Page 50 of Dr. CEO (The Doctors)

“Presumably the sticking point is cost.”

“And time,” she says. “I think we can jiggle the timetable to accommodate things. But it is more expensive. And the moldings won’t look as crisp as they would do if they were all new.”

“But you want to preserve what’s there.”

She nods. “The history.”

“I agree,” I say, and stand.

“You agree?” She sounds shocked, but she shouldn’t be. I almost always agree with her. Sometimes it just takes me a while.

“As long as you can find the cost savings somewhere else, which shouldn’t be difficult given the budget for goddamn drapes.” I step away to go over the project plan pinned to the wall behind Michael’s desk.

“Exactly.” Her voice is animated, and I have to look away to stop myself grinning at her like an idiot. Her pleasure is completely infectious. “I think we just switch out the fabric in the study and we’ll cover costs.” She pauses and wrinkles her nose. “And maybe we change the rug choices in there too.”

“You’ll figure it out,” I say.

She’s silent and then I feel her stand next to me. She’s not touching me, but she’s about as close as it’s possible to be without touching.

“Thank you,” she says.

“You don’t need to thank me for giving you a job you’re great at. And anyway, you already thanked me.” I glance at her but her gaze is fixed on the project plan.

“Not for that,” she says, her voice soft, just above a whisper.

“Then what?”

She pauses for one beat, then two. “For always being the man you say you are.”

My heart hitches in my chest and for once in my life, I’m stunned into silence.

She turns to face me and I keep staring at the wall, concerned that if I look at her, I won’t be able to hold myself back from telling her all the things about her I just can’t get enough of.

“Vincent Cove, will you look at me please?”

Here goes nothing. I take a deep breath and turn.

She places her palm on my chest and its heat burns through my shirt. I want to rip open the fabric and press her skin against mine.

“Vincent. I’ve been as patient as I’m prepared to be.”

I frown in confusion.

“Will you kiss me already?”

A grin tugs at the corners of my mouth. “Kiss you? That doesn’t seem very…professional.”

Her gaze falls from mine, as if she’s accepting defeat.

I shouldn’t have said that. This is no time to tease, no time to pretend I haven’t been desperate to kiss her since I met her and every moment since.

“But it’s all I think about,” I say and slide my hand on top of hers to keep her touching me. “The first thing I wonder about in the morning and the last thing that circles my brain at night.”

She glances back up. “Kissing me?”

I nod slowly.

“Then why haven’t you? I see you every day.”

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