Page 9 of Auctioned to Dr. Daddy

“No way,” I say, with a cluck of my tongue. “There’s no way that you were bidding that high just for your parents.”

Nathan smiles at me.

It’s the absolute most charming expression I’ve ever seen on a man. “I mean, I wasn’t planning on it getting that out of hand. It’s hard not to jump in with both feet when Tyler’s negging things on.”

Right, Tyler had been bidding just as hard. It didn’t seem to matter to him too much that I hadn’t been won over. He’d been just as happy to try on the next girl—and he’d won that time.

I can’t help but be glad that both Selma and I lucked out and got such hot dates.

Though I feel as if Nathan’s definitely the better pick between the two.

He’s, well… He’s been in more than a few magazines before, where they interviewed him for his contribution to advances in cardiac surgery.

I’ve read them. And I might have kept a few of them, too, but only because the articles were super interesting, and I wanted to reread them. Not because I thought that his stormy blue eyes were the most captivating thing ever.

And for the record? They’re even more amazing in person.

“So you were just caught up in the moment?” I tease.

Nathan leans close enough that his breath curls warm over my cheek when he says, “It ended up going well for me. I wouldn’t mind having more moments like this.”

I turn to look at him, and another wave of heat rushes through me when I realize that we’re close enough to kiss. Just the thought makes me nervous. Am I supposed to do that right here? Could I?

“Yeah,” I tell him. “I think we could all use moments like this one. It’s definitely been a lot better than I thought it would be. I pictured this being a total slog to try and get through, and you know, filled with a lot of creepy old men.”

“Here’s hoping I don’t count as a creepy old man,” says Nathan, smiling. It’s a clear reference to him being about twenty years older than me. But I don’t mind that. There’s something attractive about older men.

Not to mention that this just really hones in on the fact that he’s— God, he’s hot, rich, and funny. I really lucked out.

But Nathan Stone being the one to buy me makes the situation a bit odd. The whole reason I’m trading hospitals is because my current mentor thinks I can learn more elsewhere.

Specifically, that I can learn more at Mercy General, in Seattle, under the tutelage of Nathan Stone himself.

Not odd enough that I can’t enjoy myself, though. Nathan seems to be of the same mindset.

But he pulls back before our lips actually touch, and maybe looks a little flustered himself.

No, not flustered.

Surprised by his own actions—that might be a better way to word it. Like he just wasn’t expecting things to get so close to… Well, being something.

I wasn’t either. But I don’t hate the fact that it almost happened.

“It’s a nice night out,” says Nathan, gaze shifting up. “If this auction wasn’t going on, what would you be doing right now? Wait, don’t answer that.” He presses the tips of his fingers to the side of his temple, as though he’s getting a psychic vision. “I can see it playing out right now. You would be… at work.”

“I would be at work,” I tell him, with a snorting kind of laugh. “And you would be too, right? Or are these events your usual jaunt?”

“I don’t have a usual jaunt these days,” says Nathan. “There used to be a bar not too far away from Mercy General that I would visit after work, but my drinking buddy got married recently and— Let’s be honest. It’s not any fun to drink alone.”

“Selma’s the same way,” I tell him, with a glance upward.

There’s a sprinkling of stars visible through a smear of budding storm clouds. “She’s not much for drinking—diabetes, and there’s too much sugar in the alcohol, so. We tend to keep our meetings reserved for coffee shops.”

“Something else that’s more fun when you do it with someone else,” Nathan says.

“Luckily,” I tell him, “Neither of us is alone tonight. We’ve got a partner for whatever it is that we decide to drink.”

“Does that mean you wouldn’t say no to me grabbing us each a flute of champagne?” Nathan asks.

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