Stern Desire Love Redeemed by Leah Shay

please."
    I collected the supplies and gave them to Dr. Collins. He thanked me and returned to Jared's room to collect the lab work.
    The day shift staff began to arrive. It meant I finally got
    to go home and leave this stress filled place behind. I gave Sophia report and was finishing up my charting when Toni, a classmate of mine from the nurse practitioner program, came on the floor. She would write me scripts for
    medications, lab work, and radiographic exams after I'd done my usual self-diagnosis.
    "Just the person I wanted to see," I said to Toni.
    "What's up, Kyra?"
    "I need to have some lab work done."
    "Anything in particular?"
    I have not been to a doctor in years, and for a nurse who should know better, I should do better. The only doctor I see yearly is my
    OB/GYN.
    "The full work-up, including STD panel."
    "So who is the lucky guy?"
    "No one you know."
    "When are you going to leave bedside nursing? You have
    your Nurse Practitioner license, and you are not using it."
    I have to do so many clinical hours for my Doctorate in Nursing practice program, I feel like I already have a full time position at
    the office of Dr. Sanchez, Jenn's longtime boyfriend.
    "I'll be finished with the DNP program in a few months and I'll go from there."
    "All the best, Kyra."
    "Thanks, Toni." She handed me the script.
    "Anytime."
    J.C. was in the sitting area as I entered. I was hoping for a quick goodbye.
    "Hold on a minute, Kyra. He's in a meeting," J.C.
    said.
    At seven-thirty in the morning, he was in a meeting? This guy had to be a workaholic. If he worked this hard while he was in the hospital, I couldn't imagine what he did when he was in the real world. Today
    was payday, so I checked my account and paid my bills while I waited. After ten minutes, I got up to leave.
    "J.C.?"
    "Yes, Ms. Harris."
    "Can you tell Mr. Stern I came by, but had to
    leave?"
    "Please, Ms. Harris, he's expecting you, and he will be very mad if I let you leave."
    "If you let me leave, J.C...." I stopped mid-sentence as the outer door opened and a very beautiful Indian lady, with
    the most gorgeous black, shiny hair and a well-tailored business suit, entered.
    "Good morning," she said pleasantly.
    "Good morning, Malini," J.C. answered.
    "Morning," I answered.
    She was carrying two briefcases that she placed next to the chair she sat in.
    The door to Jared's room slightly opened.
    "Zack, one other thing," Jared said. "Do you
    have a will, life insurance?"
    "Yes, sir," Zack answered.
    "Good, you face certain risks when you step into my world. Protecting me increases those risks exponentially."
    "It's a pleasure to be back, Mr. Stern," Zack said.
    "Ms. Harris," J.C. said, "you can go ahead."
    Zack held the door open for me. He was an attractive
    African-American man in his thirties, nicely dressed with a bad boy swagger.
    The door closed behind me. I stood at the foot of the bed. Jared was sitting up in bed with some paperwork next to him; the one on top was
    titled "liability release." Zack was another bodyguard.
    Jared patted the bed next to him, "Come, sit."
    "No need. There's someone waiting for you out
    there."
    "Kyra, you are so lucky I can't come after you."
    I obeyed and sat facing him on the side of the bed.
    "I could not help overhearing your conversation with
    that man. Am I or will I be in any danger being in a relationship with you?"
    "Kyra, please do not worry about that." He gently massaged my shoulders.
    "Jared, you said that there are certain risks when one
    steps inside your world. Could I be placed in danger dating you?"
    "Do you trust me?"
    "Jared, you are not answering my question," I said, very annoyed that he was trying to ignore my question.
    "Did you know your eyes blaze when you are mad?"
    "Have a good weekend, Jared." I tried to get up, but his hands on my shoulders prevented me from doing so.
    "I have a very public life. I'm constantly hounded by reporters. Everything I do personally or businesswise is all out there. My business