My Forbidden Doctor (Forbidden Medicine 7)

"I know a guy like that. My dad is constantly trying to set me up with rich guys, but because I can't offer an alternative, me saying 'I'm not interested' is useless." Crossing my arms indignantly, I frowned myself as we stood, lamenting, outside the elevator. "After my mom died, my dad started getting all up in my business and trying to dictate my life. It's only because of my mom's inheritance, too. I know my dad loves me, but he's gotten greener in the face these past few years."

"Yeah, my mom's the same. My dad left her after my little sister turned eighteen for someone younger and richer. I don't know. That's life, I guess. My mom has a horrible track record with men even when they were married."

Somewhere down the quiet, empty hallway, a door shut, and the sound echoed ominously. I held my breath when Carl pulled a face of discomfort, licking his lips as he adjusted his tie. Slowly, he glanced around the sharp corner, and the faint fall of heels on carpet started to drum underneath us.

"Crap. Here she comes. Would it be creepy if I asked you to agree to date me for the next... two minutes?"

Surprise widened my eyes and raised my brows, and I opened my mouth only to immediately run out of time. A flash of blonde caught the corner of my eye, and my throat tightened as I nodded mutely.

Relief flooded Carl's expression, which was tinged with a quiet apology. Mouthing a 'thank you' even as my own dried, his eyes blazed with hope, and my heart ached for him.

Everyone always thought that guys couldn't be uncomfortable with female advances, or that women couldn't be creepy. The double standards of society were on full display right in front of me, and it was heartbreaking. Before my brain could catch up with my mouth, I suddenly found words, and the awkwardness of the situation snuck up on me.

"I don't know what I'm going to do about my dad. I've been slowly trying to ease contact, but he always finds new reasons to call me." My head was in tatters, and Carl frowned under furrowed brows as I shrugged. Now that I'd been inside the building so long, my allergies had calmed down, and the nasally tone in my voice disappeared. "I don't have many friends, right— so it's like he thinks I'm lazy."

"I'm not too excited about dinner with my mom next week, either. It usually ends in an argument over something trivial. Our last get-together, she introduced me to this man she's dating. Any time I try to bring up how smarmy he seems, she gets all teary-eyed and upset."

"Smarmy?" I couldn't help but laugh at that word, and I automatically reached to cover my mouth.

Carl smiled a genuine, soft smile that showed off his shallow dimples.

I waved my free hand. "I've never heard anyone say someone else is 'smarmy'."

"Well, it's true. I'm not going to get too into it with her. I have my own love life to worry about." Carl sort of tensed at that last part, and flames engulfed my face. My heart did a little flip when he stepped closer to me, his eyes capturing mine as he very carefully took my hand and lifted the backs of my fingers to his lips. "Speaking of, we're still on for tonight, right?"

"... I'll make sure to wear my nicest lingerie." Oh, my God! Interest pointed his pupils as I licked my lips nervously. Carl was very careful not to crowd me, but I could see my own feelings swirling in his dark brown eyes. That's a little too convincing. "Six-thirty, right?"

"Yeah. It's an important night, after all."

My cheeks were so hot they threatened to melt off my skull, and my breath hitched loudly when Carl squeezed my hands. Down the deathly quiet hallway, the disgusting sound of someone sucking their teeth boxed my ears. Tensing when Carl whirled around, he cleared his throat of its considerably huskiness. "Eva— what do you want? I'm on my lunch break."

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't have your lunch break right in front of the elevator, Carl." She sounded so incredibly bitter and upset that her voice actually cracked.

I poked my head out from behind Carl's shoulder. Eva was long-legged and gangly almost, with wavy blonde hair and a thin, wiry frame. She was shooting Carl the most venomous, awful glare humanly possible, Eva's blue eyes flashed icily as she strutted past. Swaying her hips on her heels, she chuffed a scoff at me, and alarms rang in my head.

She directed her glare at me. "You're not good enough for him."

My jaw almost fell on the floor in shock, from Eva's declaration and the sheer contempt in it. She flipped her hair with a flick of her sharply angled arm, leaving my speechless as she jabbed the elevator button. Thankfully, the doors opened immediately, and an unbelievable, breathless laugh escaped the dense lump in my throat.