Until Autumn

Her cheeks flush again as she drops her gaze to her hands, showing me that without the liquid courage, she’s not as brave as she wants to be, but that will come. I’ll make sure of it. “You should know that despite what I said, I really do respect you as a doctor.”

“I know,” I tell her, fearing how I’ll ever keep away from her now. “Now get out of here. You have a cesarean to prepare for in an hour.”

Autumn’s eyes bug out of her head, her gaze snapping back to mine. “REALLY?” she screeches, bouncing on her toes, her excitement radiating out of her in waves. “You’re going to let me stand in?”

I nod. “You deserve it today. Go and make sure that you know what you’re doing, and for God’s sake, don’t nearly trip the woman holding the baby this time.”

“I won’t, I promise,” she tells me before flying out of my office, the words, “FUCK YEAH,” echoing down the hallway behind her.

CHAPTER 9

AUTUMN

My highlighter glides over another old procedure that seems far too outdated for such a prestigious hospital. I can’t help but glance up through my lashes at the amazing doctor who sits across the office, scanning over everything I’ve circled.

It’s been such an incredible day. The cesarean was an extraordinary success, and just as I have done with everything else, I gaped at the man during the whole procedure.

Seeing a baby being born into this world is the most fascinating and wonderful thing I’ve ever seen. The more I watch Dr. Mayson do it, the more I seem to forget that he’s human. What he’s capable of doing … crap, he’s simply amazing. The fact that he also looks like a God in the process is also a bonus. I don’t think I have ever been so attracted to a man in my life.

I’m in trouble here—big, big trouble. Yet, as I watch him over the top of the massive ‘Policies & Procedures' folder, I can’t seem to force myself to stop. We’ve been locked inside his office for two hours now, and with every passing second, the room seems to get smaller. The only relief I had was when UberEats showed up outside the hospital and I ran downstairs to get the Chinese takeout. Sitting across from this man seemed so much easier when my veins were swimming with liquid courage.

“You’re staring at me,” he comments, his lips twisting into an amused smirk as he continues looking down at the array of papers spread across his desk.

My eyes shoot back down to the folder as I sit on the overly comfortable couch at the opposite end of his office. “No, I wasn’t,” I grumble, knowing damn well that he won’t believe me for even one second. “You’re seeing things.”

“I didn’t see anything,” he tells me, his smirk somehow getting impossibly bigger. “I can sense it.” His eyes shoot up from his papers and seem to stare directly through to my soul. “I can always sense it when it comes to you.”

My cheeks instantly flame as the need to throw myself into his arms burns through me. What is wrong with me? I’m crushing on this guy so hard and it’s only going to get me in trouble. I have to keep this professional. “What can I say?” I grumble, trying to shrug off my wild emotions with sarcasm. “It’s just a hazard of being me. When you’re this incredible, you’ll understand. People just seem to gravitate toward me, and unfortunately, Dr. Mayson, you’re falling into the same trap.”

His eyes sparkle with laughter, but he keeps a straight face. “I see,” he murmurs thoughtfully. “Or maybe I’m the incredible one, and judging by the way you couldn’t stop watching me during that cesarean, it seems that you’re the one who’s falling into a trap.”

I shake my head. “Not possible,” I tell him. “I’m far too advanced in this world to be capable of falling into traps. I was simply admiring your skills just as everyone else in the room was doing. After all, this is a learning hospital, and you’re the guy I’m supposed to be learning from. It only makes sense for me to be watching you.”

Dr. Mayson leans back in his desk chair, never once taking his eyes off me as the tension seems to grow inside the room. I should look away and break this connection between us, but I can’t. I can’t even describe it, to look away would feel like amputating a piece of myself, but why? I’ve known the guy for two days. In fact, I don’t even know him. Two days of not-so-discreetly watching a man from across a room is not knowing someone. I don’t have the right to feel as though he’s a part of me, at least, not yet.