Dare to Stay (Dare Nation 4)

Had he been with other women in the last two years? Yes. Did he remember faces or names? No. And he’d always thought of Willow and wished it was her he was with.

“So I was wondering,” he began, intending to ask her if they could get together, as a knock sounded on the open door.

Not ready to share her yet, Braden turned to see who needed her attention. A man he didn’t recognize stood in the doorway. A blond-haired, brown-eyed, well-groomed guy wearing khakis and a short-sleeve Polo shirt.

“Am I interrupting?” the man asked.

Willow blinked, a flush on her cheeks. “No, of course not. Braden Prescott, this is Cole Walsh, one of the team physicians. You’ll be working together.”

Stepping forward, Braden extended his arm and they shook hands.

“My new boss.” The man took Braden in, obviously sizing him up, and Braden did the same.

“Good to meet you and looking forward to working with you,” Cole said at last.

“Same here. I’ll be announcing an official meeting in the morning, after I’ve been introduced to everyone this afternoon,” Braden said.

“Great.” Cole smiled and turned to Willow. “Are you ready for lunch? I know we don’t have much time, but I made a reservation at your favorite place.” His expression as he turned to her was of a man smitten.

That flush in her cheeks deepened as she looked at Braden beneath lowered lashes before glancing at Cole. “Sounds perfect. We’re finished here, right, Braden?” Without waiting for a reply, she opened a drawer in her desk and picked up her handbag.

Shit. She was with another man, one he’d be working with. That was a hiccup he hadn’t anticipated, and jealousy rose fast and furious inside him.

“Have fun,” he said as she walked past him without meeting his gaze.

Son of a bitch. Now what?

* * *

“So I gave him a tour and we went back to my office and Cole interrupted and he and I went to lunch.” Willow took a sip of the wine she’d poured for both herself and Steffy, who’d stopped by on her way home after work.

When Steffy was hired, she’d also been looking for an apartment, and there had been one available in Willow’s building, so she’d mentioned the rental. Steffy had liked the area and the unit and rented it immediately. After they’d become friends, she’d often stop by Willow’s for a drink and a chat and vice versa.

“Hmm.” Steffy settled into the plush sofa in Willow’s living room.

“Hmm what?”

She shrugged. “Just hmm. And how was lunch with Cole?”

Willow glanced at her friend over the rim of her glass, taking another sip before answering. “I don’t know. I was distracted.”

“By a certain hot doctor? And not the one you went to lunch with?” Her friend gave her a knowing look.

“Maybe.” Willow blushed at the admission, hating that Braden had the ability to get to her on any level. “But only because I was in shock that he showed up again and I’ll be working with him, not because I still have feelings for the man.”

“Of course not.” Steffy walked into the kitchen, which was a pass-through from the family room, and poured herself more wine.

“You sound like you don’t believe me,” Willow muttered, knowing her friend was right but unwilling to admit it.

“Oh, that’s because I don’t. I saw the look on your face during that press conference, and it wasn’t just shock. You were drooling.” Returning from the kitchen, she settled onto the other end of the couch, tucking a leg beneath her.

Willow rolled her eyes. “I was not drooling.” Salivating was more like it, and she hated herself for still being attracted to Braden, never mind letting him ruin her lunch with a perfectly nice man.

“Does Cole know your history with Braden?” Steffy raised an eyebrow in question, and Willow’s grip on her wineglass tightened.

She shook her head. “No. I really want to keep my past out of the workplace. Cole and I don’t make a public display, and there’s no whispers about us. I’d like to keep it that way.”

“Which I understand. But that has nothing to do with telling the man you’re dating that the new doctor is your ex.”

She placed her drink on a coaster on the table and groaned. “It’s not an exclusive relationship. I really don’t think it’s a good idea to mention it and have that kind of mess between the three of us at work.”

Steffy narrowed her gaze. “So it’s not serious. And you couldn’t focus on him at lunch. You’re not sleeping with him! How long have you two been dating?” she asked.

“Casually for three months.”

“Well, if you haven’t slept with him before now, I can guarantee you won’t now that Dr. Hottie is back.”

She frowned at her friend, but again, Willow wasn’t about to admit Steffy had a point. Willow had been holding off taking that next step with him, and Steffy was right. Now she’d been reminded of what she was missing and why she hadn’t gone further with Cole.