Over the years, she’d given Nicholas a wide berth, careful to avoid his circle. Knowing what he was capable of, she did not intend to give him a chance to stab her in the back again.
Until now…
She cursed her stupid luck. Of all the men to come through the door, why did it have to be him? And why did she give in to the crazy idea of getting back at him?
“Are you going to continue staring at me, or say something?”
Her gaze refocused as he pulled her from her musing. “Uh…” came her response. Not the one she had planned. The seductive script that she rehearsed had disappeared; in its place was a blank paper that left her tongue-tied.
Say something, Dana!
“You looked a little lonely, so…” she eased up on the table, her elbows bracing the wood and her chest projecting towards him. A rush of satisfaction came when his eyes dropped to her cleavage. “I thought I’d come give you company.”
Nicholas licked his lips, just once, but it was enough to send a flare of desire between her thighs.
Oh, no, girl. We’re here to seduce him, remember? Not the other way around.
“Well, Dana…” He drew close to her, his full eyelashes fanning his cheeks before he shot her with a hard, burning glare. “You thought wrong. And even if I did, it sure wouldn’t be you.”
Ouch. Dana sank back to her seat, embarrassment roasting her face.
“You can go now,” he said, returning to his original position.
Dana glanced over to the bar corner where Isabel and Carina watched them. Isabel spread her arms in a questioning gesture and Dana gave her a thumbs up. No way could she lose to her friends tonight. No freaking way.
“Listen,” she said to Nicholas. “I need your help.”
He crossed his arms, the gesture emphasizing his mighty pecs. Dana gave them a glance and brought her eyes up to meet the amused look he wore. “You don’t say,” he said.
“Please.” There was no way she could lure him tonight. From the bitter glare he’d given her before, she had no chance of scoring, ever. She didn’t care; not when she loathed him just as much. But she needed his help to win the bet.
“My friends have been on my case for not dating enough. They wanted me to seduce the first guy to enter the bar. Turned out, it was you.” Well, not quite, but she wasn’t about to give him the whole epistle. “I want to get them off my back; can you just play along? Pretend you’re into me?”
Nicholas laughed out loud, a deep musical sound that, despite her irritation, she had to admit was a pleasant one. His thick lips spread, revealing even teeth, and even the dimples in his cheeks seemed to mock her as he slapped the table.
“It’s not funny,” she said as he wiped his eyes.
“No, Dana. It is,” he replied. “It’s a freaking joke, you thinking I would do a damn thing to help you.” The good-natured look disappeared and his upper lip curled. “You have some nerve.”
“Me?” Dana pointed to her chest, incredulous. “Are you for real? After what you did to me?”
“I’m done talking to you,” he said, as the server returned with his meal. He tucked away the unpleasantness and shot the server a smile, then reached for the burger. “Can you go now? I’d like to have my meal in peace.”
“Nicholas Torres. Once an asshole, always an asshole.”
His paused mid-bite, his eyebrows raised. “I’m the asshole? You’re—” he took a breath and dropped the burger to the plate. “Go back to your friends, Dana. Please.”
“No. Not until you tell me why you lied.” Eight years had gone by, and it did not matter anymore, but now was as good a time as any to understand his treachery.
“Lied about what?”
“Me and Dr. Baines.”
He snorted and reached for his burger again. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“I don’t kid, Nicholas. I need to know why you ruined my life. Was the chief residency that important?”
“That position was my life,” he replied, his expression darkening further. “It was everything I wanted, that I worked for, and you cheated your way to it.”
“I did not cheat. I worked my butt to the bone, just like you did, and I did not sleep with anyone to earn it.” Just thinking about it brought years of buried fury to the surface. “Because of you, I lost everything.”
“Because of me? What did I do?”
“No, no, no. That innocent look’s fooling no one. You saw me in his arms for a split second and assumed the worst, then reported me to HR.”
“I did not.” He wiped his hands on the napkin and relaxed in the seat. “Why would you think it was me?”
“Who else had an ax to grind?” She stabbed her finger at him. “It was you, you bitter, jealous piece of—”
“I can think of a handful of people, or more,” he calmly said. “But it wasn’t me. I swear on my mother’s life.”
Her mouth snapped shut. She eyed him skeptically. “Then who?”
He shrugged and raised his hand, flipping each finger as he talked. “An attending from derma, two nurses from the ER, the administrative clerk from HR who keeps popping up near the on-call rooms… you weren’t the only one with a thing for Baines, Dana.”
“I didn’t—”
“Do you want to know my theory? One of them saw you that night, and you know what they say about a woman scorned…”
“There was nothing to see, you idiot. Dr. Baines and I did not have an affair.”
“Bullshit. Then how come you got kicked from the program?”
“It’s the truth, and how the hell should I know?” Looking back, she wished she had ignored Dylan’s advice and fought her termination. They had no solid proof, except the testimonies of several ‘eyewitnesses’ who claimed to have seen them together. Complete lies. If she had put up a fight, the scandal wouldn’t have lived with her so long. But that was the past.
Speaking of the past; if she should believe Nicholas, that he didn’t report her, did it mean she had to stop hating him?
Nicholas waved to the server and she came right over. “Can I have the bill, please? I think I’ve had enough for one night.” He shot Dana a frosty glare while dipping in his back pocket for his wallet. “I know what I saw. You, sitting here, insulting my intelligence, is just a load of crap.”
I guess not, she thought. He may not be the culprit but he’s still as vile as ever.
The chair scraped the floor as she shot from her seat, giving him the dirtiest glare she could muster. “I don’t need your affirmation, Nicholas. I know the truth. And you may not have been the backstabber I thought you were, but you’re still an asswipe.”
“Whatever.” The nonchalant response hit her as she moved to storm away. She paused for a moment, thinking of a stinging comeback, but the anger clouded her brain. With a frustrated groan, she stomped to where her friends waited. Their expectant expressions irritated her further.
“Never again, you hear me? Never again!” She dropped onto a stool and signaled to the bartender. She needed a drink. A strong one.
“What happened?” Isabel asked.
“I should have never agreed to your stupid bet, that’s what happened,” she snapped. “It was so humiliating.”
“Come on, Dana, tell us what went down,” Carina said.
“I don’t want to talk about it. Not now. I lost, you won. That’s all you need to know for now.” She hated being so short with her friends, but if they hadn’t forced her to approach him, none of this would have happened.
Well, now she knew he didn’t stab her in the back, so…
It made no difference. He still believed she’d slept her way to the promotion. It hurt more than it should, even after all these years. She did not know why. Perhaps it was because of her regard for him. Putting his iciness and arrogance aside, Nicholas was a gifted, decent guy. They could have been friends, at least, if not for his coolness towards her. But that ship had sailed long ago. Now, she just wanted him to get the hell out of the bar so
she could pretend this part of the night never happened.
Nicholas rose from his seat, wearing a smirk that seemed directed at her. Again, heat warmed her face when she thought of how she lowered herself for nothing. Damn it!
As he walked to the door, the bartender placed her drink on the table. Giving the glass a quick glance to determine its location, she reached for it, returning her eyes to him, waiting for him to look over so she could flip him the bird. He pushed the door and slightly turned to give her a heated glance that made her heart do a sudden back flip.
She froze mid drink, the obscene gesture forgotten. The motion happened so fast she wondered if she imagined it. If it was real, what did it mean? And why did her body respond the way it did?
It wasn’t real. No. His attitude still upset her, so much that she was imagining things—his move and her reaction. Satisfied, she removed the straw and turned the cocktail glass to her mouth and swallowed in a few long gulps.
“Slow down,” Isabel said. “Remember, we’re meeting the boys in a few.”
Oh yeah. She’d completely forgotten the plan to meet the groomsmen and a few friends at a club uptown. Earlier, she had been looking forward to it, but now she wasn’t so sure. Her vibe had taken a nosedive. All she wanted to do was head home where she could wallow in her nasty mood. “I hate to ditch you guys, but I’m not up to it.”
“Oh, no you don’t. We are all going, missy,” Isabel said, just as the cell phone lit up in her hand. She checked the screen with a smile. “Speaking of which, Luke wants to know how soon we’ll get there.”
“I said I’m not going.” She dug into her purse for cash and placed it on the bar counter.
“Well, I’m not taking no for an answer,” Isabel said, lifting Dana’s cash.
“Right… like you didn’t earlier.”
“Are you gonna tell us what happened over there?”
“Yeah, Dana, come on,” Carina added. “I’ve never seen you so grumpy. What did he say to you?”
“He still thinks I slept with Dr. Baines. Even after I told him I didn’t. It was like talking to a brick wall.”
“Sorry, Dana,” Isabel said. “I should have been more aware of the tension between you two. I just thought after all these years the bad blood would have disappeared.”
“Nope, it’s even stronger than ever—at least from his end. He looked at me like I was a piece of gum stuck to his shoe.”
“Well, enough of him,” Carina said. “The excellent news is, you won’t have to see him again.”
“You’re right.” Dana gave them a half-smile, her mood improving a little. But an unresolved problem remained. She didn’t like how the conversation ended, how he emerged as the stand-up guy who had been innocent all this time, while she remained the slut who used her body to achieve success.
“Guys. We need to get going. The men are waiting at the club.” Isabel checked her phone again. “Well… except Luke’s friend. He’s running late.”
Dana half listened, her mind on the conversation with Nicholas. Why did it hurt so much, his disbelief? She shouldn’t care what he thought, not now, but she did… a lot.
But why?
“Dana.”
“Mhmm?” She looked to see Isabel giving her a cautious stare. “Did you say something?”
“Yeah. It’s time to go. Come on.”
Dana grabbed her bag, allowing the festive mood to return. Her friends were right; with any luck, she would never see Nicholas again. Soon he would become a distant memory once more.
CHAPTER FOUR
Dana checked her watch for the tenth time since arriving at the club, wishing the night would end already. Usually this wasn’t the case. She was the life of every party. Her friends relied on her for a good time.
But not tonight. Ever since their arrival, her mood had returned to the dumps, taking her energy along. Now, she wanted nothing more than her bed and the fluffy pillows that kept her warm at nights.
From her place in the booth, she watched her friends on the dance floor. The singletons from their group were all over, boogieing like their lives depended on it. Luke and Isabel swayed together, locked so tight no air passed through them. Dylan, who had joined them shortly after they arrived, had his arms around Carina’s waist with his front pressed against her back. Sam, Luke’s friend, spun his girlfriend Kelsie and dipped her for a long kiss.
For the first time, Dana experienced a rush of loneliness. Being single had never bothered her before. It was a choice she made years ago, and until now, one she had been comfortable with. But seeing how happy and in love her friends were, it evoked regret. Was she missing out? Was it time to end her celibacy and test the waters again?
Perhaps it was. As much as she loved her battery-operated boyfriends, she had to agree; there was nothing like the real thing.
Isabel caught her gaze and said something to Luke. He released her and she came over. “Hey, you okay?”
Dana gave a slight nod. “I am, I think,” she returned.
Isabel stared at her for a moment before slipping in beside her. “This isn’t like you, Dana. Come on, shake the funk off and get your butt on that dance floor. There’s nothing blocking your chance of meeting someone new, except you.”
Isabel spoke truth, of course. Dana lost count of the many approaches she’d gotten since sitting there. Hot, beautiful men with the obvious intention of having a good time. She could have her pick from any of them and guarantee a festive night ahead. But a one-night stand held no intrigue.
At least, not with them…
An image of Nicholas appeared and her stomach flipped. As much as she detested him, she could not deny how attractive he was, even more than before. Seeing him tonight reminded her of her short-lived crush, the one that died when the scandal reared its ugly head. It was the beginning of her resentment towards him, but now, knowing the truth of his innocence, she did not know what to feel…
Since the moment she left his table she hadn’t been able to get him off her mind. Initially, she’d summed it up to her lingering disdain, but she realized now the thoughts had nothing to do with her dislike for him and everything to do with her attraction to him.
Yes, she was. She would never admit it out loud, but she could not stop thinking about how sexy he looked in the long-sleeved sweater and fitted jeans. During med school and their residency, he’d worn his dark hair in a sharp, slicked back arrangement, now it took on an edgy, mid-length style; long and wavy on top and sharp on the edges. It emphasized his golden eyes and gave him an intense visage.
If he was another man, she wouldn’t have hesitated to win that bet and take him home tonight. But she took a reality check. He was still an asshole who thought the worst of her.
“It’s time to get out of that rut, Dana,” Isabel said, as Carina and the others joined them. “You can’t let a run-in with your past ruin an awesome night.”
“Speaking of run-ins,” Carina said, jerking her head to the entrance. Dana’s eyes followed her gesture and she shot up in the seat, her stomach doing somersaults. It couldn’t be. No way in hell.
Just like he did at the bar, Nicholas looked around as if he searched for someone. He’d changed his clothes, now wearing a pair of ripped jeans and a V-neck t-shirt. His gaze shifted to where she was and he waved with a smile.
Is this guy for real? Why is he following me?
Her bewilderment increased when Luke waved back. “Oh, good. He’s finally here.”
“Wait a minute,” Isabel said. “That’s your friend?”
“Yeah…” Luke’s eyes darted between her and Dana and a puzzled look came before he asked, “is there a problem?”
“No, not at all,” Isabel replied. “Right, Dana?”
Oh, hell yes. There was a problem. It was bad enough that she couldn’t control the disturbing thoughts of him. Having him this close would no doubt keep them alive much longer. She didn’t want to be anywhere near him.
“Dana?”
She gave Is
abel a tiny smile. “Sure, whatever.” She relaxed in the seat as Nicholas approached, his smile now gone and a deep glower in place. Dana didn’t have to guess that she was the cause for his disgruntled appearance. She guessed that like her, he did not expect to see her again tonight… or ever.
***
Walking towards the group, Nicholas cursed his luck. What were the odds that he would see Dana again, and so soon?
At the bar, he had been so relieved when she moved from his table and he thanked the stars that the city was big enough to reduce his chance of seeing her again. But here she was, looking just as stunning as she did in the bar in a dress that sent mixed signals to his brain.
Earlier, when she slipped in the seat with those forget-me-not eyes piercing through him, every buried emotion came flooding back. His heart did a wild dance in his chest. His palms dampened. The air left the room for a while.
He fought against it. There was no place in his life for desire. Not for Dana. Not after what she’d done.
Her feeble attempt to seduce him would have been funny if it hadn’t met its mark. It took the willpower of two men to subdue the urge to spread her across the table and fuck her within an inch of her life. And it required tapping into his mean side to get her away from him. A few more minutes and hell, who knew?
After leaving the bar, he replayed their conversation. It brought no surprise to discover she’d thought he exposed her, because back then, he debated going to HR. But her defense caused a raised brow. After eight years, her indiscretion no longer mattered. Why was she hell bent on claiming her innocence? Was there a chance that she spoke the truth, that Dr. Baines came on to her?
He remembered the anger he experienced that night, along with a blast of jealousy that made no sense. What if he’d read wrong about what he saw?
It wasn’t easy to decide, especially when that skin-hugging dress blurred most of his memory. There was no denying; Dana looked damn fine tonight. In his eyes, she had always been attractive, but the years had been great to her. Since the moment he saw her, his eyes roamed, taking in every detail, giving way to the lustful thoughts that followed.
Doctor Love: A Medical Romance Series (Medical Heart Throb Series) Page 17