The man in a white coat was casually lounging on the stairs, legs stretched out, a cigarette lazily pinched between his long, slender fingers.
The glowing tip flickered in the dim light.
Jace lifted his gaze and stared at her, unbothered, exhaling a ring of smoke.
“Looking for me?”
His voice was cool and flat, tinged with the husky roughness of someone who’d just smoked.
Even running into her here like this, he didn’t look the least bit surprised.
Nerissa quickly shook her head and forced a smile.
“What a coincidence, Dr.
Whitmore.
I’m here for work — this hospital happens to be my internship placement.”
Worried he might not believe her, she wiggled the measuring tool in her hand to prove she wasn’t stalking him.
From what she remembered, he was totally the type who hated being bothered, especially by women.
Jace glanced at the tool she was holding.
After two seconds of silence, he said nothing — just reached out and stubbed out his cigarette, scooting aside to give her space inside the stairwell.
“Go ahead.”
Two words.
Straight to the point.
Nerissa took the hint, quickly thanked him, and slipped past with her gear to start her measurements in the hallway.
Right then, Quentin stepped in from behind.
His eyebrows lifted slightly in amusement when he spotted Jace.
“Yo, Dr.
Whitmore, skipping out on clinic hours to chill here?”
Jace rubbed his temples, his voice as cool as always.
“Just finished a surgery.
Needed a breather.”
Quentin chuckled knowingly.
“Totally get that.
You guys deal with high-pressure stuff all day.
Gotta let off steam somehow.”
Behind them, Nerissa was working while stealthily eavesdropping.
So even someone as chill as him needs to de-stress…
No wonder he’s so wild in bed.
Probably takes it all out there, huh…
“Oh right, let me introduce — this is my apprentice, Nerissa Noland.
You met her at Crownpoint Heights before, remember?” Quentin said with a wide smile.
Jace gave Nerissa a quick glance, a flicker of silence in his eyes.
Remember her?
Yeah.
Shared a bed…
“Nerissa’s a quiet one, but she’ll be around doing measurement stuff often.
Help keep an eye on her for me, will ya?” Quentin added, winking playfully.
Jace’s gaze paused for a beat.
He gave a small, nonchalant nod.
His voice was flat as ever.
“Got it.
Time’s up, I’m heading back to clinic.”
Just as he turned to walk away, Quentin suddenly smacked his forehead and turned to Nerissa.
“Oh right, Nerissa, didn’t you say your stomach hurt?
Perfect timing — Dr.
Whitmore can take a look.
He’s about to start his shift anyway.”
Quentin had noticed her clutching her belly a few times that morning, and after asking, found out it was an old issue.
Since Jace was skilled and efficient, a quick check wouldn’t hurt.
Hearing this, Nerissa’s face froze.
She waved her hands hastily, trying to dodge the idea.
“No need, Professor Lowell, it’s just something I’ve dealt with for years.
Really don’t wanna bother him.”
Before she could say another word, Jace leisurely lifted his gaze and said nonchalantly, “Yeah?
What kind of pain?”
That line sounded way too familiar — he’d asked her the exact same thing once before.
Nerissa instantly stiffened, her ears flushing pink.
“It’s just a stomach issue, nothing serious.”
“Stomach issues still need proper treatment.
Let Dr.
Whitmore give you something to help,” Quentin added helpfully from the side.
“Alright then, let’s head to my office,” Jace said, getting up.
And just like that, Nerissa didn’t even get a chance to say no.
With Quentin being all warm and eager, she was half-dragged into Jace’s office.
It was the same consultation room from last time.
In just a few days, two new banners had popped up on the wall — thank-you gifts from grateful families.
Quietly, she read the inscriptions, her respect for his skill growing stronger.
His medical skills were legit.
Last time when her stomach hurt, the medicine he gave her was cheap but super effective — just one dose and she already felt better.
“Sit.
Give me your wrist.”
Hearing his voice, Nerissa quietly sat down and reached out her wrist like he said.
Jace lifted his hand, fingertips warm and firm as they pressed against her pulse point — not exactly gentle, carrying a heavy sort of pressure that made her tense up without even realizing it.
She instinctively held her breath, not daring to move.
She’d always thought he was a Western medicine kind of guy, so it really caught her off guard that he knew traditional pulse-taking.
She actually had this quiet admiration for traditional medicine, and right now, watching his sharp features and focused expression, feeling the warmth from his fingers spreading slowly across her skin —
Her cheeks started to heat up.
Jace listened to her pulse intently, eyes drifting down to her thin wrist.
She was so slender and pale, veins faintly visible under her almost translucent skin.
Her wrist looked fragile, soft — like it could snap with a little pressure.
If they were in bed, he could probably hold down both her wrists with one hand.
His gaze darkened slightly.
And his fingers, ever so subtly, pressed down a bit more.