I nodded. “Of course. Right. You probably have...appointments to set.” I squeezed my eyes shut, embarrassment warring with desire in my chest. Warmth spread over my features. I was blushing, wasn’t I? “Here, let me—”
I did my best to step out of the way, but the cramped space wouldn’t allow for Brianna to pass me unless I shimmied to the left—which would involve brushing my entire torso against her. I swallowed the growl in my throat as she shifted positions, squeezing between the shelf and me.
Flush with appetite, I shrank back as best I could with my buff shoulders and watched with longing as Brianna exited the closet. No one was around, thank the heavens, or else I might have gone into cardiac arrest right then and there.
Brianna paused and pointed to the door. I nodded for her to close it. When I was alone in my cramped utility coffin, I rested my head against the metal shelf, beating myself up as quietly as possible about that entire scenario.
You should have kissed her. You should have told her how you feel. You should have offered to take her away from her family. There are hundreds of places we could go to start over. It’s so easy. I just needed to…
My phone buzzed in my pocket. Thinking I had put it on silent, I checked the screen, the same blocked number showing up as it had throughout the week.
Once again, my phone knew exactly who I was thinking about. Why couldn’t it interrupt me when something uninteresting was happening?
I sent the call to voicemail and sighed as I returned my phone to my pocket. I could handle it later. Whoever insisted on calling during business hours could wait. Right now, I had a job to do.
And that involved making sure I didn’t embarrass myself with Brianna again.
After taking a few deep breaths, I gathered what little dignity I had left and exited the closet, walking purposefully to my office. I ignored the curious looks from passing nurses and patients, knowing that they were likely worried about seeing their doctor walk out of a small utility closet.
I locked myself in my office, sank behind my desk, and stared at the blinking light on my office phone. Messages, emails, call-backs—I had a lot to do. Which meant I needed to clear my head of all distractions.
Including a delightfully curvy receptionist with wavy, auburn hair and eyes that reminded me of spring.