The Reluctant Romantics Box Set (The Fall, The Mind, The Heart)

“Sorry,” I said quickly and took a step away. He took one step forward, his light blue eyes penetrating mine.

?

?What did I just bust you doing?” he murmured with no regard at all to my personal space. He inched closer and I felt my spine start to tingle.

Don’t look into those eyes, Dallas. Trouble, trouble.

“Nothing, just girl talk,” I said, giving Beatrice big eyes as she lingered. She made a small “hmpf” sound and walked off with her lips twitching in amusement. The same amusement gracing Deans smooth full lips at the moment.

This man should not have this much effect on me.

“Okay, well, bye. I—”

He cut me off when his finger swiped my lip to remove a strand of hair that was stuck in my lip gloss.

“Sure, you have to go,” he said, holding his tablet at his hip, his eyes still peering into mine, his lips twitching as he fought a smile. He knew very well his effect on me.

“Stop looking at me that way,” I barked.

“What way?” he asked, his tone implying he was clueless, his broadening smile telling me he knew exactly what he was doing.

“Like you’ve seen me naked,” I snapped, my hands on my hips, my center and resolve melting simultaneously as he continued to stare at me with hunger.

“I have…repeatedly,” he said softly as a small shiver made its way across my shoulders.

“That was years ago,” I snorted, my eyes challenging him. The tall, dark, insanely handsome bad habit I used to have was now getting under my skin and I needed to put a stop to it.

Nothing good had ever come out of it.

“I’ve known you a long time, Dallas,” he spoke as he leaned into me.

“So?” I said, still trying to mask my arousal with contempt. He leaned in closer, and the second his chest brushed mine and his breath hit my ear, it took everything I had not to moan. “You don’t really want me to stop, Dallas. In fact, I’m willing to bet you want me to do a lot more.”

“I’m not the girl I used to be. Do you need me to continue to remind you?” I said, knowing I had exactly thirty seconds to get away from this man before I proved myself wrong.

Twenty-nine…twenty-eight…twenty—

He started to speak again and I raised my hand in protest. “Let me just stop you right there. I’m not curious like those women are—” I gestured over his shoulder at our female audience that were trying their best to hear our conversation “—because I’ve been there, Dean. I’m not falling for your shit, because I already have. I don’t need to be reminded of what we did, because I was there, too. But maybe I should remind you of how it ended.” He stood a little taller then as the recognition crossed his face.

“How exactly did it end, Dallas?” he said his voice growing less intimate and more distant. It was all I needed.

Nineteen…eighteen…seventeen…sixteen—

“Badly,” I said, turning to walk toward the elevator. “You were there, too,” I whispered, thinking he wouldn’t hear me.

“Yes, I was,” he said softly. I paused mid-stride, but didn’t look back. I didn’t have to. I knew he was still staring at me.

Three…two…one.

I walked into Mr. Carson’s room, waiting on Dr. Pierce to give the results of the chemo. If it had shrunk just another few millimeters, there was a good chance he would live to fight another day. Against my better judgment, I was fully vested in Lance Carson. I couldn’t stand to see his wife in so much pain. I knew the odds were against him. I also knew that with cancer anything was possible. It was a nonbiased killer, but carefully executed medicine and with the help of divine intervention, it could all turn around.

“Dr. Whitaker, have you ever thought about branching out to oncology?” I scanned Mr. Carson’s hopeful face, praying to God I had made the right decision in telling him to take another round of meds. He had gone through so much during this round of chemo that I thought we would lose him…twice. Still, he sat in his bed smiling at me.

“No, I’m opening a general practice with my sister.”

“Plans change. You should think about it. And no matter what comes out of his mouth, I am thankful that you made me fight.” I turned to Mr. Carson, who gave me a quick wink and took in a deep breath, waiting on Pierce to give the verdict.

“It worked.” Dr. Pierce nodded at me with appreciation as he walked into the room. It took everything I had in me not to burst in to tears. In the case of Lance Carson, I was heavily involved.