Playboy Surgeon, Top-Notch Dad

He’d be sailing off into the sunset with another woman and making waves. Well, she supposed that depended on who won Oz’s date, but the man led a charmed life. Some gorgeous knockout would probably bid some insanely high bid on him, then rock his world.

After all, it was only a matter of time before he moved on to the next woman.

Just as well she hadn’t made a fool of herself by throwing her arms around him last night and telling him everything in her heart.

She sucked in a deep breath and prayed the night would soon be over.

The bid prior to Oz’s was his friend Will Majors from Madison Medical Center. A cute blonde in the second row of tables immediately piped up with a three-thousand-dollar bid.

“Are you okay?” Stephanie asked from Oz’s side. “I’ve seen you look at Blair a dozen times. Why don’t you just go and talk to her?”

“The ball is in her court. I told her what I wanted. Apparently, she doesn’t want the sa

me. Or, if she does, it’s not enough.”

Stephanie gave him a suspicious look. “You told her you were in love with her?”

“I’m not in love with her,” he quickly denied. Far from it. He’d had sex with Blair—amazing sex—but the world kept turning. He wasn’t his mother. He wouldn’t shut down and turn to life’s vices to deal with a broken heart. His heart wasn’t broken. He was just fine, regardless of how Blair felt.

“Are you planning to bid on any of the bachelors?” he said, changing the subject.

“The only man I’m interested in isn’t up for bid.”

They both glanced toward Dr Talbot. He leaned toward Blair, laughing at something she said.

“Unfortunately, he refuses to let me tie myself to a dying man, says we’ll only marry if he beats his cancer.”

“Stubborn old fool. Guess that gives him one hell of an incentive to get better.”

Stephanie shrugged. “I think he just uses the cancer as an excuse to keep from hurting my feelings. He’s still in love with his wife.”

“He’ll always love Selma, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t care about you.”

“I know he cares,” Stephanie agreed, sighing. “But caring isn’t enough, is it? Just look at you and Blair.”

Him and Blair?

“There’s nothing between me and Blair.”

“Exactly.”

“I don’t want her to get hurt, if that’s what you mean.” Or would he have been the one hurting?

Damn.

He was hurting.

“You think you didn’t hurt her?”

He had.

He knew he had.

So what was his excuse?

He and Blair shared sexual chemistry. Nothing more.

He glanced toward her, saw her laugh at something Dr T said. His heart ached. Would she ever laugh like that for him again? Would he ever look into her eyes and see that sparkle?