We live in a society where women pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for chemicals to be injected into their bodies because they hope for acceptance in a world that bases everything on appearances. Dr. Kean Bennett is no different than any of those holding a magnifying glass. Driven only by the method of payment he will receive he cares nothing for the physical or emotional well-being of his patients. He is a fraud. A cold, rude, asshole fraud who takes advantage of those who are too weak to stand up for themselves. And when he isn’t pumping their bodies full of poison, he is pumping them between the sheets, breaking every code of ethics imaginable.

I killed the car engine and flipped the visor down, willing myself to not think about the last paragraph I had written. In the tiny mirror my eyes were bloodshot and puffy from all the crying I had done over the last twenty-four hours.

I was a mess.

After I flew out of Dr. Bennett’s office yesterday, I floored the gas pedal all the way back to work. I was going to tell Shawna I would not be completing my assignment because Dr. Bennett was a walking dick.

It wasn’t until after I sat in the Polish office parking lot trying to pull myself together that I reconsidered taking such a drastic measure. I drove home instead where I spent the rest of the day suffering through bouts of crying as I typed my draft. 

Dr. Kean Bennett deserved every word I wrote.

Well, almost every word.

My writing may have lost its objectivity towards the end, but after the rude way he treated me I couldn’t care less. The entire experience left a nasty taste in my mouth I couldn’t seem to get rid of no matter what I did. I slept. I washed a load of laundry. I watched a couple of reruns on the television. And I wrote. I wrote and wrote and wrote with the feeling of rejection looming over me. Which was why when Stuart called to extend a dinner invitation I jumped at the chance. I needed to escape my own head and Stuart provided an out.

Le Chocolat Noir, the French restaurant where we were going to meet specialized in infusing chocolate into their gourmet dishes. It was a place I had always wanted to try but it was expensive and the practical side of me couldn’t rationalize spending a ton on food.

I stood in line at the reservation podium and began to feel a bit better as I basked in the pretty atmosphere. Cream, rose and antique gold were featured on the walls and decor, while chunky pieces of dark wood furniture filled the front area, allowing guests to comfortably lounge while they waited for a table. The room was packed with people but the check-in line moved quickly and before long I was next.

“Welcome to Le Chocolat Noir. How many in your party?” the young hostess asked.

“I’m meeting someone, Stuart Whitman.”

Looking down at the reservation list in front of her, she nodded her head, sending her dark curls bobbing.

“Yes, Mr. Whitman is already seated. If you will please follow me.”

Trailing after her, I fiddled with the clasp on the clutch in my hand. I hadn’t been sure about the dress code so I had thrown on a classic black swing dress that fell above my knees. I’d dressed it up with a silver cuff bracelet, silver hoop earrings and a pair of heels. As we walked through the seated patrons, I was relieved to see I fit in well with the other women.

We approached a table towards the back of the restaurant where Stuart was seated. A wide smile spread across his face as he stood and pulled me into a hug.

“Ciaran, you’re gorgeous, as always,” he complimented, as he pulled my chair out, before sliding back into his seat.

“Thank you, Stuart. And thanks for inviting me.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Angel. I’ve already ordered a bottle of white wine. I hope you don’t mind.”

“I never mind wine,” I assured him with a smile.

As if on cue, a waiter appeared with a bottle. Once both our glasses were full, he placed the bottle in a silver ice bucket next to the table and promised to be back shortly to take our order before backing away.

I took a small sip allowing the fruity undertones to roll over my taste buds. Stuart smirked proudly as he watched me. This dinner may be giving him the wrong impression on where our relationship was going. I was going to have to break it to him gently.

Setting my glass down, I asked, “So, why did you invite me to dinner?” 

“Do I need a reason to take my sexy woman out to eat?”

Yup, I was definitely going to have to spell it out for him because we were not on the same page about where we stood.

“Stuart, we should talk.”

Stuart cut me off. “Ciaran, I like spending time with you. Our relationship means everything to me.”

The look on his face was so earnest, I struggled with my decision to pop his expanded balloon. I opened the thick, leather bound menu and squirmed in my chair. I needed to focus on something other than the lovesick expression he wore on his boyish face.

“How is your piece on Kean Bennett turning out?” he asked, forgetting to add the doctor’s title to the front of Kean’s name.

“You mean Dr. Bennett? Fine, I guess. I completed the rough draft of my article earlier today.” At the mention of the asshole, tears threatened to make an appearance from behind my eyes. I blinked rapidly to prevent it. Stuart didn’t need to know how my assignment was really going. He was liable to be the nice guy he was and attempt to come to my rescue, which would only make the situation worse. I wasn’t the type of girl who needed saving. I could take care of myself. Besides, the whole reason I came to dinner was to avoid thinking about the drama with my assignment.

Thankfully, the waiter returned to take our order distracting me from my thoughts.

“Ciaran, do you know what you want?” 

“Yes, I’ll have the mussels with Roquefort sauce.” 

The waiter smiled. “Very good, madam. One of my favorites. And for you, sir?”

While Stuart proceeded to bombard the waiter with questions in French, I took another sip of my wine and watched the young hostess seat a couple at a table adjacent to ours. The striking woman was hard not to notice. She wore a red bandage dress that hugged every inch of her perfect body. As she gracefully lowered into a chair her date moved into view. When he looked in my direction, dark green eyes collided with mine. They blinked once then jetted to where Stuart was finishing up with the waiter.

Suddenly feeling overheated, I grabbed my wine glass and took a huge gulp.

“So, tell me about your draft?” Stuart requested.

I shook my head as my eyes nervously shifted over his shoulder eyeing the close distance Dr. Bennett and his date were sitting. “You know, I would rather not discuss it right now.”

Stuart looked over his shoulder to see what held my attention. I watched with interest as Dr. Bennett shot a hate filled glare in my date’s direction before nodding. It was a nod that spoke volumes. It wordlessly acknowledged the men somehow knew each other.

Stuart had been keeping secrets.

“Oh my God. You know Dr. Bennett,” I hissed.

Stuart took a sip from his glass before answering my accusation. “We may have crossed paths a time or two.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? All this time I’ve been trying to find a way in and you haven’t said a word about knowing him.”

Stuart at least had the decency to look ashamed before offering an explanation. “It’s not like the two of us are friends. Honestly, I can’t stand the man. He has a violent temper. I’ve even heard he often takes it out on the women he dates. That’s why I told you to be careful with him.”

The room spun around us as I tried to process what he was saying.

“Stuart, what the hell are you talking about?”

“The guy has been known to rough up the women he goes out with. Especially when he doesn’t get what he wants. He has always been that way. Started when he was a teenager and hasn’t changed since. You’re looking at me like you don’t believe me.” Stuart huffed.

I didn’t believe him. Not one word of what he was spitting out and yet thinking over what I knew about the doctor I could kind of see it. The articles about Dr. Bennett’s attitude issues were out there, but Stuart made it sound like he had shown his temper towards women. I couldn’t see how that was even possible? Nothing that serious had come up online when I searched his name. 

“Ciaran, I wouldn’t lie to you. You need to trust me when I tell you to keep your distance from him. He is dangerous. Complete your assignment and wipe your hands of the man.”

Freaking unbelievable.

I fiddled with the flatware in front of me and risked a look at Dr. Bennett.

“Ciaran,” Stuart called me, smiling when my eyes flicked back to his as if he hadn’t just detonated a bomb in my world. “Why don’t we change the subject to nicer things? I’m more interested in hearing about you than discussing work. I’ve noticed you never speak about your family. Do you have any in the area?”

I frowned at Stuart while I fought the urge to climb over the table, grab him by the collar and demand answers about the information he had just dropped in my lap. Finishing the wine in my glass, I glanced at him.

“It’s just Melany and I.”

“Melany is your sister?”

“No. Unfortunately, she gave birth to me,” I responded dryly.

“Wait. You call your mother by her first name. Isn’t that disrespectful?”

Rolling my eyes, I snatched a piece of bread from the basket in the center of the table and shoved it into my mouth. As I chewed, I looked back over at Dr. Bennett’s table. His date was leaning into him as she spoke but the doctor didn’t appear to be listening because he was watching me with the intensity of a hawk. Picking up that he was distracted, the woman lifted a manicured hand and traced it along his square jaw.

“Are you feeling okay? You look a little flushed,” Stuart asked, his expression flat.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Nothing. It wasn’t important. Ciaran, I want to talk about us. I really like you.”

“Yeah, that’s nice,” I replied, not paying an ounce of attention. I was still zoned in on Dr. Bennett, who had finally stopped staring at me and was speaking directly into his woman’s ear. She erupted into a fit of giggles.

The sudden need for more wine had me aggressively yanking the wine bottle out of the ice bucket. I filled my glass to the brim and downed half of it in a single gulp before taking in Stuart’s hurt expression.

Done swallowing, I apologized.  “Yes, sorry. I’m fine. Just thinking about work.”

“Yes, I can see that,” he replied as he glanced over his shoulder.

“The wine is delicious. Do you know a lot about vintages?” I asked, hoping to smooth over the tension.

Stuart’s entire face lit up and his posture lifted. “Yes, actually I do. I consider myself a wine connoisseur…”

Excited about the subject, he prattled on but I couldn’t stop my gaze from returning to the other table which proved to be a huge mistake because Dr. Bennett and his date were locked in kiss. A kiss that hypnotized me the second I laid eyes on the couple. His hand was wrapped around the back of his date’s head while he pressed against her mouth. Observing every detail, I absentmindedly licked my lips and barely noticed when his other hand dropped to her lap behind the white table cloth. It wasn’t until the woman pulled back an inch from his mouth and hers opened in a slight “o” that I understood what was happening.

That bastard of a doctor was touching her somewhere highly inappropriate for a public restaurant.

Appalled by his lewd behavior, I sucked in a breath. I was disgusted. Outraged. Hot. Extremely hot.

And then from across the table, Dr. Bennett met my gaze with a knowing look.

Holy shit. He was fucking with me while fucking her under the table. My blood rose to a boil as every part of my body including my face flushed.

I ripped the napkin off my lap and threw it by my wine glass as I stood.

Stuart paused mid-sentence and looked alarmed. “Ciaran, what’s wrong?”

“I need to use the ladies room,” was all I said before snatching my clutch and briskly walking away.

I headed in the direction of where I had seen a passage along the side wall of the restaurant. I was so flustered it took several steps down the dim lit hallway before I discovered it wasn’t where the ladies room was located. I let out a rueful laugh as I looked at the only two doors available. One was unmarked while the other had a sign with the French word entretien, meaning maintenance, attached to the outside.

I heaved a sigh, spun around and crashed straight into a solid wall that had instantly appeared. As I was trying to get my bearings, a hand wrapped around my arm and tugged me into the room with the French sign on the door.

A light clicked on.

Bathed in a dull, yellow hue, the menacing expression on Dr. Bennett’s face was extremely close to mine. It caused Stuart’s earlier warning to go off like a pistol in my head. I opened my mouth to scream but was thwarted when his hand slapped over it. With his other hand, he shoved me back against the metal supply shelves that lined the walls.

“Ms. Thompson, I’m going to remove my hand and if you scream I swear to god I will make every inch of you sorry we ever met. Do I make myself clear?”

I quickly nodded.

Slowly peeling away his hand, he placed it on the rack next to my head, caging me in.

“What the fuck are you doing here with Stuart Whitman?” he growled.

I couldn’t answer. He was standing too close for me to think. I was dizzy and hot and panting. Why was I panting? And why the hell was it so hot in this restaurant? As I felt his body brush against mine, I tried to get control over my breathing.

“Ms. Thompson, I’m waiting for an answer.”

“Please don’t hurt me,” I finally gasped.

Dr. Bennett’s glare shifted to my lips for a moment before moving back to my eyes. “Then answer my question. How do you and Stuart Whitman know each other? Are you two dating? Are the two of you stalking me?”

The stalking reference snapped me out of my daze.

“We are not stalking you or dating. Stuart and I work together at the magazine. I didn’t know you would be eating at the same restaurant.”

“You expect me to fucking believe you? First the café, then the gym. When that didn’t work, you lied your way into my office. Now you’re conveniently at the same restaurant, and with Stuart Whitman, no less.”

My eyes widened as I gaped at him.

I wasn’t sure how he had made the connection that I had originally been following him, but he had. I was going to end up in a lake, or with a towel shoved down my throat and left to die. Based on what Stuart had said, the doctor had no qualms about taking out a woman.

Fear tore through me as I pushed against his chest and tried to get him to move back but he stepped even closer, using his hard body to keep my soft one pinned. I could feel the outline of his thick dick pressed against my hip.

I swallowed a moan. “You fucking bastard, let me go.”

“It’s Kean, but I’ll allow you to leave the fucking in there because I have a fondness for the word. You need to stay away from Whitman. He’s not a good guy.”

“Oh, that’s rich coming from a man who finger fucks a woman at a dinner table in a restaurant full of people.”

His eyes narrowed. “Careful Ciaran, you sound jealous.”

“Look asshole, I’m not jealous. I’m repulsed by your behavior. I prefer men who are decent and respectful. They are not men who treat people trying to do their jobs like shit, or who are known for sleeping with their patients, and they are definitely not men who have the audacity to finger someone in public. You disgust me.”

A flash of perfectly white teeth blinded me. “Lying again, aren’t you? Fess up, you enjoyed what you saw. I could see it on your face. You couldn’t look away. You were watching like you wished it was you.”

“Never,” I bit out.

“Oh, wait. Let me guess. You’ve never come in a public place, have you? That stick wedged tightly up your ass won’t allow it.”

Dr. Bennett’s words struck a fragile nerve deep inside. The stick-up-my-ass reference was a verbatim repeat of Melany’s mocking ones and it sent my temper reeling. My open palm slapped hard against the side of his face. Despite being caught off guard, his head barely budged an inch but his eyes lit with rage that burned so bright I almost had to look away.

Gathering my wrists with one hand, he pulled them high over my head and locked them against the metal shelving. His other hand bunched my dress material upwards as it made its way towards my hip.

A violent shiver rocked my body as the girl I kept hidden underneath abruptly surfaced.

“Well, look at that,” Dr. Bennett whispered as he peered into my eyes. “My little journalist wants to be fucked in a crowded restaurant.”

Oh God, yes. I almost begged as we stared at each other.

His hands pulled away altogether and he took a step back. “But you’re too good for that aren’t you, Ciaran?”

Not waiting for me to respond, he turned away and headed for the door of the closet. 

What the hell? My body shaking, I shot daggers at the back of his head.

I hated this man. Absolutely hated him.

He faced me again. “What did you just say?”

Holy shit. I hadn’t meant to say it out loud. Or maybe I had. I was so confused.

He slowly stalked back towards me. I took a step backwards and bumped back into the shelves. “What the fuck did you just say?”

“I said I hate you,” I yelled.

I didn’t have a chance. He was on me quicker than my next breath, his mouth stealing the air from my lungs. Leaning into my body with what felt like his entire weight he pressed a thigh in between my parted legs and against the part of me that was frantically throbbing with need.

I completely lost myself.

I rubbed shamelessly against every inch of him that I could reach; the need to get as close as possible making all the decisions for me. He responded by removing his mouth from mine and licking a line down the side of my neck as his hand pulled at the ridge of my silk underwear. 

“I can feel how wet you are against my pant leg. All you need to do is admit you want me to make you come and I promise I’ll make you feel so good, you’ll be able to write an entire book about it,” he whispered, moving his thigh against me. 

“Kean.” His name escaped on a wisp of a breath from somewhere deep inside my soul, giving him all the validation he needed.

Dropping to his knees, he tugged my underwear to the side and pushed his mouth against my pulsating center. His tongue, the same tongue that was capable of hurling out such harsh words swiped through my wetness and had the back of my head knocking against the shelves.

When two thick fingers stroked my walls before pressing deep inside, a groan came from his mouth but the animalistic sounds that spilled from mine drowned it out.

It had been too long. Or maybe it was how magnificent he was with his tongue. I clamped down on his fingers like a vice as bright flashes of light went off from behind my eyes.

After what seemed like hours but was only seconds, Kean removed his mouth and hands from my body and pushed up onto his feet, leaving me sagged against the shelving unit for support. The hardened expression on his face was the last thing in the world I thought I would see as he stood before me with his jaw glistening from my wetness.

Baffled by his expression, my eyes widened in question.

When he didn’t respond but just looked at me, I braced myself against the cold metal at my back. It was the frigidity coming from the front that had me trembling. I’d made a thousand different mistakes over the last week but the error that delivered the fatal blow to my armor was the assumption after what had just intimately exchanged between us was going to change the disconnection we originally had.

Using his hand, he wiped at his jaw while turning to give me his back for the second time tonight as he made to leave. Except this time, he glanced over his shoulder and tossed out parting words like I was nothing but another appointment in his busy life. “Be careful with Whitman. I meant it when I said he isn’t a good guy.”

At the sound of the door clicking shut, I closed my eyes and willed the hurt to leave me the hell alone.