Page 6 of Eight Naughty Notes

“Stephanie, I could care less about that,” I said even as I took a quick glance in the mirror, and I was still looking as good as this morning. I looked back over at Stephanie who had a sly look on her face.

“I need to head back to the clinic and you have a new admission to check in on before your first appt. But take a deep breath and I’ll see you out there.”

Her words jolted me out of my own discomfort. There were over a dozen patients I needed to see just this morning. Hiding out in here would not do. So I looked back at myself in the mirror in front of me and gave myself one of those pep talks designed to take the place of your loudest cheerleader. You got this girl. Christian is here to save young lives and so are you, that’s all that matters. You got this!

But as I exited the bathroom door into the hallway and found myself confronted by the person who made me run inside, I wondered how effective my cheerleader was. He looked up from his phone and pulled away from the wall he had been leaning against. Having run from the conference room earlier, I was unable to truly assess how he looked after not seeing him in three years, but now, standing here alone with him, I could truly take him in. The years had been good to him and despite us being adults in our residency, it appeared as if he had grown up some. His shoulders were broader, his skin while still smooth and a beautiful chocolate, looked more weathered by life but no less luminous. His lips were just as full and delectable and his eyes still held my secrets, and plenty of heat.

“I didn’t get a chance to speak with you before you bolted,” he said. I’m happy he didn’t say ran, because that was in fact what I did.

“Yeah, my bladder was full,” I lied.

He just nodded. His gaze moved about my face as if he wanted to see what had changed about me over the years.

“You still look good, Tori. Damn good.”

Inwardly I preened but I didn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing just what his compliment did to me. Instead, I got to the heart of the matter.

“What brought you back to Pittsburgh?”

He smiled gently at my change of direction. “Dr. Hughes reached out to me, and it seemed like a great opportunity to make a difference.”

“And nowhere else had the same opportunities.” I watched him.

“None that came with the same advantages,” he murmured. His eyes never left mine.

I fidgeted under his scrutiny even as my nipples hardened beneath my scrubs just like they used to all those years ago. All it would take was one stroke of his eyes, never mind his touch, to set my body ablaze. Nothing had changed apparently.

“I see.”

“Do you?” His eyes were working me over and I felt my will weaken even further when his lips curved into a familiar smile. I was such an amateur! He had been back in my life for three seconds and I was ready to find a damn break room so he could show me exactly why his fine ass was back in Pittsburgh.

“It doesn’t matter what I see. We are here for the children, right?” I needed to make it clear where I stood.

“We are, but I also hope we can learn to be friends again, Tori.”

“I think we went way beyond friends, Dr. Powers.”

“Way beyond,” he almost cooed. “But that’s the past.”

Not sure why him saying what I would have said had he given me a chance, stung so much but it did.

“Yes. The past.”

“Then let’s learn to be friends, cool?”

“Cool.”

” Alright, let me get going but I hope to see you around soon.”

“Yeah.”

I watched as he walked away from me, and I wondered why it seemed like he was putting distance between us before I got a chance to. Then I had to remind myself that it didn’t matter. I needed the two of us to have space if I would survive having him in the same hospital and department as me. Therefore, this was perfect.

Or was it?

---