Page 11 of What the Doctor Ordered
I let out a shuddery breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. Almost immediately, my head started to spin a little. “I feel a little lightheaded,” I admitted quietly.
Simon nodded seriously, put an arm around my shoulders, and led me to the side of the path.
“You should sit down,” he spoke gently, guiding me to a seat on the intricate metal bench that was conveniently placed there. “I want to be certain you’re not going into shock.”
My teeth chattered a bit, and I rubbed my bare arms with my hands, trying to warm them.
Simon’s frown deepened as he watched me. “Why don’t you have a jacket?” he asked, trying to keep his tone polite, but I could hear the hard edge behind the words. He started to take his suit jacket off.
“No, don’t do that,” I practically begged, putting a hand on his arm to stop him. “Please don’t. It’s chilly tonight. You’ll get cold!”
Simon ignored me and continued to shrug off his jacket. Before I knew it, the garment was around my shoulders. “I’ll be fine,” he said. “You’re the one who is shivering. Now be a good girl and keep that jacket on until you calm down.”
I was embarrassed to have been caught being careless enough to not have a jacket on a cold night like tonight, so I obeyed, trying not to notice that Simon’s scent was currently surrounding me. I closed my eyes, wrapping the material even more tightly around me. It smelled like cedar and warmth. It took a few minutes, but I did start to feel better. Maybe I had been more affected by the confrontation than I’d realized. I hoped that Simon didn’t find me too pathetic for it.
“How did you meet Kramer anyway, if you don’t mind me asking,” Simon asked, breaking the comfortable silence we had fallen into.
I laughed, sounding embarrassed to my own ears. “My friend convinced me to download a dating app and Kramer and I matched right away,” I said, shaking my head with regret. “Maybe that’s a lesson not to go out with the first guy you match with.”
It took me a moment to realize that Simon had stiffened beside me. “I think the real lesson is to not meet random strangers off the internet,” he said, his tone stern once again.
My jaw dropped. “Excuse me,” I snapped. “I did everything right. I looked into his background to make sure he was a realperson, and I made certain we were meeting in a real location that was very public. My best friend knew exactly where I’d be.”
“That doesn’t mean that you knew his true character,” Simon countered. He gestured toward the building. “Think about what just happened. You looked into his background and yet, you didn’t know he was married. And you two seemed pretty cozy with each other despite the fact you just met him today. What if he’d convinced you to go home with him?”
I winced at the thought but clenched my jaw and glared hard at him. “You have no right to lecture me,” I said, my temper flaring. “I’m thankful that you stuck up for me. You really didn’t have to, but what I don’t appreciate is being judged for my choices by a complete stranger.”
Simon’s eyes narrowed even further, and he opened his mouth, most likely to retort. He stopped himself, shut his eyes for a long moment and then opened them again. I was surprised to find that they were filled with understanding.
“Of course, you’re right,” he said but there was some definite tension in his voice. “Forgive me. I can’t explain the extent of it or really understand it but knowing that he was mistreating you caused a raw reaction in me. I’m still angry at this very moment about how he treated you.”
I reeled slightly at his admission. This man just met me and yet he was genuinely concerned for me. It was easy to see that he wasn’t exaggerating. I could practically see the tension in his body. It was clear, from the wrinkle above his right brow to the way he was clenching his fists at his sides.
“You’re kind,” I said quietly. “No one has worried about me like this before, not even my own parents.” I could hear the confusion and surprise in my voice.
Simon looked surprised as well and had a thoughtful look on his face. “Forgive me for being so forward,” he said. “But I would love to have you over at my place. Perhaps I could cook dinner.”
I felt the corner of my mouth twitch. “Weren’t you just implying that it would have been foolish of me to go home with a man after the first date?”
Simon chuckled and I was relieved when some of the tension dissipated from his body. “I did, didn’t I?” he said. “But to be fair, we didn’t go on a date.”
In a way, it felt like accepting this offer would have been like repeating the mistake I just made with Kramer, but this felt completely different.
I found myself smiling. “That’s true,” I grinned, feeling only a little crazy. “Okay, I’ll go home with you.”
CHAPTER 6
Simon
It was difficult to keep my eyes on the road while I drove with this young woman in the passenger seat beside me. I watched Kiley out of the corner of my eye. She was looking around with a curious expression on her face. Her smooth, pink lips were pursed as she stared at the buildings and trees we passed, her green eyes shimmering even in the dim lighting of the car.
I couldn’t believe that I managed to find a woman to take home with me. She was more than I was hoping for. She wasn’t just attractive and agreeable. She was funny and genuinely easy to talk to.
She would make the perfect fake fiancée.
“Do you live in this neighborhood?” Kiley asked, the awe and wonder clear in her voice.
I blinked at the strange question. “Yes, my house is just off of this street,” I said. “Is that going to be a problem?”
