t risk your job here”

“And I told you, Maggie, you’re worth the risk” He takes another step closer He’s close enough now that the heat froh mine It’s hard to breathe Hard to remember what I need to do, or why It’s so damn hard to walk away

“Well, I disagree” With an enormous effort, I force my foot to move backward, and draw myself away from him

He followsyou don’t want ain?” His hand hovers next tomy skin I could let hiain Let him fuck ain, until I have another orgasm like the one that made me cry out in that empty stairwell

My whole body feels like one giant blush I clear my throat, hard, to make it stop “We can’t”

“Yes, we can”

I push past hi after I’ve disappeared around the far end of the corridor “I’ll find a way to convince you, Maggie Owens Mark my words”

Oh, I do And I can’t stop thinking about the

5

Dad picks ive me a ride home after work, the same way he does every day Or rather, the sa every day, as if I’m a child who can’t be trusted to take care of herself I finish picking up the rest oflot, ed sideways colares frootten around by now, that I only have 3 patients on my rotation, while everyone else has upwards of dozens

It’s not fair, they say, over and over, whenever I’, and probably even more when I’ree with them It’s not fair I wish Dad would come around on this

But as I slide into the passenger seat, ready to argue with hi his serious, prepare for battle face “Who died?” I ask gri myself in

Dad’s eyes narrow “Nobody Your ht, so I’ll need you to continue to be on your… well, clearly not your best behavior, but better behavior than you’ve been on for the rest of the day thus far,” he grumbles

I roll my eyes “You can control my schedule and my job and my life, Dad, but unfortunately for you, you cannot control h break”

“It’s part of your job to provide a welco and enjoyable atmosphere for your patients at the hospital I spoke to the Hartford boy you’ve been assigned to look after His parents are not happy with the attitude you’ve been bringing along with you whenever you visit his room If that’s an indicator of how you plan to handle these three patients for the rest of the week, then iven you this miniscule of a job”

I groan As if taking away the real asn’t bad enough “Dad, everyone already hatesspecial treathter workload, that I’ this”

“Well, it’s up to you to turn your own prospects around Now, about dinner There will be about ten people co to stop at the butchers on the way horocery store run as well…” He trails off,into over-planning land

My dad even likes to ives hi Not only does she know he loves grilling, but she also knows he’ll focus all his OCD tendencies on the dinner and leave her alone to prepare the drinks and the decor and the music—you know, all the fun parts of a party Dad’s not exactly great at the whole letting loose and having fun thing