Catch My Disease

Breathe in, breathe out. Peaceful stillness. Empty thoughts. Breathe in, breathe out.

It had been four years since Delaney learned to master the art of meditation in a crowded area to calm the anxious feeling within her chest. She had learned the basics from her therapist and at first only used the technique when she’d be lying awake in bed, a million thoughts coursing through her mind, before practicing in public situations.

It had been four years since she left her broken family, her once close friends behind.

She had moved from New York City to Phoenix, Arizona and was committed to a new life, a new normal after losing herself. She was a registered nurse and worked the night shift at Phoenix Children’s Hospital four nights a week. She was the children’s bright light of hope in the most troubled times. There were countless mornings when her shift would end and she wouldn’t change out of her scrubs, but hold the hand of a frightened child or comfort a mourning family. She made sure to get giggles out of her patients by either dancing or telling silly jokes before heading back to her empty flat.

Sleep didn’t come easy and because of this Laney became a workaholic. She dedicated the rest of her free time to planning and organizing special events for random charities. Coming from a military family, she had grown up volunteering for veterans. Her father and grandfather both had been Marines and had taught her and her four older brothers the importance of supporting the retired soldiers. But when her fellow nurse mentioned her husband was involved with the organization and was in need of volunteers, she wasn’t quick to agree to check it out.

It had been 8 years since she had lost her twin brother, a US Marine, during his first deployment at the age of 20. Not even a legal adult in the States.

Benjamin had been her rock, her solid ground. Her bestfriend. Losing him had shattered her, tore her whole world apart. She spent the following two years drowning herself in sadness and secluded herself in their shared townhome and focused on finishing up her nursing. She had stopped all volunteer work that had anything to do with the reminder of her fallen brother. Until Lily had begged and pleaded with her to join the team.

There was food, good music, and plenty of champagne. She should have known better than to have that second glass of the expensive bubbly drink. But she had worked hard planning this, making sure the right guests attended, the perfect music and food were selected. She had lost much sleep between focusing on her patients and finalizing every aspect of this event. She had earned that second celebratory glass. And now as she was about to enter the spacious room to thank all the guests, she could feel her nerves get the best of her. Alcohol was usually used to calm nerves, to give a person confidence. It seemed to have the opposite effect on her as the beginnings of an anxiety attack were forming.

So she turned to her way of calming nerves.

That’s how he first saw her. Her hand on her diaphragm as she stood off to the side, deep breathing with her eyes shut. He knew she thought she couldn’t be seen and to the rest of the guests she wasn’t but he had always been aware of the people surrounding him. He had always been a watcher, paying close attention to little details. The first thing he noticed were her dark curls that flowed freely around her delicate face. Her porcelain skin was the second thing he noticed about her. Her perfectly shaped brows. The dark liner around her shut eyes, eyelashes resting lightly on the top of her softly blushed cheeks. Her shiny peach colored lips.

He was staring openly at her, he knew. He wouldn’t be surprised if his lips were slightly parted and a quick intake of breath could be heard as his eyes raked down her slim figure. She wore a red cocktail dress that stopped slightly above the knees and strappy heels that made her smooth legs look like they went on for miles.

He felt his heart stop when his eyes made their way back up to her face and wide golden eyes stared back at him.

Fuck.

He felt the familiar stirring in his black pants. Her cheeks reddened as did his. He could tell she was no longer breathing steadily, her chest rising and falling as she took uneven breaths.

And then he smiled. He smiled that smile that she knew instantly. He wanted her.

She could hear the warning bells, see the red flags go up. He was… him. As simple and as complicated as that was. He was a musician. A pretty famous musician. She wasn’t one to judge but all she could see flashing in her mind were magazine and newspaper clippings.

John O’Callaghan parties hard in Vegas. John O’Callaghan drunk encounter with the paps while exiting a nightclub.

But his smile. Oh, that man’s smile. So genuine and warm and.. sensual.

John O’Callaghan charms the panties off of women all over the world.

The thought made her lips twitch to a slight smile, her cheeks blazing. That was all he had needed. His smile grew bigger, turned more into a charming smile as he slowly made his way over to where she stood.

Oh God, he was going to charm the panties off of her, wasn’t he? That bastard.