Maya smiled across the table at Sam. She didn’t know how she’d managed to score a date with the hottest doctor in the hospital but he’d asked her out, so here she was. It’d been so long since she’d been on a date and it felt good to get dressed up and go out.

“It’s been a long time for me,” she confessed. “I haven’t been on a date in months.”

“I find that very hard to believe,” he said. “You’re so beautiful. And a hard worker for a nurse.”

“Thank you.” She blushed and looked down for a moment.

Many of the nurses tried to get Sam’s attention. He was the most eligible bachelor in the whole place. He’d dated around, but hadn’t settled down.

“I guess the problem is usually Jason,” she said. “Not everyone wants to date a woman with a six-year-old son. I’ve been out with two men since he was born. Nothing serious, though. At first, I just focused on my son and starting my nursing career. It was years before I thought about dating.”

“Well, it’s their loss. I look forward to meeting him. I always wanted to have kids one day, so I don’t see the problem with dating someone who’s a step ahead. I know I’ll be a good father and give my kids a good life. Is he with Grandma tonight?”

“A babysitter. My parents are both dead. Car crash. It’s the reason I went into nursing.”

“Oh,” Sam said. “I’m sorry to hear that. I don’t know what I’d do without my parents. They encouraged me to become the doctor I am today.”

“It’s been many years. But I still think of them everyday and wish they could be here to enjoy their grandson.”

“His father’s not around?”

Maya thought of Matt, as she often did. Especially when Jason made a face that looked exactly like him. She still felt a pang of loss and heartache over it. “He’s not. Never was.”

“That makes things easier.”

“Yeah. I guess.” She never thought it’d been the easier option to hide Jason from Matt and raise him on her own. Nothing about it had been easy.

He glanced out at the dance floor. “Wanna get out there?”

“Sure.”

She followed him and soon was lost in the crowd and loud music. Sam pulled her close and pressed his body against her as they moved. She felt a little uncomfortable with so much touching so soon and took a step back. He put his hand to her back and pulled her close again.

“I’m going to get a little air,” she said after a minute. She walked off the dance floor and sat at their table again.

She watched Sam dance with other women. He acted like he was single rather than on a date. Was that how guys were these days? She shook her head. She glanced around the club, looking to see if other men were doing the same thing.

She couldn’t tell, but she did see a man that looked so much like Matt, it made her heart skip. No, it couldn’t be him, though.

Sam came over after a moment. “What are you doing? Come dance with me.”

She got up and went with him, but when he refused to let her have space, she walked away again. This time, when he came off the dance floor to find her, she was starting to get upset.

“Why do you keep leaving?” Sam asked.

“I’m just… not comfortable dancing that close with you. Not yet.”

He raised his eyebrows. “You don’t want to dance with me? You know how many women here would die for the chance?”

“It looks to me like many women have already had the chance.”

“What else do you expect me to do? I’m not going to just sit here all night.”

Well, hadn’t this turned out to be a complete disaster. “I think I’d just like to go home now.” Especially after seeing a Matt lookalike, she wanted to get home to Jason. Maybe she wasn’t ready to date if this was how it was.

“I’m not ready to leave yet.”

He walked away and left her sitting there alone. She watched him for several minutes and grew more and more fed up with every woman he danced with.

If he didn’t want to leave, fine. She had a phone and cash. There were plenty of cabs around tonight. She got up and walked toward the door.

She only made it several feet before Sam saw her and dashed to catch up to her. He grabbed her arm to stop her from going.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he demanded.

“I want to go home,” she said, “and you don’t want to. So I’m just going to go.”

“You were just going to walk out on me?” His voice raised and his grip on her arm grew painful.

Maya’s heart jumped. Sam was known around the hospital for being more than a little cocky, but she hadn’t thought he was capable of being violent. Would he hurt her?

She swallowed her fear and made her voice strong. “Let go of me.”

“I don’t think so.” Sam pulled her arm, making her lose her step and fall into him with her back against him.

He put his hand under her chin and turned her head forcefully so that her ear was at his mouth. “You will not walk out on me. We’ll leave when I’m ready.”

“Excuse me.”

Maya’s attention shot to the man now standing in front of them. A gasp escaped her lips and her heart had no idea what to do. Still be afraid? Be relieved someone stepped in? Be excited or angry that Matt was standing right in front of her?

“I’m sure I heard the lady say to let go of her,” Matt said. “Maybe you didn’t hear her say that, but I’ll give you one chance to do as she asked.”