Page 48 of Doctor’s Forbidden Match

He’ll just turn up at my house tomorrow morning? There’s no chance he’s doing that. Absolutely not. I need to get home and sort things out before he sees the current disaster zone of clothes on the chair in the corner of my bedroom, a few dishes in the sink, the laundry room piled up with dirty clothes. The thought of Dr. Sterling, with his perfectly pressed clothes and clinical precision, seeing my personal space in that state makes my skin prickle with embarrassment. He already thinks I’m clumsy and careless; I don’t need to add complete slob to that assessment.

“It’s okay, I have my driver. He can pick me up.”

“No, he’ll discharge you tomorrow and take you home. The network agreed to that.” His arms cross over his chest.

I scramble to come up with excuses. “This feels like too much for Dr. Sterling. I’d hate to be a burden.”

“You’re not, trust me. He’s happy to do it.” He rocks back on his heels, pleased with himself for solving this problem.

I doubt that… Dr. Sterling doesn’t strike me as the type of man who’s happy to do anything that isn’t his idea. And spending his days keeping me from injuring myself surely wasn’t his idea.

But the fight drains out of me. What choice do I have? It’s this or lose my job. It’s this or prove Dain right; that I’m too much of a liability to keep around.

So, I need to sleep here tonight? The room suddenly feels smaller, the walls pressing in. I don’t have anything here. No toothbrush, no toothpaste, no change of clothes. Nothing to make this sterile space feel less like a prison.

“But I have work tomorrow.” I make a final attempt at resistance.

“The network told Dain to film other segments, and you can return early Tuesday.” Mr. Peltz delivers this like it’s good news, like an extra day off is some kind of gift.

“Okay. Thanks…” I guess if you have the network on my side.

This is a literal nightmare. Dr. Sterling and I hanging out all day tomorrow. The thought sends an uncomfortable flutter through my stomach—part dread, part something I refuse to acknowledge. That traitorous warmth that spreads through me when he’s near, the way my body seems hyperaware of his presence, even when I’m trying to focus on anything else. The fact that I’ve caught myself staring at his hands more than once, wondering what they’d feel like—

No! I slam that door shut immediately. That path leads nowhere good.

I push my wandering thoughts aside and focus on the practical problem. I need something to wash my face and brush my teeth, as well as some clean clothes. I can’t sleep in a hospital gown and leave in yesterday’s clothes while being photographed next to him.

“Well, I’ll let you go.” Mr. Peltz straightens and reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a business card. “If you need anything, please call me.”

I force a smile as I accept the card, hoping it looks genuine and not like the grimace it feels like. “Thanks.”

I watch him turn and walk to the door. He pulls it open, and it shuts loudly behind him.

Fuck my life.

I call Candace, and she fills me in with the exact same information Mr. Peltz just delivered.

When I get off the phone with her, I slump back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling tiles. My nerves have settled into something more manageable, but there’s still a little bit of anticipation. Which is ridiculous. I should not be anticipating spending forced time with Dr. Sterling. I should be dreading it entirely.

But I can’t stop thinking about the way he looked at me earlier, that assessing gaze that felt like it could see past all my carefully constructed walls. The gentle competence of his hands during the examination.

I press my palms against my heated cheeks, trying to calm myself down.

This is bad.

Because the real problem isn’t that I have to spend all day with him. The real problem is that a traitorous part of me… a part I’ve been trying very hard to ignore… wants to.

Suddenly, I remember Brooke and how she was planning on coming to town to look after me. Guilt coils in my chest. She was so excited to come help, and now I have to tell her she can’t.

I need to call her ASAP. Not only about Sterling being my personal doctor all day, but the fact she won’t be needed. Plus, Brooke would see right through me. She’d take one look at how I act around him and know exactly what I’m trying to hide. I can barely admit it to myself. I definitely can’t have my best friend watching me fumble through whatever this arrangement is going to be.

But I don’t want to upset her, so I think it would be safe for her to come the last week of shooting. That should work. I’ll get her to help me go back home. Yeah, that’s a great idea. I would hate to disappoint her, so this solves both problems.

I grab my phone from the side table and pull up her number.

She answers quicker this time, like the phone must have been right next to her.

“Two phone calls in one day. I’m so lucky,” she teases.