Steel peeked out into the corridor -- just in time to startle a passing nurse. However, her surprise instantly gave way to one of the biggest sunniest grins he'd ever seen.
"Steel! Hi!"
"Hi ... uh ... "
He looked down and saw that her name tag identified her as SIOBHAN. It was appropriate, for she was obviously one hearty Irish-American lass, a petite thing with long blonde hair and a pixieish upturned nose. She had a good slim figure accented by a respectable, if not commanding, abundance of bosom stabbing forth beneath her crisp white blouse.
"Hi, Show-van," he attempted.
"It's more like Shaw-von, but I'll accept that."
Steel was puzzled, as he could not place her, then let it drop. "Ah ... I just need to get back to my room right now -- "
"I'll be happy to escort you."
Steel felt awkward in the barely adequate examination gown, and all the more awkward getting escorted -- but since it was Siobhan, he found it very pleasant.
"Steel, what are you doing?" she wondered as they entered his room and he went straight to the closet.
"I'm going to get my things. I saw Dr. Luckey this morning. I'm leaving."
"Uh-huh ... !" Siobhan chuckled, wagging a finger at him in the universal "naughty-naughty" sign. "Steel, we all had a staff meeting about you. You're not going anywhere."
"First of all, you know you can't do that."
"Your parents have passed away, you're an only child, you're single, you're 'between jobs,' and your friends are nice enough but none of them will ever go to the inconvenience of tracking you down. I think we can."
Damn, you're good, Steel almost confessed out loud. "Well, I just saw Dr. Luckey and she changed her mind."
"Oh, I don't think so. I'm sorry, Steel, but ... you're just way too big!"
The fact she was a stranger annoyed him. "And how would you know?"
"I've been one of the assistant technicians, watching you on the video monitors and through the one-way glass. I never dared dream of meeting you in person."
Steel was very still as Siobhan slyly shut his door with her back and began to unbutton her blouse.
"I ... just had sex with Dr. Luckey," he confessed, trying to bow out gracefully.
"I can't blame her," she teased. "But you forget, I've been observing you for a week. You shouldn't be modest -- I KNOW what you're capable of!" |