He didn’t know if he could promise her that. “Why not?”
“I don’t like to be played with.”
Why would she think he was doing that? “Who said I was?”
“Like you really want to have a relationship with me. Up until today we barely tolerated each other.”
“Whoa, it was just a simple kiss, not a shot fired across the bows of your boat or a marriage proposal.” He backed away. “I didn’t mean to insult you.”
Her glare burned into him. “You didn’t insult me. I just came out of a bad relationship and don’t wish to repeat it.”
“So you’re saying that by kissing me you almost started another bad relationship?”
Tiffani moved farther away from him. “Right now, I need to concentrate on my job. Our interactions have to remain professional.”
“Based on that kiss, which was far too short, that might not be possible.” He took a step toward her.
“Then you’d better figure out how to make it so. Thanks for an informative day. I’ll be in touch.” With those words, she presented him with her back and hurried to her car.
“Tiff.” He waited until she looked at him. “It might be you who has to work at that.”
Looking stricken, she climbed into the car.
What had just happened? He’d given a girl he was attracted to a simple kiss and she’d made it plain she wasn’t interested. But there had been a second there when she’d returned his kiss that proved she wasn’t immune to him. Tiffani was just scared. But was she scared of him or herself?
When Tiffani started her car, he came out of the daze she’d left him in. He slammed the passenger door closed and went around to the driver’s side. Getting in, he put the truck into gear and drove off.
He wasn’t afraid to go after what he wanted.
* * *
Tiffani’s hands shook on the wheel of the car as she left the parking lot. Rex had kissed her. She’d liked it. Better than liked it. But it must not happen again. It was wrong on a professional level. A personal one too. She couldn’t handle someone with such a large personality after what had happened with Lou. She wasn’t prepared for humiliation again. Nothing more than a fling could happen between Rex and herself anyway. They were too different. She refused to let herself be played with again. Once was more than enough.
She’d made the right decision to push Rex away. Yet a part of her wished she hadn’t. She wanted him to kiss her again. Wanted the chance to run her hands through his mess of hair. His lips hadn’t demanded; instead, he’d teased and tested as if telling her he could be patient. That he would wait for her until she was ready, until she could trust him. When she had given in and kissed him back, she’d found pleasure she hadn’t known existed.
Being kissed wasn’t new to her but even the almost chaste one from Rex left all the others lacking. But she was going to have to forget about it and put all her energy into earning that promotion. If she did get it she’d be moving anyway. There were too many ways that Rex Maxwell was wrong for her.
At least she had no reason to interact with him again for a few days. That would leave her time to get her mind going in the right direction. She’d make sure she was back in professional mode before she saw him again.
* * *
On Monday morning, she opened her emails to find that Luke had sent over the proofs of the pictures of Rex for the billboards. She searched through them. The camera had captured Rex’s masculine attractiveness. When she’d been putting the stethoscope around Rex’s neck Luke had continued taking pictures. He had caught that moment Rex had whispered to her. She hardly recognized herself. The wonder on her face. Even now warmth washed through her.
Tiffani swallowed and clicked the picture off the screen.
She’d trust Luke’s opinion on the best picture to use for the billboards. By the weekend Rex’s picture would be up around the city. She pulled out her phone and searched for the picture she had taken at the clinic. In a few minutes, she would have that out on social media. Hopefully it would generate some positive buzz.
Later that day, she reported to her boss about her progress with the campaign. He seemed pleased. Tiffani returned to her desk and picked up her phone. She’d been putting off the necessary phone call all day. Had Rex been thinking about her as much as she’d thought about him? She didn’t need to go in that direction. There was business to attend to and her objective focus was required.
She punched in Rex’s number. With any luck he wouldn’t answer and she could just leave a message. On the third ring disappointment set in.
“Rex,” was barked in her ear halfway through the fourth ring.
Her heart jumped in panic at the sound of his voice. “It’s Tiffani.”
“Hey, Tiff. Give me a second. I’m right in the middle of something.” He seemed distracted.
“I’ll call back.” There was no response. Instead, she listened as he spoke to someone else. A minute later he said, “Sorry about that. I’m just coming out of surgery.”
“This can wait.”
“No, I can talk now. How’ve you been?” His voice relaxed on the last three words.
“I’m fine.”
“I’ve missed seeing you.” His voice was soft and deep.
He was flirting with her. If he kept that up it would be difficult to resist him. “I wanted to let you know I have an interview set up for you on WMEP This Is Memphis on Thursday morning.”
“I may have surgery scheduled then.”
The Rex she could handle was back.
“I can’t rearrange my schedule,” he continued. “My patients come first. What is it anyway?”
It was progress that he even asked that. “It’s the most popular local morning show.”
“I haven’t seen it. I’m usually in the OR before those come on.”
“Rex, this is an important interview. We’ll work around your schedule. I need you to do this one,” she pleaded.
“And what’s in it for me?”
She didn’t miss the suggestiveness in his tone. “Making the hospital look good.”
“Come on, Tiff. You can do better than that,” he teased, but there was a hopeful note in there as well.
Every time he called her Tiff she quivered. “I’ve already asked Dr. Nelson if we can set up in one of the consult rooms near the OR. You can do the interview in your scrubs. It’ll look more authentic anyway. When the interview is over you can go straight back to surgery. How does that sound?”
“Like you’re being all business. I’d still rather not do it. Again, what’s in it for me?”
“It’d make me happy.” Tiffani kept her voice even.
“That’s better but still not good enough.”
There was the faint sound of his name being called before he said, “I’ve got to go. I’m looking forward to seeing you Thursday.”
Even over the phone Rex had her thinking of things better left alone. Thursday couldn’t come soon enough.
* * *
It was around mid-morning when Rex entered the small consult room just steps from the surgery suite. Once again the table and chairs had been moved against the wall. This time there was a great deal more equipment than there had been for the photo shoot. Two large light stands, glowing brightly, faced two tall chairs situated close together, almost facing each other. Heavy-duty electrical cables ran along the floor. Two men stood behind two different cameras on tripods.
He’d walked into another world. A world he didn’t understand and where he had no control. The urge to leave grabbed him.
Tiffani wore an expensive suit with matching shoes that made her look as edgy as she acted while she conversed with a blonde woman he recognized from billboards around town. As the women talked, they kept referring to a piece of paper. He didn’t turn on the TV or often listen to the talk stations so he had
no idea if the woman had given the malpractice case a lot of air time.
Tiffani glanced his way, said something to the woman and came to meet him. “Hey, there. Glad you’re here.” Her smile was hesitant.
Had she been nervous about seeing him? He liked that idea. If he had her uncertain then he had a chance. She would be more open to getting to know him better. He hadn’t had to chase a woman since high school. Doing it now was both exciting and daunting.
“I’ve missed you.”
“Rex!”
He grinned. “Well, it’s true.” Glancing around, he noted, “There sure is a lot of stuff here just for a short interview.” Weren’t these the same people who’d had nothing kind to say about the hospital weeks ago? “I don’t have much time so can we get started?”
“They’ve almost finished setting up.” She moved toward the set chairs on the set and he followed. “All I want you to do is answer questions honestly and positively. Remember this is about improving the hospital image.”
“I always answer honestly.”
She looked at him. “Don’t forget the positive part.”
The blonde woman joined them. She wore makeup so heavy she appeared cartoonish. Extending her hand, she announced, “I’m Maggie Martin. You must be Dr. Maxwell.”
“Please, call me Rex.” He took her hand. It held no warmth.
Maggie’s smile was syrupy. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”