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“You liked it. You’re scoring me low, so I’ll keep kissing you.”
Damn. “Whatever,” I say flippantly.
He reaches over and places his hand on my thigh. “Don’t worry, baby. I think I’m going to like this game.”
We’re only a few miles outside of Bridgewater, and he leaves his hand on my thigh until we pull into the parking lot at the back of the building, and I don’t hate it.
CHAPTERTEN
Spencer
Tossing the folder on my desk, I plop down in my chair. I tilt my head back and close my eyes as I let the meeting I just held float away. I’ve been dreading this all week, but I had to tell the board something. Last week I assured them that this was a done deal. They knew I was visiting all locations of the practice last Friday, and they expected me to tell them the contract had been signed and my plans for branding and incorporating the new asset into our current hospital system was complete.
Instead, they got me telling them that I wanted some more time. I spewed bullshit about protecting our investment and that I wanted to spend more time to get a feel for the operations and the staff that we were ensuring would keep their jobs unless something disciplinary happened. I don’t need more time. The buyout is a sound business decision.
It’s all a ruse. A ruse to get more time with her. Currently, I’m not her boss. We don’t work for the same organization, and I feel this deep-seated need to push time so that when I’m kissing her, I don’t have to worry about a sexual harassment suit. Not that Charlotte would ever do that. No, she wants my lips on hers. I can feel it every time she kisses me back.
It’s not even that I’ll be her boss. She will report to the Director of Physician Services, who reports to me, so she won’t be a direct report. I just need an excuse to be around her. To spend time with her, even it if is under the guise that I need more intel on the operations and staff.
I’m finding that I’ll do anything for just a moment with Charlotte Krause.
A knock on my door pulls me out of my thoughts. “Come in,” I call out, sitting up in my chair.
“Hey, Spencer.” Lucia, the hospital's director of Physician Services, smiles at me.
It took me months to get the staff to call me by my first name instead of Mr. Pennington. Everyone except for Lucia. She’s been batting those eyes of hers at me, giving off fuck-me vibes from here to Texas since day one. Not once have I considered her attempt to lure me into her web.
“What can I do for you, Lucia?”
She steps further into the room and takes a seat across from my desk. “Just checking in to see what I need to do for the onboarding of the new pediatric practice that we’re buying,” she says.
“Nothing.” I try to keep the bite of irritation out of my tone. She’s just doing her job.
She furrows her brow. “I thought that the administrator was going to report to me?” There is an equal amount of hurt and anger in her tone.
“That’s still the hierarchy of your positions, but there are a few final things that need to be examined before the deal is final.” Like me kissing the hell out of said administrator, she’s so eager to have under her.
She’s not the only one.
“Oh. Okay. Well, is there anything I can do to help?” she asks eagerly.
“I’ll be sure to let you know if there is.”
“If you need me to stay late or whatever….” Her voice trails off, and the smile on her face tells me she wants me to read between the lines.
I’m reading between those lines just fine, but that doesn’t mean that I have to like what they say. Giving in to Lucia would be like drinking unsweetened tea when you have the option for sweet. There is no comparison.
“I’m all set. How are things with the new oncologist?” I ask, changing the subject and circling the conversation back to work. She rambles on about the new oncologist we hired, and I’m only half listening. It’s been a week today since I’ve seen Charlotte, and I’m craving her like a junkie who needs his next hit.
She’s always affected me. I accepted that fact years ago when we were in college that I would never be anything more to Charlotte than her rival—the guy she liked to compete and spar with. That was before I tasted her. Before I felt her smooth, soft skin under the palm of my hand, and before I felt the silky strands of her hair between my fingers.
I spent this week pretending I didn’t need to see her. I’ve worked late every single night. So much so that even Linc commented on the hours I’ve been keeping. He left Monday to go back to his place that he was sharing with Audrey, who is now living with Charlotte.
“Spencer?” Lucia says, and I shake out of my thoughts and give her my attention. “Should I schedule a catch-up with Dr. Montoya?” she asks of our new oncologist.
“No. That won’t be necessary.” She nods and hesitates before standing.
“Call me if you need me. Anytime,” she says. Her voice is lower, as if she’s trying to be sexy. She’s not, well, maybe she is, but she’s not to me. My idea of sexy is a blue-eyed, auburn-haired long-legged beauty who’s had me chasing her and my tail for the last ten years.
