Karen was harsh, but Hollis knew that she was right.

  Karen went on. “We love Vivienne and sometimes it does feel scary that someday she won’t need us that much. But what sort of love traps the other person, stopping her from being happy? You are better than this, Hollis,” Karen said, her eyes firm.

  “I didn’t want to be harsh. I just didn’t want Vivienne to know that I was jealous and weak. I didn’t want her to like me even less than she does already. I guess it’s natural for children to look up to their parents and put them on a high pedestal—but, we’re human too. We’re flawed and can make mistakes,” Hollis said, pouring her heart out.

  Karen nodded in response, knowing that Hollis was beginning to understand.

  “I will go talk to her.” Hollis said. Karen gave Hollis’s hand a reassuring squeeze as Hollis got up.

  “Thank you. You’re right. So you’d better make the most of my admitting I was wrong. It won’t happen again for

  another ten years!” Hollis teased.

  16

  “Iam telling you, you should totally watch Knives Out.

  It’s amazing,” Lisa said to Ava as they sipped their co ee during break.

  “Dr. Oliver, report to Oncology,” the PA system blared.

  “Come on, Lisa, you say that about everything you watch,” Ava quipped, with a roll of her eyes.

  “Hey! You had three girlfriends in a week last summer.

  Did I judge you? No.” Lisa shot back. “But seriously though, it’s a very good movie. You like thrillers? You will love this one! It even has that Latino girl you like, what’s her name . . .

  um, Ana something?” Lisa tried to remember.

  “It has Ana de Armas?” Ava rolled her eyes. “How did I not know about this? Okay, we have a movie to play—

  whenever on earth I get a night o !” Ava said, suddenly excited.

  “Yeah, that’s her name! Boy, I am as straight as an arrow, but she is cute.” Lisa let out a whistle, making Ava laugh.

  “Hey Lisa, how are you doing? Have you seen Katherine around?” Sophia asked, joining them. “Hey Ava! Good to see you,” Sophia continued, before Lisa could answer her query.

  “Hey, Sophia!” Ava said in return.

  “No, I haven’t seen Katherine since this morning,” Lisa answered, exchanging looks with Ava.

  “Okay, I’ll keep looking. Or maybe page her, but that might be a bit much. There is a bigger mystery here right now, anyway.” Sophia said cheerfully as Lisa and Ava looked at her, frowning.

  “How in the name of God . . .” Sophia began dramatically,

  “did you get Dr. Roman to come to that party? She never attends social events! Like honestly, not one. Ever!” Sophia said, her eyes wide.

  “Well, I just went in and asked her. She said no at first, but then she turned up. What do you know—my charm worked!” Lisa laughed, “Oh, and here is the elusive Dr.

  Ross,” Lisa said, pointing to Katherine, who was walking toward them.

  “Ava, did you know Sophia before the party?” Lisa asked, turning to Ava and Sophia.

  “Of course! Sophia is the superstar intern that solved the case that me and Dr. Roman were stuck on forever,” Ava said, as the girls laughed.

  “God, where ever I go, it’s Dr. Roman everywhere. As if Sophia’s worshipping of her wasn’t enough,” Katherine said, joining the conversation. She kept her stethoscope in hand as she scrunched her nose.

  “No, we were just discussing how Lisa got Dr. Roman to come to her sister’s party,” Sophia informed Katherine, laughing as she pecked Katherine’s cheek and made her smile.

  “Oh yeah, that was like a modern-day miracle!”

  Katherine joked, her eyebrows shooting up.

  “Come on, you guys. Dr. Roman isn’t that antisocial. She was actually quite friendly at the party,” Ava chipped in.

  “Oh, someone is defending her. Maybe she was friendly to you because you looked totally hot in that little green silky

  top and tight jeans!” Sophia smirked.

  “Uh-huh!” Lisa gave her best friend a pat on the back and nodded.

  “Where were you, Katherine?” Sophia finally asked her.

  “Oh well, I was with another patient who was arguing that I didn’t give him enough options,” Katherine sco ed.

  “What happened?” Sophia asked.

  Katherine shrugged. “You can never win as a surgeon these days. Patients are never really happy.”

  “Come on, you are hard on people sometimes.” Sophia rubbed Katherine’s arm.

  “No, seriously. I am done with this. He refused surgery, saying he needs time to think. I told him that time isn’t a luxury he has. That he’d been sent to a surgeon for a reason,” Katherine replied, her tone frustrated.

  “Oh come on, you could have just asked me. I would have gotten you the consent,” Sophia suggested. “You know how good I am with the patients.”

  “Yeah, you would have cried with him. Gone thirty years back into his life to make sense of his life today. And then he would get Christmas cards from you for the rest of his life,”

  Katherine said, her smirk making Sophia gasp. She punched Sophia’s arm lightly.

  “Ha ha! Very funny!” Sophia said, making a face at Katherine until she chuckled. “Some people may call that empathy—a vital skill for a doctor. It gets the job done!”

  Sophia shot back.

  They all stopped short as familiar footsteps approached them—Dr. Miller.

  “Hello there, ladies. What is the girl gang doing here?”

  she asked, playfully. “If you are all planning a coup, trust me. I am going nowhere,” she said mockingly, her gaze stern but playful. Rebecca was a little surprised by the assortment:

  her head of Cardio, her intern girlfriend, and two paramedics

  —all medical professionals Rebecca liked and respected.

  “Well, Chief, we are just catching up.” Ava answered.

  “Mind if the boss joins in?” Rebecca was in a good mood and took a seat next to Ava.

  “Speaking of catching up, Lisa, I am not happy with you.”

  Dr. Rebecca’s voice had pretend sternness.

  “Everything okay, Dr. Miller? I don’t bitch about my job that much anymore,” Lisa joked.

  “Yes, you had such a grand party and I wasn’t invited.

  You went to Hollis before me, and she is allergic to parties. I, on the other hand, adore a party.” Rebecca feigned anger at Lisa.

  “Well, Dr. Miller, I thought you were going on a vacation to Barbados with your husband. You definitely did mention that. Otherwise I would absolutely have invited you,” Lisa replied, with a sheepish smile.

  “Yeah, change of plans. I didn’t go. Turns out, you only go to Barbados when you are ready for Barbados.” Rebecca laughed shortly before continuing, “Speaking of Dr. Roman, please update her on the cases when she returns from her break. Sophia, you should all have the paperwork ready on the new patients for Dr. Roman. She has been through a lot these past weeks and I don’t want any trouble for her.”

  Sophia nodded eagerly. “Everything is ready, Chief Miller.

  You can count on me.”

  KATHERINE AND SOPHIA headed back in to the hospital. “What happened?” Katherine asked Sophia, as they climbed the steps.

  “Nothing. What do you mean?” Sophia tried to play her intentions down, but the glow on her face revealed her

  feelings.

  “Why did you call me up here?” Katherine asked, her brows furrowing.

  “You know, just to chat—a chat alone,” Sophia smirked.

  “I was just thinking . . . we don’t realize it, but we are lucky.

  We have jobs that we love and a boss who understands us.

  Our colleagues are also good friends. And I have you, Katherine. Our relationship is beautiful, though we do tend to take it for granted sometimes.” Sophia’s voice had become solemn, her eyes softening as Katherine looked at her.It was true. Katherine thought about how far her life had come since losing Melissa. She still had sadness deep within her, but Sophia and the life they had built together always made her smile. “You said before that I go too hard on people sometimes. Did you really mean it?” Katherine asked softly, as the breeze blew her honey colored hair into Sophia’s face.

  “Sometimes. But I can think of something else you can go hard on.” The spark in Sophia’s eyes was back as she pulled Katherine closer and moved her lips to Katherine’s cheek.

  Katherine’s eyes widened at the suddeness of it. Sophia trailed her lips to Katherine’s neck, then made the same journey back. She wasn’t really kissing her, but was just tracing her soft lips across Katherine’s skin.

  Katherine shivered. Sophia’s lips felt incredible. But she also gulped heavily, knowing what Sophia meant that they should do. “Sophia, what has gotten into you? We are at the hospital,” Katherine said slowly, her eyes hooded because she was so intoxicated by the smell of Sophia’s skin. The two women pressed their hands together.

  “I know somewhere that we won’t be seen. And anyway, now that the rules about relationships have changed, you aren’t my mentor anymore and Chief Miller is SO supportive

  of us,” said Sophia. “We are like one of her ‘equality and diversity’ couples. You know how she’s all for anything minority,” Sophia encouraged, pointing toward a room and dragging Katherine there.

  The room was a supply closet that Sophia somehow had a key for. She let them in and then locked the door behind her.

  Sophia began pushing her hands up under Katherine’s scrubs.

  “Now then, intern. What are we going to do in here?”

  Katherine asked, suddenly excited by Sophia’s spontaneity.

  She pushed Sophia back against the wall and ran her hand down Sophia’s cheek.

  “I . . . I, ah . . .” Sophia was lost for words as Katherine took her hand and pulled her roughly through the shelving and stacks of storage equipment to a spare hospital bed at the back. Katherine put her hands on Sophia’s hips and turned her around, so Sophia faced the bed and the wall.

  “Dr Ross. What can I do for you today, as your intern?”

  Sophia asked, her voice breathy and excited.

  Katherine loved the power play between them. That dynamic had always been such a lure, even when they first met. Katherine knew she was a control freak in every aspect of life—and the bedroom was no di erent. To know Sophia would willingly capitulate to her was so seductive. Seeing Sophia’s blue eyes looking up from a position of submission was the most erotic thing.

  Katherine looked at her watch. She knew she had some time before she was due back in surgery, and she was excited to enjoy Sophia. “Be my slut, intern. Be a good slut for your boss. That’s what you like isn’t it? To serve your boss?” she asked.

  “Yes, Dr. Ross. Of course. I’ll be a slut for you. I’ll do anything you want.” Heat burned between Katherine’s legs as she heard those words. Her hands were on Sophia’s hips,

  grabbing her from behind. Katherine’s fingers ventured up under Sophia’s scrubs, roughly brushing her breasts.

  “Bend over for me then, slut,” Katherine ordered. Sophia bent at the waist so that her upper body leaned forward over the bed, her dark ponytail falling sideways to expose her elegant neck. Sophia’s left cheek lay against the waterproof cover of the mattress.

  “Hands forwards. Above your head,” Katherine said in a low tone, enjoying herself. Sophia obediently moved her hands forward, so they were on the bed railings.

  Katherine moved quietly around the bed, picking up a small roll of medical tape as she passed the supply shelves.

  She smiled wickedly to herself. This could be fun! Katherine took Sophia’s wrists.

  Sophia remained just where she had been ordered to stay.

  Katherine taped Sophia’s slim wrists together, being careful that she hadn’t done it too tightly. “I’m going to restrain your hands by taping your wrists to the bed,” she told Sophia. “Then I’m going to do whatever I like with your body. Is that what you want?” Katherine asked.

  Sophia mumbled and tried to nod her head.

  “Answer me properly, Sophia. You know I need your consent before I continue.”

  “Yes, Dr Ross. Please. I want it.”

  “You promise to let me know if your hands feel too tightly bound at any time?”

  “I promise.” Sophia gasped and wriggled her hips slightly, feeling a strong pulse between her legs. She wanted Katherine so desperately.

  Katherine took her time in taping Sophia’s wrists to the bars on the far side of the bed. Then, satisfied she had restrained her slut, she headed back around to the other side.

  She eyed up the shelving and the boxes of supplies. “Hmm . .

  .” she said loudly, as she thought through her options. She

  picked up a surgical mask and leaned over Sophia. “I’m going to put this mask over your eyes. You aren’t going to be able to see what I am doing to you, and you won’t be able move away. Do you still consent?”

  “Yes, Boss. Please. I want you. I need you,” came Sophia’s voice.

  Katherine adjusted the surgical mask over Sophia’s eyes and tightened it so she couldn’t see anything. Taking a second to step back, she watched Sophia shu e her hips slightly in frustration. Sophia didn’t like waiting.

  Katherine smiled to herself. She put her hands on either side of Sophia’s hips and eased the elastic of her surgical pants down over her magnificent round ass, pulling them over her thighs and down to her ankles. Then Katherine left them there, happy that they added to Sophia’s restraints.

  Sophia’s full ass had goosebumps as it met the cool air and Sophia anticipated what was coming next.

  Katherine noticed that Sophia’s blue silk panties were the same colour as her eyes. Plus, they were obviously damp where they touched her between her legs. Katherine ran her fingers teasingly down the cleft of Sophia’s ass, gently pushing against the wet fabric. Sophia moaned and pushed back against Katherine’s hand, her ass rising to meet it.

  Katherine smiled. Sophia was absolutely delicious. As usual.

  Katherine put a thumb into either side of the waistband of Sophia’s panties and eased them down slowly until they were just above Sophia’s knees, where she left them rolled up. Katherine enjoyed the sight of the blue panties there.

  There was something so deliciously slutty about how Sophia was bent over, exposed with her underwear yanked down.

  Katherine pulled Sophia’s ass cheeks apart with both hands. As Katherine opened her up, Sophia became utterly exposed. Completely vulnerable and so incredibly beautiful.

  Sophia was so wet. Her lips were red and pu y—aroused and slick with desire. A dribble of her cum dangled arousingly from her entrance. Sophia was so ready.

  Katherine noticed Sophia’s breathing quicken as she held her body wide open and silently watched her, noticing Sophia’s hips shift slightly and her ass tense a bit.

  Katherine was becoming mesmerised by Sophia’s body.

  Wanting to remain in charge, she released Sophia’s ass cheeks and they fell back into place. She knew Sophia’s mind would be running on overdrive, wondering what was coming next. Katherine loved pushing that level of anticipation for Sophia.

  She watched as the dribble between Sophia’s legs lengthened and then stuck to her inner thigh. It glistened in the harsh artificial light. There was nowhere for Sophia hide and Katherine loved that Sophia didn’t even try. Sophia let Katherine in—in any way she wanted. She gave her body to Katherine so beautifully.

  Katherine reached for the top shelf where she had spotted a vaginal speculum—a steel instrument used for internal vaginal examination. Katherine hadn’t used one since she’d studied gynecology in medical school, but as she held the cool steel instrument in her hands, she found she was incredibly excited to give Sophia an examination.

  “Okay, my slutty little intern,” Katherine teased. “Today I need to give you an internal vaginal exam. You must stay still and let me open you right up.” She watched Sophia’s whole body arch with excitement.

  “Yes, Dr. Ross,” said Sophia. “Of course. I will stay still.

  But this isn’t the usual position for a vaginal exam. We did it at school.”

  “I’ll examine you in whichever position I damn well want you. Is that clear?” Katherine’s voice left no room for discussion.

  “Yes, Boss. Whichever position you like,” Sophia said, gasping at the force she heard in Katherine’s tone.

  Katherine ran her fingers gently across Sophia’s labia, pulling them apart slightly. She felt Sophia going crazy underneath her. She inserted two fingers into Sophia’s wetness, as firmly as she would have done had it been a real vaginal exam. She moved her fingers around, feeling inside Sophia. Katherine pressed methodically on Sophia’s internal walls, as though checking her internally.

  Sophia moaned and moved with every press. “All seems to be as it should be. An abnormal quantity of wetness though. Although that might help for the next part of the exam.” Katherine pulled her fingers out and Sophia’s whole body squirmed in response. Katherine picked up the speculum.

  Katherine made the cold steel touch Sophia’s wetness, running it up and down the slick folds painfully slowly, coating the instrument in Sophia’s juices. Sophia’s body reacted to the cold hardness.

  “Mmm . . .” Sophia mumbled in sheer lust, desperate to feel it inside of her.

  “You like this hardness against you, my darling? You like how cold it is?”

  “I love it. It feels so . . . it feels incredible. I love the coldness against me.”

  Katherine was happy with the slick coating on the instrument and brought it to Sophia’s entrance, pushing it slowly inside her.

  Sophia gasped as it entered her. She’d had had vaginal exams for medical reasons before, but this was nothing like that.

  Once Katherine had the instrument’s duck’s bill fully inserted in Sophia, she began to open it up. “I’ll go very

  slowly, opening you up wide, so I can see inside. I want to see every part of you. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, Doctor Ross,” Sophia mumbled. Her body quivered as Katherine slowly pressed open the speculum. It was the most intense thing and she couldn’t imagine why she had never tried it before.