Heart Surgeon to Single Dad

Perhaps she should have searched for something more glamorous than the cotton pajama shorts and tank top she’d packed at her house when they’d swung by after leaving the hospital. He’d spoken with his sister and she’d asked to keep Carrie another night. But truthfully, Natalie figured no matter what she started off wearing, she’d likely end up naked before long.

She adjusted the strap of the tank, letting it fall off her shoulder, then, feeling stupid, straightened it.

“Matthew?” she called, wondering if he’d fallen asleep on the sofa or something.

“On my way,” he answered, and he must really have been because he almost immediately walked into the room, bare-chested, in a pair of to-the-knee gym shorts.

He was carrying a bowl of popcorn and a large water bottle.

“What’s that for?” She’d thought he’d dive straight into bed and make haste to remove her pajamas, not bring a snack.

“Us.” He put the bowl and drink on the night stand. The buttery scent of popcorn filled her nostrils, making her want some even though they’d grabbed dinner on the way home from the hospital.

“We’ll get popcorn in the bed,” she warned, reaching out and tossing a few warm kernels in her mouth.

Not looking as if he cared if they covered the bed in popcorn, he grinned.

“Mmm, that’s good.” She grabbed a few more.

He picked up a remote control, pushed a button that dropped a big screen down out of the ceiling.

“Wow.”

“You haven’t seen anything yet,” he teased, climbing into bed beside her and holding the remote out toward the screen.

“You’re wrong about that.”

Glancing at her, he laughed. “What’s your favorite genre of movies?”

Natalie stared blankly at him.

“Come on, you have to have a favorite.”

“Not really. I don’t watch much television and haven’t been to the movie theater in years.”

“Seriously?”

Feeling self-conscious, she shrugged. “It’s really not a big deal.”

“Sure it is. You were in a relationship for a couple of years. Didn’t he take you out?”

Touchy subject, Natalie thought. “We went for dinner.”

“That’s it?”

“He went with me to hospital functions. I went to his work functions. It worked for me. Obviously, it wasn’t working quite so well for him.”

“His law firm represents the hospital? That’s why he was at Dr. Luiz’s semi-retirement party?”

She nodded. “His family has a lot of connections to the hospital. It’s how we met.”

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: he’s an idiot.”

Not wanting to talk about her ex any more, she scooted closer to him and traced her fingers down the indentation in the center of his abs. “That’s two of us who think so, but let’s not waste time talking about him. He doesn’t matter.”

His skin prickled with goosebumps beneath her fingertips.

“I’m taking you to the movies, Natalie,” he surprised her by saying. “You, me and Carrie. We’re going next weekend.”