Page 3 of Her Jealous Valentine

I almost jump from fright when the door on my left swings open, and Dr. Sinclair emerges. Like Veronica, Dr. Sinclair is small and delicate in build, but her strong personality commands the attention of any room she enters.

In an effort to make myself look busy, instead of letting Dr. Sinclair see me ogling the giant a few feet away, I start shuffling papers around my desk and slotting files into various holders.

“Mrs. Valentine, please come through.” Doc’s all smiles today. I guess Veronica being her first patient and it being so early in the day makes being happy a lot easier.

Victor jumps to his feet and extends a hand to help Veronica out of her chair when she’s called. He walks with her to where Dr. Sinclair waits before the two ladies disappear into the back of the building to the office and labs.

Why am I so surprised at Victor’s chivalry? And how can I stop the goofy grin it plastered on my face from growing?

Him making his way over to me isn’t helping.

Wait a minute.

He’s walking … over to me!

Oh God, oh Lord. What am I supposed to do? How do I interact with someone like him? Greetings are one thing, but actually conversing with this titan? I don’t even know how to start.

Unless he’s coming to my desk for something else. A pamphlet or brochure about the services we offer. I’d hate to be the bearer of bad news who tells him she only accepts female patients.

Breathe, Olivia.

“So, what’s a nice place like you, doing in a girl like this?” Victor says this with the practiced charm of a natural-born leader. He rests his body over the tall reception desk, propping himself up by the elbows as he looks down at me.

“Think you fumbled the words on that one.” I giggle but manage to keep somewhat calm, considering my inner voice screams in disbelief that he’s even standing here.

“I know. It’s jus—” He pauses to clear his throat, turning his head to the side to let out a chuckle. “I saw it in a movie. Thought this as good a time as any to pull the line out.”

“Ah, I see.”Don’t mess this up, Olivia. Just keep calm, play the game, and enjoy the ride.“Well, if you ask me, that line would work better in a nightclub or bar. Y’know, instead of my office where the answer is working.”

A brow raises above Victor’s eye, and my first thought is that I’ve immediately screwed something up. I’m too nervous to convey my playful jokes the way I intend them, and my answer might’ve just come off as rude.

Damn it.

“Are you…” He pauses for dramatic effect while I search those two little words for any clue as to whether he’s upset or not. “Are you asking me on a date?”

A deep sigh of relief barrels out of me to another raised brow from Victor. However, this time accompanied by a smirk.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you were.” Victor looks over his shoulder at where he and his mom were just sitting. “I mean, you couldn’t take your eyes off me since I sat down. So, either there’s something very interesting on that blank wall, or?—”

“I saw you staring right back, Bucko.” An involuntary wink follows my words, and with it, my cheeks instantly set alight.

How the hell has he managed to burrow so deep into my brain that I can’t keep facial expressions in check?

“With a view as stunning as this—” He allows his eyes to travel down my body and back up again. “—can you blame me?”

On their return, his swirling gold orbs get stuck on the top button of my blouse, as if he’ll magically be able to undo it with just a gaze. A wave of warmth courses through my body, both by his compliment and leering, and settles in my core.

Had this not been my place of work, perhaps I’d have indulged this fantasy of his. Given into my base instinct and allowed him to do the same.

Stop thinking, my inner voice reprimands me.You’re blushing again. Red as a damn tomato.

“Fine, yes, I’m asking you on a date.” Is this really how I’m going to stop myself from blushing? Well, maybe that’s a luxury I can’t afford while standing toe to toe with this handsome giant.

“Then I’ll need your address, and you’ll need to be ready at seven.” Victor slides his hand into his blazer pocket and pulls out his phone. He unlocks it, slides his finger over a few buttons, and hands it to me with theNew Contactscreen on display.

“Tall, dark, handsome, smooth. Are there any words that don’t describe you?” I chuckle as I grab his phone and put my number in.

“The only thing that comes to mind isvile rapscallion. But I don’t think many people still use the parlance.” He takes his phone back and stares at the screen where my name and number are present.

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