“Okay Mrs. Riggs you are all set.”

Kristina smiled as she push the pedal at the base of the dentist chair to ease it into a sitting position. “Everything looks good. I will set your next cleaning for six months from now.”

The middle-aged woman smiled. “Thank you. Now don’t forget that I’m going to bring that pie by tomorrow.”

Kristina laughed. “I won’t and again thank you.”

“You are welcome. We are glad to have you here. You are much kinder that Janet ever was.”

Confusion fell over Kristina’s face. “Janet?”

Karen Riggs nodded. “Yes the young lady you are replacing.”

“Ah okay.”

Karen Riggs shook her head, clear disgust on her face. “Ran off with some fellow from the rodeo. Left behind her sick mother, husband, kids, and job. She left everybody in a lurch but that’s okay, irresponsibility and selfishness comes with a price.”

Well at least now she new the story behind why her new job had become available. She didn’t know what it was with the rash outbreak of infidelity she seemed to be surrounded by. However, if Mrs. Riggs was right Warren should be in line to pay a major price.

She reached for chart containing Karen Riggs information. After making a few notes she stood and led Mrs. Riggs back to the front. Kristina handed the file to Margaret who put it with the others left out for Robert to give a final review. She turned and made her way back toward the examination room to clean it. As she straightened Robert stuck his head in the room.

“Are you finished?”

She jumped at the sound of his voice and placed a hand to her chest. “Goodness you scared me.”

He smiled and her heartbeat stuttered at the sight of the dimple in his left cheek. “I didn’t mean to but it is getting late. Margaret is already gone home. You are free to go as well. I will take care of the rest.”

She looked at the watch on the wall behind her and grimaced. It was a lot later than she thought it to be. She didn’t really mind. The only thing she had planned was to go home and have dinner…alone.

“It’s no problem. I’m almost finished.”

He offered her a grateful smile. “Thank you for your hard work today. You did a good job and it seems like you fit right in.”

The corner of her mouth tilted upward. “Well all of the patients went out of their way to welcome me. By the weekend I will have enough food for the next two weeks.”

Robert chuckled and the sound arrowed through her, reverberating down her spine. Even his laugh was sinful. She didn’t know how she could be so attracted to this man after the way he behaved last night. Yes he was her boss and yes she had to get along with him but being attracted to him was off limits. He was dangerous, lascivious, and wicked. She had to keep her guard up with him. Otherwise she could get herself into trouble she couldn’t get out of.

“Stay away from the cookies and pie and you will be alright.”

She gave him a grim look. “Too late. Mrs. Riggs offered a Key Lime pie that I would never turn down and Mrs. Johnson is making me cranberry oatmeal cookies. With both I’m a lost cause.”

He smiled but remained quiet and there was a strained silence between them before he spoke again.

“I’m sorry about the way I acted last night. I hope you will believe me when I say I don’t normally act like an ass. I just had a little too much to drink and you know what they say about loose lips and all.”

Her left brow arched in his direction. This was the subject she had been trying to avoid all day. She wanted a peaceful working relationship with him, at least until she could find something else. But since he had been the one to bring the subject up she might as well address the issue.

“A little? You propositioned me for sex in very descriptive words. You were even kind enough to suggest that we didn’t have to leave the parking lot. We could just do it in the backseat, or was it the front?”

She snapped her fingers barely able to keep her disgust in check. “Oh no. I believe you suggested that we rut on the hood of the car like wild animals in heat.”

She forced the last of the words out between clinched teeth. “I’m surprised you didn’t offer to pay me or would you have if your friend hadn’t come along and dragged you away?”

He looked sheepish as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Well maybe I had a lot to drink. I might have been out of line the other night but I assure you I didn’t mean it. If I had been sober I never would have said those words aloud.”

Her right brow joined the left her expression turning into indignation. He didn’t seem to get the seriousness of the situation. Nothing made her blood heat in anger more than a man who disrespected a woman in any way. Then there was the fact he just insulted her in a backhanded way.

Would he not have approached her at all if he hadn’t been drunk?

She bit back a sound of displeasure not sure whether she should be upset or satisfied that he seemed to be embarrassed about the entire situation.

Her eyes narrowed. “Doesn’t mean you wouldn’t have thought them which is still insulting. I’m not sure what type of women you are used to being involved with but I don’t stand for that. I have been disrespected enough by men-”

Robert held up his hands. “Hang on a second. I’m trying to apologize here but you seem to be missing it.”

He lowered his hands. “Now I’m not sure what gut you are making reference to when you say men but I’m not like him.”

She folded her arms across her chest. “How would you know? You don’t know him.”

He raked his hand through his hair. “Look, I don’t want to. He doesn’t seem like he is worth knowing. But it is also none of my business. I simply wanted to apologize for my behavior. You are a good worker and I would like for you to stay on. I don’t want something I said in a drunken haze to drive you away.”

He exhaled deeply. “So will you accept my apology?”

She studied him for a few minutes her anger fading away, even as she tried to hold on to it. He seemed sincere and after all of the good things she had heard about him from all of the patients she couldn’t help but to feel that Saturday night was a slip of the tongue due to the heavy alcoholic consumption he seemed to be under that night.

She closed her eyes. Having this job was just as important to her as it seemed to be to him. She wasn’t ready to walk away from the new opportunity. Today had been fun. She had really enjoyed herself. The patients were nice and so was Margaret. She opened her eyes and looked at the man who stared back at her with a wary expression.

When she thought about it Robert didn’t seem all so bad. Even today he had checked on her repeatedly making sure she had everything she needed. Taking over a patient she was working on, insisting she take a lunch. Okay, maybe she was being a little harsh still she couldn’t make it too easy on him. He had a lesson to learn.

Never drink again.

“I will agree to call a truce for the sake of our working relationship. I like this job. I need it. But if you ever step out of line with me again believe me you will not like the consequences.”

He extended his hand to her. “You have a deal.”

She grasped his hand within her own but forgot about shaking it as soon as their palms touched. A shiver traveled up her arm. The man was pure lust personified. It was sad to say but if she had a little less self control she might just have ended up out on the hood of the nearest car with him.

She snatched her hand from his when the thought entered her mind. This was dangerous territory. The last time she chose a man because of the strong physical attraction she had to him she ended up where she was now. A path she couldn’t walk down again. Not with Robert. He was her co-worker. Her boss. Strictly forbidden. Just like lying men who were married and had kids.

“Good,” she murmured. “Now I needed to finishing cleaning up this exam room and I will be ready.”

He gave a slight nod. “Okay. I will be in my office finishing up the patient’s charts. Let me know when you are ready and I will walk you out. It is dark out.”

He would have to be a gentleman.

She held back a laugh. Delirium was overtaking her. She had been on her feet too long. One second she hated the man before her, the next she wanted to strip him naked and put the dental chair across the way to good use. Give him the hard ride he asked her for Saturday night. She shook her head to clear it. The quicker she got away from him the better off she would be.

“I will. It shouldn’t take me long.” She looked around the examination room. “I was almost finished.”

He nodded then turned to walk out the room. When he was out of sight she leaned against the counter trying not to collapse to the floor. The man was potent. Like the jolt from the first sip of coffee she took every morning. She allowed herself a few more seconds of insanity before pulling herself together.

She finished straightening up the room and put the instruments away to be sterilized. When the inevitable could no longer be put off she took a deep breath and went to find Robert. He was right where he said he would be only he was asleep. His doctor’s jacket hung open and he reclined back in his desk chair with his feet propped on the desk. Hard to believe the man could look more delicious, more tempting asleep than awake but he did.

Damn I need to get control of myself.

She cleared her throat but he didn’t move. She tried again a little louder and he stirred slightly. Finally he opened one eye in what seemed to be a great effort. He covered his mouth when he yawned before sitting up stretching as he did.

“And right when I had gotten so comfortable.”

“Sleep in your office a lot?” She teased.

“Sometimes,” he replied as he stood. She turned and left the office not trusting herself to behave when he was so close and they were alone. She pulled her purse out the desk Margaret pulled it out of earlier. A yawn escaped her and she barely managed to cover to her mouth.

“Tired?”

She pulled her keys out of her purse and turned to walk out of the office. “Yes I am. It has been a long day. I’m beyond tired. I’m exhausted.”

It was going to be a longer night.

She stifled a groan as she reached the waiting room. Stopping to look at him over her shoulder. “Should I come in earlier tomorrow?”

He shook his head. “No you can come in the same time. We won’t have as many patients on the schedule tomorrow. Besides I wouldn’t want to tire you completely out in the first week.”

He reached around her and opened the door, surrounding him with his woodsy, masculine scent. She stepped out taking a deep breath as she did. She was starting to understand the meaning of lust. Never had she wanted Warren the way that she desired Robert. She didn’t even know the man but craved him. Her breakup with Warren had really screwed her up. She was more affected than she thought she was.

She stepped out of the dentist office putting space between them, inhaling deeply to clear his tantalizing scent from her nose. If she were smart she would start looking for another job. Otherwise she just might end up taking Robert up on his proposition.

* * * *

Kristina sighed as she walked into her apartment. The car ride hadn’t been long but it had been long enough to make her body feel the result of being back to work for a full day. She was also willing to admit she worked harder today than she had at her old job. The crew was smaller. Margaret told her that they had a part-time receptionist that came in four days a week to handle paperwork, transcribing and the front desk. She put her purse on the couch and walked into her bedroom. After changing into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt she sat down on the bed. Courtney answered the phone on the second ring.

“Hello.”

“Hey Court.”

“Hey Kris. How did your first day of work go?”

Kristina settled back on the back drawing her knees up to her chest. “Exceptional, especially since the drunk that I ran into at the bar happens to be my boss.”

Courtney made a sound of surprise. “What? You have got to be kidding. Hang on a second.”

Kristina heard Courtney put the phone down it was followed by rustling sounds. Several moments later Courtney came back on the line.

“Okay I’m back. I just had to get out of my work clothes. When you called I had just gotten in from work.”

Kristina smiled. “What are you doing working so late? Normally you are moving gone at least one full minute before five o’clock.”

“Yes, well today was a busy day for me as well.”

Kristina sighed. “Yeah, well I’m one to talk. I put in over an hour of OT my first day of work.”

“Interesting,” Courtney said. “So finish telling me about the boss who just happened to have come on to you in the bar.”

Kristina straightened her legs then reclined back on the bed. “Oh believe me he did a lot more than coming on to me. But it wasn’t too bad today. I will admit my mouth almost dragged the ground today when I walked in and recognized him. I wanted to disappear. I came close to turning around and running back out to my car.”

Courtney chuckled. “I can’t blame you. I probably would have had the same reaction myself.”

Kristina shrugged. “What gets me is that he is actually likable when he is sober. He is nice, articulate and caring.”

Courtney made a noncommittal sound. “Hmm. Do I sense attraction in the air?”

Kristina rolled her eyes. “Oh please. Give me a break.”

She heard the smile in Courtney’s voice when she responded. “It’s okay if you think he is good-looking.”

Kristina’s eyes widened. “Who said anything about him being good-looking?”

“The breathless hitch in your tone when you speak.” Courtney said in a knowing voice.

Kristina didn’t bother to deny it. If anyone could pick through her defenses and know when she was telling the truth and when she wasn’t it was Courtney.  

“ Besides there is nothing wrong with a little eye candy.”

“He isn’t eye candy.”

“I beg to differ.” Courtney scoffed. “After the way you flipped out after Warren, any man who can get you to take more than once glimpse in his direction has to have a hell of a lot going on. So tell me what he looks like.”

Kristina shook her head. She wasn’t going to get herself worked up over telling her sister how scrumptious the man looked. The point was not to think about him. A goal she was failing at miserably so far. She had to find a way to change the subject and fast.

“You are a mess Courtney, an absolute mess. I am not going there tonight. I’m tired as it is and thinking on a high level of cognitive functioning is out of the question.”

“You don’t say. Your new boss must really be hot. What’s his name again?”

“Robert.” She replied through clenched teeth.

“I like the sound of that. It is a strong, dependable, trustworthy and sexy name.”

Kristina groaned. “Okay Dr. Ruth. No advice or psychoanalysis tonight please. I don’t want to go to bed with a headache.”

“Oh trust me. You will have to spill at some time. You can’t keep something like this inside because you will explode. I know you. Being that I’m the only sister you can tell this to you might as well go ahead and dish now.”

Kristina sighed. “Don’t get your hopes up Court. I’m done with dating and relationships.”

“Not permanently.”

Kristina rolled onto her stomach. “Maybe, maybe not. There is nothing wrong with being single. I need to be by myself for a while. Be happy. Not have to worry about pleasing anyone else.”

Courtney chortled. “Who said anything about a relationship? We all have physical needs. Like you said he has already made his clear. You should take him up on his offer. Just from a physical standpoint of course. “

Kristina made a sound of frustration. “Courtney please. I’m not hard up for sex. If I need physical release I will be happy to touch myself, repeatedly if necessary. Sleeping with my boss is not an option. Even if he isn’t as bad as I originally thought he was. He is still my boss and that is not a line I’m willing to cross.”

Courtney exhaled deeply. “Well you are better than me. Because this guy seems hot. He has to be since you weren’t this hot and bothered over Warren. If he looks half as good as I imagine you are a fool my little sister.”

Kristina shook her head. “When it comes to men lately I seem to be a major fool. All the more reason for me to stay away from him.”

Courtney paused for an instant. “Just tell me what color his eyes are.”

Kristina looked skyward knowing her sister wouldn’t give up until she had that much. “They are the most incredible shade of gray I have ever seen.”

Courtney made a sound of appreciation. “Are they gray enough for you to get lost in? Like storm clouds-”

“Courtney!”

“What?” He sister replied with an innocence no one would fall for. “If you don’t want to drool over him I can. As a matter of fact I think you need help unpacking don’t-”

“Courtney stop it!”

Courtney laughed. “Okay. I will stop.”

Her older sister paused sounding like she was struggling to get her amusement under control.

“Seriously Kristina, I ‘m glad you had a good day at work. You deserved to like your new job after what you have been through. Still don’t group all men together because of one man. Warren isn’t worth you casting men aside.”

Courtney paused again. “You have been single six months, which is long enough. If you don’t to take Robert up on his offer try to find and date some other prospective candidates. Just don’t give Warren the satisfaction of making him think you aren’t over him.”

“Oh believe me. I’m over him.” Kristina stated vehemently.

“Are you?” Courtney asked softly.

“Yes I am.” Kristina replied quickly. “Yes I’m still hurt over what he did and I will probably have some trust issues for a while but I don’t want Warren back and I’m likely to give him a sharp kick in both ankles if I ever see him again.”

Courtney laughed. “How about you aim higher and show him what you really think.”

A sharp crack of laughter exploded from Kristina. “And on that note I’m going to let you go Court.”

“Have a good night Kris just promise me you will find a man who will make you quiver in anticipation if just for a night.”

“Bye Courtney.”

Kristina hung up the phone before her sister could say anything else. How could she tell her sister she might have already found someone who did?