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“Then they haven’t been paying attention. I’m only in town for the day, but I would love to take you out, Teddy. Are you free tonight?”
I blinked, taken aback a little at his swiftness. “Um…”
Rusty laughed. “I know it’s terrible form to ask a woman out on a date for the same night, but I simply couldn’t resist.”
I laughed at his sheepish expression and shook my head. “Then I’m not sorry to admit that I am free tonight.” I didn’t like playing games, or much care for so-called dating rules, and Rusty’s honesty was refreshing.
“Excellent.” He handed over his phone with an easy smile. “Your number, please.” His deep voice and the humor in his eyes sucked me right in and I liked him instantly.
“What’s going on?” Cal showed up with a frown, glancing between me and Suzie before he even acknowledged Rusty’s presence.
“Teddy is giving Dr. Atkins her contact information for their date tonight,” Suzie answered with another mischievous smile. “Dr. Rutledge, have you met Dr. Atkins yet?”
“Uh, can’t say I have.” He held his hand out, blue eyes alight with competition.
Rusty smiled wide and gave Cal’s hand a strong, exuberant shake. “Nice to meet you, Dr. Rutledge. Your work is great, and I look forward to us working together. Hopefully.”
“Yeah, sure,” Cal growled, his expression surly and almost pouting. “Nice to meet you, too.”
I frowned at Cal’s poor manners, wondering what in the hell had gotten into him. “Careful,” I whispered, “he could be your boss soon enough.”
Cal glared at me hard enough to almost hurt. “Whatever.”
Whatever, indeed. Cal was acting like the one thing he didn’t want to be: a jealous boyfriend. I turned back to Rusty with a smile as I handed his phone back to him. “I’ll be on-site until six, so we can meet up any time after seven-thirty.”
Rusty’s smile came easily, and he let his fingers brush against mine while accepting his phone. “In that case, I’ll do some research and find someplace suitable. I hope you bring your appetite.”
I laughed. “I take it with me everywhere I go.”
“Excellent. I’ll see you tonight.” His smile widened and he raised a hand before turning toward the exit.
I ignored the sound of Cal groaning beside me and smiled at Suzie. “Thanks for that, you sneaky little devil.”
Suzie laughed and shook her head. “You’re welcome. Have fun tonight.”
“Oh, I intend to.” It was nice to meet a man who liked me for the woman I was, in scuffed jeans and a plain T-shirt with work boots. I appreciated the fact that Rusty was up front about what he wanted and was willing to go after it. He was exactly the kind of man I should be focused on.
Not a commitment-phobe with deep blue eyes who knew how to press all my buttons.
“See you later,” I said, and turned to leave.
I felt Cal behind me long before he mustered up the courage to speak. “You’re not actually going out with that guy, are you?”
“Why wouldn’t I? He’s handsome and kind, and he’s interested in me.”
Cal scoffed. “So that’s all it takes, a little bit of interest and you go weak in the knees? Good to know.” He caught up to me and shook his head when he knew I could see him. “We just had sex, Teddy. I didn’t think you were that kind of girl.”
I wasn’t sure if his goal was to insult me or get a rise out of me, but I refused to take the bait. Instead, I laughed and shook my head in disgust. “Typical. You don’t want me, but you don’t want anyone else to have me. That’s what’s disgusting, Cal, and honestly, I didn’t think you, of all people, were that kind of guy. Guess we were both wrong.”
“I do want you,” he insisted angrily.
I stopped and turned to face Cal because he was being ridiculous. “No. You want me on your terms, and I have told you countless times that those terms are unacceptable to me, to my goals for the future. You got what you wanted, Cal. Move on. That’s what I plan to do.”
“You don’t know anything about him!”
I shrugged off his outrage. “That’s the point of a date, to get to know the other person. Besides, you’re the one who told me to have a little bit of fun with you while I went in search of a man who wants what I want. It was good advice. Thanks.”
His nostrils flared in anger and his face reddened. Under other circumstances, I might have found pleasure in the fact that he was so jealous of another man, but I wasn’t pleased or amused or satisfied. I was annoyed and offended.
When it was clear he had no more insults to throw my way, I shrugged and turned away. “See you around.”
