Chapter 5

Throughout the night, Kellen worked with experience beyond his years, despite his youthful appearance. “How long have you been a nurse?” I asked later in the day when he handed me another chart.

“For a while,” he said, and then changed the subject, “Mr. Rollings is waiting in Room Six.” He pointed to the door and I nodded.

When I turned around, my breath caught at the sight of Lance Steel walking in our direction with Drake Summerfield. Shit! I had successfully pushed him out of my mind for most of the day and now here he was, a Greek god in all his glory, walking toward me. I headed to the examining room and pulled the chart from the tray outside the door, pretending not to notice. Why did he have such an effect on me?

“Leila,” Drake called out to me, then corrected himself, “Dr. Reynolds, do you have a minute?”

I looked up from the chart casually, even though my heart was doing flip flops in my chest. “Dr. Summerfield?” I asked. Drake had a doctorate in administration and, even though he wasn’t a physician, he was still my boss. “Mr. Steel.” I gave him a curt nod.

“Lance, please,” he corrected.

I rolled my eyes then turned my attention back to Drake, once again glad I had a good poker face.

“Would you kindly show Mr. Steel around the hospital?” Drake asked, and then rushed to explain further. “Lance is curious as to the

work we do behind the scenes.”

“Surely you can find someone else who can show him around,” I said, and then looked at Lance. “No offense, but I have patients to attend to.”

“You haven’t had lunch yet, have you, Dr. Reynolds?” Drake observed. “Why don’t you show him around the hospital and then you can get both of you a bite to eat … on me.” He said it in such a way that closed the subject. Obviously, Mr. Steel must be a generous benefactor.

“Kellen, can show him around …”

“Nice to see you again, Mr. Steel,” Kellen said, then suppressed a smile when Lance gave him a warning look. Obviously, they knew each other. “I’ll see you later, Dr. Reynolds,” Kellen said casually as he took the chart from my hands and walked away. Obviously, Mr. Steel was used to getting his way.

“May I speak to you privately, Dr. Summerfield?” I asked, trying to keep my voice even.

“By all means,” Drake said then turned to Mr. Steel. “We’ll only be a minute.”

“Of course,” he said in his buttery British accent, never taking his eyes from mine.

My heart stuttered a beat. I pulled Drake off to the side and said in a low voice, “Drake, I have better things to do than to babysit one of your benefactors.”

“Is this the way you speak to your boss?” Drake reminded me in a not-so-subtle way.

“Drake, I have patients …” I said in a huff. Over his shoulder, I thought that Lance suppressed a smile, but I couldn’t be sure.

“He only wants a tour,” Drake scoffed. “Look, just show him around the hospital and then go home … as a favor to me.”

I took a deep breath and gave him a slight nod, frowning. “Okay, but you owe me big time.”

“Agreed,” he said, then handed me a credit card. I looked down and it was one linked to a hospital expense account. “Now, have fun and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

I pulled away. “Remember, you owe me.”

Drake laughed as he walked away.

“Nice to see you again, Mr. Steel,” I said, forcing a smile as I extended my hand to him, but instead of shaking it, he lifted it to his lips and gave it a gentle kiss, never taking his eyes from mine.

“The pleasure is mine, indeed,” he returned, his green eyes smoldering as a lock of his dark brown hair fell lazily across his forehead. I suddenly wished that other parts of me were my hand, but I quickly pushed my dirty thoughts aside as I pulled my hand away.

“Well, what would you like to see first?” I asked as Lance tried not to smile.

“The cafeteria, maybe?” Lance asked. “Drake said that you haven’t eaten anything today.”

I made a mental note to kill Drake later. “Are you hungry?” I asked, just as my stomach growled.

“I could eat,” he said as one side of his lips curled into a mischievous smile. “But it sounds like you’re famished.”

“I could eat,” I returned casually as we walked.

“Good. It’s settled, then,” he said in a buttery voice, reaching for my hand, but I quickly pulled it back.

“Look, cut the bullshit, Mr. Steel,” I said, glaring at him. “Keep in mind that I’m married and keep your hands to yourself.”

“I will if you will,” he teased seductively, turning the full force of his sexy green eyes on me as he ran a finger gently up my arm. Then, he leaned in close and said, “But I think you want more.”

Without thinking, I reared back and let my hand fly across his face, landing on his cheek, but he didn’t even budge.

“Do you slap all of your benefactors?” he asked, undeterred.

“Only the ones that get out of line,” I said, then turned away. “Look, I don’t know what you’re trying to pull, but leave me alone. I’m not some bimbo who will bow down to you.”

Lance gently but firmly grabbed my hand before I could walk away. “I’m sorry,” he said and the sincerity in his eyes couldn’t be denied. “Let me take you to dinner to apologize.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me …”

“I think you owe me a dinner after slapping me.”

“I don’t owe you anything,” I said, turning away, but he grabbed my hand again. He was strong, but I pulled back and he let go.

I stormed to the back of the hospital, passing Drake on the way. I stopped in front of him and glared into his eyes. “Don’t you ever ask me to do your dirty work again! I’m a doctor, not some floozy that you can pimp out to your benefactors!”

“What happened?” Drake asked, but I kept walking as tears stung my eyes.

I walked quickly past Kellen and didn’t look at his shocked face. I pulled off the lab coat and threw it down in a laundry hamper, grabbed my purse, then stormed out of the hospital through the back way. I needed to get out of there before I did something stupid.

Outside, the cool night air rushed to me, clearing my head. Why did I let him affect me like that? I took a deep breath, letting the cool September air fill my lungs. Although it was night, bright moonlight washed over the earth, casting a blue hue over everything. Suddenly, I realized that I had parked on the other side of the hospital, so I tucked my purse under my arm, got out my car keys, and headed toward my car. If I hurried, maybe I could catch Steven.