Page 8 of Getting Off

He blinked at her.“I haven’t committed to any donation yet.”

She gave him a coy smile.“I have every confidence that a gentleman such as yourself will do the right thing.I’ve heard plenty of examples of your generosity.I can’t imagine I’d end up disappointed.”

He raised his elegant brows before chuckling.“You’re right.How could I disappoint you?You’ve provided such an excellent diversion tonight.”

She didn’t know what she’d expected him to do when she’d flat out asked for money in a manner so blunt and bold that Dr.Gibson probably would’ve had a stroke.Not that strokes were a laughing matter, but still…

Brooklyn tried to pull together an acceptable reply.But before she could speak, she heard someone shouting.

They both turned in the direction of the calls.She frowned, seeing a man charging his way through the crowds as people glared at him in shock and outrage.

“Hey!Doctor Beautiful!It’s good to see you!”

It was Dylan Pierce.The man she’d examined in the ER several days ago.She hadn’t forgotten about him or his obnoxious attempts to make her smile.He had succeeded at the time, butnowshe definitely wasn’t smiling.

This is a disaster.

She reached for her champagne glass once again.

CHAPTER THREE

Dylan Pierce had no problem in social situations.He was gregarious by nature.Hell, everybody enjoyed his company.Sort of.And maybe not at first, now that he thought about it.But then again, you couldn’t please everybody.

People were gaping and glaring at him as he swaggered through the fancy ballroom.He might’ve been a bit underdressed for a stuffed-shirt, penguin-suit shindig like this.He was wearing faded jeans and a short-sleeved T-shirt.The shirt had several images of a Pro 2W trophy truck flipping over and righting itself, along with the words “That’s how I roll.”

He thought it was appropriate.

As for all the uptight people in their tuxes and cocktail dresses?Well, Dylan had put on his best boots.They should be glad for that.He kept these clean for special occasions.

He’d been to the Las Vegas Country Club once or twice for other events.Not many, but a few.He’d never seen it quite like this, though.It looked like someone had invited every wealthy person in the city over the age of sixty-five.Well, with the exception being some of the female attendees.There were an awful lot of young ladies hanging on the arms of men old enough to be their grandfathers.But hey.If you had the money, you were bound to get the hot chicks, right?

Dylan swept a glass of champagne off a server’s tray, swung past the buffet table, and reached for some kind of appetizer that looked vaguely edible.

A lot of this stuff was just weird-looking paste smeared on a cracker.What kind of party was complete without hot wings and nachos?

He threw back the glass of champagne and reached for another.Then he resumed his search for his new physician.It didn’t take long to spot her.Dr.Foster—BrooklynFoster—had donned a black cocktail dress for the occasion, and the dress transformed her.It really clung to her long, lithe body.She looked elegant and graceful.

His doctor was talking with some guy in a tux.Dylan’s eyes narrowed as he looked the dude over.Huh.Competition.Although he was sexy competition, Dylan couldn’t lie.The guy looked expensive.Fancy tux.Diamond cufflinks glittering in the chandelier lights.Dark hair.Handsome.Maybe even as handsome as Dylan, and that was saying something.

Popping another little sausage-filled thingy in his mouth, Dylan sauntered deliberately in the direction of Dr.Brooklyn.He reminded himself to be nice.He wasn’t going to get her to sign the medical form all folded up and stuffed in his pocket unless he was nice.

“There’s the woman of the hour,” Dylan shouted with his widest, most welcoming smile possible.Rich and fancy people stepped aside from him, glaring and muttering and making outraged noises.He kept right on walking, his eyes locked on Brooklyn Foster.“Hey!Doctor Beautiful!It’s good to see you!”

Her eyes went comically wide when she saw him.She looked irritated.Or maybe horrified.It could go either way.

She turned and snatched up a champagne glass and downed it.The tux guy standing next to her eyed him with a mix of confusion and amusement.

Dylan strolled right up to them both.This should be exciting.

The doctor glared at him with blue eyes as cold as ice.“I’m terribly sorry, Mr.Pierce.I didn’t realize you were on the guest list for this evening.However,I’mactually on the list.And not under the nameDoctor Beautiful.”

“Well then, Dr.Brooklyn.It’s good to see you.”He grinned.“See?Found out your first name.Like Sherlock Holmes.”

Brooklyn Foster’s male companion was fighting a grin.Dylan could see that easily enough.At least the guy seemed to have a sense of humor.

“Would you like to introduce me to your friend?”the tuxedo guy said.He had one of those smooth narrator voices, like voice-overs for movie trailers.

Once again, Dylan sized up his competition.The guy looked like he belonged in a board room with his fancy suit and pinchy-looking shoes.His black hair was on the longer side, probably tended to by stylists being paid thousands for a haircut.Although, the more Dylan looked at the guy, the more curious he became.Dylan didn’t usually have trouble getting his first impressions spot on.Even though this guylookedlike a stuffed shirt who wouldn’t know fun if he had the word tattooed on his ass, Dylan’s gut told him differently.Maybe it was something about those dark eyes.

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