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“I was hoping we could grab a bite to eat and discuss it,” he revealed.
I knew I had frowned. I couldn’t help it.
“Are you asking me out?” It was hard to say the words. There was the possibility I had misread his intentions. My radar was permanently off course after Vaughn.
“Would that be so horrible?” He smiled. “We share a lot of similar interests, Elliot.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think we do.” I pushed my chair back. I needed to leave. “You run the department. You run the residency program.” I was angry. I was insulted.
“Those are both true statements.”
“And we are colleagues on this case. A case that has huge implications for our government. A case that will affect Congress by possibly removing a current senator. And you want to ask me out? In the middle of all of that, you think it’s ok to ask me out?”
The irritation festered into something sharper and stronger. I glared at the man I had considered a mentor just moments before. I felt a new level of betrayal.
“I’ve enjoyed working with you. And you’re a beautiful young woman. I didn’t mean to offend you. I don’t see why it’s an insult that I think those two things can go together.”
I pulled the bag over my shoulder, removing his review in the process and slamming it on the table. “And it’s the fact that you don’t see it that makes you so dangerous. You’re no different than Senator Mitcherson,” I blurted. “This is the same shit Lana Foley dealt with. Only she didn’t see it until after she was pregnant.”
Max put his hands up. “Elliot, I never suggested anything like that. I-I never meant to imply that sort of relationship. I never mentioned sex.”
I saw the panic in his eyes.
I didn’t care. I was furious.
“You didn’t have to,” I warned. “It was there in every word you spoke. Otherwise you never would have asked me to dinner.”
He looked stunned.
He had no right to hit on me. To tell me I was attractive. To want to spend time with me outside of this case. I was a professional. An intelligent woman who had earned her way into an incredible program. Who in the hell did he think he was?
“Elliot, please wait.” He followed me to the door.
I spun around on my heels. I had been right on my first day. They did make me feel powerful and in charge.
“I apologize if I have offended you in any way.”
“You have in every way.” I looked at him with a new level of disgust. “I think I’ll take the Foley case back.”
“Of course. Anything you need.”
“No more meetings.” I was halfway out the door. “None. I want nothing to do with your supervision.”
“That shouldn’t be necessary. Nothing occurred.”
I glared at him. “It did. And I’ll report you. No more meetings.”
He nodded in defeat. “No more meetings.”
I stormed down the hall, but just before I reached the outside door, I braced myself against the wall. My knees buckled for a quick second.
I pulled my shoulders back and walked out of the building. I had a ten-minute walk to the clinic. My head pivoted to the right. I had this feeling Max was behind me. I spun around, but he wasn’t there.
I walked through campus and turned again, knowing someone was watching me. I could feel the stare needling my neck. It was as obvious to me as the trees in my path. Only, I couldn’t find where it was coming from.
I returned to work.
“Everything ok,” Meg asked.
