Page 1 of Desired

Chapter 1

Moira

Mycousintoldmeto meet her here, at this restaurant, at one o’clock. As I glance at my watch, I see that I’m the usual amount of time early. Except for when I’m delivering a baby, or if I’m in surgery. Stephanie is a billionaire in the aerospace industry, while my career as a gynecologist pales by comparison. We meet up almost every week, not always at the same place, and if it’s for an hour or for ten minutes, it doesn’t matter. Our relationship is like that. For all intents and purposes, Stephanie is my best friend, despite the fact that we’re related. Through both our careers, we built each other up, when some were tearing each other down. How we developed such a bond that led to that, I’ll never know for sure...but I can guess.

Our families.

Simple as that.

Complicated? That’s putting it mildly.

Both born in Scotland and emigrated to the states recently, for equal personal and professional reasons, Stephanie and I have leaned on one another better than most married couples.

The waitress recognizes me and brings me over a menu. “The usual?” She asks.

“Aye, I think I’ll wait for my cousin, if it’s all the same to you, lass.” I tell her kindly.

“Absolutely, Moira. Take all the time you need.” She smiles, walking away. A moment later, she brings me a glass of water, and then she leaves me, as I send a text message to Stephanie, letting her know that I’m here, a practice we do each time we meet.

The view of the side parking lot is clear, and I catch a glimpse of someone exiting their vehicle. It’s a large male. Very handsome from the back view, with a tight rear, sculpted body, dark, curly hair, and tall…very tall. But when he turns around, my eyes bulge. Normally, seeing a man I’ve only met once, it would take me a moment or two to realize who it is. But not this man. This is the same man that stormed into the emergency room, when I was tending to a patient. He was looking for his brother, but something happened when our eyes met, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him since.

I thought I’d never see him again.

It was one of those things, you know? When you just catch a glimpse of a handsome stranger, yet you know, in your heart of hearts, that you’ll never set eyes on them again. But here he is, plain as day, walking up to the restaurant entrance. He’s probably here for a date, as there’s no way he’s here for business at this place. The food is fantastic, but it doesn’t have a professional ambience, admittedly. Sure, I checked him out. Personally speaking, that is. He’s well out of my league, not like I’m in any position to even be thinking of such things, anyway. Piquing my curiosity, I watch him enter the restaurant and announce himself to the hostess. My nose is half behind a menu when he walks by me, but I can’t help the forced double take, as he makes eye contact with me.

“Dr. McTavish?” He asks, I’m guessing pleasantly surprised to see me.

“Aye. It’s...it’s nice to see you again.” I pause. “Are you here to meet someone?”

“My brother Maverick. He said he wanted to whine about my family somewhere outside of the office.” He scans my face. “Are you here with anyone?”

“My cousin, too. Stephanie. But she seems to be running late.”

“Maverick, too.” He nods.

The hostess intervenes. “Would you two like to sit together?”

He blushes. “Oh, no, lass. I don’t want to impose.”

I wave. “It’s fine, Declan, is it?” I ask, playing coy. I could never forget that name.

He nods.

“Stephanie’s running late and she won’t mind. Sit. Please. I hate eating alone.” I lie. I do it all the time at home. Sometimes I don’t even bother to use a plate...or a fork. And don’t get me started on using glasses, either. Let’s just put it this way...anything in my fridge that has a spout also has my D.N.A. all over it.

“Well, when you put it that way.” He says with a smile, taking a menu from the hostess. “Aye, I’m Declan. I don’t think we were properly introduced at the hospital there.” He says, sticking out his hand for me to shake.

But we did. I remember it well. His soft hands, his sincere, shy gaze, his sensual voice, and those eyes...blue-green, and what’s more is they’re mood eyes. They seem to be changing color with the sun reflecting on them. God, he’s a sight to behold. Trying not to appear too into him, even though I totally am, I purse my lips into a smile, glancing at the menu, after shaking his proffered hand. “Moira.”

“I remember. Such a bonnie name.”

I lived all my life in Scotland. Met many men. Went to school with tons of jocks and nerds, and everything in between. Many were Scottish, but many were also from other areas. Never have I met such a beautiful Scot before. “How long have you been in the states for? You don’t seem to have lost much of your drawl.”

He grins. He gets that I just paid him a compliment. “I still have a place there, lass. I come here for business. I’m here at least half the time. But being as I’m with my family almost all the time, and we still have the full Scot in us, that’s probably why I have it all still, as do you. Have you been here long?”

I shake my head no. “Not long at all, actually. I still have many ties in Scotland.” I tell him, but I pray that he doesn’t dig deeper. The last thing I need to do in front of this beautiful man is steer away from the subject of my family. Especially since he clearly regards his fondly. Only Stephanie knows the truth about my family, at least in the states, that is. If anyone were to find out, I’d be in a whole other predicament. It’s too much of a risk. I could lose my practice. Thinking about it makes my stomach turn, so I try to avert my thoughts back to Declan.

He nods. “Aye, same here.” Then he changes the subject, thank God. “Have you ordered already, lass?”

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