Until Autumn

I drop some cash on the table to cover the extra drinks and place my hand on her lower back to lead her out of the bar. We walk out into the street, and she instantly starts crossing the road without checking that it’s clear first, but luckily for her, there isn’t a car in sight.

We reach the apartment complex across the road and I stare up at it as she hashes in a code for the door. “This is where you live?”

“I hope so,” she says with a slight sway. “Otherwise, I might be lost.”

There’s a small ‘beep,’ and the door unlocks, prompting Autumn to do a happy dance. I reach for the door, opening it before the automatic lock slides back into place and she’s forced to struggle with the code again.

Autumn follows me through the door and I help her up to her apartment. She stops in front of 4C and starts pulling out a bundle of keys and slowly going through them. Realizing that this could go on for a while, I take the keys from her hands and quickly get the door opened so she can get inside and do what she needs to do.

Autumn stops in the open doorway before turning back to me with a grateful smile. “Thanks for walking me home,” she says, kicking off her shoes and accidentally having one hit me in the shin. “Would you like to come inside?”

Fuck me.

I push her shoes back inside her apartment and shake my head. “You and I both know that isn’t a very good idea.”

“But I bet it would be fun,” she encourages, the seductive smile spreading over her face, a look I never want to forget.

I take a purposeful step back. “Goodnight, Autumn,” I tell her. “Try not to deliver any babies on an elevator tomorrow.”

“You’re no fun,” she pouts before rolling her eyes. “Goodnight, Dr. Dick. Try not to be an arrogant ass tomorrow.”

“Can’t make any promises,” I tell her, turning and walking away.

“Ditto,” she calls after me.

I shake my head, the smile spreading across my face, absolutely ridiculous. Why does this back and forth with her make me so damn happy? “Set an alarm, Autumn,” I say into the quiet hallway, knowing damn well that she can hear me. I press the call button for the elevator. “Patricia will have your ass for breakfast if you’re late.”

I hear a soft groan traveling down the hallway behind me before the softest murmur slips between her lips. “Patricia can go to hell, but you can have my ass if you want.”

Well, fuck me.

I step into the elevator and get the fuck out of here before I make a decision that I can’t take back.

Autumn Mathers is going to be more trouble than I ever anticipated.

CHAPTER 7

AUTUMN

The door closes, and the second I hear the soft thud, I slide every lock and chain into place before dropping my forehead against the hardwood and going over my night.

Humiliation washes over me.

I just made an ass of myself in front of Dr. Mayson.

I called him every name under the sun, accused him of wanting me, and then went as far as telling him that he could have my ass if he wanted. Though hopefully, he was far enough away not to have heard me, but what Breaker said earlier is true; my voice has a habit of traveling through walls.

No, I’m certain that Dr. Dick heard me.

Damn it. I can only imagine what he thinks of me now. I’m going to be labeled the hospital whore without even dropping my pants. Just my freaking luck. Why did I have to choose tonight to get wasted at a dodgy bar and announce to everyone inside what my day was like?

At least Dr. Mayson was gentleman enough to walk away and to not take advantage, but something tells me that I wouldn’t have minded. Not at least until I woke up in the morning and remembered what the hell I had done.

I’m sure he’d be an amazing screw. A guy like him would know what he’s doing. After all, he’s a vagina doctor and looks at them all day. He probably knows them better than any woman would.

With the humiliation resting heavily on my shoulder, I pull away from my door, only to turn around and remember the disgusting mess that Brandon left in my apartment.

Just fucking great.

My night out drinking with Dr. Mayson had gone a very long way in helping me forget about Brandon, apart from the few short minutes of explaining my story to him, but after that, it’s as though Brandon didn’t even exist. All that mattered was trying to impress Dr. Mayson by reminding him what an arrogant asshole I thought he was.

Crap. Crap. Crap. I’m never going to deliver another baby now. God, I’m glad I snuck that one in on the elevator this morning because I’m screwed for the next three years.