When I leave the yacht with Chase, my legs are boneless. He ends up carrying me back to his car, but we manage to avoid the press, for now. As soon as he heads out of the lot, I see them converge, trying to get a picture of us.
I shake my head at him, but I’m barely awake, even after the short nap we had. Chase rubs over my thigh. “Feeling good, baby?”
“More satisfied than I thought possible.” I hum, then look over at Chase. He beams. I rub his jaw. “You look pretty happy yourself.”
“Let’s see, I caught the girl who got away. I’m thrilled.”
I giggle and shake my head at him. “When am I going to get to see you again?”
He nearly misses a red light. I gasp and find his eyes on me. “Seriously? I don’t have to beg?”
I shake my head. “I want more of this conversation thing … and the sex doesn’t hurt at all.”
He beams. “As soon as you want me, gorgeous. We’ll find time in our lives for each other.”
“I’m glad you’re not asking me to leave my job.”
“Never.”
“Or school.”
He shakes his head. “You have gotten to choose the life you want to live and you’re making it happen. It’s sexy as hell.”
I kiss him again before hopping out of his car and running inside. He takes off, making sure the press follows him instead of me. I laugh to myself and stumble up the stairs and into my apartment.
Yeah, I’m going to have to join a gym to keep up with them. My abs hurt, my body aches in the best way, and I just can’t believe I got off a luxury yacht after having the best meal of my life and some of the best sex the world has to offer.
Chase is unforgettable.
Before I know it, I’m texting him and Lief regularly every day and Hunter when the urge strikes – mainly meaning when I want to tease. But then Thursday rolls around and after two patients, I see a new one on the schedule, taking up the last appointment.
Herald Vance? Who the hell …
My intercom buzzes. “Valerie, your four o’clock is here.”
“Thanks. Be right there.”
I walk out, looking at the documents submitted. Family stress, anger and impulse control, coping mechanisms. An interesting mix. I lift my head and see only one man sitting in the waiting room. One man I don’t want to see. Short dark curly hair, hazel eyes, a smirk teasing his lips as he watches my reaction.
Hunter.
I motion him forward. “Mr. Vance.”
“Dr.”
As we walk along the hallway, I shake my head. “Not a doctor yet. Just Valerie.”
I stop him before I open the door to my office and shove the clipboard against his chest. I lower my voice. “My office is a professional space, is that understood? No flirting, no sexual bullshit. This is mycareer. Understand?”
“Yes, Valerie.” He says, not even attempting to touch me. “For the whole hour-”
“Fifty minutes.”
“I will control myself. I’m here with a purpose,” He insists.
I measure him up again. He’s sexy, tall, and imposing, but there’s some kind of softening on his normally unyielding edges. I nod and open the door. I motion to the chair and sit across from him, right against the window.
He taps his fingers on the chair as I look over the clipboard again. I rub my forehead. “Using a fake name isn’t very ethical.”