"There's no excuse for this behavior. As usual, he's testing me. He's trying to annoy me."
"Calm down, dad," she said, disturbed by his vehement reaction. "I'm sure he's not trying to annoy you. He just saved your life. Why would he want to upset you?"
"It's a power play. These young, cocky surgeons are all alike. Tony is a decent surgeon, but he knows it. He's a wild card, and that's going to cost him some advancements around here." Her father glanced at her. "Have you met him yet?"
She nodded. "Ah, yes," she said quickly. She had done more than just meet him, but for some reason, she didn't feel like this was an appropriate time to discuss her budding romance.
Tony knocked on the door and peeked his head in. "Good morning, Harold," he said. "Kim," he said quickly.
"Doctor," Kim said, acknowledging him as she avoided his eyes. Talk about timing.
"You were supposed to be here a half an hour ago," her father said sternly.
"I'm sorry," Tony said, picking up her father's chart and looking at it. "I… well, I was delayed."
"I bet," her father said, irritated.
Kim stood up. "I… urn, I'm going to go get some coffee. Dad, do you want something?"
Her question seemed to soften him. He smiled at her warmly. "No thanks, dear."
She nodded. ''I'll be in the cafeteria," she said, glancing at Tony as she headed for the door.
Kim was on her way out of the cafeteria when she saw Tony. He was scanning the room and smiled when he anally saw her. "Ms. Risson," he said, hurrying to catch up with her. "Why didn't you wake me up when you left?" he whispered in her ear as he walked alongside her.
"Because you were sleeping," she said casually. "Besides, I didn't know you had an early morning appointment with my father."
"That's all right," he joked. "When I explained that I was late because you forgot to wake me, your father understood completely."
Kim looked at him, alarmed. "What?"
He smiled as he discreetly took her arm. "I had a feeling you didn't tell your father who you were with last night."
"The subject didnt come up."
"Hmm," he said, steering her into a deserted storage room. "Come here for a minute," he said, pulling her inside. He shut the door behind them and kissed her passionately.
She pulled back to say, "I feel like a schoolgirl necking in the boys' John."
"Oh, really," he said, nuzzling her ear. "Is that something you did often, you wild girl, you?"
"Not really. Never, actually. But I always thought it was a great idea."
He pulled down the collar on her sweater and began to leave a trail of soft, butterfly kisses on her neck. "Will I see you tonight?" he whispered in between kisses.
She stretched out her neck as she closed her eyes. "A second date? I'm flattered you're willing to invest the time in me," she teased him.
"How about dinner?" he asked softly, brushing his lips up her neck toward her ear.
"Maybe," she murmured.
He delicately ran his tongue around the inside of her earlobe.
She swallowed. It was becoming increasingly difficult to concentrate.
"Maybe I'll pick you up at seven-thirty?" he breathed into her ear.
"Do you know where my father lives?"