Page 54 of Asystole

The call is still connected as he rips his locker open and pulls his flight suit out, quickly tugging it on. I imagine it’s as familiar to him as my scrubs and white coat are to me.

The suit is navy blue with a red and white stripe down the side. He has a medical cross patch on one arm and the caduceus on the other. The hospital’s logo is over his chest, and scrawled across his back is his flight number.

“Fuck, that’s hot,” I murmur.

Logan startles when I speak.

“Call’s still connected,” he whispers, continuing to gear up.

“Shit. Right,” I say stupidly.

Placing the phone on the arm of the chair, Logan props a booted foot up on the bench and laces his shoe. “Ready for the coordinates.”

When dispatch begins speaking, he stops tying and starts turning the dial on his watch.

“Nineteen degrees, twenty-four minutes, forty-two seconds South, and fifty degrees, thirty-five minutes, fifteen point six three five six seconds West. Repeat for confirmation of correct transmission.”

Logan repeats it perfectly and says, “Headed to chopper. All logs complete. Time to takeoff, two minutes.”

“Roger that.”

“10-4.”

When Logan moves to exit the locker room, I’m blocking his path.

“Sorry,” I mumble, totally in a daze.

“See you tonight,” he says, his voice all business as he runs out the door.

In the silence of the locker room, I feel funny. Like I don’t know what just happened or how I feel about it. I’m more worried about Logan returning safely than I am about the patient he’s racing toward. I’m a little jealous that Logan’s flight nurse gets to see him in action. I’m a little turned on because apparently, I have a competence kink, and I’m still trying to process the blowjob conversation.

Not to mention, I’m now really late for conference, and I don’t have a good excuse.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, not giving me a break.

Sarah

Where the hell are you? Fetterman’s getting pissed.

Chase

I was helping the Life Flight pilot with something for his call. I’m on my way.

I figure even though it’s still a lie, it’s close enough to the truth that I won’t have to work too hard to keep the story straight.

When I enter the conference room a few minutes later, Dr. Fetterman, our attending today, stares me down.

“Dr. Matthews, we have a Life Flight crew for a reason. Your job is to be here, in this conference meeting, learning everything you can about the patient they’ve gone to retrieve. Their job is to play air taxi to the critically ill and wounded. I’m certain they don’t need any assistance from you in getting that helicopter off the ground.”

“Yes, sir,” I reply obediently, even though my blood is boiling in my veins.

I remember Logan saying he felt like all he does is play Air Rideshare, and now, Dr. Fetterman is feeding into that. Is that really how people see the Life Flight and EMS operators? Those people are just as essential as the surgeons, and I resent anyone who thinks differently.

My concentration is shit from the start, but it doesn’t get any better when Sarah leans in and whispers, “So, are you bringing anyone to Dr. Porter’s New Year’s dinner?”

“Yes,” I answer immediately, knowing I’ll do whatever it takes to convince Logan to tag along.

Chapter 21