I handed Wes Blakefield’s chart to the nurse to input into the system. I walked away from the station, ready to check on my next patient. I didn’t want to think about whether it was intentional that I had checked on him first. I tried to tell myself it was so I could escape if I needed to. I would have an excuse if those smoldering eyes of his got under my skin again. I pulled my shoulders back, knowing I kept things professional in there. I didn’t cross any doctor-patient lines.

But I had heard his heart beat. I heard it pick up as I moved across his body. My fingers lingered on his skin, tracing the lines on the tattoo running up his forearm. He might be a notorious playboy, but I had made his heart race. I smiled before walking into Ms. Parish’s room.

“Good morning. And how is that elbow today?” My seventy-five year old patient needed all my attention, and I had to stop thinking about the Wranglers’ quarterback.

* * *

“Dr. Ashworth?”

I was packing up my bag for the day in front of my locker. The shift had gone well. Two smooth surgeries and my patient recovery rate was stellar this week.

I turned to look at the nurse in the doorway. “There’s a delivery here for you at the nurses’ station.”

“Oh?” I wasn’t expecting anything, and the sales reps usually scheduled appointments with me.

The nurse looked excited. “I think I know who it’s from.”

“All right. I guess I’ll pick it up on my way out. I’m almost done.”

But she stood in the doorway, waiting for me to walk with her. God, I wish I could remember her name. She was the one who always wore the brightest scrubs. The happy kind with rainbows and kittens. Oh right, she was Sonny.

I followed her through the corridor to where the nurses were huddled together. All I could see were tufts of cellophane through the circle. The whispers stopped as soon as I appeared.

“She’s here.” They giggled. “Looks like you have an admirer, Dr. Ashworth.”

They stepped back, and I took a look at the contents through the clear wrapping. “What is this?”

Sonny piped up. “It’s from Wes Blakefield. He sent you every possible Wranglers memorabilia there is.” She tapped at the basket. “Cups, koozies, a signed football, and it looks like that’s his jersey number.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.” I hovered over the monstrosity of football crap.

“Read the card. Read it,” they urged.

This wasn’t how I wanted to receive a gift. Not with everyone gawking around me. And not from a current patient. This was wrong on so many levels.

Sonny shoved the envelope into my hands. Cautiously, I pulled the card from inside.

Thanks, Doc

WB

That was all it said. I pushed the note back inside. I wasn’t going to read it aloud.

“You all can get back to work now.” I tried to shoo them from the basket as I wrestled it into my arms.

“It is from him.” There was a chance half of them were going to faint right there. “Oh my God. Wes Blakefield sent you a gift. You know what that means, right?”

I looked at them blankly. “It doesn’t mean anything. He’s a patient. Of course I’m going to donate everything in the basket.”

They looked shocked.

I scrambled for an explanation. “It’s against hospital policy. You all know that.” I held the basket tighter to my chest, wondering what in the hell had urged that man to send this to me.

“Good night.” I marched out of the hospital, knowing how ridiculous I looked, trying to keep the cellophane from blowing back into my face.

The next day wasn’t any better. As I was leaving for my shift, another delivery arrived. This time, the quarterback land-slided me with every type of chocolate on the planet. And these weren’t ordinary chocolates. They were imported from France, Switzerland, and Germany. Had I mentioned in conversation at some point that I was a chocoholic? I couldn’t think of a single personal thing I had revealed to him. I was professional toward him, even if he was a flirt and a player. I never encouraged him to send gifts or pursue me, did I?

I scowled at the fancy boxes tied with exotic silk ribbons. There was another card attached. I read it in the silence of the doctors’ lounge. I crumpled it in my hand. Who was this guy? He thought he could send presents and chocolate and I’d what? Just fall into his arms and beg to get in his bed?

I knew his type. I’d met them all over D.C. Funny thing was, once they found out I was a surgical resident, I suddenly seemed less attractive. That was until I met Ben.

Ben was another resident in my program, and after studying and working together, it seemed to make sense to be roommates. Roommates turned to sex when we were both in the apartment together. Somehow that felt like enough of a relationship to me. After a year, I knew we were a good match. He was handsome and smart and not intimidated by my work. We had everything in common. He was the perfect guy on paper. I could go through a list and check off all the things I wanted in a partner. Except one. The most important one.

But all of it changed the day I found out my roommate was fucking another woman.

I couldn’t help it. I ripped into the chocolates and started eating one of the pretty pink ones. By the time I looked down, I had eaten six. I crammed the lid on top and lifted the boxes in my arms. I needed to get home. Thinking about Ben pissed me off. It reminded me why I was here alone. Why I had left D.C. Why I didn’t bother to split things in the apartment and had driven to Texas with only a car full of clothes.

I wiped an angry tear from my cheek and raced past the nurses. I didn’t want to hear about my admirer. I wasn’t up for girl talk. They didn’t know what I was going through. Broken by one asshole, just to be pursued by another.

* * *

The next day, I slammed the cabinet to my locker, eager to get out of the hospital so I could make it home and take a shower. I had been in surgery for six hours putting a twenty-year-old’s leg back together after it was smashed in a car accident. The concentration and focus it took had wiped me out, but the surgery was a complete success. With rehab and physical therapy, he’d be able to walk again, and we were able to give him hope for more than that.

Sharing the news with his parents after the surgery was a relief. Their faces lit with joy, and I knew I could leave the hospital knowing I had kicked ass today.

I stood to leave the doctors’ lounge and stopped when I saw Sonny. She was holding a long white box.

“Oh no. Not again.” This was the third day in a row.

“These just came for you.” She approached me, her eyes giddy.

I took the box from her arms and placed it on the bench next to me. There was a card on top, but I was afraid to read it.

“Thanks.” I dismissed her with a frown.

I could tell she wanted to stay and see what was inside and who it was from, but I needed the lounge to myself. We both knew the Wranglers’ quarterback had sent the surprise.

I pulled the lid from the box. I stared at the dozens of orchids spilling from the tissue-lined center.

“Oh my God.” I covered my mouth. They were delicate and gorgeous. And expensive.

I touched the petals of purple and white. They felt like butterfly wings. And my stomach felt like butterflies were dancing inside. I was excited and nervous and slightly horrified. I couldn’t accept another gift like this from a patient. Especially a patient that made me feel the way he did.

I covered the flowers, not sure what to do with them. It wasn’t like I could toss them in the trash. They were too beautiful. And I certainly couldn’t leave them with the nurses—the gossip would never die down. I tucked the box under my arm. My only choice was to take them home. Damn that Wes Blakefield. Damn him.

* * *

I walked through the door, carefully placing the delicate package on the counter. I searched through the cabinets for a vase. I didn’t even know if I had one here. Everything came standard with the apartment. I spotted one in the cupboard over the refrigerator. I stood on a stool and retrieved it from its high perch. After filling it halfway with water, I arranged the flowers. The purple and white petals floated in the air. I couldn’t help but grin. No man had sent me flowers like these before. I could only imagine what he had spent on them.

I took out a bowl, ready to heat some soup, when my phone rang. I dug through my bag until I found it.

“Hello, this is Dr. Ashworth.”

“Hey, Doc.”

My stomach gripped. The butterflies came to a full screeching halt.

“How did you get my number?” My mind raced. Did I give it to him? Did he somehow hypnotize me with his eyes to get it?

“Pulled a few strings.” He laughed on the other end. “Did you like the flowers?”

“Oh, the flowers.” I stared at the exotic blooms. “They’re beautiful, but you can’t send me things like that. I’m your doctor.”

“It’s just a thank you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Well thank you for the thank you, but…”

“And did you like the Wranglers gear? How about the chocolates?” he asked.

“They were all great. And delicious.” I had almost devoured the entire chocolate collection last night, drowning my misery in the candy. “But none of this is necessary. Really. A simple thank you is enough.”

“You know what I do think is necessary?” His voice was deep and low in my ear. I couldn’t help the chill it sent to my toes.

“Don’t tell me you’re already out of your prescription?”

His laughter was warm. “No, this isn’t a medical call.”

My stomach flipped. “It’s not?”

“No, I haven’t been able to get you out of my head for the past few days.”

“Oh,” I whispered. I wasn’t about to tell him I had the same problem. It didn’t help that every day he sent me a reminder.

“I want to take you out.”

I shook my head. “You can’t. That’s not going to happen.”

“Come on, Doc. It’ll be fun. You seem like the kind of girl who could use a little fun.”

“And what does that mean? I’m fun.” Since I had left D.C., there was nothing fun about me. But he didn’t know that. Or did he?

“It’s only dinner.”

“So that’s what the flowers, chocolates, and jersey were all about? This is your way of asking me out?”

“Did it work?” I could hear the sexiness dripping off his lips without even seeing him.

“I-I—” He had me completely flustered. Damn it. “The gifts were nice, but—”

“How about this? I’ll have a car pick you up tomorrow night at seven at your place. Wear something sexy, unless you just want to wear your white coat or my jersey.” I pictured him waggling his eyebrows at me.

I blushed, feeling the heat spread through my body. “This is not happening.”

“It is. The driver will be at your door at seven. See you then. Good night, Doc.”

Before I could protest, he hung up. I stared at the blank screen in my hand. I was outraged. He had my phone number and my address, and he clearly knew how to make my panties wet. I growled, tossing the soup into the sink.

I was not going out with a patient. No. It wasn’t happening.