Chapter 6

Ansley

What a cocky little shit. My thoughts of riding a young stallion for the next month were all but gone, not that I'd really considered it. I needed to let things die down between me and Nolan before I got into anyone's bed or their life.

"I was teasing." Parks jogged up beside me in the hall. "Let's try this again? Please? Your brother thinks you climb up into the sky at night and hang the stars. I don't want to upset a woman that important to Aiden. He's like a brother to me."

I snorted and glanced sideways, trying hard not to let the delicious hint of his cologne penetrate me. Going on looks alone? He was a god. Thick muscles and spiky dark hair. The tattoo sleeve he had was a bit jolting but in a good way.

"Then treat me like an older sister. One you respect, and we'll be just fine." I handed the files back to him. "You can fill these out in your new office. It's small because you're only here for a while, but it'll do."

He took the file but growled softly. "I'm going to have to get used to a bossy woman telling me what to do."

I laughed. "Aiden tells you what to do."

"He's a man."

I stopped and turned to face him as every muscle in my body locked into place. I'd worked damn hard to get where I was, and being a woman made that even harder at times.

"Excuse me? Not only are you an operating room slut, but now you're a sexist pig too?" I narrowed my eyes and put my hands on my hips. "Anything else you want to get out in the open, Mister Parker?"

His jaw locked, and I knew I had him. The asshole wasn't offended by any of my slanders, but God forbid I not address him by 'Doctor,' and that does him in.

Sadly it meant one thing... my accusations were true.

"It's Doctor Parks, Ans, and you don't know me from anyone else in this hospital, lady. You don't get to judge me. Period." He handed me the file back and walked down the hallway. "Fill that fucker out yourself. If they need something, they can contact St. Mark's. I'm not interested in paperwork bullshit or your bullshit either."

I stood there opened mouth for a second before following after him. "It’s Doctor Crawford, Jacob, and where the hell do you think you're going? You don't know the hospital or where your office is. Are you just going to storm around the hallways looking hot and bothered?"

He stopped and turned to face me. My body reacted violently to his dominance. My nipples budded and ached as a deep ticking sensation rolled down my stomach and caused me to grow wet. There was no way in hell I would fall for him. He was an idiot and a slut. Empty and shallow. Nothing to him.

"Do I look hot and bothered?" He crossed his arms over his chest and pulled his shoulders back.

"Wow," a nurse whispered as she walked around us, her eyes on Parks. "I'd say you look hot."

"Linda," I barked.

"Sorry, Doctor Reigns. I mean, Crawford." She gave an apologetic look and scurried down the hallway. What had gotten into everyone? Some good looking asshat shows up with a few skills and a tight pair of scrubs, and everyone starts acting mad?

"Why are you working at the hospital with your ex-husband?" He asked, his stance softening a little.

"None of your goddamn business." I walked past him and pressed the folder against his chest. "You work for me for the next month, Doctor Parks. Fuck it up, and my brother will hear every small detail. I'll unravel whatever you've built up with Aiden before you can sing the chorus to Doctor Feelgood. Got it?"

I walked down the hall, panting softly. I was lost in between two warring emotions. Frustration and lust. Fuck me if Jacob Parker wasn't one of the hottest men I'd ever seen. I couldn't even begin to imagine the power in his hands, the fury in his kiss.

The sound of him singing the song had my lip lifting up in a smirk. I turned the corner and glanced back to find him dancing and singing louder. He grabbed a petite nurse and pulled her close, dancing with her in the hallway.

"Brother..." I rolled my eyes and walked to my office, closing the door behind me.

I grabbed the phone and sat down, putting it to my ear as it rang several times. My brother picked up about the time I was ready to hang up the phone.

"Wow. I just lost a bet." He chuckled.

"A bet with who and over what?" I barked into the phone as I leaned back in my chair and pressed my hand to my face.

"A bet with Elizabeth. I knew you wouldn't last long with Parks, but I figured you were more of a warrior than this. It's been a few hours."

"It's been thirty minutes, and he's a complete idiot."

"Not true, Ans. He's brilliant, and if we're being honest at all, he's a lot like you."

"What?" I stood up and started to pace the floor in front of my desk. "He's nothing like me. I'm calm and collected. I'm a private person, and I've been with one man."

"He's bold, intelligent, and he's going to make it very far in life. You're two peas in a pod." He paused as I growled loudly in frustration. "Now, send me fifty dollars so I can pay Lizzy. She figured you would call today."

"He's already made fun of me, hit on me, and now he's dancing and singing in the fucking hallway. Dancing and singing Aiden. Really?" I let out a sound of disgust, though I was calming down fast. Why had I let him get under my skin so fast? Was it really his fault, or was I upset about the fight with Nolan the weekend before?

"Ansley. Fight fire with fire. You can learn a lot from him in the OR, and he can learn a lot from you. He's my mentee, and I wouldn't trade him in for all the money in the world. He's a strong surgeon and not the piece of shit you think he is. You're not giving him a chance."

I bit my tongue. I didn't want to give anyone a chance. I wanted to do my job and leave every day. To run as far as I could away from the could-ofs, should-ofs, would-ofs. I took a deep breath and let it out. "Fine. Maybe you're right."

"I usually am." He laughed.

I glanced up to see Parks standing on the other side of my glass door, the packet in his hand and a frown on his face.

"Can we try this again?" He smiled.

Putting my back to him, I closed my eyes and let my head drop. "I hate him already."

"No, you don't. You like him, and that scares you. I told him to stay away from you. Just remember who he is and that just like you, my sweet sister, he's got his defense mechanisms in place for a reason. Don't judge a book by its cover, Ansley. Lest the same measurement be used for you."

It was what my father always told all of us. Aiden's words mixed with the soft hum of his voice softened my stance. My shoulders rolled in, and the weight of whatever was on top of me started to slide off.

"Alright. I'm not happy about it."

"That's okay. Don't be, but use this opportunity to learn. Call me when you need me. I'm always here for you."

"Okay." I dropped the call and lifted my chin as the door opened behind me.

"Dr. Crawford? You alright?" Parks' voice was soft like Aiden's had been. The sound of it rolled over me, coaxing the woman in me to purr, to soften, to invite him in.

I glanced over my shoulder and nodded. "Yeah. Bring your bad self in here and fill out your paper work. We have enough hotheads on staff as it is. Don't add yourself to the list."

He chuckled and sat down in front of my desk, dropping his backpack beside him. "I'll work on that. Aiden has St. Mark's in non-hothead status. I have to be dramatic to keep everyone on their toes."

"It's not necessary here." I sat down and watched the way his forearm flexed as he leaned over and filled out the paperwork laid out before him. The smooth skin below his eyes looked so soft that I found myself wanting to reach out and touch him. It was a foreign feeling. He had a five o'clock shadow, which left him looking a bit dangerous and yet delicious.

"Like what you see?" He glanced up but didn't move.

"You're handsome for sure." I shrugged and leaned back, crossing my arm over my chest and propping my elbow up on it. "I have a rule about dating younger men, so I've trained myself not to even be affected by them."

"Scared you might learn a thing or two?" He glanced back down, looking like an angel, but the cockiness in his voice gave him away. If it hadn't, the gauge ear loop in his left ear or the upper ear piercing would have.

"I love learning." I let my voice turn a little sensual, soft, airy. "It's what keeps me going. Stimulates me. The idea of learning something new or uncovering something unexpected, hidden even."

He sat up and let the pen hover over the top of his paper. "Are you flirting with me, Ansley?"

"Not in the slightest. You're here to work for me for the next month." I stood up and rolled my shoulders, trying to play off the sexual tension between us. I wasn't one to sleep around, and I wasn't changing that anytime soon. "I could use the help."

"Aiden sent me to teach you a new procedure and work with your residents on advance neurology. I'm not an extra set of hands. Don't mistake me for that." He turned his attention back to his paperwork.

It was going to be a clash of wills every second of the way from what I could tell. I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about that.

"I'm going to grab some soup. I'll catch up with you later." I walked around the desk toward the door. "Your office is the last one down hallway A. Fifteen-thirty-four. You can check it out and get out of here for the day. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'll grab lunch with you." He stood.

"No thanks. See you tomorrow." I walked out, feeling quite proud of myself until I made it to the cafeteria. Why did I feel the need to put him in his place? Oh, right. Because the fucker kept putting me in mine. I pulled the top off my soup and blew it softly as I walked back to my office.

I could apologize and make amends. I wasn't a bitch, but the mess with Nolan was turning me into one. It wasn't Parks’ fault that my life had fallen apart and refused to come back together.

It was Nolan's for being a deceiver.

It was mine for being a dreamer.

I closed my office door behind me and found the room empty. Parks’ cologne lingered in the air, and damn if I didn't breathe in deeply.

I took a small sip of my soup and put it down as something caught my eye just outside my window. I walked over and moved the blinds to see Parks standing by the motorcycle in my spot. He climbed on, pulled his helmet on, waved at me and drove off.

"Un-fucking-believable."

Of course, it had been his bike. Why wouldn't it have been?

Bastard.