His eyes slide down my body, then back up. I know he’s flirting again, and I don’t know how to respond to it.
Well, how to respond appropriately. Because a small part of me is like, girl, flirt back! I have to ignore the inner ho. I don’t need her screwing me out of a job. Yeah, I know what I did there! Mr. Fancy Rich Doctor probably doesn’t care about anyone but himself, and he thinks that he can just stroll in here and get whatever he wants.
Now, I’m starting to feel a different kind of fire inside, and it helps me find words. “I was talking to Ryan, the owner.” I don’t say any more because there’s something in the way that Eric is looking at me now.
Like he’s amused.
Ugh!
He reaches out and grabs a book behind me, but for the couple of seconds before his hand connects to the book, I think he’s about to touch my face. I actually thought he was going to brush my hair behind my ear or something...like he was going to kiss me.
I feel stuck in time and I just don’t know how to process any of this. I take a deep breath, because my heart is racing at just the idea of him touching me.
Eric looks over the paperback in his hands, but seems to be looking over it and at me. I think he must know what kind of an effect he has on me, judging by that smug smirk on his face.
I inhale again and turn my head to the side.“Do you mind if we start again?”
“Start again?” Eric asks with that bewildering amusement that makes him both incredibly handsome, all devilish charm in an extremely well-fitting suit, and incredibly annoying. But I’m a girl on a mission here. I want to figure out what he’s up to and save this poor bookstore from going under, if I can help it. Even if it would be a merciful death.
“Yes. Instead of you picking on me, Eric Vanderville, why don’t we sit and talk about your plans like adults.” I chew the inside of my lip, realizing that I probably sound ridiculous. I just work here. He doesn’t owe me any explanation. Frankly, I don’t know why we’re talking again, or why we talked so much earlier.
He clears his throat and says, “Yes. We can do that at dinner.”
“What?” I ask. I snap my mouth shut so that I’m not staring at him stupidly. He didn’t deny picking on me. Eric didn’t dismiss me or say this was none of my business.
Eric grins at me.“What time do you finish here?” His words seem to hit my ears slowly and I feel stunned.
I answer him. “Six.” I feel like the words came out of me without me even trying to respond.
“It’s a date.” Eric winks at me. He waves the paperback at me. It’s that new Alexis Angel book, Cindersmellya.
I read that one as soon as it came out and I think I’m actually blushing, imagining him reading the lap dance scene. “My driver, Carl, will pick you up at six.” He pulls out a hundred dollar bill and hands it to me.
Ella, in Cindersmellya, would have slid this in the side of her thong or something. I’m supposed to make change.
I open my mouth to say that, but nothing comes out as I’m watching Eric’s perfect ass walk away.
Eric
My offices are all dark except for the examination room that Donna and Jackson Parker are in. “Thank you so much,” Donna Parker says and puts her hand over mine. “I know so many mothers must call you and they’re hysterical about their fevers, but Jackson has had all these ear infections this year, nothing like with my younger Tara, I didn’t know what to think…” Donna has those big grateful eyes and I feel for her.
Not the feel her up, pervy way. No, the way I take care of children and their mothers is nothing like that.
See, I’m not just a doctor. I’m Dr. Single Dad.
Six years ago, a baby was left at the doorstep of my practice. I was a pediatrician then, too, but I thought I was going to be working with hot single moms. Fate had something else in mind. When I saw that little girl, my whole life changed.
I’m buying the bookstore as a solid investment in not just my financial future, but my Rose’s. Yeah, I named her Rose because she’s beautiful. I’m a proud Daddy.
“I know how I am with my Rose, Donna,” I say, smiling at her. “And I would never let another parent worry about anything. We gotta be vigilant as parents,” I say, and I can’t help but feel that sharp stab of pain. I became a pediatrician because I remembered what it did to my parents when my little brother died. I didn’t want any family losing their child whenever I could help it. My mother blamed herself for my brother Jamie’s death and thought she could have seen it.
So Donna thinks she’s being nuts but I totally get it.
“Thank you so much,” Donna says. Her fears settled, she does give me that look. The one that means her husband doesn’t pay attention to her and she wants to take blue-eyed, dark-hair doctor for a ride.
I actually sleep with anything that walks..except for my patients’ parents. That’s too complicated even though I’m a manslut. But of course I’m always tempted, ya know? Like 12 inches of cock and I’ve never fit any ethics in there.
But right now?