I shake my head. “Rory,” I choke on my words. “I haven’t changed my mind. This is a one-night-stand, or rather, a one-day-stand, but we aren’t seeing each other again.”
“I thought we agreed we would spend together whatever time we do have?”
Dammit. “Yeah. Okay, but let’s not put pressure on this, okay? I can’t really handle serious right now.”
“Okay. We can take it slow.”
“Thank you. I can’t promise we can hang out Saturday, but if you like, you can stay over tonight.” It’s my last night to have him, I think.
“I can’t,” he says. “I have a shift at the hospital tonight. I start at four.”
My eyes widen with horror, and I spring up to a sitting position like a Jack-In-The-Box toy. “What did you say?”
“I work tonight.” His head cocks to the side as he tries to figure out what’s wrong.
“Yeah, but you said ‘at the hospital.’”
“That’s right. Where we met.” He smiles. “I’m a doctor.”
No. No. No. This can’t be happening. Then all the pieces fall into place. How could I have been so stupid? It was so obvious. I met him in the waiting area at Heartland Metro Hospital, never thinking he could be a doctor. I just assumed he was a student. He knew that Doctor Keach from the bar, which is why he backed off so easily. He was at the bar across the street from the hospital. I clear my throat. “So you work at Heartland Metro?”
“Now you want to get to know me?” He is teasing me, and I try to smile. I don’t want him to know, so I have to play this off even though I already acted like a freak.
I shrug. “Just curious.”
Crap.
“Why do you look like that?” he asks.
“Like what?”
“All green, like you are going to vomit.”
“Just a little hot in here, don’t you think?”
“I’m fine, but if you want to kick up your AC, go for it.”
I walk to the hallway with the thermostat pretending to adjust it and use the time to take a deep breath and calm my racing heart. Let’s think about this logically. Heartland Metro is almost a small city with lots of buildings. It would be improbable for us to bump into each other again. The likelihood of him being in the oncology department is slim. I mean, what would be the chances? And what’s the worst that could happen if he finds out I am a patient there? It’s not like we are a couple; it shouldn’t be a big deal. He couldn’t get mad because why would I tell a one-night-stand my medical history? It’s not like he told me about his scar. Calmer, I walk back to the couch and lie down again.
“Better?” He asks.
“Yeah. Thanks.”
I want to change the subject, so I think. I look down his slim but muscular legs. “Are you a runner?” I ask.
“Yeah. Don’t usually skip a morning run, but I figure you have provided me with quite a bit of cardio for today.” He smirks, and I laugh. “Why do you ask?”
“Your legs. Well, really, your build. You have a deceivingly muscular body.”
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. I like your athletic build, but you don’t really show it off much with your loose clothes.”
“Some things are best left to the imagination.”
I dozeoff after a short while and awaken at a sensation between my legs. I have no clue how long Rory has been fingering me, but his gaze is locked on my face like he is studying.
“Mmmm,” I moan. “That feels good.”